Bohemica iura defensa. = The Bohemian lawes or rights defended, against the informer or an answer to an information, falsly so called, secretly printed and divulged against the writings published by the states of Bohemia. Translated out of Latin by I.H.

The Bohemian Lawes or Rights defended, Against the Informer.

THAT most excellent cleere Lampe of right reason, is not so altogether ex∣tinct by the fall of mans nature, but that some little sparke, (and so much) remayneth, that euen those who doe most of all offend against right reason, and confound, and ouerthrow both diuine and humane Lawes, doe yet couet, and would be thought to doe those vniust things they doe, (or indeauour to doe) by Law and by right. There bee some goe a fowling after King∣domes, and hunt after Scepters: and send abroade their hounds, that they may assault the wild Beast ly∣ing hid safe and secure in her owne Lords Parkes: pretending her now to belong to the iurisdiction of an∣other, lest they should seeme iniurious to any. Such a hound we see a certaine Informer to bee: who, tooth and nayle, by right and wrong, would (if hee could) draw the Kingdome of Bohemia (in hope deuoured of his Lord) to the iurisdiction and rights of the same Lord of his: that hee might bee thought but only to seize vpon his owne prey, and not to driue another mans away. From the mouthing, and biting of this so great a Dogge, to deliuer this noble wild Beast, were a worke both iust and equall, well worth the la∣bour:

that she might be detayned vnder her owne law∣full and friendly Keeper, in her owne proper Pastures: and not exposed to the ouergreedy iawes of others, to be deuoured, and swallowed vp. Our Informer knew very well, no right at all to the Kingdome of Bohe∣mia, to belong to the most Illustrious Archduke Fer∣dinand now Emperor. He saw the lawes and rights of the Bohemians (by them explicated in a short summe) among honest minded men, and all of the wi∣ser sort, to bee held impregnable, not to bee shaken. What should hee then doe? Not to perswade the Wise: (for of that hee is out of hope) but to the intent hee might induce the base, and rude multitude into that opinion; that the writings of the Bohemians are sufficiently answered; and that the Lawes in them con∣tayned are by him wholly shaken: he hath caused to be printed a certaine Treatise, here and there patched vp to that effect; that (at leastwise by the printed booke) The ignorant might perswade themselues the reasons of the Bohemians to bee sufficiently confuted. If the Informer would haue dealt with the prudent only, and experienced in affaires, and in the lawes of gouernement, there was no cause why he should publish those vaine commentaries, secretly and by stealth im∣printed. For hee had aduersaries very ready, who were able to discouer vnto him sufficiently, the false∣hoods, arts, deceits, and wilinesse of those commen∣taries: and lay open the matter before the wise with∣out disguising and fallacies; yet did hee promise to himselfe the victorie, if hee first could communicate those things (which were only debated among the wi∣ser

sort) in print to the ignorant multitude. There was no cause truely (I confesse) wherefore by this in∣formation of the aduerse part, the reasons of the Bo∣hemians more largely explicated, and in vaine op∣pugned, should haue beene committed to the multitude in print; bua that the other Informer, hath euen in forced good men; fauouring the equitie of the cause hereunto! who surely (lest he should seeme both to him∣selfe and others ouer wise) haue thought this Information very fit to be published. Let the wise iudge whether is more solid: and let the prudent Reader adhere, and cleaue vnto that which is the plainer, and groun∣ded vpon best proofes.