people chosen a Princesse or Iudge There fell out a controuersie betweene two Bohemians about the limits of their ground which Lubossa ended by sentence The party displeased and condemned being enraged renounced the Iudgement disdaining it from that sexe and thereby tooke occasion to demand a man to gouerne Lubossa was vnwilling to let goe the Reynes and first threatens what and how violent the dominion of man would proue Geor. Birtbold pag. 11. after disswades by force of many arguments Ad haec vulgus confuso exult at clamore omnes vno ore Ducem sibi poscunt dari which when she could not auoyd she cunningly propounds a free Election by letting loose an horse that should stay before a man eating at an Iron table which was agreed vnto and then she sayes Ite demum vt quem vos cras eligatis in Dominum ego assumam mihi in maritum This horse stood still before Primislaus who was eating his dinner vpon his plough share and so he is chosen The first form of Election Cosm Prag p. 6. and the forme of Election recorded to bee by salutation of all the people they all all cry out Domina nostra Lubosso plebs vniuersa mandant vt cito venias c. te Ducem te Iudicem te Rectorem te Protectorem te solum nobis in Dominum eligimus Here are three Elections in the first foundation and one Reiection of Lubossa confirmed and the forme recorded To wade deeper into the first times is vnnessary onely one obseruation of Cosma Pragensis Pag. 20. Dubrau li. 7. pag. 54. an 1002. that Vlricus the eighteenth Prince who had no issue by lawfull marriage saw by chance at a Well a handsome maide washing named Boâ—â—na vpon whom he cast affection and begat a sonne called Breceslaus Vlricus had put out his brother Iâ—ronâ—irs eyes yet hee tooke his Nephew before whom hee was in right of bloud and presented him adsedem principalem situt semper in electione ducis faciunt c. which proues hee was Elected and the continuation of Election declared in those words sicut semper in Electione To proceed to times better knowne and to an estate better setled and to looke downward from Brecislaus the 22th Prince or as Cosma Prag the ninteenth of Bohemia we shall finde no succession from Father to Son nor from Brother to Brother regular but the fittest to gouerne or the best beloued euer chosen by the Bohemians Brecislaus had fiue sonnes Spitigneus 1 Vratislaus 2 Conradus 3 Otho 4 Iaromirus 5. Spitigneus the eldest succeeded but by Election vpon recommendation of his Father Cosm Prag pag. 30. an 1055 Post Brecislai obitum filium eius primogenitum nomine Spignen omnes Bohemiae gentes magni parui communi Consilio voluntate pari elegunt sibi in Ducem cantantes kyrieleizon After his death Vratislaus his brother was chosen pag. 33. omnibus Boemis fauentibus He had also sixe sonnes Breceslaus 1 Boleslaus 2 Boriuorius 3 Vladislaus 4 Sobieslaus 5 Henricus Bishop of Olmunts 6 All these should haue succeeded the Father in rule of succession but Conradus the Vncle was chosen Duke Hee had two sonnes Vdalricus or as Cosma Prag calls him Oalricus and Leopoldus or Lutoldus Now in true succession one of these must succeed the Father Conrad but now the Bohemians returne to Brecislaus their Cosin German and eldest sonne to Vratislaus and yet they returne not to him as in right Dubran p. 78. Nam diu ambigebant ordines num Brecislaum ab exilio adregnum paternum reuecarent an domi aliquem ex fratribus eius qui regnaret After the death of Brecislaus they againe skippe his three sonnes Vladislaus Henricus and Theobaldus who should succeed and also the next elder brother and Boriuerius the yonger is chosen Now Vdalricus Cosm Prag pag. 54.55 or Oalritus the first sonne of Conrad thinkes himselfe wronged to bee twice neglected in the Election and complaines to the Emperour at Ratisbon sollicits him by prayers by friends by money to helpe him to the kingdome possessed by his Cozen Borinoy Dubran pag. 84 Ibid. The Emperour takes his money and lends him some succors Sed hac conditione vt liberum sit Bohemis aut Vdalricu at Boriuorium habere Principem vtrum videlicet borum magis idoneum habilemque approbauerint But when it came to a declaration to what end hee would vse these aydes to clayme the kingdome by right hee dares not but enterprets himselfe Dat sibi Dncatus insignia vexillum which were due to him by bloud had hee beene the youngest of the family Sed in Ducem elegendi obtentum ponit in arbitrio Boâ—horum But the Bohemians refuse his claime made by his Embassadors and adhere to their first Election of Boriuoy and defeat Oalricus and all his pretences in battaile Boriuoy had a sonne called Iaromirus