of that dignitie vnto their Family vtterly taken away must needs haue recourse vnto Armes and endeuor the recouerie of it by maine force Againe if Caesar should die this controuersie being not compounded it might wel be feared that many inconueniences would fall out contrarie to Caesars desire Caesar now indeed vpon the aduantage of his victories had the Law in his owne hand but if fortune should turne he were not sure to bring it to such a passe as he desired Vpon which Considerations wee hold it more wisedome to aduise Caesar not to proceed too suddenly and hold it much better for him to accept rather of the intercession of other Electors Princes as in such cases hath heretofore beene done Considering withall that the Prince Palatine was as then but yong and had beene abused by ill counsell and was no wayes the author of those stirres in Bohemia all being in an vprore before his comming amongst them And that other offenders had likewise obtained Caesars grace and pardon which if it would please his Maiesty to grant vnto the Prince Palatine he should eternally oblige the whole Electoral Colledge and all the Kings and Princes any way of kin or allyed vnto him and the Prince himselfe and all his posterity so oft as they remembred this their exile would be aduised how they againe embroyled themselues in such businesses Whereas otherwise if he saw the doore of mercy quite shut and nothing left him but his life it might be feared lest he should for his last refuge apply himselfe vnto some such courses as would occasion farre greater troubles in the Romane Empirie Caesar therefore should doe farre righter if for his owne honor and the good of the Empire he would preferre mercy before seuerity and not pursue these extremities To all this did the Catholike Princes answer Caesar hath showne causes enough which he had to depriue the Palatine And was himselfe resolued that the Palatinate was now dissolued vnto him which he might dispose of without hauing regard vnto the Palatines children or kinsmen according to his own pleasure His Maiesty could not wel hold any termes of amitie with him although he were restored and this impunitie would giue occasion vnto others to offend As for matter of punishment there should be no difference betweene the Emperor and the Palatine seeing that his Maiesties Lands and Dominions were no lesse wasted then the others And yet was there great difference in the cause of it seeing that this fell out to Caesar without his demerit And the Palatine did the other hauing no necessity to do it Hee had refused mercy not acknowledged his fault nor sought for any fauour It is an vnequall request for Caesar to accept of any Reconciliation seeing that his Generall Mansfield hath not yet laid downe Armes by which his Master shewes that hee had rather prosecute his cause by way of Armes then to desire mercy The safety of the Empire consists in the filling vp of the Electorall Colledge for which cause Caesar had done very well in a speedy resoluing vpon it seeing that other Emperours had in the like causes done the same before To which the other party presently answered That for the security of the Imperiall dignitie and the safety of the Empire there was no question to be made of it but that it consisted in the concord of the Electorall Colledge with the Emperor For the preseruation whereof all diligence was to be vsed left vpon any dissention there should arise a diuision in that Colledge which might now be preuented by a timely filling vp of it The Prince Palatine hath you say done amisse But yet if Caesar shall still vse rigor the Princes of the Lower Saxony are of opinion that there can be no peace established in the Empire the good of which being most worthy to be preferred before all other respects Caesar should doe nobly to suffer himselfe to be entreated that out of his owne innate magnanimity he would now ouercome himselfe and change rigor into clemency by consenting to haue the Prince Palatine reconciled vnto him and make the Empire by that means glad with a desired peace otherwise there was an appearance of greater danger in it that the end might proue farre worse then the beginning and new flames were likely to burst forth in those places which God had hitherto preserued from burning Caesar had now by the aide of the Electors and Princes recouered his lost Prouinces wanting nothing but the confirmation and quiet possession of them which this desired reconciliation was the best meanes to effect The fortune of warre is alwayes doubtful and the victory so long vncertaine as the aduerse party hath power to re-enforce his Armes And for the renewing of this warre there was yet a fayre pretence left for that in the bestowing of the Electorate the Prince Palatines Sons Brother and Kinsmen had bin neglected And with these principles are the minds of the Princes of the Lower Saxony possessed already The King of Great