against heresy. The church thus proposed to annihilate, as in Spain, the most industrious, frugal, and intelligent elements of her population, that had restored prosperity after the terrible Tartar ravages of 1241. “If Ladislaus,” he often remarked, “chooses to root out, like the Alfonsos, the best portion of his own people, I shall have less fears of any occasion for another Kressenbrünn. The less power he possesses at home the more secure is the Adriatic from his ambition.” in this policy Venice steadily encouraged the emperor; and the Senate countenanced the diversion of the stream of trade from Hungary and Bohemia to the Tyrol. This trade speedily languished indeed; but the shrewd liberation of Venetian trade from the guild that had held it, enabled the queen of the Adriatic to augment her commerce with Barcelona, Sicily, Italy, England, and even the Baltic, almost to the total deprivation of Rudolph of any share. At this date the foundation of French, English, and Dutch commerce was imperishably laid. A momentary supposed advantage to his dynasty from the support of the ecclesiastics totally blinded Ladislaus to every such consideration. In conformity to his policy, Brother Primus easily obtained authority to enforce the revived laws against heresy; and Gran became his objective point. Accordingly at Ofen he kept close watch on Solomon’s movements; and when the latter had discharged his commission for Lord Zawis he started for Gran in order to advise Pietro, Lord Boppo, and his friends of the renewal of legalized severities. To afford them such
