Page:The History of the Bohemian Persecution (1650).djvu/26

 guage, which is yet extant.

3. But when their ucceours, by reaon of certain inhibitions iuing from Rome, uffered the ue of their naturall language again to fall, Wratilaus Duke of ohemia (who hortly after for his heroick acts, and deerts in the Roman Empire, was created King) ent Ambaadors to Rome, and by them requeted of Gregory the 7. a confirmation of the liberty heretofore olemnly granted unto them. But what he obtained is manifet iuin [sic] Hajecius (a Popih-writer) who fully ets down Pope Gregory’s anwer page, 136. which tranlated out of the ohemian language (for the Latine verion, is not extant, or not to us) is as followeth.

Gregory the ihop, ervant of the ervants of God, to Wratilaus Duke of ohemia, ''health and Apotolicall benediction. Amongt other Petitions your Highnee by letters hath requested of us, that we would permit you to exercie divine ervice in the free ue of the Slavonian tongue. Know therefore beloved on, that we cannot by any meanes grant your Petition. Becaue frequently meditating upon the Scripture, we find that it hath been, and is well pleaing to the Omnipotent God, that divine worhip be performed in an unknown tongue, leat it be undertood by every one, and promicuouly, epceiallyespecially [sic] by the more ruae and ignorant, for if it hould be openly and commonly talked of by all, it would eaily come into contempt and didain, or if it could not be'' under-