tvvo letters or embassies the one sent by the states of bohemia, to the elector of saxony: the other from the popes holines to the emperour, concerning the troubles of germany. bohemia (země). sněm. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) tvvo letters or embassies the one sent by the states of bohemia, to the elector of saxony: the other from the popes holines to the emperour, concerning the troubles of germany. bohemia (země). sněm. paul v, pope, - . aut barlow, william, of amsterdam. johann georg i, elector of saxony, - . ferdinand ii, holy roman emperor, - . [ ] p. 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and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion two letters or embassies . the one sent by the states of bohemia , to the elector of saxony : the other from the popes holines to the emperour , concerning the troubles of germany . printet , at amsterdam . . to his assured friend , h c. at his lodging neere bishops-gate in london . sr. if i should send you ouer the relations both in latin , dutch , and french , which come to this towne concerning the variety of newes about the troubles of europe , i should weary you with the multiplicity of bookes , and my selfe with the cunning of transportation : besides , i am sure to bee preuented in sending you newes , because it will bee stale ere it come to your handes by my meanes : therefore i desist from either troubling you or my selfe in that kinde , and yet haue i chanced on something , which i am sure none can helpe you to , but by my meanes : so it is then , that there , came to my hands two seuerall coppies of seuerall letters , one from wittenberg , as the summe of an embacy from the states of bohemia to the duke of saxony , concerning his desertion of the king in these tumultuous times : another from mr. fodringham in vienna , written by the pope to the emperour , concerning the pacification of the troubles , and admission of a peace ( if the motiue might bee correspondent to his honour ) rather then aduenture to bee terrified with so much effusion of blood , or hazard the dignity of the empire , by letting the warres goe forward . and these as you see i haue printed heere in amsterdam , and they are so pleasing to the inhabitants heere , that i presume , they will bee as acceptable there to all the welwillers of the bohemian affaires : and so wishing your contentment in the ouer-reading , bee bolde that whensoeuer any thing comes worthy of you , you shall not fayle of it . for i am still your friend : william barlow . the introduction . rvmor hauing played a true womans part through the citty of prague , concerning the duke of bauaria's comming to lintz , and the duke of saxonyes declaratiue letters to the emperour , that the marquesse spinola was approaching with a formidable preparation to assist him , and hee himselfe would not be behinde in any duty , which belonged to his obseruation , or the dignity of the empire : thrust herselfe at last into the presence of the king , and the greatest councellors of estate , but in such a manner , as if she durst iustifie her lauish tongue , and tooke a pleasure in the ampliation , which yet briefly had these maine passages : first , that saxony and bauaria combined themselues to illustrate the glory of the house of austria , and by no meanes to leaue either emperour , or empire in the cruell hands of reuolters , if either they could procure their deliuery , or by any prouidence conserue their renowne : that the marquesse spinola had more forcible reasons in his approaches , as resoluing to reduce the subiects of bohemia ( whom hee termed rebels to the emperour ) to their pristinate obedience , wherein if hee found any retardance , hee would shew them the angry faces of . men , so prouided out of the storehouse of power and pollicy , that the world should record it as a remarkable president , and they be confounded to vnderstand , what their wilfulnes had incurred . that presently don lewis de velasco , hauing fortified wesell , and left a sufficient garrison both in it and other townes subiect to surprises vpon the aduantage of his absence , should follow him , as a second in the prosecution of greater designes . that the catholicke bishops , and other secular princes , would fill vp this well bound sheafe with their arrowes , and make the hierogliphick an absolute resemblance of indissolluble and vnresistable strength . that these free cittyes of the empire would open their gates , yea breake downe their walles , rather then this sinons horse should stand without , and not offer sacrifice in the temple of pallas . thus was this mattachene of report danced euen in the kings castle and pallace , and if mischiefe had had a tricke to affright them indeed , or startle their resolutions from standing in their firmnesse , it so fell out , that it ranne like a voyce of thunder , and meant to follow one another in sequence . but it should seeme , no arme of flesh could turne the frame of heauen about : and there was a stronger hand ready to throw a stone to strike nabuchadnezars image in peeces : for they were all so farre from being daunted , or terrified with imposturing apparitions , that they were rather exasperated , and encouraged to opposition : yea it is saide , that the inuincible and heroyick queene kneeled downe with lifted handes to heauen , desiring god to accept of her , as a propitiary sacrifice , rather then his iustice might not haue her prosperous course in the punishment of sinnes , or the now glory of her husband suffer diminution , or so much as a controll from the enemies of the gospell , and aduersaries of the kingdomes prosperity : to this ( besides the admiration at her magnanimity ) both king and nobles , cittizens and commons , gent. and souldiers , protestants and papists , priests and cleargie men , yea all that had participated with the particulars , combined themselues to shake off these drops of threatning rumor , and be sheltred from the greater storme of a publike enemy . notwithstanding it was thought conuenient to send an embacy to iohn george duke of saxony , and prince elector , to put him in minde of the auncient league and amitie , which euer continued betweene the bohemian state and the house of saxony , and to knowe from a personall information , how he stood affected in this warre , or disposed to the assignation of his forces , or what might bee the cause of his desertion in this so great a busines , which concurred with the propagation of the gospell , and the liberty of oppressed people . whereupon there were two out of each of the three states of bohemia deligated to this imployment with an orderly proportion of attendants , besides a secretary of eminency , who came in good time to presula , and there found the duke . it is said , that at the first , there was some difficulty in their entertainment and admission , as from a king indeed : for . whether priuate emulation against the palsgraues aduancement , whom before hee held in equall rancke with himselfe . . or sinister occasions like vntoward weedes choked vp the growth of better corne , . or neernesse of consanguinity drawing his loue to the emperour . . or a iealousie concerning the diminution of the greatnesse of the common-wealth , beeing thus dilacerated and diuided . . or a superstitious blindnes in the case of the roman religion wrought him out of the possession of better thoughts , or diuerted him from that respect so meritorious a prince excited , i will not now dispute : onely i am sure hee would neither willingly allow them the titles of such a kings ambassadors ; nor affoord them that audience , which their message both imported and deserued , till at last his councell beeing most of them well affected to the king , and his religion , ouer wrought him to condiscend to the law of nations and liberty of all royall prouinces : so they had a day of audience , and the duke for all his minde was intangled with an intricate businesse , and farre reaching proiects , yet heard them the sooner , the sooner to bee ridde of them , and so the secretary thus began : fredericke by the grace of god king of bohemia , duke of bauaria , palatine of the rhine : and so as followeth in his maiesties iust titles , with the three states of the common-wealth of prague , and protectors of the incorporated prouinces , sendeth greeting to the high and mighty prince iohn georgivs , duke of saxony , iuliers , and cleues , elector of the sacred empire , &c. most mightie & illustrious prince , wee cannot coniecture , except it please you to enlarge your selfe , wherin any aspect of ours hath bene maleuolent toward you , or occasion raised it selfe to such an height , that you thinke it meete , either with a rough hand to keepe it vnder , or forcible arme to bring it to humiliation . as for the particulars of the kingdome , & all our suffrages in this so well contriued election , i hope you expect not more at our hands now , then you haue receiued diuers times by priuate letters , or daily read out of iustifiable treatises : as for the secret of preseruation , which comes from instinct of nature , and glorious manumition of distracted subiects ; i hope you make no question of the lawfulnes , & necessitie of our well begun courses . as for the grieuances of the commons , and convulsions of the prouinces , wherin no man liued secure , while the tyrannie of our gouernours lasted : the opening of our graues , the disquieting of buried soules , the displacing of setled offices , the teares of widowes , the cryes of orphanes , the wringing hands of matrons , the rauishing of virgins , the outrages in euery citie ; and in a worde , the complaints of rich and poore haue long before this , ecchoed in your eares , & drawne commiseration from your hart. as for the secrets of gouernment , what can be more implyed out of all prescription , then the glory of god , . the honor of a kingdome , . the good of the people , . and the renowne of the prince . in all which , it is well knowne our princes haue fayled ; as . dishonouring god by a manifest approbation of thinges contrary to his worde , . disgracing the kingdome , by violating her lawes , abrogating her priuiledges , threatning her peace , subiecting her to strangers , and tying her as it were to the whipping-poasts of crueltie and injustice , . abusing the people , by affrighting them with the rages of exorbitant actions , and suffring no man in the securitie & benefit of his owne possessions , . as defaming themselues , by the scandalous imperiousnesse of wicked counsellors , and weaknes of iudgement to be ouer-awed in all their actions , by the passionate wilfulnes of such as were enemies to god and men . as for the cause of religion , remember i pray you what the statist steephen king of poland was wont to say , that he was a king of men , but not of consciences ; a commaunder of bodies , but not of soules : and what vnheard-of mischiefs haue the iesuites bred , the inquisition procured , the pope contriued , the emperors continued ; and all long of that terrible vow the iesuites caused him to make ; rather to loose the dignitie of his tytle , the benefit of his diademe , and the comfort of his life , then a protestant should enioy the liberty of his conscience , or a church publiquly opened for the exercise of true religion . as for the emperor himselfe , if your loue were neuer so great , or your passion transported beyond limitation ; what gouernment did euer admit of the vsurpation of strangers ? and how dangerously haue the hartes of all kingdomes beene eaten vpon by the hungry teeth of mercinary souldiers ? were not the gothes and vandales brought in as auxiliary to the emperors of the east , and when they learn'd their discipline , and had possession of their armes , they learn'd also to turne their pikes into the brests of the weaker side , and so was europe subiected ? thus againe was brittany diuers times conquered , spayne ouer-runne by the mores , and the rest brought vnto all vnrest by this course . for what can we expect lesse then desolation and dissolution of gouernment & religion ? if either the emperors had continued in their former outragiousnes , or ferdinand who doth now attempt to fill your free cities with garisond spanyards , or allow of the vsurpation of such as would deride our miseries , and tryumph to see vs feed vpon one an others bowels , with a rauening desire of confusion . as for reputing vs rebels , or the diminution of the emperors tytles and glory of the austrian famely , we haue only from being slaues , made our selues subjects of a lawfull prince , wherein the proofes are extant from all times and authoritie ; and neither that , nor any thing heere spoken , need illustration from the lawes of our country , or the credit of authors , who haue diuers times seene a king of hungary , a king of bohemia , and an emperor of germany , in seuerall distinct persons : nor doe we see why austrias few yeares of possession , should debarre all other famelies from the empire it selfe , especially damme vp our encloasures , that we shall not giue libertie to our owne immunities and priuiledges . and therfore is there neither such cause of repining in you , nor cruelty in him . for alas , what must be the end of these dissentions , but the pulling of germaines peace & prosperity in peeces , and the filling our fields with the slaughtered carkasses of innocents , whose fatherlesse children will crye for vengeance , till the heauens powre it downe vpon the heads of the delinquents . as for any thing else , which either you haue , or can obiect ; it hath bene long since answered : and although princes neede not giue an account of their actions , yet haue wee published our iustifications , and written both to your selfe , the emperour , and bauaria : so that if the warre continue , god knowes , we are meere defendants , and our king is his substitute for religion and the common-wealth , and would bee loath to see you bring fuell to the flames of this disturbance , or make the tyranny and ambition of another a pitt to praecipitate your selfe in without recouery . therefore ( most illustrious prince ) seeing these thinges are so , and autentically approued by all sufficiency ; why should your disallowance either manifest a willingnes to infringe the amity , and confederation with the bohemian state : or show a tumor of some priuate passion against an immaculate prince , and louing neighbour , or the vnion of other princes , who haue combined themselues to withstand a publicke enemy . so that if neither the generall cause of the empires peace ; the blessed worke of the propagation of the gospell ; the priuate respect of our grieuances ; the auncient combination of the prouinces ; the extraordinary worth of our king ; nor any other motiue bee the threed , to leade you out of the laberinth of this disquiet , yea manifest seduction to eternal confusion : remember your owne ancestors , and the glorious actions , whereby they haue shined like faire mouing planets in perspicuous orbes , from whose influence could proceed nothing but sweet presages . o what a story is registred of your fredericke duke of saxony , about the yeare . for luthers security and defence against the then malicious aduersaries of the ghospell ! euen when the popes indulgences and pardons brought remission of sinnes , and plenary freedome out of purgatory ! when the dragon watched the woman , that her birth might bee deuoured ! when fire and vengeance was threatned against the heretickes , and the emperour himselfe proued the churches champion , and tooke vpon him for romes sake , to curse and fulminate against zealous professors , or any innouators of the papisticall hierarchy . then did the noble fredericke guard luther to wormes , and in the presence of the emperour demaunded of erasmus , whether his reasons and arguments were consonant to the word of truth ? and they might ( as the bereans did ) try the doctrine by the scriptures . then were the prophesies of hierom of prague , & iohn hus remembred and disputed vpon , as if euen now they had their time of expiration . then was iohn hilton a monck imprisoned for discouering the abuses of the roman clergie , and released againe for continuing constant in the case of the reformed religion , both against the will of the pope and emperour , and all by a duke of saxony . then was veselus , picus mirandula , laurentius valla , erasmus of roterdam , and many others acceptable to your ancesters , and they gloried in nothing more , then the protection and patronizing of such saints of god. then could that worthy prince hearing of a storme , that strucke the angell on the top of the popes pallace to the ground , praesage , it was an ominous signe of the fall of babilon , and decay of the popes glory ; and when not long after hee heard of . cardinals made at a time , yea in such a time , when a lightning & thunder struck the childe out of the virgins armes , and the keyes out of peters handes , being both images in the church , his zeale and deuotion burst out , that sure god was offended with them , and would reduce their ambition , and prophane ceremonies to a better humiliation and conformity : and this was fredericke of saxony . after him succeeded iohn fredericke , of whom the emperour was as suspitious as the other : and therefore as it were to serue him into the amity and league of spaine and austria , they contriued to marry him to lady katherine the emperours sister , and so thought themselues secure of him : notwithstanding when he was sent for to beare the sword before the emperour at masse , he would not goe , till hee was resolued of diuers diuines , whether hee might or no with a safe conscience : i will not ( saith he ) make a president of immitation of naamans the syrians going into the temple of rimmon with the king , to pollute my selfe with an vnlawfull mixture : whereupon they resolued him , that he might goe , because he was sent for , but not endure masse , because it was so grosse a sinne , and filthy an idoll . i will not name the release of the lantsgraue of hesse , nor other disceptations against the emperour , and all wrought by the house of saxony , euen to make sad againe the hearts of elated men , who at last grew disaffected with their owne glory : so that when charles the . saw their resolutions to deny him a succession in the empire for his sonne phillip , he tooke a calmer course , and left his brother ferdinand to wrastle with the germane protestant princes , and went himselfe directly into a monastery . with what a faire and euen course were the affaires of rodulphus emperour carryed , as aduised by your princes to proclayme the confession of auspurg , which they had bought out with great summes of money of maximilian and ferdinand his predecessors ? whereby the protestants had many sweet entercourses to heare the worde of god , and thought no pleasure of the world comparable to the blessed society of gods people ; but to neerer times . how carefull was your brother christian the . late elector of saxony , of the peace of the empire , and in a manner iealious of the liberty of the protestants , least it might fall into the handes of violence ? this made him write to mathias king of hungary , concerning the eleuation of the house of austria , that sure hee tooke a wrong course both with the church and common-welth , especially our selues , whome he found startling frō the obedience of a tyrannous gouernment , and affrightings of vnconscionable vsurpation . for said he , what will you get by your spanish garisons , and spanish factions in those kingdomes , but an vnwilling & enforced obedience to your present authority , and vtter rejection to your future posterity ? what will the tyranny of the inquisitiue iesuites come to , but a plaine infatuating and imposturing of your zeale and deuotion , and the peoples manifestation of murmurings and grudges against so fearefull a worke ? what will the bringing in of the inquisition it selfe contriue , but in the beginning , cursses and repinings from euery mans mouth , and in the end hate and rebellion in euery mans heart ? to this effect were your brothers letters , and what hath followed , i neede not enlarge ; seeing now the clamours of warre on euery side eccho out the same , and our iustifications haue beene as a bonarges , or the sound of many waters . nay , did not duke iohn ernestus not long a goe send to his owne vniuersitie of iena , and then they of iena to the vniuersitie of wittenberg , and therein to persons of name iohn maior superintendent , and iohn gerrard , doctors of diuinitie for the sollution of certaine difficulties in 〈…〉 designes , especially the waging of 〈…〉 of forces ? who returned answers , that 〈…〉 to the worde of god , either to assist the papists against the protestants and professors of true religion , or according to your owne state positions ( which you would now haue the busines of the empire ) to bring in strangers to tyrannize ouer the peace of contracted neighbours , wherin the law of nations haue beene alwayes so preualent , and the customes of germany so powerfull , that euen opposite princes haue laide aside for the time all ill will and vnkindnes , to vnite their forces against a common enemy , or propulse vnusuall innouation . this act was played by the triumuiri at ierusalem against the romans , by the dissentious brittons against caesar , by your owne prouinces against the gothes and vandalls , till they were quite driuen into italy and spaine . and what vnkinde hand hath now throwne filthines or durt into the pure streame of your former resolutions ? or what fearefull incantation hath vnbound you from the mast of constancy , to hearken to the syrens song of ambitious deceiuers , who are resolued to shed the blood of innocents , and vnder the colour of reuenging the wrongs , wherein wee are supposed delinquents , and foraging the palatinate with pretence to diuert the warre thither , as by spinola's formidable approaches may appeare , lye in waite for nothing , but the generall diminution of germaines happines , and particular pollution of gods altar with the trumperies of mens inuentions ? oh hearken not to su 〈…〉 : nor giue way to a contamination , 〈…〉 wiped off : for though you could bee 〈…〉 to forget vs , yet remember your selfe : though you could giue way to the desertion of bohemians amity , yet there is no forsaking of mercy , nor the loue of god and heauen : though you could reioyce in the sincking and beating downe of an enemy , yet be not an enemy to your owne soule , nor hazard the losse of eternall reward : for it is now gods cause , and the people will liue and dye in the defence of their religion : oh that the emperour himselfe would hearken to the voyce , that told saul , there was no kicking against the pricke ! and if a lightning from heauen strucke him from his horse and made him blinde , what shall the armies of gods angels doe , when hee meanes to deliuer his people ? be not therefore transported to fight against god , or with the olde gyants to begin a new warre , and throw the mountaines against heauen . for i am fully perswaded , that you thinke , how antechrist is not onely discouered , but know , he shall be punished , yea laide open in this world to the hissing of all the passengers ; and then woe to the princes of the earth , that haue worshipped the beast , and drunke of the cup of the strumpet , that rideth vpon the beast . but leauing religion , which yet will not be left out of gods account , what stumbling blocke of offence hath bene further laide , or who hath cast these rubs in your smooth walke to amity & former combination ? is it the person of our king you maligne ? oh say not so : for if euer titus was called deliciae generis humani , he may well be proclaymed the prince of happines and peace , as a man composed by nature , ordayned of god , selected by prophesie , confirmed by miracle , and established by all our suffrages , as if the dignity belonged vnto him , as a prince , and other blessings , as a happy man. is it our reuoltings you disalow of , as if either the rejection of ferdinand were not lawfull , or ratification of this our choyse suspencible ? why , wee haue answerd it to the whole world , that when mathias had his owne endes in the adoption and inauguration of this man to the kingdome of bohemia , for which he left him a pledge of his loue the towne of budwis : it was absolutely contrary to his owne oath , and our immunities and priuiledges . for neither did the incorporated prouinces know of it , nor wee our selues condiscended to the agreement : but onely certain iesuites the firebrands of hell , ran vp and downe to set all in combustion , and with meleagers mother tooke the torch of his life in a rage , and held it downeward , till the flame was extinguished , and other traytors of our owne , molded to another impression by the warming handes of spanish papists , and all to let out the blood of their mother , i meane their countrey and common-wealth , to see her languish and perish before their faces for priuate respects , or some praedestinated vengeance to fall vpon their owne heads . is it the obseruation of the emperour himselfe , or respect to his family ? wherein hath he deserued better of reputation , then your selfe , or other princes of germany ? or what hath beene done these . yeares for the good of christendome ? or why shall this glowing meteor or exhalation darken the light of truer starres , and more radiant planets ? hath he not abused the trust committed vnto him , by betraying all your princely liberties into the handes of strangers , and setting vp the spaniards monarchy in the westerne world to the terrifying of all christian princes ? for what nation haue they not beene tampering withall , euen to the placing of soldiers and garisons amongst them . i hope italy hath knowne them , and the ilands of those seas . ireland hath had them , and felt some endurances for them . france bin tormented by them ; the grisons haue still their forte fuentes : the passages of some mountaines are kept by them . sauoy is full of them . hungary is not yet freed of them . austria swarms with them : our selues are but newly ridde of them , some imperiall townes , as wesell and others possessed by them , and euen at this instant is hee calling in of greater troopes amongst you . is it the care of the empire you shoot at ? how can that be ? when by these warres all gouernment must be turmoyled , and that natiue beauty of our peace and prosperity made adulterate by iesabels paintings and the thicke laide colours of wicked pollicy , when the slaughtered armies of christians shall pollute your fields & cities , and fill your swolne eyes with tears for the losse of parents , husbands , children , friends , &c. is it the popes curse you are afraide of ? why that 's impossible , considering that hee now resembles a fire in a painted cloath , which neither yeeldeth warmth nor lustre . for his fulminations are now made ridiculous , and his cursings proue like balaams corruption , who for all the king of moabs promises , sang a parable of blessings to ifraell : nay you may be assured , that the time of his desolation is comming faster on then the winde , and the prouinces are falling away like vntempered morter from a wall . is it spaines mightines you stand in awe of ? be not amated ! he hath many territories indeed ; but may thanke the endeauours of other princes , as also the slacknes of some , who gaue way to his owne seruitors , whē they had first offred the west indyes to themselues : he is rich indeed , but hath much to doe with his money , and greater charges to defray , then present reuenues can supply ! he is strong indeed , but is beholding to the peace of other kingdomes , and the honesty of such nations , as make a conscience in infringing of an oath . is it the marquesse spinola's army which terrifies you ? i answer briefly with elisha to his seruant , there are more with vs then with them : and it is but the opening of eyes to see chariots and the horsmen of heauen on the mountaine tops : but i could say thus much further , that you haue the more cause to adhaere to the princes of the vnion , and propulse a common enemy , of whom i will onely apply that , which count meloun assured the english in the later time of king iohn , that if lewis of france had preuailed , hee was resolued to destroy all such first , as prooued traytors to their countrey , and led him by the arme to trample on the bruised body of england : so say wee euen to the catholicke bishops themselues , whether warre or peace , they will repent this hard bargaine with disturbance , and when they see their exaltation depressed , or liberty vsurped , cry out vpon the first cause of their troubles , and name the iesuites , as so many incendiaries of a common-wealth . for had they not bene better to haue continued in their electiue powers for the choyse of their emperours , and let the confession of auspurg alone to the freedome of mens consciences , and the quieting of free citties ? then now to bee assured , that the protestants will neuer be reclaymed , nor taught other lesson then to fight for their religion , and the glory of the gospell ; yea to hazard their owne liues and dignities : so that whether wee , or strangers preuaile , it lyes in the will and choyse of the victors , to deale with the vanquished at their pleasures . is there any thing else ! you make a scruple of ? oh that there were nothing else , then might these obiections bee easily answered , and a iudicious man soone satisfied : yet if you conceale the same , it must prooue like the oyntments shut vp in boxes , which seldome are smelt to the refreshing of the sences , till they bee vncouered or powred out : oh doe not therefore exaestuate your griefes by suppression , but let the wounds be opened , and gently searched , least they grow vlcerous , ranckle and proue incurable ! and if any imputation lye vpon vs , wee will be bolde to say ( sauing the dignity of our king ) wee will easily descend to acknowledgement , and you shall quickly finde the benefit of satisfaction . therefore for gods sake , for religions sake , for your owne sake , for your ancestors sake , for your countries sake , let there bee a better reposednes , and recollection of those contracts of amity , which euer were betweene your house and bohemia , yea with faster bindings , and more reciprocall obseruation , then with any other prouinciall prince . oh let the liberty of the germaines , and the glory of their citties be exposed vnto you ; which must otherwise feele a kinde of torture by the racking handes of compulsion and hostility ! oh let the beauty of concord ( if it be possible ) shine , that beginneth to hide her head vnder the thickning cloudes of trouble , and mischiefes ! i spare instances of moderne times , i spare examples of olde times , i spare precepts of all times , i spare your owne relations from the rending a sunder , by disagreement ; nay i spare to put you in minde of the present necessity , concerning the good of all christendome . for although hee that holdeth the windes in his handes , hath also held the rages of the turke from those formidable extentions of ambition and tyranny , which haue formerly beene displayed in the countries of asia , and greece ; in the fieldes of hungary ; before the walles of vienna ; at the siedge of malta ; and many other obsessions : yet you heare , how he hath of late visited italy ; brought . gallies into the gulph of venice , landed . ianisaries , sacked the towne of manfredonio in brutia , and carryed away the inhabitants ; so that while poore christians looke vpon one another , with longing hearts for the pacification of these affrightings , hee ouerlookes vs all with polliticke eyes to pry into our weaknesse , and take aduantage of our dissentions . yea , for all his league with bethelem gabor prince of transiluania , and praefixed day to crowne him king of hungary , yet without controuersie doth hee make vse of the troubles of germany , and is not to be trusted in his best reconciliation . i could name and set downe the very manner of gratefying our king , with animating him in his best prosecutions , as if he had bene distasted with the emperours vaine-glorious insulting ouer vs ; but they be thinges beyond our c●mmission , and so impertinent to our purpose in hand ? for we onely come to moue your princelines to the renouation of former leagues , and combination of a perpetuall amity , or manifestation of some cause for this your desertion in the time of such expectation . nay , wee are ready to attend you , though you exemplifie no reason at all , but a glorious spirit to manifest your greatnes , or wilfulnes to prepare your liberty to support whom you please ? for if it be so , there may be some hope of the compassion which will follow , when necessity shall whisper preseruation in your eares , and draw commiseration from your heart to preuent the slaughters of so many christians , and peraduenture the captiuity of your freest citties : whereas now there is not so much as a thought of prouidence , nor a worde of preuention , nor any positions of state , among whome this is autenticall , that weake beginnings , and the worst sort of men may be instruments to set mischiefe on worke , but troubles are not pacified without iudgement , and men of approued wisdome . therefore once againe ( most illustrious prince ) we beseech you , let vs returne to our king , as the explorators of canaan did to the israelites : for although tenne of them did talke of enakims and giants of iron gates and high walles ; of strong cities & formidable passages ; yet did caleb and iosua assure them of a plentifull country and vberant vineyards , of sweete increases and many blessings ; of well erected citties and rich terretories ; of pleasant fields and excellent fruites : of all which they came to a diuision , and a the fulnes of time glorified god for their exaltation . now the same god worke vpon your heart to admit of some lenatiue impression , and send vs home with a happy message , that the publicke good of christendome hath ouer-wrought you , not onely to wish well to zion , or peace to ierusalem , but to endeauour a pacification of these miseries , and some noble prosecution , whereby the emperour may bee cooled in the heate of his reuenges . to his approued friend mr. william barlow , now dwelling in amsterdam . good sr. according to the reciprocall contract between vs of writing to one another , concerning such thinges as may pleasure either , i thought good once againe to acquaint you with something worthy of your acceptation , and my report , which is the coppy of a letter written from the pope to the emperour , concerning the pacification of the troubles of europe : for although the counterchangeable oppositions of these great princes , haue made report flowe like a sea with the accidents of the times , as in all countries and languages is apparant : yet for any thing wee either heare or see in vienna , neither are the pope , emperour , nor angry iesuites , so confident of successe , but if they could perswade their polliticke honours , aswell as their affrighted soules , they would bee glad to hide their eyes from effusion of blood , & keepe their harts within the bounds of some charity and humaine affection , as by this letter may appeare , which i wish with all my heart were published . for i am resolued the true hearted christian will make vse of it to gods glory , and his owne comfort : and so i referre it and my selfe to your kinde admission of my indissolluble loue , which sendeth you greeting from vienna , this th . of october : and from your assured friend , tho : frodringham . pope paulus quintus sendeth greeting to the emperour ferdinand , and king of the romans : sacred and imperiall sonne ; i remember a speech of tacitus , that it was a signe of treason , or trayterous disposition , when a generall meant onely to write to his enemy , when with like facillity hee might haue repulsed him by force of armes : so may you obiect against me , that you wonder at a letter , when you expected both men and money : but then you must wonder at the alteration of times too , and peraduenture the necessity of our fortune : for it fareth not now with vs , as when the empire it selfe came as it were from our donation , and the diadems of princes were the vtensels of our houshold , as when charles the great dissipated the cloude of vengeance , with the gothes and lombards , thickned against the shining sunne of our prelacie , as when the prouinces and kingdomes of europe were affraid of our curse , and excommunication of our church : as when religion was locked vp in our conclaue , and not opened without peters keyes , as when a sonne for our sakes would chastice the rebellion of a father , and one nation scourge another at the intercession of a legat : the examples are so plentifull , that euen heretickes , haue gotten them in their mouthes to spit in our faces : it fareth not with vs , as when true deuotion tyed the consciences of men to the obseruation of our pleasure , and no vpstart familist durst broach a strange doctrine to our preiudice : when faith was predominant in our hearts , and honest simplicity liued out our liues and actions , beleeuing onely what the church did teach , and practising nothing but with modesty and obedience : then were the halcion dayes of our glory , and how euer heretickes haue characterd them with ignorance and superstition , yet questionles as in martiall discipline soldiers must not bee acquainted with euery secret , but simply yeeld obedience to their commanders : so in the matters of the church , men were neuer at so much peace of conscience , as when they knew not how to trouble their soules beyond their vnderstandings : in a word , it fareth not with vs , as when the vnity of church and common-wealths resembled a sheaue of arrowes , strongly bound together , which was that way indissolluble , but diuided a sunder they were easily snapped in peeces one by one ; then were the kingdomes of europe of one vnanimity , and if any vpstart heretickes brake out , or furious scismatickes approached to the holy altar with violence , they were quickly enforced backe , and taught a lesson of obedience , either by generall councels , whereat many times . bishops were gathered together , or the power of an army , which came at our becke from all the quarters of christendome . but now , and in your owne particular most deare sonne , . the times are altered , . religion is confounded , . and the prouinces are deuided . first concerning the times , you see , that princes are so iealious one of anothers greatnes , that neither law of marriage or conscience can detaine them within the limites of humanity , especially charity , as reioycing in the good one of another , but they will confederate euen with those , they hate , to cast blocks and hinderances in the way of one another , if there be but a suspition , that he runneth on too fast to greatnes : this began ( for our moderne times ) in the time of charles the fift , with whome england and many other prouinces ioyned against the french : but no sooner was the king taken prisoner at pauy , but they fell backe againe to a commiseration of his affliction , and began to assist him in a new recouery . this hath continued against your house of austria , and my sonne of spaine : for euer since burgundy and yee haue beene vnited , whereby charles left the empire to his younger brother , you see the world hath cryed out , that spaine would bee the monarch of the west , and the iesuites by his assistance vsurpe the dignity of the church , and by a new superintendency ouertop the authority of the papacy . this hath made seuerall kinges oppose themselues against spaine , and now seueral prouinces fall from your obedience , as if the angels prophesie against ismael , were verified ; that his hand should be against euery man , & euery mans hand against him . yea this will end against the low-countries themselues , who fill the seas with formidable nauies , and haue such strong citties , ramparts , and armies , that already they begin to be feared , and already fall vnder the hand of watching and ouerlooking . beleeue it then , that in this point alone of suspition