Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/412

 the regents under strict guard after they had sought refuge at the house of Lobkovic, showed a confidence in his enemies that was almost childish. Slavata repaid this magnanimity by spying out the doings of the Directors, and reporting them in Vienna, thus storing up material out of which the government obtained evidence that afterwards cost some of them their lives.

After the tragedy of May 23d, the indignation of the States began to cool, until finally it gave place to fear; and although the preparations for self-defense were continued, they sent a humble apology to King Matthias begging his pardon, and saying that what they had done had been done to the disturbers of the public good, and that, as far as he was concerned, they wished to remain his loyal subjects. Matthias, being influenced by his favorite, Cardinal Khlesl, the Bishop of Vienna, entered into peaceful negotiations with the Bohemian lords. By this means they gained time for more extensive preparations, and soon their example was followed by other countries of the dominions of Matthias. The Diet of Hungary, which had not yet accepted Ferdinand for their king, now refused to do so, unless he first subscribed to very hard conditions. Upper Austria and Moravia would not allow any troops to be raised in their territory against Bohemia. The people of Silesia and Lusatia, taking advantage of the straits in which the emperor was found, made demands for certain rights and privileges. Count Thurn besieged Budweis.

As soon as the revolution broke out, Ferdinand, the elected King of Bohemia, advised Matthias to embrace the opportunity to take away the Lefter of Majesty and other liberties and