commended Tell me how the Prelates in these times obtain their Beneficeâ— G. There are two ways of creating Prelates in Germany the one is called Election and the other Postulation When the Chapter being Canonically assembled chooses one of the members of their Body to be the Head thereof or at least two thirds of the Canons give him their voices he is made Archbishop or Bishop by Election And if the same Canons think it fit to raise unto that Dignity some Prince or Prelate that is not of their Body they call that kind of proceeding Postulation Both these are lawful and the only practised ways in the Empire And it is all I had to tell you concerning the Ecclesiastical persons of Germany which may suffice you unless you desire to know whether they do homage to the Emperor P. I question not but Church-men receive their Fiefs from the Emperor and pay him homage for their Principalities but I would gladly know whether they be more strictly tyed to the Emperor or to the Pope and which side they would take in case his Holiness should make War upon the Empire G. The Holy Scripture teaches us that no man can serve two Masters and I believe the Churchmen of Germany would find the experieace of it if the Emperor and the Pope should have any quarrel or controversie For they are obliged to the Pope as Priests and Prelates and to the Emperor as Feudataries of the Empire They that prefer the Grandeur of Rome before that of Germany would forsake the Emperor and they that undervalue the fulminations of the Vatican would bear up the interest of the Empire against the Pope Now if I durst tell you my thoughts I do verily believe that of ten there would hardly be found one that would depart from the Popes interest P. I think so too and hold it for certain that Popes have brought down the authority of Soverains by the help of Churchmen G. That may well be for the bond of Religion holds men more strongly then any other duty And though wise men distinguish between the true zeal and the capricious humour of Popes yet the greatest part of Christians being perswaded that S. Peter cannot have any unjust pretension doth turn to his side without knowing at what he aims and whether it be by simplicity or malice the Priests have often brought misery upon their Countrey to bring their Princes under the Pope not considering that Soverain estates depend of none but God and that all Churchmen not excepting the Pope himself owe obedience unto their Princes P. The Doctrine of the Popes is absolutely contrary to yours The Holy Father may judge of all without being subject to the judgement of any body being the Sun of the earth and the Emperor but the Moon and therefore 6645. times bigger then he and having power to free the Subjects of another from the Oath they have taken to obey him with how much more reason may he exempt and withdraw himself from the obedience of every other Prince G. Flatterers give that power to Popes who abusing the same have oftentimes been the cause of great Rebellions But the people of this age are not so simple as those of former times who believing these fables forsook their Kings and brutishly spilt the blood of their Countreymen Christians now a dayes turn the eyes of their understanding upon the Primitive Church and see it evidently there that Popes were not alwayes so potent as they are now and indeed that they ought not to be so seeing they style themselves Lieutenants to Christ and Successors to S. Peter the first of whom did alwayes protest that his Kingdom was not of this World and the other teacheth us as well as S Paul that every soul should be subject to the Higher Powers From which words S. Bernard concludes that Popes ought to be subject to Princes P. Many things should be that are not But let us speak no more of the Pope or of his power Let us if you please see how those that preach against him obey their Princes and how Church-matters are administred amongst the Lutherans and the Calvinists in Germany G. It is most certain that the Reformation of Luther and Calvin makes Church-men subject to the Prince under whom they live It is nevertheless to be observed that Protestant Princes do not submit Ecclesiastical affairs to every Tribunal but they have each of them a Consistory where those matters are decided when they are of importance P. Have the Lutherans any Bishops to whom Priests are subject G. In Sweden and Denmark where both Kings and People received the Reformation of Luther they observe almost the same order as in the Church of Rome and persons constituted in Ecclesiastical Dignities have power to prescribe rules to others In Germany where the Lutheran Bishops are as absolute as the Secular Princes they have the right of commanding the Priests of their Diocese to do their duty The other Princes having in their Dominions Deacons Priests particular and general Superintendents do also oblige the inferior Clergy to give an account of their doctrine and lives to their Superiors and to receive their correction These Superintendents visit their Diocese once a year and make an exact enquiry into the Doctrine and mannen of all the Pastors under their inspection P. And have these Superintendents also any Superior G. G. No man is exempted from an obligation to obey the Laws and the greatest of the Clergy have a Superior who can and ought to chastise them when they commit any scandalous offence The complaints that are made against the lowest Priests being come to the Superintendents ear he makes inquisition thereinto and reports it to the Consistory where the ancientest or the most worthy Prelate of the Principality doth usually preside and that Consistory fortified by the power and authority of the Prince ordains what is just and reasonable imprisoning or degrading the offender when they think it necessary Briefly those Consistories are alwayes vigilant for the maintenance of Religion the enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ the peace of Consciences the good of the People and the upholding of Ecclesiastical Discipline P. Do all the Evangelique Lords so they term Lutherans observe the same order in their Territories G. When the errors that had slipt into the Church obliged Princes to reform within their own Dominions every one made choice of one or more personages of great piety and eminent learning by whose advice he framed and set up that order which he would have to take place in the Churches of his Countrey In the Dutchy of Wirtemberg where the Reformation was introduced by Duke Christopher a Prince of incomparable wisdom the Principality is divided into six Dioceses and for every one of them there is a Prelate called Superintendent General who is inspector thereof Those six Prelates have many special and particular ones under them and over them the Provost of Montgarat who presides in the
even Orange-trees that there is nothing comparable to be seen elsewhere The Elector of Bavaria is lodged at Munchen in the fairest Palace of Europe the Archbishop of Saltsbourg hath no reason to wish for those at Rome the Bishop of Bamberg hath seen nothing more recreative then his own Gardens Heidelberg hath one of the proudest buildings Stutgardt one of the most commodious Cassel one of the most regular Wirsbourg one of the strongest and Plone one of the most delightful that can be seen Wolfenbottel is a true seat for a Prince Berlin for a King Dresden for an Emperor and Munchen for a God on earth Weymar Gotta Gottorf Cel Baden Auspach Dourlach and Echinguen are very little inferior to the fairest in Europe P. I am glad to hear that our Countrey hath an advantage of other Provinces in Cities Castles and Gardens as well as in civility Tell me a word of the Free Cities G. I do not think you require a Catalogue of the Imperial Cities Nevertheless if you have such a desire you shall find them here of every one whereof I shall say something in an Alphabetical order Aix which the Latins call Aquisgranum from the hot and holesome Baths that Granus brother to the Emperor Nero found there is the place where De Serres saith that Charlemagne was born and where all Historians agree that he lyes buried Many say that Heroical person made this City the Metropolis of the Empire on this side the Alpes and it may be for that reason it is styled the Royal City The Golden Bull ordains that the Emperor receive the first Crown there and if he take that honour in another place they bring the Royal ornaments from thence with the Persian sword which Great Charles wore by his side and with which the Emperor creates Knights P. I believe the Emperor Charlemagne indulged that City so much because it stands in a place from whence he might commodiously look after the Government of both his Kingdoms France and Germany G. I think so too Argentina so named from the silver or money brought thither from all parts as to the Custom-house which the Romans setled there is now called Strasbourg This City is very populous strong and well built The Church there is one of the wonders of the world for the bigness thereof the sumptuousness of its building the marvellous height of its Steeples all made with through-lights and its inimitable structure There are two and twenty Tribes which have every one an Eschevin or Alderman out of whom they choose the Consul whom they call Ammeister who joyntly with the Aldermen elects Ten Gentlemen of the City to be Senators and all together make up the Senat. They take four of those Ten Gentlemen to be Statmeisters or Pretors who at debates ask the voices first of the Consul and then of the other Senators The Office of the Consul is annual and cannot be possessed by any Gentleman that of the Aldermen is for two years The Senat consisting of thirteen and the Councel of fifteen are perpetual The first treats of Confederations and Military affairs the latter hath power to exhort the Consul if he fail in his duty The Arsenal of this City is provided with so great a quantity of all sorts of Canon Pikes Musquets Halberds Partisans Swords Bucklers Pistols Head-pieces Back and-brests Gantlets Vambraces and other Arms as well offensive as defensive that there be few of the like to be seen any where else P. I have read in Limnaeus that this City hath many priviledges and that the Nobility had the administration of it till the year 1332. I would willingly know something of Augsbourg G. Augsbourg by abbreviation from Augusti Burgum that is the City of Augustus was so called because Augustus setled a Roman Colony there after Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus had brought it in subjection to the Roman Empire This City was anciently called Drusomagus and afterwards Augusta Tiberia but now Augusta Vindelicorum It is so well built that it comes not short of any one in Europe and the Guild or Town-house is a Palace worthy to lodge the Emperor In the year 1368. the People took the administration of affairs out of the hands of the Patricians which Charles V. restored to them again 180. years after P. This City is very famous for its