THE PARTICVLAR STATE Of the Government of the Emperour FERDINAND THE SECOND As it was at his decease in the yeere 1636. Translated out of Latin by R. W. VERITAS FILIA TEMPORIS LONDON Printed by E. G. for Thomas Nichols and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible in Popes head Alley 1637. THE PARTICVLAR STATE OF The Government of the late Emperour FERDINAND the second c. As it was in the yeere 1636. CHAP. 1. Of the reasons for which the Emperour FERDINAND the second hath alwaies kept his Court at Vienna IN treating of the State of the late Emperour FERDINAND the second It is first of all to bee considered that his Imperiall Majesty from the beginning of his raigne to the end of his life did ever keepe his constant Residence in the City of Vienna as well for the commodious Scituation and pleasantnesse of the place plenty of foode and all other necessaries for man and the adjoyning Forrests and Woods most fit for hunting and other neighbouring places of pleasure the chiefe of which are Brater Begelhoff Newgebew Caterburg Ebersdorff Laxemburg Wolckers dorff Orth Closter Newburg or the Monastery of Neoburg Newstat c. As also chiefly since these long and yet continued warres in Germany by reason of the strength of the City and that his Imperiall Majesty being there was in a manner safely compassed by the rest of his hereditary Kingdomes Principalities from whence hee might in case of need with more conveniency derive assistance And lastly for the benefit of the two navigable Rivers of Ehu and Danube by which all necessaries for the Imperiall Court may from other places of the German Empire and from Italy be the more easily furnished and brought thither CHAP. 2. Of the Scituation circuit and fortification of Vienna of the Danube of the Garison Suburbs Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction the Bishop the Vniversity Civill and Politique governmen the Lieutenant and of the Castle of Vienna in which the Emperour keepes his Court. THe City of Vienna is the Metropolis of the Lower Austria as the Towne of Lintz is of the upper In both which places now almost every yeare and sometimes when necessity requires there are often in one yeare held Assemblies of each province in which as to the lawfull Prince and Lord of the Country when hee doth fairely aske it are often granted and presented by the subjects many hundred thousand crownes to his Imperiall Majesty The City it selfe is seated in somewhat a pleasant plaine and in a soile which is naturally most fruitfull and good for Corne and Wine and all other kinde of Food and fruites upon the bankes of the Danube which although indeed it be but a branch of the maine Danube yet at the season of the yeare when the River is high it is capable of good ordinary vessels But when the River decreaseth the ships are forced to stay above at Nusdorff a league from the City and sometimes two leagues higher at the Monastery of Newburg About halfe a quarter of a German league from the City towards Moravia are likewise three other streames and for the most part large and navigeable armes of the great River Danube over which are layd five bridges which for the greater security of the City if need require may be taken downe On the South side of the City there is a little River or rather a Torrent of the name of the City called Vienna which riseth out of the Westerne mountaines and is subject to sudden overflowing by raine and Land-waters it drives some Mills and falls into the Danube not farre from the Towne ditch Towards the South and North it runnes like an arme of the Dannbe and on the West it leaves behind it the hills and mountaines looking towards the Vpper Austria The City is in compasse about halfe a German league and is beautified with many faire and spacious places and markets and with other lesse and it hath some faire streets with many goodly and stately buildings which notwithstanding are commonly more for shew than conveniency For the fortification of the City it will suffice in this place briefly to declare that it is strengthned and fortified with sixe principall Gates and ten great Bulwarkes The greatest part of which Bulwarks and some of them at the expence of the Empire are built up a good height of Bricke and filld within with earth and some also towards the East and South whereby the City might be the more defensible have good Casamats well raised and repaired About ten yeares since his Imperiall Majesty caused a very great intire Bulwarke to be raised of earth almost right over against the Imperiall Court or Archducall Castle for the greater security thereof because the Castle heretofore had beene in that place but weakely fortified Two yeares since the former Bulwarke which looketh towards the South and towards the West was strongly new built The Scottish Bulwarke cast up of earth onely is now well lined with a strong wall and made equall to the rest of the Bulwarkes Towards the East