who should haue succeeded had that right taken place but Suatopulcus gets in by fauour and by the relapse of the people deposeth Boriuoy This man was Cozen German to Boriuoy of a younger house the sonne of Othe the fourth sonne of Brecislaus the two and twentieth This Suatopulcus was not long after reiected Borinoy againe receined And hee againe the second time deposed and thrust out and Suatopulcus restored so continued Prince to his death He had a son called Henry baptized by the Emperour Cosm Prag pag. 57. and brought vp by him yet hee being slaine in the Campe Othoniger his brother was Elected Prince The Emperor comming to see and lament the dead body of Suatopulcus and to appease the people who it seemes feared lest he would obtrude vpon them a Successor against their will Pag. 60. adstantibus immensis Boemis concessit vt quemcunque voluissent suorum ex filijs principum sibi in Ducem cligerent There was the Sonne of Suatopulcus aliue for any thing appeares many of the grand-children of Vratislaus the first King and foure and twentieth Prince before Otho in the right of Succession yet Weseck of Morauia intercedes that he may be chosen Duke him also Henry the Emperour fauours before the sonne and his owne God-sonne and the people being most Morauians approue the Election and presently in the Campe admit him for their Prince crying Kyrieleyzon and in foure daies brought him to Prage Dubrau pag. 90. at which Dubrauius sayes the Bohemians tooke offence Questi sâ—nt de electione in Castris factâ contra Maiorum Instituta moremque veterem And Cosma Pragensis sayes he was refused as he was â— Quod quia sine consensu Boemorum Episcopi efficere conabantur frustratur eorum temeritus Sacramenta olim exhibita in medio consilio recitantur And Vladislaus the brother of Boreuoy was Elected vt Iura Principatus Iure adoptata Cosm Prag pag. 60. that is by lawfull Election omnibus ascentientibus obtineret This Vladislaus was younger brother to Boreuoy long since deposed and now
hee complaines and Otho the brother of Suatopulcos renewes a pretence First Boreuoy treates by his Embassadors to perswade his yonger Brother to resigne Responsom huic a Vladislao huiusmodi retulit non esse rem priuatam quam Boriuorius peteret Dubrau p. 91. sed ad vniversi populi suffragium illam pertinere proin haud ab vno fratre sed ab omnibus ordinibus principatum esse ambiendum The Bohemians adhere truely to their owne Election ouerthrew Otho in Battaile Cosm Prag pag. 62. and after Vladislaus by the Emperours deliuery gets Boreuoy into his power and all his friends Hee dyes and Sobieslaus his yongest brother is chosen Otho niger againe pretends quia aetate prior esset but is reiected Sobieslaus had foure sonnes Vladislaus the first Dubrau p. 9â— Sobieslaus the second Vdalricus the third Wenceslaus the fourth These should haue succeeded the Father if succession had preuailed but Vladislaus his Nephew the sonne of his Brother Vladislaus euen by the fauor of Sobieslaus his Vncle against his owne Children and by the Emperors helpe was designed Prince of Bohemia and by the Emperor crowned the second King But the Bohemians because hee was yonger in yeares then Conrad his Cozen Germane the sonne of Leopold son of Otho And because his Election was not formall Dubrau p. 10â— ac Caesaris potius quam Boemorum Principem quando non in Bohemia sed in curia Caesaris Princeps sit creatus Throno deijciunt in locum eius Conradum substituunt But the Emperour Fredericke fauouring Vladislaus restor'd him by force and his sonne Fredericke succeeded but was after also expulsed and Vdalricus the third sonne of Sobieslaus the 30th Prince chosen his elder brethren being neglected He was Cozen German halfe remooued from Fredericke He dying his next elder brother Sobieslaus succeeded and now Fredericke had againe gotten possession was againe expulled After which Conradus the sonne of Leopold forenamed was a new declared Prince of Bohemia suffragijs primorum or dinum Dubrau P. 126. Fredericke was againe restored and Conrad expulsed and then Fredericke dying though hee had fower brethren aliue Albert Suatopulk Premislans and Vladislaus which should all haue taken place in true succession Conradus was in his absence declared Prince ab ordinibus Bohemia Dubrau p. 130. After his death Venceslans the son of Otho niger younger brother to Suatopulcus his Cozen but preferred before many neerer the Succession was Elected Prince Him Primislaus expulsed but fearing his returne hee quitted Prage And Wenceslaus in his returne died leauing a Sonne called Spitigneus vacante principali sede Henricus