of your greatnes , not naming other collaterall causes of hate , cruelty , oppression , defending our supremacy , enriching your selfe and such like , there will euer remaine a tricke of pollicy , if not to trip vp your heeles for running at all , yet to pull you backe as it were by the sleeue from making too much hast , so that i see no remedy , but that you must be contented to yeeld to the time , and rather to keepe somthing , then loose all : for howeuer the greatnes of your spirit may commaund obedience , and the goodnes of the cause plead possession ; yet necessity is a predominant mischiefe , and they are fooles that will perish in an obstinacy , repugnant to fortune : remember that hanniball had possession of italy . yeares , and might haue tryumphed in rome , if he had taken his time : but when scipio diuerted the warre , carthage was besieged , and carthage knew not , how to bee relieued , till hanniball was recalled : so the great captaine was disapointed in his proiects , and compelled to yeeld to the roman glory . i speake not by way of prophesie but precept , that in all extremities the law of preseruation comes from instinct of nature , and to preuent a greater mischiefe , men must , and may endure some inconuenience ; and so much for the time . concerning religion , which yet is not the emperours plea , nor the empires cause , you see the alteration : many good mothers bring forth bad daughters , truth begets hatred , familiarity contempt , charity idlenes , and knowledge presumption , with such like . for euer since the common people haue beene licenced to reade the scriptures , and make their owne interpretations , they haue startled from the obedience of the church , and cryed out vpon liberty , as though their consciences like vntam'd heyfers were let loose , and they tyed vnto no rules and lawes but of their owne deuising : this hath made so many mechanicke men presumptuous , and silenced women audacious ; that a poore ignorant cobler dare compare with a father of the church , and a tatling woman instead of being instructed by her husband , take vpon her to rule both husband and family : this hath set on worke certaine strange spirits to rayle vpon order and conformity , euen in the churches of heretickes themselues , that they haue denyed them to be churches , but the vnswept roomes of antechrist , because of some enormities , and imperfections in men and gouernment , which are , were , and shall be in this militant church , till the comming of christ to iudgement . this hath deuided the countries of europe , and taught hipocrites and foolish libertines a glorious lesson of defending the gospell of christ and his saincts , whereby they haue vaine-gloriously taken vp armes against the church , and their prnces ; so that if successe haue not smoothly looked vpon them , but iustice submitted them to the punishment of impiety , they haue confounded treason and martyrdome together , and taught their blasphemous tongues to cry out , sanguis martirium semen ecclesiae , as though euery rebell and raging pesant , punished for transgression , must bee therefore charactered a saint of god ; so that this gangren is spreading ouer the whole body , and for any thing i see remediles , vnlesse wee could cut off that poysoned ioynt where it began . againe , if their commotions and convulsions of the empire it selfe haue thriued with aduantages of victory , and preuailing ; then haue they dared to publish the right of their cause , and exclaime against rome for babilon , against our holines for the man of sinne , against our church for antechristian , against our sonnes the catholicke princes for the kinges that haue drunke of the cup of abhomination , and against your imperiall maiesty , as the beast with . hornes spoken of in the aenigmaticall prophesie of st. iohn : nay these thinges are so imprinted in the mindes of most men and nations , that euery man is almost so farre from retraction , or a seeming sorrow of doing amisse , that ( so they may haue the name of religion in their mouthes ) they are ready to take vp armes against their natiue lords , and thinke it a glory to colour their hipocriticall disobedience , with maintaining the cause of the gospell , and taking part ( as a new deuise of rebellion ) with the princes of the vnion : and so much for religion . concerning the prouinces : i cannot now compare them better , then to a wall set vp with vntempered morter , ready to fall a sunder for lacke of cementing . for alas such is the impetuosity of rumor at this houre against you , that it is more fearefull and terrible , then the winde that shooke the foure corners of iobs houses , and threw them downe on the heads of his children . to begin with the north , if we name saxony and his neighbour bishops to assist you : they counterprize denmarke , sweden , brandenburg , brunswick , and many of that side : if we talke of poland , they tell you , that all that way , there is lusatia , silesia , morauia , as a hedge betweene bohemia and it ; nay they drawe a longer shaft , and a stronger bowe of hungary , transiluania , and the turkes confederacy and combination : if wee mention your vnckle the arch-duke , or more familiarly the marquesse spinola his liefetenant , they stop the gap with the truce , with the peace with england , or else with the armies of the states , the affinity of the prince of orenge , and the indissoluble loue of a king to his daughter , which i onely feare is vnanswerable , and must needes say vnpossible to be resisted , if hee either remember what a sonne in law he hath , or what subiects proportionable to his greatnes , that without imposition ( if hee giue them leaue ) long to be tampering with the indyes themselues : if wee expect collen , and the bishops belonging to our obedience , they present vs the lantsgraue of hesse , franconia , and the palatinate it selfe : if we relye vpon bauaria , they neighbour him with wittenberg , and other protestant princes : if wee resolue vpon austria , they cry alas what is that to bohemia , and the deuided countries of your inheritance ? if wee boast of money , they answer directly , there is no want in their army , but your soldiers repine for lacke of pay : if we whisper of france , they talke aloude , there is enough to doe to answer their owne proportions . for queene , king , and princes gaze vpon one another in the behalfe of fauorites , factions , and people : if wee reioyce for spaine , they depresse the insulting , with alas , what can spaine doe ? spaine is too remote , spaine can spare no men : spaine hath many garisons to tend , as so many nurse children to pay for : spaine hath many yrons in the fire , but as fast as one heates , another cooles : spaine is tyred with the multiplicity of busines , and must be more then tyr'd , if hee could come ouer the alpes : spaine is in hazard of loue , and good opinion in the world , as rather enuyed , then feared , and maligned then obserued : in a word , spaine hath many millions and great treasure : but i may well compare him to a glorious steward of a house , who must defray the charge of a .l . a yeare expences , but the lord will but allow his seruant . toward it . if we recken vp our own prouinces , i cannot liken them better , then to argos his eyes , whereof the one halfe wakes , while the other sleepes . for sauoy neither dares trust spaine , nor truly loue vs : must keepe his frontiers , and watch geneua , lookes vpon the marquisate of salusse with soare eyes , and vpon prouince with a hungry heart ; dares not speake aloude against france , though he whisper for some indignities receiued : but either to succour you , or our selues , he is both vnwilling and vnprouided . mantua and modena runne the same course , but with slower pace , and indeed because no body regards them , as able to doe either hurt or good , they are made the wiser to looke to themselues , and not to meddle with other folkes busines . millaine is like a bird in a golden cage , that may sing to answer proportion with nature , but if the casement be open , shee will take the benefit of her liberty : so that howeuer they seeme religious , yet hath spaine much adoe to ouer-watch them . genoa is not worth the naming for your busines , for if it were as rich againe , it hath much a doe to pay the marchants debts . venice is a fearefull and polliticke state , maketh vse of our religion , but loueth her owne greatnes so well , that shee is both jealious of spaine , and loathsome to vs : for wee feare her reuolt dayly , and because she is got into the number of the princes of the vnion , will not number a man , nor a peece of gold for your reliefe . florence and leuca , will lend you what money they can , but alas they haue neither men nor gallyes , and if they had , the venetian is so dogged he will not let them passe into the gulph . naples and sicilia , could spare you men , though they want money , and many of their nobles are willing to assist you , but to come through the grison passages it is a long and terrible iourney , and to passe into histria , puls the venetian dust into their eyes . the swisse are very indifferent , and for money will serue either party , but considering their combination , and confederacy with the protestants , i doe not see , how they are to be trusted , or relyed vpon . in a word wee our selues are yours , and yee shall haue our men , if we knewe which way ; our money as it comes euery way ; our prayers as true deuotion inciteth ; our curses against your enemies , as their contentions increaseth ; our priests amongst your subiects , as their affection decayeth ; our pardon 's for your sinnes , as holy church instituteth ; and our benediction for your busines , as your affaires concurreth : onely bee patient and ouercome your disasters with wisdome . for to that end were vertues framed , or else why doe we name fortitude , magnanimity , patience , temperance , and such like concomitants of glory and blessednes . seeing then your case so stands , and that bohemia hath put a tricke of reuolt vpon you . first grounding vpon some fundamentall positions of an electiue prouince , making the world beleeue they haue a purpose to reduce it to her pristinate gouernment . secondly relying vpon hungarias examples , whose vnconstancy hath yet as it were dilacerated her kingdome , and shewed the turke a way to prey vpon her prosperity , as you shall read of prometheus on mount caucasus , on whose entrals a vulture continually gnaweth , so that he is euer dying , and euer liuing . thirdly , emboldened by bethelem gabor prince of transiluania , with whome you see the turke hath contracted a truce and couenant of peace , that he might the better make warre against any disturbers of his friends and confederates : for when at first the bohemians cast themselues into his embraces , he would not close his armes , but gaue them leaue to returne to faster holdings , and in amanner nominated the palatinate for their prince . fourthly pretending some grieuances from your selfe , and mathias , not onely that you tooke a wrong course with their obedience , playing the vnskilfull surgeon with them , to feare , cut , and cauterize their wounds , which might haue bene fairely healed with lenatiue cataplasmes , but also that you ouer-stretched your owne stringes to a higher tune then the instrument would beare , and so presuming to command all , you came at last to enioy nothing , according to our italian prouerb , chitutto a braccia nessuno strenge . last of all , proiecting the youth , brauery , and alliance of this man ( especially that the king of great brittaine , a nominated prince in all prophesie , and conference for the enemie to papistrie ) would neuer stand still , and looke vpon those rude hands , which should pull downe the frame of so goodly a building , they came at last to this maine point of reiection of you ; which must needes be their fault , and electing him , which cannot chuse but be his fortune : so that in a word considering what i haue said , beleeue it , they that dared once to conceit the starting aside frō your authority , were not so barren of vnderstanding , but to consider what might happen , either war or peace , and so haue prepared both to shut you out of their walks of their loue and submission , & to keepe you off as far as they can by a steely arme and forcible detention , wherat you cannot be dismayed , for this maine reason , that they which wil confesse themselues aduersaries to god , care not to professe themselues enemies to men . now in this point alone all our hopes are disappointed : for first , they haue traced our supremacy after luthers owne steps , and placed the stout hereticks : that though with hercules in his cradle they did not strangle the serpents , yet with hercules in the tragedie , that killed his owne children , they haue like refractary delinquents set vpon their father & their mother . me their father the supreame bishop , and the church their mother , the blessed spouse of christ. . secondly , they haue denied our indulgences , and scorned our pardons , not caring for their sicke soules , but willing to dye in desperation , as a frantick man in a feauer , that striketh his phisician , and casteth the potion on the ground . . thirdly , they haue pulled downe our images , and abrogated that constitution of the church , as if they meant to be anathemataes , and enemies to religion , by taking away all the meanes of deuotion . . fourthly , they haue banished the iesuites . it may be they are suspected amongst our owne priests , and haue imputation rather of pollicie , then piety : but what is that to the cure of soules ? and the estate of lay men ? i pray god i may not say by them , as demosthenes tale is betweene the sheepe and the wolues , who were offended at the sheepes entertaining great dogges amongst them , whereby they liued secured from their ruine : but when they had betrayed them to their dimission , then did these cruell wolues , more cruell by the aduantage of exasperation , returne to their former prey and violence . last of all , they haue bewitched the foster spirited men with manswetude and good vsage , whereby the priests themselues are growne to commend their gouernment , & the catholickes in generall to shew their obedience : so that they , which in former times repined to pay our officers the tribute of the church , disburse both money and armes to the sustentation of our enemies : and whereas we had euer much adoe to worke vpon their soules , these bohemians ( though of a contrary religion ) haue brought both soules and bodies to their beck , and authority . thus ( deare sonne ) for any thing i see , the matter is remedilesse , and to complaine against god , men , fortune , treasons , and such like , will rather discouer a distemperature of passion , then magnanimity of spirit : nay , though there were hope of reformation . therefore be aduised by me , though patience in some things be a poore vertue , and onely fit to draw on heauier burthens : yet in other businesse , and most occasions it reduceth the minde to consideration , and setleth the iudgement for the preuention of greater mischiefe . it bringeth the sences to order , and keeps both soule and body in temperature : as for imputation of cowardise , and basenesse , when high and glorious designes propose themselues to prosecution , remember the story of fabius , and minutius , against hanniball . the senate indeede gaue eare to the aspersions of his retraction and delay , as if either he durst not fight , or knew not how to proceede , and so deuided the generalship betweene them , but that diuided the successe of the businesse : for minutius fayling in the heat of his forwardnesse , was glad to retire vnder the shadow of fabius his moderation : for as sometimes the doltishnesse of an aduersary doth animate weake troupes to giue the onset : so at all times the wisedome , and discipline of an enemie , doth keepe in awe euen equall forces for aduenturing too farre , and being too forward . this is your case , and my feare : your case , for what can you now get by this warre , considering the mightinesse of your foe , and the diuision of your people ; but in the preuailing an eternall hate against your house and family ? and in the failing , such contumely and disgrace , that how euer you are sure of me and my bishops , yet the name of emperour shall be but a titular dignity , and the obumbration of your glory bring forward at last obliuion of your greatnesse ; nay , peraduenture the losse of that character of emperor it selfe : for it fareth with the fortune of vnfortunate princes , as with ruinous walls ; when a man perceiues their decay and weaknesse , euery one runnes aside for mistrust of falling vpon them : or else they are compared to a mans tumbling downe a paire of staires , who if hee once loose his first footing , commonly neuer stayes himselfe , till hee come to the bottome . againe say , your aduersary be subiect to a defeat , as his friends encrease , his forces will be renued , and then hee returnes with greater violence , as in those dayes the souldiers were wont to doe with their machinations , who pulled backe their rammes and engines , of purpose to run forward with the greater fury , and more impetuosity . but if you ( which god forbid ) should be subiect to the inconstancy of fortune , or if you will ( as many good men haue beene ) to the chastisement of diuine prouidence , and suffer dissolution of your army : how will you renue the same , considering the remotenesse of your friends , the weaknesse of confederates , the convulsion of your people , the infection of your subiects with lutheranisme , the repining of stiria , curniola , and carinthia : the murmuring of the swisse and grisons ; and in a word , the shaking of the whole frame of your gouernment , as you see a high and heauy topped tree loosened in the root , and standing on vnfirme ground wauering , and ready to fall , & so much for your selfe . concerning my feare : say that successe ( for it is a wisedome to presuppose the worst ) should bring them forward into the walke of preuayling , would they not runne thinke you without interception ? nay could the alpes barricado the way , or the venetian gulph deny them transportation , the high hilles and white cliffes of ancona would be a sea marke to bring them directly to rome , & the appenine is but a poore mountaine in respect of those they haue passed : but you will say , our friends about the mediterranian sea , will come in apace to preuent this mischiefe , and a . ships and gallies will keepe the ostia of tiber , after they haue landed our friends in our behalfe ; i thinke and hope so too ; yet i would be loath to put it to such an aduenture . for the straights of gibralter are wider , then the gates of the citty that sampson carryed on his shoulders , and they that cannot bee detained from going to the indyes , will not be denyed to come into the leuant : our enemies haue more shipping then our selues , and our friends are far fewer then our opposites , they that know the way for traficke , and commutation of marchandize , will know the way to spoile and getting of riches so easily : againe , our aduersaries are constant , sure and exasperated with zeale and fury against vs : they march like iohn the sonne of nimshi , and cry aloude to cast iesabell out of the window : our friends are wauering , vnconstant , and fearefull of alteration , so that to relye vpon them is but to trust egiptian reedes , or a broken staffe : in a word ; they haue prophesies and calculations in their mouthes , wishes of reuenge , and eternall hate in their hearts , fury and bloody executions in their actions , and all against rome . some talke of the scriptures , and compare the vomiting of the priests at their tables spoken of in the prophets to the feasts of cardinals , and banquettings in our court : some tell a tale of bell and the dragon , and when they come to the deuouring of so much meate , they say , that daniel sifted ashes in the place , and discouerd the footsteps of the priests , their wiues and their children , and all against rome : some coniecture of pauls epistles to timothy and titus , concerning the doctrine of deuils , the man of sinne , antechrist and idolatry : some descant of the apocalips , and dare name iesabell , babilon , rome in italy , the whore vpon the beast ; the cup of abhomination , & all against rome : some repeate the prophesies of the sybels , the praedictions of moncks and fryers , the praedil ; sages of nunnes and saincts , the foretelling of martyrs , and the persecuted vnder tyrants , and all against rome : which though it end with blasphemous inuectiues , yet hath made such impressions in the hearts of heretickes , that as they haue set their blacke mouthes on worke with contagious rayling , so they long to set their soule handes on worke , with our vncharitable destruction , and is not this a iust cause of our feare ? therefore ( deare sonne ) for gods sake , for my sake , for the churches sake , for your owne sake , for our friends sake , and in a word , for the generall cause sake both of peters chayre , and caesars throne , be contented to mingle a little water with your wine , and coole the heate of your passion with some sweeter compounds , then rage and reuenge : hearken to a treatise of pacification , though it sound not such a diapason of musicke , as will answer proportion , and satisfie the cares of your maiesticke greatnes , admit of a peace in this case of extremity , and remember how abimelech though a heathen idolater , when hee saw abraham so prosper in his enterprises , descended to contracts of amity , and came so lowe , as to allow him for a prince amongst them . as for the aspersions of disparagement , and extenuating the worthines of so great a monarch , let all bee wiped away with the hand of charity , and the auoyding effusion of christian blood : blot out the exaggeration of your enemies mischiefe against you , or the conceit of their trayterous reuolts amongst themselues : bee wise in your owne harmes , and for your owne good : let spaine and your kindreds example induce you to immitation : they haue pollitickly kept their distances , and for aduantage made truce with their owne rebels , i meane the low-countries , and contracted peace with them , whom not long agoe they thought to swallow vp : i meane england it selfe , which now to shoot against , will returne their arrowes in their owne bosomes . if this be harsh and vnpleasant , as curbing the heroycknes of your spirit by descending so lowe , as making the first proffer , wee will goe another way to worke , and rather then faile of this blessing of peace , put on esaus hairy necke , & rough hands , and bring to isaac his venison , though the voyce bee iacobs : i will send a legate : spaine an embassador : france an intercessor : england a mediator , yea it shall bee so contriued , that all the states of christend●me shall make you beleeue at least , they wish you prosperity , and their owne good , and how euer the children of edom will cry downe with it , downe with it , yet shall the natiues of iudea speake peace to zion , and wish ioy to the gates of ierusalem . you shall reade amongst the prophets in a certaine vision , that there was a great thunder and noyse , but the lord was not in it ; a great lightning and earthquake , but the lord was not in it ; a great winde and shaking of the trees , but the lord was not in it : a soft and gentle murmuring of the leaues , and the lord was in that ; so when you heare of warres , of the marching of soldiers , of the raising of armies , of the thundring of canons , of the sound of trumpets , of the demolution of cities , rauishment of women , & the murthering of men , with thousand of other outrages vnnamed : beleeue it the lord is not in , or among them ; but when they mention peace , quietnes , loue , charity , remitting of iniuries , pacification of troubles , and such like , the lord is and will be there . as for the swelling tumour of greatnes , losse of renowne , disgraces , giuing way to rebellion , diminution of honour and such like , it resembles but the imposturing incantation of sathan to eua , that made her taste of the forbidden fruit , to the vtter subuersion of all mankinde ; so that i will say no more , but if god doe come with this murmuring sweetnes of peace vnto you , hearken to his voyce , that tuneth such pleasant notes to your soules and consciences . but if sathan wish you to bee vnderstanding men , and like god himselfe to know good and euill , hearken not vnto him ; your first mother was deceiued , and your last ruine is a contriuing . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e king iames. a short relation of the departure of the high and mightie prince frederick king elect of bohemia: with his royall & vertuous ladie elizabeth; and the thryse hopefull yong prince henrie, from heydelberg towards prague, to receiue the crowne of that kingdome whearvnto is annexed the solempnitie or maner of the coronation. translated out of dutch. and now both togither published ... to giue satisfaction to the world, as touching the ground, and truth, of his maties. proceedings, & vndertaking of that kingdome ... as also to encourage all other noble & heroicall spirits (especiallie our owne nation, whom in hônour it first and chieffelie concerneth) by prerogative of that high, and soveraigne title, hæreditarie to our kings & princes: defendees [sic] of the faith) to the lyke christian resolution, against antichrist and his adhærents. harrison, john, fl. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a short relation of the departure of the high and mightie prince frederick king elect of bohemia: with his royall & vertuous ladie elizabeth; and the thryse hopefull yong prince henrie, from heydelberg towards prague, to receiue the crowne of that kingdome whearvnto is annexed the solempnitie or maner of the coronation. translated out of dutch. and now both togither published ... to giue satisfaction to the world, as touching the ground, and truth, of his maties. proceedings, & vndertaking of that kingdome ... as also to encourage all other noble & heroicall spirits (especiallie our owne nation, whom in hônour it first and chieffelie concerneth) by prerogative of that high, and soveraigne title, hæreditarie to our kings & princes: defendees [sic] of the faith) to the lyke christian resolution, against antichrist and his adhærents. harrison, john, fl. - . [ ] p. prinred [sic] by george waters, at dort : . "to the reader" signed "iohn harrison", who wrote the first part. to this are appended "some [latin] anagrams which a frend of myne gave me". the second part is a translation of: corte ende warachtige beschrijvinge van de crooninge des conincx van bohemen, frederici den eersten van dien name. signatures: a-b⁴. reproduction of the original in the british library. beginning-a from henry e. huntington library and art gallery copy filmed at end. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng frederick -- i, -- king of bohemia, - . bohemia (czech republic) -- history -- - -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a short relation of the departure of the high and mightie prince frederick king elect of bohemia : with his royall & vertuous ladie elizabeth ; and the thryse hopefull yong prince henrie , from heydelberg towards prague , to receiue the crowne of that kingdome . whearvnto is annexed the solempnitie or maner of the coronation . translated out of dutch . and now both togither published ( with other reasons , and iustifications ) to giue satisfaction to the world , as touching the ground , and truth , of his maties . proceedings , & vndertaking of that kingdome of bohemia : lawfully and freelie elected , by the generall consent of the states , not ambitiouslie aspiring thearvnto . as also to encourage all other noble & heroicall spirits ( especiallie our owne nation , whom in hônour it first and chieffelie concerneth ) by prerogative of that high , and soveraigne title , haereditarie to our kings & princes : defendees of the faith ) to the lyke christian resolusion , against antichrist and his adharents . si deus nobiscum quis contra nos . at dort , printed by george waters . . to the reader . this was my meditation coming downe the rhyne , ( the day after their maties departure from heydelberg ) writtē in my table booke , among other observations ; which vpon my arrivall , i thought to have published ; ut for some reserved reasons ( not heare to be expressed ) as then not thought convenient . so deferred till now ( as may be thought also ) vnseasonable ; after the newes of their maties entrie , coronation & all other solempnities past . yet the two principall motives remayne still thearin mentioned ; to wit , my zeale & affectiō , which i can not supresse , but must crave leave vpon so good a warrant ( as my conscience assureth me of ) to expresse and ( perhaps ) may be of some further vse to incense others . and hearvnto i have annexed some anagrams which à frend of myne gave me : yet not privie to my intent of publishing eyther the one or the other . i say they are not myne , but a frend ( whose name i conceale ) did them . the honour wherof i dare not assume , lest ( perhaps ) he should vnder-write : hos ego versiculos feci tulit alter honores . if i have offended either in the one , or the other ; the two former motives shall excuse me : i take all to my selfe : me me , adsum qui feci . iohn harrison . the departvre of the high & mighty prince frederick king elect of bohemia : with his royall , & vertuous ladie elizabeth : and the most hopefull yong prince henrie , from heydelberg , towards prague , to receave the crowne of that kingdome . his highnes formerlie elected by the generall consent of the bohemian state to this high honour , & dignitie ; afterwards consulting with his fellow-princes of the vnion , and by their approbation thearvnto encouraged : ( the mayn motiue being the cause , and defence of religion , and the professors thearof , oppressed , and otherwise , like to be suppressed , and vtterlie rooted out of that countrie of bohemia : and elswhearc also to be feared ) thearafter preparing all things necessarie for his expeditiō : ( monday the of septēber being the day appointed for his iourney ) the day before being the holy sabbath , betimes in the morning , with the yōg prince & his whole house hold , & trayne he humblie made his repayre to the publique assemblie and church in heydelberg , thear first to offer sacrifice to the god of heauen , and with the ioyntprayers , & teares of his people ( of whom at that time he tooke his solempne leave ) with strong cries to beseech almighty god for his good successe : the day also all mournfull and raynie sutable thear vnto . no lesse religious , & devoute was that worthie , and vertuous ladie in her private chappell , and with her private , and religious familie , whear her zealous & godly chaplayne d. chapman taking a verie fit text for that time , and occasion , handled the same so effectually , with so many good , and godlie admonitions , and in the end so fervent and zealous a prayer as moved much : whearvnto all said amen which sermon i wished at the same time had been preached at paules crosse , and in all the churches of great britayne , that all the people ( even the whole church of god ) might lykewise haue said amen . i was verie earnest with him after to haue had the copy of it to haue published it ( so worthie ) but the next day being the day of remove , and the time so short , his bookes and meditations alreadie packed vp , and sent away , i could not obtayne ; yet promised to send me : which promisse of his i hear chalenge publiquelie . in the meane time . i will before hand publish his text which was this , out of saint iames . . goe to now ye that say to day , or tomorrow we will goe into such a citie , and continue theare a yeare , and buy , and sell , & get gayne : wheareas ye knowe not what shall be on the morowe . for what is your lyfe ? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth awaie . for that ye ought to say : yf the lord will , we shall liue , and doe this or that . in the afternoone agayne this religious prince , with the yong prince , and the rest ( in like humble maner as in the forenoone repayred to church in his owne pallace , to sanctify the rest of the sabbath . which ended the next morning about eight of the clocke , these princelie personages ( after manifold visitations the dayes be fore ) with theyr trayne , in theyr caroches , and some on horses , & wagons , without any vayne pompe or ostentation , but rather teares in theyr eyes lifted vp to heaven , quietlie departed . yet not wythout strong cries , praiers , well wishes and acclamations following them : whear vnto let all true christians of all nations ( especially of ours as in dutie more nearelie bound ) say amen . and not onlie with theyr praiers and well wishes , but otherwise also as further occasion shall be offered aide and assiste them . the glorie of god and generall good of his church dependeth thear vpon : pro qua quis pius dubitaret mortem oppetere si ei sit profuturus . they that doe , they are worse than the verie heathens : and well may these worthie personages , debora and barak now alreadie on their march , pronounce against them that bitter curse : iud. . . curse ye meros ( said the angel of the lord , curse ye bitterlie the inhabitants thear of because they came not to help the lord , to help the lord against the mightie . to help the lord. i say it is the lords cause : yea and it is everie mans particular cause that feareth god ; for if religion be put to the worst , and suffer , so of consequence must everie one that professeth the same lykewise , of what nation or condition soever . but it may be hoped rather these good beginnings make waie to the finall destruction of that man of sin , and desolation of that great city babylon : according to that prophecie in the revelation , which of necessitie must be fulfilled . heaven and earth shall passe awaye , but not one iote of gods word be vnfulfilled . macte virtute princeps . ride prosperouslie on the word of truth , of meekenes , and of righteousnes , and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things . even now ( i say ) it may be hoped , god will put into the hearts of christian princes : ( princes of the vnion ) with one consent to fullfill his will , against that menstruous , and monstrous whore of babylon : that is , to burne her with fire for strong is the lord god which will condemne her . and to this service of almightie god against the enemies of his church , this noble , & religious yong prince hath whollie devoted himself , having before his departure ( as i was told ) given awaie his hounds & other things pertayning to his pleasure : minding ( as it should seeme ) to forbeare even his ordinarie , and lawfull recreations , till such time as he hath effected this great worke , & fulfilled gods good will and pleasure in those things whevnto it hath pleased god to call him , his demeanour so religious , humble , and milde , with such a chearfull assurednes in the faith & promisses of almightie god , imprinted even in his countenance , as promiseth all good successe . for god refisteth the proud , but giveth grace to the humble . so lykewise in the face and countenance of that hopefull yong prince henrie , methinkes , i observed some diuine thing extrordinarie which ravished my heart , & may giue the world to conceave , he will one day make good all those great hopes which wear dead in prince henrie , but revived againe in him . and no heart but would haue been ravished to haue seene the sweete demeanour of that great ladie at her departure : with teares trickling downe her cheekes ; so milde courteous , and affable ( yet with a princelie reservation of state well beseeming so great a maiestie ) lyke another queene elizabeth revived also agayne in her , the only phoenix of the world . gonne is this sweete princesse , with her now-more-than-princelie houseband ( and more and more may they growe togither in grace and favour both with god and men ) towards the place whear his armie attendeth , to march forward : shewing herself like that virago at tilburie in eightie eight : an other queene elizabeth , for so now she is : and what more she may be in time , or her royall yssue , is in gods hands to dispose to his glorie , and the good of his church : pro qua ( as i said before ) quis pius dubitaret mortem oppetere ? what good man would not adventure his life , & runne even in the face of death , such a ladie going before , and marching in the front it is the maner of the moores in their most deadlie battayles , to make choice of one of their chieffest , and fayrest virgins , to goe before them into the field : her to be surprized , and taken from them they hold it an everlasting shame , and thearfore will fight it out to the last man. and shall we suffer our sweete princesse , our royall infanta , the only daughter of our soveraigne lord and king , to goe before vs into the field and not fol low after her ? then ( i may say agayne ) we are worse than the verie infidels , and they shall rise in iudgement against vs at that great day . the glorie of god , and generall good of his church depending hearupon ; with a particular obligation besides , i owe to her highnes ( which in all dutie i am bound to acknowledge ) hath vrged me to expresse my zeale and affection thus far , as a testimonie of my thankfulnes : readie further to adventure my lyfe , and spend my dearest blood in confirmation thearof ; as in a common cause , whearin ( as i said before ) all true christians are lykewise obliged . and thearfore let vs all ioyne togither in praiers to almightie god , for the good successe of these princelie personages , and namelie in that praier which the people of god praied for the good successe of that good , and godlie king , before he went to fight against the ammonites , whear with i will conclude ; the lord heare thee in the day of trouble ; the name of the god of iaacob defend thee . send thee help from the sanctuarie , and strength thee out of sion . remember all thyne offerings , and accept thy burnt sacrifice , graunt thee according to thyne owne heart , and fulfill all thy counsell . we will reioyce in thy salvation , and in the name of our god , we will set vp our banners . the lord fulfill all thy petitions , &c. amen : amen . fridericus quintus elector palatinus anagramma . quanta fide prole inclytus is recturus ? epigramma iure legant illum populi suffragia regem , cui sit chara fides , quem sobolesque beat . ecce cluit talis rheno qui praesidet heros : omen eum talem nominis esse docet . nempe side quanta prole inclytus ( vt sonat illud ) is recturus ovans regia sceptra geret ? aliud anagramma en qualis prudens viret , ac fortis cluit epigramma en qualis prudens viret , ac fortis cluit heros inclytus , hoc faustum nominis omen habens . pectore , re , verbis , vireat cum vere iuventae , haud senibus prudens est minus ille catis . fortis & arma movens cluit aevi in flore tremendus . quale dein belli fulmen adultus erit ? fredericus quintus elector palatinus anagramma qui stirpe it clarus , non fraude electus tetrasticon qui stirpe it clarus , non fraude electus , an illi iure neget quisquam regia sceptra dari : sic tibi dant , heros , regnum suffragia iure hoc quoque ius firmant nomine fata tuo . aliud eiusdem nominis anagramma qui clarus nuper est lectus ordine fati tetrasticon nominis augurio rex clarus , qui ordine fati est nuper lectus gestiat vsque licet : vt pote qui iuvenis par tanto oft lectus honori , imperij fato dum duce culmen adit . ferdinandus secundus archidux austriae anagramma nudandus servis ac foedandus ruit hic rex , si qua sides laevo nominis augurio . a short and trve relation of the coronation of the king of bohemia fridericke the first of that name . with the ceremonies , and prayers accustomed at the crownotion , and receiuing of the king. as also the triumphes , and showes their don in honour of the kings maiestie . now when the day of the kings crownation was come , their assembled the principall of the court. and first , before the king was to goe to the church , accompanyed with the chiefe of the