Britaine besides could not but take it ill that he should now see all his pious endeuours take no good effect and his only deare Daughter and Grandchildren still left in exile The Kinsmen also and alliance of the Prince Palatine might eagerly apprehend this neglect of them to be a great affront and done in disgrace of them And as for the manner of this reconciliation there might be a particular Treaty and Consultation appointed for it wherein Caesars prerogatiue Imperiall being reserued all parties might neuerthelesse receiue satisfaction and the Empire once againe flourish with peace Furthermore seeing that the Elector of Saxony had taken that miserable businesse of the alteration of Religion in Bohemia to concerne the publike cause whereupon so many grieuances and commotions may follow we instantly desire your Imperiall Maiesty to finde a remedy for these maladies which else will breed no good blood but heart-burnings rather and distrusts in the Electorall Colledge it selfe Againe seeing that as it appeares by the diuers intercessions petitions and letters of other Electors and Princes there had as yet beene nothing done for the relieuing of the sundry grieuances and impositions of diuers of the free Cities we thought fit to admonish Caesar of this that order might be taken for them All these Consultaes discussed amongst vs in this Electorall Session wee haue thought fit to present vnto your Imperiall Maiesty that out of your owne wisedome you might determine further of them It is our humble request therefore that these things being considered vpon this Dyet may be ended and the Empire freed out of all perill may from henceforth enioy her most desired tranquility To which Aduice of the Electors and Princes the Emperor vpon the 6. of February following adioyned this Replica VVEe take it thankfully that you haue taken pains in consulting vpon our Propositions and promise to be wanting in no one thing that may aduance the peace and preseruation of the Empire
We haue in the meane time dispatcht our Letters vnto the Dukes of Brunswicke and Pomeren who I hope will eyther by themselues or their Ambassadors appeare towards the end of the Dyet But you haue in the meane time done very wel that not staying for them you haue begun your Consultations vpon part of our Propositions In which Consultaes and Aduices of yours though some haue wisely heretofore resolued vs that our proceedings in proscribing the Palatine was both legall and necessary yet some there are of you we perceiue to be of opinion that according to our Capitulation Royall wee ought not to haue proceeded so farre without the knowledge and consent of the Electors But as we haue no wayes gone beyond this our Capitulation but euen before we set out the Bann punctually considered of all that was necessary to be taken notice of so did wee also desire nothing more then that a Dyet might bee conuok't for the due treating and aduising vpon this businesse Which Meeting being hindred by the continuance of the warres still prosecuted by the Palatine we could do no lesse for the taking downe of his courage then proceed by publishing the Bann against him which course of ours seeing it was neuer entended to bee prosecuted to the preiudice any wayes of the Electoral Colledge or against our owne Capitulation we hope that the Electors will not take otherwise seeing that we promise withall so to moderate it that no detriment or preiudice shall result thereby vnto the dignity Electorall As for the translation of the Electorate and your Aduice for the restoring of the Palatine there is I perceiue some difference in your opinions One part wisely and in fauour of vs affirming the great reason we haue to doe it and that wee can doe nothing therein which is not allowable by the Imperiall Constitutions the Chamber of the Empire and the examples of other Emperors in like case But for the other party which aduised his restoring we purpose not so farre to consent vnto it as to the restoring of him to the Electorall dignity seeing that in the disposing of it other-where we are resolued that we shall doe no more then wee haue iust reason to doe as wee haue formerly declared in our Propositions nor will we deferre the filling vp of the Electorall Colledge any longer seeing that no man can be ignorant how much the dispatching of it may concerne the Common-weale And as for the restoring of the person of the Palatine if you haue any better reasons to vrge then you haue yet done in his behalfe you shall see both in regard of his Person and his Cause excepting onely his restoring to the Electorall dignity how much our minde is inclined towards clemency and how farre wee will declare our selues to gratifie the Kings of Great Britaine and Denmarke the Elector of Saxony and other Electors Princes interceding for him Now as concerning our forbidding of the exercise of the Lutheran Religion in the City of