He is a prince moderate, virtuos and resolute in his actions, quick and sharpe in his discourse, true, courteous towards all men, very well languaged, holds a very fayre court of earls, barrons and gentlemen, loves and cherishes the nobility, imployes in his service even men of meane condition when he finds meritt in them for it. He letts no worthy service passe him without his acknowledgement, he governs his subjects and country (in part the frontives of this kingdome) with prudence, gives estimation to men of honor, holds a well ordered councell, frequents the councell table in his owne person, takes an exact heed of the opinions and propositions of his councellors, gives good cause of havinge his judgement approv’d and commended of thinges of importance, inclines his understandinge willingely to other mens information, loves the common good and therein takes paines with zeale and without feare, beares compassion to the afflicted, shewes himselfe laborious and resolved, is beloved of his subjects, beares himselfe peaceably with his neighbors of what religion soever they be, and winnes respect of those different beliefs for his owne religion. He is well affected, yet those who are of another fayth in his countries doe not find themselves disquieted in their consciences nor in their exercise of their religion, so as every man may live freely under him, videlicet, his conversation be honest and vertous. There is none can abuse or accuse him of precipitation or opinatives (sic), a thing worthy remarkeable (sic).
He is in correspondence with those of the house of Palatine and Bavoirs and, notwithstandinge so, that cause forsakes nothinge of those rightes nor of the duties belonginge to the generall estate of the country, and howsoever that this prince be but younge and shewes himselfe courteous and sweet towards his people, for all that there is no lightnesse, dissollutions (sic) nor voluptuousnesse seene in him nor any disorder nor excesse in his diett nor any avarice and digality (sic) or any other thinge whatsoever unbecominge or contrary to the reputation of a prince. For the assistance the crowne of Bohemia may expect from him, it may be understoode of any man that not only he is not in debt, and that of his revenue he can lay some things upp, but that also the Kinge of Great Brittaine is his father-in-law, the Kinge of Denmark is his neere kinsman, and likewise the Elector of Brandenbourh, the Prince of Orenge his uncle, the Duke of Bullion his ally, the States of the United Provinces his confederates, and ancient alliances with France, the Kinge of Sweden and the Hanse Townes his friends, and for his correspondents the Duke of Savoi, Venice and Switzerland. He is a good credit with all the Princes Electors and other princes and Estates of the Empire, more perticulerly with those of the Union he hath confederacies, the Prince of Transsilvania and High Hungary doe beare affection to him, Saxonie and Bavoir are in good termes with him, Mentz and the neighbouring countries looke uppon him with honor and respect, insomuch as the crowne of Bohemia by this only meanes may procure the amity of all those which we doe now labour for with so much paine and travell, and by the same meanes may be conserved and fortified against our enimies, which cannot of any other nominated in the election be eyther expected or hoped for. And since it is a certainty that this prince would not accept of the election for Ambition sake, but only for the common good, we may therefore promise ourselves that he will alwayes continue in the good affection he hath already shewed to this crowne by the profitable counsell and assistances which as well as his owne person as other wayes according to the occasions he hath made to appeare, where (as) there are some others that for for theyr perticuler conservations have greatly prejudiced not only the estates of the kingdome of Bohemia but the countries also and provinces confederats.
Thirdly, the sayd confederated provinces are to consider whoe are already in good understandinge with this prince, that they cannot have the like confidence in others who are to much tyed in the respect of the house of Austria to succour the sayd provinces in theyr neede, and in such a case the confederations would bring them prejudice rather than benefitt, a point of great waight touchinge this crowne as may be seene by experience.
Since then that all these qualities required doe meete in the person of the Prince Elector, and that in those of the others treated in the election (the Prince of Transilvania excepted, who hath his eye upon another marke) there are many imperfections to be found, as may easily be shewed, it is therefore a matter to no purpose longer to defer the election, and so much the rather because the crowne of Bohemia with the countries confederate will now after the rejection be more disquieted than ever; and remayning without a head we shall find none whoe will duly undertake our protection or defence. V. 7, p. 269.
1619. The joyfull receivinge, triumphant entronce and stately formall coronation of Fredericke, the Prince Elector Palatine, and the Lady Elizabeth, Princesse Electoresse, King and Queen of Bohemia, on Munday and Thursday the 25th and 28th day of October ould stile, 1619.
It is knowne unto all men for what weightie reasons the States of the kingdome of Bohemia and of the incorporated countries have with one joynte consent excluded Kinge Ferdinand from the kingedome, and have in his place, with an especially mutuall agreement, chosen and named for theire kinge the right highe and mightie Prince Fredricke by the grace of God Erle Palatine of the Rhyne, Duke of both the Bavaries, Prince Elector and Vicar of the Romane Empire, whome after a lawfull callinge they have crowned on the 4th and 7th dayes of November, newe stile, that is, the 25th and 28th of October, ould stile, 1619.
