Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	law_n	liberty_n	6,707	5	6.5575	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16303	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, 1552-1621. aut; Barlow, William, of Amsterdam.; Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony, 1585-1656.; Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, 1578-1637.	1620 (1620)	STC 3215; ESTC S102769	21,755	45

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 1620. 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 1 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 2 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 20000. 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 3 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 4 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 5 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 1. whether priuate emulation against the Palsgraues aduancement whom before hee held in equall rancke with himselfe 2. Or sinister occasions like vntoward weedes choked vp the growth of better Corne 3. Or neernesse of Consanguinity drawing his loue to the Emperour 4. Or a iealousie concerning the diminution of the greatnesse of the Common-wealth beeing thus dilacerated and diuided 5. 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 2. The honor of a Kingdome 3. The good of the People 4. And the renowne of the Prince In all which it is well knowne our Princes haue fayled As 1. dishonouring God by a manifest approbation of thinges contrary to his worde 2. 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 3. Abusing the People by affrighting them with the rages of exorbitant actions and suffring no man in the securitie benefit of his owne possessions 4. 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

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 80. Gallies into the gulph of Venice landed 2000. 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 26th 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