Prage we doe not see how it any way concernes this Dyet to enquire of our Letters haue signified the causes that moued vs to beginne it vnto the Elector of Saxony nor can wee thinke that what wee haue done there any of the neighbour States or Territories need be suspitious of seeing that we haue sworn oftner then once in the word of an Emperor that wee will most religiously obserue the peace both of Religion and of ciuill gouernment throughout the Empire nor will we suffer any others any wayes to infringe it Lastly as for the grieuances of the Imperiall and Hans-townes wee very well remember as yet the sincere promises assurances and transactions as also of that we agreed vnto at Treaty of Aschaffenbug All which we haue hitherto beene most carefull to obserue most religiously and so still shall be vnlesse we finde cause to the contrary that so all cause of complaint may finally bee taken away from the Cities And thus much wee could not but aduertise this Illustrious presence of Electors and Princes and you the Ambassadors of those that are absent To this Replica or Reply of the Emperour the Electors and Princes returned this following answer vpon the 21. of February subioyning withall a Relation vnto his Maiesty VVEE haue gracious Lord and Emperor consulted amongst vs in our common Councell vpon your Maiesties Reply which wee suppose worthy your seeing But passing ouer in the meane to aduise vpon your three latter Propositions we found this to be the first and maine point what namely were best to be done that the whole Empire might with the Emperour enioy a solid peace vpon which it was the aduice of one party of vs that seeing the proscribed Mansfield is the man who hath so much infested the Empire wee of that party aduerse to him haue thought vpon the way to auert and take him downe which is to aduise Caesar to employ his Army Royall against him by the force of which and the ayd of the neighbouring Princes and States required by Caesar hee may bee driuen out of the bounds of the Empire and all his souldiers which shall continue obstinate may by a publike Edict of proscription and confiscation bee deterred from Armes and the neighbours may be forbidden any way to ayd him and commanded to prosecute him according to the vttermost of their power Which course if it bee taken and all the States of the Empire withall put in mind of their dutie to Caesar and of those Constitutions which may concerne either Religion or Peace we doubt not but that euery man may after that enioy his owne rest and tranquilitie Further as concerning that contribution to bee imployed vpon the making good of the confines of the Empire against the Turke we would willingly follow the pious examples of our Ancestors in that kind and yet know wee not how of our selues to consent vnto it vntill the matter may more fully be treated vpon in the next Dyet But considering withall the miserable waste that hath beene of late made in your Maiesties Prouinces and that your Treasury hath not for some yeares beene supplied by any contribution raised in the Empire wee cannot thinke this request of Caesars any way vniust and much desire that we were able herein to gratifie Caesar But seeing withall how apparent it is what continuall aydes wee haue faithfully lent vnto Caesar and what charges far greater then the ordinary contributions with the hazard too of our own Countries we haue beene at for the recouery of Caesars dignities and are now still forced to bee at for the diuersion of the imminent warres and that in the end so particular and small a contribution as wee are able to affoord could not much aduance that designe we hope that Caesar will hold vs excused if wee cannot herein affoord him that content which we willingly would But if this Proposition might be made to all the States of the Empire wee doubt not but they would be
it was to no purpose now to talke of a Submission seeing they were in hand to gather vp a braue Armie To put an end therefore to these troubles his Maiestie hath once againe as a soueraigne remedie for all conuokt this Diet twice before put off And seeing that he could not imagine that there was any man in the Empire so vniust who had the boldnesse to mediate the restitution of the proscribed Palatine into the Electorall Colledge who could not but remember the losses he had receiued by those that had taken part against him he could doe no lesse then to dispose of the Electorate now pleno Iure deuolued vnto him as Emperour That so he might both be discharged of his word and also fill vp the number of the Electors againe all which he had alreadie excepting only the Inuestiture which he purposed to finish also at this Diet bestowed vpon the Duke of Bauaria in reward of his great good seruices and many victories performed and obtained with the expence of his treasure and the hazard of his blood for him the Emperor against his owne Nephew the