RVDOLPHVS the second, Sonne of Maximilian, and of Ma­ry Daughter of Charles the fifth, borne in Vienna the 18. of Iuly the yeare of our Lord 1552. was elected Emperour the yeare 1576. at Ratisbone, and continued in his gouernement vntill this last yeare 1611.

Rudolphus was a Prince that tooke more de­light light in rare work-manship and artificiall deui­ces at home, then in warlike affaires abroad, contrary to his poefie A.D.S.I.T which is, Ad­juvante, Domino, Superabo, Imperatorem, Turca­rum, [Page]In English; by Gods helpe I will ouercome the Emperor of the Turkes.

His brother Matthias Arch-Duke of Austria, &c. the third Sonne of Maximilian, succeeded by Election in his steed the 23. of Iune 1612.

Matthias is a Prince of great experience and courage: for, since the yeare 1577. hee hath beene trained vp in the managing of great mat­ters: He was brought in secretly, and afterwards publikely receiued to the Gouernment of the Low Countries, with certaine conditions wher­unto hee agreed the 20. of Ianuary 1577. (the Prince of Orange remaining his Lieutenant Generall:) but seeing the confusion which rose dayly, hee tooke his leaue of them the 21. of October 1581. Hauing learned there, as in a Schoole, many things whereof since hee hath made very good vse.

He did see of late, in the yeare 1608. what con­fusiō did begin to rise in the Empire, by the per­secutions which were practised in diuers places for the reformed religions sake, & how that by the Councell of Iesuites, Iesuited Gouernours [Page]were brought in; wherby the antient Priuileges and liberties of conscience were troden vnder foote, and by their mutuall strife the Turke en­couraged; and how the Arch-Duke Ferdinand of Stiria was brought in to be preferred before him at the Diet of Regensbourgh. Hence vp­on due confiderations and consultations, shew­ing himselfe lesse partiall in Religion, and faith­fuller in mind, The Nobles and confederats of Hungary, Austria, Morauia, Silesia, &c. did choose Matthias for their head, brought toge­ther a competent Armie, and established liberty of Religion, and the vse of the ancient Priuile­ges in all those Countries: This Army beeing arrayed, Matthias marched with it towards Prague in Bohemia, for to conferre with the Emperour his brother, who by the Iesuiticall practises kept himselfe close, scarse knowing how matters went, yet this Armie brought vn­to them no smal terrour, and maters were ther­by so resolued vpon, that Matthias, beeing the elder brother, should succeed in all the Domi­nions of the Emperour, granting vnto him the [Page]Crowne of Hungary, and the command of Austria, Morauia and other dominions, yet in his life time: vnto the which hee had procured the peace with the Turke and the liberty of con­science, giuing a free passage vnto the gospell.

The States of Bohemia did like so well of Mat­thias proceedings, that, they opposing them­selues against the wicked and sinister practises of Leopold, did lik wise receiue him for their king granting vnto the Emperour his pallace, and a large reuenue to end his dayes in peaceably, de­siring not to be any longer abused by those that crept in to the ouerthrow of their Estate. Mat­thias by these aduancements was the next in hope and apparance to the Imperiall Crowne. Therefore the Emperour Rudolphus the se­cond his brother beeing dead, Hee as first Elector, King of Bohemia, accompanied with the Queene his wife, met with the o­ther Electors, both spirituall and temporall at Francfort on the Mayne, which is an ancient Imperiall Citty, where the Election is accusto­med to be made, and by the way, He war royal­ly [Page]entertained by all those Princes and Citties which lay in his passage, the Bishop of Wirtz­bourg did receiue him in a great Hall, garnished with red veluet, amounting to the value of 30000. Florins.

The King Matthias beeing arriued at Franc­fort the three and twentith of May, & the other Electors also in great state, with very faire hor­ses and Equipage. The Magistrate of Francfort caufed a proclamation to bee made the 25.Bourgo­maister. of May, and read at euery street corner, whereby all the Cittizens were cited to appeare the next day at a publick and large market called the Romer, where King Matthias and the other Prin­ces came,Or Burse. and in their presence did give their oaths, lifting vp their fingers; first, the Magi­strate, and afterward the Cittizens, to defend the Princes from all inuasions and tumults, ac­cording to their power; this beeing done, they went to their seuerall lodgings.

The ix. of Iune was the day appointed for the Election of a new Emperor, but the Electors could not well agree amongst themselues for [Page]the time, and matters were deferred vntill the Wednesday following; the occasion of their disagreement, was because the three spirituall. Electors, Mentz, Trier, and Colen, with the Duke of Saxone, whose minde was peruerted by some sinister meanes, did iudge the Arch­duke Albert, yonger brother of Matthias, fitter for the Empire then King Matthias who is subiect to the gout, they said, and not like to liue long: This proiect seemed very strange and vn­lookt for vnto the Duke of Zwebrough, admi­nistrator of the Palatinat,Dux Bipon­inus. and vnto Lord Putlitz deputie of the Duke of Brandenbourgh, hold­ing with the common opinion of the most part of all the Princes of Christendome, that Mat­thias was farre the fitter man, in regarde of his vnderstanding, experience, courage and state, and that doubtlesse, some secret corrup­tion did bend their hearts and voyce towards Albertus.

