Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-03-25
Correspondence of the Free Press.
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
NO. LXIII.
81. Vut's Cathe5ral.-Momennu
i'uss and Jerome.

IN the immaculate vicinity Oh tne Hrduo-
chin are the grand palaces of some Of the
highest nobility, and there are museums and
galleries and libraries which, if one were to
spend a week in Prague, would repay visit,
as We were informed, but we had no time to
devote to them, and after our visit to the Ca
thedral we left the IIradschin. The Cathedral
or church of st. Volt, st. vcit, English St.
Vitus, is moro than 500 years old, and is re-
markablc for many objects of interest besides
its monuments. 1t is the Wcstmnster Abbey
of Bohemia 1t has its various chapcls--tcn
of thcm-cach of which has its pccularities,
and its numerous monuments. The chapel of
st. Wcnccsas is Tricky set with the pre-
cious stones Of Bohemia, .imcthysts, Chryso-
prases. Jaspers, &c. The statue OF the Saint
himself was east by Fisher of Nuremburg
from cannons taken from the IIussites. The
armor which he wore in battle is there, and
the strong and heavy ring with a lions
head. like an immense old fashioned knock
er, to which he chung to save himself from
the fury Of his mGrlerous brother, more than
nine hundred years ago, is fastened in the
wall for all that choose to handle.
The Martinitz family has chapel. The
hero of the family was one Of the ministers
of state who were tossed out of the window
by the mobiles The family of Count VALID
stein have u chapel also, where tie Counts
of the last 200 years are buried. There is
the tomb of st. John Nepomuc, all OF silver.
of the saint, taken up after 1886 years, reposes
in coffin of solid silver. 1t is covered by
baldaquin, supported at the four corners
by angels. also of solid silver Silver candel-
abra stand by it, and the hanging lamps
which light it, are all of silver. The whole
Constitutes a very striking object, even
among 50 many remarkable objects The
tongue of the saint, which would not reveal
the Queens confession, is kept in cut glass
vase and is now as fresh as it was 300 years
ago The shrine of this saint is one of the
richest and most snowy in the world About
it arc ais, some very interesting monumental
sculptures, and the tombs of many royal and
noble persons. In the middle of the church
is the magnificent tomb Of the Kings of
Bohemia, reared by Ru Iolph II. at an ex-
pcnsc of $4,000 ducats 1t is of white Carara
marble. There are also on the high altar
four iigures-St. Venaslas, St. Adalbus, St.
Cyril and St. Vitus, the patrons of Bohemia,
in solid silver, weighing 1000 lbs. Here is
the picture Of St. Luke painting the holy
Virgin. 1t cost 5000 ducats, about $1,000.
The church is not only temple of fame
for the great Bohemian dead, but is quite an
I'D curiosity shop, besides. There is here a
curious representation Of the whole city of
Prague, with the triumphant entry Of Max
imiliun, all cut from one piece of wood there
is model Of the original tower Of the church
bcloreitS destruction by the great fire Of l54l.
There is representation in sculpture of the
seeking of this church IN 1919, by Frederic.
H. most valuable relic Of antiquity is a por-
ton "a triangular foot,) of candelabrum
which, they say, was originally in the temple
Of ) llpmon at Jerusalem, brought thence by
Titus, taken t. Milan by the Crusaders, and
IN a division of the plumber of Milan 700 years
ago, taken by the king Of Bohemia and present.
ed TO this church. 1t is an exceedingly inter
csting relic, certainly Of great antiquity, and
Of eastern origin, if not IN reality what ira
dition says it is. 1t is now portion of a
cJlli lete candelabrum, being an attempt at
restoration.
The Ziskaberg (Ziska's hill) in the suburbs
OF the new town, sugges is passages of history
Of the deepest interest. John Huss, the
learned, the eloquent, the devout and the
fearless, was found so dangerous champion
If reformed opinions, that he was invited to
defend his opinions before the Council of Con-
stance. King Wenceslaus granted him no.
bic escort, the Emperor Sigismund guaranteed
his safety and gave him letters of safe conduct
and after he arrived at Constance, the Pope
also promised him personal safety; but his
arguments were too strong to be tolerated by
the assembled delegates of the Church, and =,
Notwithstanding all their guarantees, he was
seized and finally burned at the stake, and
his ashes were cast into the Rhine The man
ncr of his death-his sanity bearing and
joyous prayers, as the flames curled around
him, excited the admiration Of his enemies
and his friends at Prague were maddened to
phrenzy by the treachery and falschood of
the Emperor and the Pope, and the cowardly
and bigoted tyranny of that immense Coun-
cil in which the Emperor and &c Princes and
40 Counts, the Pope and 20 Cardinals and
more than 600 other clerical dignitares of the
highest order, and 1000 priests, stopped to the
meanness of numbering an exemplary, pure &
learned divine, who had presented himself
before them on their invitation, trusting to
! their honor,
Jerome of Prague, the associate Of Huss,
and greater than he, hearing of his imprison-
men at Constance, in violation of the pledges
for his rejection, was indignant, and hur-
ried 10 give him the aid of his own greater
learning and eloquence; but he was seized and
carried in chains to Constance and thrown
into prison. Worn down with sickness and
confinement, in a moment of weakness, he
consented to recant the heresies alleged
against him and lluss. lie was, however,
kept in prison, and with returning health
his soul came back to HIM, and he repented
and wept bitterly over his apostacy as the
greatest of all his sins lie declared tina; he
was ashamed tc live, and they consigned
him to the flames On his way TO the stake
he chanted the Apostles Creed and sacred
songs, and prayed with cheerful voice
pogglo, the Pope's Secretary, who was pre-
sent. saws that Mutius Scoeyola did not burn