the second Sonne of Brecislaus the sixe and twentieth Bishop of Prage diem comitiorum habendorum Praga indicit Dubrau P. 132. candida tumque in illo principatus pro spitigenio pupillo agit Boemi parumper deliberantes ipsum Henricum vnanimi assensu magnaque voce Principem Boemiae pronuntiant Heere also was a succession interrupted by the free Election not onely Spitigneus the sonne of the last Wenceslaus reiected because a childe but Henry preferred before all the Sons of Vladislaus the second King of Bohemia Henry not long after falls sicke and assembles all the Nobility declaring vnto them his desire to resigne the Principality of Bohemia Dubr u p. 134. Datque ill is potestatem eligendi Principis quemcunque voluerint but the Bohemians hoping on his recouery would not proceed to a new Election and so he remained Prince to his death Being dead de successione in comitijs ab ordinibus variatum Dubrau p. 135. at last they Elected Vladislaus yonger brother to Primislaus once before in possession and fift sonne of Vladislaus the second King two elder Brethren at least aliue He resigned in fiue moneths to Primislaus his brother who was Elected Prince Dubr Genealog Page 139. being of the second venter by the Landgraues daughter and his elder brethren and their children for any thing appeares being refused And this Priâ—â—slaus was crowned the third King of Bohemia by the Emperour Philip at Mentz de omnium quae aderant sententia Anno 1199. Thus it is euident from Bretislaus the 22. to this Primislaus Ottocarus the thirtieth in which are seuenteene changes no kinde of succession hath taken place but that the yonger brother that beene preferred before the elder the vncle before the Nephew the yonger house before the elder and many Princes deposed for misgouernment or want of forme in true election After Primislaus foure Kings are pretended to succeed to Wenceslaus the seauenth King But Primislaus causeth his sonne Wenceslaus to be crowned in his life-time and Dubrauius notes it pag. 139. that he was carefull of his owne house Exin rebus suis domi intentas Venceslaum silium etiamsi puerum regem coronat which hee needed not haue done had he Ius successionis and was easie for him to doe being in possession When hee died his friends concealed it and his sonne Ottocarus entred with an army and so was admitted Idem 157. Propter frequentiam comitatus qui eum ex Austria Styria Morauia comitabantur ita plerisque metuendus quia armatus vener at Hee was Marquesse of Morauia established in his Fathers life time and because hee was not then admitted to the Crowne by Election it seemes he entred armed which hee needed not doe to his Inheritance He was slaine in the battell of Laua and his sonne Venceslaus a Childe was admitted in his Infancy in honour of the Father ex consensu omnium Ordinum Idem 16â— cura fouendi illius ad Marchionem Brandeburgum The Marquesse abuseth the trust and carries him away At 15. yeares of age he is restored to the Bohemians for a summe of mony not till now was he chosen King which I inferre out of Dubranius Idem 169. Inter catera ab omnibus acclamantum est Aduenisti tandem desiderabilis quem tam diu ex pectabamus Ottogari ô inclytaproles which insinuates the loue of the father nihil videlicet tum Otthogari nomine clarius nihil ad conciliandum omnium ordinem fauorem efficacius which implyes the Election by the States although the reason be rendred why they chose him for loue of the father yet still their fauour was the formall part of his admission Wenceslaus the 7. The stories mention not the manner his Admission King succeeded the Father in him ended the ancient Race of their Princes in all these no succession of right established He had 3. sisters Iudith eldest Anne Elizabeth the first married to Rupertus of Nassau the Emperors son the second to Henry of Carinthia the third yet a maid Dubrau p. 179. The States assemble in the Bishop of Prages house ad ius comitioruÌ„ summaque contentione de Rege eligendo certant alijs perigrinuÌ„ regem penitus aspernantibus alijs inter Rodulphum Caesaris Alberti filiuÌ„ Henricum ex Carinthia qui praesens
