XXIII. So many fine Monuments of the Council of Conftance did not yet come up to the Idea and Plan of Rodolphus Auguftus. As he knew that there were a great many Manufcripts concerning this Council in the vast Library of Vienna, he defir'd the Emperor Leopold to let him have them. He being a very magnanimous wife Prince, gave a more favourable Ear to his Requeft, because the Duke's Project had a clear Tendency to the Glory of one of his moft illuftrious Ancestors, as well as to that of the Empire and the whole Nation of Germany, which distinguish'd themselves in this Council in an extraordinary Manner, by their Zeal and Stedfaftnefs for the Reformation, and for the Union of the Church. The Duke was not deceiv'd in his Expectation, but receiv'd a vaft Number of Pieces material to his Defign, with inexpreffible Joy. I will note the chief of them. 1. An Abstract of the Acts of the whole Council, drawn up by John Dorre a Civilian, and by John Elftraw a Counsellor of Auftria. 2. As for the Reformation of the Church, the Treatifes of the Cardinal of Cambray, of the Cardinal of Florence, of Thierri de Niem, and of Gerfon; feveral Speeches of the Doctors upon the fame Head, addrefs'd as well to the Council, as to the Pope and the Emperor; the Rules of the Chancery of Martin V. the Scheme of a Reformation which he propos'd to the Deputies of the Nations; his Agreement with the German Nation; but the greatest Rarity of all, is a double Protocol of the Confultations of the Reforming College, drawn up in the Council it felf. A Work the more curious and important, because as this Project for a Reformation was but very imperfectly executed, we fhou'd never have known, without fuch Discovery, how far the Deputies of the Council defign'd to carry it. 3. As to the Affair of the Union, there are feveral Letters of Gregory XII. to the Emperor and other Princes; Bulls and Briefs of John XXIII, to make a Party in the Council; his Intrigues with the Duke of Auftria for concerting his Efcape, and feveral Pieces for and against that Pope; together with the Confultations of the Cardinals, as well about the Method of dealing with the Anti-Popes, as the Manner of electing a new Pope. 4. As to Matters of Faith, there's a Treatise of Paul Voladimir, the King of Poland's Ambaffador at the Council, to prove against the Knights of the Teutonic Order, that 'tis not lawful to make use of Force of Arms for the Converfion of Infidels; a Treatife of the Cardinal of Cambray, concerning the Reformation of the Calendar; feveral Treatifes for and against the Communion in both kinds, written in the Council itfelf; and finally fome Pieces relating to the Canonifation of St. Bridget.

XXIV. Rodolphus Auguftus not content with fo fine a Collection, was refolv'd to enrich it with all the MSS. that cou'd be pick'd up in the other Libraries of Germany. With this View he could not do better than to apply himself to the King of Pruffia, whofe Library

is very amply stock'd with scarce Books, both printed and Manufcripts. Upon this occafion the King made no Scruple to gratify that noble Tafte which inclin'd him to favour the Sciences, efpecially when the Point in view was to give a new Luftre to Religion, or to render any important Service to the Church. It was alfo very natural for him to intereft himfelf in a Project which could not be executed without recording the glorious Deeds of Frederic Burgrave of Nuremberg, the firft Elector of Brandenburg of that Family. This Prince appear'd at the Council with a Splendor which feem'd to foretel the future Glory of his Family, as will appear from the whole Course of this Hiftory. The Commiffion to make à Search for all the Manufcripts that related to this Council in the Royal Library of Berlin, was granted to the late Baron Ezekiel de Spanheim, one of his Ministers of State, and his Ambaffador in several Courts of Europe. He discharg'd it with the Zeal of a true Mecanas, which he really was. In this Library feveral important Pieces were found, which anfwer'd the Duke Rodolphus's View. Such as the Bull of Martin V. for granting the Emperor one Year's Tenths upon the Clergy of Germany, to make that Prince fatisfaction for the prodigious Expence he had been at in the Affembling and Progrefs of this Council; the Mandate of John Abundi, Archbishop of Riga; of John de Weldaw, Bishop of Brandenburg, and of George Count de Hohenlo, Bishop of Pajaw, for putting this Bull in execution; the Complaints of the German Clergy against this Tax: A Treatife of Maurice of Prague against the Communion in both kinds and an old Manufcript of a Treatife upon the Reformation of the Church, written in 1404. by Paul l'Anglois, with the Title of Speculum aureum Pape, Curie Romane & Cleri, i. e. The Golden Mirror of the Pope, the Court of Rome, and the Clergy. This Work is printed in Goldaft's Collection, but fo full of Errors, that this Berlin Manufcript may pafs very well for a Work not yet printed.

