THE REASONS which Compelled the States of BOHEMIA to reject the Archduke FERDINAND c. and inforced them to Elect a new KING Together VVITH THE PROPOsition which was made vppon the first motion of the choyce of th'Elector Palatine to bee King of BOHEMIA by the States of that Kingdome in their publique Assembly on the Sixteenth of August being the Birth day of the same Elector Palatine Translated out of the French copies at Dort Printed by George Waters VERY CONSIDERABLE REASONS WHY THE Arch-Duke FERDINAND neither could nor indeede ought to be admitted to the gouernment and possession of the Kingdome of Bohemia c. 1. HEE was not chosen King of Bohemia according to the accustomed manner and the ancient obserued priuiledges of that Kingdome but rather was neuer chosen at all onely would bee admitted and Crowned as shall bee cleared in the amplifying of this first and the third Article 2. Hee attayned to this comming in and Coronation which was done in the life time of the Emperor Mathias by sinister meanes and vnlawfull practises thorough the suggestion and ayde of some vnfaithfull and disloyall Members of that Kingdome corrupted partly by guiftes and promises and partly by sharpenes of threatnings wherewith they were attempted by the States for the time being and for that purpose assembled Which election notwithstanding was made vpon this condition that if hee did not punctually obserue his promises the States were neither by Oath nor by any other way obliged vnto him 3. Hee did not onely not obserue the Conditions but diuers wayes directly and de facto contraried that Oath which he had made to the States and those Reuersall letters which hee hath giuen the Prouinces and which is more hee did not onely intrude into the gouernment of that Kingdome in the life time of the Emperour Mathias but after his death as hee hath done while he liued and indeed much more declared himselfe an open Enemy there and all this to the end to roote out the true Religion in those partes and to depriue and Frustrate the States of that Crowne and the incorporated Countries as of the free Election of a King so of their other Priuiledges and of purpose to bring them wholly vnder the Spanish yoake whereby hee Forfaicted all hee could there pretend vnto after the death of the Emperour Mathias and so did absolutely dissolue and loose the Oath of fidelity giuen him by that Kingdome and those Prouinces as shall hereafter in another more ample declaration not yet published bee particulary demonstrated to the view of all the world this following exposition seruing in the meane time for a briefe information on euery point For the first reason it may be vniuersally knowne that the Bohemian Nation hath alwayes euer since the Countrey was inhabited had the free Election of their Prince which from time to time Carefull of holding their owne due they haue obserued asmuch as in them lay that were true to the State of their Country as wil plainly appeare both by Histories and by their priuiledges and other rules proper vnto them And this Free Election their ancient Custome hath since also beene yeelded and confirmed vnto them authentically from Emperours by their Golden Bulles and increase of Priuiledges For example there are yet to bee seene the originals of three Golden Bulles of th' Emperour Frederick dated in the yeares of out Lord 1212 1216. and 1231. by which he confirmed the Kings chosen by the States and saide expresly That the States of that Kingdome haue power to choose a King of their owne free will and that the Romane Emperours were to giue their Regall right to him whom they Elected This acknowledgement and confirmation hath beene reiterated by diuers other Golden Bulles and Letters Patents of the Emperor Charles the 4. th in the yeares 1248 and 1370. thereby is made a reassurance vnto them of the Priuledges graunted by the Emperour Fredericke wherein besides is a more ample mention made that the Bohemians haue free power to elect a King and it is agreeably confirmed by the Golden Bull of the same Emperour at that time King of Bohemia which hee granted to the whole Romane Empire Where speaking of the Seauen Electors what belongs to their office in particular and what Principalities might fall to the Empire the seauerill Chapter hath these worde That if any of their principalities come to be 〈◊〉 or thence to fall to the Emperour it shall bee in the power of the Emperour of the King then Raignig to have the ordering of it as of a thing lawfully fallen to him and the Empire Sauing alwayes the Priviledges Rights and Statutes of 〈◊〉 touching the free Election of a King in case that Kingdome should come to be voyde and Sauing those likewise of the Empire that haue power and right to choose a King of Bohemia according to the tenour of their Priuiledges and those good and ancient Customes besides which they have obtained of the Emperours Kings of the Romanes which by this law and Imperiall Edict we haue no meaning to deragate from or to preindice in any kinde whatsoeuer but most religiously to protect them and to cause them to be observed not onely for the present but euer lastingly for the time to come in euery point and Article agreeing with their true forme and tenour c. as it is more largely expressed in that Golden Bull giuen at Neurembergh 1356. and published Now howsouer Charles the 4. th after he had confirmed the Bull of the Emperor Frederick did withall adde some other clause to the confirmation which doubtlesse hee did for the aduantage of himselfe and his successors that is to say The intent thereof ought to be thus vnderstood that in case the Issue male or Female of the direct line Reyall should come to faile that then the Free Election of a King shall bee in the power of the States of Bohemia and the Prouinces belonging to that Kingdome This exposition notwithstanding tooke no place nor was euer obserued First because it was directly contrary to ancient Statute and Custome and against the meaning of that Bull of the Emperor Frederick Secondly suppose it possible such a Law might haue beene obserued it could yet extend no further then to the race of the Emperor Charles as descended from the House of Luxenburgh that is to say vntill the death of his two Sonnes Wencestans and Sigismund who after they had been Romane Emperors and Kings of Bohemia dyed with out any lineall Heyre and left none to succeed but their Sister Elizabeth married to Albertus Archduke of Austria to whom shee brought a Son called Vladislans After the decease of this Vladislaus the States of Bohemia by vertue of their Freedomes and Priuiledges elected a King who was neither to the House of Luxenburg nor of that of Austria namely King George of Kustat whome the House of Austria was so farre from not approuing of as on the contrary Frederick the 3. the