priuiledges of Fredericke the Emperour inserts a Clause of exposition to his owne aduantage which cannot extend beyond the Text But 8. yeeres after establishing the succession of all the Electors he expects expressely the Kingdome of Bohemia and the free Election of the States Onuphirus Aure Bulla p. 431. not when the heyres royall should faile as they pretend but vvhen the Crowne shall be vacant quemcunque voluerunt as is notorious in Bulla aurea His sonne Venceslaus was admitted but he gouerned ill and left the kingdome in trouble by the Hussites and Zisca After 12 years Sigismund his brother enters by force Dubrau p. 243. the kingdom weakened and torne in peeces by ciuill dissention takes the Crown and hauing only one daughter Elizabeth married to Albert of Austria Geor. Barthold pag. 29. AEn Syl. p. 54 Sigismund on his death-bedde conuocates the States takes care for the election presents Albert his sonne in Law Albertum Austriae Ducem generum suum esse virtute praestantem gener is nobilitate sublimem cum se non minus amare quam filium successorem itaque suum nominare rogare supremam voluntatem suam exequantur beatum id regnum fore vbi Albertus imperauer it Here are reasons of conuenience of Nobility of Vertue and hee nominates a Successor to their choyce which he could not doe nor they refuse if Elizabeth his daughter should succeed in right and so Albert is chosen a stranger in bloud Dubrau p. 266. Albert hath 3. children Ladislaus Pastunus was admitted King but he was a Childe and therefore the States offered the Kingdome to Albert of Bauaria hee refuseth it vpon Conditions of Religion That hee would not be bound to admitte the Chalice in the Sacrament which was required not considering at all the right of Ladislaus Ibid. Then they offer it to Fredericke the Emperour as Tutor but among the Ambassadors Ptasco no friend to Albertus father of Ladislaus perswades the Emperor to make himselfe King of Bohemia as the first of the house of Austria but he refuseth both the ones Counsell and the generall offer of Tutorship and recommits it wholly to the Bohemians as hauing best vnderstanding and interest in their owne affaires In this Interraigne Podiebradius consults of calling home Ladislaus now in the hands of Fredericke for it seemes eyther he bredd him Dubrau p. 271 or was retired to him and after deliberation concludes to receiue him vpon conditions and at his entrance they giue him the oath Ibid. 272. Quo praestito capita deinde libertatum ab omnibus ordinibus missa exhibet c. Hee dyes vvithout Issue and leaues two sisters Anne the Eldest married to William Duke of Saxe Elizabeth to Cassimer King of Poland Ladislaus finding himselfe stroken with Death calls Podiebradius and foreseeing in the affections of the Bohemians who should be Elected Georg. Bartold pag. 30. neuer thinkes of his sisters as in any right nor once mentions them but mihi moriendum est Regnum in tua manuerit Duo te peto vti prouinciales iuste regas c. alterum vt qui me secuti sunt ex Austria caeterisque prouincijs in Patriam suam inuiolatos remittas Podiebradius modestly seemes to decline it excuseth and hopes the King shal recouer neuer for a Complement once mentions any heyre sister or kinred of the King which he could not in manners doe nor with safety omit if they had had right and the King who should maintaine their Interest yet aliue But Ladislaus sets his eyes onely vpon Podiebrad Promitte quod cupio nam me mori certum est Ladislaus eyes and Podibradius beeing Gouernour calls the Assembly for Election The French King stands a meere stranger in bloud and his Ambassadors come to Prage but because they vvere vnwilling to admit a stranger they resolued to finish the Election before the French had audience The manner of the Election is recorded by Dubrauius especially Locus eligendo Regi in domo Praetoria veteris vrbis constitutus where after first solemnely going to the Church Rokickzanus makes an Oration to perswade them not to looke vpon any Stranger nor Germane Among themselues he first propounds the Gouernor Podiebradius whose Armes had defended their Liberties or if they disliked him and thought no Bohemian eminent enough nor worthy of so high aduancement he counsells a new way of gouernment vtterly to relinquish a Monarchy Aut hunc Regem esse nominandum aut si nemo inter Boemos tanto fastigio dignus censeatur Haebreo more duodecim Iudicis assumendos qui Populum Boemum aequo Iure gubernarent Hinc in Praetorium itum tam foris quam intus prius acclamantum quam decretū VIVAT REX GEORGIVS Here is a solemn Election on and therein a proposition to change the gouernemen into Aristocracy and lastly a stranger in bloud to the Crowne of Bohemia Elected the daughters and sisters of the two last Kings not once in question And George held the Crowne of Bohemia to his death and this Election and Coronation of George was confirmed by Calixtus the Pope which no Aussrian dare say hee would haue done in iniury of the true heyre or their House George Podiebrad had three sonnes Idem 281. two liued at his death yet in his last meditations hee