Rozvoda, who appears to have acted as leader of the party opposed to the Lithuanian prince,[1] was accompanied by numerous partisans. One of the tumults so frequent in Prague at that period then took place, but it was this time unaccompanied by bloodshed. The bells of all the church towers were rung, and the people hurried to the market-place. John of Rokycan, followed by many priests of his faction and carrying the Sacrament, then left the neighbouring Týn church[2] and appeared on the market-place. He declared that a plot against him and his followers had been discovered, and called on the people to defend him. Jerome Šrol, formerly one of the adherents of John of Zělivo, also called the people to arms. The citizens immediately began to attack the residence of Prince Korybutovič, who was greatly surprised at this sudden invasion and quite unprepared for resistance. He was, therefore, taken prisoner, without any struggle[3] and conveyed in disguise to the Hradčany castle on the left bank of the Vltavo. From here his captors afterwards brought him to the castle of Valdštýn, where he remained a prisoner for some time. The coup d’état was carried out so suddenly and secretly that even his most intimate followers were for
- ↑ The author of the contemporary ballad “O zajeti Sigmunda Korybutoviče” (“On the Capture of Sigismund Korybutovič”) writes: “First will I mention Rozvada, who was the leader, and took the part of the deceased Judas” (Výbor z Literatury cěské—Selections from Bohemian Literature, Vol. II. p. 311).
- ↑ See my Prague (“Mediæval Towns” series), p. 155–156.
- ↑ The ancient chroniclers thus describe this event: “On Thursday in Passion Week there were great disturbances in Prague because of a plot made against Sigismund of Lithuania, who was then in his princely residence, by Master John of Rokycan, then preacher at the church of the Mother of God at the Týn, together with some citizens of Prague and knights, particularly Svojše of Zahradka and Rozvoda, surnamed Rameš; they seized him [one of the MSS. here adds the untrue statement “because he would not receive Communion in the two kinds”] and brought him by night in disguise to the castle of Prague [Hradčany], and then conveyed him to the castle of Valdštýn, and [afterwards] drove him out of the country. Thus did the Praguers repay him [Korybutovič] for his services and his aid against their enemies. But the Lord God did not leave these traitors unpunished; for Rozvoda, surnamed Rameš, was shortly afterwards shot dead by one of his servants, and Svojše before his death became insane, and the others also ended their lives miserably” (“Scriptores rerum Bohemicarum,” Vol. III. pp. 70–71).
