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A PROCLAMATION: Being His Imperial Majesty's Act of Oblivion to the Hungarian Rebels.
WE Leopold, by the Grace of God Elect Emperor of the Romans, alwayes August, and King of Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Dal∣matia, Croatia, Sclavonia, &c. Archdeke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Marque's of More∣via, Earl of Habspurge, Tyrol, & Gorisia, &c. Do hereby make known to all, and every the Inhabitants of our Kingdom of Hungary, and of the States and Councils of all Places thereto adjoining, to wit, Prelates and Barons, Peers and Noblemen, as also to the Free and Royal Cities, and to all others of what Estate, Degree, Rank and Condition soever, whom in any wife it may concern: That as all Christendom cannot but remain satisfied of the effectual and Fatherly Care we have hitherto employed for the redeeming our Realm of Hungary from the Domestick Troubles in which it has been involved, and thereby brought to great Extremities, and restoring it to a Peaceable and Flou∣rishing Condition; so the same may more fully appear by the Directions we have given to Persons of the greatest Quality, and eminently affected to Peace, by the Conditions offered at several times to the Rebels, and lastly by the Dyet held at Oedenburg, which we summoned as the only Expedient to remove the present Distempers, and at which, not without eminent Danger to Our Self we assisted in Person, not doubting but that our continuall Labours and Vigilance, for reducing that Noble Kingdom to its former Obedience to its Lawful King, and its own Quiet would prove very succesful and profitable. But on the contrary, so far has the Disaflection of certain Persideous Men, and the Private Ambition of others by their private Malice prevailed, that they have defeated the Sincere Hearty Designs of Loyal Patriots; for such was the Wicked Impudence of these Rebels, that by False Perswasions they seduced many other Inhabi∣tants of this our Kingdom to their Part, having by Purchase and Contract sold thus Apostolical Kingdom to the Turkish Yoke, actually joyned them∣selves with the most Barbarous and Hereditary Enemy of Christendom, and Consumed with Fire and Sword the Inhabitants of their Own Country, and our other Loyal Provinces, till it pleased God, in Assistance to our Just Cause, to give us repeated Victories, as well over the Turks as our Rebels. What King or Prince can with Patience bear such Obstinacy of their Subjects, and their Disobedient taking up Arms against their King ? but will not rather pro∣ceed against them with all Severity ? But although We might with justice employ Our Conquering Arms against them, yet such is the Native Affe∣ction, and the Singular Love We have alwayes retained for this most Ancient Kingdom, and Constant Bulwark of Christendom, that We have rather made choice to extend Our Mercy, then inflict condign Punishment upon them, and do still make it Our business to rescue, by all Favourable Wayes and Methods, the Seduced Vulgar from the Bonds of perpetual Misery, to wit, the Turkish Yoke, whereunto the Heads of the Rebellion deceiptfully en∣deavour to subject them. Being therefore desirous, out of Our Fatherly Affection, to remove all Specious and Wicked Pretences, which we find are re∣presented to the Unwary, after having in vain tryed so many and so differerent Wayes to reduce those that had Erred, We have thought fit by this Our Fatherly Love, to Invite, and Restore unto Our Mercy All and Every the Accomplices in the late Rebellion and Revault (None execpted) who sensibly and firmly Repent; hereby Promising Seriously and Firmly, upon the Word of a King, That they who shall before the Last Day of the Moneth of February next ensuing, make Abjuration of the Horrid Rebellion, and their Wicked Associating with the Turks and Obstinate Traytors, before the Commissioners thereunto impowered by Us, and who are to enter the middle of this Moneth upon the said Function at Presburg, and shall again take the Oath of Allegiance due from them unto their Kings, and continue Dutiful Subjects hereafter, All and Singular such Subjects have a general Indemnity and Oblivion, and be more∣over restored to their Ancient Nobility, Fame, and Honours, as also to all their Goods, as well Immoveable as Moveable, which shall be found, and shall be put in Actual Possession of what they have lost, by Our Commissioners aforesaid, in this behalf appointed. Still provided, That if any of those that shall return, had heretofore any Dignity, Employment, or Office in the Kingdom, such Persons shall give a particuler Account thereof unto the aforesaid Commissioners, who shall treat with them about receiving the said Dignities, and upon Representation of his or their respective Cases, shall receive Our Royal Pleasure. And to the intent that the Common Soldiers of Hungary, and their Officers, perticularly those that have been