truth, beyond the
fact that it is a general row between the Protestants and Catholics, I
have not troubled myself much in the matter."

"You must know," Colonel Munro began, "that some twenty years ago the
Protestant princes of Germany formed a league for mutual protection and
support, which they called the Protestant Union; and a year later the
Catholics, on their side, constituted what they called the Holy League.
At that time the condition of the Protestants was not unbearable. In
Bohemia, where they constituted two-thirds of the population, Rudolph
II, and after him Mathias, gave conditions of religious freedom.

"Gradually, however, the Catholic party about the emperor gained the
upper hand; then various acts in breach of the conditions granted to the
Protestants were committed, and public spirit on both sides became
much embittered. On the 23d of May, 1618, the Estates of Bohemia met
at Prague, and the Protestant nobles, headed by Count Thurn, came there
armed, and demanded from the Imperial councillors an account of the high
handed proceedings. A violent quarrel ensued, and finally the Protestant
deputies seized the councillors Martinitz and Slavata, and their
secretary, and hurled them from the window into the dry ditch, fifty
feet below. Fortunately for the councillors the ditch contained a
quantity of light rubbish, and they and their secretary escaped without
serious damage. The incident, however, was the commencement of war.
Bohemia was almost independent of Austria, administering its own
internal affairs. The Estates invested Count Thurn with the command of
the army. The Protestant Union supported Bohemia in its action. Mathias,
who was himself a tolerant and well meaning man, tried to allay the
storm; but, failing to do so, marched an army into Bohemia.

"Had Mathias lived matters would probably have arranged themselves,
but he died the following spring, and was succeeded by Ferdinand II.
Ferdinand is one of the most bigoted Catholics living, and is at the
same time a bold and resolute man; and he had taken a solemn vow at
the shrine of Loretto that, if ever he came to the throne, he would
re-establish Catholicism throughout his dominions. Both parties prepared
for the strife; the Bohemians renounced their allegiance to him and
nominated the Elector Palatine Frederick V, the husband of our Scotch
princess, their king.

"The first blow was struck at Zablati. There a Union army, led by
Mansfeldt, was de