登陆注册
5244000000012

第12章 Book I(11)

The sect which owed its rise to John Huss, still existed in that country; --it agreed with the Romish Church in ceremonies and doctrines, with the single exception of the administration of the Communion, in which the Hussites communicated in both kinds. This privilege had been conceded to the followers of Huss by the Council of Basle, in an express treaty, (the Bohemian Compact); and though it was afterwards disavowed by the popes, they nevertheless continued to profit by it under the sanction of the government. As the use of the cup formed the only important distinction of their body, they were usually designated by the name of Utraquists;and they readily adopted an appellation which reminded them of their dearly valued privilege. But under this title lurked also the far stricter sects of the Bohemian and Moravian Brethren, who differed from the predominant church in more important particulars, and bore, in fact, a great resemblance to the German Protestants.

Among them both, the German and Swiss opinions on religion made rapid progress; while the name of Utraquists, under which they managed to disguise the change of their principles, shielded them from persecution.

In truth, they had nothing in common with the Utraquists but the name;essentially, they were altogether Protestant. Confident in the strength of their party, and the Emperor's toleration under Maximilian, they had openly avowed their tenets. After the example of the Germans, they drew up a Confession of their own, in which Lutherans as well as Calvinists recognized their own doctrines, and they sought to transfer to the new Confession the privileges of the original Utraquists.

In this they were opposed by their Roman Catholic countrymen, and forced to rest content with the Emperor's verbal assurance of protection.

As long as Maximilian lived, they enjoyed complete toleration, even under the new form they had taken. Under his successor the scene changed.

An imperial edict appeared, which deprived the Bohemian Brethren of their religious freedom. Now these differed in nothing from the other Utraquists. The sentence, therefore, of their condemnation, obviously included all the partisans of the Bohemian Confession.

Accordingly, they all combined to oppose the imperial mandate in the Diet, but without being able to procure its revocation.

The Emperor and the Roman Catholic Estates took their ground on the Compact and the Bohemian Constitution; in which nothing appeared in favour of a religion which had not then obtained the voice of the country.

Since that time, how completely had affairs changed!

What then formed but an inconsiderable opinion, had now become the predominant religion of the country. And what was it then, but a subterfuge to limit a newly spreading religion by the terms of obsolete treaties? The Bohemian Protestants appealed to the verbal guarantee of Maximilian, and the religious freedom of the Germans, with whom they argued they ought to be on a footing of equality.

It was in vain -- their appeal was dismissed.

Such was the posture of affairs in Bohemia, when Matthias, already master of Hungary, Austria, and Moravia, appeared in Kolin, to raise the Bohemian Estates also against the Emperor.

The embarrassment of the latter was now at its height. Abandoned by all his other subjects, he placed his last hopes on the Bohemians, who, it might be foreseen, would take advantage of his necessities to enforce their own demands. After an interval of many years, he once more appeared publicly in the Diet at Prague;and to convince the people that he was really still in existence, orders were given that all the windows should be opened in the streets through which he was to pass -- proof enough how far things had gone with him.

The event justified his fears. The Estates, conscious of their own power, refused to take a single step until their privileges were confirmed, and religious toleration fully assured to them. It was in vain to have recourse now to the old system of evasion. The Emperor's fate was in their hands, and he must yield to necessity. At present, however, he only granted their other demands -- religious matters he reserved for consideration at the next Diet.

The Bohemians now took up arms in defence of the Emperor, and a bloody war between the two brothers was on the point of breaking out. But Rodolph, who feared nothing so much as remaining in this slavish dependence on the Estates, waited not for a warlike issue, but hastened to effect a reconciliation with his brother by more peaceable means.

By a formal act of abdication he resigned to Matthias, what indeed he had no chance of wresting from him, Austria and the kingdom of Hungary, and acknowledged him as his successor to the crown of Bohemia.

Dearly enough had the Emperor extricated himself from one difficulty, only to get immediately involved in another. The settlement of the religious affairs of Bohemia had been referred to the next Diet, which was held in 1609. The reformed Bohemians demanded the free exercise of their faith, as under the former emperors; a Consistory of their own;the cession of the University of Prague; and the right of electing `Defenders', or `Protectors' of `Liberty', from their own body.

