Forerunner of the Necessary Defense of Noble Evangelical Persons

Prodromus or Foreword

...subversion / and thus an unknown and unbearable absolute rule original Latin: "dominatus absolutus" is introduced and forced upon the neck of the Empire / the aforementioned foundation is snatched away / and everything is thrown into a heap / while at the same time the Evangelical Religion This refers to the Lutheran and Reformed (Protestant) faiths protected by the Peace of Augsburg. is suppressed in all places / and may be rooted out: These are now the crimes of high treason original Latin: "crimina læsæ majestatis"; legal term for offenses against the sovereign or state., the offenses / for which innocent persons of high and low standing must suffer so heavily / and moreover be disparaged with insults / whereas the secret practices / which have been carried out for a long time now / but never more strongly than in the current situation original: "conjunctur" / have rightly incited them to the indicated zeal / as loyal patriots / and their office and duty / solely to preserve the public good / has driven them to it / and it is nowhere found / but rather the opposite is to be perceived from those—albeit distorted—writings in the Anhalt Chancery The "Anhalt Chancery" refers to a collection of diplomatic papers belonging to Christian of Anhalt, the leader of the Protestant Union, which were captured by Imperial forces and published as propaganda to frame the Protestants as traitors. / nor is it to be believed / indeed, it is not even to be presumed / that for the sake of an uncertain private benefit / they should have taken upon themselves so much danger / hatred / and envy / as well as heavy expenses.

What, however, on the other side / is the intention / and the universal aim / regarding the Evangelicals / whom they consider heretics / and whom they must swear to persecute to the best of their ability original Latin: "pro virili" in almost all their oaths original Latin: "juramentis" / to which they are also constantly driven by the Jesuit spirit A common Protestant rhetorical trope during the Thirty Years' War, accusing the Society of Jesus of being the masterminds behind Imperial aggression. / that is indeed very well and best known to those / who have been more watchful / zealous / and careful than others in this regard / but now, through God's special providence...