and at large bee vnderstood in the defences and griefes of this Land which are published From these vnlawfull Oppressions it grew to this by the conspiracies of those false Statesmen that for a long time they looked after no other subject then warre the effusion of blood Insomuch as the late Emperour was carryed away and suborned by them to the inuading of this faire Kingdome and the Inhabitants with an Army which hath destroyed a good part of it by pillage fire and sword Wherein King Ferdinand did not onely giue testimony that hee tooke contentment but which is more became himselfe both a Counsailour and an executor against the Kingdome and intruded into the Gouernment thereof to be inuested before his time thereby raising his purpose to bee a cause of infinite vnsufferable oppressions and calamities The truth whereof is as cleere as day For the world can not bee ignorant that he inuested himselfe in the Gouernment while the Emperour Mathias was yet liuing insomuch as against the will of the Emperour hee did both cast and imprison Cardinall Klesel President of the Priuie Councell and one of whose imployment his Majesty receiued seruice in all his Counsailes Further in that the saide Ferdinand did not onely aduise a Warre against this Kingdome but also imployed his owne Forces which he had in Friaull to inuade the Land commaunding them to make spoyle of it and to put the Inhabitants to Fire and Sword Item for hauing himselfe in person held an Assembly in the Marquisat of Marauia against the Kingdom of Boheme where hee demaunded both to joyne the Troupes of Morauia to those of the Emperour and their passage through the saide Marquisat and then indeede partly by faire wordes partly by threatnings he perswaded the States of Morauia to allow of the passage Item for hauing after the decease of the Emperour not only taken into his pay and seruice all the Forces and open enemies of that Kingdome but also caused all the leuies made before to bee aduanced and brought in many thousand Spaniards and other forces by meanes whereof horrible Cruelties and Tyrannies were exercised by Fire and Sword and Sackings both in Bohemia and Morauia and much greater then in the time of the Emperour Mathias Insomuch that they spared neither olde nor young men nor women no not the innocent Babes whereof many of them were in there Mothers bellyes and which is more in worse then a Barberous fashion digged their bodyes out of their Graues stripped them and binding their hands and feete together layde them starke naked in a horrible manner vpon the Altars and set them at the doores of Churches And though it bee well knowne to the world that he neuer entred into possession of this Kingdome yet not withstanding he hath not forborne by his letters to make choyce of and to admit for his Lieutenants the aforesaid treacherous Patriots who are the source and originall cause of all this euill some of which hee hath yet by his person who for being perfidious to this Kingdome and for other great considerations were banished of whome notwithstanuing hee doth serue himselfe both in his Counsailes and Embassages manifesting thereby that he doth approoue of all the mischiefe they haue donne euen vntill this present for the abolishing and cassation of the franchises and Priuiledges of the Countrey and that hee makes more accompt of such men then of the whole Kingdome by which euery one may easily iudge what the Prouinces may expect or hope for so such a Lord. Especially if wee consider withall the Contracts and treaties which haue passed betweene the King of Spaine and King Ferdinand not onely for so much as concerneth the Kingdome of Bohemia and the incorporated Prouinces thereof but chiefly also concerning the free Kingdome of Hungarie and that this was donne euen then when he was neither yet receiued nor Crowned in any of the two Kingdomes which Treaties as then were kept secret and concealed from the Prouinces but discouered afterwards and brought to light by a singular diuine prouidence In those treaties the Free Election and the Priuiledges which the said two Kingdomes haue by vertue of that Election are entirely cut off and appropriated Hereditarily to the King of Spaine and his Successors in such sort as the King of Spaine doth now quit and yeeld his Hereditary right vnto King Ferdinand but with this restriction that vpon default of Heyres males of the race of King Ferdinand the said two Kingdomes with the depending Prouinces shall fall by right of Succession to the King of Spaine his Heyres and Successors As indeed the saide Archduke Ferdinand euer since the said contracts were passed hath changed the olde style wherewith the precedent Emperours and Kings of Boheme alwayes contented themselues for that the Emperours Ferdinand Maximilian rnd Rodolphe did ordinarily write Our Kingdomes and Prouinces Hereditarie but the Archduke Ferdinand doth write now in this fashion Our Kingdomes Hereditarie and Prouinces By this wee may againe easily iudge what was the drift of King Ferdinand and why hee would not bee chosen but onely acknowledged in Bohemia namely to suppresse the Free Election and accordingly to be Lieutenant of the King of Spaine in these Countries