magnificence and Goldsmiths work but Aalen and Biberac are not considerable Therefore let us see Collen G. As for Aalen you must know it is but a little hole where there are not above thirty Burgers which belonged heretofore to the Counts of Wirtemberg and was lost during that War which Eberhard the Riotous waged with the Cities of Swaben Collen is the Rome of Germany and the Capital City of the Vbians It is called Colonia Agrippina because Marcus Agrippa subdued it to the Romans or because Agrippina daughter to Germanicus and Wife to Claudius was born there That Lady was very lascivious and it is said that the women of this Town use but little modesty when they are in the Baths It is an Imperial City and yet does homage to the Archbishop in these terms We Free Burgers of Collen to day for to day and for the days hereafter promise to N. Archbishop of Collen to be faithful and favourable unto him as long as he preserves us in right and honour and in our ancient priviledges us our wives our children and our City of Collen So help us God and his Saints And the Archbishop obliges himself to the said City after this manner We by the grace of God Archbishop of the holy Church of Collen Elector and Arch-Chancellor of the Empire throughout Italy to the end there may be between us and our dear Burgers and the City of Collen an amiable confederation entire confidence and sincere peace and that the same may remain inviolable do make known by these presents that we have promised and assured and do promise and assure in good faith and without fraud that we confirm all the rights and franchises written or unwritten old or new within and without the City of Collen which have been granted unto it by Popes Emperors Kings or by Archbishops of Collen and will never violate or infringe the same In witness whereof we have caused the Seal of our Arms to be put unto these presents the c. Now the Senat makes process in criminal causes and the Elector hath right to condemn or to free offenders P. If you say so much of all the Imperial Cities it will be long before we make an end Do me the favour to pass lightly over the rest G. Campidunum which the Germans call Kempten was the ordinary residence of the ancient Dukes of Swaben and the native place of Hildegardis daughter to Hildebrand Duke of Swaben and wife to Charlemagne Colmar is a good City of Alsatia where Berthe mother to Charlemagne and Adelais his daughter have founded many Monasteries Donavert was a Free City till the year
desire that he may obtain them the most Religious pray God to give him them the most couragious grumble and the most seditious losing all respect talk of putting another into his place The unfortunate life and death of Henry the Third King of France are unquestionable evidences of this truth P. How should one do to gain authority and reputation G. Authority depends upon reputation for the people believing that their Prince is valiant liberal and prudent doth readily obey his will and receive his Commands with respect honour and reverence Now to gain the reputation of a prudent Prince he should be very careful that his servants and Ministers be friends to the publick good affable modest and generous To be esteemed valiant it is sufficient that he shew a constant resolution to maintain his People in their ancient Splendor even at the expence of his life that adversity cast him not down nor prosperity make him insolent And to give a fairer lustre to his liberality he should take care that the little he bestowes arise not out of the oppression of his People If it be thus indeed then without being present every day at Councel without drawing his sword or giving much his Subjects his Friends and his Enemies too will esteem him valiant liberal and prudent and all of them fearing to offend him will pay him the duties of Subjects Friends and Neighbours P. A Prince that carries true piety in his heart and all Christian virtues in his soul needs not doubt but God will dissipate and disappoint all the evil designs of his mutinous Subjects and ambitious Neighbours But what Countrey-man was Pepin G. It is generally said that he was originally a German nay many think that Charlemagne his son was born near the Rhine John de Serres in his Inventary of the History of France Tom. 1. pag. 315. says he was born at Wormes crowned at Spire and buried at Aix and in pag. 324. of the same Tome he says he was buried at Aix where he was born How ever it be they were both of them Kings of France and the latter won so much renown by preserving the Church of Rome and defending the Pope who was unjustly assailed by Desiderius King of Lombardy that the Pope the Senate and people of Rome proclaimed him Emperor in the year of our Lord 800. P. I thought it was Pope Leo III. only that divided the Empire and gave the Western part with the name of Emperor to Charlemagne when he made him Advocate of the Holy See G. The Popes labour to perswade us so and would have it believed that the Crowns of Lombardy and Rome are essential to the Imperial dignity saying that the Emperor becomes King of Germany by the election which the Princes make of his person but acquires the name of Emperor Cesar and Augustus by the consecration and approbation which he receives from the Pope But this opinion of the Popes and of some writers their Votaries is ridiculous otherwise the Heathen Emperors would not have been lawful Emperors and those professing Christianity who resided at Constantinople since Constantine the Great until Constantine Paleologus nay those of Germany since Ferdinand the First till this very day would have been Usurpers having been Crowned neither at Milan nor Rome which cannot be said without the guilt of High Treason From whence you ought to conclude that the Emperors are so by the Grace of God without being any way beholden for it to the See of Rome P. Did the posterity of Charlemagne keep possession of the Empire and the Kingdom of France for any long time G. It held the Empire and France together not very long for the children of Lewis the Debonaire sharing their Fathers Estates that division weakned the House occasioned Wars between the brethren and was the cause that his Grandchildren lost the Empire in the year 912. and the Kingdom of France in the year 987. at which time Hugh Capet made Charles Duke of Lorraine Unckle by the Fathers side to Lewis the Fifth to be declared unworthy to succeed to the Crown of his Progenitors because he had done homage to Germany for his Dutchy So the race of Charles the Great to whom all Christendom doth owe so much fell totally from their greatness and made room in Germany for the Saxons and in France for the Capetians who set up the Empire and France again in their first lustre P. Was Hugh Capet a Frenchman G. He was born in France but a Saxon by extraction for Charlemagne coming to an agreement with Witikind of Saxony after a long and bloody War took one of Witikinds sons into France with him and did so much for him that his successors raised themselves with ease to the highest Offices of State and at length Hugh Capet put the Crown upon his own head and transmitted it to his descendents who enjoy it still with more happiness and authority then their predecessors did P. I learn by what you tell me that all the Kings who have reigned in France since Pharamond came out of Germany and I am glad to understand so much because it is an honor for our Nation to have given Kings unto so considerable a part of Europe But methinks this discourse draws us much off of our mark and being to speak of Languages and of the place where they should be learnt we allow that subject the least share of our thoughts G. It is true indeed that we make long digressions but they bring us nearer to the end we aim at for the best way to learn Languages is to speak and discourse with those that have the reputation of speaking well P. Do not all Frenchmen and Italians speak their own native Language well G. There are Provinces in France and Italy where you meet with few persons that speak French or Italian purely and never a one where the vulgar hath not some terms out of use and rejected by the learned So that those who travel to learn languages should take care to make their stay in places where the common people have the best accent and the least barbarous phrases P. Where should Italian be learnt G. You know that the inundation of people who to show the Romans that they were not invincible came at several times out of Gaul and Germany so corrupted the Latine in Italy that it degenerated into a language exceedingly mingled Since that time the great wits as Petrarch Boccace Ariosto Tasso Bembo and many others have so cultivated it that their writings do in no wise give place to the elegancy of the Greeks and Latines Now as Cities are some more or less ingenious then others the inhabitants of Sienna have surpassed them all in the sweetness and politeness of the Italian tongue and the Court of Rome which is composed of all the rest hath brought it to its perfection P. That being so I will stay longer at Sienna and Rome then in other places G. So I advise you and
King of Bohemia And the younger brethren of the Palatine House who have place in the Assemblies take it immediately after the Secular Electors as the Archdukes do after the Ecclesiasticks Now all the Princes of this House are descended from two Emperors whose Nephews make two principal Branches both very Potent and Illustrious but of different Religions and perchance no very great friends since they that are sprung from Lewis of Bavaria wear the Electoral Cap which belonged to the descendents of the Emperor Robert And that change came to pass because Frederick V. Elector of the Rhine not regarding the Election that was made of Ferdinand of Austria accepted the Crown of Bohemia whereby he kindled those fires and forged those irons that have wasted our Countrey for above 30. years P. I have already heard say that the Bohemians drew upon themselves and us the mischiefs of the last War by the Election they made of two Kings when they had but one Kingdom to bestow Let us therefore pass by those causes of our evils and according to your accustomed method tell me something of the Original of the priviledges of the greatness and of the alliances of this House G. Many Writers fetch the Original of these Princes out of the loines of Charlemagne and follow the Genealogie down from him to those that are living at this day For my part I know not what to think of it and therefore refer my self to real evidence Yet I dare confidently affirm that the House is very ancient and that since the year 1253. in which Otho Witelpachius Count of Shiern married Agnes heiress of the Palatinate and Bavaria this House hath possessed those two great Principalities with the quality of Elector and great Steward of the Empire It hath given two Emperors to Germany one King to Denmark Sweden and Norway joyntly and another to Sweden alone Without counting I know not how many Generals