is a gate commonly called Strubenthor Towards the South the Carnithian gate and the Castle gate called Burgthor towards the West the South gate and the new gate towards the North the gate of the red Tower called in Dutch der Roche Thum The Castle gate the Carinthian gate the New gate and the gate called Strubenthor are the strongest all arched very high and stately with large passages the other two are are onely Towers To compasse the City from the Gate called Strubenthor to goe to the gate of the red Tower you must passe first neare a Bulwarke built of Free-stone with two high and battel'd Casamats the higher of which doth almost touch the Dominicans Temple the height whereof exceeds this Bulwarke and Casamats Thence you come to another Bulwarke strongly covered with a Bricke-wall which as the former is environed with reasonable deepe ditches From this Bulwark on the left side of the towne are seene some little and low double Walls reaching to an outward Gate but on the right hand neare the towne doth runne the Danube on which is built a bridge of wood commonly called Schlagbruck This outward Gate leads to a broad street where the City is somewhat naked For on the left hand there are very low Walls onely and on the right hand nothing but the Danube which one may sometimes ride over and some fortifications which are built on the bankes thereof towards the red Tower and further towards the other outward gate neere which the street is narrower From this Gate the City is encompassed on the left hand with long strong high Walls on which these little watch-houses are built which reach to the Armory and thence to the next Bulwarke It hath also a draw-bridge The third Bulwarke is great and stately but wants ditches and water and a good part of the middle of the upper Wall is fallen downe and wants repaire Thence to the
New gate which hath broad but shallow ditches without water Henry Matthew the elder Count of Turne in Anno 1619. would have planted a petard to this Gate and with his horse which then lodg'd at Ebersdorff attempted to take the City Thence to the fourth Bulwark which likewise wants mending and repaire From this Bulwarke the Rampire is very high with a little Wall upon it towards the Scotch gate and there the Towne-ditch is very deepe but without water Thence the same kind of Rampire and ditch extends unto the next fift Bulwarke This Bulwarke was onely cast up of earth but now of late is built up from the ground with a Bricke wall and is reduced to an orderly forme and proportion and by that meanes the City is the better fortified in that place The Bohemian foote Regiment of Tieffenbach who were then commanded by the said elder Count of Turne remained not farre from the City in a Village called Hoernals if the designe had taken effect and had not beene discovered by a Patriot by this Bulwark should have entred and taken the City This same high Rampire lined with Bricke walls in the ditches at that place very deepe but without water passeth along towards and behind the sixt Bulwarke over which the present Governour of the Towne Baron Lobell hath caused a little garden with a house of pleasure to be built according to the bravery of the time And because this Bulwarke was lately renewed and better reformed than the other it excels the rest in beauty Behind it hath a Casamat with Bricke walls like the former Thence the Rampire with a low meane and in some places but a weake Wall built thereon extends it selfe even to the Imperiall Court or Archducal Castle where by the raising of the outward highway the ditches are made deeper Thence to the Castle gate in Dutch das Burgthor where stands the vast seventh Bulwarke of earth which behinde hath a lesse Bulwarke also like a Casamat not built high but compleatly walled On this side a Bohemian souldier under the command of the elder Count of Turne did shoot some bullets from the suburbs of St. Vbris into the Imperiall Court or Archducall Castle and even into the great Chamber of the Knights and Nobles and into the Antichamber and drove his Imperiall Majesty then King of Hungary and Bohemia out of his owne Chamber From thence the Rampire with a Wall above and Fortifications below extends it selfe with very deepe ditches almost to the Carinthian gate before which is a strong great stately and faire Bulwarke all of Bricke the eight in number joyning to the Gate behind which and above the Gate there is a Casamat raysed And over the Gate the Captaine of the City watch hath a faire lodging From this Carinthian gate instead of the Rampire are Bricke walls almost of one height with the Bulwarkes the ditches are there of good depth but as the others without water Then followes the ninth which as the former is a very stately Bulwark with an Aquaduct into the towne and hitherto the ditches are dry but about this Bulwarke the Aquaduct which serves both to bring in necessary water and in time of need furnish the dry ditches