The Sovereign Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms, Appendix · Subpart 1
Hungary.
THe Kings of Hungary are meerly elective by the States and Senators, in their Parliaments or assemblies of the Estates, without whom they can neither make Lawes, impose Taxes, leavie Warre, nor conclude Peace; and the grand Officer of the Realme, to wit the great Palatine of Hungary (who hath the chiefe Command both in Peace and Warre and power to judge the King Himselfe in some cases) is elected onelyonly in and by their Parliaments, as thexRerum Vngarica …um Scriptores, Nuholaus …sthuansus de Rebus Vnga…ic. Hist. l. 6 p. 84, 85. Eodin. de Rep. l. 1. c 10. Bonsinius; Decades rerum Vngar carum, Munst. Co…mog. 4. c. 418, 19. Respu… & status Hungariae, An. 1634. De … Migist. … Subditos. Marginall Writers manifest at large. For their Realms and peoples deportment towards their ill Kings (since they became Christians) when they have degenerated into Tyrants, and o…hewise misdeme…ed themselves; take this briefe Epitome. Peter the second Christian King of Hungary, growing very insolent, Tyrannicall, and lascivious, ravishing ma…ds, matr…ns; in the third year of his reign all the Nobles and people thereupon conspiring together, deposed and banished him the Realme, electing Alba in his place; who growing more insolent and Tyrannicall then Peter, was in the third year of his reign slaine in warre, and Peter restored to the Crown: who proceeding in his tyrannies, sacriledge, and cruelty, he was the third year after his restitution, taken prisoner by his subjects, his eyes put out, and imprisoned till he dy…d. Solomon the fif… King of Hungary, was twice deposed and thrust out of his Kingdom, first by King Bela, next by King Gysa, ele…ed Kings by the peoples generall consent and acclamation; after whose death the Hungarians refused to restore Solomon, and elected Ladislaus for their King; whereupon Solomon became an Hermite, and so dyed. Ladislaus dying, left two sons, Almus the younger, whom they elected King and Coloman the eldest, to whom Almus out of simplicity surrendred the Crown, because he was the elder brother, whom he would not deprive of his primogeniture; but repenting afterwards, by the instigation of some of his friends, he raised warre against his brother: But the Hungarians to prevent a civill war…e and …ffusion of blood, DE…REED that these two brethren should fight it out between them in a single duell, and he who conquered in the duell, they would repute their King; Which Combate Coloman being purblinde, lame and crookback'd, refused; after which Coloman treacherously surprising his brother Almus, contrary to agreement, put out his and Bela his sonnes eyes, and thrust them into a Monastery. King Stephen the second sonne of Coloman, refusing to marry a wife, and following Harlots, the Barons and Nobles grieving at the desolation of the Kingdome, provided him a wife of a Noble family, and caused him to marry her. After which making a war to aid Duk-Bezin… zIohn de T…wrocz. Hungar. Chron. c. 36. p. 71.without his Nobles consent in which Bezen was slaine: the Nobles of Hungary assembling themselves together in Councell, sayd: Why, and wherefore dye we? if we shall claime the Dukedome, which of us will the King make Duke? therefore let it be decreed that none of us will assault the Castle, and sol…t us tell the King, Because he both all this without the Councell of his Nobles: They did so, and added further, that if he would assault the Castle, he should doe it alone; but w… (say they) will returne unto Hungary and chuse another King. Whereupon, By the Command of the Princes, the Heraulds procla…med in the Tents, That all the Hungarians should speedily returne into Hungary: wherefore the King when he saw himselfe justly deserted of his subjects ayde, returned into Hungary. Stephen the third comming to the Crowne, did nothing without the Authoritie and advise of the Senate. Stephen the fourth sonne of Bela usurping the Crowne, was soone after expelled the Kingdome. Emericus being elected King, was very likely to be depriued by the Nobles and people for his sloathfulnesse, but that he appeased them with good words and promises. King Andrew going to Ierusalem, his Queene, Elizabeth, in the meane time delivered the Wife of Banch…u a Nobleman, being very beautifull to her brother who doated on her, to be abused, which