Uppon the 21-31 of October, 1619, afternoone, came his Majestie with the Queene his wife, the younger prince theire eldest sonne, his Lord brother Duke Lodowicke, the Duke of Wertemberge, the 2 Princes of Anhalt, together with his whole retinue, consistinge of five companies of curast horsemen, 500 harquebus horsemen, and 3 auncients of footemen of 300 a peece, with many coatches and a very greate number of wagons laden with the carriages towards Prague, and beinge come within 2 or 3 Englishe miles there of into a faire pleasant place be a parke called the Starre, where the Lords, the States of the kingdome of Bohemia and of the incorporated countryes of Moravia, Silesia and both of Lusatiæs, with the magistrates and chiefe men of the 3 citties of Prague, attended his Majesties cominge, accompanied with about a 1000 horse, very statelie and well appointed; there the(y) alighted and received him out of his coatche with greate state, honor and reverence, unto whome the Baron of Tallenberge, Lord Greate Chamberlaine, made a speech in the Bohemian tongue, which the Barron of Ruppa interpreted in Dutche; his Majestie gave thereunto so good an answere as that the States much rejoyced thereat, which done, they came one after another, kneeled downe and kissed his Majesties hand. In like respect every way was the Queene received, save that they kneeled not unto her.
Then his Majestie mounted on horsebacke, but yett stayed a whyle, till the lords and gentry were also mounted and that theire Coronell Kinski had orderly marshall’d them, whose discipline his Majestie well liked. Then the(y) marched on conductinge his Majestie towerds Prague; when he came into the cittie, the citizens of the 3 citties of Prague stoode in armes, very bravely appointed, as well on horsebacke as on foote on both sides of the street and open places, makeinge a lane or courte or guarde frome the entringe in of the cittie unto the castle; theire Majesties rid alonge, and that in this manner.
They of the little cittie were one cornett of horse with 6 trumpetts and one kettledrumme, they of the newe cittie one cornett of horse with 6 trumpetts and one kettledrumme, they of the ould cittie one cornett of horse with 6 trumpetts and one kettledrumme, as also another companie of 200 horse voluntary well-willers, and 7 companies of foote, all citizens, exceedingly well mounted and furnished.
And when his Majestie came nere unto the newe forte and bullwarke before the castle, whereon stood a companie on foote with a displayed ancient, there were standinge 400 boures or husband and laboringe countrymen representinge the communalty and 4th state or parte of the land, all armed accordinge to the ould and auncient custome and manner of their country, videlicet, they had an ould weatherbeaten ancient wherein was painted the name Ziseha (sic),[19] theire auncient captaine or generall and deliverer, with a challice, and the hoste or signe of a wafer, eache theire armes of the ould fashion, a hevy brestplate, a massie headepeece to assault and scale with all, wooden clubes set with iron spikes, iron flayles of threshalle, crosbowes, great iron sheildes, with 2-handed swords, and stood in battaile array as Lizeha (sic) had in his time appointed them. When his Majestie came unto them he stayed a while and was by theire captaine entertained and welcommed with a Lattine ovation, who did greatlie congratulate his Majesties comeinge, and havinge concluded, the multitude began to cry out, Vivat, vivat Rex Fredericus! and so ran together to route on a heape one amongst another, makinge such a greate noyse with theire armes as that his Majestie tooke greate pleasure thereat and could not forbeare laughter. Before his Majestie there marched 400 horsemen under theire Coronell Kinsby (sic), representinge the knightehood and gentry of the land, who had 8 silver trumpetts and 4 other trumpetts with 8 cettledrummes; theire cornett was of blew damaske whereon were the Prince Elector Palatine’s armes richly imbrodered; the Lords Derectors and States of the land followed after bravelie mounted; after them rid the Duke of Mansterberge (sic) of Silesia, haveinge on his right hand the Duke of Wertemberge and on the left hand the younge Prince of Anhalt. Then rid his Majestie’s Lord brother Lodowicke with ould Prince Dhinstion (Christian) of Anhalt, after whome imediatelie followed his kinglie Majestie on a blacke greate horse covered with a blacke footeclothe all over imbrodered with silver. Then followed the Queene ridinge in a exceeding rich coatch, like the whereof had never beene seene afore in Prague, and by her sate the younge Prince her sonne; after her Majestie came 2 other coatches wherein were the wives and daughters of divers princes and earles, after which followed sundry other coatches with many gentlewoemen, maides of honor and others, and after these came lastly the Prince Electors owne coronell and harquebus horsemen and footemen in good order, the horsemen well mounted, all statelie deckt with brave attire, faire liveries and gallant scarfes of blewe, the King’s colours.