kingdome : the administrater , and state holder of the bishoppricke of prague , ( by name georgius dicastus mirzcovinus , and iohannes cyrillus trebicensis elder of the consistorie , both executing episcopall function ) went towards the church , and attended there for his maiesties comming in a by-chappell called by the romanists the sachristi . a little after that , the kings maiestie was led by the chiefe of the kingdome vnto the church , into the chappell of s. wonceslaus to put on the royall robes . in the meane time , the king there staying at the doore of the same chappell , for the comming of the administrator , and the elder . now , the king comming out of the chappell , the administrator gaue him this blessing : lord god blesse this our chosen king , that he going out , and in , may walke in thy way faithfully , and constantly , according to thy holy word : through our lord iesus christ. thus the king going , there went first afore him they of the consistorie , taking the way vnto the high altar . after these followed those that held their offices by inheritance , to wit : the cheife sewer , cariyng two loaues of bread , the one covered with gold , the other with siluer . and the cheife cup-bearer , cariyng two vessels of wine , also couered with gold and siluer . then after followed those which are set in the cheifest offices in the kingdome , cariyng the royall robes , and garnishings . the scepter , or staffe , caried the cheiffe secretorie : and the golden apple the cheife iudge . the crowne , the cheiffe burgraue . and the red myter , the chife chamberlaine . the sword , the cheife marshall : and these went before the kings maiestie . the king following with the administrator on the right hand , and the elder on the left . now his maiestie being come to the altar , fell vpon his knees ; and the administrator and the elder both on their bowed knees sayd this prayer following . almightie euerlasting god , king of kings , in whose power and prouidence are all the kingdomes of the world . thou which through thy wisedome and free will , doest translate them where it pleaseth thee , and giuest to whom it pleaseth thee : blesse frederick our king , chosen through thy diuine prouidence , and mercy , and giuen vs : that he not straying from the truth of thy lawe , may walke all the dayes of his life in thy wayes : through iesus christ our lord. the chorus or assembly answered amen . this prayer being ended , all kinde of musick was song through the church ; the kings robes were layd vpon the altar , and his maiestie was led to his royall chayre , by the administrator , and the elder . aud then after was the sermon preached , which done the administrator did sing this letanie following . kyrie eleyson . christe eleyson . kyrie eleyson . christe eleyson . god father of heauen , haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners . god sonne redeemer of the world , haue mercy &c. god holy ghost , haue mercy &c. holy trinitie , haue mercy &c. that if it please thee to rule , governe , and defend , thy true catholique church . we pray thee heare vs. that it will please thee to keepe all her bishops , sheepheards , and seruants in thy holy word , and a holy life . wee pray thee &c. that it may please thee to giue peace , and unity to all kings and princes , we pray &c. lord god that it would please thee , to establish and strengthen this prince fredericke , whom we haue chosen for our king. we &c. that it would please thee through thy powerfull hand to strengthen , and defend his royall throne : sonne of god we pray &c. o lambe of god that takest away the sinnes of the world , haue mercy vpon vs. three times over . kyrie eleyson . christe eleyson . kyrie eleyson . christe eleyson . this last was song by the whole chorus . after this letanie , was read the second chapter of the first epistle of paule to timothie , from the first verse to the end . this being ended , this prayer following was made by the administrator : lord iesus christ , euerlasting king of kings , and only sauiour of all that doe beleeue in thee , our mediator and redeemer , which cals men out of all nations to thy kingdome , which settest godly kings in thy church , and commandest we should pray for them . we pray thy divine maiestie for our chosen king fredericke who forthwith is to be crowned . that it will please thee to gouerne him through thy holy spirit , and to extend thy blessing ouer this solempnity : the which we ( with calling on thy name , before and after his crownation ) . shall accomplish . and moreouer powring out our prayers for our chosen king : as also for our selues ; that vnder his gouernement , we may lead a a peaceable quiet life , in all honestie and godlines , through our lord iesus christ. and the chorus answered amen . this prayer being ended , began all kind of musicke , with voyces . after the musicke , the admonistrator and elder comming to the royall chayre , led the kings maiestie to the altar : to whom the burgraue spake on this manner : most illustrous prince , king of bohemia , and gracious lord , before we set the crowne vpon thy head , thou shalt sweare in our language to the states of this kingdome this oath . then read the burgraue the oath before the king , and the king did say it after him . after the oath was done , the administrator sayd this prayer following . almightie god , euerlasting lord , as thou art faithfull in all thy promises , so thy will is that all men should be faithfull : namely those whom it is thy pleasure to make rulers ouer thy people , as well in temporall as ecclesiasticall offices , and callings , grauut that our chosen king iustly ruling vs and we humble , faithfully and constantly obeying him ( both thee our euerlasting king ) may accomplish our promises , according to thy holy word through our lord iesus christ. and the chorus or assembly answered amen . this prayer being ended , all kind of instruments were playd on , with sweete melodious and musicall voyces . which ceassing , the administrator tooke the kings robes from the altar , and gaue them to the king : but first was the annoynting done on the tope of his head : and the administrator spake to the king in this manner following . most gracious king , seeing that also in the church of old , kings were annoynted ( which annoynting , was a signe of gods lawfull calling , wherewith god hath sealed the godly and faithfull kings , to the life which is prepared for vs in christ iesus ) so the same god annoynt thee with his holy spirit , that thou as a true annoynted of god , mayst accomplish his holy will , and councell , through iesus christ our lord. the chorus or assembly answered amen . secondly , giuing him the sword , he spake thus vnto him : receiue this sword , o king elect of god , for thou art the scruant of god , called hereunto by god , that thou maist not carie that sword in vaine , but therewith defending the good , and punishing the euill , thou doest accomplish his will : through iesus christ our lord. the chorus or assembly answered amen . thirdly , the ring , receiue the ring as a signe and gods earnest pennie of thy kingly calling , and the faithfulnes which thou must shew vnto god. the holy ghost seale thee , which is the gods penny of the heauenly inheritance , through our lord iesus christ. the chorus or assembly answered amen . fourthly the scepter . most gracious prince , like as thou hast receiued the sword. so receiue also the scepter : for it is not seemely the king maiestie should be garnished with the sword and armes only : but must also be armed with the scepter of the lawes , that he may in both the times , as well in peace as warre , duely rule and be watchfull , defending the godly and faithfull , and affrighting , and punishing the vngodly and vnfaithfull : offring the hand to those that are fallen and to rayse vp the humble : but the proud to abase through iesus christ. the chous or assembly answered amen . fiftly , the golden apple : saying . receiue the apple , the which as it doth signifie the power of the kings of this world : so also it doth signifie vnto vs the ficklenes of kingdomes , and empyers . therefore also all kings of the world are admonished to seeke after that vnchaungable kingdome : through our lord iesus christ. and the chorus or assemblie answered amen ▪ sixtly the royall crowne , which the two cheife princes of the realme , standing on the right hand of the king , and the administrator with the elder on the left , setting it vpon the kings head , spake these words : receiue the crowne of the kingdome ( o king elect ) which is set vpon thy head in the name of the holy trinitie : and out of the free consent of the states , and cheife of this kingdome , throughthe prouidence of god. the which vndoubtedly is a sure signe of the fauour of god towards thee : signifiyng that thou hauing power ouer the people , art made partaker of gods highnes : for that thou being obedient vnto his holy will , in the end , with all gods elect , art to receiue the crowne of euerlasting saluation , which our sauiour iesus christ shall giue vnto all his faithfull ones , which doe looke for his glorious comming . vnto him be prayse and thanks , for euer and euer . the chorus or assembly answered amen . when as now the crowne was set vpon his head , his maiestie was led vnto his royall chayre , and the burgraue spake in the country language these words : seeing that your king being lawfully chosen , and crowned , hath giuen his oath vnto vs , to defend you , and vphold your freedomes ; so it becommeth you also , to sware vnto your king. therefore all you that can come neare vnto the royall chayre , lay two fingers on the kings crowne , and the rest put vp your fingers . instantly there was seene all the chiefe of the kingdome , with an excessiue ioy thronging to touch the kings crowne ( as before ordered ) and the rest of the people they put vp their fingers , in token of a willing , obedient , and faithfull oath . after this , followed presently melodious musicke , and singing . all which being ended ; the administrator concluded this solempnity of the coronation with this prayer following . o lord our god , looke heere in thy presence stands frederick our lawfull , chosen , and crowned king. wee haue accomplished the solempnitie of his coronation with calling vpon thy name : most humbly praying thee , that thou wilt heare and accomplish our prayers , which for him we haue powred out in thy presence . blesse our king as aforetime heare on earth , thy illustrious instruments sett in high places ; that he may follow his fore-fathers : to wit , abraham the father of many people , strong in hope faith and fidelity . moses the prophet , and leader , in meeknes . iosua in goodnes , and victories . dauid in hymmes , and extolling thy honour . salomon in wise and peaceable ruling his people . aza , iosaphat , ezekia and iosia , godly kings of iuda , before times faithfull and very-zealous in furthering thy true worship . graunt him also a long continuing life , that in his dayes iustice and iudgement may haue dominion , and that all we being faithfull & obedient to our king , according to thy commaundement , may cleaue vnto him . finally with our king and all the elect ( after we haue first furthered and done thy worke , and fulfilled thy counsell ) may be translated into the euerlasting kingdome of christ : as thy sonne our lord iesus christ shall wonderfully manifest himselfe in his glorious comming againe is all his saints , that haue beleeued in his gospell . let our king liue , let our king liue : let our king liue . with the godly queene his wife , and children , and illustrious family : through thy grace and mercy , o lord our god who with thy sonne , and holy ghost , one god rulest , and be praysed for euer and euer amen . the chorus or assembly answered amen . and all the people cryed with ioyfull voyces : viuat rex , viuat rex . let our king liue , let our king liue . all this being done his maiestie ( the spirituall order remayning in the church ) was led by the states of the land to his pallace ; where was made ready a great and costly banquer . the people making great ioy , and iollitie , with all kind of shewes ; triumpths and fires . so that the shewed forth sufficiently their inward ioy , by these outward signes . and thus ended the solempnitie of the crowning of the king of bohemia . thus farre the dutch relation . wherevnto , i haue thought good to add this appendix or supplement , the time of his maiesties coronation therein not mentioned , nor the coronation of the queene . this solempnity was performed , on monday the of october last . the coronation of the queene , on the tursday after , being the . according to our account : old stile : the like solempnity vsed . wherunto let the chorus or assembly even the whole church of great britayne applaud in like ioyfull manner . and as they cryed with on consent viuat rex &c. so let vs also answer with like ioyfull voyces , to cōclude the solēnity ( as duty bindeth to our soueraigne , & his royal posterity : with the sacreed memorie of that precious name neuer to be now reviued againe , to gods glory , and generall good of his church : all likewise applauding therevnto , ) vivat regina elizabetha . amen amen . there is yet another more particular relation in dutch , contayning divers other circumstances not heere expressed : with a representation of the whole manner of the solempnity , and coronation both of the king and queene in pictures . which i make account w●ll also heare-after be translated , and published , with other reasons more at large , to giue the world better satisfaction . wherevnto , it hath pleased god to giue testimony ; and to confirme this his sacred invnction , with the credible newes of most ioyfull , and succesfull beginnings , already atchiued against the enemyes , about the very same time , and since likewise , which god graunt may increase more and more to his glory : and run along still , like a traine of gun-powder , till at length , wee heare the finall report , of the sodaine downefall of that great citie babilon euen to the ground . in one day , in one houre . reuel . . and a mightie angel tooke vp a stone like a great milstone , and cast it into the sea , saying : with such violence shall that great citie babilon be throwne downe , and shall be found no more at all . macte virtvte . courage my hearts , the day is ours : the signe of victory alreadie giuen by the lord of hoasts himselfe , who fighteth for vs , as he did for the israelits against the aegiptians , for these aegiptians , whome ye haue seene this day , ye shall neuer see them agayne any more . the lord shall fight for you , &c. exod. . and therefore as i began , so i will conclude , and english it , that euery one may read it running . si devs nobiscvm ; if god be with vs , and for vs. qvis contra nos ? who can be against vs. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e psal ▪ . the true copies of sundrie letters concerning the affaires of bohemia, as they haue beene seuerally writen in high dutch, latine and french, to princes, and other men of account. newly translated and printed approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the true copies of sundrie letters concerning the affaires of bohemia, as they haue beene seuerally writen in high dutch, latine and french, to princes, and other men of account. newly translated and printed saincte foy, françois de. christian ii, elector of saxony, - . bethlen, gábor, prince of transylvania, - . [ ] p. printed by william stansby? or william jones?], [london : m.d.c.xx. [ ] printers' names conjectured by stc. signatures: [a]² b-f⁴. includes letters by françois de saincte foy; christian ii, elector of saxony; bethlen gábor, prince of transylvania; and an unidentified author. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language 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that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bohemia (czech republic) -- history -- - -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the trve copies of svndrie letters concerning the affaires of bohemia , as they haue beene seuerally writen in high dutch , latine and french , to princes , and other men of account . newly translated and printed , m. d. c. xx. the contents of that which orderly followeth in this booke . . a letter from prague , april . . . concerning the christening of the young prince borne there . . a letter sent into france , concerning the emperour ferdinand his ambassage into france , to desire ayde of the french king. . a letter written by christian , duke of saxony , to the emperor matthias , by way of friendly admonition , not to beleeue the iesuites ; shewing how hee ought to carrie himselfe towards those of bohemia , and the other incorporate prouinces . . a letter from gabriel prince of transiluania to the emperour ferdinand . . a letter from gabriel prince of transiluania , to christian prince of anhalt . . another letter from the said transiluanian prince to the prince of anhalt . . a letter from gabriel prince of transiluania , to the duke of bauaria . a letter written from prague , the first of aprill , . concerning the christning of the kings sonne , borne at christmas last . after the king by way of embassie had intreated the prince of transiluania to christen his childe , the young prince i meane borne , so auspiciously in prague about the end of december . to the vnexpressable comfort of all the kingdome , and confederate prouinces : hee made a iourney to proslaw , the principall towne of silesia , the effect whereof tended to this purpose , that by his personall appearance amongst them , he not onely corroborated their good opinions of him , but rectified certaine disorders , and from that excellent diuision of commutatiue and distributiue iustice , opened a larger hand of bountie to such as stood in need of his fauour , and shewed a stronger arme of maiestie to those that neglected his power . but vnderstanding that the transiluanians were alreadie on the way toward prague , hee hasted thither ; and by the middle of march was welcommed with many happie relations of seuerall victories , both in opening the passages , and defeating the emperours armie ; as if philip of macedon should haue newes at an instant , that the spartanes were subiugated : olympia bare him a sonne , and his seruants carried away the games of hercules . so that to make him more way to his ioy , about the end of march , count henricus turzo , with other noble-men , in the name of bethlem gabor , came to bee god-father to the young prince ; there were diuers lords of hungarie in his companie , and thirtie hussaros , as they call them , exceedingly wel mounted , six caroches , each of them drawne with sixe horses , and an hundred horses besides , with good equipage , and well appointed . notwithstanding such was the pleasure of the king to keepe correspondencie with his owne magnificence , that he sent them twelue coaches more , with diuers officers of the crowne , among whom was principall the high great steward the baron of lobcowitz , a man grateful vnto them , as hauing formerly been in hungarie , and now of sufficiencie to put an equall recompence in the other scale against many fauours by them extended toward him : in this manner they came to the great citie , and the verie next day had audience , wherin as an ouer plus to their embassie , they assured his maiestie , that about the . of may , which was the diet of newsnak , the crowne of hungarie would be determined , and those forces he had requested , accelerated vnto him . when the day of solemnitie approached , wherein i passe ouer the concourse of people , and many remarkable accidents tending to the expatiating the bohemian glorie , his maiestie sent his owne caroch by the baron of buslwitz , the better to accommodate the earle to the court ; and so the king , with count turzo , the duke of wittenbergh , and the prince of orange his ambassador , who were the other god-fathers , went to the church with the lords of the states of the countrey , and the ambassadors of the incorporated prouinces : doctor scultetus did preach , taking his text out of the . of iohn , i am the vine : and when the sermon was finished , other religious ceremonies began , the yong prince being brought into a place of sequestration , yet publique enough for the satisfaction of the people ; by the greatest ladie in the land , called ouerburgrauen , who supplied the place of godmother ; and had on her right hand , his maiesties brother ; and on her left , the duke of weymar : the lords and officers went before them , and the ladies and gentlewomen followed behind : at euerie entrie or change of places , the trumpets sounded , and the drummes beate , till they came vp to a stately marble table , whereon a bazon of gold stood , seruing in steed of a font to dip the child in . the count turzo held him in his armes all the christning time , and gaue him the name of robert , as intimating , that the first roman emperor of his maiesties family was so called ; but questionlesse this was the direction of both the councels , and a policie of the prince of transiluania , to induce the people to conceiue or apprehend , that there might once againe be emperours from their now bohemian king. after the prince was named , he was deliuered to the rest of the ambassadors there present ; and so the deputies of the three states of the crown , the lords of silesia , morauia , the higher and lower lusatia , with many other ladies of estimation , had the sight of him by turnes , and blessed him extraordinarily euen in his cradle . but time is the determiner of all things , and so in time , after some accomplishment of ceremonie , they returned in order as they came , except the king , and some speciall lords and ladies , who followed by themselues , making as it were another shew of state : but it should seeme the reason of the kings protraction was to entertaine a present , which the count turzo offered at the going out of the church , a verie faire and well shaped turkish horse , richly caparisond ; the saddle and all things appertaining , were pounced with floures of gold-smiths worke , interlaced with many precious stones , the verie couering was richly embroydered ; and the horse , as if he had knowne his owne glorie , grew want only proud againe , to shew his brauerie to the companie . the royall dinner was solemnised in a great hall builded on the riuer for that purpose , some call it the mew ; some , moldan ; and some , moldauia , as it maketh seuerall windings thorow the cities . the feast lasted so long , that that night they could doe no more , but retyre into a house of pleasure , scituated in the priuie garden , and for this purpose made as it were to shew a new countenance with great varietie of refreshing , as guilding , painting , and vnvsuall pargetting : he 's here . they passed the residue of the time with musicke , dances , and another banquet . the next day , the states of bohemia presented a gift to the young prince , of . pounds in valuation , and the other ambassadors and lords offered verie largely : so that a man may well crie out of the warres , as a consumer of treasure , and impouerisher of kingdomes . for i am sure here was so great remonstrance of abundance , that a man would sweare they neyther wanted men , nor money . to morrow is a preparation to celebrate the baron of donaws marriage , and the next day an expectation of a tilting , and euerie day an inuitation of iollitie . for in truth , they that saw the noble customes and princely iollity of king frederick , his queene , his brother the duke of weymar , and the rest of the lords and ladies , ( more then solemnitie of prayers and giuing thankes vnto god ) would little imagine , they had such intanglements of affaires abroad , or at any time discomforts at home . a letter written by a french gentleman being in the armie of the king of bohemia : to a friend and neighbour of his in poicton , vpon the occasion of the voyage of the ambassadour of the emperour ferdinand sent into france . sir . i haue receiued yours , wherein is contained the request of succour , propounded by the ambassadour of the emperour to our king : and hauing communicated it to those of our nation , which are here ( as i am , ) i doe here represent vnto you the iudgement which wee doe all make , of what may and ought to be answered , to those who are of opinion to yeeld the succour which is required , by an inueterate enemie to france , and to the house of our kings , against the king frederick of bohemia , one of our ancient allies , and one whose house hath deserued so well and so often of the house of our kings and of france in generall . wee say then , that if these inducers are not more spanish then french , at the least they doe heauily offend against the principles of our state by a grosse folly : by a remarkable basenesse , and by a manifest iniustice . by folly , first in setting themselues against those who serue for a counterpoyse for the state of france , to balance it against a power so great , as is alreadie become fearefull to all the states of christendome ; particularly in this , that by the instrumencie of the iesuites , it pretendeth to be erected into a fift monarchie , by the ruine of other kings and princes . the second follie were , to goe with such facilitie to the succour of them , who in the life time of henry the fourth , did refuse his interposition to accommodate the differences risen betweene certaine princes of the empire , allied and confederated with france ; one of the principall officers of the emperour rodulph , hauing dared to say , that the king should trouble himselfe with the affaires of his own state , and in the difference now in question , while it was yet in termes to bee accōmodated : my lord the duke of neuers being then at vienna , and hauing charge from our king to offer his interposition , it was neglected and contemned . and now after the turke hath refused to giue them succour , sued for at his gate foure seuerall times , they come to our king and state , against which they haue continually practized , during these last fiftie yeares : which they haue deuided by ciuill warres , and thereunto cōtributed their armes and practises , and made vse of our miseries as farre forth as they could . this is far from taking hold vpon the occasion which is presented , as it were by the hand and conduct of god to regaine cambray , nauarre , and other demesnes of france , vsurped by this house ; and to take from them the means to vse the like courses hereafter , and to ouercome the allies of france . the third folly , were out of meere iollitie to intangle our selues in a quarrell , to reestablish that which it seemes the will of god is , that it should not bee : whose workes doe appeare in the sudden consent of so many nations , and the vnanimous cōciliation of so different inclinations , all swaying to cast off the yoke of a domination violent and cruell ; and tending to the ouerthrow of all right , both diuine and humane . the fourth folly were to drayne the reuennues of the king , to weaken him in men , by the diminutions which such warres doe bring , and to reduce the harts of the french to the affection of that stranger , from whose faction the preceding kings haue had pain enough to diuert them , and into which they had beene throwne by wicked inducements . the fifth were , in that our king taking a resolution to beare his armes against his allies , in fauour of the common enemie , it might cause so great an hatred against him , that they might grow to accord with this enemie , thrust on by an indignation , which could not bee in this case but very forcible ; ioyntly to turn their forces against the state of france , which they should find drained of money , weakned in men , and no way prepared for such an inconuenience . whereas the true counsell of state were , when the neighbours are in warre , to make a stock of money , to furnish the frontiers with men and munitions of warre , and to keepe our selues on our gard more then euer . so should it likewise be a great ingratitude and basenesse , to perswade a most christian king , to render euill for good , to those princes who haue so often , so readily , and so vsefully succoured him with men , armes , and money , for which hee is yet indebted in sums of very great importance , employed for the conseruation of the house royall and state of france , against the attempts and assaults of those , who are not now ashamed to demand succour against our benefactors . herein likewise are they answered that would succour the emperor vnder hand : for that which is naught being done openly , is not better by being done in secret : and to commit a basenesse in secret , is as much as to commit a theft without witnesse . besides , that it is vnworthy of the dignitie of our king , to counsell him to such actions which haue need to be concealed , and yet cannot be , being subiect to disaduow and reuocation when hee shall bee required thereto by his allies . finally , there should bee a great wickednesse in such a proceeding , and a great iniustice in the maine matter : for as to the first , who is it that can approue that one should runne vpon his friends , vpon the simple report of his enemies ? must not both the parties be heard , and haue leisure to informe the king of their actions , or if you will not belieue them , to send vnto the place to know the truth ? and as for the maine cause , it will be found very good on the side of the bohemians ; for first , the emperour ferdinand was neuer chosen ( neither could be ) king of bohemia ; then when it is pretended that hee was chosen , hee was not chosen , because the states of morauia , silesia , and lusatia , were not called vnto it , and the principall persons of bohemia had no voice in it : but this pretended election was made by the surprize of certaine pensioners of spaine ; who on the other side could not proceed to a new election , during the life of the emperour , who was also king of bohemia : for hee that liues hath no heire . but supposing the election of ferdinand , to be good , hauing after it , against his solemne oath , violated the lawes of his countrey , endeuoured to abolish the priuiledges , and so to make it of an electiue kingdome , hereditary : failed in his faith and word giuen to the states of the countrey , not to meddle with the gouernment during the life of the emperour matthias : exercised all kinds of violences and cruelties against the inhabitants ; his domination being degenerated into tyranny , those whose had right to elect him king , might reiect him , hauing rendred himselfe vnworthy . now against all these reasons , there are made fiue obiections , to wit , that this war being made for the subiect of religion , that the most christian king ought to vndertake it : that the emperour ferdinand is vncle by the mother to the queene : that succour in distresse is a mutuall office which kings doe owe one to another : that the example of reuolt against the prince ought to be repressed : and lastly , that it is to be doubted that the turke may make his vse and benefit of these wars among the christians his neighbours . as for the first it may bee remembred , that when the house of austria did inuade france , they did sticke this calumnie vpon our kings , that they were heretikes or fauourers of heretikes ; and now to disunite them from their friends and ancient allies , they doe coniure them by the protection of the church of rome , which from all antiquitie they haue cherished , and peraduenture would not stick to tell the king , with saint gregorie the first pope of that name , that the kings of france doe alone deserue the name of catholike , which doth not belong to any else . but this pretext of religion , is the ordinarie maske of those who would ouerrunne such as are of a beliefe differing from them , and beg the assistance of them which are of their owne opinion . this is that olde cloke of two sides , which shewes on the one side the publike good of christendome , and sets forth on the other side , a fayned zeale of religion , thorow which notwithstanding is nothing to be seene but ambition and hypocrisie . it is question ( say they ) of religion , but may not that bee preserued but vnder the empire of austria ? will you beleeue the accusers only ? shall wee condemne our allies without hearing them vpon this point ? and if it were true , would not the catholike inhabitants of the countrey send to request the kings assistance ? and yet in this case were it fit to thinke of the matter . for since euery king and soueraigne in his territorie is not accountable of his administration to his neighbours , and that wee our selues would not approoue that others should come to controll vs in this point , wee ought to feare the example of such a proceeding in time to come . secondly , if you pronounce a iudgement that it is a warre of religion , you giue leaue thereby to the greatest part of the emperours armie to depart home , who are protestants of the countries of stiria , carinthia , austria , &c. and you doe put the duke of saxe , and other protestants out of doubt , who haue not hitherto taken this warre for other then a warre of state. besides there doe follow two inconueniences . first , that you doe taxe of desertion of the catholike religion , those princes and states catholike , who doe assist the king of bohemia . the second , that you doe alarme , deuide , and put into euill agreement the subiects of this state , the inclinations of whom cannot be too wel vnited , for the repose of this kingdome . but to take away this maske of religion , you need but to consider the matter how it hath passed : for at that instant that the iesuites were driuen out of bohemia , by the aduice of the catholikes themselues , all the other orders of priests and religious persons , were receiued into the protection of the states of the countrey . since that , the king frederick the first , both at the time of his election and coronation hath confirmed it , and hath moreouer published it in his declaration : and lastly hath written it to our king by his letter of the of october last . by which it followeth that this feare cannot fall into the conceit of any , but such , as hauing no certainly in their faith and word , doe iudge of others by their owne proceeding . the second perswasion of the partisans of the emperour is to say , that he is vnkle by the mother to the queene ; but they leaue out that the alliance of state , doth extend farther then any personall alliance ; as they could well say when it was contracted , that marriages were but particular contracts , to take away all shadowes from diuers who did enter into ielousies at that time : and now they would haue it cleane contrary , that particular pactions should preiudice the publique right of state , so as it may serue for their purpose . but when this alliance it selfe was in question , the stipulations , renunciations , and other clauses which they themselues caused to bee inserted , without any other occasion , then through the ielousie which they beare against the state of france , and the feare which they had that it might haue been augmented by this alliance , doe sufficiently exclude the queene , particularly not to interest her selfe in the quarrells of state betweene these two houses . the third obiection , is taken from the common interest of kings , and from the support which the afflicted doe request ; which is a cleane contrarie style from that which they did endite , during the warre of piemont , during which they did pursue as criminals those who did assist the duke of sauoy , whose state the king of spaine did inuade , without any more apparent subiect , then for the alliance which he had treated , with the late king henrie the fourth . but these men doe now preach charitie for their owne profit , and yet doe they retaine nauarre , of which they spoyled one of the kings ancestors , who came to assist our king : nor will they yeeld vp the places which they vsurped during the league which they stirred vp , & entertained as long as they could . but if this argument to succour the afflicted be good , were it not more to purpose to assist the king of bohemia , whose predecessors haue contracted alliance with our kings , and haue assisted them with men and money against the league , and the house of the emperour ? who haue this word by writing , in many of his letters ; and the acts and registers of his owne chamber of accounts , for proofe of their good deeds , and good offices towards our kings and their states ? nor is it to any purpose here for them to alledge in the fourth place , the euill example of the reuolt of subiects against their prince , who haue stirred vp and entertained the same amongst vs , and who doe now receiue by the diuine chastisement , and for a lawfull subiect , the experience in their owne countries , of the disorders which they haue produced in the states of their neighbours . and , on the other part , the bohemians , both in regard of what is said before , and of the reasons layd downe in their declaration , are sufficiently iustified against this accusation . finally , to omit nothing which may carrie any speciousnesse with it , there is proposed the feare , lest the turke may make vse of this diuision . but on which side hath he beene alreadie inuited , but by the emperour ferdinand ? who hath not onely caused the king of spaine to sue to him for peace , but hath caused his ambassadour to make exceeding great instance foure seuerall times to the great lord at his gate , to giue him succour ; which hauing beene refused him , he comes now to our king out of despaire of all other assistance . but if this apprehension be seriously taken , it is that that should inuite the other princes of christendome , to leaue bohemia in peace , and to order the grieuances done vnto the empire : and vs not to exasperate against france in all the allies , kindred , and friends of the king of bohemia , who are neither so few , nor so weake , but that they ought to be taken into consideration . see here sir , what is our iudgement concerning this vndue request made of succour to our king , by his inueterated enemies , against the most certaine and vsefull allies of his house and crowne . wherein we esteeme that all his good and faithfull subiects will agree with vs , and that they will call to minde the meanes vpon which the state of france our common countrey is founded , and hath subsisted for so many yeares : not to permit that a new counsail , which among the iesuites they call of conscience , should not onely taxe all other counsellers , as if they had no conscience , but vnder this pretence doth ouerthrow all order , both diuine and humane . for ( i pray ) what would haue become of the state of france , during the warres of the league , when these inducers of counsels of conscience did rage against our kings , & did pursue their ruine ? let them remember that by such counsels and counsellers , there hath hitherto arriued all misfortune to those princes , which haue hearkned to them , and beene serued by them . the king of poland for his part could tell , how hee came to lose swethland ; so could the house of austria it selfe speake of the low-countries , many yeares since ; and that which is now to be seene in respect of the realmes of bohemia , and prouinces incorporated , hungarie and austria . this is enough to cause other princes to beware , at the least henceforward . and i pray god , with all other good french-men , to giue our king the grace both to testifie in the view of all christendome , which hath her eyes vpon him , the stedfastnesse of his word to his good friends and allies against their common enemie , for their protection , and the repose of his subiects : and his iust indignation against those who doe counsaile him to the contrarie . i am , sir , your seruant , neighbour , and faithfull friend , françois de saincte foy. from prague this . of ianuarie , . an aduertisement written in forme of a letter , by the late deceassed prince , christian the second , elector of saxony , to matthias king of hungarie , archduke of austria , and afterwards romane emperour . translated out of high