Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

not be lasting. The great security which the Church
now enjoyed had brought with it a relaxation of
morals, and a decay of piety. "Alas!" said the more
thoughtful, "we shall yet feel the mailed hand of
some Ferdinand." It was a true presage; the little
cloud was even now appearing on the horizon that
was rapidly to blacken into the tempest.
The Archduke Matthias renewed his claims
upon the crown of Bohemia, and supporting them
by arms, he ultimately deposed his brother
Rudolph, and seated himself upon his throne.
Matthias was old and had no son, and he bethought
him of adopting his cousin Ferdinand, Duke or
Styria, who had been educated in a bigoted
attachment to the Roman faith. Him Matthias
persuaded the Bohemians to crown as their king.
They knew something of the man whom they were
calling to reign over them, but they relied on the
feeble security of his promise not to interfere in
religious matters while Matthias lived. It soon
became apparent that Ferdinand had sworn to the
Bohemians with the mouth, and to the Pope with
the heart. Their old enemies no longer hung their
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