Page:Zawis and Kunigunde (1895).djvu/153

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MARRIAGE OF ZAWIS AND KUNIGUNDE
149

Then Lord Zawis said, “I have received advices from Hungary that afford reassurance to myself, but which forebode distress to our brethren in that region. King Ladislaus is good enough to say in a communicaton to myself: ‘I cannot forget the generous devotion of your family to my grandfather, King Bela, during his severe experience when compelled to flee to Lissa from the Tartars. The high behests of state policy, and the altered relations of Hungary to the empire compel us adopt a procedure conformable to that inaugurated in Bohemia by the emperor and his dynasty. The unity of my government requires, likewise, the repression of growing divisions in the church; and efforts must be directed to abate this evil. During our proceedings, however, although the severity of existing laws is again put in force, you may rest assured that your own territories, castles, and retainers shall be respected.’”

“This is a distressing reassurance,” observed Lord Drda. “The King intimates severities towards dissidents in his own estates; and also threatens to revive the old hostility of Hungary against Moravia, and his resolve to secure again Hungarian dominion over Southern Moravia and the Adriatic coast, from which our late prince expelled his predecessor.”

“We may rest without apprehension, on that point,” answered Zawis. “The bargain made by Rudolph with Rome excludes Hungary absolutely from the Adriatic provinces. That condition is well known in Venice and was in fact intimated by the answer of the emperor to the Venetian deputation of three