Solms, afterwards much endeared to her royal mistress. At this affecting moment the visionary diadem appears to have been no longer regarded: tears stood in Frederic's eyes, when, for the last time, he heard the prayers of his affectionate subjects, and their grateful benedictions, mingled with aspirations for his future welfare and felicity; to which all spontaneously echoed a solemn amen. Abstracted from objects of ambition, the fervour of genuine enthusiasm is irresistible, and even the little Prince Henry appears to have caught its expression. "There was "none," adds the witness," but discerned "something extraordinary in the aspect of· "this hopeful young prince; but, above all, delightful was the demeanour of that great lady, who, the tears trickling down her cheeks, was mild, courteous, and affable, yet with a proper degree of state, like an"other Queen Elizabeth, the Phoenix of the "world. Gone is that sweet princess, with "her now more than princely consort, to"wards the place where his army attendeth,

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"shewing herself like that virago of Til

bury, another Queen Elizabeth; for so "she now is, and what more she may be in "time, or her royal issue, is in God's hand, "for the good and glory of his church.* "Such a lady going before, and marching "in the front, who would not adventure life "and covet death? It is the manner of "the Moors, in their deadly battles, to "choose one of their fairest virgins to go "before them in the field: for her to be "surprised they would deem an everlasting shame, and therefore rather fight to the "last man.

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And shall we suffer our prin"cess, our only royal infanta, to go to the "field, and not follow her? Then are we

* The writer of this poetical eulogium on Elizabeth seems to have been impressed with a vague presentiment that Frederic was to ascend the imperial throne, and present to the world the phenomenon of a Protestant Emperor. Nor was he in this, singular; an intimation of the same extravagant character had been made even at the period of Elizabeth's marriage, as appears from the most prosaic, untunable lines quoted in the third chapter.

"worse than the very infidels, who, at the "last day, shall rise in judgment against

" us."

The predilection inspired by Frederic's late conduct in Heidelberg was not universal. To the Lutherans the Elector was an object of distrust: the blind deference he yielded to Scultetus, to whom was in part imputed the intolerant sentiments of the Synod of Dort, was already but too well known; and so unfavourable was the impression produced in Saxony, that the court chaplain pathetically deplored that the election should have fallen on an Evan"Heaven have mercy on us,' gelist. writes, "in what respect are these Evan"gelists better than the Papists? And even "more intolerant than the Papist shall we "find the turbulent spirit of Calvinism, if ❝ it should once be established among us. "Pity it is, and, in truth, thrice pitiful, that "so many fine countries, and brave, stout"hearted people, should fall under the yoke "of Calvin. What avails it to have been

he

"released from Antichrist of the west, if "his rival of the east be permitted to usurp """ over us?"

The prejudices of this honest Lutheran will cease to appear extraordinary, when we recollect that, by the decree of the Synod of Dort, all Arminian preachers had been interdicted in the Batavian States, and the penalties of fine, imprisonment, or proscription and confiscation, denounced on all who should contumaciously persist either in promulgating or openly countenancing the detestable doctrines of the remonstrants.*

* Several thousands emigrated: a colony of Arminians settled in Holstein. To the original friends and partizans of Barnevelt no mercy was extended: the sons of Barnevelt were deprived of their patrimony: Hugo Grotius, condemned to perpetual imprisonment, escaped by the spirited enterprize of his wife, whose conduct, however meritorious, is not singular nor even rare. To the honour of the female sex, our own times have produced many corresponding examples of energy and conjugal attachment; in the far greater part of which the effort was made, not for a devoted but an unfaithful husband, and by whom the sacrifice was neither merited nor requited.

CHAPTER VII.

JOURNEY OF FREDERIC AND ELIZABETH TO PRAGUE. -THE THREE TOWNS.-THE VARIOUS INHABITANTS. THE CORONATION.-VARIOUS CONGRATULATIONS. THE BIRTH OF PRINCE RUPERT.

It was not until the 17th century that the affairs of Bohemia became implicated with the general concerns of Europe. During many revolving ages their annals had been interesting only to neighbouring countries. With their early chronicles were intermingled romantic fables, corresponding rather with oriental traditions than the history of a civilized people. In Prague, as in Heidelberg, the inquisitive and the credulous were conducted to an antique tower where once