dutch into latine , out of latine into french ; and lastly , out of french into english . christian , elector of saxonie , greeteth you happily : we receiued your letters ( most illustrious king ) dated at vienna the . of september of this yeare present . wherein , according to your accustomed manner of friendly imparting your selfe vnto vs by letters , you giue vs to vnderstand , that the happie euent of cheerefull homage yeelded vnto you by the states of morauia , the twentieth of august , in the citie of prin ; putting you in liuely hope of the like successe from the people of the lower austria : you haue notwithstanding found the quite contrarie : that is to say , you finde , there is no pressing the states of this countrie to any oath of fidelitie , before their iust complaints be heard , and their ancient rites and priuiledges confirmed : although your maiestie had many times promised to redresse their agrieuances , according to the equitie of their cause , as the custome in this case is . on which bare promise , the inhabitants beyond the ens would not relie , but perseuered constantly in the former resolution : and therfore you require , that wee would not giue credit to those which go about to settle some sinister opinion in our mind : but rather that we should perswade them to lay aside their obstinacie , and so to come vnder the obedience which they owe vnto you , with the surplusage of all that which is further comprehended in the same letters . your maiestie certainely may be assured , that you are no waies deceiued in the good opinion you entertaine of our fidelitie towards you , in that from our first entrie made vpon the electorship , we may confidently auerre , without any vaine boasting , that all our counsels aimed at the preseruation of the greatnesse , reputation , and authoritie of the house of austria , in maintaining the securitie thereof against all their enemies . and therefore we cannot without singular discontentment apprehend the discommoditie accrewing thereby to you , which daily augmenteth in euerie mans sight ; and other affaires proceeding continually with the same contrariety , seeme further to threaten you with worser successe . and though it no waies beseemeth vs to prescribe you , vnlesse of an happie and fortunate reigne : notwithstanding , you manifesting daily the great amitie and confidence you repose in vs , we will not feare , to deliuer vnto you freely our opinion and aduice touching this matter , humbly intreating you to take it in good part : whereof we assure our selues , from your accustomed humanitie and clemencie . and first of all , who knowes not how the house of austria , hath hitherto beene eleuated aboue all other princely families vnder the sacred empire ? with how many seuerall dignities it hath beene augmented to euerie mans satisfaction and contentment , so that many persons , both of high and meane calling , haue voluntarily come vnder her tutelage and protection , being verie well entreated , and with all wished clemencie ? but there is no man , how faint a louer of truth soeuer he be , which must not needs confesse , how your family of long time hath met with no more violent aduersaries then the court of rome , and sect of iesuites , together with those that adhere vnto them , with their turbulent and immoderate counsels , which the states of the empire , neither could nor can any wayes support . your serenitie otherwise conceiues , that no other reason mooued the so many goodly prouinces of the netherlands to shrinke from their hereditarie and naturall lord , then these so intemperate and precipitant courses , which haue planted such irradicable defiance between subiects and their princes and magistrates , that no treaties can remoue or supplant the same : as in verie truth , all those consulted treaties could neuer confirme those estates in any setled peace . furthermore , what hath so extenuated and dishonoured so many renowned victories , obtained by the sacred imperiall maiestie against the turke , as belioyeuse , by a secret instinct out of the iesuites schooles ? for the common enemie being seated in the nauell or center as it were of hungarie , with mightie forces both of horse & foot ; at that verie instant it was , when fire was giuen to the most outragious persequutions : nay , and in so many seuerall places , that his said imperall maiestie , by this means , lost strigonium , transiluania , hungarie , valachia , and moldauia : the recouery of which prouinces , cost our deare germaine countries many millions of men , and an infinite treasure in gold and siluer . during this cruell warre , these tumultuous people were not satisfied , in partly dishonouring , and making fruitlesse the victories of his imperiall maiestie : and partly , opposing and crossing them ; but the iesuites further , by all manner of wicked stratagems , wittingly perseuered in their persequutions , in carinthia , carmola , and stiria , exposing the principall inhabitants of the said prouinces to cruell proscriptions , while the turke , in the meane while , toooke in camsa : for , what other cause was there , why the states of the sacred empire , after the last dyet of ratisbone , without any laudable effect , or any firme and mutuall reconciliation , separated themselues , but onely the iesuites and their importunities ? who did nothing but exclaime , that the most pious constitution of the peace of the religion , was nothing but a meere delay , a truce , an interim , or tolleration , scandalizing in this case , euen the counsell of trent ; and this they divulged all ouer , in their writings . from which , and many other occasions , superfluous here to write , many complots and practises being vndertaken , to the great preiudice of the house of austria ; your highnesse may euidently discerne the truth of what we produced ; to wit , that your illustrious family hath met with no more capitall and deadly enemies in all the world then the court of rome , the iesuites and their societie . i speake nothing of so many pernicious practises , and disastrous assaults , which the iesuites haue attempted against other kings and monarkes in france , england , poland , sweden , venice , and other places , without all remorse or shame ; that if god had not euen by way of miracle , preuented their diabolicall dessignes , they had turned entire kingdomes topsie turvie , whole countries with their inhabitants , and had reduced them for euer to a finall and absolute ruine . for wheresoeuer this sect , or rather insect kind of creatures plant , they bring with them all manner of disasters and miseries . to conclude , if by their counsells and instigations , which ( i must tell you ) are no wayes grounded vpon any true politike foundation : but rather as spiders , wouen out of themselues , their venemous passions , and scholasticall dreames , they haue excited subiects , yea , and the entyre prouinces of some princes , to mutinie and reuolt ; they can create no new inhabitants or subiects , themselues flye away into italy , or somewhere else , leauing behind them a mortiferous stinke , and the impressions of an horrible , and vast desolation . but admit your maiesty , may haue beene perswaded by some , that you are in no sort tyed to ratifie and confirme vnto your subiects their ancient rights , and priuiledges ; aboue others , those that concerne the free exercise and practice of the confession of auspurg , which were granted to the people by the emperours of famous memorie , ferdinand , and maximilian , for no small summes of money : and therefore vpon no beneficiall tearmes , but those very burdensome and chargeable ; wee are willing to excuse your highnesse innocence herein , and naked sincerity : beleeuing rather that this was performed by the enemies formerly mentioned , who seeme to affect your highnesse ouerthrow , and to depriue you of your prouinces : exciting , and drawing eyther by malice , or grosse stupidity , the generall enemie of the christian name , into the heart of the countrey , who , without any great difficulty , is like to be master of all these so renowned regions , with whole hungarie , the which ( except present order bee taken to the contrarie ) will bee enforced to come vnder the turkish protection . for your serenity knowes , that both the one and other austria haue now contracted a verie firme league with the kingdome of hungarie , and other prouinces : so as if you grant not fauourable permissions to the one , as well as to the other , they being equally interessed in the cause of offence , by vertue of the confederation , by you approou'd ; the other parts will yeeld them ayde and succour . and though as subiects , they are ready to expose their liues for their soueraigne , their bloud , yea , euen their second drops which is their goods , and prodigally to cast away whatsoeuer they haue in their power : yet what can be imagined more deplorable and miserable , then to racke and torment their soules by such an extraordinary , and seruile tyranny ? that same apothegme of stephen king of poland , was very prayse-worthy ; who talking of some persecutions begun in his kingdome ; said : that he was king ouer a people , but not of their consciences . it seemes this good king well apprehended , that religion was not to bee planted by the rigor of fire and sword : but leauing his subiects freely to build vpon that beleefe , by which they hope for eternall life , and no wayes herein disturbing them . and your famous predecessors , princes that were endued with admirable experience and wisdome , plainly perceiued , that those princes of germany and estates of the empire , which neuer gaue way to this oppression of conscience , haue beene wonderfully belou'd and obseru'd of their subiects , for this only cause , enioying hereby a most happie reigne , and tranquillity . our deuotion therefore , towards your illustrious family , being to euery one well knowne ; and from whence this loyall & simple admonition proceeds : your serenitie hauing not the least surmise to thinke , that we were falsly aduertized by your subiects : but on the contrarie let all the world duly obserue , what hearts they carrie to you , and your thrice illustrious family , that instigate you to these preposterous courses , which common experience , and the miserable euent of present affaires , sufficiently testifie . we therefore in all humble affection beseech your maiestie , that conformable to the trust you repose in vs , hauing perused these letters to take them in good part , and according to the lawes , to the inhabitants both of the one and other austria , ratifying those priuiledges which they haue dearely bought , you will permit them the free exercise of the confession of ausburge , not putting hereafter their consciences to the rack . and so relying on this confirmation , as a member , and elector of the sacred empire , beyond all comparison , we did more truely labour your owne , and the greatnes of your family , then the whole bodie of the iesuites , and their followers ; wherof sufficient testimonie , hath beene giuen , during the sixteene yeares of this hungarian warre , and that your illustrious house , hath beene more sincerely by vs affected then euer it either hath , or will be , by this pestiferous sect. otherwise if you take this friendly aduertizement in good part , be sure your subiects will yeeld you absolute obedience , neither sparing their liues , nor goods , in your seruice ; no wayes doubting of their fidelitie , or of any effect that can ensue . by this meanes you shall purchase immortall glorie , and endlesse exaltations , both amongst strangers and the princes of the empire , obtayning further from god all blessings both of bodie , and soule ; and the same god will daily amplifie you with new dignities , and most wished euents . contrariwise , if you suffer the iesuites and their locusts , so to abuse your bountie and clemencie , ( which will not sincke into our perswasion : ) let it suffice , that we innocently protest , that all our reiterated admonitions aymed at no other end , but to preuent the house of austria from those perils and dangers which threaten it : and any vnexpected accidents falling out to the contrarie , we are exempted herein from fault & blame . and thus in sincere equitie , we hope to be excused by god and men : the which out of our affectionate loue and zeale , wee did not thinke good to conceale from your highnesse . dated the . of octob. . at dresden . to the reader . the late elector of saxonie , christian the second by name , who was elder brother to him that now possesseth the electorship , and who in all times , held good correspondence , and amitie , with archduke matthias , afterwardes king of hungarie , and bohemia , and not long since , late emperour defunct ; seeing this good prince much grieued , for the ill counsell and aduise , which hee had followed in the managing of his affaires , implicitely threatning himselfe , and the house of austria , to lose the said kingdoms of bohemia and hungarie , with the prouinces thereunto annexed ; hee resolued to write vnto matthias this letter in the moneth of october , . which is to say twelue yeares since : which being truly prophetical , in that which afterwards ensued ; it hath beene thought of good importance , and sufficiently deseruing to bee translated into latine , french , and lastly into english , for a caueat and instruction to all princes , and states , that they neuer fall into the like inconuenience . to the emperours most sacred and royall maiestie . most gracious lord : at what time wee sate in counsell with our princes and nobilitie , moued by the vrgent occasions of the renowned kingdome of hungarie , i did at once receiue one answer from your maiestie vnto both my letters , sent by the illustrious gentleman stephen haller ; & as my letters ( occasions so requiring ) were two , so hauing obtained an answere which agreeable to the weight of the affaires consisted of two parts , the matter was maturely deliberated by the counsell : and perceiuing present danger in delay , i would not deferre to sollicite your maiestie the more earnestly about the last declaration of your highnesse gracious pleasure . and whereas i perceiue your maiestie doth simply and absolutely vnderstand my declaration of the truce , in this sense ; that during the time of league no ayde may be sent by the hungarians to the bohemians , and the rest of their confederates : the retexing of which question will much illustrate both parts of the present answere : your royall maiestie may please to vnderstand the whole course of the matter in this sense and not otherwise . in the polonian assembly there haue beene three contracts made with me only : and in those , many transactions ( and that for diuers respects ) confirmed . first , truce and conditions of peace with your imperiall maiestie . secondly , with the bohemians and the other confederate prouinces . thirdly , with the peeres and states of the illustrions kingdome of hungarie . and i confesse , that i seemed in the opinion of many so entangled by that parley ( contrarie almost and opposite in diuers passages vnto it selfe ) that deserued and promised equitie could not possibly bee obserued towards both parties , but the one must either bee something neglected or iniuried by me ; which so sinister conceit of mee that i may speedily remooue from the mindes of men ( especially if your sacred maiestie or counsellors haue entertained it , ) pleaseth it you to be informed of the certaine truth and diuerse conclusions . the hungarian nation hath confirmed a perpetuall league with the bohemians : and we haue promised mutually by oath to liue and dye together in withstanding all enemies : so as to make peace or warre with any , not aduertizing the other , is vnlawfull for either part . this agreement and couenant betwixt vs tooke place , when by notice giuen them , and their consent , i ratified the peace which i now haue with your maiestie . but since the second article , i being silent , doth oblige your maiestie expresly to grant the same peace vpon demand , to our complices and confederates , the bohemians and the other prouinces , which you haue granted vs ; and that your maiestie is bound to harken after my motions , which doe but seeke that the cessation of armes vpon iust and equall conditions , should bee on euery side granted ; if i shall perceiue your maiestie to satisfie in no part this solemne protestation , but contrarily with renewed forces to sound the alarme and put your souldiers in armes to suppresse vs : if i obserue your maiestie , as daily complaints informe , contrary to the hope and expectation of all good men , to swerue alreadie ( which be farre from you ) from this agreement ; who can bee ignorant that my selfe is no longer , neither the hungarian nation obliged to you ? nay , if wee aide not without delay our friends , whose protection we vndertake , we shall vnworthily bee accused , by them of disloyaltie . i doe therefore abundantly satisfie the bohemians and others , in soliciting your maiestie for their truce like our owne : which , if i obtayne of you as due by couenant , or if i discerne their suspected and dangerous estate by vaine lingrings and delayes ; neither your maiestie , nor any other shall euer accuse mee or the hungarian nation of promise breaking , if wee finde our most bitter enemies , whom obligation tyed to league and peaceablenesse . wherefore your maiestie is not otherwise to vnderstand my declaration of the truce placed expressely in the second article , then the writing it selfe witnesseth ; that this our league with the bohemians is not , neither can bee made simply common , as if together at the same time and in all kindes of league wee were tyed to each other . neither are they so neglected and forsaken of vs that there is no profit procured vnto them by our confederacie . moreouer i requiring it , and fauouring iust and equall conditions , your maiesty is by couenant bound to grant like truce vnto them as to vs ; which if you doe not , we are no further to contend in the matter with words and pen. let truth ouer sway all things . since i labour and sweate now the third time in solliciting your maiestie in our confederates and friends cause , and that with obtestation . thus much concerning the intreaties had with your maiestie and the confederate princes . concerning the articles concluded in the consultations past at polonia , the distinction is manifest enough in them both of the truce confirmed with your maiestie , and the league established and concluded by the confederates . the inward administration and gouernment of the subiects of the kingdome , vntill the truce is expired , or till the next following and proclaymed generall assembly of state , howsoeuer prescribed by the princes and lords , is ( i suppose ) so highly weighed that it should not molest either your maiestie or others . assuredly i thinke it fitter to giue place to so many complaints , and to mens disturbed appetites in this state of things , then hauing not yet laid hand vpon the tossing bridle , discourage subiects mindes a far off with too much securitie ; which hitherto , i confesse ingeniously , is so performed by your maiestie , that opposing by all means our studies and endeuour , the industrie of the seditious hath more auailed ( more is the griefe ) then theirs whose labour is imployed in composing controuersies . but i am ignorant being a stranger in that administration , where your maiesties dignitie is impeached , or the libertie of the kingdome so restrayned , since your maiestie in confirming the league did sauourably consent to my free and absolute gouernment . neither for my part is it vrged , in what esteeme and regard these present articles and publike constitutions are of , in those places which belong to your dominion but i see the prescribers of those lawes doe indeuour to conforme my manner of gouernment and reigne to their owne pleasure . from which it is manifest , that neither this administration according to the articles , nor any thing else can violate the peace and league with your maiestie , and so with sufficient diligence & plainenesse i haue declared the three conclusions . neither at this time will i vndertake any thing besides an earnest solliciting , vrging and expecting of your maiesties pleasure and resolution , concerning this my third and last , and most iust demand in behalfe of our confederates . and whereas your maiestie designeth long time for the deliberating of this matter , and hath sent vnto mee to intreat of it , doubtlesse that cause will moue suspicions in mens thoughts , not without some danger which cannot be remoued without certaine , reall , and desired tydings of peace established . god preserue your royall and emperiall maiestie long , happie , and studious of peace . giuen in our free and regall city cassouia , . martij , . a letter written about the . of march , . to the illustrious prince of anhalt , by the renowned prince of hungary and transiluania . most illustrious prince and honored friend : notwithstanding wee haue more diligently obserued in the ternarie request made to the romane emperour , on the behalfe of making league with the confederates , how he constantly determineth : and though wee should expect his answere before our expedition of aide to the confederate lords , yet vnderstanding to our great griefe the hostile proceedings of caesar and his partakers against them , wee thought by these presents with all friendly speed to signifie it vnto your highnesse , desiring you would withdraw your forces , and not presently , and hand to hand conflicting with the enemie hazard your armie vntill this present day , our succours which with deliberate counsell wee haue appointed for the confederate princes be ioyned with you . yet in the interim , if caesars armies shall make excursion or spoyle in the territories of morauia , or austria , or remouing his tents shall pitch them in more fortified places , or shall seeme to hinder the meanes of procuring victuals and reliefe , wee deny because of the distance of place that you are to depart vntill the comming of our forces : in the speedie furnishing & dispatching of whom we will vse on our parts all diligence , to the end their speedie arriuing may abundantly recompence delay . which thing we thought fit not to conceale from your illustrious person : but recommending vnto you our sincere endeuours , do wish the happie successe and fortune of these attempts . from cassouia , . march . your highnesse sincere friend in all offices , simon pectius , chancellor to the christian prince gabriel . a letter written the . of march . to the illustrious christian prince of anhalt , by the renowned gabriel , prince of hungary and transiluania . illustrious prince and noble friend : we vnderstand by both your letters sent vnto vs , not only the vnfriendly but also hostile intentions of caesar towards vs : not without great admiration and griefe . which thing happening contrarie to our hope and opinion , he may not maruell if in deferring our aides longer then necessity and our owne desires require , we prouide for our selues . for hauing made such league with ferdinand , as hee was to grant the like vpon demand to our friends and confederates , it appeareth by the last letters sent by caesar , and also by the inclosed , in what manner wee haue sollicited and vrged the granting thereof in caesars court. perceiuing therefore caesars so manifest hostilitie , and the truce to be broken and violated by him , and that hee hath not satisfied the agrements betwixt vs and him , wee will conuert by gods helpe all our cogitations , studies & forces to the aide of our confederates , neither will wee make delay in an office so necessarie . of which things by our secretary ( or gentleman vsher ) we would more fully signifie vnto you . and commending your illustrious lordship to the diuine protection , doe wish all felicitie against the common enemie . giuen in the free and kingly citie cassouia , . march , . gabriel the prince . a letter written by the prince of transiluania , to the duke of bauare . mightie prince and excellent friend : vve doubt not but your excellencie hath sufficiently vnderstood of the present troubles , and the successe of them in the noble kingdome of hungary : but concerning their causes and proper reasons , you haue not onely diuersly and indirectly bin informed , but also our opposers haue delated vnto you vnmeet and vntrue rumours concerning both our purposes and person . these we will in disdaine passe by as the fictions and comments of giddie braines , rather then discouer them with tedious ambages . your grace shall now receiue the true description of our designements . when as vnwittingly he pressed the person of the most sacred emperour , and kingly maiestie of ferdinand , because of the ancient persecution of our orthodox and sound religion , bearing it well in minde : so that the gouernment and administration of his maiestie was not only suspected but grudged at by all his subiects , the couered and lurking fire in their minds beganne first in bohemia to flame forth . which in the beginning they might easily and with clemencie ( if they had so pleased ) according to wisedome and due office haue extinguished , ere it had proceeded to such combustion . but hauing now by many companies of people aggregated together from all the most remote parts of europe , so ouer-spread and ouer-runne bohemia & morauia , that the inhabitants were almost constrayned to surrender to the enemie both life and goods , libertie and their religion ; they threatned with like tumultuous armes and forces , to inuade and oppresse presently , publikely and resolutely , hungary and transiluania , wee and the other princes beeing vanquished and surprized . wherefore the morauians and bohemians with the austrians and other confederates , doe all of them protest vnto vs the perill of those ensuing warres , and intreate vs by the right of our ancient league to succour their afflicted and decaying state. being therfore sollicited by so many kingdomes , and compelled by the authoritie of ancient league , we did ( our condition so requiring ) aide by counsell and approbation our confederate friends : yet so as we determined neither to haue any forces of the turke , neither to suppresse the romane catholikes , or any other religion , the iesuiticall factionly excepted ; but would maintayne the profession of our orthodoxe faith , and free the liberties & impayred estates of other countries from violence and tyrannie . wherefore our actions witnesse that our intention hath bin no other hitherto ▪ forasmuch as we haue confirmed a league with his imperiall and royall maiestie in the kingdome of hungarie , so that hee would please after sufficient demand to grant the same articles to the bohemians & the other our confederates , which wee haue not ceased by our letters and ambassages to solicite : to the intent the ruines of the kingdomes , and the streames of christian bloud might be diuerted . moreouer , that armes laid aside , profitable intreaties and agreements might take place , and such broyles might cease ▪ & peace bee obtayned by the attending of both parts to most iust and equal conditions . our selues desire rather to manifest our wishes to deserue well and highly of all christian princes and kingdomes by practice rather then by wordes and letters . amongst the which also attributing very much to your princely equanimitie in these troublesome times of christian kingdomes , doe commend with singular confidence our owne indeuours , and our confederates vnto you ; the principall scope whereof , being no other then the establishing of peace & tranquillity , & the restoring vnto liberty our countries , lawes , & religion , it is meet your excellence do promote and further amongst those with whom you shall conuerse , this so holy and commendable studie ; and doe sincerely fauour the rights and equitie of our confederates , and conceite vs most respectfull of you in all things . but if ( which wee suppose not ) his imperiall maiestie shall altogether deny to our confederates the conditions of peace being solemnely demanded , or ( not vnderstanding first by way of peaceable in treaty the iust and equall cause of both parts ) shall by his owne enterprise or by other conuert his power to the vtter ruine of those kingdomes , wee cannot in any case so forsake our friends as not to shew our selues incontinently enemies vnto them whosoeuer shall so inuade them and breake the truce . which thing being vnfit to be done among christians , so it behooueth your highnesse to prouide for the concord of christian kingdomes rather then fauour wars and hostile enmities . concerning all which we desire to know your highnes pleasure and sentence . we doe wish vnto your excellence vnfainedly all prosperitie . giuen in our towne , rima zombath , . ianuary . your excellencies assured , gabriel the prince . finis . taylor his trauels: from the citty of london in england, to the citty of prague in bohemia the manner of his abode there three weekes, his obseruations there, and his returne from thence: how he past miles downe the riuer of elue, through bohemia, saxony, anhalt, the bishoprick of madeberge, brandenberge, hamburgh, and so to england. with many relations worthy of note. by iohn taylor. taylor, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) taylor his trauels: from the citty of london in england, to the citty of prague in bohemia the manner of his abode there three weekes, his obseruations there, and his returne from thence: how he past miles downe the riuer of elue, through bohemia, saxony, anhalt, the bishoprick of madeberge, brandenberge, hamburgh, and so to england. with many relations worthy of note. by iohn taylor. taylor, john, - . [ ] p. printed by nicholas okes, for henry gosson, and are to bee sold by edward wright, london : . partly in verse. signatures: a-d⁴. running title reads: taylors trauells to bohemia. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng germany -- description and travel -- early works to . bohemia (czech republic) -- description and travel -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion taylor his trauels : from the citty of london in england , to the citty of prague in bohemia . the manner of his abode there three weekes , his obseruations there , and his returne from thence : how he past miles downe the riuer of elue , through bohemia , saxony , anhalt , the bishoprick of madeberge , brandenberge , hamburgh , and so to england . with many relations worthy of note . by iohn taylor . london printed by nicholas okes , for henry gosson , and are to bee sold by edward wright . . the right hon. ble algernon capell , earl of essex , viscount maldon , & baron capell of hadham . reader take this in your way . a pamphlet ( reader , ) from the presse is hurld , that hath not many fellowes in the world : the maner's cōmon , though the matter 's shallow , and 't is all true , which makes it want a fellow . and because i would not haue you either guld of your mony , or deceiued in expectation , i pray you take notice of my plaine dealing ; for i haue not giuen my booke aswelling bumbasted title , of a promising inside of newes ; therefore if you looke for any such matter from hence , take this warning , hold fast your mony , and lay the booke downe : yet if you do buy it ( i dare presume ) you shall find somewhat in it worth part of your mony ; the troth is that i did chiefely write it , because i am of much acquaintance , and cannot passe the streets , but i am continually stayed by one or other , to know what newes , so that sometimes i am foure houres before i can go the length of too paire of butts , where such non-sence or sencelesse questions are propounded to me , that calles many seeming wise mens wisedoms in question , drawing aside the curtaines of their vnderstandiug , and laying their ignorance wide open . first iohn easie takes me , and holds mee fast by the fist halfe an houre , and will needes torture some newes out of me from spinola , whom i was neuer neere by miles ; for hee is in the pallatinate country , and i was in bohemia . i am no sooner eased of him , but gregory gandergoose , an alderman of gotham catches me by the goll , demaunding if bohemia bee a great towne , and whether there be any meare in it , and whether the last fleet of shipps be ariued there : his mouth being stop'd , a third examines mee boldly , what newes from vienna , where the emperours army is , what the duke of bauaria doth , what is become of count buquoy , how fares all the englishmen ; where lies the king of bohemiaes forces , what bethlem gabor doth , what tydings of dampeier , and such a tempest of inquisition , that it almost shakes my patience in pieces . to ease my selfe of all which , i was inforced to set pen to paper , & let this poore pamphlet ( my harrald or nuntius ) trauell & talke , whilst i take my ease with silence . thus much i dare affirme , that whosoeuer hee or they bee , that do scatter any scandalous speeches against the plenty in bohemia of all manner of needfull things for the sustenance of man and beasts , ( of the which there is more aboundance then euer i saw in any place else ) or whatsoeuer they bee that report any ill successe on the kings party , this little booke , and i the author doth proclaime and proue them false lyers , and they are to be suspected , for coyning such falshoods , as no well-willers to the bohemian prosperity . one thing i must entreate the readers patience in reading one hundred lines ; wherein , i haue kept a filthy stirre about a beastly fellow , who was ( at my going from england , a piece of a graues-end constable ) at which time hee did mee such wrong , as might haue drawne my life in question ; for hee falsly sayd that i would haue fired their towne . i did promise him a ierke or two of my penne at my returne ; which now i haue performed , ( not out of any mallice , but because i would bee as good as my word with him . ) thus crauing you to reade if you like , and like as you list . i leaue you a booke much like a pratling gossip , full of many words to small purpose . yours , as you are mine . iohn taylor . taylors travels , from the citty of london in england , to the citty of prague in bohemia . i come from bohem , yet no newes i bring , of busines 'twixt the keysar and the king : my muse dares not ascend the lofty staires of state , or write of princes great affaires . and as for newes of battells , or of war , were england from bohemia thrice as far : yet we do know ( or seeme to know ) more heere then was , is , or will euer be knowne there . at ordinaries , and at barbers shopps , there tydings vented are , as thick as hopps , how many thousands such a day were slaine , what men of note were in the battell ta'ne , when , where , and how the bloody fight begun , and how such sconces , and such townes were won ; how so and so the armies brauely met , and which side glorious victory did get : the month , the weeke , the day , the very houre , and time , they did oppose each others powre , these things in england prating fooles do chatter , when all bohemia knowes of no such matter . for all this summer , that is gone and past , vntill the first day of october last , the armies neuer did together meete , nor scarce their eie sight did each other greet : the fault is neither in the foote or horse , of the right valiant braue bohemian force , from place to place they daily seeke the foe , they march , and remarch , watch , ward , ride , run , goe , and grieuing so to waste the time away , thirst for the hazard of a glorious day . but still the enemy doth play bopeepe , and thinkes it best in a whole skin to sleepe , for neither martiall pollicy , or might , or any meanes can draw the foe to fight : and now and then they conquer , spoile and pillage , some few thatcht houses , or some pelting village ; and to their trenches run away againe , where they like foxes in their holes remaine , thinking by lingring out the warres in length , to weaken and decay the beamish strength . this is the newes , which now i meane to booke , he that will needes haue more , must needes go looke . thus leauing warres , and matters of high state , to those that dare , and knowes how to relate , i 'le onely write how i past heere and there , and what i haue obserued euery where , i 'le truely write what i haue heard and eyed , and those that will not so be satisfied , i ( as i meete them ) will some tales deuise , and fill their cares ( by word of mouth ) with lies : the month that beares a mighty emp'rours name , ( augustus hight ) i passed downe the streame , friday the fourth , iust sixteene hundred twenty full moone , the signe in piscis , that time went i ; the next day being saturday , a day , which all greate brittaine well remember may , when all with thankes do annually combine , vnto th' almighty maiesty diuine , because that day , in a most happy season , our soueragne was preseru'd from gouries treason ; therefore to churches people do repaire , and offer sacrifice of praise and praire , with bells and bonfires , euery towne addressing , and to our gracious king their loues expressing , on that day , when in euery nooke and angle , fag gots and bauins smoak'd , and bells did iangle : onely at graues-end , ( why i cannot tell , ) there was no sparke of fire , or sound of bell , their steeple , ( like an instrument vnstrung , ) seem'd ( as i wish all scolds ) without a tong , their bonfires colder then the greatest frost , or chiller then their charities ( almost ) which i perceiuing , sayd i much did muse , that graues-end did forget the thankfull vse , which all the townes in england did obserue ; and cause i did the king of brittaine serue , i and my fellow , for our maisters sake , would ( neere the waters side ) a bonfire make ; with that a scotch man , tompson by his name , bestowed foure faggots to increase the flame , at which ( to kindle all ) a graues-end baker , bestowed his bauine , and was our partaker : we foote from any house retir'd , where we a iury of good faggots fir'd ; but ere the flame , or scarce the smoake began , there came the fearefull shaddow of a man , the ghost or image of a constable , whose frantick actions ( downeright dunce-stable , ) arm'd out of france and spaine , with bacchus bounty : ( of which ther 's plenty in the kentish county , ) his adle coxcomb with tobaco puff'd` his guts with ale full bumbasted and stuff'd , and though halfe blind , yet in a looking glasse , he could perceiue the figure of an asse ; and as his slauering chapps non-sense did stutter , his breath ( like to a iakes ) a sent did vtter , his leggs indenting scarcely could beare vp , his drunken trunk ( o're charg'd with many a cup. ) this riff raff rubbish , that could scarcely stand , ( hauing a staffe of office in his hand , ) came to vs as our fire began to smother , throwing some faggots one way , some another , and in the kings name did first breake the peace , commanding that our bonfire should succease . the sotchman angry at this rudnes done , the scattered faggots , he againe layd on : which made the demy constable go to him , and punch him on the brest , and outrage do him ; at which a cuffe or twaine were giuen , or lent , about the eares , ( which neither did content . ) but then to heare how fearefull the asse braid , with what a hideous noyse he houl'd for aid , that all the ale in graues-end , in one houre , turn'd either good , bad , strong , small , sweete , or soure : and then a kennell of incarnate currs , hang'd one poore thomson , like so many burrs ; haling him vp the dirty streetes , all foule , ( like diuells pulling a condemned soule . ) the iaylor ( like the grand deu'll ) gladly sees , and with an itching hope of fines and fees , thinking the constable , and his sweete selfe , might drinke and quaffe with that ill gotten pelfe ; for why such hounds as these , may if they will , vnder the shew of good , turne good to ill ; and with authority the peace first breake , vvith lordly domineering or'e the weake , committing ( oft ) they care not whom or why , so they may exercise themselues thereby , and with the iaylor share both fee and fine , drowning their damned