This delay being made, the Protestant Prin­ces, in their meeting at Offenbach, a Towne neere vnto Francfort, hauing there also the [Page]Ambassadour of France Monsieur Ancell, for to conferre with also, did discouer the mischiefs which were hidden vnder the desired election of Albert, beeing meere practises of the Iesuites and their adherents: but all was ouerthrowne: First, by the resolution of the Protestant Prin­ces, who were ready to set the Imperiall crowne on Matthias his head, euen with their swords.

Secondly, by a letter sent from the French King and Queene his Mother, whereby Mat­thias was recommended vnto the Electors, as the fitter man for the place.

This letter beeing read, and the resolution of the Prince of Anhalt, Lantgraue of Has­sen, Duke of Wirtenbourgh, Marquesse of Baden, beeing knowne, the pluralitie of voyces in the next meeting, fell on Mat­thias.

The twelfth of Iune, the Bourgomaister of Francfort caused to bee denounced with the Drumme the day of the Election, and com­manded all strangers, (the Electors onely ex­cepted) to voide the Citie.

[Page] The xiii. day, about seuen a clock in the mor­ning, the Electors with King Matthias went to the Councel chamber, staid together one houre, did put on their princely garments, and rode from thence to the Church of Saint Barthol­mew: First the Archbishop of Mentz and Trier rode together: then followed the Archbishop of Colen, on the right hand, and Matthias on the left; after him came the Duke of Saxone, with a bare sword in his hand,Dux Bipon­inus. The Admini­strator of the Palatinat caried the Spheare of the World, and the Lord Putlitz in the name of the Duke of Brandenb. bore the Scepter: they beeing entred into the Church, euery one tooke his due place, which was noted with golden letters: the places for Mentz, Palatine, and King Matthias, were on the right hand, for Colen, Saxone, and Brandenbourgh, on the left, Trier was in the midst. Then began the Priests to say the Masse de Sancto Spiritu: The temporall E­lectors during the Celebration of the Idolola­tricall Masse, retired vnto a Conclaue, or cham­ber, and it beeing ended, did returne vnto their [Page]roomes or places, and thence went, as their or­der required, to the Altar, and tooke their accu­stomed oath, the spirituall Electors swearing, held their hands on their brests, and the tempo­rall on the Gospell. Thence they all went into a chamber, where the Votes were collected, which fell on Mathias, vnanimiter. This beeing performed, the new chosen King of the Ro­manes, was brought againe before the Altar, and all the Electors round about him, then was sung Te Deum laudamus, all the Bels were rong, and the Ordenance discharged, in signe of ioy; from the Altar hee was led to a Royall Chaire, and then was proclaimed King of the Romaines, and Emperor apparant, &c. and so being accom­panied to his Court, the gates of the Citty were opened, and xvi. of the chiefe Princes of Ger­manie came to congratulate vnto him this dignitie.

The Sunday following was the day of his Coronation, the Crowne was fetcht from Akē,Aquisgra [...] where it is kept in custody, and diuers reliques were sent along with the same, as, the bloud of [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]Saint Stephan, &c. leauing yet behind the bree­ches of Ioseph, and the smock of our Lady, which are held there in no small deuotion.

In the Marker place of Francfort was roasted a whole Oxe, whereof a peece beeing cut off for the Emperour, the rest was giuen to the mul­titude, which did so throng, that two men were smothered to death, and six more sorely hurt. There was also erected an Eagle of a huge big­nesse,An Eagle being the Armes of the Empire. out of which did run both red and white wine in aboundance. Finally, gold and siluer coynes were dispersed amongst the people, in great measure, and there followed very great feasting, banqueting, melodious Musick, &c. These solemnities beeing thus performed, as al­so the Coronation of the Empresse his wife: they returned towards Prague; beeing chiefly entertained and receiued with great honor and triumph in Norembergh.

Wee cannot vnderstand that the Popes Nuncio hath had any thing to doe with this election, which doubtlesse his Holinesse will not so well like of: But our hope is, that accor­ding [Page]to the admonition of Laurentius Valla, Ann. 1420. (speaking against that forged and supposed donation of Constantine, whereon the Popes pride and vsurpation is grounded,) The Emperor will one day remember his ancient and lawfull authority, wherby he was to choose the Romish Bishops, and not they to choose the Emperors, that his seate ought to bee in Rome, beeing Romane Emperor, and not to leaue it to the Vsurper, calling the same Peters Patrimonie. Constantine had no reason to giue it to that Prelate, who had lesse warrant to receiue the same from him. Our Sauiour said to Peter, I will giue thee the Keyes of Heauen: and it was the voyce of Sathan, I will giue thee these king­domes with their glory.