The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 49
Chap. XLIX.
I. IN the meane while they appointed the Jesuites & Monks to be comissaries of the Reformation, joining unto them some one Nobleman or more, or Baron, who passing through Towns and Villages, used their best endeavour to bring Heresie into disgrace, and highly to magnifie and set abroach the Roman Cause. The chief and most eminent men both for honour and estates are invited to Apostacy, the meaner and inferior sort either are fooled, by their examples, or compelled by threatnings. At length the Thunderbolt of Proscription is cast with great violence against the former Orders; and the chiefe Commissaries of the Reformation, are nominated and appointed, namely the Arch-Bishop of Prague Cardinall de Harach, the Abbot of Strohavia, Parislaw, Borzita Count of Matromitz, most commonly called Smeczanski, Frederick de Fallenbergh and Christopher Wrotislaus. This Bark of the Universal Apostacy in this Kingdome was committed to these Pilots, but through the perswasion of Smeczanius they refused to undertake the Government thereof, except they may have absolute power of determining any thing against any man, without the compulsion of any man, or the contradiction or alteration of their sentence, even by Cæsar himself so that now in stead of the Counsell of Inquisition in Spain, a High Court of Reformers is set up, from which if they did depart, being required to have a testimony, they were many wayes troubled by the Jesuites, with divers censures, sollicitings, protestations, and temptations. If any one refused, they demanded of him whether at the least he would learne, if hee consented, they set him a time, or gave him leve to make choise of his time and whosoever admitted it, it scarce goeth well with him. For presently hee had a Masse Priest appointed him, who daily would trouble them. Very many underwent this trouble, whereby they might gain so much time, as to dispose of their affaires. But when their time being almost expired, they said, that they did acknowledge no other thing in their conscience, they were said to make a mock of Cæsars power, and so run themselves into fresh dangers. But more particularly we shall recount hereafter in their places how these pretty Reformers handled businesses.