sometimes Elector Palatine in Bohemia and by the Riuers of Rhyne Neckar and Mayne And for that his Highnesse he knew being a Prince of singular wisdome would be still studious of the good of the Empire And so much the Electors and Princes of both Religions might perswade themselues of him that he would labour by all meanes to maintaine the Edicts made for the free exercise of Religion Wherefore his Imperiall Maiestie most graciously requests of this Illustrious presence of Electors and Princes as those that are of his Maiesties Priuie Councell that they would please freely to giue their opinions namely how the Empire which is the maine of the businesse may hereafter be best gouerned and new commotions preuented or repressed and the most wished-for peace vniuersally restored Secondly it shall appeare vnto this Illustrious presence of Electors and Princes what hath beene done in the Kingdome of Hungary with the Prince of Transyluania and how heartily his Imperiall Maiestie hath euer endeuoured that by hastning on a Peace those places which by reason of the ill neighbour-hood of the Turke seemed most exposed to danger Might be kept safe from the feare of an Inuasion those often Embassies of his sent to Presburg and the long treatie had with the French Ambassadours in his owne Court of Vienna about that only businesse can sufficiently witnesse But at length all controuersies depending betweene his Imperiall Maiestie and Bethlem Gabor being reduced to some termes of a faire composition and by the treatie held at Niclasburgh first and by the Diet of the States of Hungary which continued from May till August afterwards a finall peace being concluded the Roman Empire was both delivered from the present danger and re-estated in her former tranquillitie It cannot be vnknowne vnto this Illustrious Presence of Electors and Princes how their neuer enough commended Ancestors haue beene still most carefull both in times of war and peace to keepe the bulwarkes and castles which are in the Frontiers of the Christian world in good repaire well manned fortified and prouided which for his Maiestie alone to doe after his great expences and spoiling of his countries is most impossible Nor is any here ignorant that the last Emperours his Maiesties Predecessors haue not since the yeare 1603. receiued any such Subsidies as might defray such a charge All which points this Illustrious presence of Electors and Princes shall do well to consider of and giue their aduices thereupon and in the meane time vntill there may be a generall Parliament of the whole Empire called to grant his Maiestie so sufficient a Subsidie that the Fortresses aforesaid which it concernes the Empire so much to keepe vp may not either for want or delay be exposed to further danger Thirdly seeing that as it is most manifest that the States of Holland after the end of the last Truce haue resumed Armes against the House of Burgundie their naturall Lords which they prosecute to the vtmost of their power fauouring also and entertaining the open enemies of his Imperiall Maiestie and deuising by all meanes how to lay hold vpon any occasion of remouing the field of warre out of their owne countrey into the heart of the Empire hauing already there made themselues Masters of some places Which proceedings of the said States this also hath much aduanced that they haue brought the greater part of the States of the lower Westphalia Circle within contribution and that they haue not long since neere the city of Bonu aboue Cullen raised the most strong Fort of Papenmutz by which they can now command all that Reach of the Riuer of Rhyne in so much that the neighbouring Electors and States of the Empire whom it most neerely concerned haue beene enforced to petition his Imperiall Maiestie for reliefe in these difficulties Wherefore that this so imminent a danger whereunto from this Fort the Electors of the Rhyne Circle and that ancient citie especially which it so much concernes the Empire to make good lie so open may be preuented his Imperiall Maiestie requires this whole Illustrious Presence of Electors Princes and Ambassadours to giue their aduices Fourthly it is vnknowne to none here with what earnestnesse the grieuances of the Cities and States of either partie haue for these many yeeres and in the yeare 1620. especially in the last assemblies beene vrged and what meetings also and Ambassies haue for these quarrels purposely been spent and what writings also and Iuridicall aduices followed thereupon Wherefore his Imperiall Maiesty most earnestly requires of all the Electors and Princes to deliuer their Aduices in this cause how farre namely the Emperour may proceed to determine them without preiudice of his Imperiall Authoritie or infringing of the Iurisdiction and sacred Imperiall Constitutions Fiftly seeing his Imperiall Maiestie hath vnderstood that by reason of the daily Reuiewes interposed