ABSTRACT
The University at Prague, however, had maintained more or less liberal traditions during its two centuries of existence; and, although reaction was afoot, by far the greater number of the people of Bohemia were Protestants of one kind or another; nor had the Jesuits yet got the upper hand. But the city had lost much of its privileged liberty, and was just sufficiently a place of compromise to serve as a residence for the Emperor Rudolf II. He had achieved the Bohemian crown in 1575 by merely pledging his kingly word to introduce a comprehensive Confession which should prove satisfactory to the whole Bohemian people—a superhuman undertaking which was never fulfilled. Yet, although the Catholics in power were gradually forcing the Protestants back into the Roman Church, there was provisional peace, and therefore the visit of Bruno to Prague was less dangerous than might appear. There was, indeed, more than one reason why he directed his steps thither. Rudolf might, perhaps, have been considered a widely cultivated man had he not chanced to be born a prince. He affected every known branch of knowledge and posed as its patron. His scientific and artistic collections were magnificent. The melancholy which oppressed his later years manifested itself at this time only in shyness and singular behaviour. He wasted much time over horoscopes and the search for the philosopher’s stone; but his interest in the perversions of science, which attracted Dr. Dee and his seer Kelly to his court, by an easy transition was also directed to astronomy, and, later on, both Tycho Brahe and Kepler sought his patronage. 1 Bruno had already sounded Rudolf’s praises at Wittenberg; 2 he hoped that his Lullian art and his astronomical views would be recommendations to the Imperial favour. Moreover, Fabrizio Mordente, whom he had admired and extolled at Paris, was now at Prague, where he held the appointment of Imperial Astronomer. Here also was William of St. Clement, whom he had known as Spanish Ambassador in France, and who was now accredited to the Court of Rudolf. The Ambassador was interested in the works of his countryman, Lully, 3 and was persona grata to Rudolf, who had been educated in Spain. Much, then, might be hoped for in Prague: little but disappointment awaited Bruno there.