who have commanded armies in Italy Hungary France and England P. At what time did those Princes reign in Germany Denmark and Sweden G. Lewis of Bavaria was chosen Emperor the 18. of October 1314 and having Reigned gloriously 23. years made room for Charles of Luxembourg the IV. of that name who left Wenceslaus his Successor and he by his intolerable negligence forced the Electors to put Robert Elector Palatine into his place a man low of Stature but of so great courage that the Empire could have wished him endued with immortality if that were to be found here below But he dyed the 18. of May 1410. having Reigned ten years And Christopher his granchild was chosen King of Denmark Sweden and Norway in the year 1430. and dyed without heirs 1448. But Charles Gustavus son of John Casimir a younger brother to the Duke of Zweybruck or Deux-ponts Reigns at this present in Sweden with as much glory as any one of his predecessors and hath a son of Hedwig Eleonor daughter to Frederick Duke of Holstein P. This House descending from two Emperors very renowned in History and having so many and such brave Princes at present worth to be Emperors I wish them those Crown they deserve to wear and desire you to toâ— me whether it enjoys more priviledges theâ— the other Electoral Houses G. The Electors have very great priviledges and the Golden Bull otdains for them allâ— general and every one in particular thaâ— no man appeal from their Justice to any otheâ— whatsoever Yet none of them have preserveâ— this Right entire to them but the Electors oâ— Saxony Brandenburg and of the Rhine Theâ— can all together choose an Emperor and depose him when he is lazy and negligent They have right to prescribe a Capitulation to the Emperor when they have chosen him and to oblige him to swear to the observation thereof Moreover they can meet together once every year without asking leave of any one and consult in that Assembly concerning the publick and their own private affairs Besides this Right which relates to the whole Electoral Colledge the Palatine and the Saxon are Vicars of the Empire and as such they can legitimate Bastards as well of great men as of inferior persons create Notaries and Tabellions confer the Benefices which are in the Emperors nomination give Investiture of lands held in Fee except of Dukedoms and of the Principalities which in Germany are called Fansleben because when the Emperor gives them he puts a standard into the hand of him that receives them and which is most considerable the Elector Palatine can redeem what the Emperor hath sold or engaged at the same value for which it was sold or engaged and which is yet more the Emperor may be convented for Debt before this Elector P. The ancient Emperors gave demonstration of a meekness without example in submiting themselves to the justice of one that is a Subject of the Empire G. No man would deal with Soverains if they did not oblige themselves in Civil matters to some way of Justice and in this case the Emperors have been willing that the Elector Palatine should be their Judge But if the Emperor be accused of Mal-administration the judgement thereupon belongs to all the Electoral Colledge in which case the Elector Palatine is Director of the Process and not he of Mentz though he be Dean of the Electoral Colledge P. Certainly this is no small honour to the Palatine House but wherein consists its greatness G. If these Princes did all aim at the benefit advancement and glory of the whole House in generall and if there were no hatred between the Branches Bavaria the upper lower Palatinate the Landgraveship of Leuchtemberg the Lordships of Simmeren of Deux-Ponts of Weldents the Dutchy of Juliers the Archbishopricâ— of Collen the Bishopricks of Liege Hildesheim and Freisinguen which this House possessseth at this time would make it formidable to all its Enemies as well by reason of its vast forces as because it hath three voices in the Electoral Colledge and at the least eight or ten in that of the Princes P. I know that the Elector of Bavaria in the quality of Duke hath the first voice among the Secular Princes that Duke Albert his Unkle hath one as Landgrave of Leuchtemberg that the Palatine of Simmeren hath another and he of Newbourg too and it may be some other younger brethren of the House have voices also for Deux-ponts in like manner as for the Bishopricks of Hildesheim Liege and Freisinguen But tell me something of the alliances of this House G. It is allied to all the great Families not only of the Empire but of Europe The Emperor Ferdinand II. married in the first year of the Century current Mary Anne daughter to William Duke of Bavaria by whom he had issue Mary Anne wife to Maximilian Duke of Bavaria Cecily wife to Vladislaus IV. King of Poland Ferdinand III. Emperor who had for his first wife Mary Infanta of Spain and by her Mary Anne wife to Philip IV. King of
Spain On the other side Maximilian Duke of Bavaria son of William and of Renata of Lorraine left a son who in the year 1650. married Adelaïs daughter to Victor Amedeus Duke of Savoy and to Christina of France who is allied by consanguinity to all the greatest Kings and Princes in Christendom P. These are indeed very great Alliances G. But this is not all Frederick V. Elector Palatine in the year 1613. married Elizabeth daughter of James King of great Britain and by reason of her the House became allied to the Kings of England and Denmark Philip Lewis his brother in the year 1631. married Mary Eleonor daughter to Joachim Frederick Elector of Brandenbourg and his sister Elizabeth Charlotta was given in marriage to George William Elector of Brandenbourg July 14. 1626. Philip William Duke of Newbourg his first wife was Anne Catherine daughter to Sigismond King of Poland and John Casimir was the worthy husband of Catherine daughter to Charles and mother to Charles Gustavus King of Sweden From whence it may easily be seen that few Houses in Europe are better allied then this which besides what we have newly mentioned is of kin to the Houses of Hesse Gonzaga Bourbon Nassau Saxony Juliers Wirtemberg Rohan and many others P. Is not this Elector Palatine Charles Lewis married G. I forgot to tell you that this Prince who at least equals if he doth not go beyond all his Ancestors in Prudence and Magnaniâ—â—ty hath taken to wife Charlotta the worth daughter of the incomparable Amelia Elizabeth Landgravess of Hess which is sufficienâ— to say that he could not have made a betteâ— choice Edward this Electors brother marâ—â—ed Anne daughter to Charles Duke of Mantâ— and Neuers and Henrietta their sister dye a little after she was married to the Princeâ— Transylvania His other brethren and sisteâ— are yet to marry Robert and Maurice havâ— given proof of their ability and courage upoâ— occasions almost without number and thâ— Princesses Elizabeth Loüyse and Sophia havâ— made skilful masters confess that the Sciencâ— have nothing so sublime nor Picture-drawiâ—â— any thing so marvellous but the wit and hauâ— of these Ladies have been able to reach it P. I hope you will make me a long reciâ—â— of the Genealogies of great persons and theâ— you will not omit these Alliances and these â—â—lustrious Princes and Ladies But that it may bâ— done with the less trouble I shall be conteâ—â— to hear you discourse it at your leisure Leâ— us pass if you please into Saxony and do 〈◊〉 the favour to tell me what you know of theâ—â— Electoral House G. There is not any House in Europe moâ—â— glorious then that of Saxony It restored the honour of the Empire after the race of Charlemagne had lost its first vigour and under oâ—â— Henry and three Otho's it confirmed the Imperial dignity unto Germany it conquered many enemies gave Princes to Savoy and if it be true that Hugh Capet was descended from this House it hath likewise furnished France with their Kings P. Do not the Kings of Denmark also come from Witikind of Saxony G. It is said that the Counts of Oldenbourg are a branch of this great Stock and it is most certain that after the death of Christopher III. the Danes would have chosen Adolph Duke of Schleswick who would not accept of the Crown in regard of his great age declaring that such an honour would be better placed upon the person of Christian Count of Oldenbourg his grandchild and heir apparent The Danes taking this counsel and admiring the generosity of him that gave it chose Christian the first of that name whose posterity Reigns at this day in Denmark Norway Schleswick Holstein Stormar and Dithmarsh P. We will take another time to speak of the Kings of France and Denmark and of the Dukes of Savoy It will be sufficient for the present to inform me when the Electoral Cap was first brought into this House into how many branches it is divided how many voices it hath in the Diets and what are its principal forces and alliances G. The Emperor Sigismond knowing the merit of Frederick the Warlike Marquiss oâ— Misnia and the obligation that the Empire had to his Predecessors charged Eric V. of the House of Saxon-Lawembourg for having lapsâ—â— his due time of demanding the Investiture of the Electorship which his Ancestors had possessed ever since the year 1180. and transfored the same upon the forenamed Frederick oâ— Twelfth-day 1423. Since that time this House hath without interruption possessed the Electoral dignity with the Dutchy of Saxony thâ— Marquisate of Misnia the Landgraveship oâ— Thuringia And by a further accumulation oâ— good fortune it inherited the Principality oâ— Henneberg nay since the last War of Boheâ—â— the Emperor gave the upper and lower Lusaiâ— to Iohn George Elector of this House who diâ—ed the 8. of October 1656. and was interred thâ— 4. of February 1657. with more then Regâ—â—pomp there being 3500. persons in mourâ—ing and 24. Horses of State covered with black and the Electoral Escutcheon embroidered thereon every one of them led by two Gentlemen P. In a late discourse concerning the valiant actions of Duke Bernard Weymar it was sail that he loved not the House of Austria because it took the Electoral dignity from thâ—â— branch G. It is true that Iohn Frederick furnamed the Magnanimous having taken arms for the liberty of Religion was deprived of his dignity by the Emperor Charles V. who took him prisoner near Wirtemberg and gave the Electorate to Maurice in the year 1547. Thus passed this dignity into another branch and the elder became younger brethren For this cause there was but little confidence and kindness between the Princes of this House But as there is no grief which is not diminished by length of time even so the bitterness between these Princes hath been sweetned and they seem to be entirely reconciled For Frederick William Duke of Altembourg took for his second wife Magdalen Sibylla daughter to Iohn George the Elector last deceased and Maurice son to the same Elector hath married Dorothy Mary daughter to William Duke Weymar eldest son of that matchless Bernard whose praises you have heard P. For so much as I perceive this House is divided into many branches G. Not counting the Kings of France and Denmark and the Dukes of Savoy who are the illustrious Ciens that sprung out of this great Tree the Electoral House of Saxony is divided into two principal branches in each whereof there have been six Electors The last of the first branch lost the Electoral dignity because he was unsuccesful in making War for the liberty of Germany against Charles V. and the first of the second branch left the Electoral Cap unto his brother and his posterity for having happily taken and born arms in favour of his Countrey against the same Emperor P. I pray make this business out a little clearer to me G. Frederick III. of that name Elector