durst not once cast his eyes vpon any of them His words are Idem 289. Nollem autem quantum in me situm est libenter committere which implies he had no interest in designing an heyre but by way of Counsayle vt post obitum meum ipsum Regnum in aliquod diserimen adduceretur propter dubium regni successorem proin scire aueo quidn◠in hac causa agere quemuè Regem vobis legare destinaneritis Respondentibus nullam ipso Rege su perstite successoris faciendam esse mentionem perhaps to preuent the preiudice iealous to preserue their right entire instabat auidus donec ab ill it extorqueret non adme dum sibi gratam sententiam qua se dicerent sentire apud Polonos Regem esse quaerendum cum quibus linguae moribus non multùm dissentirent They expresse their reasons for likenesse of manners and language without any mentioning a right by the second daughter of Albert which they could not doe without iniury to Anne the Elder sister married to Saxe Podebradius with this answer was dismaid for thogh he durst not expresse it hee had strong hopes and designes for his owne sonnes but knowing the right of free Election and hauing discouered their affections in the little pause hee had of life neuer sought to alter the Inclination of the Bohemians but prouided onely to leaue his sonnes rich and possessing them with the mooueables of the Kingdome commanded them to retire to the Castle of Podiebrad A solemne Parliament is held for the Election Matthias King of Hungarie stands and is ready to threaten vvith an Army and hath a party
aderat variantibus as yet no mention make of any right in the daughters Tobias Bechinus who fauoured the strangers sons of Albert to crosse the aduerse party who would not accept them saith Quando non alium Regem quam Boemum creare libet Regiaque progenies in Boemia planê deficiat reuert amur ad Pagum stadium vnde Primislaus ex rustico priamus in Boemia factus est Princeps atque indidem nos quoque Regem nobis adciscamus Yet that was not his desire but onely to diuert the Election which vtterly ouerthrowes the pretended Contract with the house of Austria for hee being of that party should haue pleaded it if he had knowne it or had thought it of force not haue returned to an originall Election which fully annihilated the Contract but it seems Tobias knew nothing of it And so hee also reiects the sisters for that was his end esteeming them no heyres though they were ex progeniê Regia concluded they might lawfully elect a stranger in bloud This motion was reiected not that they might elect a stranger but because the other side vnderstood his craft that he would obtrude a German hatefull to the Bohemians and so he was commanded without further Prefaces to nominate one in a faire Election He as Chamberlayne of Boheme prefers first Rodolph and then his brother Fredericke sonnes of Albert Quo audito Crussina Lychtemburgus Quousque tandem inquit nobis ingeres tuos Germanos Regum nostrorum parricidas nec plura locutus stringit gladium Thobiam transfodit The next day the two sisters Anna married to Carinthia Elizabeth a maid come into the Court not as heyres or ant ve sui haberi rationem ne velut alienae a Regno praetereantur And Henry the Husband of Anne vvas chosen King but he could not hold it for the Emperour stood for his Sonne not by a Contract but as preuayling in Election and vpon that onely grounds his Title to place him by force Caefare alacriter instante ne filius sâ—ns qui priores partes in suffragijs tulerat posteriores in Regno acquirendo ferret He enters Bohemia vvith an Army Henry of Carinthia and his wife giue way and so he fortifies the election of Rodolph and Crownes him a meere stranger in bloud or other title but the Election pretended Rodolph dies Dubrauius reekons Fredoricke as elected other doe not and Henrie of Carinthia returnes with his Wife In which interim the Emperour endeuors the Election of Fredericke his second sonne but is slaine before hee could effect it and then these were receiued with great Ioy After three or foure yeares the Bohemians grew weary of Henries gouernment and sent Ambassadors to Henry of Luxenburgh then Emperor to send his sonne Iohn to marry Elizabeth the yonger sister to Anne and Wenceslaus the seuenth and that they would elect him King The Emperor accepts it and married Iohn at Spire The Bohemians deposed Henry for ill gouernment as Bartoldus notes Geor. Barthold pag. 24. Hunc Boemi sibi Regem deligunt sed quia male administrauit miserune ad Caesarem Henricum sextum Legatos suos So was Iohn of Luxenburgh Elected a stranger also in bloud for he could pretend no right by his wife in