Religious animosities, which had begun to subside, broke 

 out afresh, and the Jesuits, growing bolder as they acquired 

 more power, induced Rudolph to further curb the liberties of 

 the Protestants, thereby exasperating many of his best sub- 

 jects and engendering jealousy and hatred among all ranks. 

 Moreover, feuds between the Lutherans and Calvinists divided 

 the Protestant party into two camps arrayed against each 

 other, a situation of which the Catholics were not slow to 

 avail themselves. The Order founded by Loyola seized upon 

 the revival in art, literature and science to accomplish their 

 schemes ; they secured the adhesion of Pontanus, one of the 

 Emperor's poets laureate, and he became a most eloquent 

 and zealous preacher; they induced the wealthy and power- 

 ful William von Rosenberg to establish an institution for the 

 education of the poor, and the pupils under Jesuit training 

 became active in propagating the policy of their masters. 



The principal Protestant body in the kingdom was known 

 as "The Brethren", or "The Brotherhood"; in the religious com- 

 munities of this order the individual members were expected to 

 earn their livelihood by the work of their hands ; all being on 

 an equal footing, even the clergy were expected to follow the 

 example of the Apostolic tentmaker. This charming theory 

 of equality, fraternity and liberty was however disturbed by 

 the admission to the Brotherhood of certain aristocratic and 

 opulent magnates whose cooperation in resisting their ag- 

 gressive opponents was of worldly advantage ; dissensions 

 within the Brotherhood ensued and its members became un- 

 popular. Perceiving this the Jesuit party urged the nobles to 

 drive out the revolutionary heretics from their estates, a 

 scheme which was partly successful; Lutheran schools were 

 closed, liberty of conscience was restricted, and the Emperor 

 sought to suppress the literature published by the Reformers 

 in two decrees : he suspended all printing presses except two 



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