the Marquis of Brandenbourg and his Successors or rather to Anne only Niece to the said Mary Eleonor excluding Magdalen wife to John Duke of Deux-ponts and Sibyll Marchioness of Burgon her sisters daughters to William and sisters to John William the last of that Family Duke of Juliers and Cleve who received the same priviledge from the Emperor Charles V. in the year 1546. P. It is then the inheritance of John William Duke of Juliers which served for a pretense to the vast preparation that Henry IV. King of France made when he was unfortunately assassinated which hath already occasioned some misunderstandings between the Houses of Brandenbourg and Newbourg and which may yet cause greater But let us leave these intricacies to be disentangled by those that are concerned and take a further view of the immunities priviledges and Alliances of the House of Brandenbourg G. The Golden Bull which hath in all things been exceeding liberal and free of the graces of the Empire towards the Electors grants them all in general and every one in particular Soverain Justice Some say that these Electors not regarding this priviledge so much as they ought carelesly lost it and having been depriv'd of it may years at last the Elector Joachim Frederick got himself repossessed of this Right by the Emperor Rodâ—â—ph II. For my part I am of another opinion and think with the greater number of Writers that they alwayes preserved and enjoyed it As for the order of place observed in Assemblies this Elector is the last but one since the creation of the eighth Electorship We have already said that he hath many voices and the younger brethren of his House to wit the Marquisses of Culembach and of Anspach have each of them one but no right to give a definitive judgement in their Subjects causes if the sum exceed 400. Florins of the Rhine P. I would gladly know whether there be many Princes of this House G. At the time I now write there are three married and three children The Elector Frederick William son to George William and Elizabeth Charlotta Princess Electoral Palatine after long hopes of marrying the matchless Christina Queen of Sweden who hath since declared that she will dy a Maid was married December 7. 1646. to Loâ—yse of Nassau daughter to the great Town-taker Frederick Henry Prince of Orange by whom he hath a son called Charles Amelius who was born February 2. 1655. and another named N. N. born 1657. The Electoral Branch doth at this time consist of these three Princes The Marquisses of Culembach and Barheit are Christian Ernest son to Herman Augustus and Sophia daughter to Joachim Ernest also Marquiss of Brandenbourg This young Prince was born July 27. 1644. and George Albert his Unkle born in 1619. married Mary Elizabeth daughter to Philip Duke of Holstein in the year 1651. The third Branch which resides at Anspach hath been long in fear of ending without issue Male there being none but Albert son to Joachim Ernest and to Sophia Countess of Solmes who in her â—ife time had but few her equals in vertue and beauty This Prince endued with piety as well as magnanimity was born September 28. 1620. and in 1642. married Henrietta Loüyse daughter to Lewis Frederick Duke of Wirtemberg by whom he had only two daughters But that Princess being gone to receive in Heaven the Crown which her vertues merited upon earth this Lord hath taken for his second wise Sophia Margaret daughter to Joachim Ernest Count of Ottinguen And by this Lady who is a Phenix in beauty courage and liberality he had a son October 8. 1655. and is at this time in hopes of having many more Which I wish he may and pray God that imitating their Ancestors they may be as so many German Achilles and Alcibiades P. Have these Princes any good Forts full Magazins and wherewithal to bring Armies into the field G. The Elector hath at this present very considerable forces in Prussia where he takes part with the King of Sweden and he is of so high esteem by the means he hath to help and to harm that he is courted on all hands His Forts are exceeding well maintained and as well provided Custrin hath never been taken Pillaw and Memel make him redoubted in Prussia Colberg in Pomerania Drisen in the Mark and Landsperg upon the Vard His Cousins of Culembach and Anspach have their sure retreats at Blassembourg and Melspourg And forasmuch as Princes strike their enemies more smartly with the head then with the hand the Elector and the Marquis of Anspach are as much to be feared for their prudence as for their valour The end of the third Dialogue Dialogue IIII. Of the Secular Princes of the Empire P. If you be so particular in describing the Origin progress and Alliances of the Princes as you have been in those of the Electors it will be long before we get out of Germany G. The desire I have to see you speedily comprehend the manners strength and Laws of other well governed Nations in Europe will quicken me to pass as lightly as may be over the consideration of the Princes of the Empire We must nevertheless speak of all those that have place in the Assemblies P. I am content you should do so but your undertaking will carry you out of Germany or into a tedions repetition for the King of Sweden the Elector of Brandenbourg and many Princes of his and other Electoral Houses whereof you have already made mention are in the number of those who have place in the Diets of the Empire G. Having elsewhere said that this King and some younger brethren of Electoral Houses have voices in the general Assemblies I shall not repeat it here and shall speak of the Duke of Lorraine in another place because his Estate is at present in the most Christian Kings hands P. By that means you will very much shorten this discourse and yet not lose the opportunity of entertaining me with the commemoration of that House wherein Valour Affability and modesty seem to be natural G. Since there is nothing more dear to me then to give you content I shall willingly omit all other matters to discourse upon the Houses of Brunswick Meklebourg Wirtemberg Hesse Baden Holstein Saxon-Lawembourg Anhalt Hohenzolleren Aremberg Henneberg and Eastfriseland And having considered them one after another I will pass to the Ecclesiastical Princes the Prelates the Counts and the Barons But before I enter upon this Theme I beseech you to consider that the King of Sweden being a Member of the Empire may very much contribute to the preservation of its Liberty and the maintenance of the Protestant Religion P. The French accuse the Spaniards for aiming at the Universal Monarchy and on the other side the Spaniards say that the French seek for an opportunity to seize upon the Empire If it were so methinks the King of Sweden might disappoint the designs of those Monarchs G. All Princes know that
and tell me when it obtained the quality of Count and lastly of Prince G. The Counts of East-Friseland and those of Oldenbourg did always maintain great feuds and emulations between one another till the year 1656. At which time Antony Gunther dying without issue lawfully begotten left the King of Denmark and the Duke of Holstein for his Successors And I believe the cause of that mis-understanding might proceed from hence That Mary of Jeuer being married to Eno Count of East-Friseland and having children by him did yet make John Count of Oldenbourg her heir and again that the Counts of East-Friseland being less ancient then those of Oldenbourg are as rich as well or better allied then they and do also exercise Soverain Justice over their Subjects P. I know the Counts of Oldenbourg are the ancienter But when did those of East-Friseland begin G. Vlrick Sirxena Lord of Gietziel and other lands was made Count of East-Friseland by the Emperor Frederick III. A. D. 1454. That Lord married Folca who brought him in Dowry the Lordships of Escui and Stetendorf Of that marriage came Edzar l. of that name Father of Eno who married Mary of Ieuer by whom he had Edzar II. That Count aspired higher then his Predecessors and took to wife Catherine daughter to Gustavus I. King of Sweden of whom he begat Iohn from whom the Counts of Ritberg are descended and Eno II. who married Anne daughter to Adolph Duke of Holstein by whom he had Vlrick husband to Iuliana daughter to Lewis Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt This Princess remains a Widow and makes it her business to bring up her children well of whom Edzar Ferdinand is still travelling abroad George Christian is at home with her and Eno Lewis her eldest son having continued some time at the Imperial Court was there made Counsellor to the Emperor and Gentleman of his Chamber Afterward in the year 1653 he was raised unto the rank and dignity of Prince by the Emperor Ferdinand III. at the Diet of Ratisbon This Prince was contracted to Henrittta daughter to Frederick Henry of Nassau Prince of Orange while they were both children but the parties not liking one another the Artitles of marriage were broken and Eno Lewis married Iustina Sophia Countess of Barly November 7. 