Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/29

 while the Bohemians were actively and victoriously invading the neighbouring districts of Germany.

Cardinal Julian Cesarini became the new legate in Germany and Bohemia. Martin V. died, and Eugene IV. succeeded to the tiara. Cardinal Julian determined once more to try the fortune of war before entering on negotiations, for the purpose of which the Council of Basel had been summoned, and ought to have been opened on March 3, 1431. Although his presence was required at Basel as President of the Council, he nevertheless entered Bohemia at the head of an army of 40,000 cavalry and 90,000 infantry, which fled in confusion at the mere sound of the waggons and warhymns of the Bohemians, near Tauss, on Aug. 14, 1431. Thus ended the fifth and last crusade against the Hussites.

The better path of negotiation was at length entered upon by the Council of Basel, and its President, Cardinal Julian, the latter of whom was now fully convinced of the impossibility of success in dealing with the Bohemians by violent measures. Owing to a quarrel in Hungary the Orphans separated from the Taborites, and entered into closer relations with the moderate Utraquists of Prague. It is remarked by Palacky that the Taborites represented the future Calvinists, and the Orphans the Lutherans; while the Calixtines of Prague approximated rather to the Church of England.

Fifteen deputies to the council were chosen by the Bohemians, among whom were their great general, Prokop, and the Taborite-Englishman, Peter Payne, the former of whom formed a singular friendship with the cardinal-president, and the latter took a prominent part in the disputations and discussions at Basel. Prokop, at the conclusion of the arguments, made a remarkable apology for himself and appeal to the council, which is worth extracting. He said that he had noticed that people seemed to imagine that he had killed