History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600, Ecclesiastical epoch 1300-1600 · Century 16 · Part 3 · Chapter 2
CHAP. IJ. Of EMPEROVRS.
…. MAXIMILIAN II. before his election was thought to be alienated from the See of Rome: therefore Cardinal Marcus altemps Pope Pauls nephew was directed to perſuade him unto obedience with tender of honor, eſpecially of the Empire after his father, which elſe he could not attain. He anſwered, His ſouls ſavety was dearer unto him than all the world. This was called a Lutheran anſwer. Pe Soav… in hiſt. Conc. Tride. Lib. 5. Again when he was crowned King of the Romanes An. 1563, the Pope demanded, that he should ſwear obedience, as other Emperours had done before. He anſwered, other Emperours had their own difficulties, for which they did ſwear what the Popes did require; but he would conſent to nothing in prejudice of his ſucceſſours, and to ſwear obedience were to confeſſe himſelf a vaſſall. This treaty continued a year, and in end it was concluded, that the Pope shall confirm the election, without ſaying, that obedience was demanded or not demanded, promiſed or not promiſed. Ibid. He lamented, when he conſidered the renting of the Church with ſo many different opinions: nevertheleſs he maintained peace, and no way hindered the goſpell, and he maintained a Proteſtant Miniſter Phauſerus in his Court for a ſpace: he was oft at Maſſe, nor did abrogate papiſtry. He ſaid once to William Bishop Olovincenſis, There is no greater ſin, than to domineer over mens conſciences. At another time he ſaid, Who take on them to command mens conſciences, they climbe into the caſtle of heaven. In the beginning of his reigne he refuſed to pay unto Solyman the acknowledgement which his father had covenanted to pay for the peaceable poſſeſſion of his part of Hungary: and in the year 1566. he had his firſt Diet at Ausburgh, where he ſought ſubſidy againſt the Turk. The Proteſtants ſought a confirmation of the peace in the cauſe of Religion, and then it was eſtablished not only by univerſal conſent, but confirmed alſo by oath, that the Catholicks should not trouble the Proteſtants in the exerciſe of their Religion, nor in the poſſeſſion of their goods moveable nor vnmoveable; and that the Proteſtants should permit the like liberty unto the Papiſts within their dominions; Under pain of Outlawry to the tranſgreſſors, on both ſides; As alſo it should be free unto any perſon to turn from the one Religion unto the other, if they do hold their lands of the Emperour immediatly, but if any Archb. or other Prelat will embrace the Reformed Religion, he should renounce his Benefice with all its revenues to be conferred on a Papiſt; excepting thoſe goods or Monaſteries, which belonged not unto them that are immediatly ſubject unto the Emperour, and have been poſſeſſed by the Reformed ſince the year 1552, ſo that no plea of law should have any power againſt them, &c. This agreement is word for word in Geo. Schonbor. Politic. Lib. 4. c. 6. After this Diet Maximilian inuaded Tranſſylvania, and took Weſperin and Dodis. Wherefore Solyman came with a hudge army to aid John Vaivoda Prince of Tranſſylvania, and took ſome towns from the Emperour. In the mean time Solyman dieth: but his Captain Mahumet a Baſſa conceiled his death, untill Selim was created ſucceſſor unto his father: then they took mo towns, that Maximilian ſought peace, and obtained it upon harder conditions than before. The ſame year 1567. William à Grumbach a Noble man, but a vaſſall of the Bishop of Wirtzburg took armes with the aid of the Marques of Brandeburg, againſt his ſuperior: wherefore the Bishop outlawed him, and brought him to poverty: yet he found favour with John-Frederik Duke of Saxony and ſome others: he with ſome horſemen inuades Writzburg, and ſupriſeth it: ere the Bishop raiſed an army, the ſurpriſers were gone hither and thither. They began another plot: the Emperour ſent Auguſtus Elector of Saxony againſt them: he prevailed: John-Frederik was ſent priſoner into lower Auſtria: Grumbach and his Chancelorr Duke Bruck were quartered: Baron Baumgartner and ſome others were beheaded, and the caſtle of Grimmenſtain was made levell with the ground. Such was the end of proud rebells. Maximilian lived the reſt of his dayes in peace. An. 1470. the Turks wanne Nicoſia a chief town of Cyprus, and Famauguſta or Salamys, after a years ſeege, and contrary to the conditions of rendring, Bragadin Governour of the town was excoriat quick, at command of the Baſſa, Muſtapha; and others were moſt cruelly murdered. So all Cyprus was taken from Crhiſtians. Then the Venetians (who had poſſeſſed it 200 years) made a league with the Pope and King of Spain; John Duke of Auſtria a ſone of Charles V. was Generall of the Navy: the battell was fought in the firth of Corinth, aliàs, Golfo de Lepanto: 25000. Turks were ſlain, 4000. captive, and almoſt all their Navy with rich ſpoile came into the handes of Chriſtans: 14000. captive Chriſtians were delivered. An. 1575. Maximilian ſought by many meanes to have been choſen King of Poland, and when Steven Prince of Tranſſylvania was preferred, he was never ſeen to be jovaill again. He cauſed his ſon Rodulph be choſen King of the Romanes in a Diet at Ratisbon, and died in time of the Diet in Octob. 1576. Pet. Mexia.
II RODULPH II. immediatly after his coronation ſent to Rome, and ſought not only confirmation, but to be declared the eldeſt ſonne of the Church. He held his firſt Diet at Ausburg, An 1582; where was no talk of Religion, but only he urged the Gregorian Calendare, and ſought aid againſt the Turks. He took armes againſt Gebhard Bishop of Colein, becauſe he forſook the Pope as followes. An. 1584. Rodolph and Amurath III. Emperour of Turks made truce for 93 years: but the ſame year in October 10000 Turks inuade the landes of Carniola: they burnt and waſted ſundry towns and villages, and carried away Chriſtians of both ſexes in eaptivity: within two dayes a company of Chriſtians meet them in Croatia: they deliver the Chriſtians, and routed the Turks. Oſiand. In the year 1592. Amurath thought to have made conqueſt of all Hungary, and entred into Croatia: then followed continuall wars untill the year 1606, victory enclining now to the one hand▪ and then to the other. Rodulph had a league with the Duke of Muſcove, and received ſupplied both of men and money againſt Amurath. Rodulph reigned 36. years.