Page:History of the Thirty Years' War - Gindely - Volume 1.djvu/141

 adjourned a definitive decision until after some questions which he put should have been answered. Ahaz von Dohna was instructed to inform himself thoroughly as to whether the Bohemian Estates were justified in their movement, and whether they possessed the right of election. In case of a solution of these questions satisfactory to the Elector’s conscience, Dohna was to look into the difficulties in which Frederic might be involved by the acceptance of the crown, and to have it understood that its simple bestowment upon his person, without at the same time securing it as the inheritance of his posterity, would not be a gift worth the outlay which it would require. The Palsgrave, however, promised to aid the Bohemians with a loan of 100,000 florins. At the same time he sent Count Mansfeld, who could for the present, after the capture of Pilsen, be spared from the theatre of the war, to Turin, in order to pursue the negotiations there, and by all means to urge the Duke to furnish ampler aid. Mansfeld found the Duke still inclined to respond to the hopes which were set upon him, but, in this instance, upon a condition in regard to which it was doubtful whether either the Bohemians or the Elector would accept it. Charles Emanuel would enter with all his might into the cause of the Bohemians only on the condition that the crown of their land should be conferred upon him, and that the Elector of the Palatinate should content himself with the gaining of the provinces of Hither-Austria. On this condition he was was ready to support 6,000 to 7,000 men and still add a subsidy of one and half million ducats.