The answer was the same as before; for the timid Emperor was now entirely fettered by the unreformed party. However often, and in however threatening language the Estates renewed their remonstrances, the Emperor persisted in his first declaration of granting nothing beyond the old compact. The Diet broke up without coming to a decision;and the Estates, exasperated against the Emperor, arranged a general meeting at Prague, upon their own authority, to right themselves.

同类推荐
  • Her Prairie Knight

    Her Prairie Knight

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十方千五百佛名经

    十方千五百佛名经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Flip-A California Romance

    Flip-A California Romance

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严经骨目

    华严经骨目

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 妙吉祥平等瑜伽秘密观身成佛仪轨

    妙吉祥平等瑜伽秘密观身成佛仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 敕赐滁阳王庙碑

    敕赐滁阳王庙碑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 至源剑主

    至源剑主

    额隐剑印,于微小中崛起;剑术至源,破尽世间万法;三次失忆,成就至尊本我;逆源战乱,赢得万世沉浮。看一代剑主如何征得至源。
  • 重生之农女学霸

    重生之农女学霸

    重回家乡小村庄,在学校当学霸,放假回家种种田,不忘挣些钱,总之,不枉青春重走一回。
  • 余生忘北辰

    余生忘北辰

    我们总是为了缅怀过去,而止步于现在。相似的故事都有着一套不变的说词,可当人心变了的那一刻,那么一切就都变了。或许所有的事情在冥冥之中兜兜转转又因因果循环而回到了故事初始的原点。余生,还好有你伴我,漫步那些年错过的匆匆岁月,经历过所有的艰辛只为让彼此相守幸福。余笙说过最绝情的话不过是:“对你,我绝不妥协,对你,我永远憎恨!”凌晨佑望着她决绝的背影:“还好,你会记得。”
  • 约会条

    约会条

    光盘,广西第四、六、七届签约作家,中国作家协会会员、广西作家协会理事。获广西、全国报纸副刊好作品二等奖以上30余次。创作及出版长篇小说6部,在花城、上海文学、作家、钟山、北京文学等中国核心刊物发表作品若干,迄今共发表各类作品150余万字。
  • 狐妖皇后俏帝君

    狐妖皇后俏帝君

    作为一只失去记忆的的小狐狸,最倒霉的就是莫名其妙的卷进一场斗争,还遇到了一个只会流着口水喊娘子的小丈夫,大包子这么软萌好欺负,还能怎么办,当然是宠着了,给小丈夫撑腰,护着他,为他“斩妖除魔”,除去坏女人,打压坏兄长,揪出大反派,就换来一句崇拜的感叹“我家娘子好厉害呀。”作为一个四面楚歌的小皇帝,居然遇到了一只可爱的小狐狸,喜欢露着小尖牙,张牙舞爪的给他处理麻烦,每次都还得自己悄悄地帮忙。还喜欢洋洋得意的邀功,小狐狸这么可爱,还能怎么办,宠她!‘你我本无缘,全靠我装傻’,“娘子,你等等我,人家走不动啊。”男主扮猪吃老虎腹黑睿智,女主温柔可爱又有谋略。还能怎么办赶紧加书架啊喂!
  • 黄土原上的雪

    黄土原上的雪

    父亲临死还在念叨那场雪。父亲说,那场雪太大了,他活了一辈子,还从来没见过那么大的雪。父亲说,那雪不是鹅毛似的大雪片,也不是白面似的细粉末,那雪有点像枣花,小小的圆圆的,纷纷扬扬密密麻麻地从天上落下来,眨眼就把地上铺成一片白,而且一下就是两天两夜。好多房子都被压塌了,好多树枝都被压折了,那些雀鸟因为没食觅,眼看着从天上树上扑棱扑棱掉下来。父亲说,他只要闭上眼,眼前就会飘起那天的雪花儿,纷纷扬扬的,把他的魂儿都带走了。父亲念叨起那场雪的时候,灵魂真的像出了壳,一脸的肃穆和苦痛。
  • 星际超级生物文明

    星际超级生物文明

    张峰重生在星际时代的一个偏远星系,虽然继承了祖辈留下的一个生命星球,但是这个星球总人口不过不到三千,而且这个星球的土地贫瘠,矿产缺乏,毫无开发价值可言,看张峰怎么把这个偏远的贫瘠星球变成宇宙中人人向往的天堂。一个星际时代的超级生物文明。
  • 萨天锡逸诗永和本

    萨天锡逸诗永和本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 玄灵转经晚朝行道仪

    玄灵转经晚朝行道仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。