Page:History of the Thirty Years' War - Gindely - Volume 1.djvu/82

 work could be quickly accomplished in the remaining cities. In this behalf instruction was, on the 4th of November, 1617, issued to the royal judges of the several parishes into which Prague was divided, containing new ordinances of city government. To these judges, to whom, since the time of Ferdinand I., the jurisdiction had been entrusted, larger powers were given; henceforth they were to preside over all the assemblies of the parishes; they were to examine all their acts; nothing was to be counselled or concluded without their foreknowledge; no session of the parish council was to be held without their permission; finally, all the accounts of the parish were to be laid before them for inspection and approval.

This instruction excited astonishment, indeed, as violently threatening the self-government of the parishes of Prague; but its contents are not exhausted in the points already mentioned. The judges were directed to look over the catalogues of all the corporate foundations of the churches severally, and ascertain whether each was administered in exact accordance with its charter, and if this should in any case not be found true, to see to it that all be restored to their original purposes. If one reflects that nearly all the ecclesiastical property in Bohemia originated before the time of Huss, and none later than the year 1609, it will be perceived that this point of the instructions had no other purpose than to drive the Protestants from the possession of the property conceded to them in 1609 for all future time, and either give this to the Catholics or simply confiscate it. It would be simple obedience to this instruction if the royal chamberlains at this time declined to pay to the Protestant clergy the instalments due them from established funds, on the ground that these were not specified for the adherents of