very numerous, and they included a large proportion of the
hierarchy, as well as many of the nobles. But the university, as it had
early adopted Huss's opinions, so it continued steadily, yet mildly, to
maintain them. Throughout the wars that marked the commencement of this
strife of opinion, the Carolinum was ever present to assuage the
rancour of parties. It withstood absolute popery on the one hand, and
absolute fanaticism on the other. And when the war ceased, and George
of Podiebrad mounted the throne, it gave all its influence to a
government of which the policy throughout was just, and wise, and
temperate.

Acted upon by the efforts of this seat of learning, the Taborites
themselves became gradually tame. They accused John of Rokysan, it is
true, of having betrayed them, because he would not place himself at
the head of the schism; and they held aloof from familiar intercourse
with their rivals; but they made no appeal to the sword. Accordingly
John became their advocate with the new monarch, and ample toleration
was extended to them. With this they were satisfied. They withdrew into
the mountains, built villages and places of worship, and never
addressing each other except as brother or sister, they came,
by-and-by, to be known every where as the Bohemian or Moravian
brethren. Simple in their habits, and primitive in their ideas, they
soon ceased to be objects of terror to the government; and being left
to themselves, became, by degrees, at once the most industrious and
honest portion of the population. Moreover, the anomaly in the
constitution of their church, which at the outset, had been little
thought of, began by degrees to make itself felt. They had no appointed
teachers or ministers among them; and there was confusion in their very
worship. Their chiefs determined to remove the evil; and seventy of
them, from Moravia as well as Bohemia, meeting together, cast lots on
whom the priestly office should devolve. Three men, Matthew of Kunwald,
Thomas of Przelan, and Eli of Krzenovitch, were chosen; who repairing
to a settlement of the Waldenses,--of whom numbers were scattered over
Austria and Moravia,--received from the hands of Stephen, one of their
bishops, episcopal consecration. From them the brethren derived that
apostolical priesthood, which has never since died out, and of which
the most perfect model is now to be seen at Hernhut, in Silesia.

Thus fared it with the Reformed religion and its professor