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 army was collected and equipped, the king, in direct opposition to the laws of the country, ordered it to march out of the country against the Elector. The officers, however, refused obedience, saying that no other authority except the State Diet could order them to lead their troops out of the country. Most of them returned home, and only a small part followed the king. This so enraged Ferdinand that he determined to mete out to them signal punishment. Some were fined, some imprisoned, and the king even went so far as to order one to be beheaded. There is no knowing to what extremes his wrath would have led him, had not his queen interceded in behalf of the offenders. This good Queen Anna unfortunately died soon after (January, 1547), and the Bohemians lost a faithful friend, who doubtless would have averted many of the misfortunes that befell the country.

In the beginning of the year 1547, Ferdinand issued a proclamation asking the States to be prepared to go out with him to aid the emperor in the war against the Smalkald League. Such a document, issued without the sanction of the States assembled in a Diet, was a direct violation of the laws of the nation; consequently they refused to comply with the request. Still many of the lords met their sovereign in Litomeritz to discuss the question, and, if possible, come to some agreement. The king, being under great pressure, excused the omission of calling the Diet on account of the urgency of the case, and, further to conciliate his subjects, left it to their own free will whether they should help him with money or follow his standards against his enemies. Nevertheless, the proclamation caused a great deal of uneasiness in