1656. I am told for certain that this Prince hath 150000. Crowns Revenue and thereby is well enabled to maintain the quality he bears which is annext to the eldest alone the other being no more then Counts and having no part in the Countrey P. We are at length arrived to the end of this journey Let us rest a while and afterwards we will take a view of the Ecclesiastical Princes G. I am content and shall in the mean time prepare my self to tell you how the Ecclesiastical Princes live in Germany how many they are what order of place they observe in the Assemblies by whom and how they were raised to their dignity to what Jurisdiction they are subject and all other necessary things that shall come into my head The end of the Fifth Dialogue Dialogue VI. Of the Ecclesiastical Princes of the Empire P. THe Princes Ecclesiastical hold the first rank in the Empire and you place them after the Seculars but it matters not much since it is neither for want of respect nor of knowing their due place Well then let us see whether the Empire be as venerable by the Mitres of its Prelates as it is formidable by the Sword of its Souldiers G. There is never a Countrey in Christendom where Prelates have so much power as in Germany They are almost all Great Princes and as absolute over the Temporalty of their Benefices as a Secular Elector is over his Lands These riches are now and then misapplied to bad uses and the debauches made by Church-men their great Train the dogs the horses they maintain the Jesters they keep for their pleasure and their dissolute life obliged our Predecessors to upbraid them with it and allow us to believe that they gave occasion to Doctor Luther to preach against their Doctrine as well as their evil conversation Yet still it is often seen that the same Prelate possesseth two three nay a greater number of huge Benefices of the Empire and spends the Revenue thereof without any scruple of conscience in worldly pomp continual debauches and other things unworthy of their rank and profession P. These Princes give themselves but little if at all to their studies misusing their riches and think it beneath their greatness to preach the word of God and do other Ecclesiastical functions But they do not all live alike G. Whatever is spoken against ungodly persons doth nothing concern the truly religious There are Prelates of sundry conditions and different humors some are voluptuous and others chast some love nothing but dogs and bouffons others make much of worthy persons Heretofore besides the three Ecclesiastical Electors there were five Archbishops and thirty Bishops that had seat and voice in the Assemblies of the Empire At this time there are not so many because the Archbishopricks of Magdebourg Bremen and Riga and the Bishopricks of Halberstad Minden and Verden have been changed into Secular Principalities as those also of Besanson Verdun Mets and Toul were dismembred from the Empire and inseparably united to the Lands of Spain and France by the last Treaty of Peace And those of Valesia Losanna and Chur have been abolished by the Suisses So that at present there is none but Saltzbourg that holds the rank of Archbishop in the Colledge of the Princes and about twenty Bishops P. The German Church must without question have lost very much by the last Treaty of Peace where three Archbishopricks and six Bishopricks were Secularized G. Riga was cut off from the Empire before and all those other Benefices were in the power of the Lutherans who had no mind to let them slip out of their fingers And so methinks the generality of the Protestant Princes hath lost more by this Treaty then the German Church seeing the Princes have now no more means to provide for their younger brethren as they had before For in real truth the Elector of Saxony had Magdebourg the King of Denmark Bremen and some other Lords the Bishopricks whereof we have last made mention P. The King of Spain having the Archbishopricks of Besanson and Cambray in his possession there is little likelyhood that those Archbishops should come to the Diets of the Empire G. I do not know whether those Prelates have lost the right they had to sit in the Assemblies of the Empire but it is certain that Cambray doth not challenge the place of an Archbishoprick there though it have gotten that name amongst the Prelates of the Low Countreys by the augmentation of Bishopricks in Flanders which King Philip II. made in the beginning of his Reign That Prelate keeps his ancient title and always qualifies himself Duke of Cambray Count of Cambresis and Prince of the
the People so bare and miserable being forced to contribute towards defraying the expenses of War and the maintenance of Princes although the poor contributors enjoyed but the least part of the land which obliged Kings at last to forbid Priests all kinds of further acquisitions If that had not been done they had swallowed all long since for heretofore there was an order that no Will should be made without bequeathing something to the Church And if any one dyed intestate an estimate was made of his inheritance and according to the value thereof a portion was allotted and given to the Priests For the remedying of that excess very excellent Laws have been made in England the Low Countreys and at Venice and the Parliament of Paris it self seeing the immense riches of the Carthusians and Celestins made orders expresly prohibiting them the acquiring of any more immovables P. Those regulations are just where Churchmen live in plenty but they should not be hindred from making moderate acquisitions it being reasonable that they who feed us spiritually should be maintained corporally G. Your argument is very good Poverty should not be permitted in the Church for it is impossible the Priest should carefully attend upon preaching the Gospel visiting the sick comforting the afflicted and administring the Sacraments and at the same time labour to get bread While Clergy-men were under continual suffering they stood in need of extraordinary assistance to keep them from falling into despair but growing too rich they were swallowed up in lazyness from whence there flowed streams of ignorance wantonness impiety luxury superstition idolatry and other vices which brought Christendom almost to utter ruine P. Let us not enter into the consideration of the lives manners and humours of Priests who have constrained good men to procure their reformation and that reformation caused rivers of blood which have very near drowned Christendom Tell me rather how the Ecclesiastical Princes come by their Dignity G. The Prelates of Germany are not all raised to their Dignity after one and the same manner and the order observed now differs from that which was observed when Germany received the Faith In the beginning of Christianity Bishops were every where chosen by the Clergy and the People joyntly After which when the Roman Emperors were become Christians they sometimes gave Bishops to the principal Churches by their own authority or of several that were proposed to them they made choice of him that pleased them best So Constans made Liberius Bishop of Rome and Theodosius the younger chose Nectarius to be Bishop of Constantinople from amongst many that were named to him Since the fourth age before which there were few or no Bishops in Germany the Kings made a Decree that no man should be promoted to the Episcopal Dignity without their consent and when Germany was united to France the French Kings made such use of that right that no man was made Bishop but by their nomination or at least their approbation for if the Clergy and the People chose a Bishop he was to be confirmed by the King In Bavaria which at that time had its own Kings sometimes the People and sometimes the King chose the Bishops but so as there was no need to have Bulls from Rome Pepin gave the Archbishoprick of Mentz to Boniface and that Prelate being grown old he obtained a Coadjutor from the same King without having recourse to the Pope P. I believe indeed that Pepin raised that Prelate to the Episcopal Dignity but some think he had obtained permission to do so from Pope Zachary G. The creatures of Rome would make us believe so but that is not probable since Pepins Predecessors had the same power and his Successors maintained it insomuch that Leo or rather Gregory IV. durst not make Colonus the Deacon Bishop of Reale without the permission of Lewis the Debonaire and the Fathers of the Synod held at Aix-la-Chapelle entreated the same Emperor to have a great care of giving good Pastors to the Churches Nay all the Popes from Leo VIII to Gregory VII were created or confirmed by the Emperors P. But have not the Emperors made not confirmed any Popes since that time G. Gregory VII took away from Kings and Emperors the power not only of creating and confirming the Popes but the Bishops also in the Countreys under their obedience and having excommunicated the Emperor Henry IV. he commanded Hugh Bishop of Die his Legat in France to procure a Decree to be made against Lay-men that would name persons unto Bishopricks The year after he forbad Church-men the receiving of any Bishoprick Abbey or other Benefice from the hand of a Lay-man though he were King or Emperor and within two years more he pronounced that the power of choosing Bishops and Pastors belonged to the Apostolick See Victor III. confirmed the Decrees of Gregory VII Vrban II. went further and at the Synod of Melfi Can. 8. and at that of Clermont Can. 15. and 16. forbad Clergy-men to take the Oath of Allegiance unto their Princes Those Decrees drew the Emperor Henry V. into the field who took Paschal II. prisoner and made him restore the Empire unto its first condition But when Popes had once tasted what a pleasure it was to be independent and to keep the Emperors under their authority they forced the Councils of Lateran and Vienna held in the year 1112. to declare Heretical the Collations of Benefices made by Lay-men The Emperors on the other side desiring to keep up their power named one Bishop and the Pope or the People another and the stronger party held the Bishoprick to the great scandal and prejudice of Christendom At length Paschal II. excommunicated Henry V. Calixtus II. confirmed the proceedings of his predecessors at the Council of Reims A. D. 1120. and Henry being both strucken by the Popes thunderbolts and wearied by the obstinacy of the Princes renounced his own right in the Diet held at Wormes A. D. 1122. In this manner the right which the Emperors had to choose Bishops passed from them to the Clergy and the People but a little after the Canons of Cathedral Churches assumed that right to themselves and keep it still P. I observe that many of the Councils wherein the Empire lost so much of its power and dignity were held in France G. Those Kings seeing that Germany had separated it self from France and kept the Imperial Majesty which their first Predecessors of the second Race had gotten were glad to see it humbled and for that cause they sided with the Popes when they would vex the Empire helping by that means to forge and hammer those chains of servitude which would have oppressed them and their Successors if the Popes had not met with Parliaments and a French people more inclined to obey their own Kings then to follow the orders of Rome P. Those Subjects who prefer the obedience they owe to their Soverains before any other consideration are highly to be