gaine in smoake and wine : thus hirelings constables , and iaylors may , abuse the kings leige people night and day , i say they may , i say not they do so , and they know best if they do so or no. they hal'd poore thomson all along the streete , tearing him that the ground scarce touch'd his feete , which he perceiuing , did request them cease their rudenes , vowing he would go in peace , he would with quietnesse go where they would , and prayed them from his throate to loose their hold . some of the townesmen did entreat them there , that they their barbarous basenes would forbeare , but all entreaty was like oyle to fire , not quenc'd ; but more enflam'd the scuruy squire . then they afresh began to hale and teare , ( like mungrell mastifes , on a little beare , ) leauing kind tompsom neither foote or fist , nor any limb or member to resist , who being thus opprest with ods and might , most valiant with his teeth , began to bite , some by the fingers , others by the thumbs , he fang'd within the circuit of his gummes ; great pitty'twas his chapps did neuer close , on the halfe constables , cheekes , eares , or nose ; his seruice had deseru'd reward to haue , if he had mark'd the peasant for a knaue : yet all that labour had away bin throwne , through towne and country he 's already knowne ; his prisoner , he did beate , and spurn'd and kick'd , he search'd his pockets ( i 'le not say he pick'd ) and finding ( as he sayd ) no mony there , to heare how then the bellwether did sweare , and almost tearing tompson into quarters , bound both his hands behind him with his garters , and after in their rude robustious rage , tide both his feete , and cast him in the cage , there all night he remained in lowsie litter , which for the constable had bin much fitter , or for some vagabond ( that 's sprung from caine , ) some rogue or runagate , should there haue laine , and not a gentleman that 's well descended , that did no hurt , nor any harme intended : but for a bonfire in fit time and place , to be abus'd and vs'd thus beastty base . there did i leaue him till the morrow day , and how he scap'd their hands i cannot say . this piece of officer , this nasty patch , ( whose vnderstanding sleepes out many a watch ) ran like a towne bull , roring vp and downe , saying that we had meant to fire the towne ; and thus the diuell his maister did deuise , to bolster out his late abuse with lies ; so all the streete downe as i past along , the people all about me in a throng , calling me villaine , traytor , rogue , and theife , saying that i to fire their towne was cheife . i bore the wrongs as patient as i might , vowing my pen should ease me when i write ; like to a grumbling cur , that sleepes on hay , eates none himselfe , driues other beasts away , so this base fellow would not once expresse , vnto his prince , a subiects ioyfulnesse , but cause we did attempt it ( as you see ) h'imprison'd thompson , and thus slandered me . thus hauing eas'd my much incensed muse , i craue the reader this one fault excuse , for hauing vrg'd his patience all this time , with such a scuruy subiect , and worse rime ; and thou graues-endian officer take this , and thanke thy selfe , for all that written is , 't is not against the towne this tale i tell , ( for sure there doth some honest people dwell , ) but against thee , thou fiend in shape of man , by whom this beastly outrage first began , which i could do no lesse , but let thee know , and pay thee truely what i long did owe , and now all 's euen betwixt thou and i , then farrewell and be hang'd , that 's twice god buy . sunday the of august we set sayle from graues-end , and with various windes , some large and some scarce , we happily past the seas , and sayled vp the riuer of maze , by the brill , and on the wednesday following i ariued at roterdam in holland , at which time the worthy regiment of the right honorable colonell sir horace veare , and the two noble earles , of essex , and oxford departed from thence in martiall equipage toward the pallatinate country , whose heroick and magnanimous endeauors , i beseech the lord of hosts , and god of battells to direct and blesse . the same day , i went to the hage , and from thence to leyden , where i lodged all night , and the morrow being thurseday the of august , i sayled from leyden , to amsterdam , where i saw many things worthy the noting , but because they are so neere and frequent to many of our nation , i omit to relate them , to auoid teadiousnes : but on the friday at night i got passage from thence towards hambrogh , in a small hoy , in the which wee were weather-beaten at sea three dayes and nights before wee ariued there . saterday the eight of september i left hambrogh , and being carried day and night in waggons , on the munday night following i came to an ancient towne called heldesheim , it standeth in brunswick land , and yet it belongeth to the bishop of collin , where i did obserue in their doome kirke , or cathedrall church , a crowne of siluer foote in compasse , hanged vp in the body of the church , in the circuit of which crowne were placed wax candles , the which on festiuall dayes , or at the celebration of some high ceremonies are lighted to lighten their darknesse , or their ignorance , chuse yee whether . moreouer there i saw a siluer bell in their steeple , of six hundred and l. weight , and the leades of their steeple , shining and sparkling with the sun beames , they did affirme to mee to bee gold , the truth of which i am doubtfull of . in this towne i stayed foure dayes , and on friday the of september , i went six dutch miles to the strong towne of brunswick , where by reason of my short stay , which was but two houres , i obserued nothing worthy of memory , but their triple walls , and double ditches , their artillery and fortifications , which they thinke to be impregnable ; besides , there i saw an old house of the duke of brunswicke , with the statue of a golden lyon , of a great bignesse , standing aloft vpon a piller , with the broken walls , and houses , which the dukes cannon hath left there six yeares since , as tokens and badges of his fury , and their rebellion . from thence on the morrow i went one dutch mile further , to an ancient towne called wolfunbuttle , where the duke of brunswick keepes his court , in the which i and my fellow could get no further admittance , then ouer a bridge into his outtermost , or base court ; for his souldiers , seeing vs with swords and pistolls , were fearefull , belike , that wee would haue taken the fortresse from them , and therefore though wee were but two englishmen , yet they durst not let vs enter ; which made men call to remembrance the frequent , and dayly egresse and regresse , that all people and nations haue to his maiesty royal court of great brittaine , where none that are of any good fashion or aspect are debar'd entrance : when those inferiour princes houses are garded with hungry halberdiers , and reuerend rufty bil-men , with a brace or two of hot shots , so that their pallaces are more like prisons , then the free & noble courts of cōmanding potentates . after two dayes entertainment at wolfunbuttle , with an english merchant residing there , of good fame and credit , named maister thomas sackuille , i wish my brother , my fellow tilbery , and another man in my company departed from thence on foote , onward on our iourny towards bohemia , in which trauell , what occurrences hapned , and what things of note i saw , were as followeth . passing with many weary steps , through the townes of rosondink , remling , soolem , hessen darsam , and haluerstade , ( which is all in brunswick land , ) but this towne of haluerstade belongs to a bishop so stiled , who is duke christian brother to the now duke of brunswick , a long dutch mile ( or almost six english ) is a small towne or a bleck called groning belonging to the duke , in the which place i obserued two things worthy of remembrance . first a most stately pallace built with a beautiful chappell , so adorned with the images and formes of angells , and cherubins , with such exquisitenes of arts best industry of caruing , grauing , guilding , painting , glasing , and pauing , with such superexcellent workmanship of organes , pulpit and font , that for curiosity and admirable rarenesse , all the buildings , and fabricks that euer i beheld , must giue it preheminence . i confesse that henry the seuenths chappell at westminster , kings colledge chappell in cambridge , and christs church in canterbury , are beyond it in height and workmanship of stone : for indeed this chappell is most of wood gipps , and plaster of parris ; but it is so guilded as if it had bin made in the golden age , when gold was esteemed as drosse , so that a man had need to weare a vaile ouer his dazeling eyes , or else he can hardly looke vpon it . the caruing and painting seeme to outgo the arts of pigmalion , apelles , or praxiteles ; the pauing of chequered blacke and white marble , and the windowes glassed with christall : but all this great cost and shew is very little to the honor of god , or the propagation of the ghospel , the edification of the ignorant . for in this chappell of ease , there is no seruice . if the painted pulpit could preach , the dumbe images might ( perhaps ) haue a sermon now and then ; for scarce at any time there comes any body into the chappell , but a fellow that shewes the beauty of it for two pence or three pence a piece . in the same house , in a place or celler built of purpose , is a great tonne or vessell of wood , that was yeares in making , and hath vsed to be filled with rhenish wine : it is sayd to bee twice as bigge as the vessell at heidelberg , and the hoopes of it are twelue inches thick , and the staues or bordes of it being as much : i went vp to the top of it , with a ladder of stepps , hee that keepes it saith it will hold tonnes . my fellow tilbery did creepe in at the tap hole ; it is in length foote , and in breadth acrosse , and verily i thinke that bable cost more mony the making , then would haue built a good ship , or founded an almes house for poore people . this is a tub of tubs , tub of tubs hall , who n'ere had fellow yet , nor euer shall ; o had diogenes but had this a ton , he would had thought that he more roome had won , then alexanders conquests , or the bounds of the vast occean , and the solid grounds . or had cornelius but this tub , to drench his clients that had practis'd too much french , a thousand hogsheads then would haunt his firkin , and mistris minks recouer her lost mirkin . this mighty cask great bacchus vs'd too stride , when he to drunkards hall did often ride ; and in this barrell he did keepe his court , bathing himselfe in rhenish for disport . but now these yeares it hath dry bin kept ; in it the wine-god hath nor pist or wept ; that now the cappell , and the cask combine , one hath no preaching , t'other hath no wine . and now the vse they put it to is this , 't is shew'd for mony , as the chappell is . from groning wee trauelled to a towne called ashers leauen , to ashleauen , to kinderne , to hall , and so to leipzig , which is one of the chiefest townes in saxony , being famous for a yearely mart that is yearely held there , whereto merchants and other people from the most part of christendom haue annual concourse : in this towne we stayd two dayes , and taking our leaue then of some english merchants , who vsed vs kindly , we there would haue hired a coach or waggon to prague ; but all the saxon coach-men and carters were afraid to looke vpon any part of bohemia , because their duke is a profest enemy in armes against the king of beame , so that we were forced to hire a fellow with a wheelebarrow two dayes to carry our cloakes , swords , guns , pistolls , and other apparell and luggage which were our necessaries , to a towne called boorne , to froburge , and so to another towne called penigh , where wee cashierd our one-wheel'd coach , and hired a cart with two , which carried both vs and our baggage to chemnizt another towne in saxony , from whence to a place called shop , wee were faine to bee our owne sumpter horses , walking on foote to the last towne in saxony , called marienberg . from thence passing vp and downe inaccessable mountaines , we came to a wood , which parts bohemia from saxony on the west , which wood is called by the people of those parts the beamer wolts or wolt , and is in breadth to english miles , and in length further then i know how to describe truely : but this much of it i dare affirme , that it is a naturall impregnable wall to the kingdome of bohem , which kingdome is all incompast round with woods and mountaines , so that there is no passage on that side of it , for any army to enter into it with munition and artillery , all the wayes being vneuen , and the mountaine tops all boggs , mosses , and quagmires , that great ordnance or any heauy cariage either of horse , cart or waggon , will sinke and be lost . besides , there are numbers past numbring of firre trees , many standing , and such store fallen of themselues , that any passage might easily be stopped by laying them crosse the way . and of all my iourny , the trauell through that dismall wood was the most heauy vnto mee , for the trees grew so thicke , and so high , that the sunne was obscured , and the day seemed night ; in some places , the way paued with swimming trees miles together on the tops of hills , which now and then i slipping besides , sunke to the middle in a quagmire . when wee had thus footed it , and trauelled past the hills and woods , ( being at the least houres toyle ) and that wee might looke downe the mountaines into the fruitfull land of bohem , neuer did sight more reioyce vs , the lower hills being all full of vineyards , and the vallies , corne and pasture ; not an english mile distance , but a village euery way ; and twenty , thirty , or forty reekes or stacks of corne which their barnes cannot hold , in the space of euery houres iourny : in a word , euery thing that belonged to the vse and commodity of man was and is there , and al the delightfull obiects to satisfie euery sence is there abundantly , so that nature seemed to make that country her storehouse or granary , for there is nothing wanting except mens gratitude to god for such blessings . the first night we lodged there at a pretty towne called comoda , which towne by negligence and occasion of fire had fifty houses burnt two dayes before our comming thither , it being eleuen dutch miles from prague . there we hired a wagon dutch miles to a towne called slowne , from whence we walked on foote a long english miles to prague , which long looked for the citty wee could not see vntill we came within an houres trauell of it : within halfe a dutch mile is a fearefull place , being frequented with inhumaine and barbarous murderers , that assault trauellers , first shooting and murdring them , and after searching their pockets , where if they haue mony or not , all is one , it is but so many slaine : for these villaines haue a wood , and a deepe valley to shelter themselues in , that they are hardly taken afterwards ; but if they chance at any time to be but apprehended , they are racked and tortured to make them confesse , and afterwards their executions are very terrible . but ( i thanke god ) wee past that place , and many other as dangerous as that , where some were robbed and murdered ( as report told vs ) both before vs , behind vs , and on each side : and we saw in our iourny aboue seauen score gallowses and wheeles , where thieues were hanged some fresh , and some halfe rotten , and the carkases of murtherers , broken limb after limb on the wheeles ; and yet it was our happines onely to see the dead villaines , and escape the liuing . i came into prague on thurseday the seauenth of september , whither if i had come but the friday before , i had seene a most fearefull execution of two notorious offenders ; the manner how , with their faults , as it was truely related to me by english gentlemen that saw it , i thinke it not much impertinent to relate . the one of them being taken , apprehended and racked , for ripping vp aliue a woman with child , and for taking the infant out of her body , did sowe a liuing puppy into her belly ; all which hee confessed hee did to make properties for wichcraft : and beeing further tortured , hee confessed when and where hee had committed . murthers more : the other in respect of him was but a petty offender , for he in all his life time had murthered but . for the which execrable facts , their deserued executions were as followeth : first , they were brought out of the iayle naked from the girdle vpward ; and so being bound fast on high in a cart , that the spectators might see them ; then the hangman hauing a panne of coales neere him , with red hot pincers nip'd off the nipple of one brest ; then he tooke a knife and giues him a slash or cut downe the backe on one side , from the shoulder to the waste ; and presently gaue him such another slash , three inches from the first ; then on the top he cut the slashes into one ; , and presently taking pincers , tooke hold of the crosse cut , and tore him downe like a girse below the middle , letting it hang downe behind him like a belt : after which he tooke his burning pincers , and pluck'd off the tops of his fingers of one hand : then passing to another place of the towne , his other nipple was plucked off , the other side of his back so cut and mangled , ( which they call by the name of rimming , ( if it had beene riming , i would neuer haue written but in prose ) his other fingers nip'd off ; then passing further , all his toes were nip'd off with the burning pincers : after which he was enforced to come out of the cart , and goe on foote vp a steepe hill to the gallowes , where he was broken with a wheele , aliue , one bone after another , beginning at his legs and ending with his neck , and last of all quartered and layd on the wheele , on a high post , till crowes , rauens , or consuming time consume him . this was the manner of both their executions , but i speake but of the greatest murtherer particularly , because it is reported , that all these torments neuer made him once to change countenance , or to make any signe or action of griefe , to call to god for mercy , or to entreate the people to pray for him ; but as if he had beene a senselesse stocke or stone , he did most scornefully , and as it were in disdaine abide it : whilst the other villaine did crye , rore , and make lamentation , calling vpon god often ; the difference was not much in their liues , and manner of their deaths , but i am perswaded the odds was great in their dying . the city of prague is almost circular or round , being diuided in the middle by the riuer of moldoue , ouer which is a faire stone bridge , of . paces ouer , and at each end a strong gate of stone : there is said to be in it of churches and chappels , . for there are great numbers of catholiques , who haue many chappels dedicated to sundry saints , and i was there at foure seueral sorts of diuine exercises ; viz. at good sermons with the protestants , at masse with the papists , at a lutherans preaching , and at the iewes synagog ; three of which i saw and heard for curiosity , and the other for edification . the iewes in prague are in such great numbers , that they are thought to be of men , women and children , betwixt . or . who doe all liue by brocage and vsury vpon the christians , and are very rich in money and iewels , so that a man may see tenne or twelue togither of them , that are accounted worth . . or . l. apiece ; and yet the slaues goe so miserably attired , that . of them are not worth the hanging for their whole wardrobes . the castle where the king and queene doe keepe their court , is magnificent and sumptuous in building , strongly situated and fortified by nature and art , being founded on a high hill , so that at pleasure it keepes the towne in command , and it is much more spacious in roomes for receipt in gardens and orchards , then the towre of london . i was in it dayly the space of dayes , and saw it royally graced with the presence of a gracious king & queen , who were honorably attēded by a gallant courtly traine of lords and ladies , and gentles , of the high dutch and bohemians , and where was free & bountiful entertainment to strangers in abundance : i must euer humbly and thankfully acknowledge the queenes maiesties goodnesse towards mee , whose vndeserued fauours were helpful vnto me both there , and in my tedious iorny home-ward . moreouer there i saw ( and had in mine armes ) the king and queenes yongest son , prince robert , who was borne there on the of december last : a goodly child as euer i saw of that age , whom with the rest i pray god to blesse ; to his glory and his parents ioy and comfort . there ( for a token ) i did thinke it meete , to take the shoes from off this prince his feete : i doe not say i stole , but i did take , and whilst i liue i 'le keepe them for his sake : long may his grace liue to be stylde a man , and then i 'le steale his bootes too , if i can . the shoes were vpright shoes , and so was he that wore them , from all harme vpright and free : he vsde them for their vse , and not for pride , he neuer wrong'd them , or ne're trod a side . lambskin they were , as white as innocence , ( true patternes for the footsteps of a prince , ) and time will come ( as i do hope in god ) he that in childhood with these shooes was shod , shall with his manly feete once trample downe , all antichristian foes to his renowne . the citty of prague , hath in it ( by reason of the wars ) thrice the number of it's owne inhabitants , and yet for all that , victuals is in such great plenty , that men cannot eate three halfe penny worth of bread , and i did buy in the market a fat goose well roast for the vallew of nine pence english , and i and my brother haue dined there at a cookes with good roasted meate , bread and beere , so that we haue bin satisfied and left , for the vallew of fiue pence : a good turky there may bee bought for two shillings , and for fresh fish i neuer saw such store , for in one market day i haue knowne in prague carps , besides other fishes , which carps in london are fiue shillings a piece , and there they were for eight pence , or ten pence at the most , so that one of their fresh fish markets heere were worth at the least or pounds , and as for all other manner of wild foule , they are there in satiety , besides their fruites are in such abundance that i boght a basket of grapes of the quantity of halfe a pecke for a penny & farthing , & a hat-ful of faire peaches for as much , pickled cowcumbers i haue bought a pecke for three pence , and muskmellons , there hath bin cast fiue or six carts load of them in one day to their hoggs . as concerning the dyet that is in the kings armies , i could neuer yet heare any man complaine of want , but that it is more plentifull then in the citty , the greatest scarcity hath bin to some sicke souldiers , who being not able to march with the leaguers ( by reason of their weakenes ) they haue bin left amongst the boores , or husbandmen in the next villages , where their languages not vnderstood , their succour hath bin but small , but for all this in the campe hath euer bin a continuall cheapnes of all things , the king most duely paying his souldiers at the end of euery month , hauing in his great leguer , vnder the conduct of the princes of hollock and anhalt , of foote and horse , and at the least of carts and waggons to carry prouision , and baggage for the army , to the number of . in his little leaguer vnder the leading of count mansfelt there are of foote and horse , besides carrs and waggons for carriage , and yet for these great numbers of men and beastes , there is food in all abundance . in the campe with graue mansfelt is the brittane regiment vnder their colonel sir andrew gray knight , and in prague i met with many worthy gentlemen and souldiers , which were there sicke , as the worthy captaine bushell , lieutenaut grimes , lieuetenant langworth , ancient galbreath , ancient vandenbrooke , maister whitney , maister blundell and others , all which did most courteously entertaine me , vnto whom i must euer rest thankful , and they do affirme that now it hath pleased god to grant their souldiers recouery , that they do hope euery brittaine souldier doth retaine more good spirit , then enemies of what nation soeuer . thus hauing shewed part of the best things in bohemia , the court and citty of prague , it shall not be amisse if i relate a little merily , of some things there tolerable , some intollerable , some naught and some worse then naught ; for as euery rose hath a prickle , and euery bee a sting , so no earthly kingdome hath such persection of goodnesse , but it may be iustly taxed with imperfections . prague is a famous , ancient , kingly seate , in scituation and in state compleate , rich in aboundance of the earths best treasure , proud and high minded , beyond bounds or measure , in architecture stately ; in atire , bezonians and pleibeians do aspire , to be apparell'd with the stately port of worship , honor , or the royall court ; there coaches , and carroches are so rife , they do attend on euery trades mans wife , whose husbands are but in a meane regard , and get their liuing by the ell or yard , how euer their estates may be defended , their wiues like demy ladies are attended : i there a chimney sweepers wife haue seene , habillimented like the diamond queene , most gaudy garish , as a fine maid marrian , with breath as sweete as any suger carrion , with sattin cloake , lin'd through with budg , or sable , or cunny furre ( or what her purse is able ) with veluet hood , with tiffanies , and purles , rebatoes frizlings , and with powdred curles , and ( lest her hue or sent should be attainted , she 's antidoted , well persum'd and painted , she 's fur'd , she 's fring'd , she 's lac'd and at her wast , she 's with a massie chaine of siluer brac'd , she 's yellow starch'd , she 's ruff'd , and cuff'd , and muff'd , she 's ring'd , she 's braceleted , she 's richly tuff'd , her petticoale , good silke as can be bought , her smocke , about the taile lac'd round and wrought , her gadding legges are finely spanish booted , the whilst her husband , like a slaue all sooted , lookes like a courtier to infernall pluto , and knowes himselfe to be a base cornuto . then since a man that liues by chimny sweepe , his wife so gaudy richly clad doth keepe , thinke then but how a merchants wife may go , or how a burgamaisters wife doth show ; there ( by a kind of top sie turuy vse , ) the women weare the bootes , the men the shooes , i know not if 't be profit , or else pride , but sure th' are oft'ner riden then they ride : these females seeme to be most valiant there , their painting shewes they do no colours feare , most art-like plastring natures imperfections , with sublimated , white and red complexions ; so much for pride i haue obserued there , theire other faults are almost euery where . thus hauing stayd in prague almost . weekes , i returned from thence homeward , on tuesday , the . of september , hauing in my company three gentlemen , a widdow ( and foure small children ) whose husband and being an english man , and the kings brewer for beere , deceased , and was buried there in prague whilst i was there : the good desolate woman hauing receiued reward after seuen yeares seruice there and at heidelberg , being desirous to retire to her countrey ( england ) came with vs , with my brother , and my fellow tilbery . we tooke two coaches at the castle of prague , & in a day and halfe , we were carried seuen duch miles , to a towne in bohemia ( standing on the riuer of elue ) called leutmeritz , at which towne we all layd our moneyes together , and bought a boate of . foote in length , and not . foote in bredth , and because we did not know the riuer , wee hired a bohemian waterman to guide vs . dutch miles , to the towne of dreason in saxony . but . miles short of that town , which was the first towne in the saxon countrey , called pirne , where we were stayed . houres without the gates , til such time as the burgamaster wold be pleased to examin vs : in the meane space our waterman ( not daring to abide the terrible triall of examination , because the duke of saxon was in armes against the king of beame ) hee ran away , and left vs to bring the boate downe the riuer , . english miles our selues to hamburgh . but now to close vp all , i will relate what rare dyet , excellent cookery , and sweete lodging we had in ouriourney in germany : first for our comfort , after very hard getting of houseroome , our lodgings was euery night in straw , where lying together well littered , we honestly alwayes left our sheetes behind vs : then at our suppers at a table square , and so broad , that two men can hardly shake hands ouer it , we being some twelue about it . our first dish being a raw cabbadge , of the quantity of halfe a pecke , cut and chopped small , with the fat of resty bacon powred vpon it in stead of oyle ; which dish must be emptied before we could get any more : our second dish perhaps , a peck of boylde apples and honey , the apples being boyled skins , stalkes , cores , and all : thirdly , . gudgeons , newly taken perhaps , yet as salt as if they had beene three yeares pickled , or twice at the east indies , boyled with scales , guts an all , and buried in ginger like sawdust : a fresh pike as salt as brine , boyled in flat milke , with a pound of garlick . this was the manner of the most part of our dyet ; and if we did aske them why they did salt their meate so vnreasonably , their answere was , that their beer could not be consumed , except their meat were salted extraordinarily . if a man doe finde fault or seeme distasted with their beastly dyet , he is in danger to be thrust out of dores , and take vp his lodging in the streetes : and in the conclusion when dinner or supper is ended , then comes mine host , or his leather lip'd froe , with a sawcy reckoning of what they please , which sounds in our eares like a harsh epilogue , after a bad playe ; for what they say wee must pay , their words are irreuocable ( like the ancient kings of persia ) and we must not question or aske how and how it can bee so much , but pay them their demand without grumbling to halfe a farthing . which made me call to minde sixe seuerall principals , that doe belong to a traueller , as patience , silence , warinesse , watchfulnesse , a good stomacke , and a purse wel moneyed ; for if he want any one of these , ( perhaps ) the other fiue will neuer bring him to his iournies end . a mans patience must be such , that ( though he be a barron ) he must beare all abuses , either in words , lodging , dyet , or almost any thing , though offered from or by a sowter , a tinker , or a merchant of tripes & turneps ; his silence must be , that though he heare & vnderstand himselfe wronged , yet he must be as dumbe as a gudgeon or a whiting mop : and though his mouth be shut , his warinesse must be such , that his eares must be euer open , to listen and ouer-heare all dangers that may bee complotted against him : his watchfulnesse must be so , that he must seldome sleep with both his eyes at once , lest his throat be cut before he wake againe . but for his stomacke , hee must eate grasse with a horse , aud draffe with the hogges , for hee that cannot eate pickl'd herring broth , and dirty puddings , shall many times fast by authority , and goe to bed withont his supper : and last of all , he must haue fortunatus or a prince his purse , that must bee ( like a drunkards dagger ) euer drawne , to pay bountifully for such wash and graines , as his valiant stomack hrth ouercome , conquered and deuoured : but of this a little in verse : sixe things vnto a traueller belongs , an asses backe , t' abide and beare all wrongs : a fishes tougue ( mute ) grudging speech forbearing , a harts quick eare , all dangers , ouerhearing . a dogs eyes , that must wake as they doe sleepe , and by such watch his corpes from perill keepe . a swines sweete homely taste , that must digest al fish , flesh , rootes , fowle , foule and beastly drest ; and last , he must haue euer at his call a purse well lynde with coyne to pay for all . with this kinde of lodging and dyet , and with tedious labour sometimes night and day , wee came in . dayes . miles from prague in bohemia , to hambrogh on the hither skirts of germany , the riuer hauing aboue . shelues and sands , and . ilands , so that a man cannot see on which side of them to goe , there being . mills chained in boates on the first streame , and a number numberlesse of oakes and other trees sunke with the violence of the riuer , and sometimes fogs and mists that we could not see a boates length from vs : besides great rocks , and stones that were fallen into the water , that any or many of these impediments do often ouerthrow boats , and drowne passengers ; yet i , and my fellow tilbery ( wee being both his maiesties watermen ) did by gods assistance safely escape them all , and brought our selues , as is afore-sayd , to hamborogh , where being winde bound . dayes , i thanke the english merchants , i was well welcomed , vntill at last it pleased god , the winde came faire , i tooke ship , and after . dayes and nights of various weather ( i giue prayse to the almighty ) i safely came home to my house in london , on saterday the . of september . . you that haue bought this , grieue not at the cost , ther 's something worth your noting , al 's not lost , first halfe a constable is well bumbasted , if there were nothing else , your coynes not wasted , then i relate of hills , and dales , and downes , of churches , chappels , pallaces and townes , and then to make amends ( although but small ) i tell a tale of a great tub withall , with many a gallowse , iibbit , and a wheele , where murdrers bones are broke , from head to heele ; how rich bohemia is in wealth and food , of all things which for man or beast is good . how in the court at prague ( a princely place ) a gracious queene vouchsafed me to grace , how on the sixteenth day of august last , king frederick to his royall army past , how fifty thousand were in armes araid , of the kings force , be side th' hungarian ayde , and how bohemia strongly can oppose , and cuffe and curry all their daring foes . then though no newes of state , may heere be had , i know heer 's something will make good men glad , no bringer of strange tales i meane to be , nor i le beleeue none that are told to me . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e ●he first let●ers of his ●ames are l●nd ●nd his full ●ame being ●nnagrama●●'d is a tro●eler , a trobe●er he was to ●e , and so i ●eare he hath ●ene to my reader . a declaration of the causes, for the which, wee frederick, by the grace of god king of bohemia, count palatine of the rhine, elector of the sacred empire, &c. haue accepted of the crowne of bohemia, and of the countryes thereunto annexed proclamations. - - bohemia (kingdom). sovereign ( - : frederick i) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) a declaration of the causes, for the which, wee frederick, by the grace of god king of bohemia, count palatine of the rhine, elector of the sacred empire, &c. haue accepted of the crowne of bohemia, and of the countryes thereunto annexed proclamations. - - bohemia (kingdom). sovereign ( - : frederick i) frederick i, king of bohemia, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by abraham schilders [i.e. william jones? or william stansby?], middleburg [i.e. london] : m.d.c.xx. [ ] a translation of stc . . dated at end: giuen in our royall castle at prague the . day of nouember. . actual place of publication and printer's name conjectured by stc. apparently by the same printer as stc . identified as stc on umi microfilm reel . reproductions of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. appears at reel and at reel (same copy filmed twice). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database 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where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bohemia (czech republic) -- history -- - -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a declaration of the cavses , for the which , wee frederick , by the grace of god king of bohemia , covnt palatine of the rhine , elector of the sacred empire , & c. haue accepted of the crowne of bohemia , and of the covntryes therevnto annexed . 