Page:History of the Thirty Years' War - Gindely - Volume 1.djvu/189

 news of this action, and described its authors as “foolish and crazy.” The Elector of Saxony, who had never solicited the Bohemian election, and would not have accepted it, felt the more unpleasantly affected by the election of another prince, as his own hopes of it had been the more decided, and as he had desired to make his boast of declining it.

On the contrary, the Elector of the Palatinate, who still remained at Amberg, felt indeed flattered that the election had fallen upon him, but was also uneasy because the Bohemians had not waited, as was agreed, for the concurrence of James. He uttered himself confidentially to the Prince of Anhalt as ready to accept the crown, but would put off the expression of this until he should receive from the King of England, whom he had informed of these occurrences, an approving reply. The Palsgrave should indeed have concerned himself, not only about the approval and support of England, but should also have considered what opinions might be held in France in regard to the Bohemian quarrel. It was not necessary for him to inquire there; he had it without asking for it. The French Secretary of State, Puysieux, blamed the Palsgrave for his opposition in the imperial election, advised, after Ferdinand’s elevation, the peaceful settlement of the dispute, and when he now received the news that the Palsgrave was elected King, warned him against the acceptance of the proffered crown, on the ground that the house of Austria would use its utmost power to hold Bohemia. But the lustre of the offered crown dazzled the young prince, so that he laid no weight upon this warning, if he might but receive the support of England.