in the Imperiall Chamber of Spyers the course of Iustice hath beene quite hindred he also desires the Aduices of the Electors and Princes how this euil may hence-forth at the next assembly be remedied and Iustice fully restored Sixtly seeing euery man daily feeles to his cost the great mischiefe which hath hapned in the Empire by the minting of bad moneyes whereupon hath followed the raise of commodities to an ouer deare rate His Imperiall Maiestie desires this Illustrious Presence of Electors and Princes to deliuer their Aduices how this mischiefe may for a while be remedied vntill a generall Parliament may opportunely be called And euen as his Imperiall Maiesty perswades himselfe that hee hath in these propositions touched the maine of the businesse which is to be consulted vpon in this following Diet. So also if vpon the Electors and Princes informations any thing else shall be thought fit to be enquired of his Maiestie desires to discusse that also with them that so sweet peace loue and amitie may be
found very willing and ready vnto it As concerning your Maiesties third Proposition of the dangerous resolution of the vnited Prouinces for remouing the field of warre into the Empire and their late attempts in Westphalia and their building of the Fort of PapenmutZ in the Rhyne betwixt Bon and Cullen we cannot but commend your fatherly care nor are we ignorant that diuers consultations haue beene had about it in some former Dyets also where it was still found that the forces of any one State were not able to hinder the Low Country-men nor can we now agree vpon the meanes of doing it And as for Papenmutz your Maiesty is to consider of it as of a piece now taken in by the Archduchesse her forces and if it were not vpon this quite demolished there would be much danger in it that it would not onely hinder all commerce by the Rhyne but also that the Hollanders would some where else raise another to confront it which would breed great discommodities both to the neighbour States and to the whole Empire Our earnest request therefore in this point is That your Maiesty would intercede with the Archduchesse for the dismantleing and vtter rasing of that Castle And this is the effect of what was deliuered by the Catholike Electors and Princes what next followes is belonging vnto this Answer to the Imperiall Replica also but made apart by the Saxish and Brandenburghers Ambassadors and Lodowicke Landtgraue of Darmstadt perswading rather to proceed by the way of peace as here followes Our voyces and aduices gracious Lord and Caesar which we haue giuen before See before in their aduice to the Emperors Propositions concerning the proscribing of the Prince Palatine and the translation of the Electorate we know to be founded vpon the best examples and the immoueable Constitutions of the Empire and were meant to no other end then that concord and confidence being re-established betwixt all the States of the Empire the warres may be laid downe peace restored the whole State being assured to the Emperor in the bond of Peace all may bee conuerted to the confirming of Caesar the commodity of the States and the terror of all the Enemies of the Empire And we doe hope that Caesar will so interpret vs. As for those other points contained in the Imperiall Propositions as the dangerous hostility vsed by Mansfield and the attempts of the States of the Low-Countries in Westphalia and other places subiect to the Elector of Cullen we are much vext and grieued to see such principall members of the Empire so much afflicted and doe confesse that vnlesse that wholsome way of Peace be speedily taken and that flame of war timely quencht by the waters of composition there can nothing come of it but vtter ruine and combustion in the Empire T is at Caesars choice to take other mens aduices also in this point and wee doubt not but they will all giue him such counsell as may best conduce to this purpose But for our owne parts wee hold the way of peace for the best and safest as wee shewed in our former aduice which wee earnestly wish might with all the clauses and particulars in it be formerly called to mind againe and rightly and timely apprehended that all iealousies might so be remoued and peace restored without which things will neuer succeed rightly for the safety of the Empire It cannot be thought but what the P. Palatine hath done might well trouble your M tie yet we hope Caesar wil rather respect peace spare his loyall subiects take into his pittie the millions of miseries which the warres occasion and out of a magnanimitie worthy of Caesar adde this to the rest of his victories that he will now ouercome himselfe and suffer his owne inbred clemencie his loue to the publike good the safetie of the Empire and the generall quiet of all men to beare some sway with him and make by this meanes his owne name immortall to all posterities As for that reformation already