XXV. ALL Mankind was encourag'd by fuch illuftrious Examples, and every one strove to promote Duke Rodolphus's Defign. The Duke de Gotha furnish'd certain Manufcripts which were in his Library. 1. The entire Acts of the Council of Conftance. 2. The Articles of Reformation propos'd by the German Nation to Martin V. and the Propofitions of the Pope upon the fame Subject. 3. The Debates of the Chapter of Benedictins which were held during the Council. The City of Nuremberg muft not be omitted upon this Occafion, nor did it refufe to contribute every thing in its Power to the Duke's Satisfaction. It might have been capable of doing more, if the curious Library of Pirkheimer had not been bought by the Earl of Arundel and carry'd to England, where the famous John Conrard Feverlin, Paftor of St. Giles's, who dy'd lately at Nortlingen, declares he faw it. Here I muft give notice by way of Advertisement to the Learned in England, that M. Von der Hardt conjectures, that Wallenrodt's Hiftory which I mention'd may be found in this

Library.

Library. The City of Nuremberg furnish'd the Manufcript of Gerfon's Tract against Simony, and fome Pieces concerning Huffitifm. The City of Erfort furnish'd a great Volume of Sermons preach'd in the Council, of which upon occafion we have made ufe. Among the Libraries of Germany, there's fcarce one that has given more Helps than that of St. Paul at Leipfick. We may fee how rich it is in Manuferipts by the Catalogue of M. Fell r, Librarian of that Academy. This Library furnih'd, 1. The entire Acts of the Council of Conftance. They agree with thofe of Brunswick; but tis fuppos'd they were not written till about the time of the Council of Bafil, by reafon of the Titles and Arguments prefix'd to them, which are not in the A&ts written in the Council of Conftance. 2. The Rules of the Chancery of Martin V. which were also found in the Library of Vienna. 3. The Funeral Oration of Cardinal Zabarella, who dy'd at the Council of Conftance, by an anonymous Perfon. A Dif courfe of the Archbishop of Genoa, for encouraging the Emperor to the Reformation of the Church; another Difcourfe of the Bishop of Pofen to engage that Prince to pacify Christendom. 4. The Intrigues of John XXIII. with the Duke of Auftria, for the Diffolution of the Council. 5. The Letter of Pogge of Florence to Leonard Aretin, concerning the Punishment of Jerom of Prague. 6. The Cenfure of Wickliff's Articles by the Divines of Conftance; the Apology of James de Mife, or Jacobel, for the Communion in both kinds. 7. The Order eftablifh'd in the Council of Conftance for voting by Nations. 8. The Pleas of the French and English touching the Right of Suffrages. 9. The Funeral Oration of the King of Arragon; the Speech of Mainfred de la Croix when he did Homage to the Emperor on behalf of the Duke of Milan, and fome other little Pieces which we fhall mention upon occafion. I ought not to forget the Helps I met with for this Hiftory. in a confiderable Manuscript relating to the Wars and Troubles in Bohemia upon account of John Hufs. This Manufcript was generously communicated to me by the Learned M. Gottlob Krantz, Profeffor of Philofophy and Hiftory at Breflaw, and known by feveral good Compofitions. The Author of this Manufcript is not nam'd; but as far as I am able to conjecture, 'tis the fame that is of ten quoted by Zachary Thibaud in his War of the Huffites, and by Procopius Lupacius in his Journal or Calendar of Bohemia, by the Name of Mafter Lawrence, and by the Title of Profeffor of Mathematicks. The reason why I guess fo is becaufe Thibaud, fpeaking of the great Eclipfe of the Sun which was feen at Conftance the 7th of June 1415. and which is mention'd in this Hiftory, has a Quotation, as from Master Lawrence, almoft in the fame Words as I find in the Manufcript. The Words of Thibaud are, Anno, &c. 1415. 7. Id. Junii. Sole in 24 gradu manè tantæ fuerunt exortæ tenebræ ut volucribus in terram delapfis ftelle apparerent. Ideoque M. Laur. in fuis hiftoriis fcribit, Conftantiæ abfque candele lumine Miam nullam celebrari potuiffe, in teftimonium Solem juftitiæ Chriftum, in

Prælatorum

Prælatorum qui Huffium interimere jam decreverant cordibus obfufcatum effe. And these are the Words of the Manufcript, Item vii die menfis Junii que erat feftum poft Bonifacii bora 9 eclipfatus eft totus Sol ita quod non poterant Miffe fine luminibus celebrari, in fignum quod Sol juftitiæ Chriftus in cordibus Prælatorum multorum ad mortem M. Johannis Hufs de proximo mortificandi anhelantium. Be this as it will, the Manufcript is antient, and writ by an Author who declares he faw and heard the Things he relates ea quæ fidelibus oculis & auribus in veritate percepi præfenti pagina duxi fcripto tenus fideliter commendanda. His Hiftory begins in the Year 1414. and ends Anno 1467. There are a great many Particulars in it which are not to be met with elsewhere, or which ferve to confirm what others have reported upon thefe Heads. 'Tis a Latin Manufcript in Folio, written in Gothic Characters, and contains 81 Sheets.

