Doctrine in result, as unfortunate Bohemia did, and sink into
sluttish "fanatical torpor, and big Crucifixes of japanned Tin by
the wayside," though in the course of subsequent years, named of
Peace, it was near doing so. Here are the steps, or unavailing
counter-steps, in that latter direction:--

A.D. 1537. Occurred, as we know, the ERBVERBRUDERUNG; Duke of
Liegnitz, and of other extensive heritages, making Deed of
Brotherhood with Kur-Brandenburg;--Deed forbidden, and so far as
might be, rubbed out and annihilated by the then King of Bohemia,
subsequently Kaiser Ferdinand I., Karl V.'s Brother. Duke of
Liegnitz had to give up his parchments, and become zero in that
matter: Kur-Brandenburg entirely refused to do so; kept his
parchments, to see if they would not turn to something.

A.D. 1624. Schlesien, especially the then Duke of Liegnitz
(great-grandson of the ERBVERBRUDERUNG one), and poor Johann
George, Duke of Jagerndorf, cadet of the then Kur-Brandenburg, went
warmly ahead into the Winter-King project, first fire of the
Thirty-Years War; sufferings from Papal encroachment, in high
quarters, being really extreme. Warmly ahead; and had to smart
sharply for it;--poor Johann George with forfeiture of Jagerndorf,
with REICHES-ACHT (Ban of the Empire), and total ruin; fighting
against which he soon died. Act of Ban and Forfeiture was done
tyrannously, said most men; and it was persisted in equally so,
till men ceased speaking of it;--Jagerndorf Duchy, fruit of the
Act, was held by Austria, ever after, in defiance of the Laws of
the Reich. Religious Oppression lay heavy on Protestant Schlesien
thenceforth; and many lukewarm individualities were brought back to
Orthodoxy by that method, successful in the diligent skilled hands