Succession Anne the elder sister liuing Concerning the contract made betweene Boheme and Austria the elder stories speake nothing of it Albert of Austria declared not the pretence Dubrau p. 180. but strengthens the Election of his owne sonnes by making a faction by mariage of Elizabeth the widdow of Venceslaus And Hieronimo Canini in his history of the Election of the Roman Kings Hieron Canini pag. 211. cites that such an accord was made That for want of heyres in eyther House the other should succeed but withall notes Encore que le Royaume soyt a l'Election des Barons des seigneurs du pays which beeing cleerely confessed an accord made betweene them for their owne aduantage to the preiudice of the freedome of Bohemia could not be auaileable nor was euer confirmed by practice in succession Iohn of Luxenburgh is chosen and is a great Prince he begins indeed to seeke to establish the Kingdome in his Lyne and in his life-time practiseth to exchange it with Lewis Duke of Bauare which it is like he affected to leaue them to the fortune of Election which is a taeite confession of the right in the States to Elect when it was reuealed to the Bohemians they tooke it in so ill part that hee should by a secret practice infringe their liberty or seeme to haue right to obtrude a King vpon them at his choyce that they almost reuolted against him and would not be reconciled vntill a copy of the treaty was shewed that he did nothing but with reseruation of the consent of the States to confirme it The words of Dubrauiuâ— are considerable Dubrau p. 193. Sed longè omnium maximuÌ„ odiuÌ„ sibi ab omnibus or dinibus conflauit inchoatâ cuÌ„ Lodonico permutatione qua regnuÌ„ pro Bauariae principatu commutare voluit At Boemi in deteriorem partem interpretati funt quasi illos Rex vendere Germanis prodcre cuperet Ergo omnes in vnum conspirant vt pereant potius quam non perdant illos qui ad exitium Patriae corum immineant At que haec turba maior visa quam vt pacart vel ipso rege praesente potuerit nisi pacata esset spes de retinendo ei regno decollabat So that this feare of Iohn confesseth a forfeiture and a power to depose him and then hee procures the Emperor to come in person to the Confines of Bohemia where at the towne of Luticium the Emperor thus excuses the King Illic in maxima Bohemorum frequentia Regem illorum de tam graui suspitione qualem de illo haberent testimonio suo expurgat pactionemque illis quam cum Rege inire caeperat scriptum ostendit in qua diserte aperteque appositum erat ita illaÌ„ ratam firmam fore si communi Bohemorum assensu confirmata fuerit So iealous were they then of their right that nothing could appease them but the sight of his owne agnition of the validity of their consent in transferring the kingdome Iohn caused his sonne Charles Dubrau P. 201. to bee admitted Marquesse of Morauia in his life time an halfe election as in the Empire the King of Romans and a step to the kingdome And indeed he was so fauoured of the Bohemians for his valour witte and skill in tongues that his admittance was easily procured yea hee was so fauoured of the Bohemians Idem 202. that his Father suspected and feared him Soone after hee was chosen King of the Romanes at Bon and now it was not easie for the Bohemians to refuse him if they would for he preuailed in vniuersall loue Charles in his life laboured all he could to settle the Kingdome in his issue and to that end in confirming the
in Bohemia therefore they remooue the Session ad montes Cuthenses data omnibus fide publica vt quisque ad illa libere veniret rediret summaque cum libertate suffragia perageret Three great men in Bohemia declare for Matthias Dubrau P. 290. contentissimâ suffragatione sed maior numerus Vladislaum Cassimiri Poloniae Regis filium etiamnum adolescentem nullarumque partium factionibus per aetatem infectum Regem possebant numeroque praenaluerunt Matthias stirres enters with an Army and molesteth Fredericke the Emperour in Austria and Styria and partly thereby partly by promise of money procures an Investiture Although hee had formerly granted it to Vladislaus the sonne of Cassimere of Poland yet the Bohemians maintaine their Election and repulse Matthias heere is no reason of bloud but fitnesse in respect of partialitie mentioned in the Election And if reason of bloud could then haue been vrged Anne or VVilliam of Saxe or their Issue must haue preceded and by Consequence now the Elector of Brandeburgh Lodouicus his sonne succeded but was admitted and Crowned at three yeares of age by his Fathers meanes and then liuing Nulla mora interposita ad Regnum Bohemiae