I do not believe it is your desire to know what Rents Fortresses Cities or Subjects every Count hath much less what they might be able to do all together For it would be impossible for me to answer you Imagining then that you only ask what place they have in the Assemblies and after what manner they give their suffrages there I answer that they sit immediately next after the Princes and that they have two voices one for the Bench of Wetteravia the other for that of Swaben For the rest in their particular Meetings every one hath his voice and being agreed they make choice of one out of their Body to carry their opinion unto the Colledge of the Princes P. Have all the Counts right to sit in the general Assemblies G. They only that are Estates of the Empire enjoy that priviledge and those that are not inscribed in the Matriculation-Roll nor contribute any thing to the necessities nor have any land immediately held of the Empire are absolutely excluded from thence P. Seeing the Counts that the Emperor makes in his hereditary Provinces are not admitted into the Assemblies there will be but few that have place there G. There were more formerly then at this time because some Counties have been erected into Principalities and many are swallowed up into the power of the Princes Tyrol Henneberg Montbeliard Tubing Oldenbourg Spanheim and Weldents belong to the Houses of Austria Saxony Wirtemberg Holstein and the Palatine Schawenbourg Hohenzolleren and East-Friseland have been made principalities the two first by Ferdinand II. and the last by Ferdinand III. who having Reigned twenty years almost in continual trouble entred into the rest of the Blessed the 2. of April in this present year 1657. Now those Lords taking place among the Princes encrease their number and power by the diminution of that of the Counts P. Are all those Counts whose lands have not been erected into Principalities of the same condition and dignity G. To provide a satisfactory answer to your question you must know there be three sorts of Counts in Germany not comprising those of Austria The first are Estates of the Empire as well in regard of their persons as of their Fiefs the second having one or more Lands holding immediately of the Empire and by reason thereof being Estates of the Empire do also hold a Fief of some particular Prince in regard whereof they are his Subjects and obliged to do him some service The third sort have no Fief holding immediately of the Empire and consequently no place in the Diets And thus some have more interest in the benefits and affairs of the Empire then others and seem to be of a higher condition P. All the Immediate Counts of the Empire are like so many little Kings and pay but very few acknowledgements to the Emperor Many of them coyn money and exercise other Regalities whereby they draw near to the rank and condition of Princes and for that cause the very Electors are not thought to marry below themselves when they take such Countesses to be their Wives I do not know whether it be so or no when they take others G. It is certain that the Electors have married Immediate Countesses and I think they might have married others without wronging their posterity There are some Counts who are Subjects and yet have born the quality of Princes for a long time being no way inferior to the greatest I shall not bring many examples of it since it will be sufficient to make you confess this truth when I tell you that if a Prince should marry a Countess of Egmâ—nâ— or of Horn he would do nothing contrary to his Dignity although those Counts were Subjects to the Duke of Burgundy because the first were Dukes of Guelderland and the other are of the House of Montmorancy which is the prime Family of France P. Give me a list of the Counts that have session in the Diets of the Empire G. I shall reckon you those that are come to my knowledge and place them after the order of the Alphabet for fear I should offend against that of their rank Badembourg Barby Bentheim Bramersdorf Castel Delmenhorst Eichemberg Erbach Eberstein Furstemberg Glerchem Hanau Helfenstein Hohehohe or Holach Hohengeroldseck Hohenlandsberg Kirchemberg Lewenstein Limbourg Lupfen Leininguen of Absperg Lippe Mansfeld Montfort Nassau Oldenbourg Ottinguen Orteâ—bourg Reitpolskirchem Rhingraves Reussâ—n Salme Saym Solmes Sults Schwartzbourg Stolberg Tenguen Waldek Walpourg Wied Wineberg Wolkenstein Zimberen The Counts of Schwartzbourg hold lands in Fee of the Dukes of Saxony those of Waldek of the Landgrave of Hesse and the Rhingraves acknowledge the dependance of Salme and Mâ—range upon the Duke of Lorraine P. I do not believe you can give me so exact a relation of all these Counts as you have done of the Princes but if you know any thing concerning them you will do me a pleasure to impart it to me G. I have used my uttermost endeavour to get a Genealogy of the Counts but could never compass it because for the most part they are ignorant themselves of the root of their own Houses So that I know but very little yet if you desire it I shall acquaint you with what I know P. Tell me something of the House of Nassau G. I intended to have spoken of the Lords of that House in another place yet reserving liberty to insist upon them when we shall discourse of the Republick of Holland in the establishment and preservation whereof they have had the greatest hand I shall tell you that some there be who seek the Origin of that House in Cesars Commentaries where he speaks of one Nassua a Prince of Suevia Others would have it come from Rome with the same Emperor and say he gave them the County of Nassau The most incredulous find it illustrious in the Empire many ages since and cannot deny but that Otho Count of Nassau son to John and nephew to Eberhard was General of the Army of the Emperor Henry the Fowler against the Hungarians and thâ—â— he dyed and was buried at Nuremberg At that time it had been long in possession of the Castle of Nassau in the Countrey of Hesse upon the river of Doüa near the place where the Moselle falls into the Rhine A little while after another Otho son to Walderam II. having married the heiress of Guelderland was made the first Count thereof by the Emperor Henry IV. A. D. 1079. and his Successors possessed it in the quality of Counts till the year 1339. at which time the Emperor Lewis of Baveris made Reinold of Nassau Duke of Guelderland A little after that Branch was totally extinguished and the Principality of Guelderland was united to that of Juliers The House continued howsoever potent in lands and number of great personages For Walderam II. left Walderam III. from whom came the Emperor Adolph and the Branch of Sarbrug and Otho III. from whom are descended the Prince of Orange and the Counts
Into the greatest part of Regular Orders they admit Gentlemen that have attained to the age of 18. years and consequently before they have given any proof of their merit and they are degraded for murders basely committed by lying in ambush or other crimes unworthy of such persons But Kings admit none into their Orders but those that have performed good and considerable services and for that cause a man is oftentimes well in years before he can obtain that honour of which also he cannot be deprived but for High Treason Divine or Humane or for notorious cowardize as having run away from his Colours and forsaken his Chief P. If it be so there is less honour in being admitted into a Regular then into a Secular Order G. I do really think so because for the obtaining of the latter it is requisite that a man joyn his own vertue unto that of his Ancestors And the Order which makes him that is admitted into it Companion of a Soverain and familiar with his King hath doubtless something more eminent in it then that which only makes him brother and Companion of certain Gentlemen P. I would willingly know why so many Orders of Knighthood have been instituted G. Necessity was the first and principal cause of all those Orders The Regulars began after Godfrey of Boullion had taken Ierusalem when some valiant Gentlemen having voluntarily undertaken the defence of the oppressed the maintenance of Hospitals the care of Pilgrims and the securing of the ways Popes gave them priviledges and bestowed honours upon them to draw on others to the same profession Which is honourable to the Church of Rome as well for the zeal which Catholiques show in visiting the Holy places as because all the Nobility also that embraces a Rule becomes subject to the Pope P. Had Kings the same design G. Conquerors made Souldiers willing to follow them by sharing the fruit of their Conquests with them and when their Successors had not estate enough to reward all the glorious actions and eminent services which Gentlemen did for them being perswaded that a man of courage values nothing comparably to honours which distinguish him from other men they invented those Orders which without exhausting their Treasure would gain them the Flower of their Subjects and enflame all others with an extreme desire to make themselves worthy of the same honour I think it was for that reason that anciently they created Knights just before the Battel to make them engage more resolutely or presently after it to recompense those that had the greatest hand in the victory P. I would know whether there be many Knights in Germany G. There be Knights of four sorts who ought to be Princes Lords or Gentlemen The Emperor dubs some by touching them lightly upon the shoulder with a naked sword and saying to them Esto miles Dei Sancti Stephani Be a Souldier of God and of St. Stephen and those wear no Collar or other mark to distinguish them from other Gentlemen The Kings of Spain England and Denmark do also send their Order to such Lords as they set most value upon The first wear the Golden Fleece the second the Garter and the third the Elephant enamelled with white and enchased with a Cross of five great Diamonds All the other Knights are of the Military Orders of Prussia or Malta The former have the Black Cross and are named Teutoniques the latter wear a white one and are called Knights Hospitallers of St. Iohn of Ierusalem Heretofore all of the last Order were Catholiques but there are some of them now that are not so and possess the Commanderies which the Protestant Princes have not incorporated into their Demesnes But if you happen to see any German Suisse or Hollander wearing the Collar of the Order of St. Michael you may take notice that the most Christian King sometimes confers the honour of that Order upon those that have done him some acceptable service P. Do all Emperors and Kings of the Romans make Knights G. If they do not at least they may all do so And at the Coronation of Charles V. there was such an abuse that all those that would have that honour received it although they were not Gentlemen In our days it hath not been so abused For when the last Ferdinand was crowned at Ratisbon he created 28. Knights the greatest part of them very illustrious both by their birth and merit P. Now I see what difference there is between a Knight and a Cavalier I pray discourse something of the Nobility G. There are Countreys in Europe where the Nobility is distinguished into Princes Lords and Gentlemen who all together make one part of the State and are the Kings right arm the support of his Crown and the prop of his authority It is not so in Germany where the Princes nay the poorest Lords would take it for an affront to be called Gentlemen Who as we have seen before are absolutely separated from the Body of the Nobility and have their interest apart P. I know already that the Princes are Estates of the Empire and have no communion with the Nobility But I would willingly know whether all the Gentlemen of Germany make one Body whether they be equal in priviledges and whether they mutually assist one another in their necessities G. The Nobility of Germany is of two sorts One Immediate acknowledging none but the Emperor the other Mediate that acknowledges the Emperor as Head of the Empire yet without being exempt from the jurisdiction of another Prince This latter hath not so much liberty as the former but is for all that excellent in its degree there being never a Gentleman in Germany that doth not prefer a poor Gentlewoman before a rich Burgers daughter and wonders at the mixture of different qualities used in other places But this Body being united only by the ligaments of name and condition there is little or no help to be expected from one to another P. Is the Nobility that depends upon Princes equally priviledged through all the Empire G. Nobility being a quality acquired by vertuous actions and eminent services which some Houses have performed to the Prince and State it is impossible but that there should be some Houses more Noble and better priviledged then others And although fortune should have more influence then merit upon the dispensing of those qualities yet the same judgement were still to be made because Soverains are subject to their passions rewarding more bountifully and raising higher some of their servants then others It happens also that one Prince hath occasion to make use of his Nobility more often then another and receiving more considerable services from them he doth also recompense them with greater and more signal benefits P. There is no doubt but merit or favour hath made the difference which is found between those Houses that hold in Fee of a particular Prince But I am perswaded that all the Nobility immediately subject
