The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 90
Chap. XC.
Their Proceedings against the Free Cities.
IT followeth how tyrannically they used the free Cities. Especially, for that instead of an halter, they placed Chief-Officers and Judges in the Cities, without whose licence no man could move himself: those of the Order of Knights, these of Citizens. But what such men? even such, as in the great scarcery of home-bred Romanes they were able to procure: Bannites, Italians, or Germanes: or else apostate Bohemians, covetous muckwormes, who drove their own designes, infamous homicides, base-begotten persons, Spirits, such as sell persons free born, Fidlers, Stage players, Smiths, certain also not so much as A. B. C. darians, without estate, without any certain abode, without Conscience, (all this we could easily demonstrate in particular and pertinent examples:) so that projecting villany with all impudency, they obliged their faith to Antichrist, (under the name of Cesar) for to invent treachery, and lay snares for others: men, unworthy to have place in our writings.
2. To such as these, were all businesses in Cities committed, upon their determination the City-Councells were commanded to depend. Nor could the publick complaints of the ataxie and confusion of affaires prevaile any thing to the contrary: but onely that they being unable to bear it, (in the yeare 1624.) did afterwards displace the Capitanes (or head-Officers) and referred all to the fudges onely, which neverthelesse were assisted by the chief of the Souldiery, as a super-attendant, lest the Kings affaires should suffer dammage.
3. Their care in the next place, was to suck juice and bloud out of the Cities, which they notably effected by Taxes and Contributions for some yeares continued, and extorted by the Souldiers power.
4. Then the Ministers of the Churches being removed, and Masse-Priests (for the most part by force of Armes) introduc’d, they begun to compell people to frequent the Masse. Marriages also were prohibited, except amongst the Cathotiques: by which stratagem of Satan, very many in every place carnally affected, were brought to Apostasie, and afterwards promoted to the dignity of Senators, even men of no judgement or experience.
5. The number of Apostates being thus augmented, the Popish Senate began to be enraged against the rest of the Citizens diverse wayes: which will not seem tedious particularly to describe, how their proceedings were contrived, onely we shall in the interim set down the generall instructions given to the Capitanes of Distresses, in the yeare 1624.