〈…〉 caesar avgvstvs middlebvrg . printed by abraham schilders . m. d.c.xx . fredericke , by the grace of god , king of bohemia , count palatine of the rhine , elector of the sacred empire , duke of bavaria , marquisse of moravia , duke of silesia and lvxemevrg , marquisse of the higher and lower lvsasia , &c. to all potentates , electors , princes , and states of christendome , happy greeting . wee make no doubt , but all in generall , residing either within or without the empire , doe now sufficiently vnderstand the miserable and most perilous estate , into which the kingdome of bohemia is reduced , being so famous for antiquitie , and a principall member of the sacred empire , as also the countryes thereunto annexed and incorporated , with other bordering prouinces . neither can they be ignorant of such actions of oppression , hostilitie , and violence , which haue beene practised within a little time , through continuall rapines , murders , combustions , deuastations , plentifull effusion of innocent blood , violation and rauishing , both of wiues and honest virgins , dismembring of little sucking children , with many other inhumane , most cruell , and barbarous insolences . in like manner the true source and originall of all these euils , of what afterwards ensued , or may in future time accrue , most euidently appeareth and is as cleare as day , both by experience , and the ample relations that haue beene diuers times made thereof ; that they who by their depraued councels , and suggestions , haue bene the means to precipitate the mightier sort , into present danger and losse , are now themselues conuinced , euen within their owne consciences . and notwithstanding the successe of these latter times , wherein sundry opinions haue been hatched , about the subiect of religion , may make one clearely discerne with his eye , and ( as it were ) touch with his finger , that according to the veritie of holy scripture , and a maxime heretofore , held and maintayn'd , by the ancient doctors of the church , that mens consciences , ought in no sort to be violated , vrged , or constrained ; and whensoeuer men haue attempted any thing by this violent course , whether openly , or by secret meanes , the issue hath beene pernicious , and the cause of great and wonderfull innouations , in the principallest and mightiest kingdomes , and countries of all christendome : yet so it is , that a certaine extrauagant , and strange kinde of people , hauing dispersed themselues ouer christendome , but especially within the empire , and other kingdomes and countries , bordering and depending thereupon , and hauing there brought in , and planted a new doctrine , absolutely funestall and obnoxious , to all potentates , and magistrates : nay and further , hauing not onely obtained fauour and accesse to great men , but also drawne to their own bent , both their councellours , and officers , and generally the most honourable , and opulent of euery place , through the false charme , of a counterfeit and masked sanctitie , an implaceable desire and thirst , did meruailously grow and increase , of persecuting all those , who were seperated from the romaine church , yea and totally to extirpate them , if they did not yeeld , and come vnder that iurisdiction . whereupon , it came to passe , that notwithstanding all the good endeauours , that precedent princes , and gouernours haue bestowed both in the empire , and more especially in the kingdome of bohemia , for preseruation of common peace , and carying an euen hand between the adherents of the one , and th' other church , conformable to the concessions , and edicts of pacification , granted in fauour of religion : their successors for all this ( more through others instigation , questionlesse , then of their owne proper disposition ) haue beene vrged so farre , as to giue a large field of leaue and libertie to these pestiferous kinde of people and their complices , who entring herevpon into a full and mayne careir , they presumed somtimes to innouate one thing , then another , and not onely by publike writing to draw into doubt and controuersie , but also really to annihilate and make frustrate the said concessions , liberties of religion , pacts , obligations and oathes , solemnly assumed for their confirmatiō . but wee will not heere set downe in particulers , what hath beene practised for many yeares since , and attempted in all parts of the empire , vpon the purchase of this licence and lliberty ; neither in how weake and instable manner , affaires still continue and stand : referring our selues herein , to that , which time shall further manifest by sufficient tryals and proofes , in whatsoeuer shall be requisite and conuenient . but as for the crowne of bohemia , and the countryes thereunto annexed , wee must no wayes dissemble it , and it is very well knowne , that according as the light of the holy gospell spred his beames more and more from time to time , the lustre and repute of the roman catholike religion , hath there beene wonderfully eclipsed , not without procuring much trouble and strife : so that finally , it most necessarily behoued to prouide for the maintainance of common peace and tranquillitie within the realme , and this was effected by certain permissions and licences , to preuent , that diuersity of religion might not wholly alter or disturbe a generall and peaceable humane societie . so long as things remained in these indifferent tearmes , both one and other party held themselues well contented . but those turbulent spirits , of whom wee formerly spake , hauing no will to consent to publike repose and peace , they rather chose to hazard and reduce thinges to an vtter extremity , then to diminish the least tittle of that intention which was so deeply grauen in their hearts ; which was , that all things might come vnder the popes spirituall iurisdiction , and at last , vnder the secular dominion of some strange and forraigne gouernment . all which added more and more agrieuances and molestations to religion . and aboue all the rest , many plots were laide to frustrate the royall letters and concessions of his majesty , to dimolish , or at least shut vp , the euangelical churches , and temples newly built , to raise vp thunderings , and threatnings amongst the estates , to interdict , and actually prohibite their lawfull defence , horribly to persecute the poore subiects , with comminations of more terrible oppression , insults , with losse of body , life , and goods , besides sundry other in-iustices , perpetrated against men of euery seuerall condition . and on the other side , when naturall and iust resistance , opposed these insolences , or any other meanes which necessity vrged vnto , as those manifests published by the said estates can testifie , they of the contrary party , in stead of referring their cause to reason and equall hearing , proceeded further , by open hostilitie , and force of armes to such a point , that a good part of the said kingdom of bohemia , and the prouinces incorporate , remayneth now dismembred by fyer , and sword , being ( as it were ) turned into blood , and ashes . whereunto , we might also add , that whereas many yeares since , and especially the last past , the said kingdome , and countryes , haue exposed their liues , and substance , for the defence and maintenance of the crowne of hvngarie , but aboue all other , of the frontier fortifications , against the forces of the turke , a puissant , and dreadfull enemy to christendome ; quite contrary , and as it were , for an accumulation of all euils , the said places were vnfurnished both of men , artillery , and warlike munition , that the same might bee employed against the bohemian nation , which was appointed , and ordayned against the turke . moreouer , they haue in the empire , not onely exacted that which remain'd yet vnpayed of the olde contributions against the turke : but also vnder a speciall pretext of the preseruation and defence of the said places , in certaine precincts and prouinces of the empire , they haue imposed new subsidies , which being obtayned and collected in a great part , it was no wayes imployed to the pretended vse , and end , but rather to the ruyne and desolation of the members of the empire , and their dependances . by meanes whereof , one may see the vauntmure , and bulwarke of christendome full of holes , and breaches , ready to tumble and fall downe . and this gaue the hvngarian nation , sufficient warning , to looke to their own securitie & defence . we also suppose it is no lesse generally known , with what care , affection , and loue , how we and other electors and princes ( yea and some forraine potentates likewise ) by our exhortations and intercessions , haue procured all the best offices possible , to quench and extinguish that fire , which daily spread it selfe more and more in the said kingdome , and to deuise some meanes how to preuent a greater disaster . and in truth , nothing would haue been more pleasing to vs then to see those differences and oppositions accruing between princes and subjects , soone appeased and ended by an admission of the estates of the same countries , to heare and determine therein , as heretofore the laudable and commendable custome was , and by vs out of sincere and viscerall affection in due time vrged and moued : by reason that the intermission of remote princes and potentates procured great losse of time , and very often augmented suspicion & distrust . but all present circumstances clearely manifest , what fruit or effect the said aduertisements brought forth , seeing vnder , colour of a suspension of armes , there hath not onely many monthes passed ouer head , during which time , the enemy hath not ceased to forage and spoyle ; but moreouer vnder shadow of deferring it , to such an interposition , there hath also a long space of time slipt away : whereas in such dangerous and imminent cases , and when hostile actions are dayly re-enforced , we ought effectually to make vse of other more expedite meanes to worke a cessation , for it had bin imposible profitably to haue treated of any accommodation , by way of interposition , without first stopping the course of the fore-mentioned hostilities , and setting downe a preualent , and validius security . besides all this ( no doubt rather by the suggestions of some persons , who hauing lost all hope of attaining their ends and scopes by lenitie and mildenes , aspired thereunto by way of armes ) they were negligent and careles , to lay hold of the iust & opportune occasion of re-establishing the peace , which after the death of the emperour mathias deceased , of laudable memory , presented it selfe ; in that they would by no meanes lend their eares , to the wholsome counsell of good patriots , nay of persons constituted in high place and dignity , to recouer ( as was most fit and requisite ) alienated hearts , and affections : but rather they made choise , to follow the directions of some vnnaturall and disloyall bohemians , and of others , either wholly strangers or relying and hanging meerly vpon them . from hence it succeeded , that in stead of reall satisfaction and security , for that , where now they were so strictly bound and oblieged , nothing was offered more then promises , and confirmations in papers and writings . and by the same course , they laboured to possesse themselues of the kingdome by armes , to ouerthrow the foundamentall lawes and priuiledges of the country , to eneruate the obseruance of them , ( though this should be the only platforme of all other obligations ) to prostitute those countries , which haue a prerogatiue of free election , to the yoake of gouernments hereditary , and to conclude ( at what rate soeuer ) to compasse effects , conformable to their designes , and vnder colour of punishing some few nocents , to extirpate and destroy many thousands of innocents . wherein also , they imployed the assistance of strange nations , very ill affected to all euangelicall professors ; of whom , a great number , and many thousands both foote and horse , yea whole regiments at a time , haue marched through the countries of the empire , ( although , without consent of the electors , the emperor himselfe , hath no authority nor power ) to conduct them against the estates of bohemia , & the prouinces annexed , for the wreaking of their euill affection , & to enrich themselues , with their spoyle . but contrariwise , if too manifest a true intention to peace , they had deposed armes from the beginning , remou'd the authors of these troubles , prouided for the gouernment of the estate , by the aduise and cooperation of the prouinces , remidyed so many aggrieuances , restored the violated priuiledges , and taken order for their obseruance , by meanes of a sufficient securitie , ( without which all other courses had bene but vaine ) they might easily haue wrought a peace , and diuerted greater alterations and changes . so farre they were , from choosing so expedient and requisite a way , that on the contrary , by extreame violence they enforced the countries to haue recourse , to such a lawfull and speedy defence , as god and nature alloweth them , to be their own deliuerers out of these extremities ; and to this effect , they erected a generall confederacie amongst them , ( but not without royall permission for what passed ) making hereupon a new election , for reducing the estate , to a better order and gouernment . of all which things , the estates of our crowne of bohemia , and the countries incorporate , hauing presented the foundamentall causes and reasons , to the eye and view of the whole world , by deductions so ample and cleare , any one not transported with passion , but impartially waighing all the reasons , and circumstances , hee may herein , easily and equally be able to yeeld a true iudgement and censure . yet in this place , we meane not to charge our selfe with such inferences , much lesse also in this respect , heere to insert the rightes and immunities of the realme , aswell in the point of free election , as otherwise : but in this case , we referre all men , to the information and iustification , which the estates , haue diuulged and published . true it is , that the election of a king of romanes made not long since at franckfort , fell out at the same time . but so likewise , we very perfectly carry in minde , that then we perswaded , what possibly we could , not to make too much haste therein , but before all things , to take counsell , for the cessation of armes , and to appease the warre , which now was kindled in so many partes : causing our councellours to intimate , how it was not reasonable , therein to reject ( as they did ) the deputies of the said states of bohemia , but rather so to sway and contriue in those consulations , that by their meanes , the way might be cleare of the interposition , which then had bene propounded to them . though our good intentions therefore tooke no place , and that we were driuen to let the then present affaires to runne their course : yet in all our actes and decrees , we expresly by our saide councellours reserued to euery one , the priuiledge to him appertaining , with solemne protestation that in nothing we would preiudice the estates of this kingdome , causing a speciall care to be had , of all that , which ( according to the iudgement of our owne consciences ) concerneth the liberty , and good of the empire ; not as being hereunto inuited by any hope of particuler profit , seeing then we had not the least apprehension of such things as afterwards ensued : but onely in that we fore-saw such an alteration and change , as euents haue now made manifest and so greatly desiring , that it might haue bene auoyded and shunn'd . seeing therefore the estates of bohemia , and of the countries annexed , in their generall assembly , vnanimously , and with one consent , haue conferred their suffrages and election vpon our person ; we protest before god , and with a cleare conscience , that we euer hauing liued content , with the electorall dignity , and such principalities , and countries hereditary , as god imparted to vs , we neuer of our selues aspired to this said crowne : and much lesse attained we thereunto , by any seductions , or stratagems , euen as those estates which elected vs , may yeeld vndoubted witnes and testimony . as likewise wee had no reason , considering the tempestuous , and lamentable estate , of present affaires , but surely it had beene farre more acceptable to vs , to haue seene the peace of that kingdom established , and withall , the imperiall tranquillity , preserued , and aduaunc'd . for we duely waigh and fore-see , the charge , perill , and care which will redound vnto vs , by the continuation of armes , deuastation of countries , and other war-like incommodities . and there 's no question but those of riper iudgement will readily conceiue , that to accept the offer of a kingdome , standing in such like tearms , required a farre more constant resolution , then to refuse a peaceable kingdome for which notwithstanding , some haue bene so highly extolled by hystoriographers . moreouer we boldly auerre , vpon the sincerity of our conscience , that if we could haue found out any other assured meanes , which by our refusall thereof , might incontinently haue extinguished the heate of so disastrous a narre , and entertained and reduced the peace publicke to his true state and existance , so that the whole empire might haue been sufficiently assured and secured thereof : the honours and interests of this world , should little haue preuailed with vs , but most chearfully in this case , we had refused the offer to vs made , and freely imployed our whole endeauour and power , to obtaine the said meane , of a generall peace . neither did we precipitantly entrude our selues , vnto this so waighty and important an affaire . for first , it was after an humble inuocation of the king of kinges , who giues and takes away crownes to , & from whome he thinkes best , with zealous supplication & prayer ( in all this ) to direct and gouerne our spirit and vnderstanding : and vppon this , after hauing communicated with our nearest & dearest friends , maturely weighing & considering all the circumstances ; we sensibly felt and perceiued in all this proceeding , the miraculous assistance and prouidence of god , who , thereto put his helping and omnipotent hand . beholde now therfore , why we neither could nor ought to oppose herein , his diuine & holy will : and so much the lesse ought we to refuse this impositiō , by reason we are absolutely perswaded in our owne iudgement and vnderstanding , that the said estates of the crowne of bohemia , and of the countries thereto incorporate , had iust cause and reason to attempt this mutation , for the re-establishment of their libertie and most ancient right of election , which others went about absolutely to disanull and abolish , by diuers stratagems & deuices . and therefore this occasion is no lesse iust , pious , & commendable , then easie to be intimated and proued by plentifull examples of histories , both sacred and prophane . in like manner , we seeke not to detaine , or take away from any other , that which properly belongs to him , but rather to maintaine and defend those , which defend the right of liberty , of priuiledges , of royall grants & letters patents , for a free exercise of the religion of the gospell , and other obseruances , against an vniust & violent oppression : and to protect these noble countries , and so many thousands of innocent persons from totall ruyne , so farre as god shall strengthen our arme , and enlarge vpon vs his graces and benedictions : hauing vndouted hope , that whereas our simple intentions ayme in all this , neither at voluptuonsnes , nor pleasures , at honours , or worldly riches ; but onely at the glory of god , the comfort of the afflicted , the release of the oppressed , and at the consolation of so many desolate harts , whose deep sighs , sobbes and teares , vrged vs to a feeling compassion , that god our high and soueraigne conductor will neuer forsake , and abandon vs , but that reiecting all vaine thoughts and cogitations of men , he will send down vnto vs from aboue , his benigne assistance and ayde , with fit and requisite meanes herein , to execute the arrest , and decree , of his sacred will , prouidence , and inexhaustible wisdome : wherein , if we should come short of our duty , our conscience would not onely be inwardly wounded , but further we should wilfully drawe vpon our selues gods diuine wrath , and punishment . moreouer also considering , that if we had refused this diuine vocation & dignity , we could not possibly haue auoyded ( especially , with all those that make profession of the gospell ) the imputation and blame , of so much blood consequently shed , and of all the spoyle and waste made in the same countries : as also if they of the contrary party , had attayned to the end of their designes ( which was to suppresse the bohemian nation ) it would further mightily haue encouraged them , to employ both against our selues , and all the other euangelicall estates of the empire , the armes they had in hand , to effect that , whereunto the boyling malice of their hearts , hath hitherto excited them , both couertly and openly , nay by written impressions , divulged and published , not sparing little infants , no not their owne sometimes , nor illustrious families , with their countries & subiects , as their comminations haue threatned in diuers partes : adding further , that if there had not beene present prouision made , and that by a preualent meanes , for the kingdome of bohemia , and the countries thereunto annexed , which are one of the principall members of the empire , and as it were a ramper against all externall nations : they had bene in great danger to haue fallen into a strangers hand , and finally to haue bene entirely cut off , from the body of the germaine empire , or at least reduced to such a condition , that they must needs haue bin the authors of great inconueniences , directly preiudicial to the electors , princes , and states euangelicall adiacent : these circumstances , i say considered , we could finde out no other more conuenient way , then the present resolution we haue vndertaken . whereunto wee were likewise obliged more nearly , by the faith , and fidelity which we owe to the sacred empire , through the peculiar interest of our electorall family , and principality of the superiour palatinate , and by the hereditary alliances , which the saide principality from all antiquity , hath held with the crowne of bohemia : for protection and preseruation whereof , the fore-mentioned reasons to watch the more circumspectly , hoping that euery man well inform'd of the truth , and free from all passion , will rightly iudge of our actions , and no wayes sinisterly enterpret them . and this was the reason , why in gods name , for the aduancement of his glory , for the comfort of the poore afflicted , for the preseruation of common prosperity , and liberty , and other very important occasions , at the humble , and instant request of the estates of the kingdome of bohemia and the countries incorporate , diuers times reiterated , both by writing and embassies directed to vs , as also by serious remonstrances to vs intimated : that at last we approued of the election of our person vnanimously made , and accepted the crowne , and gouernement of the kingdome of bohemia , and of the countries annexed . and to this end , we together with the princesse of great britaine , our deare spouse , haue transplanted our selues vnto this city of pragve , where with the common consent and assistance of the said estates , we haue beene solemnly crowned , and with great popular applause , collocated in the royall throne , which god by his omnipent arme , graciously confirme , and grant vs this fauour , so to begin and continue our raigne , that the kingdome of iesus christ , may still more and more , be augmented in vs , and our subjects , and they happily , and long time , maintained in true peace and felicitie . so that once more we protest before god and the whole world , that from this time forward , we are firmely resolu'd , not to persecute or molest , or suffer to be persecuted , or molested any person whosoeuer , for matter of religion , no not they , which professe themselues to be of the romane church , neither to trouble , or disturbe them in the exercise of their religion , so they liue conformably to the lawes of the states , edicts of pacification , royall letters , and to former publicke grants passed in fauour of religion . as to speake truth , a good number of the saide romane catholicks within the kingdome of bohemia and the prouinces annexed , haue voluntarily expos'd and offer'd themselues by oath , and subscription , to that common defensiue confederation instituted between the saide kingdome , and countries , and by yeelding vs their due homage , inclusiuely haue approued of our election and coronation . we in like manner are determin'd , to deuice all expedient and possible meanes , not onely in short time , to recouer by the grace of god , tranquillitie and peace , in our kingdome of bohemia and the countries annexed ; but further entertain , & plant , some better correspondicie between the estates and the empire , and to preuent all other iuconueniences , so that the saide estates , each one in his particuler , be mutually hereunto affected , and that no obstacle be interpos'd , nor occasion giuen of greater troubles . and that the sinceritie of our intentions , may more manifestly appeare , wee will euer haue a care , by all possible meanes , to embrace amitie , correspondencie , and friendly intelligence with all potentates , electors , princes , and estates of christendome , but more especially with those that border and confine vpon vs : we presuming no lesse of them , that they will reciprocally testifie the like to vs , assisting vs with their counsels , and performances , against all those who out of some contray disseigne , would hostilely attempt against vs , our kingdome and countrey . and therefore wee request them , out of the same affection and loue , which we are ready to acknowledge towards euery one of them , in all offices possible within our power , and vpon all occasions , they may be presented : wee finding it fit and necessary , in the times wherein we liue , to manifest and make knowne the same to all men , by this our publicke declaration . giuen in our royall castle at prague the . day of nouember . . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the iesuits . bohemica iura defensa. = the bohemian lawes or rights defended, against the informer or an answer to an information, falsly so called, secretly printed and divulged against the writings published by the states of bohemia. translated out of latin by i.h. bohemica jura defensa. english. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) bohemica iura defensa. = the bohemian lawes or rights defended, against the informer or an answer to an information, falsly so called, secretly printed and divulged against the writings published by the states of bohemia. translated out of latin by i.h. bohemica jura defensa. english. harrison, john, fl. - , attributed name. holy roman empire. emperor ( - : ferdinand ii) holy roman empire. emperor ( - : matthias) spain. sovereign ( - : philip iii) [ ], , p. printed by william jones and william stansby?], [london : m.d.c.xx. [ ] i.h. = john harrison?. a reply to: schmid von schmiedebach, augustin. informatio fundamentalis super discursu quodam circa modernum regni bohemiae statum facto. jones apparently printed only quires ² g-h; stansby may have printed the rest (stc). the roman numeral date is made with turned c's. "the instruments of the pactions or conditions concerning a perpetuall succession in the kingdomes of hungary and bohemia .. philip the iii. king of spaine, renouncing his right .. ferdinand arch-duke of austria accepting, approuing and ratifying them .. matthias the ii. emperor of rome .. confirming them" has separate dated title page and pagination; register is continuous. reproduction of the original in cambridge university library. lacks all after page . created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng schmid von schmiedebach, augustin. -- informatio fundamentalis super discursu quodam circa modernum regni bohemiae statum facto -- controversial literature -- early works to . bohemia (czechoslovakia) -- kings and rulers -- early works to . bohemia (czech republic) -- kings and rulers -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion bohemica ivra defensa . the bohemian lawes or rights defended , against the informer : or an answer to an information , falsly so called , secretly printed and divulged against the writings published by the states of bohemia . translated out of latin by i. h. m. d.c.xx . the translators preface . how hard a thing it is to translate from one language to another , and make the same word for word to answer one another , as face answereth face in a glasse ; the right sense , phrase , grace , and proprietie thereof obserued , is not vnknowne to the learned , who haue acknowledged , and found by experience , this so great a difficultie . much more hard ( i say ) then to compose a thing anew , and bring forth a mans owne free conceptions : which yet is both hard and painefull , as all new births be . neither is it to be expected , or possible for any one , alwayes so exactly to expresse the very words & phrase , which in diuers languages are different : a libertie therein left to all translators , which here i challenge . nor haue i varied much from the authors words herein , but only in some few places ( and that consulting with better iudgements then my owne : ) which had i translated verbatim , might haue remayned very obscure . and so i referre it to the censure of all those who fauour the equitie of this so christian a cause . being an answere to an information ( or rather mis-information ) of the aduersaries both of truth and religion , who are now growne to that height of impudency , as they will informe , affirme , yea and contradict and denie almost any thing , though as cleare as the sunne , either in matter of right or fact , to maintayne their owne desperate cause . witnesse all those idle rumors wee haue heard with our eares , from time to time dispersed amongst vs , and daily heare : which time alreadie in part hath shewed to bee palpable and false , and ( i hope ) will doe more and more ; comming from the father of lyes , and his malicious instruments : with such contumelious and vnworthy aspersions , vpon that most noble and heroicall prince , now king of bohemia , and his proceedings ; whereby they endeuour by all meanes to disable , disgrace , and disparage him , ( and so haue done euen from the time of his nuptials to this last action , which hath set them all on fire ) as ( i hope ) god in due time will make all the world eye witnesses and iudges thereof by the euent ; exitus acta probat : and hereupon wee will ioyne issue with them . if rome be not babylon , and babylon fall not , then are we palpable lyers ( as they call vs ) like themselues , neither hath the lord spoken by any of his prophets : but if it bee , then let them bee lyers ( as they are , and the children of their father the deuill ) and god only true , as it is written : in the meane time , desinant maledicere , i say no more . if there bee any escapes either in this translation , or the former impression of the latin ( whereof i was an ouer-seer ) as also of the other reasons and relations , formerly published , ( wherein was promised further satisfaction , and iustification of the cause , since made good , both by the king of bohemia himselfe , and other his seruants and well-willers ) i say as then : me , me adsum qui feci ; i hope the christian reader will pardon and passe ouer them . if those of the aduerse part , friends and well-willers to the informer , perhaps meete and quarrell with such small matters , they shall but only bewray their distrust , and weaknesse of their owne cause , not finding greater matters to challenge , therefore carping at the least : remembring that saying ( whereof they make good vse ) calumniare audacter , semper aliquid haeret . and so i conclude with the author in this his prooeme following , referring ( as before ) the further censure hereof to the discreete and iudicious reader : let the wise iudge whether is more solid ; and let the prudent reader adhere and cleaue vnto that which is the plainer , and grounded vpon best proofes . the bohemian lawes or rights defended , against the informer . that most excellent cleere lampe of right reason , is not so altogether extinct by the fall of mans nature , but that some little sparke , ( and so much ) remayneth , that euen those who doe most of all offend against right reason , and confound , and ouerthrow both diuine and humane lawes , doe yet couet , and would be thought to doe those vniust things they doe , ( or indeauour to doe ) by law and by right . there bee some goe a fowling after kingdomes , and hunt after scepters : and send abroade their hounds , that they may assault the wild beast lying hid safe and secure in her owne lords parkes : pretending her now to belong to the iurisdiction of another , lest they should seeme iniurious to any . such a hound we see a certaine informer to bee : who , tooth and nayle , by right and wrong , would ( if hee could ) draw the kingdome of bohemia ( in hope deuoured of his lord ) to the iurisdiction and rights of the same lord of his : that hee might bee thought but only to seize vpon his owne prey , and not to driue another mans away . from the mouthing , and biting of this so great a dogge , to deliuer this noble wild beast , were a worke both iust and equall , well worth the labour : that she might be detayned vnder her owne lawfull and friendly keeper , in her owne proper pastures : and not exposed to the ouergreedy iawes of others , to be deuoured , and swallowed vp . our informer knew very well , no right at all to the kingdome of bohemia , to belong to the most illustrious archduke ferdinand now emperor . he saw the lawes and rights of the bohemians ( by them explicated in a short summe ) among honest minded men , and all of the wiser sort , to bee held impregnable , not to bee shaken . what should hee then doe ? not to perswade the wise : ( for of that hee is out of hope ) but to the intent hee might induce the base , and rude multitude into that opinion ; that the writings of the bohemians are sufficiently answered ; and that the lawes in them contayned are by him wholly shaken : he hath caused to be printed a certaine treatise , here and there patched vp to that effect ; that ( at leastwise by the printed booke ) the ignorant might perswade themselues the reasons of the bohemians to bee sufficiently confuted . if the informer would haue dealt with the prudent only , and experienced in affaires , and in the lawes of gouernement , there was no cause why he should publish those vaine commentaries , secretly and by stealth imprinted . for hee had aduersaries very ready , who were able to discouer vnto him sufficiently , the falsehoods , arts , deceits , and wilinesse of those commentaries : and lay open the matter before the wise without disguising and fallacies ; yet did hee promise to himselfe the victorie , if hee first could communicate those things ( which were only debated among the wiser sort ) in print to the ignorant multitude . there was no cause truely ( i confesse ) wherefore by this information of the aduerse part , the reasons of the bohemians more largely explicated , and in vaine oppugned , should haue beene committed to the multitude in print ; bua that the other informer , hath euen in forced good men ; fauouring the equitie of the cause hereunto ! who surely ( lest he should seeme both to himselfe and others ouer wise ) haue thought this information very fit to be published . let the wise iudge whether is more solid : and let the prudent reader adhere , and cleaue vnto that which is the plainer , and grounded vpon best proofes . the answere to the information against the apologies and writings of the states of bohemia . the first part. the pretended information therefore saith , the kingdome of bohemia is not electiue but in case , &c. and a little after , neither is it true that it hath continued the elections free from six ages . first of all , therefore we must establish the right of election belonging to the bohemians , which the informer goeth about to ouerthrow : then after must examine the proofes produced to the contrarie ; from the selfe-same historians which the informer , for the defence of his owne cause doth alledge . for the kingdome of bohemia , with the prouinces incorporate , ( any one void of passion being iudge ) it is most certain , that from the very first beginning , it hath beene altogether free , and neuer subiect to any hereditarie succession ; and hath preserued this libertie entire , and hitherto inuiolable : not at all verball onely , of no force , vertue and effect ; as the informer falsly informeth . the words of the informer are these : that in the bohemian tongue euery assumption , or receiuing of a king , indifferently , whether it bee done by right of succession , or by true election ; is signified by the word election , largely and generally taken , though improperly . is not this tergiuersation more then ridiculous ? for the bohemian tongue is not so barren , but that it is able to distinguish election from inheritance : yes those words of election , and inheritance , in the bohemian language to bee most different , the bohemian historians ( as also others who haue written in the germane and latine tongues : to wit , dubrauius , aencas syluius , and others ; and the priuiledges also of diuers emperours ) doe teach and declare . therefore for the confirmation , and strengthening of the said free election of the bohemians ; it is to be noted , the same ( together with the most free states and bohemian nation ) from none , either emperour , king , monarch , or prince to haue taken her first beginning . for czechius ( after whose name euen to this day , the bohemian nation in their owne proper speech is so called ) was the first , who with his legions inhabited that kingdome , before desert ; adorned with no lawes , or policie : who being dead ; when , for the want of a prince , diuers controuersies , iarres , and discontents heere and there did arise : it was decreed by common counsell , and with one consent , for the electing of some one , to whom as to their prince , they might performe obedience . instantly hereupon crocus , a man excelling all others in fame , and highly beloued of all , was elected : and so in the yeare of christ , . the first foundation of the right of election was laid . by this forme of most free , and lawfull election , and by no other law , or right whatsoeuer , all the succeeding princes , called dukes of bohemia , from the said yeare . vnto the yeare . and so for the space of . yeares fully complete ; without any manner of impediment of any , either prince or lord ; haue beene aduanced to that gouernment . and chiefly the circumstances of historians in these cases are well to be weighed . for scarce ( or not at all indeed ) any succession of a new prince is at any time described , where there is not mention made of the conuocations , ( at leastwise ) of the nobles of the kingdome , and of the consultations for the electing of a new prince . and there can bee no example found , although the son succeeded the father , where euer the said election hath beene omitted : and oft-times , the children of the dead prince neglected , his brethren or others , also many times the younger before the elder , haue beene preferred and elected . yea , the children and descendents of czechius , the first founder of this state , not regarded , they haue elected crocus wholly of another family : as haiecius testifieth . for during that most great confusion and anarchie , the wiser sort , and haters of euill , called the whole people of both sexes to the sepulchre of czechius ; proposed the election of a new prince , and with the generall consent of all , elected the afore-said crocus . and the reasons of this election are also set downe by other historians . for cosma pragensis saith thus : this man was in deliberation of iudgements discreet , to whom , as well out of the proper tribes , as out of the comminaltie of the whole prouince , euen as bees vnto the hiue , all men did flocke , for the deciding of controuersies . and george bartholdus testifieth : crocus a iust man , and of great esteeme and authoritie at that time among the bohemians , was elected prince . fiue moneths after the death of crocus , which happened in the yeare . the states of the kingdome , and the prelates againe assemble , for the electing of a new lord ; and doe establish in the gouernment libussa : whereof growing verie wearie , ( as being foeminine ) shee speaketh on this maner to the states : depart ye , and that day i appoint you returne to me againe : whomsoeuer then you shall elect for your prince , hee shall bee my husband . and by this meanes premislaus , anno . obtayned both the principalitie , and libussa . where cosma pragensis introduceth the people speaking thus to premissaus : our lady libussa , and all the whole people doe command that thou come quickly , &c. thee our duke , thee our iudge , thee our gouernour , thee our protector , thee onely doe we elect for our lord. premislaus diseased and growne old , calleth the states together : as haiecius testifieth , anno . gaue them great thankes that they had elected him ; and did entreat for nezamislius that hee might bee elected : who also , by this meanes , of the nobles was elected and aduanced to the gouernment of the kingdome . after his death , the barons , nobles , and peeres , with the whole people , anno . assemble together before the gates of the castle of prage , and with one consent doe elect , and salute mnatha the sonne of nezamislaus for their prince . duke mnatha , anno , leauing his sonne vogenus desperately sicke , dieth . the states lest also his sonne should est-soones pay his debt to nature , and so ( by reason of the ambition of the nobles ) fearing sedition might arise , each one of these great ones aspiring to the dukedome ) they constitute another , rohonicus by name . but this man ruling with verie great rigour , they assemble againe , elect vogenus , and leade him to the dukes seat , to wit , the castle of vicegrade . but rohonicus , who at that time was in the said castle , pretending a former election , doth defend himselfe with verie great force . at length , breaking open the gates , by flight hee seeketh his safetie , and vogenus is confirmed in the throne . after the death of vogenvs , the whole people wel nere of all bohemia , anno . doe assemble together at the castle of vicegrade : where there arose great controuersie , whether of the two sonnes of vogenvs ( when some for the goodly stature of his bodie , wished rather the yonger , others the elder ) ought to be chosen , crevomislivs at length , after diuers concertations , is elected : and both the brothers , to wit , crevomislivs and vratislavs , were contented to abide the decrees of the nobles and states . and this solemne act of the confirmation of crevomislivs , in so great an assemblie of people ( in their owne language , applauding , viuat , viuat , crevomislivs , this is our duke , and will preserue vs in all honour and prosperitie ) commeth well to be noted . crevomislivs dying , anno . the states assembled againe , saluted , and elected necla with verie great acclamations : who departing this life , all the people come together at the fountaine of gesenlia , and there elected hostivitivs the sonne of necla , anno . the historie in this place maketh mention of