head, and the Moravians began to call themselves “the faithful subjects of Matthias.”
Matthias now tried to carry out the same plan in Bohemia, and accordingly appointed a Diet to meet at Caslau, himself starting for the country with an army of 25,000 men.
Rudolph, now greatly alarmed, called a Diet to meet at Prague, and the States readily responded to the call, while but a very small number made their appearance at Caslau. The king asked aid of the Diet against his brother, who evidently intended to usurp all his power. The States now decided to turn the dilemma of the king to their own advantage; and therefore, before they would consent to discuss the need of the hour, they drew up a series of articles demanding a guarantee for full liberty of conscience. These resolutions bore the signatures of all the higher States professing the Protestant faith, and also of the royal cities, with the exception of Kodan, Budweis, and Pilsen. Sorely pressed, Rudolph agreed to all the articles except two, that provided for full liberty of conscience to all, irrespective of the class to which they belonged. The Diet then voted men and supplies to aid the king against Matthias.
The army of Rudolph soon equaled in numbers that of Matthias; still the latter marched into the country until within a mile from Prague. The two brothers then began to treat for peace. With the consent of the Bohemian States, Rudolph ceded to Matthias the government of Hungary, the whole of Austria, and Moravia, and recommended him to the States as his successor.
Matthias, returning to his government as the vic-
