FERDINAND the third by the grace of God Elected Roman Em­perour of Germanie, Hungary, Bo­hemia, Dalmatia, Croatia and Sclavonia, King, Arch-Duke of Austria, Duke of Burgundie, Sly­ria, Karndten and Craine, Marquis of Moravia, Count of Tyroll and Gortz, &c. To all and every one of our wel beloved and loyal Prelats, Nobles, Barons, Knights, Gentle­men, and all other States and Peeres of our Kingdome of Hun­gary and other Provinces belonging thereunto, Greeting.

With what fatherly care ever since wee begun to enter in­to our Royall Government, we have continually strived, that this our here before much afflicted Kingdome of Hungarie, as a wall and Bullwark to Christendome in these moderne heavy troubles and distractions, might be preserved in a good conditi­on, peace and tranquillity, is not unknown to any of our loyall Subjects of the said Kingdome: to which end also in these lat­ter [Page 2] yeares we have of set purpose entred into peaceable treaties with the Turke, and admitted nothing that hath been advanta­geous and serviceable to the preservation of a firm peace, safety or tranquility of the Kingdome. But in the meane time the Prince of Transylvania, George Ragoczii, unknowne to Us, what hath caused and moved Him hereunto, hath suffered Him­selfe to be seduced, that, though We for our part have given un­to Him not any cause or occasion hereunto, He notwithstanding hath entred into a most dangerous and most pernitious league with Our enemies the Swedes and French, that He thereby also might highly endanger this Our Kingdom of Hungarie, which hitherto through Gods mercy hath sate in peace and quietnesse, and draw, and involve the same in this heavy warre, wherewith diverse Countries in Christendome are now overwhelmed, yea so farre also, that presently in the beginning of the aforesaid league He did not stick upon it to pawne by way of promise His two sonnes, that all the dayes of His life He would further and advance with all his strength and power the profit, wellfare and benefit of the Confederates; whereof the letters and trea­ties, that passed betwixt Them by Gods speciall mercy and providence are come to Our hands and are still with Us in originall: By which principally and most clearly appeareth, with what earnestnesse, as also with what high promises, and presents, as well also through perswa­sion of the Ambassadours of Our publick enemies and Rebells, He hath sollicited the Turke for His assent and approbation, that He first of all might invade Hungarie, and then afterwards some other of Our Countries, subdue Our loyall Subjects in a War­like manner, extreamely afflict them, and thereby disturbe and destroy the common peace and tranquillity: He hath tied and bound Himself also so fast to His Fellow Confederates, that neither He, nor His Successours, neither the States and Peeres of Transylvania, nor also the Inhabitants of Hungary, that take His part, shall have any power to enter into any treaty with Us or conclude any Peace or cessation of Armes without the knowledge and consent of all the Confederates, promising withall, not onely to introduce into Hungary the Swedes, and their hostile Army, but also to deliver over into their hands cer­taine [Page 3] places, especially our Cities of Tirna and Presburg, which places are ordained for the preservation of the Crown of the Kingdom, insomuch that highly is to be feared, that thereby the glorious and precious treasure of that Crowne, which hitherto hath been preserved and protected with so much blood of the Hungarians may fall into strangers hands and be transported o­ver sea into a strange Country. That He also may involve this Kingdome, and Himself yet deeper into this heavy fire of war, He did not stick also upon it to promise, that as often as Our enemies should be invaded in a warlike manner, as often He together with His Confederates should be bound to take up armes, and faithfully to assist them, as necessity should require: He declares Himselfe thereby further, that His principall desire is to fall upon Us and Our loyall Subjects in a warlike manner, and to joyne with His forces to the enemies forces in the King­dome it self. All which and yet much more largely appeareth, as well by the Articles of the league, (the acceptation and con­firmation whereof the said Prince with much opportunity de­sires of both the Crownes France and Sweden) as by the Princes, Master Bisterfields, and other our enemies letters. Whereby the most pernitious designe of the said Prince is come to light how He namely forgetting all duty to the Native Country intends to kindle a fire to the ruine of the Country, to disturbe the Common peace and tranquillity of Our loyall Subjects, to set the Transylvanians and Hungarians by the eares together for to destroy one another themselves with their own swords, and thus to draw the Hungarian Nation, which in former overthrowes hath already been weakened very much, in­to a Civill Warre, and to the shedding of their own blood and of their own kindred. Hereby appeareth also the great ingra­titude of the aforesaid Prince of Transylvania to Us and Our Illustrious House of Austria, from which His Predecessours have received great benefits and priviledges, whereas they were not onely raised from a low condition to Honour and Dignity, but also his Father Sigismund Ragoczii was richly rewarded, and had bestowed upon him large dominions and lands, yea this Prince himself had bestowed upon him the most rich and faire Dominion of Monchatz, and other presents: But to passe by [Page 4] all these things, yet contrary to all Divine and Humane right, his faith, troth, corporall oath, and his own bonds and obligations (wherein He more then once bound Himselfe to Us and Our Crowne) He hath entred with others in an agreement and league, as well to the great prejudice and dammage to His own Countrymen and Hungarian Nation, as to Our and the King­domes, yea also the Countries of Transylvania: And first against Our selves, whereas He hath promised to invade in a hostile manner not onely Our Kingdome of Hungarie, but also others of Our hereditary Countries and Kingdomes, and to conquer them: And then also against the Hungarian Nation it self, be­cause the rising of an Inlandish Prince and the taking up of armes will produce nothing else but their utter ruine and de­struction: Further also against the Kingdomes Rights, and Priviledges, whereas He hath sought to include the inhabitants without their knowledge and consent in his secret league and confederacy, and under a pretense of their names to make agree­ments: No lesse also to the prejudice of the Country of Tran­sylvania it self, which by these secret treaties and agreements with Our and the Crownes enemies He purposeth to make it wholy subject and hereditary unto Himself. For He hath brought the two Crownes France and Sweden so farre, that they have promised to protect by force all his Heires and Successours in the Principality of Transylvania, albeit long agoe a free ele­ction was promised to the Transylvanians.

