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
first of that Family then Emperour of the Romanes did confirme and ratifie the Priuiledges of the Kingdome of Bohemia to the said K. George as doth amply appeare by the saide confirmation Dated 1459. Thence it may easily bee seene that the foresaide clause and condition inserted in the Confirmation of Charles the Fourth was vtterly abolished and by that meanes the Kingdome of Bohemia is declared Free and not tyed to any particular race or Family And that Bohemia hath a Freedome of Election and is in not kinde a Kingdome hereditary the following example will justifie for although King George left Sonnes behinde him yet there was not one of them that euer came either to gouerne or to bee Elected there But after the Fathers departure the Bohemians Elected and Crowned Vladislaus of the Family of the Princes of Lituania Sonne to Casimir King of Polonia Anno 1471. On whome the Emperor Frederick conferred the Tenures and confirmed them vnto him as it is to bee seene at large in the Act for that purpose 1480. Now where it will be objected that this K. Vladislaus by his Letters patentes in the fauour of his Daughter Anne first acknowledging that the States of Bohemia meerly of their owne free will had Crowned and receiued his sonne Lewijs for their King did then ordaine that his Sonne Lewijs comming to dye without Issue the inheritance of the Kingdome should remaine with his Daughter Anne to that objection this Answere Since as hath already beene said the clause of restraint inserted by Charles is wholy annihilated and that the States haue had their Election free as by examples there hath sufficient testimony been giuen that is to say That the house of Austria inherited not the succession of the Kingdome after the Election of K. George nor euen the Sonnes of the same George preferred against the choise of Vladislaus King of Polonia by the same authority of reason therefore it was much lesse in the power prerogatiue of Vladislaus to ordaine his Daughter heyre to the Kingdom against the priuiledges of the Country without both the conuocation the consent of the States so as indeed she could not inherite the Kingdome after her Father but after her Brother and was Queene then but as being the Wife of another elected King That there was no conuocation of the States it is an vnquestionable truth and it followes necessarily they gaue not their consent neither did they euer permither in any thing effectually to enioy the Gouernment But after King Lewijs was fallen in battaile and that the heroyick Prince Ferdinand Archduke of Austria had married the Lady Anne that sister of King Lewijs the States of Bohem then of their owne Free will and by vertue of their Priuildges Elected Archduke Ferdinand for their King 1526. Indeed the King according to custome being once crowned as Soueraigne the Lady Anne afterwardes was Crowned as his companion and no otherwise And if euen at that time the Freedome of the States Election will yet be quarelled withall let King Ferdinands Reuersall letters bee enquired of they will satisfie for it They were giuen at Vienna the Thirteenth of December 1526. And for their better strength the oath hee gaue the States will declare it selfe But there hath very lately beene discouered a strange fact-committed vpon those Reuersall Letters of Ferdinand the Emperour done without the knowledge much lesse the consent of the body of the States The said Letters hauing beene copyed in Parchment out of the originall and inserted to the other Priuiledges of the Countrey in a booke expresly appointed for that purpose and that the originall it selfe was placed there with other priuiledges and that the said Reuersall Letters themselues as it is said were annexed to the Statutes and Ordinances of the Country for the space of Nineteene yeares together remaine yet to be seene It is now found out that after the expiration of those nineteene yeares that is to say in the yeare 1545. some person not yet come into publicke knowledge in the Register of the Countries customes vppon the margine of those Reuersall Letters writt these wordes following The Letters were rendred his Maiesty by the States of Bohemia in the generall Assembly of the States of the Country at the Castle of Prague on Monday after the Ascention of the most blessed Virgin Mary in the yeare 1545. and in place of those were other Letters giuen to the said States of the Kingdome in the Bohemian tongue which were likewise inserted into this booke in the leafe c. Done at the Castle of Prague the Wednesday after St. Aegidius day 1545. Now that this point was in this manner euer effected or that the States in their full Assemblie did euer render those Reuersall Letters to the King and receiued other Patentes in their place it can no way bee found For in the generall Assembly held the same yeare at the Castle of Prague which at this day remaines quoted in the Register of the Countrey there is not any mention made thereof no not so much as in the proposition itselfe then opened on the part of the King Neither were the Letters Patents supposed to bee giuen instead of the first assurances according to that forme addition written in the