formerly dismist from Our Royal Service, may, not be Deprived of their Necessary Maintenance, We will take Effectual Care, by Our said Commissioners, that they be Immediately and Actual∣ly received into Pay in the Guarrisons of the Kingdom through the Generalties, or in the Trained Bands of Hungary. Furthermore, Our Counties and Cities have Leave by their Deputies, being thereunto sufficiently Authorized, to appear before Our said Commissioners, and make their Submission, as aforesaid, to whom as likewise to all others who design to Resort to Our Commissioners, all and every Our Military Officers shall without Fees give Passes and Safe∣guards, for their Going and Return. And whereas we have amongst other things enjoyned Our said Commissioners, that upon Complaint grounded upon the Re∣solutions of the late Diet of Oedemburg, (which we resolve shall be wholly & inviolably observed) Right shall be respectively done unto them, either in Restoring them to their Goods on Tirles or in Pursuance of the 25th or 26th Articles of the said Assembly and Resolution of the Diet, to the free Exercise of their Religion, or Churches, and Schooles, such Person shall by Our said Commissioner, be put into actual Possession thereof, who shall have Liberty to demand the Assistance of Our said Commissioners to make good their Claim. And whereas the Proclamation so much spoken of by all Pepole, that was Issued at Our Coronation, in the Year 1655. is liable to so many Ambiguoas and several Obscure Interpretations, that according to the Meaning and Construction of some People, the very Basis and Foundation of Royal Authority and Government, as Experience has shown, must of necessity be shaken by it, and the very States and People be divided among themselves with Discord and Hatred: Wee have therefore given Order to Our Commissioners, to Advice and Consult with Persons expert in the Interests of Hungary, and lovers of Peace, concerning the true meaning of that Proclamation, and the Assertaining the same, to the end that that which is the chiefest thing in all Kingdomes, to wit, a true Understanding, may be had between the King and his People, and a lasting Foundation may be laid to the Publick State, as well in Spiritual, as Temporal Affairs. Moreover that an Equal Administration of Justice to the Highest and Meanest, and a cer∣tain Method and Order may be established in Our Royal Exchequer, and in Military Affairs; that by Our previous Endeavour and Study in the next Diet, which we shall not fail so suddenly to call, as by God's Assistance the present Troubles will permit, the aforesaid Proclamation may by farther Consent and Agreement of the Nobility and States, according to the Custome of the Land, be made a Firm and Perpetual Ordinance, to the end that this Famous Kingdome and Nation may be Restored to its Antient Splendour and Glory, and that the Subjects thereof, may with united Minds and Strength contend with their King in order to the Delivery of Themselves, their Churches, their Wives, Children and Country, from the most Barberous Yoke of the Turkish Tyrant. We therefore most earnestly exhort all of what State and Condition soever that they make use of this Our most Merciful and Fatherly Intention, of Composing the Troubles of this Noble Kingdome, and of providing for them and their Posterity, that they adhere not to the Fallacies of Ambitious Men, who in these Troubles seek only their own Advantage; but that rather by a due Submission, they return to the Duty they owe their King, and en∣deavour to Restore to their Country, the sweetness of a lasting Peace; and to this end we do of our more abundant Grace declare our Willingness to Pardon them. But against such as shall obstinately refuse or neglect this Our tender Grace and Indemnity, and to apply themselves to Our aforesaid Com∣missioners within the time appointed, and shall consequently Persevere in Contriving the Ruin of their King, their Country, and all Christendom; We will pro∣ceed according to the utmost Severity and Rigour or the Laws, as People by that very Fact Convicted of Treason, Condemned and Out-Lawed. Wherefore we Protect before God, Our Posterity, and the whole Christian World, that we are Clear and Innocent, as to all the Desolations, Calamities and Miseries which shall by this Occasion happen to our Kingdome, the Inhabitants of the Neighbouring Provinces, and all Christendom, as having used all Imagi∣nable Means for the Redressing of them, and consequently are only to be Imputed to those, who Preferring their Unlimited Ambition and License to Plunder, be∣fore their own Country and State, refuse the offers of the Royal and Paternal Indulgence so often Repeated to them. Given at Our Castle at LINTZ, January the 12th. Anrio Dommini 1684. Of Our Reign over the Romans the 26th. over the Hungarians and the rest, the 29th. but over the Bohemi∣ans the 28th.
Leopold
JOHN GUBASOIRY, Bishop of NITRIA. JOHN MAHOLAU.
L.S.