vntill such time as hee had in the end entirely reduced them to the Spanish yoake and seruitude But if the States had then had any knowledge of the said contracts doubtlesse they had sufficient cause both to contradict and oppose them selues against it For all men know that the Kinges of those Kingdomes which are not Hereditary but subsist by a Free Election as hath been formerly prooued touching the Kingdome of Bohemia cannot make any contract with a stranger Prince without the approbation and consent of the States and all such treaties are in themselues voyde and of none effect Such and the like treaties might prooue exceeding dangerous to the Empire for by this meanes the King of Spaine would thrust in a foote to the Empire as King of Bohemia from whence would necessarily follow that he must be Elector of the Empire by vertue of the Golden Bull of the Emperour Charles the 4. th and so hereafter would affect and pretend also to be King of the Romanes at which all the Spanish practises doe leuell and ayme which would bee expresly contrary to the Golden Bull and the Oath of the other Electors as also against the Ordinances and constitutions of the Empire and by this meanes the Imperial Crowne would be quite taken away from the Germane Nation and bee made entirely Hereditary as they haue endeauoured and practised to make the Crowne of Bohemia All which together with that hath been written by the States of Bohemia to the Colledge of Electors lately held at Franckford as also how they protested against the Election of the person of King Ferdinand to the Crowne of the Kings of the Romanes will plainely appeare by their writings Since then in regard hereof the Prouinces haue acknowledged and
Profession that findes himselfe disquieted for matter of Conscience or in the exercise of his Religion so as euery man may with freedome liue vnder him prouided his conuersation bee honest and good There is none that can accuse him either of precipitation or opinionatiuenes a thing very remarkeable Hee is in good correspondence with those of the Houses PALATINE and of BAVIERS and yet for that reason forsakes nothing either of those rightes or of those Duties belonging to the generall State of the Countrey And howsoeuer hee is a Prince but young and shewes himselfe courteous and sweet towards his people for all that there is neither lightnes dissolutenes nor voluptuousnes seene in him nor any disorder or excesse at all in his Dyet nor any Auarice Prodigalitie or other thing whatsoeuer vnagreeable or contrary to the reputation of a Prince For the assistance the Crowne of BOHEMIA may expect from him it is cleare to euery mans vnderstanding that hee is not onely not in debt and that of his Reuenue hee can lay something vp but also that the King of Great BRITAINE is his Father in Law the King of DENMARKE his neare Ally and likewise the Elector of BRANDENBVRGH the Prince of ORENGE his Vncle the Duke of BVILLON his Ally the States of the Vnited Prouinces of the Low-Countryes his Confederates the King of SWEDEN and the Hanse Townes his Friends and for his Correspondents the Duke of SAVOY VENICE and SWISSERLAND Hee is in good credit with all the Princes Electors and other Princes and States of the Empire more particularly with those of the Vnion Hee hath confederacies and auncient Alliances with FRANCE The Prince of TRANSILVANIA High HVNGARIE beares him affection SAXONIE and BAVIER are in good tearmes with him MENTZ and the neighbour-Countryes doe looke vpon him with Honour and respect Insomuch as the Crowne of Bohemia by his onely meanes may get the Amitie of all those which wee doe now seeke with so much labour and trauaile and by the same meanes wee may bee conserued and Fortified against our Enemies which from any other treated of in the Election can neither bee expected nor hoped for And since it is a certainty that this Prince would not accept of the Election for ambitions sake but onely for the Common good wee may therefore promise our selues that hee will euer continue in the good affection hee hath already showne towards this Crowne by the profitable Councels and assistances which aswell in his owne person as by other wayes according to the occasion hee hath made to appeare when some others for their particular considerations haue greatly prejudized both the States of the Kingdome of Bohemia and the Countries and Prouinces confederate Those Prouinces confederate who are already in good vnderstanding with this Prince haue to consider that they cannot ground the like confidence vpon others who are too much tyed in respect of the House of Austria for the receiuing of a succour in time of their neede And in this case the confederacie might bring them rather prejudice than benefite a thing exceedingly importing this Crowne as may be seene by experience Since then those qualities required are found all to meete in the person of the Prince-Elector-Palatine and that in those of the other Princes spoken of in this Election the Prince of Transiluania excepted who hath his eye vpon another marke though in themselues of great woorth and merit in regard notwithstanding of the constitution of our State there are many abilities wanting as may bee easily showne it will be to purpose therefore no longer to deferre the Election And so much the rather because the Crowne of Bohemia with the Countryes confederate now after the rejection will bee more disquieted than euer and remayning without a Heade wee shall finde no man that will duely vndertake our protection or Defence FINIS To the Reader The Reader may not expect hereof at this time so exact an impression as the subject requireth by reason the Copie out of which it was Printed was written ouer in hast and by a stranger and Printed likewise in hast the Compositors also strangers By reason whereof some escapes may haue passed in the Orthographie the which beeing but Literall may the more easily bee pardoned both to the Printer and the Ouer-seer no ordinary Corrector Vale. Iohn Harrison