“O Prague, unthankful Prague, who hast been so highly elevated by me; now thou spurnest at thy benefactor.  May the curse and vengeance of God fall upon thee and all Bohemia.”

The 23d of May was appointed for the coronation.  The nobles drew up a paper, which they required Rhodolph to sign, absolving his subjects from their oath of allegiance to him.  The degraded king writhed in helpless indignation, for he was a captive.  With the foolish petulance of a spoiled child, as he affixed his signature in almost an illegible scrawl, he dashed blots of ink upon the paper, and then, tearing the pen to pieces, threw it upon the floor, and trampled it beneath his feet.

It was still apprehended that the adherents of Rhodolph might make some armed demonstration in his favor.  As a precaution against this, the city was filled with troops, the gates closed, and carefully guarded.  The nobles met in the great hall of the palace.  It was called a meeting of the States, for it included the higher nobles, the higher clergy, and a few citizens, as representatives of certain privileged cities.  The forced abdication of Rhodolph was first read.  It was as follows:—­

“In conformity with the humble request of the States of our kingdom, we graciously declare the three estates, as well as all the inhabitants of all ranks and conditions, free from all subjection, duty and obligation; and we release them from their oath of allegiance, which they have taken to us as their king, with a view to prevent all future dissensions and confusion.  We do this for the greater security and advantage of the whole kingdom of Bohemia, over which we have ruled six-and-thirty years, where we have almost always resided, and which, during our administration, has been maintained in peace, and increased in riches and splendor.  We accordingly, in virtue of this present voluntary resignation, and after due reflection, do, from this day, release our subjects from all duty and obligation.”

Matthias was then chosen king, in accordance with all the ancient customs of the hereditary monarchy of Bohemia.  The States immediately proceeded to his coronation.  Every effort was made to dazzle the multitude with the splendors of the coronation, and to throw a halo of glory around the event, not merely as the accession of a new monarch to the throne, but as the introduction of a great reform in reinstating the nation in its pristine rights.

While the capital was resounding with these rejoicings, Rhodolph had retired to a villa at some distance from the city, in a secluded glen among the mountains, that he might close his ears against the hateful sounds.  The next day Matthias, fraternally or maliciously, for it is not easy to judge which motive actuated him, sent a stinging message of assumed gratitude to his brother, thanking him for relinquishing in his brother’s favor his throne and his palaces, and expressing the hope that they might still live together in fraternal confidence and affection.