Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/409

 Prague, and immediately pointed to the three regents who had before refused to sign the amnesty when the Letter of Majesty had been granted, as the true authors of the message. A copy of the letter having been secured for the consideration of the States, their anger, instead of abating, increased, until they resolved to take fearful vengeance upon the three traitors, as they called the regents.

On the morning of May 23, 1618, the States, among whom the leaders were Henry, Count of Thurn, Linhard of Fels, and Joachimslick, met at the Carolinum, and, arming themselves, proceeded with a large number of attendants to the citadel of Hradschin, where they were received by the four regents then in Prague, Adam of Sternberg, William Slavata, Jaroslay Martinec, and Depold of Lobkovic. The speaker of the States, Paul of Ricany, demanded to know who had put up the king to sending them such an ungracious reply; and when the regents refused to give any satisfactory reply, he began to reproach them bitterly as being the disturbers of the public peace, the cause of all the trouble, and that they aimed at nothing less than to deprive the country of Rudolph’s Letter of Majesty. At this point the chief burggrave, Adam of Sternberg, warned them not to resort to any acts of violence; upon which Linhard of Fels replied that they had nothing against him, nor against any one else except these two,—pointing to Slavata and Martinec.

Some one then cried out that it were best to throw these two traitors out of the window. Some of the party then took Adam of Sternberg and Depold of Lobkovie, and led them out of the room, while others