Ferdinand is one of the most bigoted Catholics living, and is
at the same time a bold and resolute man; and he had taken a solemn
vow at the shrine of Loretto that, if ever he came to the throne,
he would re-establish Catholicism throughout his dominions. Both
parties prepared for the strife; the Bohemians renounced their
allegiance to him and nominated the Elector Palatine Frederick V,
the husband of our Scotch princess, their king.
"The first blow was struck at Zablati. There a Union army, led by
Mansfeldt, was defeated by the Imperial general Bucquoi. A few days
later, however, Count Thurn, marching through Moravia and Upper
Austria, laid siege to Vienna. Ferdinand's own subjects were
estranged from him, and the cry of the Protestant army, `Equal rights
for all Christian churches,' was approved by the whole population
-- for even in Austria itself there were a very large number of
Protestants. Ferdinand had but a few soldiers, the population of
the city were hostile, and had Thurn only entered the town he could
have seized the emperor without any resistance.
"Thurn hesitated, and endeavoured instead to obtain the conditions
of toleration which the Protestants required; and sixteen Austrian
barons in the city were in the act of insisting upon Ferdinand
signing these when the head of the relieving army entered the city.
Thurn retired hastily.
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