with water and rendereth them somewhat wet and marish but from the corner thereof and lower they are deeper and more fill'd with water From thence runnes the Rampire to the tenth Bulwarke commonly called Obere Stuben Pastey which is most exquisitely faire large lofty and strongly faced with bricke and the corners of Freestone with a magnificent inscription in golden letters on tables of stone This Bulwarke was built and perfected by the Emperour Ferdinand the first These three last Bulwarks are of one height and walled alike and each of them have a severall inscription with golden letters in Tables of stone Of these ten Bulwarks of the City three onely stand in water which is drawne from the Danube and some certaine veines which runne into the City and all the rest are dry The ditches of the City are are very unequall and unlike About the City are great and spacious suburbs in which are divers faire and pleasant gardens with houses of pleasure and store of other considerable dwellings whereof many especially before the Castle gate called das Burgthor and the Carinthian gate towards St. Vlrics and the little River of Vienna for about three hundred paces together as well to enlarge the way and streets as for the greater safety of the City were purposely demolished and others a few yeeres since were burnt by accident The garrison of this Towne consists at this present of about one thousand foote in eight companies of which the Baron of Lobel Collonell is Captaine and one of the Emperours Councells of Warre and Vice President of that Counsell About some eight yeeres since the armes which had beene taken from the Citizens when Archduke Leopald was Governour of the Citty in the yeare 1619. were restored unto them againe the Citizens being for the most part Protestants and there being a suspition conceived of some secret intelligence betwixt them and the Bohemians but especially with the elder Count of Turne The Magistrates fearing some attempt of the Protestants against the Roman Catholicks had caused the Protestants to bee disarmed The Burgmaster by the command of his Imperiall Majesty as lawfull Prince of this Archdutchy of Austria heretofore did choose out and raise fower Companies of foote of Citizens of three hundred a peece These selected men have beene used on urgent necessities for the defence of the City as was lately practised in the time of the last Hungarian seditions and rebellions under the direction of Bethlem Gabor Prince of Transilvania For when part of a garrison was sent to defend the Castle of Presbury the selected Citizens were forced to serve foure moneths together for the defence of the Towne The pay of the garrison is sixe florins a man by the moneth but for want of due payment they are often seene to beg in the streets In time of warre and danger some Cornets of horse use to be taken into the suburbs at other times the guard remaines unaltered Some thinke that the City of Vienna is so populous that it containes within and without some threescore thousand soules but the certaine number is hard to bee knowne The suburbs on the other side of the Danube are inhabited by Iewes as an Iland a part and in the Towne they have a place of commerce where by day they sell their commodities but it is not lawfull for them to lie all night in Towne But because they bring great profits to the Imperiall Court and for other causes and reasons they are not onely tollerated in this City but they enjoy many great priviledges and liberties The Evangelicall Lutheran Religion or the confession of Augsburg being heretofore brought into this City did afterwards so increase under the Emperour Maximilian the second that the said Evangelicks amongst other
privelidges had the exercise of their religion in the City it selfe even in the Minimes Temple at the Provinciall House And although the Emperour Rodolph the second and before him Ferdinand the first did resolve to their power to abolish the exercise of that religion and began likewise a great reformation and advanced the businesse so farre that under the Emperour Rodolph the second the Evangelicall state of Lower Austria lost the exercise of their religion in the City of Vienna and it seemed as if an universall deformation and a totall suppression and extirpation of all the Evangelicks in those Countries would have followed Yet the Emperour Matthias the first for divers great causes did most graciously grant the Evangelicall state of Lower Austria the exercise of their religion in the Village called Hoernals about a quarter of a German league from the City and granted them his high Imperiall and Archducall Protection notwithstanding the Catholickes especially the Cleargy whom the exercise of that religion did vehemently offend perswaded themselves that the sermons of Cardinal Clozel would have enduced the Emperour againe to prohibit the exercise of the Evangelicks at Hoernals And that he would not permit them