1607. at which time the Burgers endeavouring to hinder the Catholiques from burying a Corps with the ceremonies of the Church of Rome it incurred the Imperial Ban or Proscription which was executed by the Duke of Bavaria who brought it into subjection and holds it still under his Laws Dunkelspiel hath been so often taken and re-taken in the last Wars that it will carry the marks thereof a great while Eslinguen is a pretty Town upon the Neckar within the Dutchy and under the protection of the Duke of Wirtemberg to whom it sends every first day of the year a hundred Florins of gold in a green velvet purse for the honour he doth them in being their Protector P. If I be not mistaken this City hath been honoured with the celebration of some Turnament G Not with a Turnament only but also with an Imperial Diet And produces great store of excellent Wine Francfort which was anciently called Tentoburgum and Hellenopolis signifies the passage or Ford of the Franks and was so termed because it served them for a retreat when they went into and came back from Gaule This City is renowned for its Fairs for the Article of the Golden Bull which ordains that the King of the Romans should be chosen there for its Fortress and for the river of Mein which parts it into two Towns whereof one retains the old name and the other is called Saxenhausen P. You have told me elsewhere that that clause of the Golden Bull is not observed and that many Kings of the Romans have been elected in other places G. That is true but yet the Town is very considerable for all that The Religion professed there is of two sorts and the Jews drive a great Trade amongst them Fridberg a very small City in Wetteravia had not above 60. Burgers when I passed that way but it hath great priviledges There is a Castle near it the Lords whereof are called Burgraves Guemunde which seems to signifie Gaudia Mundi the joys of the world in regard of the Turnaments or other pastimes which the Lords of Swaben have heretofore given their friends there is entirely Catholique and an Imperial City since the death of Conradine who was beheaded at Naples Gostar a City of Hircynia was fortified in the year 1207. The Castle is called the Imperial Palace and the Town the Royal City because the Kings of Germany were wont to make their aboad there and some Emperors have honoured it with their residence Guelnehausen after the same manner as Fridberg hath City and Castle and place in the Assemblies though the Electors Palatine use their utter most endeavour to bring it under their subjection P. I wonder how these petty places are able to maintain their liberty G. They are supported by others and the Emperor would not willingly see Princes make themselves Masters of them Haguenau a City of Alsatiâ— is Head of a Bailywick that comprehends the Imperial Cities of Colmar Selestad Weissembourg Landau Oberhenheim Rosherim Munster in the valley of St. Gregory Keichersberg and Turgkeim This Bailywick was given to the most Christian King with its appurtenances and the right which the House of Austria had to it heretofore This City was very much a favourite to the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa who caused it to be walled about after he had built a house there for himself and six for the principal Gentlemen belonging to his Hunting which the Lords of Flekenstein Durcheim and some others do still hold in Fee of the Empire P. I think the Lords of Durcheim are your kinsmen G. Margaret of Rottembourg a Gentlewoman of a very ancient family in Lower Alsatia was married to John Albert of Anweil of which marriage came Anne Margaret of Anweil my wife by whose means I find my self allied to the Houses of Anweil Rottembourg Scheling Welward Spest Durcheim Stursel Dalbourg Bernehausen Flekenstein Stein and many others But this is besides our purpose Hambourg situate upon the Elbe where the reflux of the Sea makes a good Port is one of the richest Cities in Germany the greatest in Vandalia and the best fortified in Europe It doth ordinarily maintain a thousand Souldiers and for a time of necessity it hath 15000. Burgers listed in fifty Companies Trade is exceeding quick there by reason of the river which joyns it to the Sea and a multitude of Portuguese Jews who have liberty of conscience there This City hath been subject to several Lords but at last it is become free notwithstanding all that the Duke of Holstein could do or the King of Denmark who hath built Glugstadt and a Fort in the river to annoy and incommodate the City of Hambourg P. The neighbourhood of the Swedes may entrench much upon their liberty G. The Crown of Sweden hath the possession of Stade near the river of Elbe and the King of Denmark hath Glugstadt on the other side of the same river So that if those two Kings should conspire to ruine Hambourg it would be in great danger but it is sheltered under the jealousie that is between those two Crowns Although this City be indeed so prodigiously rich that if the Kings should agree together it is probable the Senat would be able to guard themselves and preserve their liberty by the expense of their Treasure And questionless if Hambourg make good use of its own strength and the friendship of those that are concerned for its preservation it hath no cause to fear For the King of Denmark and the Duke of Holstein apprehending the Swedes will be always glad to fortifie themselves by the good affection and forces of Hambourg and Lubeck which are as so many Bulwarks to their States P. Is Lubeck also in the entrance of the Cimbrique Chersonese G. These Cities are not far distant from one another They have the same interest and are powerful Hambourg upon the Ocean and Lubeck upon the Balthique Sea in the entrance of the Cimbrique Chersonese which contains the Dutchies of Holstein Schleswick Stormar and Dithmarsh with the Countrey of Jutland The City of Lubeck was built by Adolph Count of Holstein in the time of the Emperor Conrade III. and a little after it was taken by Henry Leo Duke of Bavaria and Saxony who founded a Bishoprick there as I have read over the Gates of the Castle of Eutin the place where the Bishop resides After the death of that Henry it returned to its first Master and passed from him into the power of Canute King of Denmark but the Danes being overcome in the time of the Emperor Frederick II. it became an Imperial City and enjoys that priviledge to this day When it began it was of no great consequence but now it is large fair and potent by land and by water too the river Drave encreasing its Trade and giving it opportunity to put great store of shipping to Sea P. If the King of Denmark had the command of these two Cities it would enable him to attempt upon his neighbours
money and the Grisons with money and ammunition to enable them to enter into the Valteline that means should be used to make peace between the Turk and the Persian to the end the first should invade Germany through Hungary and Bethlehem Gabor through Transylvania that the Hollanders should furnish Canon and Canoneers to the Moores of Africa to besiege Mamora and Larache Yet that whirlwind was scattered by the breath of God by the prudence of the Catholique King and by the counsel of the Conde Duke for that Lord sent a Fleet to Brasile which recovered the Bay of Todos los Santos that the Hollanders had taken Genoa and the Valteline were relieved by two Armies which rescued the first when it was brought to the last gasp and preserved the Catholique Religion in the second the English were forced to let Cadiz be quiet after they had lost 5000. men there the Hollanders lost Breda the Africans were repelled from Mamora and Larache with notable loss and after the King of Denmark was beaten at the Battel of Lutter and many other encounters he was finally shut up into a corner within his Isles P. It is true that Christian IV. King of Denmark did his business but ill in Germany and that after the defeat of Frederick V. Elector Palatine of Charles Count of Mansfeld of Christian of Brunswick Bishop of Halberstadt of George Frederick Marquiss of Dourlach and of that King the Emperor was at a high point of prosperity and power G. After all those victories the greatest part of the World thought Ferdinand II. unconquerable as well as he had been unconquered before Now all Europe looking with an evil eye upon the too flourishing condition of the House of Austria and the Emperor endeavouring to re-plant the Monks in their Cloysters from which they had been long excluded and it may be to force all the Members of the Empire to go to Mass Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden animated with the desire or at least with the pretense of maintaining the Protestant Religion and Lewis XIII King of France fearing that the oppression of Germany might bring both the Empire and Europe into slavery they confederated with the Stares of Holland and some German Princes So the Emperor had his hands full on one side with the valiantest Prince that ever wore sword for many years past and on the other the wisest Cardinal that ever was honoured with the Purple And then Ferdinand knew that be had not fastened and secured the instability of Fortunes wheel P. Hercules had not been strong enough to resist so many powerful enemies then it is no marvel if both the counsel and courage of the Emperor were shaken G. The Emperor was not alone