guage, which is yet extant.
3. But when their ſucceſſours, by reaſon of certain inhibitions iſſuing from Rome, ſuffered the uſe of their naturall language again to fall, Wratiſlaus Duke of bohemia (who ſhortly after for his heroick acts, and deſerts in the Roman Empire, was created King) ſent Ambaſſadors to Rome, and by them requeſted of Gregory the 7. a confirmation of the liberty heretofore ſolemnly granted unto them. But what he obtained is manifeſt iu Hajecius (a Popiſh-writer) who fully ſets down Pope Gregory’s anſwer page, 136. which tranſlated out of the bohemian language (for the Latine verſion, is not extant, or not to us) is as followeth.
Gregory the biſhop, ſervant of the ſervants of God, to Wratiſlaus Duke of bohemia, health and Apoſtolicall benediction. Amongſt other Petitions your Highneſſe by letters hath requested of us, that we would permit you to exerciſe divine ſervice in the free uſe of the Slavonian tongue. Know therefore beloved ſon, that we cannot by any meanes grant your Petition. Becauſe frequently meditating upon the Scripture, we find that it hath been, and is well pleaſing to the Omnipotent God, that divine worſhip be performed in an unknown tongue, leaſt it be underſtood by every one, and promiſcuouſly, eſpceially by the more ruae and ignorant, for if it ſhould be openly and commonly talked of by all, it would eaſily come into contempt and diſdain, or if it could not be
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