a sort of nobles of bohemia , called lopotes : these were lieutenancs of prouinces , who did prescribe lawes both to the people and peeres of the kingdome ; yea , euen to the dukes themselues , and saith , they did also participate of the gouernement of the kingdome . the election also of borivorivs , the son of hostivitivs ( which fell out in the yeare . heathenish sacrifice being vsed ) as also of the duchesse , who afterwards by the said lopotes , was ioyned in marriage with borivorivs ) is with diuers circumstances described by the historian . borivorivs , who first receiued the sacrament of baptisme , willing to bring in christianitie , ( expulsed out of his kingdome ) in his place stvgmir of bauaria was elected , anno . whom notwithstanding , seeing he was ignorant of the bohemian tongue , after two moneths , sufficiently rewarded , they sent home againe . whereupon ( a prince now wanting ) againe great tumults did arise : wherefore a generall assembly was called at vicegrade , for the electing of a new duke ; and there pro and con , both for and against borivorivs , great clamour , disputed by armes ; at length ( the boriuorians victors ) it was concluded for borivorivs . the yeare following . in the month of march , the states do againe assemble , and there with one consent an embassage decreed for the recalling of boriuorius out of morauia . this man , after ( with the consent and approbation of the states ) resigned the dukedome to his sonne spitigneus : who a little while after dying , thereafter anno . the aforesaid lopotes doe assemble : where , after diuers and long treaties , boriuorius againe is called ; who when as now he had giuen himselfe to a priuate and quiet life , giuing thankes to the states for their so propense loue towards him , he doth intreat them for his sonne vratislaus to be elected . notwithstanding the states , although they had conceiued some doubt by reason of his sonnes tender age , yet animated with the fathers counsailes , at length they elected him , and aduanced him into the seate of the dukedome . vratislaus dying , anno . after diuers publique assemblies , wenceslaus his sonne , being now of riper yeares , in the presence of the states doth speake vnto his mother ( a widow , and hitherto euilly administring the dukedome ) on this manner : know ( mother ) that the lopotes , lords and nobles of this state , haue elected mee for their duke ; wherefore rest thou thy selfe contented with the right of thy widowhood , leaue the charge of reigning and ruling to mee . and thus was wenceslaus with the consent and applause of the states and people , declared duke of bohemia . this wenceslaus , famous for his pietie and sanctimonie , being slaine by his brother boleslaus a tyrant ; into his place , anno . boleslaus the second ( as the historian testifieth ) was elected . anno . the states againe assembled , and elected iaromyrius the sonne of boleslaus : his father ( and that against the counsell of the states ) departing into polonia , and desiring , that if any disaster should befall him ( as indeed afterwards he was depriued of his sight ) they would elect his sonne into his roome . vdalricus , persecuting his brother iaromyrius , bretislaus , anno . was elected . but the election of spitigneus the sonne of bretislaus ( which happened in the yeare . ) by reason of the multitude of the dead mans children , was verie solemne : for the states in verie great number assembled , and ( the testament of the duke deceassed wel weighed ) all of what condition , state , or age soeuer they were , elected the elder sonne of bretislaus , spitigneus by name . after him , his brother vratislaus , who ( according to our author ) first obtained the title of king from henrie the emperour , ) by common suffrage of all is elected . to him , conradus his brother , by the free voyces and election of the states was substitute : who although he left behind him two sonnes , yet ( those reiected ) they did elect his cousin bretislaus , and after that anno , borsiuogius . after this , those that were descended from the dukes and kings stirred vp great tumults ; wherefore , suatoplucus the duke anno . being slaine in battaile , the emperour at that time present , spake thus to the bohemians : my lords , i call god to witnesse , i take the death of this prince heauily ; but seeing it was his will , it is your parts now , which soeuer of his sonnes suruining , you had rather , to elect into the place of his father . but the states at that time present , desired otho , the brother of him that was dead , the emperour approuing thereof : vnto whom notwithstanding , after , the rest of the states opposed themselues with all their might ; whereof hereafter more at large . thus farre haiecius , the most famous writer of the bohemian affaires , alledged also by the author of the information himselfe : out of whose copie printed at prague in the germane tongue , anno . with the priuiledge of rodulph the second , of godly memorie , emperour , all these things were faithfully transcribed , and tra●slated . where also the germane words , election , or right of electing , doe differ from the words of receiuing or hereditarie succession , as farre as heauen from earth . for another thing is erivahlen , to elect , anegmen , to receiue , and ererben , to take by hereditarie right . which words also in the reuersals of the emperours , rodulph and mathias , de anno . ( as hereafter more at large shall be demonstrated ) are read expresly distinct . and for the greater demonstration of the vaine glosse of the informer , let vs heare the authors who hitherto haue written the affaires of bohemia in the latine tongue . dubrauius making mention of nezamislius , the sonne of primislaus , expresly saith thus : though he were dull , and void of vnderstanding , yet for the memorie of his father , he obtayned the fauour of the states , and of them in the solemne accustomed manner , was saluted prince in the castle of visserade , vicinus taking it hainously , who thought himselfe rather worthie the same dignitie of a prince . and after , hostivitius ( his younger brother taking it grieuously ) was put by the states in his fathers place . item , in that assembly vratislaus is declared prince by all the states . these phrases also are often found elsewhere . aeneas syluius vseth phrases without any ambiguities : him doe they make choyce of for their prince . hee through the fauour of the people gouerned . and although this author handleth our matter somewhat succinctly ; yet , confronting him with the things before going , it may easily be vnderstood . hereunto agreeth the testimonie of cosma pragensis : these be his words : after the 〈◊〉 of brecislaus , all the bohemian nation , both great and mall , by common counsell , and a like affection and will doe elect for their duke , his first borne sonne , zpingnen : singing , kyrie eleyson . item the bohemians all fauouring vladislaus , he is exalted t● the throne . and againe , the bohemians all assenting , vladislaus is aduanced to the throne . these and many other testimonies are found among the historians , which if they should all be put here , the day would sooner saile than they : for , from the verie first beginnings , euen vntill the yeare . they haue remained in a continued course without interruption . in which yeare , suat●plucus being slaine , when as the emperour , at that time present ( as afore we haue touched ) at the instance of certaine noble men of bohemia , remaining in the campe , desired that otho , the brother of suatoplucus , might be elected , and published : the author expressely saith thus : in the generall assembly , the chiefe lords found themselues agrteued at the election made in the campe , contrarie to the institution aud decrees of their ancesters : to wit , whose ground works ( as the fundamentals of a most free and lawfull election ) were laid , anno . and the ancient manner , &c. that is to say , their old obserued customes , euen to that verie day inuiolably maintained . wherefore also the states ( as dubrauius and other historians testifie ) would not ratifie , nor admit for good the election formerly made : but to preserue their ancient right , reiecting otho , with the generall consent of the whole people , they elected for their duke , vladislaus : notwithstanding that borsiuogius was the elder brother . these are the words of vladislaus in the author : that it was no priuate thing which borsiuogius desired , but belonged to the suffrage of the whole people . and therefore not from one brother alone ; but from all the states the gouernment to be sought and sued for , because that in fine is like to be firme and stable , which by common counsell shall be decreed . vladislaus dying , the states doe elect sobislaus his yonger brother : not onely three of the dead mans children put backe , but againe also his elder brother , the aforesaid otho , not caring , though as then hee had the castle of prague in his hands and keeping . otho would not yeeld vnto him the castle of visserade , before he first perceiued that by the generall assembly , he was declared prince , with so great and generall consent of the states , that he despaired of keeping the castle any longer : which after hee had quit , hee returned in anxitie into morauia , and in threatning wise , as though in short time hee would reuenge this iniurie in that the bohemians had preferred before him ( who was the elder ) his younger brother sobislaus . here a man may easily see , that to the states of the kingdome wholly belonged the pure and free election of creating and chusing their king. afterwards , in the yeare , in the time of sobislaus , in the generall assembly of the states ( the prince and the states consenting together ) diuers decrees concerning the election were ordained , and among other things : . the forme of the gouernement , in time of vacancie , what it ought to be . . how and in what manner the states ought to be called vnto the election . . the parliament assembled about the election , not to continue aboue three daies . . that the prince elected , presently after his entrie , ought to confirme by oath that he will make good , and preserue the priuiledges of the barons , nobles , and comminaltie . afterwards , frederick the emperour , anno . ( as before is said of henrie , and vladisl●us declared king of bohemia ) created vladislaus king , but not as yet the royall name vsed , vntill philip the emperour , anno , gaue the golden crowne to primislaus otthocarus , and so renewed the royall dignitie . hence so many letters , so many priuiledges , so many reuersals , and the explications thereof following thereupon . for from the verie first election euen to that time , without the benefit or fauour of any emperour , by no confirmation regall , or any other law written , but onely by custome , they haue exercised their free election . but afterwards ( the regall dignitie with the dependences thereof comming in place ) expresse authentickes were necessarily required . nor yet , that the said emperors did offer any manner of preiudice to the liberties and priuiledges of the bohemians , but rather ratifie , and more perfectly confirme them , the letters of philip the emperour doe witnesse . that , to wit , for euer it should be lawfull for them ( zuewigen zeyten ) by vertue of their ancient customes , to elect whomsoeuer they would for their king. the same in a certaine priuiledge of frederick . emperour , is confirmed in the words following : wee doe constitute and confirme him king : and this so sacred , and worthy a constitution we approue , and the kingd●me of bohemia freely , and without all exaction of money ( according to the accustomed iustice of our court ) we grant to him , and his success●rs for euer . willing that whosoeuer by them shall be elected for kings , come vnto vs , or our successors , in due manner to aske the regall dignitie . hence it appeareth manifestly , the emperour to haue reserued to himselfe and the empire only , the recognition of the regall dignitie , as proceeding from him and the empire : but the right of free election to haue left altogether vntouched . for the bohemian kings and princes themselues , did neuer interprete these things any otherwise . for when as anno . wenceslaus sonne to king primislaus ( his father yet liuing ) was elected : hereupon such letters of the emperors approbation were erected : our faithfull and well-beloued henrie marquesse of morauia , and the whole state of the lords , and nobles of bohemia , haue declared to our highnesse , that by common consent , and assent of our well beloued ottocarus king of bohemia they haue elected for their king wenceslaus , the first borne sonne of the kingdome of bohemia . behold here a testimonie more then authenticke of a most free election , where ( to wit ) the sonnes of the kings themselues , could no other way bee aduanced to the crowne of bohemia , but by the free and lawful election of the states preceding : which also by euery approued writer of the bohemian affaires may bee proued . and although seldome they ouer-passed them who were sprung of the bloud royall ; yet sometime also it hapned : examples , king rodulph , albertus duke of bauaria , georgius podibradius , and others . nor more doth the continued succession of bloud of the former kings serue to the pretended inheritance , than that of the polonians , which ( by reason of the election of the sonne of a precedent king ) hath bin alwayes the same . insomuch as euen to their present king ( though otherwise a * suecian ) the fauour of the mothers line originally deriued from the posteritie of iagellus , sometime prince of pole , was much auaileable to him for the obtayning of that crowne of polonia . meane while , yet this kingdome , without any contradiction to be plainly and most freely elective , no man euer denyed . for seeing that these two kingdomes haue ( almost ) both the selfe-same foundation , ( to wit from czechius and lechus brethren ) and time , and people : yea and language but a very little differing ( as all histories witnesse , ) what should hinder , but that they euen from the first beginning , in this point of politike gouernment , haue resembled each other ? but besides this of poland , we may produce also other examples , euen of the sacred romane empire , where the heires in bloud haue succeeded one to another ▪ albeit they could haue no iust claime , or hope grounded vpon hereditarie succession . surely the ancesters of the bohemians neuer suffered the most free right of election to be wrested out of their hands : in so much as they opposed themselues with all their might to iohn the sonne of henrie the seuenth emperour , anno , . elected king. for that he had a purpose to exchange bohemia with the palatiate : this being repugnant to their free election , which granteth to no king ( without the consent of the states ) any power either of treatie , transaction , or disposall , or testament , or translation any other way whatsoeuer made , that may bee hurtfull to their priuiledges . the letters giuen to the king by the states at that time solemnely assembled at cubit , ( commonly called elboga ) doe declare this sufficiently , the tenour whereof is such : we are ignorant ( sir ) for what desert on our parts your maiestie should goe about to ouerthrow our free , and most ancient rights of election . it cannot be hid from your maiesty , that neither of force nor arms , but only of our propense loue towards you , you haue bin elected king. wherefore not without iust cause , wee maruell , that by any pretensed exchange , your maiestie would seeme to subiect vs to lodwick of bauaria , and s● spoyle vs of our most free priuiledge of election . surely lodwick shall neuer by any meanes ( except by force of armes , or our free election ) beare rule ouer vs. this resolution of the bohemians seene , king iohn both procured the cassation of the treatie , and also made a reconciliation with the states of bohemia . this also testifieth dubrauius in these words : there in a verie great assembly of the bohemians , lodwick by his owne testimonie , doth purge the king of that so grieuous a suspicion they had of him , and sheweth vnto them in writing the paction or agreement alreadie begunne with the king : wherein it was expresly and plainly added ; the same to remaine ratified and firme , if it were confirmed by the common assent of the bohemians . by this short deduction a man may easily see ; the states alwayes to haue preserued the right of election ; and that from the first originall of the bohemian nation , not to haue acquired or sought the same from any , either emperour , or king. but charles the fourth , when to him as emperour , the aforesaid priuiledges of fredericke the second , concerning the receiuing of the regall dignitie , were to bee confirmed : mooued no doubt with the loue hee carryed to his posteritie , and in hope to confirme the hereditary succession , limited thus ( but of his owne head ) the free election of the bohemians . in case onely and euent , where none male or female shall remayne aliue , legitimate , ( which god forbid ) descended of the linage , progenie , seed , or royall ofspring of bohemia . but to charles it belonged not to insert a new clause to the confirmation , and by this meanes to ouerthrow the states free election , no more then to his father iohn , to exchange bohemia with the palatinate . also no confirmation doth adde any new thing . neither doth it belong to any king to ouerthrow the fundamentall lawes of the kingdome : especially seeing they proceeded not from the precedent kings , but had their beginning euen with the nation it selfe . wherefore also the said clause ( the which for default or want of power and 〈◊〉 by it selfe is nothing ) was neuer obserued by the states . also charles in another priuiledge both of the same day and yeare with the former , approouing in the words following , the free election of wenceslaus , the eldest sonne of primislaus ottocarus , is most euidently contrarie to himselfe . the words be these : and the letters of the sacred king of the romanes , frederick , wherein is expressed that the illustrious henrie marquesse of morauia , and the whole body of the lords , and nobles of bohemia , by the assent , and will , of the illustrious ottocar , sometime king of bohemia , our most deare great grand-father , haue chosen for their king the illustrious wenceslaus , his eldest son : & the same election by the afore-said frederick king of the romanes was approued . and againe , seuen whole yeares after the afore-alleaged confirmation , to wit , anno . the same charles doth alleage the election of the said wenceslaus in these words : who is knowne to haue held the same marquisate , with all the honours , dominions , and appurtenances thereof , by no other meanes , than as by this example our selfe hold from the illustrious iohn of famous memorie sometime king of bohemia , our most deare father . as also that may be a verie probable argument , out of the letters of the sacred king of the romanes , frederick , wherein is expressed , that the illustrious henrie , then marquesse of morauia , and the whole body of the peeres , and nobles of bohemia , with the assent of the illustrious ottocar , our great grand-father , elected for their king his illustrious first-borne sonne wenceslaus , and the same election by the afore-said frederick was confirmed . if therefore charles himselfe doe both acknowledge and approoue the election of the sonne of the king yet liuing ; by what right doth he endeuour of his owne braine , to bring in that often mentioned restraint , which doth altogether oppugne this free election ? and how otherwhere can hee deny to the states power of electing , the royall issue yet remayning ? doe not all these things sauour of manifest contrarieties ? moreouer the words of charles the fourth , well considered , it will appeare he speaketh of the males , or females suruiuing of the royall bloud only of bohemia . what can this therefore profit ferdinand , borne of the arch-dukes bloud of austria ? neither is that instance of ferdinand , ( so farre fetched from his great grand-mothers mother ) any thing materiall , which were it of any force , that royall bloud would extend it selfe in infinitum : and so a free power of electing , should neuer be granted to the bohemians . which yet charles the fourth expresly set downe ; and others also might be found both nearer , and worthy to bee preferred before ferdinand . hence therefore it is euident , that the intention of charles the fourth , can by no meanes bee extended beyond his owne children ; as also the disposall of vladislaus which also the clause of charles the fourth , ( which eight yeares after hee put in the golden bull imperiall ) doth approue . these are the words of the bull : sauing yet alwayes the priuiledges , rights , and customes , of our kingdomes of bohemia , as touching the election of a king in case of vacancie , by the inhabitants of that kingdome , who haue right of electing a king of bohemia , doing according to the contents of their priuiledges , and long obserued custome from the sacred romane emperours , or kings obtayned : the which by this imperiall decree , wee minde in nothing to preiudice : yea , wee doe order the same now and euer hereafter , in all the tenour and forme thereof , shall be of most vndoubted strength and validitie . seeing therefore charles the fourth , here-hence in the now cited bull imperiall , doth so strictly in case of vacancie of the kingdome , prescribe the maner of electing according to the priuiledges and long obserued custome of the bohemians : and that there the customes and priuiledges of the bohemians , haue nothing at all which may make for the aforesaid clause of confirmation . yea , in as much as wenceslaus ( his father ottocarus yet liuing ) by no other right but of election attayned to the kingdome ▪ and this election approoued , and confirmed by charles the fourth himselfe : it followeth necessarily that now charles the fourth hath debarred himselfe from the right of that clause , and that in no wise it can bee extended further than the issue descended of his family , now at this day extinct . and if others of the female line descending from charles the fourth , should be substitute ; assuredly both kings , and electours , and dukes , ( whereof hereafter more at large ) from thence also drawing their pedigree , would be found much nearer to the crowne . adde hereunto that by the new constitution of charles the fourth , de anno . the sons of the kings could by no meanes reigne without election going before . the states also afterwards obserued this very strictly , and chiefly , anno . for so saith dubrauius : albertus made haste into bohemia , that by his owne presence hee might approoue , and confirme the election there of him made , against all those who not only dissented from it ; but had made choice of another for their king ( a verie child ) to wit , casimire , brother to the king of polonia . and curaeus a writer of silesia , ( one of the incorporate prouinces of bohemia ) hath these expresse words : sigismund the emperour dying without heire male , before his death was a chiefe authour , and meanes to the nobles of both kingdomes ( to wit , hungarie , and bohemia ) that they would elect albertus prince of austria , with whom elizabeth , the daughter of sigismund was ioyned in marriage . the counsaile of sigismund was yeelded vnto , and the gouernment conferred vpon albertus . if the kingdome had beene hereditarie , and to haue fallen by right of succession to the daughter of sigismund , the wife of albertus , what needed the authoritie of sigismund or his counsell ? after the death of this albertus , notwithstanding hee had a sonne borne after his death , they elected albertus duke of bauaria , without any respect at all had , either of bloud or linage . these are the words of syluius . the bohemians ( after the death of albertus was knowne ) assembling at prage , make one bodie of the whole kingdome , and appoint a day for the electing of a new king. those who hated albertus , deny his sonne to bee king. this sentence preuayled . therefore albertus duke of bauaria , by the greater part of the voyces of the lords is declared king. and here is very remarkeable the reason of duke alberts refusing of the kingdome : which ( as dubrauius testifieth ) was not in respect either of bloud , or not of competent election : but of the difference onely of religion , and of discord . for so expresly writeth dveravivs : albertus prince of bauaria , contrarie to all mens opinions , excused himselfe for not accepting of the kingdome of bohemia : answering that hee had rather dye then reigne in that manner as the bohemians desired ; for they desired that hee would not onely allow and approoue the communion in both kindes , but also protect the same with all his estate and power , against all aduersaries whatsoeuer . haiecius also doth by all meanes confirme this excuse of albertuss , saying he was otherwise much enclined to receiue the crowne , and that he went to the confines of bohemia , as farre as chamus ; that hee entertained the bohemian ambassadours sent thither , in the bohemian tongue , and gaue them thankes for so great honor conferred vpon him : neither to haue regarded the reasons of the emperour frederick , ( pretending i know not what right for his nephew , ) but onely to haue alleaged the dispute of religion . which done the regall dignitie was offered to frederick ; who although hee did produce for excuse the rights of his nephew vladislaus , yet there were other , and that more pregnant reasons of his refusall of the kingdome , which haiecius doth deduce in anno . two yeeres after , the states againe send their ambassadors to frederick , and because he refused the kingdome , they desire out of hand to know whether he would permit and grant it to ladislaus : adding that otherwise they would proceed to another election . frederick therefore doth attempt all meanes for his nephew , who being elected , and afterwards dead , the right of election , anno . was againe confirmed much more : for so dubrauius . in bohemia there was neuer more ambitions & hot pursuite in parliament for electing a king : so many , & so great competitors there were , which kindled it . where ( among seuen or eight , among whom the emperor himselfe , kings also & princes were competitors ) the states to shew their most free right of election , with one consent ( all the former reiected ) elected for their king georgius podiebradius , &c. here the words of dubrauius come well to be noted : if the french ambassadours might haue beene admitted and heard in parliament , the opinion was ; that they would haue carryed it away by voyces . where is here ( although the aforesaid sutors omitted not to alleage what pretended right euery one of them had ) where ( i say ) is that so often repeated clause of charles the fourth , or restraint , or limitation ? had not the free power of electing a king , taken deep root in the hearts of the bohemians ? yea for the greater demonstration of this libertie , ( the sonnes of podiebradius that was dead , neglected , wherof hereafter more at large ) a new and solemne parliament is celebrated , for the electing of a king : hereupon dubrauius : it was a solemne custome that the parliament for creating a king should be celebrated at prague , but it seemed good among so many diuers affections and dispositions at that time of all the states , and hauing prague in great iealousie , and suspition , to translate the parliament to the hils of cuttemberg , publike assurance and safe conduct being giuen to all men to come thither , and returne freely , and with great libertie to end the giuing of their voyces . rosensis and others , &c. giuing their voyces with great content , helped matthias , but the maior part desired for their king vladislaus , the sonne of the king of polonia , a young man , and by reason of his age not infected with any partiall factions : the greater number preuailed . in this election there can no historian bee alleaged , who saith , that there was mention made of bloud and linage . for if the royall stocke and linage had giuen any occasion to election , well might the sonnes of william of saxon , comming of the elder sister of king ladislaus , haue beene preferred before casimire , sonne to the king of poland , of the younger . and although afterwards the afore named vladislaus king of bohemia , agreed with the states for the electing and crowning of his sonne , yet after his death , when his sonne sent his ambassadors , ( with the ambassadors of the emperour and king of poland ) to the states , the first time they suffered a great repulse ; at length after a whole yeare very great controuersies ( by reason of the oath and other circumstances ) arising , and first extinguished , with very great difficultie he is elected . these are the words of dubrauius . the states doe promise the free gouernment to lodwick , vpon this condition , that so soone as hee should come into bohemia , he should confirme the lawes and liberties of all the states with his owne mouth by oath , as is accustomed to the kings of bohemia . lodwick being dead , the election againe was held with very great solemnitie : where although ferdinand alleaged his double right , as well in respect of his wife , anne the daughter of lodwick that was dead , as also in respect of the pactions of the family ; yet the states ( none of all these things regarded ) did make haste to the solemne election . and ordayned out of euery of the three prouinces eight electors for the choosing of a king : yet taking first a solemne oath to elect the most worthy . it is true indeed that ferdinand , was elected but for other causes ; wherefore also thenceforth , he renounced those rights before pretended and by his ambassadors moued , by expresse reuersalls : the tenour whereof is this : we ferdinand , by the grace of god king of bohemia , infant of spaine , archduke of austria , marquesse of morauia , duke of luxemburgh , silesia ▪ and marquesse of lusatia , &c. doe make knowne to all men by the tenour of these presents , how that the barons , nobles , and also cities , and the whole comminaltie of the kingdome of bohemia , of their free and meere good will , according to the liberties of that kingdome , haue elected vs for the king of bohemia : wherefore wee acknowledge that wee haue vnderstood this thing from their ambassadours , and know ( indeed ) and find , that the fore-said states and comminaltie of that kingdome , not of any right , but so as before is written ( choosing vs for king of bohemia ) of their free and meere good will haue made that election . witnesse these our letters confirmed with our seale annexed : giuen in the citie of vienna the . of december , . for the answer of these reuersalls , that they ( to wit , anno . and . in the parliament ) were changed , the states with the prouinces incorporate , doe alledge ignorance altogether : and they of the house of austria , seeing they affirme it , let them also looke vnto it , how they will proue it : yea , if further inquirie should bee made into this parliament , it would easily be euicted , their proceeding to haue been verie preiudiciall and dangerous to the liberties and priuiledges of the bohemians . and so the bohemians shall be destitute of no defence either of exception of default of authoritie , or of constraint by violence , or feare , or of other things that may make for them . after that , in the yeare , maximilian , at the instance of his father ferdinand , in the same manner altogether , as the sonne of prim●slaus , was elected king : and after his fathers death , anno , was crowned . the same happened , anno , with rodolph the sonne of maximilian . how matthias , anno , came vnto the crowne , there is no man ignorant : for the reuersall letters , aswel of rodolph , as of matthias , doe plainely shew , that he attained to the crowne of bohemia neither by transaction , or disposall , or priuiledge , or treatie , or by the clause of charles the fourth , or any other right : but onely by the free and lawfull election of the states . the reuersalls of rodulph , among other things , are in this manner : we haue required the states of bohemia that if we should happen to die without heires males , they would accept for their future king , the archduke matthias , our eldest brother : after that hee hath lawfully sought it of them , according to their priuiledges , and that after our death , they would elect and crowne no other but him ; stedfastly hoping that the states , both for the aforesaid weightie reasons , and the generall good of the kingdome , will condescend to this our friendly petition . we on the other side , for vs , our heires , and all our successors of the kingdome of bohemia , do promise , that this acceptation ( and after our death , election , and coronation of our welbeloued brother ) shall no way bee fraudulent , or preiudiciall , neither to their receiued priuiledges , statutes , donations , customes , &c. especially from the time of ottocarus , iohn , emperors ; charles , wenceslaus , sigismund , albert , ladislaus , george , lodwicke , ferdinand , and maximilian , our most deare father . in witnesse , &c. the words of the reuersall letters of matthias are these : we haue often desired our lord and brother the emperour rodolph , that during his life time he would desire the states , for the acceptation of vs , ( wee notwithstanding first lawfully demanding the same ) as the eldest brother of his maiestie , so as his maiestie dying without lawfull heires males , they would not elect for their king , and crowne any other besides vs. to whom assembled ( a large proposition being made from his maiestie , and our embassadours present ) we haue there promised , that if the petition of his maiestie bee yeelded vnto , this shall nothing at all der●gate from their liberties , priuiledges , and ancient obserued customes . which done , the states with a free and ioynt consent , vpon his maiesties proposition and our petition , haue declared vs for the time to come , and after the deceasse of his maiestie without heires males , ( as the eldest brother of his maiestie ) to be elected and crowned king , &c. and this declaration of the states , wee doe promise shall not derogate , or any way be hurtfull to their priuiledges , nor ought to be , &c. by that which hitherto hath beene said , it may easily appeare , the kingdome of bohemia to be altogether elective , and not at all hereditarie ; yea , and that the right of election can neuer by any treatie , disposal , paction , or any other way be infringed , or limited . for the right of election ( as hath beene often remembred ) tooke her beginning , not from any prince , but from the most ancient foundation of the kingdome , euen to this day inuiolate , and vntouched , in a continued course and order without any interruption at all . and although against the aforesaid acts , lawes , and priuiledges , some things might be obiected , yet the reuersals of rodolph and matthias now alreadie produced , doe proue an vndoubted right of election . and if the pretended right of succession were or euer had beene so manifest , what needed so many words and reuersals ? also it is to be noted , that the said treaties of the two brothers , rodolph and matthias , ( which they begun by a mutuall consent with the states ) are of more force than all other declarations , and precedent disposals : not onely in respect of time , but also in respect of forme and matter . for there expresly the common consent of all the states is alledged , which no otherwhere , neither in the priuiledge of charles the fourth , or the disposall of vladislaus or in any other writing is to be seene ; nor yet the said priuiledge or disposall of any emperour , one or other , found to be confirmed : which surely doth put vpon this whole matter no small suspition . and by good right charles the fourth , vladislaus , and ferdinand , ( seeing they alwaies spake in fauour of themselues and their posteritie ) are reported to haue beene but bad witnesses in their owne cause ; neither were their letters confirmed by the succeeding emperour . but if they had bin approued by the common consent of the states , they might in some sort haue beene borne withall : but seeing the kings are both actors and witnesses , verie well in this case may their testimonie be reiected . by all these things may any one ( not ouer-taken with passion ) easily see , that the states in all ages euen to this day , by force of their proper libertie , haue strongly maintained , and preserued , the free and absolute power of electing kings : so that none whosoeuer is able lawfully to pretend any right at all to the crowne of bohemia , but onely by the lawfull and free election of the states , elected . and also he that shall attempt any thing against the free election of the states , ipso facto doth disable himselfe of the crowne . now let vs see the arguments of the contrarie information . first of all , hee citeth priuiledges , and in the margen , the golden bull imperiall of charles the fourth . but the author of the information seemeth to haue put the same of purpose out of the list of the other fundamentall reasons : for by the former alledged words of the said bull , it is manifest that the same doth rather make against him than for him , no mention at all beeing made of the royall issue , either male or female . therefore the first fundamentall reason in order is , the confirmation of charles the fourth , of the said priuiledge of fredericke the second . hereunto euen now and alreadie is answered , and to any one looking well into this information it may easily appeare . first , that the same is called the golden bohemian bull , in title onely . secondly , that it is no other thing then the confirmation of the priuiledge of fredericke the second . thirdly , further , that nothing else was demaunded from the deputies of the states at that time , whose names are prefixed in the said writing . fourthly , the words of the said writing doe testifie the same . fifltly , therefore , that the clause of the succession of the royall issue , annexed by charles the fourth , to the aduantage of himselfe and his children , was inserted to the great preiudice of the libertie of the bohemians . sixtly , neither did the bohemians euer allow the same . also in later times ( although there were many emperors of the house of austria ) there appeareth yet no ratification of any emperour : all which doe argue the manifest inualiditie of the said clause , and the imperfection of their pretence or claime . there is yet in the said confirmation this clause : in case or euent , where the male or female not suruiuing , or by any other way shall happen to be vacant . by the force of this confirmation , and clause in other places alledged against the bohemians , it seemeth easie to proue that these things make for the states , and that the vacancie of the kingdome doth not simply and meerely consist in the default of heires males or female , but also in other defaults . but howsoeuer this be , daily practise ( as is aforesaid ) is altogether contrarie to the strict restraint of this confirmation . and although the often repeated clause of the said bull , together with the consequence of the austrians drawn from thence , were of some moment ; yet it is manifest that the ofspring descending from the house of luxemburg by the elder sister anne , the wife of william duke of saxon , the eldest daughter of the emperour albert , of the house of austria , should rather come nearer the crowne of bohemia , then those of the house of austria at this day liuing . for the austrians doe descend from the younger sister , to wit , elizabeth , the second daughter of albertus the emperour , and wife of casimire , king of polonia , the great grandfather of anne wife to ferdinand of austria , the brother of charles the fift , emperour . now on the other side , let vs see the ofspring of the said william duke of saxon. surely among them of the house of brandenburgh , of denmark , of mekelburgh , and others , are found so many , that euen the most renowned queene of bohemia , elizabeth , the daughter of great brittaine , may deriue from thence her pedegree . wherefore this argument , th● of the austrians , without all exception the greatest ( as they would haue it ) may easily be ouerthrowne . charles the fourth , emperour , king of bohemia , the author of the often repeated clause . sigismund . elizabeth , the wife of albert of the house of austria , emperour , and king of bohemia . anne , the eldest daughter of albert , wife of william duke of saxon. margaret , the wife of iohn , elector of brandenburgh . anne , the wife of frederick the first , king of denmarke . christianus the third , king of denmarke . fredericke the second , king of denmarke . anne , the wife of iames , king of great britaine . charles prince of wales . elizabeth queene of bohemia . elizabeth , the yonger daughter of albert , the wife of casimir , king of polonia . vladislaus , elizabeth , after her name changed and called anne , the wife of ferdinand , of the house of austria . maximilian empe. rodulph . matthias . charles . ferdinand now emp. sophia , the wife of frederick marquesse of brandenburg . marie , the wife of frederick simm●rensis : elector palatine . lodwick the fourth , elector palatine . frederick the fourth , elector palatine . frederick the fift , king of bohemia , &c. elector palatine , &c. the clause hath thus : the male or female of the royall linaege . but the most renowned king and queene of bohemia , frederick and elizabeth , are ( as you see ) of the royall linage . ergo. the second argument of the informer is , the disposall of vladislaus ; but this is both of lesse force than that , and in some sort doth seeme to make for the states : where ( to wit ) he doth affirme king lodwick of the meere free 〈◊〉 will of the states of bohemia , to haue been receiued king , which free will ( surely ) ouerthrowing succession , doth againe seeme to stablish election . and it was the true intent and meaning of this disposall , onely to assure the states of the education and marriage of the children of vladislaus . now whatsoeuer is there said concerning the succession of anne the kings daughter , that is only spoken incidentally and by way of narration , not to prooue any thing at all . neither was it in the kings power in this case , by expresse law to dispose ; and although the said disposall were of some weight , yet it is to be vnderstood not of all in infinitum , descending from the said anne , but onely of her selfe , and so the same for ferdinand appeareth to be of no efficacie . as for the third argument of the informer , to wit , the reuersals of ferdinand , euen now and before is answered , so as it is to be iudged of no moment . for ferdinand himselfe , anno . ( not as then ignorant of his owne pretences , nor needing to be informed thereof , nineteene yeares after to haue vnderstood of them , ) doth clearely confesse , and declare sufficiently both by his ambassadours at that time sent , and letters reuersals : that thereby hee doth renounce all those his pretences . surely that those reuersals , either after the space of nineteene yeares , or for other aduerse accidents , anno . and in the yeares following ( whereof more in their due time and place ) should suffer shipwracke and miscarrie , there is no reason that can indure to heare of it . and in whatsoeuer manner and sense the reuersals of the yeare . be taken , yet they doe alwayes make mention of the forepassed election saying , of their owne free and meere good will they haue elected and receiued vs for their king and lord , which forwardnesse of the states , and election and receiuing of our person for king , wee will both prosecute and recompence with all clemencie . and this is that which the states of right desire , ferdinand the first also himselfe approued ; but to ferdinand the second , of whom now the question is , this is altogether displeasing . wherefore the states doe so often complaine of the said ferdinand the second , both that he offered violence to their priuiledges and liberties : as also that the alleaged confirmations , and reuersals , ( sometimes approuing hereditarie succession , sometimes election of free and meere good will , with promise of gratuitie ) are altogether contradictorie ; and so the kingdomes hereditarie , ( as the austrians contend to make bohemia ) to haue nothing common with the electiue , rend●ing of thankes and other promises therevpon . and it remayneth more then manifest , hereditary and electiue to be incompatible , and cannot agree together : and herevpon necessarily the most strong arguments of the austrians to be vaine and of no effect . hitherto we haue answered the grounds of the informer , which he hath produced vnder the title a. . . . . vnder the letter b. hee alleageth the constitutions of the kingdome , x. but heere the originals are to bee sought out of the records at prague , and not of vienna , from whence the informer tooke the concordances . but the states of bohemia doe alleage , apply , and expound their constitutions , according to the fundamentall lawes of the kingdome ; practise obseruations , and by their priuiledges and confirmed customes . and why should the bohemia●s , who euen to this day ( as before at large is declared ) haue had and exercised alwayes a free election , admit any restraint or limitation thereof . vnder the letter c. is alleaged the parliament of the kingdome of the yeare . inserted in the tables of kingdome , but in the margine onely ; neither is there any argument worthy of an answere drawne from thence . vnder the letter d. are againe cited the constitutions of the kingdome , b. . b. . b. . but without any further deduction . in the end hee doth alleage the oath of the inhabitants of prague , and leutmeritz made in the time of iohn and charles his sonne ; but that serueth onely for that time , neither can be drawne to any further consequence : and the tenor of the said oath doth seeme to disagree with the intent of the informer . for behold the expresse words of the oath : the heires and successours descending of the line masculine . hence it appeareth that the vigor of that oath was expired for default of the line masculine of luxemburgh , and rather to make against the austrians , whose pretence is grounded vpon the female . the informer saith : that iohn of the house of luxemburgh attayned to the kingdome , it was because hee had to wife the daughter of the king of bohemia . for confirmation hereof , the informer alleageth historians , when as it is altogether manifest that they meant another thing . for they say it was done by election , and the states of bohemia to haue offered the kingdome to iohn the sonne of henrie the emperour , which though the emperour rather desired for his brother walramus , then for his onely sonne , as yet of more tender age , notwithstanding vpon the great instance of the ambassadours ( as they had in command ) at length the said iohn marryed to wife the daughter of the king of bohemia . and so was first elected , and afterwards by reason of this election marryed to the kings daughter . see the words of dubrauius : in the parliament at numburge , there publikely in the assembly with open voyces they desired another more fit king ; hereunto enclined the voyces and suffrages of all , that iohn of luxemburgh , the sonne of henrie the emperour should be made choice of , for king to the kingdome of bohemia . and this history by haiecius is more at large described , by reason of henrie of carinthia , who marryed the eldest daughter of wenceslaus . the informer , saying that hee was deiected from the throne of bohemia , for rebellion against the romane empire , speaketh childishly : for not the pretended rebellion of the informer , but his extortions and cruelties made him odious to the people . the words of dubrauius are these : that they might bee deliuered from the intollerable gouernment of henrie . neither could the wife and daughter of henry ( had the kingdome beene hereditarie ) for his fault haue been depriued of their right . neither did the daughter of henrie ( although nobly marryed , or his sonne euer pretend any right at all to this kingdome . it is false therefore that the kingdome fell to the younger sister , by the elder sister and her husbands falling from their right , but by vertue of election : and this henrie to haue been elected , and not to haue obtained the kingdome by right of succession . dubrauius testifieth expresly in these words : the states assembled in a lawfull parliament , doe striue with great contention for electing of a king : some altogether despising a stranger-king , the rest distracted betwixt rodolph the sonne of albertus the emperour , and henrie of carinthia who was present . as for the succession of the house of luxemburgh , and of albertus the emperour , as also the election of the duke of bauaria , & those things that follow , is alreadie answered : and the solemne and free election of albertus sufficiently proued . neither is it materiall that the morauians did expostulate with the bohemians ( whereof notwithstanding the historie maketh no mention , ) for the said free election of albertus : for to the deciding of our case this doth nothing at all appertayne . the election of podiebratius was not onely lawfull , but also confirmed by frederick the emperour himselfe , the head of the house of austria , and to podiebratius his predecessor , ladislaus at the point of death speaketh thus : i must now dye , the kingdome to come into thy hands : i aske of thee two things ; one that thou gouerne the prouincials iustly , &c. the other that those who haue followed mee out of austria , and the other prouinces thou send them backe safe into their countrie without any violence offered them . where is this hereditary succession ? wherefore the words of the informer concerning the successor of podiebratius , where he saith : after the death of george , although hee left heires males , yet the kingdome to haue returned againe of right to the ordinarie succession ; is nothing but a meere cauill , and idlenesse : for these are the expresse words of cromerus . podiebratius signified to casimire , king of polonia , that hee would ordayne one of his sonnes , ( with the consent of the states of bohemia ) for his successour ; his owne sonnes neglected ; not by any hereditarie right of a kingdome ( which is none at all among a free nation ) but by a singular inclination and affection of all the bohemians towards casimire , and communion of language with the polonians . where is this ordinarie succession , which the informer dreameth of ? is it to bee found in the designation of podiebratius ? or in the inclination of the bohemians ? or in the communion of language with the polonians ? or lastly , in the words now repeated , not by any hereditarie right of the kingdome , which is none at all among a free nation ? here for conclusion it is to be knowne , and noted wel , that lodwick king of hungarie and polonia , had two daughters ; the elder whereof marie , marryed sigismund the emperour , and king of bohemia : the younger , iagellus prince of lituania . after the death of lodwicke , sigismund was elected king of hungarie , and iagellus of polonia . and although afterwards , the queenes both of them dyed without any issue at all , yet the kingdomes remayned to both the kings : the reason , because they were both of them not hereditarie ( otherwise they had falne to the queenes next allies ) but meerely electiue . and although after that , the said kings contracted other marriages nothing at all pertaining to the bloud-royall of the aforesaid lodwicke , or his daughters , yet the children by them begotten were elected afterwards for kings . you see here succession , nothing at all to haue preuailed , but onely the free election of the states . surely in kingdomes hereditarie it is farre otherwise . philip the second , king of spaine , being ioyned in marriage with marie queene of england , after her death was forced to quitte all and be gone , and the kingdome fell to elizabeth the sister of queene marie : the reason , because it was hereditarie , and not ( as the aforesaid kingdomes ) elective . ferdinand of aragon , and his wife isabel heire of castile , dying , & leauing behind them many daughters , the eldest daughter ( the wife of philip of austria ) was preferred before the rest in the succession of all those kingdomes : the reason , because all those kingdomes were hereditarie , and not ( as ours is ) elective . robert , king of naples , leauing behind him three neeces , the eldest of them ( the two younger excluded ) was admitted into the possession of the whole kingdome : the reason , because that kingdome is hereditarie . and so this is to be obserued in all kingdomes where women succeed . you see here betweene the kingdomes of poland , bohemia , and hungarie ( which are elective : ) and the kingdomes of england , castile , naples , &c. ( which are hereditarie , that also women succeed ) verie great differences of succession . for if our kingdomes should haue beene translated to women , surely sigismund and iagellus ( their wiues being dead ) should haue beene forced to haue left all and departed . which not being done , it necessarily followeth the said kingdomes to sauour of no hereditarie succession at all . hitherto briefly the elections successiuely following one another , with their principall circumstances , haue beene declared : to demonstrate the bohemians not to be guiltie at all of rebellion , disloyaltie , and conspiracie as the preiudicate informer vrgeth . and if the informer doe truely accuse them of such crimes , why doth he not expresse their cases ? which if he had done , without doubt the bohemians would easily haue confuted them . also the informer doth proceed to that audacitie , as to denie those kings ( whom he nameth ) to haue been elected : and so by his glosses is not ashamed to offer violence to a language , whereof ( perhaps ) he is ignorant . whenas notwithstanding the same kings themselues , especially iohn , albert , and ferdinand in their letters ( yea and that in the latine tongue , and latine phrases written ) doe confesse that they were elected by the free election of the states . the informer proceedeth . neither an absolute nor conditionall election doth belong to the states , but in case , &c. answer . what further conditions therefore haue the bohemians prescribed to rodolph of austria , podiebratius , and others ( who obtained the crowne through no precedent consanguinitie , but onely by election ) then to the rest which were either brothers or sonnes of the precedent kings ? and the letters reuersall , and the solemne oathes taken by all the kings , what are they else but conditions , or couenants of great force , and conditionall elections ? but the informer persisteth : although they did not obserue them , yet ought they not to be depriued of the kingdome . answer . surely the contrarie , by the aforesaid examples , doth clearely appeare , and what other consequence can there be implied in the reciprocall obligation of a king and his subiects ? the informer saith : such penaltie is not prouided for by couenant , lawes , nor parliaments . answer . the ancient obserued customes of the kingdome of bohemia are in stead of written lawes , yea among other constitutions , the states in the reigne of sobislaus expressely decreed : that if at any time the king of bohemia should without reason make warre against the bohemians , then the states and people ought to be exempted , free , and absolued from all obedience and subiection . the informer proceedeth : it is against equitie , that any one should be both an accuser , a witnesse , and a iudge at once . answer . the examples of henrie of carinthia , of iohn , in respect of his exchange of bohemia , and of other kings , doe teach , that this is nothing at all against equitie . for the states euer haue beene , and are yet , the censors and guardians of their priuiledges : yea also the later emperours ordained them to be defendors of their edicts , and liberties , and chiefly of religion . to the examples of wenceslaus , and podiebratius , is alreadie answered . the excuse vpon the receiuing of matthias , made anno . and . that it was in the middest of garboyls and warres , without any exact order , and that it maketh nothing for a free election , is altogether ridiculous . for the order there , ( as those solemne acts and reuersals testifie , where the states free and lawfull right of election is confirmed ) is most perfect . yea if no other reason remained to the states , suerly this so extraordinarie , and so solemne sworne contract , by the ioynt consent of two kings , of rodulph being present , or rather precedent , and of his successor matthias , and of all the states of bohemia , and the prouinces incorporate , ( which seldome before hath beene seene ) might suffice for prouing the free election of the bohemians to be lawfull . for the armes , and power of writing , were wholly in the hands of the two brothers the kings . neither hath the stile which in writing they vse , either one to another , or to the states , any such effect as the informer pretendeth . neither were themselues ignorant of the rights and priuiledges of their owne family or persons : nor ( to conclude ) would their counsellors , who then were present , ( had there beene any things of importance ) haue passed them ouer in silence . those things which follow , concerning the treaties , confederacies , with the austrians , the golden bull , inuestitures , and imperiall diets , seeing they are of no weight , i doe not see it worth the labour to insist in them any longer . the end of the answer to the first part . an appendix to the reader . seeing ( gentle reader ) the person of the archduke ferdinand now emperour , and the question concerning him , ( to wit , whether he by that election , or by admission , and coronation , which he had in bohemia , purchased the right of that scepter ) doth require a speciall treatise , which ( god-willing ) very shortly ( vnder the title of an answere to the information against the apologies and writings of the states of bohemia , the second part ) shall follow : i would haue thee to know for a conclusion of this first part , and for a prooeme to that which is to follow : that no regall right at all to that kingdome came to ferdinand , by the said election , or by admission and coronation . for the same to bee electiue , and not at all hereditarie , in this part is sufficiently prooued . i omitt now to say that election not to haue beene lawfull , because it was not free , but for the most part surreptitious , fraudulent , and against the lawes of the kingdome : wherefore also it was no election , but altogether void , which being matter of fact , i come to the point of right : yea , supposing that they had proceeded lawfully , freely , and simply after a voluntarie manner therein . and first the nullitie of that admission , and coronation , for that reason is manifest , because by supposition , that kingdome is electiue ; therefore no man can acquire any regall right therein , but by the election of those to whom it belongeth to elect , according to the lawes and customes of that kingdome . but ferdinand was not elected , neither by election entred into the kingdome ( as his owne writings confesse , by which it is manifest that he would not be elected , but onely admitted by hereditary right , as the adopted sonne of the last lawfull king matthias , or by some other right of bloud ) therefore he was not elected . but coronation in an electiue kingdome doth presuppose a lawfull election , which if it do not first precede , all such coronation of right is friuolous , and none at all . neither can they call that admission ( in what manner soeuer it was ) election , or reduce it to election , because they doe expresly deny themselues to challenge that kingdome by right of election , and betake themselues onely to succession . when as therefore it shall bee proued , that kingdome to bee electiue and not successionarie , by this onely proofe , whatsoeuer shall bee done without that which is properly called true and lawfull election , falleth to the ground . secondly be it , that the said election were free , voluntarie , and lawfull ; it is plaine that the same was conditionall : to wit , that during the life of matthias , ferdinand should not entermeddle with the gouernment of the kingdome , and should sweare to the pactions , and obserue them : which conditions doe quite take away all force from election , if any thing be done against them . because election is not absolute , but conditionall : now where the conditions are wanting , there election is not election ; for election ought to be voluntary ; but a thing voluntarie conditionate , is not voluntary , except the condition bee performed . but ferdinand hath broken the conditions , ( as is manifest in fact ) therefore his election is of no force , and consequently neither his coronation . thirdly , this election although it were an election , yet indeed it was none at all , of no validitie , or efficacie ; because , ( the king liuing and reigning ) no other can in any wise be elected : argument c. in apibus . . &c. and the reasons are two , and both euident . the first , because the electours haue not power of electing , but when the seate of the kingdome is vacant : therefore he was elected of such as had no power then of electing . they may designe , and promise ( as much as in them is for their time ) a future election , but can by no means make a present election , because the right of electing is not then open vnto them . bald. in c. licet de vitanda electione . the other reason is because iniury is done to the true electors , which shall be lawfull , and haue a full power of electing when the seat is vacant : whose power is vsurped by preoccupation of them , whereof ( perhaps ) not one , or very few shall be electors when the seat shall be vacant . and it sufficeth ( if the iniurie be done to one onely ) to make the whole act vniust , and therefore vnlawfull . bald. vt supra , & iason in l. fin . c. de pact . there may ( perhaps ) two at once reigne together as if they were one , ( as in times past they that were fellowes in the empire : ) the king also liuing , may resigne his regall right , to the end his sonne , or some other may bee elected ; but in our case there is no such thing : because neither matthias resigned his regall right , but manifestly retayned it , neither did he assume ferdinand as his companion . and that election and coronation was made with expresse reseruation of all full royall power wholly and entyrely in marthias , and with an inhibition , that ferdinand by no meanes should intrude himselfe into the gouernment of that kingdome . these reasons likewise doe constrayne vs vtterly to deny that hee is lawfully chosen king of the romanes , who is chosen king of the romanes , that is to say , future emperor while the present emperor liueth , and doth not resigne the right of the kingdome of the romanes : that is to say , the romane empire : because the electours then electing , had not in act , and indeed , but onely in habit , power of electing , the seat being not yet vacant . and iniurie is done to the electours , when the seate of the empire is vacant , whose actuall power was vnlawfully vsurped . therefore might the electors of the empire come to a new election , the emperour being dead , the king of the romanes ( who was wrongfully chosen , ) excluded . the same reasons doe altogether nullifie all reuersions , & benefits in expectance , as also may easily be proued out of the lawes . fourthly , ( to conclude ) that election and coronation of ferdinand , although it were of validitie , ( which wee haue shewed to be false ) yet well might hee be depriued thereof by the kingdome ; because now hee consented to the oppression of the libertie of the kingdome , vexing the kingdome with armes , and endeauouring of electiue to make it successionarie ; and to translate the same kingdome after him to others ; and notwithstanding as yet not actually possessed of the kingdome , nor hauing receiued power from god : by men therefore hee might vpon iust cause be depriued of that right which hee had , not in the thing , but to the thing onely . for a king is elected for the preseruation of the kingdome , and not for the destruction . and a kingdome may defend her owne proper libertie lawfully against any whosoeuer ; yea against her owne king : especially such a one who hath bin onely designed , and thereby become an enemie of the kingdome , & an vniust oppressor of the liberty thereof . the same reasons also proue that the hungarians might iustly come to another election ( ferdinand excluded , ) it being supposed likewise , that kingdome also to be electiue as they prooue . for there was no election of ferdinand , but an admission , and if it were an election , ( the lawfull king as yet liuing and reigning ) yet was it void : neither is it materiall that the hungarians held as ratified their election of the person of ferdinand after the death of matthias , ( which yet the bohemians haue not done ) because that ratification , whether it were tacite & vertuall , yea , or also expressed , is of no effect : for that which is nothing cannot bee accounted ratified . sylv . consensus q. vlt. vnlesse the electors knew their election to be of no validitie at all , and knowing it doe not ratifie the same but make a new election . and if they thinke it was of validitie , when it was not , and doe ratifie it , not making a new election , this ratification is of no force . caiet . secund . secunda . g. . art. . &c. the instrvments of the pactions or conditions concerning a perpetuall succession in the kingdomes of hungary and bohemia , and the prouinces thereunto belonging . the instrvments of the . and . of the month of iune , anno . made at prague . philip the iii. king of spaine , renouncing his right , and ratifying the resignation of his mother anne , daughter to maximilian the second emperour : as also for this resignation couenanting as wel for a compensation or recompence to be made to himselfe , as for a restitution to his heyres whensoeuer the heyres male lawfully begotten shall faile in the right line of ferdinand arch-duke of austria . ferdinand arch-duke of austria accepting , approuing and ratifying them , and ( in case of defalt of heyres male in the right line lawfully descended from him , ) promising restitution . matthias the ii. emperor of rome , not onely procuring these pactions by his intercession ; but also by his imperiall and royall authority confirming them . for the weale and safety of the catholike religion , and maiesty of the house of austria . mdcxx . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e fol. . fol. . the scope of this first part. fol. . not euery receiuing of a king , signified by the word election . the most free election of the bohemians proued . haiac . fol. . aeu . syl. c. . dub. lib. . anno . see here what kind of succession in the kingdome of bohemia . haiec. fol , . 〈◊〉 . barth in boh. ●ia , pag. fol. . anno . fol. . ann o . pag. . fol. . fol. . if the free right of election did not belong to the states of buhemia , by what right could they haue chosen this rohonicus ? fol. . if the state of bohemia were hereditarie , without all doubt the elder brother had been retained . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol , . fol. . lib. . pag. . lib. . p. . chron. p. . anno . lib. . pag. . haiec. fol. . hitherto the institutions of ancesters , and the old customes concerning the election of the du●es were obserued . haiec. fol. . there 〈◊〉 confirmed : the kingdome of bohemia nothing at all to belong to the emperour , but in re●pect of the regall dignitie . fauour not to be drawne as a consequent , nor good deeds to be rewarded with euill . * of sweden . both the son and nephew , and nephewes son and nephewes nephew ( the father dead ) are elected . what succession hence of hereditary right in a kingdome electiue ▪ the vpper palatinate of baua●ia . haiec. fol. . pag. . cap. . albertus of bauaria , why hee refused the kingdome . fol. . fol. . fol. . lib. . haiec. fol. . if this kingdome had bin hereditarie by force of that clause of charles the fourth : what hope had there bin for so many great personages ? lib. . p. . the king of france , by what consanguinity i pray you was he ioyned to the precedent kings of bohemia ? lib. . maiec . fol. ● . haiec. fol. . fol. . ferdinand , by no hereditary right but only by the free election of the states is crowned . the reuersall letters of rodulph the second , emperour and king of bohemia . the reuersals of matthias the emperour , king of bohemia , and predecessor of ferdinand that now is . the friuolous and feeble grounds of the informer answered . fol. . fol. . this clause is subiect to a thousand expositions and ambiguities . fol. . the disposall of vladislaus . fol. . the reuersals of ferdinand changed . the constitutions of the kingdome . fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. : iohn of luxemburgh , by what right he attayned to the crowne of bohemia . henry of carinthia , wherefore depriued of the kingdome . fol. . lib. . p. . ad pag. . fol. . fol. . fol. . haiec. fol. . fol. . fol. . fol. . notes for div a -e see the pactions concerning a perpetuall succession in the kingdomes of hungarie and bohemia , and the prouinces thereunto appertayning , for the further declaration of the truth ; annexed to this appendix . a proclamation made by the high and mighty fredericke by the grace of god king of bohemia, &c. commanding all those his subiects which are now in the seruice of his majesties enemies, to repaire home within the space of . dayes, vpon paine of his highnes displeasure, and confiscation of goods and lands. translated out of the dutch coppie. proclamations. - - bohemia (kingdom). sovereign ( - : frederick i) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation made by the high and mighty fredericke by the grace of god king of bohemia, &c. commanding all those his subiects which are now in the seruice of his majesties enemies, to repaire home within the space of . dayes, vpon paine of his highnes displeasure, and confiscation of goods and lands. translated out of the dutch coppie. proclamations. - - bohemia (kingdom). sovereign ( - : frederick i) frederick i, king of bohemia, - . [ ], p. [e. allde], printed at prague [i.e london] : . dated at end: giuen at our castle of prague the xviij.th day of august, anno dom. . actual place of publication and printer's name from stc. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 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quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bohemia (czech republic) -- history -- - -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ❧ a proclamation made by the high and mighty fredericke by the grace of god king of bohemia , &c. commanding all those his subjects which are now in the seruice of his majesties enemies , to repaire home with in the space of . dayes , vpon paine of his highnes displeasure , and confiscation of goods and lands . translated out of the dutch coppie . printed at prague , . wee fredericke , by the grace of god king of bohemia , count palatine of the rhine and elector , duke of bavaria , marquesse of moravia , duke of lvtzelbvrg , and of silesia , marquesse of vpper and lower lvsatia , &c. to all most illustrious electors and princes , our louing cozens and kinsmen , all friendship and good will to the outmost of our power : as also to the right honorable , noble and generous , earles , barons , lordes , and gentlemen , together with the mayors , senate , communalties , and all others whatsoeuer holding of vs and our crowne of bohemia , with the inhabitants and subiects of their hereditary lordships , lands , teretories , citties , castles , townes and villages , grace fauour and all welfare . most illustrious cozens , electors and princes , and most honourable , noble and generous loyall subjects , wee doubt not but that it is knowne and more then notorious vnto all aswell within as without the empire , into what most miserable estate this crowne of bohemia , with the incorporate countryes thereunto adioyning , hath beene plunged and reduced by their aduersaries and their assistants , ayders and abetters , not onely without lawfull precedent causes , but also of meere enuy , & an vnsatiable desire of reuenge ; whereby most cruelly & barbarously , yea more then turkes , tartarians and infidels there tyrannized vpon , and against the bodies and goods of the subjects and inhabitants of the said countries , and haue as it were recreated their malicious mindes by shedding of innumerable innocent christian blood , to the great and vnspeakeable damage of many thousands of poore people , and the most lamentable compassion of all confining countries . and although in the meane while after lawfull and inforced abdication of ferdinand the emperour , and our election , through gods singular prouidence and speciall grace , by the vnanime , orderly , and vnreprouable consent of our loyall estates of bohemia and the countries appertaining thereunto , wee haue desired and aymed at nothing more then that the most hurtfull and deuouring combustion , warre , and disquietnes of these countryes might speedily bee appeased and redressed : as also that by the ripe , wise , prouident and carefull aduise and counsaile of our most illustrious cozens , allies and friends , together with the consent and wills of our loyall estates , subiects and countries , wee haue not refused , but rather vpon serious well meaning motions ( long since ) haue accepted of and agreed vnto , and offered our aduersaries to enter into a comodious truce , cessation of armes , and peaceable treaty , and ( asmuch as possibly in vs lyeth , without impairing of our royall dignity , state , honour and reputation ) to proceed therein , that thereby the long desired peace & tranquilitie of these countries , by our helpe might bee restored and re-established , the most cruell and vnspeakable tyranny , murtherings and deuastations auerted , the banished wholsome tranquility reobtained , and the countries restored into their former pristinate and peaceable estate . to the contrary we finde that our said christian and most iust intent hath not onely slightly , but most scornefully bin altogether refused , and vtterly rejected , and which is more , not contented with the former barbarous and inhumane tyrannies by the enemies already practised ; they haue resolued to stand vnto , and to continue in their said forcible practises , proceedings and hostilitie . from whence it is easily to be gathered , and firmely to be concluded , that the intent and meaning of our aduersarie tendeth to this onely end and scope , that vnder the coulorable name of soueraigne authority , together with many additions , hee may obtaine ayde and assistance , and thereby insinuate himselfe into the good will of diuers renowned potenrates aswell within as without the empire , yea and of the meer vassailes and dependants of this our crowne of bohemia : wherunto they haue already made an entrance , by bringing in of forraine souldiers , contrary to the ordinances and liberty of the empire of germany , and the imperiall ( by oath ) ratified capitulation . but for that our most constant royall minde , neither will nor can indure to see our selues , together with the loyall and faithfull estates and members of our crowne of bohemia , and the incorporate countries thereof , as also so great a number of innocent poore people and godly christians longer to bee so molested , and by such calamities oppressed , being their lawfull king called by god , and elected and crowned by the estates of the said kingdome , to whom by due and right true and ancient custome it belongeth . and although wee haue already agreed and taken order with our aforesaid obedient estares , in what manner , by their helpe , counsaile and assistance , the hostile dealing and vnchristianlike wronges might bee auerted , and redressed , further resting in this confident hope , that none either of high or low estate or degree , being allyed vnto vs and our crowne of bohemia , either holding of vs in fee , or by oath of allegiance , will in any wise , vnder any colour or intent whatsoeuer , hinder this our forcible defence and lawfull action , nor yet attempt to inuade or oppresse vs and the crowne of bohemia with the incorporate countries thereon depending , nor enter into the same by force of warre and open hostility , especially if hee will but vouchsafe to ponder and consider the causes at large set foorth in our deduction not long since published : notwithstanding wee haue thought it conuenient to send forth this our friendly warning and admonition , as also our strict commaund and inhibition , ( moued thereunto , aswell by the counsaile and aduise , as by the most humble and instant request of our obedient estates : ) hereby friendly requiring and admonishing all and euery person and subiect of our said crowne of bohemia , and strictly commaunding by vertue of our royall authority and superiority as the liedge & soueraigne lord vpon that fealty , and allegiance whereby they are bound vnto vs and our crowne of bohemia , and the penalties and feodarie ordinances therein made , that none of them of what dignity , estate or degree soeuer they bee , shall take part in any thing whatsoeuer with the intimated aduersaries , against vs and the generall estates of our crowne of bohemia , and the countries appertaining thereunto , neither yet to ayde or assist them by any meanes with men , money , ordinance , munition , victuall , intelligence , reliefe , or any other way that may be done , practised or sinisterly deuised . but rather ( for that none will do nor attempt the same that is capable of law and equity ) if any such or the like occurrances might happen & fall out , to preuent , hinder and auert the same to the vttermost of their powers , and ioyne themselues with all their forces speedily & without all delay with vs , our generals , captaines , and armies now imployed about the freeing and releasing of our said countries from ruyne , and subuersion , to ayd and rescue them , if necessitie require , and hereof not to faile as they will answer the contrary at their perils . wee likewise hereby admonish and recall all and euery captaine , officer and common soldier , subiects vnto vs and the said crowne of bohemia , mediately or immediately by fealty , oath and seruice , or that haue and possesse any territories , lands , reuenues or goods either in bohemia , or in the fees thereon depending , bee it in any citties , townes , castles , places or grounds , and are now in the pay and seruice of our aduersaries , or their ayders and assistants in this warre against vs and the crowne of bohemia , and vnder the aforesaid penalties , most earnestly and strictly charge them , within the space of fourteene dayes next and imediately following vpon this our royall insinuation , and mandate , signified and made knowne vnto them , to leaue , forsake , and abandon the said seruice and pay , of our aduersaries , ( any oath , promise , or allyance by the which they are bound either vnto them or their ayders & dependants notwithstanding ) hereby promising all security for vs , and our crowne vnto him , them , or any of them , that within the time herein limited , shall fully performe and obserue this our will and desire , and to the contrary continuing therein , certainly and fully purposing irreuocably and without any restitution to proceed against them ( according to the afore mentioned and menaced feodarie penalties ) that refuse to imbrace this our gracious offer , pardon and beneuolence , and goe on in their premeditated intents and purposes . whereof let euery one hereby take notice , that will or intend to auoyde the damage and perill , that may thereby ensue : for such is our will and pleasure . in witnes whereof , wee haue confirmed these our letters with our royall seale . giuen at our castle of prague the xviij.th . day of august , anno dom. . in the first yeare of our raigne of bohemia . ad mandatum sacrae regiae maiestatis proprium .