Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/128

 The real and imaginary wrongs of Queen Elizabeth, the rivalship between her and the Queen of Hradec, the intrigues of the lords, the wars between them,—all this has furnished rich material for several brilliant historical romances, produced by modern Bohemian novelists.

King John’s continual absence from his country and his constant demand for funds, together with the wars carried on among the various nobles, brought the country to a condition of wretchedness, such as it had not known for a long time. In the absence of some strong hand to govern, the strong oppressed the weak, there being no means of redress. The land was infested with robbers, who plundered the inhabitants without let or hindrance. Sometimes whole villages were destroyed, the inhabitants scattered in all directions, many of whom perished in the woods from starvation. And King John himself became a public robber. His own sources of income having been drained to the last farthing, he robbed the churches of their ornaments, and stealing the crown and the crown jewels from the palace, he sold them, using the money for his own private expenses. In consideration, for some service done the Pope John XXII, he was given permission to collect at one time the tithes that the Pope claimed to be due for three years. This vast sum of money he also appropriated to his own use.

In the darkest hour of the reign of King John, Elizabeth died. She was but thirty-nine years of age, but broken down in health and spirits, and forsaken by all except her seven-year-old daughter. As the dawn of her life had been glorious, so her sun now went down in the utmost gloom.