XXVI. IT was natural to have recourfe to England, whofe Libraries are fo famous over all Europe. Yet very little was found there in comparison of what might be expected from fo good a Repofitory. The Agreement. of Martin V. with the English, and the Treatife of Richard Ulierfton concerning the Reformation, are the only Pieces that came from England, at least that I know of. We learn by the Catalogue of Sir Robert Cotton's Books, that there is ftill a very full Harveft to be reap'd in that Country, with refpect to the Hiftory of the Council of Conftance. Nothing wou'd be more worthy of the Vigilance and Generofity of thẹ English Prelates, than to inquire after thofe precious Monuments, and to make them publick. It wou'd alfo redound to the Honour of a Nation that appear'd in the Council with fo much Luftre, and which fignaliz'd its Zeal for the Reformation of the Church then, as much as it does at this Day for the Propagation of the Faith among the Infidels.

XXVII. THERE was reafon to hope that feveral Monuments of the Council of Conftance were alfo to be found in Swabia and Swifferland, because of the Neighbourhood of those Countries. This engag'd Duke Rodolph to defire Duke Eberhard Lewis of Wirtemberg to employ his Credit for collecting all that could be found in the Libraries of that Country. The Duke of Wirtemberg gave this Commiffion to one of his Counfellors, nam'd John Ulric Pregizer, a Member of the Imperial College of History, who executed it with more Diligence than Succefs. He went himself to Conftance, and other Parts of Swabia and Swifferland, where he thought he could make any Discovery; and there indeed he faw feveral Pieces belonging to the Hiftory of the Council of Conftance; but M. Von der Hardt declares, that those Pieces were not communicated to him, and he was oblig'd to be content with the notice which M. Pregizer gave him of them. the more reason to lament that he could not obtain Copies of them, because fince that time all the Manufcripts of the Abbey of Salmanfweiler in

E

Von der Hardt, T. Prol. p. 8.

I.

There is

Swabia,

XXIX. THIS large Collection is the Foundation I have built upon for the General Affairs of the Council; and as to the Particulars, or what pafs'd in Europe out of the Council, with refpe&t to the Ecclefiaftick State, I have made ufe as much as I could of contemporary Authors, or fuch modern Writers as had recourfe to good Fountains. The Chronicles of Germany are numerous and well known to the Learned, and we have elsewhere treated very largely of what Germany has furnifh'd tis. As to the Affairs of Bohemia, belides the Hiftories published a long time ago, I have made very great ufe of a modern Author whom I quoted before in this Preface, viz. Bobuflaus Balbinus, a Jefuit of Prague. In 1677. he publish'd very a copious Abstract of the Affairs of Bohemia, in which there are more Particulars concerning that Kingdom than in any other I ever knew; and he advances nothing but what he proves from authentic Monuments. Some Years after, he publifh'd four great Volumes of Miscellanies, in which he has inferted every thing that the Reader can defire relating to the Ecclefiaftick and Civil State of Bohemia, Moravia, and the neighbouring Provinces. There are few Collections of its kind fo good. The Affairs of Huffitifm are treated with Proofs that are new and folidly fupported. As this Author was upon the Spot when he wrote his Work; and as he had an Opportunity of fearching the Records and Libraries publick and private, his Word may be taken in Matters of Fact when he does not speak from Conjecture, which he does but feldom, or from Paffion, which he has not always avoided.

XXX. As to the Affairs of Poland, belides the Hiftorians and Collections we find upon that Subject in Libraries, I have had great Lights from John Dlugofs, or Longinus's Hiftory of Poland, which had been imperfect all along, but was publish'd entire while I was writing this Hiftory. This Prefent is owing to the Generofity and Care of the Baron de Huyffen, Minister of State at the Court of Ruffia. In Dlugofs there are feveral important Particulars concerning the Council of Conftance, and the Ecclefiaftical Affairs of that time. He deferves Credit as much as any other Hiftorian in what relates to the XVth Century. He was of that Age, and one of the most learned Men of his Time. Moreover, he was a Man of Weight and Authority, having been Minister of State to Ladiflaus Jagellon King of Poland, and employ'd on divers Embaffies in the greateft Part of Europe, which had given him an Opportunity of gratifying his natural Curiofity for every thing relating to Hiftory. Moreover, without departing from that Moderation and Gravity which become an. Hiftorian, he always fpeaks with a Franknefs and Freedom, even upon Subjects where one would think it was his Interest to have been sparing..

XXXI