saide booke but afterwards included in another It may thence bee easily iudged that the writer of those added words whosoeur he was did it out of a priuate authority to please some other persons Thence likewise it may very easily bee perceiued to what ayme the corruption was directed namely by this meanes to frustrate and depriue the States for the time to come to the Freedome of their Election As indeed those Patents doe nothing agree with the first Assurances saue onely in this That the States ought to looke to themselues that the said election of King Ferdinand may not derogate nor bee preiuidiciall to their Priuiledges But the saide Reuersals haue in them another sence directly contrary to all the Priuiledges and Freedomes of the Countrey both olde and new and particularly in this that there are againe alledged the insertions both of Charles the 4. th in his confirmation and of Vladislaus for the aduancement of his disposition towards his Daughter which as hath beene said is long agoe made voyde and was obserued onely in one case alone the States notwithstanding hauing alwayes retayned the free Election Now that this was not done to violate the Priuiledges rather then to confirme them wee referre to the iudgement of the whole world The reason why the States haue not receiued perfect knowledge of all these indirect passages vntill now is that from time to time they haue been concealed by the principall Officers of the land who were Romane Catholiques For the States in the diuers pursuites of their cause aswell to the generall Assemblies of the Countrey as otherwaies could neuer get so much as a hearing of the Priuiledges read much lesse a possession of the writings or copyes of them
Howsoeuer it is euident that the Emperour Ferdinand himselfe did very well iudge and consider that this Kingdome and the Prouinces incorporate were not Hereditary and that those Letters Patents could take no place nor bee of force with Posteritie against the ancient Priuiledges and Statutes It is euident in this that the same Emperour called a generall Assembly of the Countrey in the yeare 1549. where hee desired of the States of Bohemia that Archduke Maximilian his eldest Sonne might after his death bee receiued for their King Which the States accorded vnto to the end that in the life time of his Maiesty his Sonne might carry the name of King vpon condition neuerthelesse that hee should not be invested in the gouernment during the time of his Father According to which Condition and likewise by vertue of certaine interchanged Articles the Coronation of King Maximilian and his wife Queene Mary succeeded not vntill the yeare 1562. In like manner Maximilian comming to be Emperour presented his eldest Son Rodolph and desired he might be accepted of and Crowned King of Bohemia for the future which the States consented vnto accepted of him and declared him then vpon certaine present conditions and afterwards drew from him his Letters of Assurance Furthermore were the Kingdome and the Prouinces incorporate Hereditary to the House of Austria it is to be belieued that it had beene altogether vnnecessary to seeke to the States by request for the Succession since vpon the termes of Inheritance euery eldest Sonne comming to furuiue the Father there must haue discended a right vnto his owne person for his title to the Crowne without any intercession as the Archdukes of Austria themselues doe exemplifie by their owne claimes to their Countryes of inheritance It may hereunto bee added that from the Acceptation and declaration of those two Kings Maximilian and Rodolphe there can no prejudice fall vpon the Freedome of Election since both of them being the eldest Sonnes of Kinges of Bohemia their successe in all reason might happen to bee the more easie and yet it was not done without both seeking and obtaining the willing consent of the States Thence therefore there can no argument be drawne that the States by that Act haue quitt the right of their free Election If yet there will bee something inferred thence to the contrary the proceeding of Rodolphe himselfe will confesse that inference an errour For being vnmarryed and without Children it was the designe of the Archduke Mathias as the eldest Brother to his Imperiall Majesty to procure himselfe first nominated King of Bohemia the Emperour yet liuing and by the intercession of his Majesty that afterwards hee might bee Elected and Crowned according to custome And in this case where lineall heyres haue fayled it neuer sufficed the conferring of the succession vpon another to haue these wordes vsed onely Acceptation Declaration and Coronation but there was alwayes regard had aswell of the one part as the other to the sauing of the Free Election which the States haue by vertue of their ancient Priuiledges from Fredericke the Emperour and others As indeede the Emperour Rodolphe himselfe also did anew in all indifferent vnderstandings very authentically confirme and ratifie the same Priuiledges to the States in this point that his Majesty sought and interceded to them for his Brother the Archduke Mathias that by vertue of their Priuiledges and freedomes and of their owne bounty and free will they would first designe