BOH 



inifi-'d, that, on account of liis lit-reditary kingdom of Bobe- 

 niia, and of the countries belonging to it, he will pay an 

 eleftoral proportion of all taxes and impolls of the empire 

 and circle, and alfo joo florins yearly to the chamber- 

 judicator)- ; the colleftive body of the empire engagin'^ 

 at the fume time, to take tlie kingdom ot Bohemia, and 

 the countries united with it, under its protection and 

 defence. 



Bohemia, ever fincc the time of Cliarles IV., has been di- 

 vided into twelve circles, befides Prague, vvhxh is confidcrd 

 as a diftinft territci-y. Thefe are Kaurzimer (comprchmd- 

 ing Great Prague), Pilfner, Lentmeritzer, Konigingratzer, 

 Rakowitzer (including Btraun), Chrudinicr, Prjichintr, Sla- 

 ner (comprehending LitUe Prague), Bunzlaner, Saatzer, 

 Czadaucr, and Bcchiner. Each circle has two head-men, or 

 captains, appointed annually, for the adminiftration of the go- 

 vernment, one from the llatc of lords, and the other from that 

 of knights. The duchy of Siltfia, the marquifate of Mo- 

 ravia, and that of Lufatia, formerly held of this crown, but 

 at prefent only Moravia, which is incorporated with the 

 kingdom of Bohemia, and is in pofTcfTian of the houfe of 

 Auilria. In I 742, the county of Glatz was ceded to the 

 king of Prufila, and by him added to SiUfia. The govcrii- 

 ment of Boliemia is managed by fix different courts ; viz. 

 the council of the regency, or great roval council, in which 

 prefides the great judge or bun^iavc of Bohemia, wlio has 

 under him iS hcutenants of tlie king, and other aflefTors ; 

 the council, or fuperior chamber of juftice, at which the 

 great mailer of the kingdom is prefident ; the ch?.mb;r of 

 iiefs ; the new tribunal, to judge the appeals of the Ger- 

 man vafTals, with its prclident, vieeprefident, and aflefTors ; 

 the roval chamber of finances, with a prefident and vicc- 

 prefident ; and the chancery, which always follows the court. 

 The llates, confilling of the clergy, nobility, and gentry, 

 and rcp'efentatives of the towns, nuet at Piague, where a 

 commilTiontr from the iovereign points out the necefiity of 

 granting fnch fupplies as the court demands, which, how- 

 ever exorbitant, are granted without hefitation or examina- 

 tion, though not fometimes without fubfequent complaint. 

 The clergy are compofed of the archbirtiop of Prague, fe- 

 vcral bifliops, provofts, and abbots, befides the, inferior 

 clergy. The nobility confift of princes, counts, barons, 

 and knights ; the others are burghers, hulbandmen, and 

 peafants. 



The ellabliflied religion of Bohemia is popery ; but there 

 are manv protcRaiits among the inliabitaiits, who are now to- 

 lerated by the wife regulations of Jofeph II. in the free 

 txercife of their religion. The Jews at Prague are in- 

 dulged alfo with a toleration. The archbirtiop of this city is 

 born legate of the lioly apoftolic fee of Rome, and crowns 

 the king of Bohemia ; lie is alfo a prince of the holy Roman 

 empire, primate of the kingdom, and perpetual ch.ancellor 

 of the univerfity of Prague. His fuffragans are the bi- 

 fiiopsof Leutmeritz and Konigingralz. The goyernment of 

 the church and clergy is veiled in the archlcpifcopal confillory, 

 from wh-ch an appeal lies to the king or the pope. 



The extent of Bohemia, and alfo its population, have been 

 varioufly cllimattd. Its length is about 162 miles, and its 

 breadth 142. Some centuries ago, the inhabitants were efti- 

 matcd at thr^-e millions; but in later times they have been very 

 much diminifhtd. It is faid, that in the year 1622, and the 

 three or four following years, no fewer than 30,000 families, 

 and many other individuals quitted the country, among 

 whom were many of the nobility, on account of the inteftine 

 religious wars, and tiie fuccecding irruptions of the Swedes. 