Evangelicall Matrimony nor the administration of the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper But when the Emperour Ferdinand the second tooke the raines of the Roman Empire and had taken the City of Prag a Priest did seriously inculcate to his Majesty that whereas since the states of the Evangelicall Provinces had beene permitted the exercise of their religion in the Village of Hoernals by the Emperour Matthias the first they had so multiplyed that in that congregation there were sometimes twenty thirty even forty or fifty thousand persons and therefore hee earnestly petitioned that the exercise of that religion might be abolished by publike command And thereupon it came to passe that a reformation of religion was directâ—d in the City of Vienna by an Imperiall Mandate and the exercise of the Augustan confession in the Village of Hoernals which was afterwards given to the Cathedrall Church of St. Steven in Vienna was quite suppressed upon a pretext that the Baron Helmhardt Iorger who was then in prison at Lintz had no right of patrinage in that Village and all the Evangelicall Preachers were forbidden to enter the City upon grievous punishments But yet in Austria they were suffred for their persons as heretofore and some of the Citizens and inhabitants had leave to goe out of the Towne unto Sermons and Sacraments after the Evangelicall manner at Intzerrdorff belonging to the Lord Geyer of Osterburg a Mile from the City But at the last Anno 1627. his Imperiall Maiesty severely required all Ecclesiasticall Evangelicks by publike Imperiall and Archducall Proclamations and Mandates to void by a certaine time all the Country of Austria and all other his Imperiall Majesties hereditary Dominions with prohibition under his highnesse pleasure and unpardonable punishents never to returne or to remaine there upon any termes In Ecclesiastically matters the City of Vienna acknowledgeth the Bishop who hath spirituall jurisdiction over all the Bishoppricke of Vienna And the Bishop hath his Officiat alwaies in Vienna The Cathedrall Church which is dedicated to St. Steven is of a costly great high and large building set off on one side with a very high spired and excellent faire steeple in which there is a very great and goodly Bell. A like steeple was on the other side begun and brought to some perfection but was never finished this they say the Bishop will perfect and make it answerable to the other and it is thought that in foure yeares space it may be finished The present Bishop hath likewise caused all the old Bishops house to be pul'd downe and is building a large magnificent Pallace in the place to which purpose hee hath obtained of the Emperour a hundred thousand Rixdollers which was the price of the Duke of Meckelburgs reconciliation This Church was raised to a Cathedrall by Pope Paul the second at the mediation of the Emperour Fredericke the third The Bishops revenew amounts but to 8000. florins which is but 1200 pounds sterling The present Bishops name is Antony who hath gained the Title of Prince from the Emperour And hee holds besipes the Bishoppricke the wealthy Abby of Crembsmunster of St. Bennets Order in Upper Austria He is also a Privy Councellour to his Imperiall Majesty and the first of the Counsell His predecessour was Cardinall Clozel who dyed at Vienna in the yeare 1630. There are sixteene Cannons of this Cathedrall but by reason of the small revenue of the Church their stipends are but slender They all dwell about the Cathedrall There are also divers other Churches and Cloysters within and without this City The Emperour Fredericke the second founded the University at Vienna in the yeare 1237. and indued it with very great priviledges and immunities which were afterwards renewed and amplified by Albert the third of Austria This Emperour Ferdinand the second about the yeare 1622. gave this Academy to the Iesuits with the adjoyning and appendant Burses and Colledges or Convents where now they teach and breed their schollers His Majesty also granted them the liberty of prefessing Theology and Philosophy but upon condition that the chaire should be free for any of the Dominicans Franciscans or Minimes to professe or dispute The Lawyers and Phisicians continue their ancient combination and every sixe moneths they choose a new Rector When they thinke fit to call a Counsell for the good of themselves or any other of the united persons of the University it is chosen and consists of sixteene of those faculties The Rector of the University hath jurisdiction over all the persons and members of the Vniversity The civil government of the City is ordered by the Senate which consists of eighteene Citizens and Senators to whom all businesses are propounded concerning the particular or common good of the Citizens or City and by them they are deliberated The chiefe of these is the Burgmaster In criminall matters the Burgmaster hath his Assessors and Assistants