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A HISTORY OF BOHEMIAN LITERATURE of ^erotin did not last long. Every year the persecution of all in Bohemia who were outside the pale of the Church of Rome became severer and their position more precarious. At a secret meeting of the brethren in 1625, at which Komensk^ was present, it was decided altogether to abandon Bohemia, and a discussion arose as to the country where the members of the Unity should seek refuge. It was finally decided that the brethren should separate, some proceeding to Poland, others to Hungary and Transylvania. Poland then had a large Protestant population, and this is still the case as regards the two other countries mentioned. Before finally leaving Bohemia, it was decided that messengers should be sent out in different directions to obtain information as to where the brethren could find quarters. Komensk^, with two companions, started for Poland. In that country Count Raphael Lescynski, himself a member of the Unity, was known as a warm friend of the brethren. During his journey Komensky first heard of the socalled prophecies of one Christopher Kotter, Characcession

teristically enough Komensky immediately forgot all other preoccupations and obtained an interview with the " prophet. Henceforth his belief in Kotter was implicit, and he immediately decided on translating into Latin and into Bohemian the German prophecies, which are a tissue of absurdities.^ The fact that a generally respected Protestant divine as Komensky had desired an interview with Kotter of course greatly increased the man's celebrity. Even the Elector of Brandenburg, and Frederick, ' See my Bohemia, an Historical Sketch, pp. Want of 397 and 398. prevents my repeating the short account of Kotter's "prophecies" there.

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