The Glöselian Duel: Two Opposing Opinions on Religious Freedom for the Hungarian Estates

...be able to marry together. What "happiness and salvation" has resulted for the Roman Emperor original: Käy. (Kaiser), the princes, lords, and counselors, as well as for the lands themselves, is unfortunately clear as day. Nowadays, the Articles of Faith are formulated according to people’s shifting dispositions original: Humores — referring to the ancient theory of bodily fluids governing temperament; here used to mean personal whims or political moods and are changed annually through these concessions Refers to political-religious compromises such as the Peace of Passau or the Peace of Augsburg.

Alongside this, the Catholics have lost their religion, bishoprics, monasteries, churches, jurisdictions, and income; they have been driven out by their own people, and in their place, idolatrous abominations have been established. All German trust has come to an end; the princes have many times forgotten their oaths sworn upon the Gospel and have risen against their Emperor with an armed hand original Latin: armata manu. They were followed by their subjects, who wished to root out their own lords.

Meanwhile, the Turk The Ottoman Empire has brought almost all of Hungary under his power, besieged the city of Vienna, and burned Austria. Unfortunately, these various heresies have now so possessed the people that they would rather live under the Turk than under Catholic authority. Therefore, whenever Your Princely Serenity original: Ew. Fürstl. Durchl. (Euer Fürstlichen Durchlaucht) obtained victory against the hereditary enemy A standard early modern term for the Ottoman Empire during these times of war, such people became sad and faint-hearted. For the advancement of their heresy, they would have rather granted victory to the Turk than to Your Princely Serenity, simply because you are Catholic.

It is also obvious and clear as day that the Arians, Calvinists, and Lutherans—and similar rebels against God and the true religion—have broken their oaths in Hungary. They have now allied themselves original Latin: confœderirt with the Turk and permitted their heresy [to cause] so many thousands of Christians to be cut down, led away into eternal Turkish servitude, and...