 In M. Hocck's " Statiftical View of the States of Ger- 

 many, &c." 1 80 1, the kingdom of Bohemia is ftated to 

 contain 9625 fquare miles, 250 cities, 30S market towns, 



B O H 



11,455 villages, 4.50,000 houfcs, i,J40,5io men, i,4'j6,435 

 women, and the total of the population 2,806,943. The 

 number of Lutherans has been cftimated at 9050, of the 

 reformed at 25,1 10, and of Jews at 36,coo. Some writers 

 have dated the number of Protellants at 36,000, and that of 

 the jeu's at 40,000, of whom Sooo are fettled at Piague. In 

 their difpofitions, habits, and manners, the Bohemians refem- 

 ble the Germans ; being indeed a mixture of Sclavouiaus and 

 Germans, the former of whom live in villages and are flaves. 

 They liave no miilile rank of people ; for every lord is a 

 petty fovercign, and every tenant a Have. Th.e Bohemian 

 ptafants, on the imperial demefnes, have been lately relieved 

 from the Hate of villainage, in which tliey had been fo long 

 and fo unjuilly retained ; and it is hoped, that the example 

 of the emperor will be followed by that of the Bohemian no- 

 bility in genera], fo that their vafl'als may recover thofc 

 rights of which they have been long deprived. The native* 

 of this country are fmgularly robuft and flrong-built, hand- 

 fome, except that their heads are fomewliat too large, and 

 atfivc, farewd, courageous, and fincere. The gentry are 

 ingenuous, brave, and more inclined to arms than arts. 

 Learning in Bohemia is in a low ftate ; though the kingdom 

 pofTelTcs one univerfity, I2gymiiafia, 2,119 German fchools, 

 200 fchools of indullry, and 33 lad'es' fc'iools. 



The Bohemian language is a dialeft of the Sclavonic, but 

 fomewhat h.ardtcr tlian that of their neighbours, who Ipeak 

 the fame language, and who ciiange the confonants, and 

 p uticularly tiie /, more into vowels. The Bohemians for- 

 meily ufcd the fame letters with the Ruffians ; but in the 

 lime of Bolellaus the Pious, the Latin was intro^'.uced 

 among them. Upon the firll introduction of ChrilHanity in 

 tills reign, the religious fervice was performed in the Latin 

 tongue, a language unknown to the people ; but in confe- 

 qucnce of tlie reprcfentation of Methodius to pope Nicholas 

 the Great, he ailoved the prayers to be rehearfcd in the 

 vulgar tongue. But fome years after, when a bifliop was 

 fent into Bohemia, tlie I^atin tongue was again ordered to 

 be intioduced in all their churches. Perfonsofa fuperior 

 clafs, from their intercourfe with the court ot Vienna, fpeak 

 high Dutch or German, with which the language of the 

 common people is alfo intermixed. 



Bohemia is, upon the whole, one of the higheft. countries 

 in Europe, and forms a large extended plain, furrounded, 

 as we have obferved, by high hills covered with wood. The 

 vale in the middle, which is watered by the Elbe, the Mol- 

 daw, and the Egra, is protefted from the wind, and it has 

 neither lakes nor moraffcs which taint the air, which is diy 

 and clear, with unwholefome vapours. The climate is there- 

 fore falubrious, and not liable to thofe fudden changes, 

 which are fo fatal to health in other places. The heat of 

 fumiiier, and the cold of winter, are alike moderate. The 

 foil is ill general rich, though in fome places it is fandy. It 

 is fertile in corn, wine, fruits, pafture, fafFron, ginger, hops, 

 wool, flax, and timber. The Bohemian hops, which are 

 much valued, are carried as far as the Rhine in great quan- 

 tities. Bohemia produces a tliong large breed of horfes, 

 many of which are purchafed for the ufe of the French ca- 

 valry. Its mountains are the richell in Europe, in gold, 

 lilver, precious ftones, copper, quickfilver, iron, lead, tin, 

 fulphnr, and faltpetre. The Bohemian tin is reckoned the 

 bell of any except the Englilh. All kinds of marble are alfo 

 found in this country, together with pit-coal, alum, muf- 

 covy-glafs, excellent mineral waters, and hot baths. It alfo 

 furnillies numerous herds of cattle, and abundance of game 

 and wild fowl, and alfo bears, lynxes, wolves, foxes, bad- 

 gers, martens, beavers, and otters. Its rivers and ponds 

 afford a plentiful fupply of fiih, and fuch as are of the beft. 

 quality and flavour. 



Accord- 



