Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie
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<strong>in</strong> 1572, without hav<strong>in</strong>g come to any decision, <strong>and</strong><br />
without leav<strong>in</strong>g any issue.<br />
The Protestants were naturally desirous of<br />
plac<strong>in</strong>g a Protestant upon the throne; but the<br />
<strong>in</strong>trigues of Card<strong>in</strong>al Commendoni, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
jealousy of the Lutherans aga<strong>in</strong>st the Reformed,<br />
which the Union of S<strong>and</strong>omir had not entirely<br />
ext<strong>in</strong>guished, rendered all efforts towards this<br />
effect <strong>in</strong> va<strong>in</strong>. Meanwhile Coligny, whom the<br />
Peace of St. Germa<strong>in</strong>s had restored to the court of<br />
Paris, <strong>and</strong> for the moment to <strong>in</strong>fluence, came<br />
forward with the proposal of plac<strong>in</strong>g a French<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>ce upon the throne of <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong>. The admiral was<br />
revolv<strong>in</strong>g a gigantic scheme for humbl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Romanism, <strong>and</strong> its great champion, Spa<strong>in</strong>. He<br />
meditated br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g together <strong>in</strong> a political <strong>and</strong><br />
religious alliance the two great countries of <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> France, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Protestantism</strong> once triumphant <strong>in</strong><br />
both, an issue which to Coligny seemed to be near,<br />
the united arms of the two countries would soon<br />
put an end to the dom<strong>in</strong>ancy of Rome, <strong>and</strong> lay <strong>in</strong><br />
the dust the overgrown power of Austria <strong>and</strong> Spa<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Cather<strong>in</strong>e de Medici, who saw <strong>in</strong> the project a new<br />
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