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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40413	A letter written by His Highness the Prince Elector of Brandenbourgh unto His Most Serene and Illustrious Highness Richard, Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with the territories and dominions thereunto belonging : denoting Their Highness's joynt-interest in the protecting and defending of the Reformed Protestant cause ...	Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, 1620-1688.; Cromwell, Richard, 1626-1712.	1659 (1659)	Wing F2110A; ESTC R28025	4,363	10

A LETTER Written by his Highness The PRINCE ELECTOR of BRANDENBOVRGH Unto his most Serene and Illustrious HIGHNES RICHARD LORD PROTECTOR Of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland with the Territories and Dominions thereunto belonging DENOTING Their Highness's joynt-Interest in the protecting and Defending of the Reformed Protestant Cause and the Swedes converting of those Forces and means which they receive from England and their other Allyes for the propagating of the Protestant Cause towards the compassing of their own ambitious ends the subverting of the Protestant Churches and the disturbing of the publike Peace in all parts Translated into English out of the Latine Copy Printed at Hamborough In the Year MDCLXIX Most Serene and Illuctrious Prince Lord and Honoured Friend EVer since it seemed good to the Almighty to permit the pure Evangelical Doctrine to be profest in England the Protestant Churches abroad especially the Reformed ones have at all times in their greatest Adversities and Persecutions rhere met with a signal Reception and assistance which is manifest to the whole world and both the French and Netherlandish Nations do most gratefully acknowledge and cannot sussiciently praise for the same Wherefore being fallen into these infortunate times wherein the Protestant Cause as well in relation to the Ecclesiastical as Temporal affairs seems not only to be disturbed but even subverted in these parts by the Protestant Professors themselves And pondering upon the remedies necessary towards the preventing of such eminent Evils We could not chuse but reflect upon your Highness whose Father of glorious Memory having imparted unto us by his Publike Minister the share he bore joyntly with us in the concernments of the Protestant Professors and Churches not doubting but your Highness retains the same inclinations and thoughts We have the more confidently adventured during these Publike Calamities to treat with you theron and as well joyntly by the Envoy which we have designed towards your Highness as by these our Letters to impart our minde unto you lest by the retardment of the one or the other the Pubilke good might be prejudiced Your Highness cannot be ignorant that this present King of Sweden entred upon a war some 3 years since against the Polanders with a pretence and under a colour amongst other things to promote the Protestant Cause in those parts though the success thereof proved no other save The reducing of some hundreds of Protestant Churhes into ashes The destroying of an infinite number of Protestant Families the dispersing and dissolving of several Protestant Congregations and the exposing of the Professors of the Divine Gospel Truths to all kinde of Ignominie and Infamie Insomuch as since the memory of man the Protestant concernments in those parts never met with a greater destruction and desolation no not under the Papistical Governments as under that pretended Patron and Defender of the Protestant Cause Neither did these Evils terminate within the Confines of Poland but the aforesaid King did among others involve the Prince of Transilvania in the like Calamities and reduced that most zealous Prince for the true Protestant Cause unto such a pass as that he was in danger to lose his whole Country as well as his good Subjects their Livelyhoods and Subsistances for the Liberty of their Consciences And that it may more evidently appear t he said King aims not et Heaven but the World coveting to have the Dominion of the Land as well as to Lord it at Sea He did finally set upon the King of Denmark contrary to the Faith which was plighted and the Peace which was made by the Interposition Endeavours and Authority of your Highness's Father without any foregoing Declaration or Warning a thing which is observed even amongst the Heathens assailing a Prince who is a strict Professor and observer of the Protestant Faith at such an unexspected time when he was deprived of all his Guarrisons and strong Holds and did not in the least suspect much less dream of such a kinde of proceeding by reason of the immediate proceeding peace procured by the endeavours of so many Friends and at so great a disadvantage to the King of Denmark In like manner the Duke of Curland did sadly experiment the effects of these like proceedings One who is a Lutheran of the same Confession which the King of Sweden professeth and by his solemn Oath will only tollerate in his Dominions Yet nevertheless after the said Duke had conferred so great Benefits on the Swedes as that he thereby became suspected to his Lord the King of Poland even after he had made his Capitulations for his Neutrality with them he was by an unheard of example and by a stratagem cast out of his habitation and together with his most Illustrious Lady Dutchess ann seven Children carried away Captives to Riga And as he cannot by the Holy Writ warrant the not sparing of those of his own Profession when he sees an opportunity to seize their Lands and Goods in like manner his Zeal and Vehemency moves him to impose Laws on the Protestant Reformed Professors in matters of their belief and to force their Consciences in Divine concernments by his Proceedings against them an evident Testimony whereof is most apparent at Elbing wherein we the rather instance because it may best be known in England in which place those of the Reformed profession at their being under a Papist King did enjoy the free exercise of their Religion But at present the Lutheran Supravisor being placed there as a wrack to the Consciences of those who are minded to take the Ministry upon themselues doth enforce them by an unheard of example to approve his Confession and to obey him in matters of Religion depriving likewise the Civil Magistrate who are all for the most part of the Reformed profession of the Right and Priviledg which is due to them in the like Cases especially in the ordaining of Ministers