or. Not
for the first time either that the troops of Western Europe had marched
on Prague to conquer it in the name of religion. Shortly after the
burning of "St. Mary under the Chain" the Pope called upon Western
Europe to undertake a crusade against the Hussites. A contemporary
chronicler, Lawrence of Bre[vz]ova, gives us a list of the nationalities
represented in this host of crusaders raised by Sigismund, King of
Bohemia, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and led by an English
Cardinal. According to Lawrence there were Bavarians, Saxons, Austrians,
Frenchmen, men of Brabant and Dutchmen, Switzers, Lusatians and
Spaniards, a compact body of English, and soldiers of many other
nationalities; their number is estimated at between one hundred thousand
and one hundred and fifty thousand. Sigismund entered the Castle of
Prague and his motley forces encamped around the town, but "the Empire's
mismanaged feudal levy was no match for an infuriated people which stood
shoulder to shoulder in the service of the same inspiring idea." I quote
from _Europe in the Middle Age_, by Thatcher and Schwill. Moreover, the
Hussites were led and inspired by one of the greatest military leaders
of all ages, John [vZ]i[vs]ka. This is not the place to tell of the
doings of those Hussite armies and their exploits, and how they kept all
Europe at bay so that every Bohemian might feel secure in the faith that
was in him. Right away in the hazy background of hills against which
stand up the towers and spires of Prague you may see an incline sloping
down towards the river and to northward. This incline is now all built
over, and this quarter of the town is called [vZ]i[vs]kov in memory of
the great Hussite who held this hill against repeated attacks until he
was in a position to go over to the offensive. Dissensions had broken
out among the crusaders, the imperial armies melted away and left
Sigismund to face his people alone. He came to some agreement with the
leaders of the opposition and was even solemnly crowned at St. Vitus;
but the battle on [vZ]i[vs]ka's hill marked the beginning of the Hussite
wars.

[Illustration: ST. VITUS.]

With the defeat of the Bohemian army on the White Mountain ends the
story of St. Vitus as the cathedral of a free country. The building was
resumed after the Thirty Years' War came to an end, and other kings were
crowned in the church that had known the glory of Charles IV and George
Podiebrad; but those who came af