begunne in Bohemia what danger and despaire did by reason of that at this present hang ouer that kingdome his Highnesse the Elector of Saxony had often intimated vnto Caesar and admonisht him likewise of the dangers redounding thence vnto the neighbour Countries Wee therefore here once againe most humbly sue vnto Caesar that he would please to suffer himselfe to bee entreated and giue way to the the most waighty reasons brought to perswade him and that he would forbeare that worke of Reformation set open the Protestants Churches and permit the free exercise of Religion according to the Augustane Confession that hee would pardon the subiect and vniuersally forgiue and forget prefer mercie before rigour of law and so most firmely oblige the minds of the Subiect in loue duty and deuotion vnto him As for the complaints of the free Cities and others of the Empire wee thinke it fit that Caesar might be certified of their particular grieuances by their seuerall petitions that so they might with all speed be cased of that burden of maintaining the souldiers the gouernment of the Cities fully again restored vnto the Magistrates all exactions left off promises and couenants kept treaties ratified and all mischiefe auerted seeing that it so much concernes the weale publike to preserue these Cities in the deuotion of Caesar What the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburgh thought in the point of the proscription appeared by their former aduice vpon it But seeing that in an after Relation of it these words were added which were not in the former which were That the Emperour might doe it Absolutely and without being prescribed the manner The Electors could not forbeare from opposing themselues against it for that it no waies agreed with the Capitulation Royall seeing that those things vnto which Caesar binds himselfe by that Capitulation are not simply absolutely and without being prescribed the manner in his power nor can the Electorall dignitie for this reason bee preserued safe entire vnto the persons The words of the Capitulation are clear In all difficult businesses no processe ought to be made without the knowledge cōsent of the Electors that without ordinary Processe no Proscriptiō should go out against any one of the States of the Empire before the cause were heard This is the fundamentall Law of the Empire which requires no more but to be constantly obserued nor is it to bee drawne into further dispute or deliberation but it stood the Electors vpon to bee open eyed to see to the obseruation of it and it concerned the three secular Electors especially whose dignitie did by an hereditary right descend vnto their posteritie to keepe it safe and entire which they hoped that Caesar would not goe about to contradict As for that which was aduised by the Catholike Electors and Princes concerning the rasing of the Fort of Papenmutz we will say nothing seeing that we haue not before this had any relation of the taking of it
onely wee desire the Catholike Electors and Princes to perswade themselues that wee no way enuy their safety As for that contribution and the restraining of the States of the Low Countries we thus far forth agree with the rest that it ought to bee referred to the future Dyet To this Answer they all subioyned a Relation wherein you haue the minds of the Catholike Princes iointly together and that of the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburgh the Landtgraue of Darmstadt each seuerally by themselues The Catholike Princes begin in which they come nearer to the termes of peaceable proceedings IT seemed most necessary vnto vs most gracious Lord and Caesar in our consultations vpon your Imperiall Replica to exhibite the summe of all vnto your Maiesty as followeth We haue taken it into our consideration That if both parties in this Dyet shall still persist in aduising contrary causes and no middle termes be found out vpon which wee may both agree and conioyne our voyces there may bee much danger in it that this so long expected Dyet must breake vp at last without any good end which will be for euer vnexcusable seeing that so many eyes both within and without the Empire are cast vpon it looking after this to see either the sure confirmation or the vtter ruine of the Empire we haue thought it fittest to admonish Caesar to continue constant vnto that purpose of his concerning the receiuing of the Prince Palatine into grace excepting onely the restoring of him to his Electorall Dignity which resolution hath beene created in your Maiesty by the earnest intercessions and intreaties of so many Princes Prouided that his due submission and declaration of his obedience be first manifested that so there may be left some hope vnto the Prince of an entire reconciliation And seeing that the King of England hath required that there might still be some respect and consideration had to his Grandchildren