Herewith not yet being satisfied, the said Prince hath labour­ed with all his strength, and considerable presents and summes of mony to annull and to make void the peace with the Em­perour of Turkie, (which hath been hitherto obtained with so great charges, paines and so much blood, and hitherto also with much adoe preserved) and to move the Turkes to the breaking thereof to the hazard and great dammage of the Kingdome of Hungarie, and his own Nation. Of all which calamitie, as also shedding of Christian blood, ruine of the Countrie, hazard of Hungarie, and other inconveniences, which use to rise and spring out of the like insurrections, there is no other cause but the pri­vate affections and the Princes untimely pride and haughtinesse.

[Page 5]As for Us, We protest before God and the whole world, that to these troubles We have given no cause to the Prince, but that We seek and desire nothing else, but the preservation and up­holding of Our Royall Right, (which We have received from God) and protection of Our loyall Subjects, which God hath put to Our trust, and that to all these things We are provoked and forced. Declaring further, and withall assuring all Our loving and loyall Subjects and Inhabitants of the Kingdome, that by this taking up of armes, and introduction of a succour of German forces We aime at nothing else, but that after dri­ving out of all Our enemies, and laying down of armes, yee be reduced, your former peace and tranquillity, and thereby all States and Peeres of the Kingdome may continue without di­minution in the enjoying of the Rights and Priviledges.

And hereupon We graciously admonish and exhort all our said Kingdomes, Prelates, Earles, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Cities, Provinces and Frontier Townes, as also the Heyducks and Souldiers, that they will continue firme and stedfast in the loyalty and obedience which next unto God they owe unto Us and the Kingdome of Hungarie, and not take part under any title or pretense with the said Prince, much lesse yeeld to his obeysance, but rather valiantly take armes in hand, oppose Him in all places and times, beate Him back, and thereby shew unto Us with unwearyed care and with undaunted courage all due obedience. But if there be some, that hitherto being compel­led by force or feare have been fickle in their loyalty, and adhe­red the said Prince, those we will receive in favour again, and ac­cuse them of no disloyalty, if they do turne but in time, come a­way from the adversary party, yeeld again to Our due obedi­ence, service, and loyalty, and present themselves to our trusty and well beloved the Right Honourable Count Nicalao, Esterhasi of Galantha Palatine of our above named Kingdome of Hun­gary, or to our Military Generalls. But those that will not ob­serve neither the Divine Justice nor the due obedience towards their King, but go on in their obstinacy, and boldnesse, adhere yet further to the Prince not depart from Him, and thus neglect their obedience towards Us, those shall be Proclaimed publick [Page 6] enemies to their native Country, and that they shall fall into our Imperiall disgrace, and by force of our armes be severely punished according to their demerits. But the States and Fel­low Members of the Country of Transylvania, with whom We and Our Kingdome of Hungary by many treaties of peace and firme leagues are tied fast one to another, We admonish of their faith and troth, and obligations in writing most graciously, that they will wholly abstaine from all hostility against the Kingdome and our loyall subjects, and in no way undertake to invade our Countries, but rather keep firme the agreements, and thus not draw upon themselves a ruinous war, and involve themselves perhaps meerely in regard of their privat profit, fa­vour or hate into the most dangerous tempest of war, which stormes as yet heavily at Christendome. For we perceive, that principally in regard of force and feare of their Prince they are fallen into these troubles out of which they may easily escape a­gain, if they do turne but without delay, and by laying down of armes returne home to their own and betake themselves to peace and quietnesse, and then all their transgression and fault shall rather be ascribed to the oppression of their Prince, then to their severall contrary opinions and inclinations.