Page:The Hussite wars, by the Count Lützow.djvu/256

 took place. When King Sigismund demanded that the Hussites should abandon all sieges of castles belonging to nobles “sub una,” and that the truce should include all his subjects—an expression which could be applied to all German states, even those with whom the Bohemians had already refused to negotiate—the envoys stated that they had no instructions to discuss these matters, but would inform their countrymen of the King’s demands. They then left Pressburg and the negotiations were interrupted for a considerable period.

The so-called crusade of 1429 requires but very slight mention. Cardinal Beaufort was again to command it. He landed on the continent in July with an English army of 5,000 men. While marching through Belgium he was ordered to proceed to France because of the victories of Joan of Arc. The German princes considered this a sufficient reason for abandoning the proposed campaign. Some time previously—in March 1429—Joan of Arc addressed a menacing letter to the Bohemians, threatening to invade their country. On his return from Pressburg to Bohemia Prokop had, at the castle of Sovinec, near Olomouc, an interview with Prince Korybutovič, who had again appeared in the lands of the Bohemian crown. The Lithuanian prince had, on his return from Bohemia, been treated with great severity by the King of Poland, and even imprisoned for a short time. Ladislas maintained that Korybutovič had undertaken his second expedition to Bohemia against the King’s order. In view of the profound duplicity of the King of Poland it is perhaps impossible to judge how far this was true. While the failure was blamed, a success would probably have met with approval. Korybutovič very soon regained the King’s favour, and now made his third appearance on the turbulent Bohemian stage. He probably hoped that Prokop would act as a mediator