But the civill government is not absolutely in the Senate but doth depend on the Lieutenant of the Lower Austria And at all Colledges and consultations of the Senators an Imperiall Minister is alwaies present in person The Office of Lieutenant is now exercised by Baron Sigfrid Christopher Preunez one of his Imperiall Majesties Privy Counsell and president of the government of Lower Austria who hath chiefe cognizans in matters which concerne the Cities and civill government and in the absence of his Imperiall Majesty the government is solely in him The Arsenall of Vienna is compleatly furnished not onely with ships and Vessels usefull for the place but also with Armes all warlike preparation and with great and small Ordnance which are there kept The present Master of the which is Count Xantelier by Nation a Lorraine but because his Father brought him to the Imperiall Court when he
the Electour of Saxony and his conscience was much perplexed whether he might any longer suffer the Evangelicks to enjoy the possessions of Ecclesiasticall goods in the Empire for the recovery whereof the warre had so long continued and so much blood had beene shed This question of conscience of so great a consequence was refer'd to the Counsell of Divines that thereupon they might declare their judgement Hereupon divers Ecclesiasticall persons were assembled from divers places in the City of Vienna the Counsell was composed of two Cardinals two Bishops two Prelates two Cannons two Fathers of every society and order amongst which were also two Iesuits And they deliberated and consulted thereon for divers weekes and at last delivered an opinion whereupon his Imperiall Majesty did afterwards agree of Articles with the Electour of Saxony and thereupon the peace was published And this Assembly of Ecclesiastiques was then called the Counsell of conscience because the matter touched the conscience of his Imperiall Majesty The Court Counsell for Hungary consists of Hungarians onely and hath a dependance on the Palatine of the Kingdome of Hungary who is there as Viceroy The present Palatine is the Lord Esterhasy Count de Gallanta Knight of the golden Fleece who governes the Hungarian Kingdome in secular matters as Cardinall Pasman the Iesuit Archbishop of Gran doth in spirituall To this Counsell also belong the affaires of the Kingdomes of Dalmatia Creatia and Sclavonia The Bohemian Court Counsell although it seemes not to be a set Counsell as the others because therein ordinarily are only a Chancellor Vicechancellor Secretary that besides the government of that Kingdom is committed to the Lieutenant and supreame Officers at Prag neverthelesse divers petitions and supplications touching tenures immunities confirmations and inlargement of Provinces and all sorts of feudall affaires are bought to the Bohemian Court Chancery as well out of the City as Country and are afterwards all dispatched in the Court Chancery There is also a particular Officer of tenures and fealties who the vassals conveniently desiring it doth grant unto them their recognziances or attestations that they have performed the feodatory oath which being brought into the Chancery there are afterward dispatched the feodary patents If there happen any processes they are first sent to the Royall Counsell of appeales for information and report of their opinion therein and afterwards they are resolved and decided in the Court Chancery Other appeales also from the whole Kingdome of Bohemia of all the cities townes and parts thereof are brought thither and many times decrees and sentenses about feudall affaires are there pronounced and obteined The Barons and Knights of that Kingdome seeke justice and redresse if they need at a Court called the royall Landtable And matters of debt are decided at a Court commonly called the office of the Burggrave next in dignity to the former Reviewes or affaires of Revision are referred out of the Chancery to the chamber called the Greene chamber When there happens any thing of moment in the Court there is held a Bohemian Counsell at the Lord Vicechancellours of the Empire the Baron of Stralendorfs To which purpose because there befall at this time divers businesses of great moment concerning the affaires both of the Kingdome of Bohemia as also the incorporate Provinces which are to bee discussed and resolved upon which would have beene too troublesome for the Bohemian Counsell alone his Imperiall Majesty hath deputed besides the said Bohemian Counsellors some others of the Imperiall Court Counsell and joyned them in Commission with his said Vicechancellour Stralendorff The confiscation Counsell consists of the Bishop of Vienna the Abbot of Lilienfield President of the Imperiall Court chamber the Count of Schlicke President of the Court Counsell of warre together with the Secretary of the Court chamber Hoffman of Ankerson In this Counsell of confiscation was taken the deliberation and