to bear that shock For having honoured Maximilian Duke of Bavaria with the Dignity of Frederick V. Elector Palatine he found him ready to follow his fortune and serve him with all the strength of his mind body and estates Ferdinand Elector of Collen brother to Maximilian did the same and the Duke of Lorraine forgeting his own Interest embraced that of the House of Austria the Prelates and some other Princes of the Empire did the like and entred into a Confederacy for that purpose P. Those were strong parties indeed especially being amongst Nations that do not easily take Arms and when they are once taken do more hardly lay them down G. When the Forces of two Enemies are equal if piety employ them to preserve liberty of Conscience or vain-glory to get more Crowns they produce sad and dismal effects and bring destruction upon many Provinces And so it hapned here where love to Religion having united the Protestants of Germany to the King of Sweden the current of his prosperities was so great and so sudden that if death had not put a stop to his victories without doubt his best friends would have had cause to entertain both jealousie and fear of him But when that Mars had shot like thunder from the four corners and through the midst of the Empire so that neither powerful Armies deep Rivers thick Forests nor impregnable Forts could stop the Torrent of his good success he was slain at last the sixth of November 1632. That death did somewhat slacken those unparalleled prosperities but a little after the Generals that succeeded him being assisted with the counsel and good instructions of Cardinal Richelieu and with the Treasure of France laid the foundations of a longer and bloodier War Which obliged the Elector of Saxony and some other Princes to change Interest and endeavour to keep up the greatness of the House of Austria So the Emperor being supported by the Catholique King some Electors and other Potentates of Germany and Italy and the Swedes assisted by the Forces of France Holland and some Protestant Princes the match became so equal that the War held on sometimes with gain sometimes with loss from the year 1630. till 1648. P. It is said that the last War of Germany continued 30. years without intermission G. It is true that the Bohemians being perswaded that the Emperor Matthias derogated from their priviledges and the liberty of their Religion when he gave judgement for the Catholiques in the case concerning some Churches which the Protestants had built at Brunaw and Clostergrab conceived strange designs of revenge and trusting to their own Forces and those of their Confederates they threw the principal Officers of the Realm headlong down from a Tower created a new King and took the field so suddenly that Ferdinand II. their lawful King and new Emperor had cause to say that Crowns have as much sharpness from their thorns as lustre from their precious stones But all that the Elector Palatine the Counts de la Tour and Mansfeld the Marquiss of Dourlach and the King of Denmark attempted did but serve to augment and improve the Forces glory and confidence of the Emperor I count here only from the King of Swedens entring into Germany till the Peace in which time there were fought within the Empire seven pitcht Battels fourteen exceeding bloody Fights and divers others of less note which have reduced our Countrey unto so miserable a condition that one can hardly find a whole unruined house in the Campania nor one Province throughout all the Empire that hath half so much people in it as it had before the last troubles P. Famine and Plague those usual attendants of War came also into play and rifled a world of people But since the relation of past evils is pleasant to those that have gone through them it will not be troublesome to you to tell me at what time in what place and by whom those Battels and Combats were fought and who had the better or the worse in them G. The first Battel was given at Leipsick in Misnia between Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden of glorious memory on the one part and the Imperialists with their Confederates under the command of Count Tilly on the other
the vacancie ibid. What every Electors Office is when the Emperor eats in Ceremony and who are their Deputies if they be absent 59. How the Electors lit in the Assemblies 304. What Electors and Bishops are usually chosen out of the Body of the Nobility 256. 257. Younger sons of Electoral Houses precede other Princes in the Assemblies 305. Where the Election of an Emperor or King of the Romans ought to be made 49. whether it be better that Kingdoms be Elective or Successive 53.54 The Emperor is a Monarch 31. Confers no Ecclesiastical Benefices 33. No Emperor crowned at Rome since Charles V. 34. How the Emperors lost the right of choosing Popes 35. The Emperor onely can create Kings 38. The Emperor ought to be of a German Family 52. Of what age a Prince should be when chosen Emperor 57. The difference between the Emperor and King of the Romans ibid. What Emperors have been excommunicated by Popes 288. Whether the Emperor can determine matters where the Estates of the Empire do not agree 310. When the Empire was successive 40. When it became Elective and why ibid. The Estates of the Empire and their priviledges 64. 65. At first all the Estates of the Empire chose the Emperor 41. The House of Este in Italy a branch of that of Brunswick 108. F. Faith to be kept with Heretiques 184. seq Ferdinand III. his several Elections and death 314. Fourteen bloody Fights in Germany from the time of the Swedes entrance till the Peace 322. The Fight of Furts 326 of Lignitz in Silesia ibid. of Rheimfeld ibid. of Wittenvayer in Brisgou ibid. of Kemnitz in Misnia 328. of Wolfenbottel ibid of St. Anthony ibid. of Schweinitz in Silesia ibid. of Dutlinguen in the Dutchy of Wirtemberg 329. of Fribourg in Brisgou ibid. of Merkendal in Franconia ibid. The twelfth thirteenth Fights 330. The Fight of Grawembrouck in the Countrey of Juliers 331. Other Fights lefs bloody 332. Barons of Flekenstein 239. Francfort why so called and wherein considerable 271. What Forces France had in Germany when the Peace was made 336. What recompence the French had by that peace 333. French Commanders in the war of Germany 335. Fridberg 272. Frisinguen a Bishoprick 190. The Fructifying Company its end and progress and by whom established 164. Barons of Fuggers 239. The Abbey of Fulda and its priviledges 193. Counts of Furstemberg their origin c. 231. seq G. Difference between a Gentleman and a Knight 242. Immediate Gentlemen of Germany who 251. Why the Emperor supports them Ibid. The order and government amongst those Gentlemen 252. Their priviledges and advantages 256. seq Causes of the War of Germany 315. seq Gluckstad and the King of Denmarks Fort there 274. Gostar called the Imperial Palace and Royal City 272. Descent of the Dukes of Gotta 88. Death of Mareshal de Guebriant 329. Guelnehausen 272. House of the Guelphes their antiquity and Territories 108. seq The voices branches and Fortresses of that House 111 H. Counts of Habspourg a Branch of the Dukes of Zeringuen 70. When and how Rodolph of Habspourg became Emperor ibid. Haguenau Bailliage in Alsatia given to the French 273. Salt-pits of Hal in Swaben 276. Hambourg its strength and Trade 273. seq Counts of Hanau 234. Hanse-towns and their Commerce 280. 281. Heilbrun 276. Helmestadt an University of the Dukes of Brunswick 113. Counts of Henneberg when they failed 92. How the House of Saxony inherited that of Henneberg ibid. Origin of the House of Hesse 129. Henry of Brabant first Landgrave of Hesse 131. Agreement between him and Henry Marquis of Misnia son the Principalities of Hesse and Thuringia ibid. Lewis Landgrave of Hesse refused the Empire ibid. The vertues and good qualities of the Landgraves of Hesse 132. The Religion and differences between Lewis and Maurce Heads of the two Branches of Hesse-Cassel and Darmstadt 133.139 Hesse-Cassel the elder the richer and hath the precedence 134. Alliances of both the Houses ibid. Frederick Landgrave of Hesse Grand Prior of Malta in Germany his Expedition at Carthage 193. The excellencies of Amelia Elizabeth Dowager of Hesse 134.136 Her Forces when the Peace was concluded 337. The advantages she and heâ— son had by that Peace 339. Hildesheim a Bishoprick of miraculous foundation 187. The Princes of Hochberg and Baden of the same House their agreement and reciprocal Testament 142. Lords of Hobenlohe 235. Counts of Hohenzolleren 169. Origin of the Houses of Holstein and Oldenbourg 148. Dutchy of Holstein its extent Revenues 155. Counts of Horne Subiects to the Dukes of Burgundy their origin 226. The benefits and advantages of Hunting 20.21 I. Assessors of the Imperial Chamber how many and by whom appointed 289. Functions of the Intendents and Superintendents over the Lutheran Pastors and Priests 205.206 Order of Justice in the time of Charlemagne 287. Jutland what quantity of Cattle and horses come yearly out of it 155. K. Kaufbegeren why so called 276. Kempten in Latine Campidunum 270. King of the Romans what authority he hath 49. The Arms and Titles of the King of the Romans 57. Kings should not make a Subject too great 159. Dangerous for Kings to execute their resolutions by halves 162. Difference between a Knight and a Gentleman 242.243 Knights Marianites why so called their progress and difference from the Templers 191.192 Example of Kings that have received Knighthood 243. The cause and Original of the Orders of Knighthood 245. seq How the Emperor makes Knights 246. L. Ladies not unfit to Govern 135. seq The taking of General Lamboy 420. Landau 276. Landgrave Judge of an Inland Province 210. How Landgraves became powerful 211. Landgraves Generals of Foot ibid. What Houses in Germany bear the title of Landgrave 213. Landgraveship no where but in Germany ibid. Usefulness of Foraine Languages 8. where the French Language in best spoken 18. What other Countries use it most 26. Where the Italian Language is the purest 17. Where it is most currant 26. Dukes of Lawembourg and Anhalt their origin and antiquity 157. Religion and titles of the Dukes of Lawembourg 166. Laws that oblige all Germany are made in the General Assemblies 62. League of the French Swedes Hollanders and Princes of Germany against the House of Austria 319. League of the Princes for and with the Emperor ibid. Whether a prince ought to be Learned 115. Counts of Leinneguen 234. The Tragical end of John of Leyden 188. Liege a Bishoprick ibid. Barons or Counts of Limbourg their titles and antiquity 235. Barons of Limbourg Deputies to the King of Bohemia as Great Cup-bearer of the Empire ibid. Lindau 276. Duke of Lorrain considerable for the situation of his Countrey 112. Lubeck its situation by whom built 275. Princes of Lunebourg and their Alliances 113. Who brought the Doctrine of Luther into Denmark 150. Lutheran Princes of Germany 208. Lutheran Cities ibid. Luther was born and died at Eiseliben 235. M. Counts of Mansfield