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Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

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harbor <strong>in</strong>to which he may retreat from shipwreck; "<br />

<strong>and</strong> he concluded by promis<strong>in</strong>g to send forthwith<br />

deputies to expedite the bus<strong>in</strong>ess of a union<br />

between the Roman <strong>and</strong> Calixt<strong>in</strong>e Churches.[6]<br />

When asked how he could thus oppose a faith he<br />

had lately so zealously professed, Zahera replied<br />

that he had placed himself at the feet of Luther that<br />

he might be the better able to confute him: "An<br />

excuse," observes Comerflus, "that might have<br />

become the mouth of Judas."<br />

Zahera <strong>and</strong> Passek were not the men to stop at<br />

half-measures. To pave the way for a union with<br />

the Roman Church they framed a set of articles,<br />

which, hav<strong>in</strong>g obta<strong>in</strong>ed the consent of the k<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

they required the clergy <strong>and</strong> citizens to subscribe.<br />

Those who refused were to be banished from<br />

Prague. Six pastors decl<strong>in</strong>ed the test, <strong>and</strong> were<br />

driven from the city. The pastors were followed<br />

<strong>in</strong>to exile by sixty-five of the lead<strong>in</strong>g citizens,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the Chancellor of Prague <strong>and</strong> the former<br />

burgomaster. A pretext be<strong>in</strong>g sought for severer<br />

measures, the malicious <strong>in</strong>vention was spread<br />

abroad that the Lutherans had conspired to<br />

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