Slechta

The

Italian land taught

I

187

me Greek.

Therefore have left a memorial behind me, Isocrates translated into Bohemian speech. More work cannot undertake, for am dead.

I

I

I

thankful that accomplished this. Now that my earthly life is ended." Good Bohemian,

be

Another very distinguished Bohemian humanist was

John Slechta, who

was afterwards ennobled and re-

ceived the title "ze Vsehrd."

He must not, however, be

confused with Viktorin Cornelius ze Vsehrd, who has Born in 1446, Slechta was already been mentioned. like Bohnslav of Lobkovic, with whom he was on terms of friendship, and many of the early Bohemian humanists, a fervent adherent of the Church of Rome. Like Lobkovic, also, he had a strong dislike to the Like most language and to the religion of his country. humanists, he was a great letter-writer, and many of his letters, some of which are in his own language, have been preserved.

A curious proof of

dislike which some, though by no means all, Bohemian humanists felt for the peculiar religious views which attracted the attention of foreigners to their country can be found in the correspondence of Slechta with Erasmus of Rotterdam. Slechta, in a letter referring to the "Bohemian Brethren," informed his correspondent that " an emissary of ' ' Pikardus 1 had infected first Zizka's army and then all Bohemia with pestiferous doctrines of sin ; thence the ' ' Bohemian Brethren proceeded to recognise communion in the two kinds, and to choose as bishops and priests the intense

This imaginary personage was supposed to have been the founder of the of Pickhards or Beghards, a vague designation which was applied to many mediaeval heretics, but more particularly to the Waldenses. 1

sect