territories, and be exiles in a foreign land,

duced the Bohemians to shake off the Austrian yoke, and assert their own just privileges by electing Frederick for their king, Aug. 28, 1619. Our historians will satisfy the curiosity of such as want information in this matter. Let it suffice to say, that after the elector of Saxony, and the duke of Savoy, had refused the kingdom of Bohemia, Frederick accepted of it, without waiting the advice of James, his father-in-law, which, by his ambassador, he had asked. In consequence of this he was crowned king of Bohemia, and at first met with great success. For Silesia, Moravia, Lusatia, and Austria had taken up arms against the emperor Ferdinand; as did likewise Bethlem Gabor, a prince of great credit at the Ottoman porte, valiant, courageous, and already master of the greatest part of Hungary.-But his success did not last long. On November 8, 1620, was the battle of Prague fought, which proved fatal to Frederick, and his brave Bohemians. His army was scattered and routed; himself and queen obliged to fly with precipitation from that country; and his people were subjected to all the insults and cruelties of an enraged conqueror, and a bigotted prince; and withal he was censured for having engaged in an affair, without probability of success, the consequence of which was like to be fatal to him. But this censure seems to have been ill founded. Things turned out very different from what might have been reasonably expected, and therefore though the elector Palatine was unfortunate, he was not to be deemed unwise.

"For who could have believed that the protestants of Germany would have abandoned him, they who un

a Rushworth, vol. I. p. 12.

to the great amazement of strangers, and

der the name of correspondents had engaged from the year 1609, to maintain liberty and the protestant religion in the empire? They who believed that the emperor was an enemy to both? They, in short, who having been consulted by Frederick, their chief, in the assembly held at Rottenburgh, Septem. 12, 1619, answered that he ought to accept the crown of Bohemia, not only as being a new dignity, but also as what was necessary for the public good of Germany, and that of their allies, and advised him to set out immediately for Bohemia? Who could have believed that France, which in those times exclaimed so loudly against princes that are too powerful, and solicited all Europe to make leagues against the house of Austria, would neglect so favourable an opportunity of weakening it? who would have believed that France would side with Ferdinand, against those who aimed at depriving him of a part of his power? who could have believed that Bethlem Gabor, after such fortunate beginnings, after all the reputation he had acquired, and all the interest he had with the Turk, would be of no service to the Palatine? Let us therefore say, that Frederick was deceived by a train of events so singular, that the most refined prudence could never have suspected it. Let us not believe those who pretend that the vanity of the duke of Bovillon, his uncle, joined with that of the electress, threw him into an imprudent undertaking. They say, that the duke wrote to his friends at Paris, that while the king of France was making knights at Fountainbleau, he was making kings in Germany. He might have said so; but as he was one of the ablest men of his age, it is not probable that he would have advised his nephew to accept a crown, if he ought in

the grief of his own subjects; who most

prudence to have refused it." But let us return to our history.- -No sooner had Frederick lost the battle of Prague, and with it the kingdom of Bohemia, but almost all his allies forsook him. He now found himself proscribed by the emperor, attacked by the Spaniards in his own country the Palatinate, and had at length the misfortune to become an exile in Holland, deprived of his patrimony, together with his regal and electoral dignities; and reduced to great necessities, from which it never was his fortune to get free. In his fate his wife and children were involved, and consequently he was an object of great compassion.Let us now see how his father-in-law behaved towards him in these circumstances. No sooner had Frederick accepted the crown of Bohemia, but he shewed his dislike of it, and would never suffer the title of king to be given him in his presence. Yea, he ordered his ambassador, Sir Henry Wotton to make it known "to all princes, whom it might any way concern, that in the election of his son-in-law to the crown of Bohemia, he had no part by any precedent counsel or practice." And in pursuance of his instructions, the said Sir Henry Wotton assured the emperor, " that his majesty had not given the title of king to his son-in-law, or of queen to his daughter, in any letter either public or private; nor had permitted the same title, in any sermons within his kingdom." Indeed he declared, that

though he was resolved to suspend his judgment about the differences between the emperor and the Bo

Bayle's Historical Discourse on the Life of Gustavus Adolphus at the end of the last edition of his dictionary, p. 678. b Rushworth, vol. I. p.12.

C

Reliquiæ Wottonianæ, p. 496.

d Id.

p.

503.

readily and willingly would have assisted

hemians, yet he found himself tied both by nature and by reason, not to leave the patrimonial inheritance of his own descendants, that is, neither the inferior, nor superior Palatinate in the hands of any alien usurper"." Accordingly when Spinola was about to march into the Palatinate with thirty thousand men, he sent one regiment thither under the command of Sir Horatio Vere, for its defence, who performed good service. But even this he meanly apologized for to the emperor, and declared that "the troops sent towards the Palatinate, were meerly voluntaries, without his majesties contribution, and defensively intended, before any noise of the invasion "After Frederick's misfortune before Prague, and when his own territories began to be seized, James sent the princes of the union thirty thousand pound to keep them in arms, but withal resolved at the same time to treat of peace. In short, though an order of council was made for raising money by way of free gift, for the support of the Palatinate, and afterwards the parliament gave a supply for the recovery of it; and the people were disposed zealously to engage in its behalf; yet James contented himself with sending embassies to recover it when it was attacked on all sides; and weakly imagined that princes flushed with victory, would hearken to his intreaties, or persuasions. Doncaster, Wotton, Digby, Weston and others were sent from time to time, who though men of sense, and able negotiators, could prevail nothing: the Palatinate was taken while they were treating, and they had the mortification of finding themselves laugh

them with all their power. Yea so strongly

ed at, and contemned, as well as their master who sent them.That I have not exaggerated matters will appear from the following extracts from James's own letters. In a letter to the earl of Bristol, dated October 3, 1622, he writes thus: "There is none knows better than yourself how we have laboured, ever since the beginning of these unfortunate troubles of the empire, notwithstanding all opposition to the contrary, to merit well of our dear brother the king of Spain, and the whole house of Austria, by a long and lingering patience, grounded still upon his friendship, and promises that care should be had of our honor, and of our children, patrimony, and inheritance. We have acquainted you also, from time to time, since the begin ning of the treaty of Bruxels, how crossly things there have proceeded, notwithstanding the fair professions made unto us, both by the king of Spain, the Infanta, and all his ministers, and the letters written by him unto the emperor, and them effectually, (at the least, as they endeavoured to make us believe.) But what fruits have we of these, other than dishonor and scorn? whilst we are treating, the town and castle of Heidel bergh taken by force, our garrison put to the sword, Manheim besieged, and all the hostility used that is within the power of an enemy." And in a letter to the emperor Ferdinand, dated November 12, 1621, he complains "that whilst treaty was in hand, his son-inlaw was wholly despoiled and robbed of his hereditary patrimony that remained unto him, excepting the lower Palatinate, which was all, says he, by commandment of your imperial majesty, taken and possessed by the

a Cabala, p. 259.