Forerunner of the Necessary Defense of Noble Evangelical Persons

against the Anhalt Chancery.

...it has come clearly to light / so that it is only right to give thanks for it / and to hold that His Almighty / as if from the high heavens / intended to put up this warning as a sign to all Evangelicals At this time, "Evangelical" referred to the Protestant estates, including both Lutherans and the Reformed, who stood together against the Catholic imperial forces. / so that they might henceforth take better precautions / properly consider their common welfare / and thus no longer permit that, through the illegal and harmful encroachment that has been undertaken, a knife be set to all their throats A vivid metaphor indicating an immediate, existential threat of execution or total destruction. for their final ruin and extermination / for which they would find it difficult to answer before the face of God / at the Last Judgment / and to our beloved posterity original: "Posteritet"; referring to the future generations who would inherit the consequences of their ancestors' actions..

So that these great dangers may be all the better recognized / several recently intercepted letters These were actual diplomatic correspondences captured during the conflict, which the Protestants published to prove a Catholic conspiracy against them. / sent in the German / Latin / Romance original: "Welscher"; a term used for French or Italian. and Spanish languages / have been shared in print with all Evangelicals for the aforementioned purpose. Indeed, great care has been taken / to faithfully translate the same from the said languages into High German / as every person shall find to be the case upon comparison / since each of these letters shall also be printed separately in its original language.

The originals original: "Originalia"; the physical primary documents. have been seen and read by many Princes / and Estates of the Realm / as well as other distinguished persons / who have diligently considered the handwriting as well as the seals original: "Pittschafften"; wax seals used to authenticate letters. and other circumstances; they shall furthermore be properly preserved original: "asservirt," from the Latin asservare; kept safely under guard. / so that no doubt can be cast upon them / especially as the drafts may be found within each person's chancery and repository original: "repositur"; an archive or storage place for official records. /