Lodouicum inaugurandum curauit Dubrau p. 302. Lodouicus is drowned in the Danuby in the Rowt giuen by the Turkes and leaues his onely sister Anne married to Ferdinand sonne of Maximilian the Emperor who as Dubrauius sayes could not bee preuented by slight Ibid. nor wit nor Armes Dextra prorsus manus tenaci excepit gubernacula regni In all these times there is no Succession established but free Election or another reason of Succession then right Princes chosen of the younger line reiecting the Elder and the right line and some few seizures by force Princes deposed for misgouernment and for vvant of due forme in the Election Strangers in bloud Elected and all pretended succession aduanced by the Father liuing or for his sake dead and this concludes no succession because present greatnesse hath gotten an aduantage Primus dominandi spes in arduo vbi sis ingressus addesse studia mixistros Tac. Annal. li. 4. Ferdinand hath gotten possession but accepts it by right of Election as is confessed Nulla facta mentione Iuris quod Annae competebat Informator pag. 7. and giues Defeasall Letters Quod ex nulla obligatione sed ex libera bona voluntate eum Boemi eligerint against vvhich the Austrians now vrge a resumption of those letters and a new declaration of the right of Anne for the truth of which there is no record in it own proper time and place that which is is crept into the Margen from which most corruptions into Classique Authors haue beene deriued But admitte it vvere true there is no stronger Argument against the Succession For thereby Ferdinand doth confesse a practice and stretch of his authority for his aduantage against a former confessed right The acceptance of the Election without the right of Anne was safer for him then to come in by her right because so hee was established in his owne title which might haue failed by the death of his wife singly depending on her and Kingdomes successiue are not held in curtesie But after ninteene yeares hauing a setled posterity by Anne it was then for his aduantage in preiudice of the liberty of the States to disclayme the Election and to claime by his wife for his childrens interest who should not then hazard a new Election but succeed And this reason caused the former Kings of Boheme to procure their sonnes crowned when they could and some as appears could not This practice discredits the whole claime and is founded vpon Ferdinand interessed against Ferdinand freely elected As farre as mine Authors haue led me in mine owne purpose which was to shew a continuall claime and practise in the States of Bohemia to Elect their Princes and Kings I haue perhaps with too much breuity deliuered the same truth I found recorded and I doubt not it will bee cleare enough to all well affected men that my propositions are made euident in sundry example and so my Conclusion will stand Bohemiae Regnum Electinum but because I professed at first that the Informator had mis-vsed his stuffe to serue his owne ends and to beguile the simplicity of our mindes I stand bound not so to accuse him without shewing in some particulars which way hee hath made that which was straight crooked The truth I haue deliuered as a Rule will doe it but vntill I haue also demonstrated his crookednesse mine owne may lye vnder the same suspition where therefore his Vses seem to crosse my Narration I will endeuour to shew the fallacy or peruercenesse Informator pag. 1. Desiring you to obserue that the Informator seemes to insinuate that this claime of Free Election is fortified by Testimonies onely of sixe Ages which indeed were weake although true in respect of so many changes but we say that from the first peopling to this age wee haue Right and Practice on our part without Interruption First hee denies euen that continuance of sixe ages by example of Iohn of Luxenburgh who as he pretends had right to the Kingdome by marriage of his wife Elizabeth heyre of the Crown I will not confute him with any other reason then his owne His next words are Inform. pag. 2. Indeed Henry of Carinthia married the elder sister Anne by which he tooke the Inheritance of the Kingdom How then could Iohn haue Right by the younger sister but hee tells vs Henry was deposed by the Emperour we say by the people and that they called in Iohn but he tells not who gaue the Emperour power to depose a King in Boheme ye he showes the fault because he rebelled against the Emperour And this Rebellion was because Henrie entred the Kingdome in his Wifes right without demanding an Investiture If it were the right of Iohn husband to the yonger sister as the Informator