Page:History of the Thirty Years' War - Gindely - Volume 1.djvu/91

 which prepared them for any act that might bring about a transformation of existing relations. Thurn was therefore determined to give the signal for the outbreak of rebellion, and place himself at its head. For his own security he wished, in the very beginning, to make the breach irreparable, so that the return of his companions in the faith to the old order would be impossible as was his own. The most appropriate means for bringing this about would be to assassinate the Regents, and the plan for this originated in Thurn’s brain.

He gave the first indication of this design during the assembling in the Carolinum, as related above, while the answer to be returned to the Regency was under consideration. He said in confidence to some standing near him that the endeavors of the Estates would not succeed unless they made a “demonstration.” His look and movements left no doubt as to what he meant by a demonstration, so that some counselled him against violence, lest this might lead to a great war. A few hours later he was visited at his lodgings by the advocate, Martin Fruewein, a resident of Prague, to whom he said that there was nothing to be done but to throw several persons from the windows. The final decision as to the fatal act was made in the course of the 22d of May, in a conference held in the palace of the wealthy Albert Smir̃ickýSmiřický [sic] [Smiritzky]. The last discussion of the subject took place there, and those known to have participated in it, or been privy to its import, were Albert Smir̃ickýSmiřický [sic], Budowec, the two brothers Kinský, Wenceslas von Ruppa, Colonna von Fels, and the two brothers R&#771;ic&#771;anŘíčan [sic] [Ritchan] Ruppa, and Fels, may be regarded, in connection with Thurn, as sole originators of the violent act which followed, while all the others, Budowec not excepted, were afterwards won to the scheme.