resolution about the distribution of the confiscated goods and Lands of the late Duke of Fridland Count of Kinskie and the Baron Ilaw and since that time very lately in the same Counsell hath beene consulted about the distribution of the goods of Terskie a great part whereof is already bestowed on others And this cause of Terskie being now finished they are now busied in causes of Silesia and divers others And these confiscated goods amounted to many millions besides the three and forty millions already mentioned These and the like are the meanes whereby the souldiers are partly satisfied and appeased in their importunities CHAP. 10. Of the forraigne Ambassadours and Agents and of the Ambassadours and Agents of the Empire now at Vienna THe Pope hath an ordinary Nuntio to the Imperiall Court who is called the Appertolicke Nuncio He pretends spirituall jurisdiction not onely in the Kingdomes of Hungary and Bohemia with their adherent and incorporated Countries and in all other Countries and Provinces of Austria but even in the whole German Empire He watcheth also for the safety of the Roman Church that it may receive no prejudice nor detriment and if he observe any such thing he opposeth himselfe and protests against it As he did lately in the cause of Bremen and was much displeased at the Emperours gracious resolution therein to whom his Imperiall Majesty made answer that hee was enforsed by the Treaty of Prag to yeeld to that and many other things because the Pope had forsaken him The King of Spaine hath his ordinary Ambassadour and at this time almost continually an extraordinary the Count d' Onnate who helpes to direct and uphold the German and Imperiall Millitary forces as well with counsell as with meanes and supplies of money He hath his Counsell also his Counsellours are Father Chirova a Franciscan the Queene of Hungaries confessour Doctor Novara a Spaniard and Secretary Bodin The French Kings emulation and being in competency with the Spaniard hinders him from keeping an Ambassadour in the Imperiall Court His last Agent was forced to retire himselfe thence The King of Great Brittaine hath an Agent with his Imperiall Majesty The State of Venice have heretofore had an Ambassadour in the Imperiall Court but since the difference about style and title betwixt the Spannish Ambassadour the Count d'Onnate and Signior Pietro Gritti Ambassadour of Venice some thirty yeares since there hath beene no ordinary Ambassadour from the State of Venice in the Imperiall Court but they have their Agent who was invited not long since to dispose the Republique to send againe an ordinary Ambassadour to the Imperiall Court with proffer to receive him with the like honour as is given to Ambassadours of Kings The great Duke of Tuscany three yeeres since had likewise his Ambassadour there who was received with the Title of Ambassadour at the Imperiall Court and equall honour with the Ambassadour of Brussels But now he hath onely a Secretary at Vienna The Duke of Savoy hath for a long time sent no Ambassadour to the Imperiall Court because he pretends
was yong and he hath long performed his office well he is now esteemed a German The Court of Caesar or the Archducall Castle in Dutch das Burg hath no singular splendor or magnificens and is somewhat straight for so great a Prince and stately a Court. It containes in it a great Court on one side whereof is the Imperiall Chancery on the other side is the Inner Castle or the lodgings of the Emperour and on the third side is the Rampire of the City with a gallery upon it And on the fourth side is the new Castle commonly called die Newburg and the Court in the midst In this Imperiall Pallace there is a Waldrope and a Gallery with severall chambers which they call the Treasury wherein are kept great store of all sorts of most precious variety of gold precious stones and pearle with pictures and other things of curious workemanship and with many rare pieces of nature and art worth many millions Amongst other things which are most worthy of note is the Imperiall Crowne and Scepter and the Imperiall Globe most richly adorned with gold and rich orientall Dyamonds valued at a mill on of gold made by the Emperour Rodolph for his owne sacred person Item a round globe seven spanne in compasse cut out of one intire Agate with the Inscription of IEHOVAH made by nature it selfe in darker caracters Then a Vnicornes Horne of twelve or thirteene spannes long of which two last the valew is inestimable because their like in forme beauty quality and quantity are not to be found in the whole world To this same Pallace in which the Emperour himselfe doth lodge there belong two pleasant gardens the one bigger than the other into which his Imperiall Majesty hath an eary an commodious passage out of his owne lodgings In this Court of the Castle called the Burgplatz neare the Emperours lodgings is a company of Foot and at the entry to the inner Castle under the