his Brother for King of Bohemia and afterwards Elect him Accordingly the Archduke Mathias obserued the same sence and desired hee might bee Elected after the ordinary custome It followes that his Majesty the Emperour interceding and the Archduke being so Elected they haue both of them very manifestly acknowledged and confirmed that in such a case howsoeuer if not otherwise where the right line is extinguished the States haue a free Election Which besides the authority it receiues from Priuiledges and Customes of auncient vse it hath more then sufficiently beene ratified likewise not onely by a contract passed before Prague in the yeare 1608. between his Imperiall Majesty the Archduke and the Prouinces but also by the proposition made on the parte of the same Emperour in the generall Assembly of the States and by the Letters of Assurance from both their Majesties Imperiall and Royall Moreouer the States of the Reformed Church of the Crowne of Bohemia after the persecutions they had susteyned were competently prouided for by his Majesty the Emperour Rodolphe their King with an Edict of Pacification vpon the cause of Religion and the free exercise thereof according to the agreement with the generall Assembly of the States in the yeare 1608. and as it hath since beene confirmed in 1610. at the request of the Electors of the Empire sollicited by the States And their said Majesties confirmed certain accords passed between those of the Religion of the Gospell and the Romane Catholiques as also betweene those of the Religion of the Gospell themseues And all this for the conserâ—â—tion and aduancement of mutuall Amitie and agreement in such a manner that in whome soeuer the least opposition or contradiction that can bee imagined should be found to bee intended against that Edict of Pacification or the other accords hee should be proceeded against as a disturber of the publicke quiet From these proceedings our people generally did promise themselues that thence forth they should liue in a peaceable condition together both vnder his Majesty and the succeeding Kings of Bohemia and that euery man might serue God safely and obey the Magistrates But incontinently vpon it and sine likewise these promises met with persons of turbulent and wicked dispositions who by the suggestion of an euill spirit haue laboured to make the world vnderstand that nothing could be more contrary to their mindes then the free election of a King and the free exercise of Religion And out of that maleuolent nature refused to signe the Edict of pacification and the agreements passed with the matter depending on them which his Imperiall Majesty and other peaceable Romane Catholike Estates had by example inuited them vnto but bent themselues with all their might partly by their secret Conspiracies and Fraudulent practices and partly by abusing their offices and by their impudent malice to ouerthrow the whole worke of Peace and to dispose euen his Majesty himselfe to the consent of this ruyne not withstanding that presently vpon it in a publicke Assembly of the States they were protested against that in case the States of the Religion of the Gospell should come to bee yet further molested the offence should be imputed to them alone and they should bee proceeded against as troublers and infringers of the publick â—â—…iet This caution wrought no regard in them but on the contrary they were so farre from it as euen in the life time of the Emperour Mathias it was the principall point of their study to prouide themselues for the time to
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
plainely seene that it was most dangerous and indeed impossible to enter into any treatie with such a Lord who is not of himselfe who speakes and writes peaceably but harboureth warre and bloodshed in his heart much lesse for the reasons aforesaid receiue him into the Gouernment whereof he hath many wayes depriued himself let vs consider the pernicious consequence that this would haue brought with it 1 First hereby the said treaties with Spaine would haue beene confirmed 2 Secondly the States could not expect of such a Lord any certainty or assurance in point of Religion or State 3 And thirdly without doubt the States must haue payed not onely their owne but their enemies Forces which haue exercised so many Cruelties against them and their good Friends and haue beene constrained to joyne with their enemies and March against their owne Friends which professe their owne Religion 4 Fourthly it would giue occasion to our enemies to blaspheme the name of God and to say alas where is now our God 5 And fiftly it came to that that other Potentates and Princes of the Religion had neuer giuen any assistance to the saide States if they had found but the least inclination in them to enter into treaty with the Archduke Ferdinand and other enemies And therefore seeing that for the reasons aforesaid it hath beene sufficiently proued that the Archduke Ferdinand was neuer Elected King of Bohemia by the ordinary course and that hee himself hath depriued himselfe and hath forfeited both the Acceptation and the Coronation which was conditionally conferred vpon him as before by not obseruing either his Letters of