The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 48
Chap. XLVIII.
The cruelty of their mockings.
I. THe first way whereby we were brought to desparation was poverty, the other, was various insolencies, whereby they did insult over our affaires as absolutely lost: I shall not speake of those applauses, and Jubiles, wherewith the Churches, Courts and markets did ring, I shall not speake of those infamous bookes, insolent pictures, and proud words wherewith they did incourage themselves, and arme themselves against us: this was matter of griefe to godly spirits, but did deject the hearts of those that were inconstant, because they promised to themselves in words and actions an uninterupted course of victories, to us an inevitable destruction, those whom they saw to be more constant, and prepared for banishment they mocked as fooles, who fancied they should obtaine security which could not be had but under the obedience of the Emperour and Pope. Whither madmen (saith he) hast ye so speedily, where wil ye hope to fly from Cæsars hands that which you see done here, will be done every where. Ye will by experience find that within these few yeares the whole world will be Catholick, why will yee rather some where else abide even with great fear, and the hazard of your estates, rather than here chearfully undergo it? Our Native soile is sweet unto us: because yee cannot subject your selfe unto their desires, will ye wast your selves with discontent, or return with greater confusien? it is not certain whether the Gates of Cæsars mercies, will hereafter as now they do) stand open unto you.
2. For they promised in their own & Cæsars name as well in publicke as private conferences, that if there be any error in the Catholicke Faith, or any danger in this conversion, that the blame shall lie upon them, and that they will answer it to God, and with the hazard of their owne soules free you from all danger. With these and the like sometime, flattering and inticing words, sometimes with threats and menaces, the hearts of the simpler sort did begin to faile them. And many, because of the removall of the Ministers of the word, and debarring them the reading of profitable bookes, were so besotted, that as it were lulled asleepe with the charming of the Syrens, they suffer themselves to be ingulfed in the abyss of all abomination.
3. These are the first fruites of Apostates, who before they had suffered the least crosse forsooke Christ their Captaine, and entered into the Camp of Antichrist. Those who were found to be more stiffe and harder to be brought to their bow, having changed their flattering alurements into Savage cruelty, they goe about to torment with threates, proscriprions, woundings, fines and imprisonments, and other kinds of afflictions, of which heareafter.