very gate neere the Drawbridge ten of the Guard called Frabauten doe commonly watch and keepe their station there all day with their Halberds but at night they draw up the bridge and watch within untill they bee relieved by others of their fellowes And before the chambers of the Emperour and Empresse there are other Guards which waite with Javelins called Hartschierer and these are ever ready to attend and follow the Emperour wheresoever hee goeth as well in Iourneys as when hee goes to walke as the ordinary horse guard of his body CHAP. 3. Of the person of the Emperour Ferdinand the second and of his Imperiall vertues and qualities his devotion and piety his workes of humiliation and of his dispatch of businesse recreations and meales THe Emperour Ferdinand the second was sonne to the Archduke Charles of Austrin who lived at Gratz and Grandchild to the Emperour Ferdinand the first and had as his heredetary countries the Dutchies of Stiria Carinthia and Carniola with other appendent Provinces But when the two Lines of the Austrian family that of the Emperour Maximilian the second of Vienna and that of Ferdinand the Archduke of Infbruck were both failed And that the Archduke Albert who lived in the Low-countriess was growne old and weake and had reteined the government of the Austriaâ— Provinces His Imperiall Majesty partly by succession and partly by agreement and consent but chiefly by his being chosen and Crowned King of Bohemia and Hungary which was a strong foundation of his future greatnesse obtained the possession of all those Provinces And after this on the 28. of August Anno 1619. the Emperour Matthias the first being dead he was elected and crowned Emperour at Francfurt on the Maine At which time raigned these Kings and Princes in divers Kingdomes of Europe IAMES the first King of Great Brittaine LEVVIS the thirteene King of France PHILIP the third King of Spaine CHRISTIAN the fourth King of Denmarke GVSTAVVS ADOLPHVS King of Sweden SIGISMVND the third King of Poland and in the East the Sultan Osman Now for the person of his Imperiall Majesty he was of fifty nine yeares of age of a midling stature and corpulent of an excellent complexion strong and healthfull his haire and beard somewhat gray of a gracefull presence of a kinde meeke bounteous and liberall djsposition and of a singular understanding eloquence and memory temperate in meate and drinke and moderate in sleepe hee seldome went to bed till ten at night and sometimes not till one and he ordinarily did rise at foure in the morning and on his bended knees commend himselfe by prayer to God On festivall and solemne daies principally on the Apostles daies he did confesse and heare Masse The thursday before Easter he used to receive the holy Sacrament from the hands of the Popes Nuncio in company of the Empresse the King and Queene of Hungary the Archduke and the Archdutchesse and other principall persons of the Court according to the rule of the Church of Rome Before his Imperiall Majesty went to Church hee did appoint two Masses to be said in the chappell or closet one for himselfe another for his late wife who was sister to Maximilian the present Duke of Bavaria and sometimes at the same time hee did receive the Sacrament And then he went to Church where hee commonly did heare a Sermon in Dutch of one of the Iesuits who is the ordinary preacher of the Court of about an houre long The Sermon ended high Masse is celebrated with great devotion and most sweet Musicke which lasts at least an houre After dinner he did use to heare an Italian Sermon by the ordinary Court Italian Preacher and after that the vespers which are sung with great solemnity And in this manner his Imperiall Majesty spent almost the whole Sunday or holiday And sometimes he did visit other Churches both within without the City as the Dominicans the Capuchins the Iesuits or the Carmelites and in these Colledges and Convents he sometimes did dine In the time of Advent his Imperiall Majesty did commonly rise very early to frequent certaine Mattins like singing Masses called Rorate because at his entry is sung the said Rorate coeli which is followed with Musicke of instruments and voices almost an houres space which time the people imploy in their prayers and devotions The same Office is likewise solemnely celebrated with great concourse in all the Churches During the time of Lent his Imperiall Majesty was most diligently wont to heare Sermons in his Court chappell and in the Augustines Church which is neare the Castle and on Holidaies in the Chappell of the Minimes especially in the time of the penitentiall processions and every day in Lent are sung the Vespers at large in the Imperiall Oratory On Maundy thursday before noone his Imperiall Majesty publikely and before all there present did wash the feet of thirty poore men then feede them and serve them in his owne person at table After he gave to every one a gowne and a piece of