Agricola, Georgius, De re metallica, 1912/1950

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              his support Luther made Saxony the cradle of the Reformation. </s>
              <s>This
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              Elector was succeeded in 1525 by his brother John, who was in turn succeeded
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              by his son John Frederick in 1532. Of more immediate interest to this subject
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              is the Albertian line of Saxon Dukes who ruled Meissen, for in that Princi­
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              pality Agricola was born and lived, and his political fortunes were associated
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              with this branch of the Saxon House. </s>
              <s>Albert was succeeded in 1505 by his
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              son George, “The Bearded,” and he in turn by his brother Henry, the last
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              of the Catholics, in 1539, who ruled until 1541. Henry was succeeded in 1541
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              by his Protestant son Maurice, who was the Patron of Agricola.</s>
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              <s>At about this time Saxony was drawn into the storms which rose from
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              the long-standing rivalry between Francis I., King of France, and Charles V.
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              of Spain. </s>
              <s>These two potentates came to the throne in the same year (1515),
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              and both were candidates for Emperor of that loose Confederation known
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              as the Holy Roman Empire. </s>
              <s>Charles was elected, and intermittent wars
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              between these two Princes arose—first in one part of Europe, and then in
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              another. </s>
              <s>Francis finally formed an alliance with the Schmalkalden League
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              of German Protestant Princes, and with the Sultan of Turkey, against Charles.
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              </s>
              <s>In 1546 Maurice of Meissen, although a Protestant, saw his best interest in
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              a secret league with Charles against the other Protestant Princes, and pro­
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              ceeded (the Schmalkalden War) to invade the domains of his superior and
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              cousin, the Elector Frederick. </s>
              <s>The Emperor Charles proved successful in
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              this war, and Maurice was rewarded, at the Capitulation of Wittenberg in 1547,
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              by being made Elector of Saxony in the place of his cousin. </s>
              <s>Later on, the
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              Elector Maurice found the association with Catholic Charles unpalatable, and
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              joined in leading the other Protestant princes in war upon him, and on the
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              defeat of the Catholic party and the peace of Passau, Maurice became
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              acknowledged as the champion of German national and religious freedom.
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              </s>
              <s>He was succeeded by his brother Augustus in 1553.</s>
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              <s>Agricola was much favoured by the Saxon Electors, Maurice and
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              Augustus. </s>
              <s>He dedicates most of his works to them, and shows much gratitude
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              for many favours conferred upon him. </s>
              <s>Duke Maurice presented to him a
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              house and plot in Chemnitz, and in a letter dated June 14th, 1543,
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              9
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              in con­
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              nection therewith, says: “ . . . . that he may enjoy his life-long a
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              freehold house unburdened by all burgher rights and other municipal ser­
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              vice, to be used by him and inhabited as a free dwelling, and that he may
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              also, for the necessities of his household and of his wife and servants, brew
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              his own beer free, and that he may likewise purvey for himself and his
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              household foreign beer and also wine for use, and yet he shall not sell any
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              such beer. . . . We have taken the said Doctor under our especial
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              protection and care for our life-long, and he shall not be summoned before
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              any Court of Justice, but only before us and our Councillor. . . .”</s>
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              <s>Agricola was made Burgomaster of Chemnitz in 1546. A letter
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              10
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              from
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              Fabricius to Meurer, dated May 19th, 1546, says that Agricola had been
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              </s>
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