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Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

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Chapter 5<br />

Turn<strong>in</strong>g of the Tide of<br />

<strong>Protestantism</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong><br />

AFTER a year's <strong>in</strong>terregnum, Stephen Bathory,<br />

a Transylvanian pr<strong>in</strong>ce, who had married Anne<br />

Jagellon, one of the sisters of the Emperor<br />

Sigismund Augustus, was elected to the crown of<br />

<strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong>. His worth was so great, <strong>and</strong> his popularity<br />

so high, that although a Protestant the Roman<br />

clergy dared not oppose his election. The<br />

Protestant nobles thought that now their cause was<br />

ga<strong>in</strong>ed; but the Romanists did not despair. Along<br />

with the delegates commissioned to announce his<br />

election to Bathory, they sent a prelate of em<strong>in</strong>ent<br />

talent <strong>and</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g, Solikowski by name, to<br />

conduct their <strong>in</strong>trigue of br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g the new k<strong>in</strong>g<br />

over to their side. The Protestant deputies, guess<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Solikowski's err<strong>and</strong>, were careful to give him no<br />

opportunity of convers<strong>in</strong>g with the new sovereign<br />

<strong>in</strong> private. But, elud<strong>in</strong>g their vigilance, he obta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

an <strong>in</strong>terview by night, <strong>and</strong> succeeded <strong>in</strong> persuad<strong>in</strong>g<br />

95

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