Assurance or Oath As also seeing he hath exercised manifest tyrannies in the Kingdome and passed contracts with the House of Spaine without the consent or knowledge of the States For these reasons they vnderstand and finde themselues to bee free from him and not any way tyed vnto him in what kinde soeuer And for the same reasons agreeable both to diuine and humane right with the ayde of the Almighty they haue taken the Freedome to Elect another King as shall bee more fully declared to the world in a Manifestation hereafter to bee published A PROPOSITION made by the States of Bohemia in their Assembly at PRAGVE vpon the Election of a King the 16. of August 1619. being the Birth-day of the Prince Elector Palatine ALbeit the Nomination of a King of BOHEMIA requires a mature counsell and deliberation which ought to precede the nomination in this point neuerthelesse there is not so much difficultie as in the rejecting of a King which gaue a beginning to this and standes in neede both of a good Iustification and of a great Power where the nomination hath no neede of those aydes but but of itselfe followes after the rejection Now therefore since the Rejection as the thing more importing vs is already donne the Nomination will be much the more easie prouided wee stand not vpon such a perfection in the choyse as the whole world cannot yeeld vs. It behooues vs to set apart all particular passions and to haue regard onely to those reasons which are Fundamentall For there are pointes requisite so necessary to bee considered in the Election of a King as it is not for any good Patriot to giue his aduice for the receiuing of one in whome those thinges required are not to bee found But we may with very good assurance conclude for him in whome they meete more than in any other man 1 As in the first place it is needfull that in such a person there be none of these matters to be feared for which King FERDINAND was rejected That is to say that hee ought not either to persequute or aduance any for the respect of Religion nor to exceede in the dependance of his owne Counsellors or of strangers but to joyne himselfe with the States He ought not to bee opinionatiue nor giuen to doe thinges of his owne head but to accomodate the Customes of his House and his to the ordinances and liberties of this Crowne 2 In the second place it is required that hee affect the Estates with an acknowledgement of reputation 3 Thirdly that in time both of Peace and warre hee gouerne his Kingdome by his owne presence worthily and profitably 4 Fourthly that the Confederates may receiue no cause of feare from him either of danger or damage Since then there are Fiue who are inferred into the treatie of this Election that is to say the King of DENMARRKE the Elector PALATINE the Elector of SAXONIE the Duke of SAVOY and the Prince of TRANSILVANIA it will bee therefore to purpose to consider that although there bee not any one of any one of these Princes in his owne particular but is of merite both to bee Praised and recommended there is among them notwithstanding a certaine diuersitie which euery one by himselfe may prudently waigh And forasmuch as it is not permitted vs to iudge liberally of great Princes in this place therefore it shall suffice without offence to any briefly to deduce the reasons for which the Elector Palatine ought to bee esteemed very capable of the Crowne of BOHEMIA and fit to maintaine the present estate of the Kingdome For although he be not yet aboue twenty three hee is a Prince neuerthelesse endued with a great iudgement bred vp from his Cradle in goodnes and vertue holdes continually about him persons of great quality as well for the Field as the State accustomed to Courtesie in himselfe of very plentifull Hopes and at this Age hee will better forme himselfe to the Customes of the Kingdome than if hee were more increased in yeares And God bestowes not wisdome alwayes according to the Age of a man but vpon him that calles to God for it in his feare Hee is a Prince moderate vertuous and resolute in his Actions quicke and sharpe in his Discourse true courteous towards all men well Languaged holdes a faire Court of Earles Barons and Gentlemen Loues and cherishes the Nobilitie imployes euen men of meane condition in his Seruice when hee findes desert in them for it and will let no worthy seruice passe him without his acknowledgement his Subjects and Countrey in part the Frontiers of this Kingdome hee gouernes with Prudence giues estimation to men of Honour holdes a well-ordered Councell frequents the Councell Table in his owne Person takes exact heede to the opinions and propositions of his Councellours giues good cause to haue his owne Iudgement approued and commended in thinges of importance inclines willingly to the informations of other men loues the Common good and therein takes paines with zeale and without feare beares Compassion to the afflicted shewes himselfe laborious and resolued is beloued of his Subjects carries himselfe Peaceably with his neighbours of what Religion soeuer they be and for that winnes respect euen of those of different beliefes For his owne Religion hee is well affected yet there is not any in his Countryes though of another