will haue it how is it Rebellion in the Elder to clayme or defend that right or what fault is it in them to take their own if any had a right of suecession and should refuse for other quarrels to demand the Investiture or the Emperor to grant it can this vitiate the right and make them no heyres A right so limited is a miserable Wardship although the Emperours reserued that honour of Inuestiture because they gaue the title of King yet they gaue not the right of being Prince or being heyre so that Henry could not for this cause be so a Rebell as to bee expelled from all Soueraignty and if not then Iohn could as yet haue no right by Elizabeth But admit it bee so that Henry rebelled could bee forfeit the right of his Wife Or can successiue kingdomes bee forfeited for want of Ceremony Nothing is more absurd But what consideration of their rights had the Emperour Albert of Austria that thrust both out to place his
sons Rodolph and Fredericke To vnfold all these Contradictions we must returne to the truth of Story These neither of his sisters had nor claimed right But the Bohemians alwaies respectiue to the descendents of their Kings first Elected the husband of Anne the eldest and after reiecting him for misgouernment called in Iohn of Luxenburgh And though they gaue him Elizabeth to bee his Wife they plainly chose him for their King Next he tells vs Ibid. Wenceslaus the sonne of Charles at three yeares of age was Crowned King by his Fathers Command absque vlla requisitione statuum That negatiue is not proued and I aske no more Inference against it and that which it concludes quod Iure successionis then his owne words his Father commanded it which if you make gentler and say as the truth is he desired it wee are agreed for to command it if he had right was vnnecessary to entreat and procure it not so hauing no right I omit his boldnesse contrary to good authority Idem pag. 3. to auerre that Albert of Austria claymed the kingdome in right of Elizabeth when it is euident that Sigismund at his death presented him to the States by vehement words of recommendation and the imputation cast vpon the Ashes of Podiebrad whom indeed hee hates for against his Election stands no exception and descend to the onely clayme that the daughters were true heyres to proue which he auerrs that Cassimir of Poland pretended right to the Kingdome at the Election of Podiebrad which is vtterly false and that Podiebrad preuailed by a faction of a few against the more powerfull of the States which is in it selfe absurd brands Pope Calixtus his approbation for neuer was any King chosen with more vniuersal applause But admit all that true the Conclusion to be proued is That the Kingdome did descend in right to a Daughter and so after Podiebrad the sonne of Cassimir was admitted to vse his owne words The kingdome did returne to the ordinary succession de Iure was it ordinary that the younger did succeed Was not Anne married to the Duke of Saxe the Elder and heyre if there were a right of Succession Was Anne deposed by any Emperour or any Decree against her if not what clayme had the sonne of Elizabeth against his Aunt and her issue And how by the right and vigour of their priuiledges did the kingdome appertaine to the younger in bloud But we see these daughters Titles pieced up to confirme the claime of Ferdinand by Anne the sister of Ladislaus which hee at his owne Election durst not trust vnto Lastly he preferres to vs the Letters or Bulls of Fredericke Charles Ferdinand and Vladislâ—us to entaile the Kingdome to the Princes of the bloud but none of these to the next in bloud which formes a succession but at large that any of the bloud may be chosen and to that of greatest force which seemes exclusiue when none of the bloud shall remaine the words following are or by any other meanes when the Crowne shall bee voyd which must needs be by death of any in possession But we say that in the golden Bull of Charles he not onely excepts his Kingdom of Bohemia and the right of the States to choose their King whomsoeuer they will Onaph Aurea Bulla 431. in any vacancy but also confirmes that right so that no Constitution Regall nor Imperiall Aurea Bulla pag. 481. shall bee of force against it and this in words direct and vehement So that whatsoeuer could follow for the aduantage of any particular House could not preiudice an Ancient and Fundamentall Right of a whole Kingdome and the practice hereof is the safest and best Interpretor I haue presented the Truth naked and simply If it do any man seruice I am glad if not I am glad that I haue learned it for my selfe FINIS