Report and Answer to the Bavarian-Anhalt Secret Chancellery

Against the Bavarian-Anhaltine Chancery

B

have nothing to do with the question at hand, and are thus set aside. Furthermore, the compiler The author of the Bavarian-Anhaltine Secret Chancery, a pro-Catholic work that claimed to expose Protestant conspiracies on page 23 and following wants to portray the members of the Union original: Vniriten — the Protestant Union founded in 1608 as if their intention had been directed solely against the Roman Catholics. He tries to prove this by claiming that the Union, shortly after its beginning—namely for 30 months starting in 1610, and following year after year until 1617—collected large sums of money. He further claims that in 1618, the leaders of the Union original: capita Vnionis seized upon the Bohemian unrest for their own purposes. He alleges that before the Catholics, or even Emperor Matthias Holy Roman Emperor from 1612–1619, had recruited a single soldier for his own defense, the Union supposedly intrigued with a potentate well known to them to obtain several thousand men, 15,000 strong.

As for the first point regarding the contributions collected over time by the members of the Union, one might rightly wonder how the compiler dared to throw this so hatefully in the Union's face. After all, he knows well, and it is common knowledge in the Empire, that the Roman Catholic League (according to the notes of their alliance) has for a long time and from time to time collected significant sums of money in Cologne and other places. As can be found in their league's resolution from the year 1610 in Augsburg, they had already contributed heavily before that meeting. It was also noted that they should press the Pope and the King of Spain (who are members of their League) for the payment of outstanding quotas regular membership fees for the alliance. Likewise, they decided to dispatch the Bishop of Speyer and Count Frobenius of Helfenstein to France and Lorraine to persuade and negotiate with those kings and dukes to join their League. To strengthen the sinews of war original: nervi bellici — a common historical metaphor for money as the driving force of military power, they solemnly concluded and decreed at said meeting to plan for a tax of one-tenth upon their clergy original: decimation ihrer Clericorum. It is also well known and undeniable that the aforementioned Catholic League, several years ago, dispatched a significant embassy across the mountains original: legation ultra montes — referring to a diplomatic mission to Italy to solicit and request financial aid and assistance from the Pope and the princes and republics in Italy. From all this, the impartial reader can judge with what faith and audacity original: qua fide & fronte the author of the Bavarian Chancery original: Cancellariæ Bavaricæ can reproach and misinterpret the Union’s collected contributions, seeing as this accusation can with full right original: optimo jure and in far stronger terms original: in terminis longè fortioribus be turned back original: retorquieret against him and his Catholic League.

Regarding the second point, the treaty and negotiation with the foreign potentate (whose name the compiler mostly hides, though sometimes hardly mindful original: parum memor of his secrecy, he points clearly enough to the Duke of Savoy), it is known that he is a Prince of the Empire and traces his origin original: originem back to the Electoral Saxon line. In terms of land and people, he is...