Bauchan hearing of, s…ew the Queene: the King upon his returne examining this businesse, acquitted Bauchan, and judged her murther just, being for so lewd a fact. Ladislaus the fourth, giving himselfe to all effaeminacy, luxury, and Harlots, became odious to his Barons, Nobles, People, for which he was excommunicated by Firmanus the Popes Legat, that he might live Christianly and Chastly; but he reforming not, was soone after (in the yeere 1290.) slaine by the Cumans and his Kingdome infested with civill warres. Mary the daughter of K. Lewes, being received as Queene by the Hungarians for her fathers merits, after his decease, being yet young, was married to Sigismond, who was admitted into partnership in the government of the Realme, and being governed by her mother and Nicholas de Gara, who perswaded them to carry a strict hand over the Nobles of the Realme, which they did: thereupon the Nobles seeing themselves despised, sent for Cha…rles King of Naples into Hungary; forced Mary and her Mother to resigne their rights to the Crowne, and crowned Charles King at Alba Regalis. When he was crowned the Bishop of Strigonium, according to the custome, demanded of the people thrice, with alowd voyce; Whether if were their pleasure that Charles should be crowned King? who answered, Yes: which done he was crowned, and soone after murthered by the two Queenes treachery; Who were shortly after taken prisoners by Iohn de Hornach, governour of Croatia…; the Queen Mother Elizabeth drowned, Queen Mary kept prisoner, and at last released upon oath given, not to revenge her Mothers death: who contrary to her oath caused Hornach, and 32. Nobles more to be beheaded by Sigismond her husband, whose kind…ed and children thereupon conspired against King Sigismond, tooke and detained him prisoner Anno. 1401. till they should proceeds further against him, and in the meane time the Nobles of Hungary elected Ladislaus King of Apulia for their King, and at last deposed Sigismond for his misgovernment, cruelty, love of women. AfteraSee Grimstons Imperiall History, p. 606 Chytraeus Chron. Saxoniae. Sigismonds death, the Nobles and people were divided in the choise of their King; one part electing and crowning Vladislaus King of Poland, the other party Ladislaus an infant, for their King: but Vladislaus his party prevailing, he was not long after …laine in a battle against the Turkes; and the government of the Realme committed to that Noble Souldier Huniades, during the Minority of Ladislaus, who at his ripe age, was received and declared King by all the Hungarians. Ladislaus deceasing, the Hungarians elected the Emperour Frederick King, who delaying to come and take the election, they thereupon chose Mathias King, who enjoyed the dignity, notwithstanding the Emperours opposition. Anno. 1608. Mathias King of Hungary denyed the Protestants inbGrimston Imp. Hist. p. 730. 731. Austria free exercise of their Religion, they thereupon were forced to take up Armes, and assembling together at Honne made a Protestation, and sent to the States of Hungary requiring them to assist them with the succours that were promised by the offensive and defensive league: after which they obtained a peace, and part of what they demanded.cGrim. p. 739. Anno 1613. In an Assembly of the Estates of Hungary, the differences concerning the defence and Militia in the borders of Hungary against the Turke were ordered and setled. AnddGrim. p. 748. An. 1618. After many slow proceedings, they elected Ferdinand of Bohemia for their King of Hungary; but with these conditions, That he should Religiously observe, and cause to be immovably observed all the Liberties, Immunities, Priviledges, Statutes, Rights and Customes of the Kingdome, with the Conclusions and Treaties of Vienna, and all the Articles comprehended therein, and all other concluded both before and after the Coronation of the Emperours Majestie, in the yeares 1608. and 1609. Which Articles being ratified by the Emperour under his Letters Patents, they proceeded to the Coronation, according to the accustomed manner. Such is the Soveraigne power of the States of Hungary to this very day. And in one word, so odious wereeSaxagrāuma ticus Danicae Hist. l. 8. p. 140. Tyrants anciently to the Slavonians and Hungarians, that by a publick Law of their Ancestors, he who slew a Tyrannicall King, was to succeede him in the Kingdome.