and that there haue beene some motions made of the pretences of the neere kindred of the Prince aforesaid in our former consultations We most humbly beseech Caesar to consent vnto the reconciliation of the King of Englands Grandchildren and that time and place may be set to the Princes kinsmen to pursue their seuerall pretences either by the way of a friendly comprimise or by course of law And if your Maiesty be still resolute to transferre his Electorate vpon the Duke of Bauaria and bee firmly of the mind that this proceeding shal neither bee contrary vnto the golden Bull nor to your owne Capitulation Royall yet that you would bee entreated so to moderate the businesse that it may no wayes appeare preiudiciall vnto the Grandchildren of the King of England and vnto the Prince Palatines other Kinsmen And seeing that the many vertues and heroicall minde of the Duke of Bavaria and his care for the aduancement of Iustice and of the peace of the Empire are sufficiently knowne wee hope his Highnes will not take it ill to be timely admonished of the whole businesse and of the dependancies of it After this the Ambassadors of the Elector of Saxony spake as followeth How well affected our Lord and Master is to peace appeares by the reasons laid downe in our former Aduice which reasons being so grounded vpon the Constitutions of the Empire they Lawes Customes and best Examples that they deserue not to be neglected which if they might once take place wee doe not doubt but they would proue very beneficiall For our selues we are tied to our instructions so that it cannot be accounted our faults if we goe no further then we haue said before For this is the constant opinion of our Elector That the meanes of obtaining the most desired Peace consists not in the translation of the Electorate but in the restitution of the Prince Palatine The Ambassadors of the Elector of Brandenburgh spake next Our former Aduice expresses sufficiently what way our Lord and Master holds best for the restoring of Peace And seeing wee haue receiued no further Command to approue of any other course wee can now say no otherwise then what wee haue done in our Aduice which was still to vrge the restoring of the Prince Elector Palatine and to affirme that the translation of the Electorate is no meanes of peace And seeing that for want of any further Command we cannot consent to no other Course We hold that the meanes proposed by our Elector all being well as yet is the best course both to assure the honor and obedience due vnto Caesar and to recover the generall peace of the Empire Last of all spake the Landtgraue of Darmstadt Seeing that the Translation of the Electorate pertaines to the whole Colledge of the Electors to dispose of I therefore thinke it fittest to referre it thither And seeing that the generall quiet of the Empire is disturbed by that Bohemian Reformation it is my opinion that all the Electors and Princes would most humbly perswade with Caesar to remedy that after which I dare assure my selfe that all the rest of our Designes will succeed the better And these were the things which the Electors and Princes had then resolved to exhibite vnto Caesar To whom c. The next day being the 22. of February they thus gaue in their Answere to the three last Emperiall Propositions Wee cannot omit most gracious Lord and Caesar to giue vp our Advice also vpon those heads of your Maiesties Propositions which concerne the remedying of the grievances so oft complained vpon the Restitution of Iustice and the calling in of the Coines of base allay vnto the Standard All which that they may be now remedied after so many meetings and consultations vpon them which haue still beene disturb'd and broken off by these troubles is our earnest Prayer As for the grievances of the Citties seeing they concerne so many severall States without whose particular information and advise they can neither be sufficiently knowne nor remedied We thinke it fit that all their Councels were askt vpon it As for the course of justice now vtterly oppressed almost in the Emperiall Chamber of Spyers which having beene the fountaine of so many mischiefes and confusions now so rife in the Empire which vnlesse Iustice be timely relieved will no doubt breed more It is our duties to assist our Emperour in such a difficultie which so neerely concernes his Crowne and dignitie with our best counsayles and helpes for the reviving of justice which lyes now a dying T is well knowne whence this corruption of justice began and that it lyes not in the power of a few to remedy it For which cause we hold it convenient to referre this over to a generall Dyett And yet is it neverthelesse the opinion of some of vs that this will both much advance the Peace and ease the Citties and the towne of Spyers especially which is the port of Iustice to which every man puts in now so over-charged with Garrison if that Caesar would