Not permitting the Administration of the Communion according to the Form of the Reformed Protestant Churches save unto strangers of the English Nation at the request of the English Resident Moreover his vehemency is so great against the rest of the Reformed professors as that to the prejudice of Men and Gods glory The psalms of David which for several years were sung in their Churches and ought not only to be free unto but enjoyned all Men are totally expunged out of the Church These things being maturely considered we cannot be induced to believe that your Highness as the Swedes do boast will afford them relief and assist them to carry on their unlawful designes since they abound and proceed with so much violence and injustice converting their own Means and Forces and the assistances which they receive from others to the prejudice Ruine and utter detriment of the Church and to the disturbing of the publike peace in all parts And as we have been informed these implacable Enemies of the Protestant Religion make use of the pretence of Religion and

urge that their designe is against the Catholicks and chiefly against the House of Austria who should have an intent to master the Ports of the Baltick Sea as they most malitiously give out and do even slander us in that we should have made a League with the Catholikes against the Protestants But as all men know the War is waged between the Danes and the Swedes both of them of the Evangelical Profession and if the Emperor will not permit the Swedes to deprive the King of Denmark and himself of Holstein which is an unquestionable part of the German Empire and whereof he is the Supream Lord but by the Forces which he hath sent doth hinder the same doth he any thing thereby save what belongs to a good pious and Christian Prince and should he omit the same would he not be guilty of deserting the defence of his Territories and the neglect of that duty which is committed to him by God And if we as a Member do assist him the Head herein in each others defence do we any thing hereby but our duty and might we not be accused of deserting our Countreys defence should we not joyn therein These and no other are the Austrian and our Intentions and Resolutions and if happily there chance to be any other Dissentions between the House of Austria and other Kings States and Commonwealths they relate not at all to this business nor do the like contentions which others may have with the House of Austria concern the Roman Empire and its Chief Nor is it just that any obstacles should be made on this account as Impediments to these so pious honest and necessary Endeavours For it is so far from the Intentions of his Imperial Majesty to deprive any one of their Ports or Havens as that he doth not so much as lay claim to the least part of any of them He hath sent his Forces to restore unto the right owners that which belongs unto them not to bereave them of their goods or possessions An instance whereof may appear by the Isle of Alsen not so soon taken from the Swedes as restored to the King of Denmark its true Lord and owner that he might take the Defence thereof upon himself that so those commodious Ports and Haveus which are so advantagiously seated on the Baltick Sea might only be impowred and defended by Danish Guarrisons And what needs there any further contest of words hereon come we to the matter it self Let the King of Sweden therefore restore that which he hath unjustly and violently taken Let him make amends for the Losses which we and others have sustained by his means Let him give security that he will not henceforth invade others as he hath lately done the Poles the Danes and the Curlander and we shall in like manner take care that none of the Emperors or of the associated Forces shall at any time be brought into the Field or made use of against any of the Neghbouring or other ports whatsoever Nor shall they need to fear the least obstruction in the Trade from these parts since it concerns us chiefly that the Commerce be free incouraged and augmented Neither do we see how all this can be compassed by any speedier means save That all things be restored to the same state and condition as they were before the beginning of all these Danish troubles which is the thing we shall mainly endeavour to compasse But with what impudence can the Swedes blemish us for having entred into a League with the Catholikes since they have done the same with the French unless they accuse them also of the like Heretical abominations which they themselves seem to abhor and I pray what kinde of Evangelical profession can those boast of who whilst they inveigh against the Papistical purgatory which we know through Gads Grace is not able to hurt any one do in the mean while exercise all the unwarrantablest proceedings imaginable against the said protestant Churches and the Members thereof and what part or share of the Gospel can those appropriate to themselves who both with Fire and Sword have prosecuted if not well nigh subverted both Poland Denmark and one of the not least contemptiblest parts of Germany and who whilst they condemn those good works which the Papists account requisite towards the attaining unto Salvation do live and act in such a manner as if Heaven and eternal Glory were only to be acquir'd by sinning and committing of horrid Actions Moreover what share can they pretend unto the Name of Christians who commit those things whereby the Gentiles and Heathens who are most careful in keeping and observing their promises may now as well as formerly alleadge to the great dishonor of the Christian appellation That they can only boast themselves to be Christians by their Treachery and perfidiousness Wherefore it only remains That we implore and beseech your Highness as you have a regard unto the Glory of God the welfare of the Church the love of Justice the common Tye of Friendship and our joynt protestant reformed profession that in case you be sollicited and importuned to allow the Swedes assistance and relief You may be pleased to penetrate into their Actions and to be moved by these foregoing Holy Inducements rather to choose to help and stand by the oppressed then the oppressors whereby as your Highness cannot put a greater Obligation upon us and all those who love and endeavour the welfare of the true Protestant Cause so can you not do a more acceptable service to God unto whose Proiection we commit you Given at Ripen in Iutland on the 24 day of the Moneth of December in the year of our Lord God 1658