Crown of England is call'd the Imperiall Crown and the City of London the Imperiall Chamber Now touching the respects that other Christian Kings owe the Emperour they acknowledge no other but that of precedence only though Henry the second of England in his letter which stands upon record to Frederique Barbarossa and Richard the first in his to Henry the 6. Emperour seem to acknowledg a kind of subordination by way of Complement but Edward the third of England wold not kisse the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria's feet at their Enterview in Colen and the reason he alledg'd was because he was Rex inunctus habens vitam membrum in potestate sua c. because he was an anointed King having life and limb in his power c. which Edward as the German Annals attest Ab Electoribus fuit vocatus et nominatus Vicarius Imperii he was call'd and nominated Vicar of the Empire and as some have it was offer'd to be Emperrour in regard of his acquests and glorious Exploits in France whence he brought the three flower de luces upon his Sword after the French had sent him that geering answer that la Couronne de France n'est pas liee a la quenoville that the Crown of France was not tied to a distaff Add herunto that the Emperour cannot be call'd so pure and independent a Monark as some other Kings for besides that he is but Tenant for life and govern'd by Diets which are Imperial Parlements the Electors may be sayed to be his Associats and to have a share in the goverment Nay the Emperour by the ancient customs of the Empire may be brought to answer in causis pro quibus impetitus fuerit sayeth the Bull before the Count Palatin of the Rhin but he can passe no Iudgement unlesse the Emperour himself be present in Imperiali curia Ther want no examples that some Emperours have bin depos'd for their mal-administration an instance shall be made in Wenceslaus in the yeer 1400. who was formally degraded by the Archbishop of Mentz upon a publique theater in the plaines of Brubach neer the river of Rhin by a judicial sentence which I thought worthy the inserting here VVee Iehn Archbishop of Moguntia Prince Elector and Archchancellor of the German Nation in the name of other Princes Electors Dukes Landgraves Counts and other Lords Barons and Potentats of the Empire in regard of divers dommageable interests and for the special importance of all the Empire we do depose and deprive by common consent and Mature deliberation Wincestaus as negligent unprofitable and unworthy of the Roman Empire We degrade him of all the dignities and of all the honors which were due to him from the Empire and we publish him in the presence of all the Princes Barons and Potentats of the Empire for a prophane person and unworthy of such an honor and dignity Enjoyning Evry one of what quality or condition soever he bee not to yeeld him obedience as Emperour prohibiting evry one to payhim any kind of tribut fief or forfeiture either by Right or by covenant or any office appertaining to the Empire Nay we will that those perquisits be reserv'd untill God doth give us the grace to elect an Emperour that may be for the benefit of the whole Empire and the Christian Common-weale And it is well known how often he hath bin admonish'd by the Princes Electors both in publique and privat and particularly by ev'ry one of our Order that he wold leave his unworthy deportments and carry himself as his Dignity requir'd Concerning the King of the Romans it is but a modern title peculiar to him who is declar'd Heir apparent or the design'd Successor of the Empire But at first he who was so chosen was called Caesar and it was the Emperour Adrian who first cal'd AeliusVerus by that title insomuch that the family of Iulius Caesar being extinct in the person of Domitius Nero who was the sixt in descent as afore was told the name Caesar ceas'd to be us'd as the name of a family or blood but it was us'd as a name meer honorary and precedent to the Empire Afterwards the design'd Successor to the Empire was call'd Despote after that he was call'd King of Italy then King of Germany and lastly King of the Romans Romischer Konig in high Dutch and the Emperour himself was only call'd Caesar Keyser in Dutch wch appellation continueth to this day And it was Charles the 5 who introduc'd the title of King of the Romans who since is acknowleg'd the immediat and unquestionable apparent Heir and to succeed in the Empire whether it be by Resignation by deprivation or death being in proximo fastigio collocatus to the Emperour Nay som Civilians hold that the King of the Romans may make Edicts without the regnant Emperour being bound only as they say Majestatem Imperialem comiter observare making him hereby to owe a duty of reverence but not of superiority to the Keysar or Emperour The 4 Section Touching the Diet or Imperial Parlement and the members therof with the Division of Germany and the strength of the Emperour THe German Empire is divided to ten Circles viz. Austria the high and low Franconia Bavaria Saxonia Westphalia the lower Circle of Saxony Burgundy the two Palatinatts The goverment wherof is principally in the Emperour contractedly in the Electors and diffusively in the Diet or Imperiall Parlement and other Courts wherof the Chamber of Spire is the Supreme whence ther is no appeal In the Diets after the Emperour the Princes Electors are the prime state among whom the Prelats have still the priority The second state is compos'd of four Arch-bishops viz. he of Magdenkurg who is primat of all Germany He of Salzburg he of Besanson and the Arch-bishop of Breme which Archbishoprick the Kings of Denmark have had a long time Then ther are one and thirty Bishops and eleven Abbats wherof he of Fulda is the chief having above fourscore thousand rich dollers in annuall revenue Then come the secular Princes of the Empire wherof the Arch-dukes of Austria are first and they are divided into two branches viz. of Germany and Burgundy The third Estate is compos'd of Imperial towns which are about sixty five in nomber som wherof hold soly from the Emperour which are accounted the most noble and some are Relevant from other Princes Ther is another sort of Towns call'd the Hansiatique Towns twixt whom ther is a strong confederacy and fraternal league in merchantile affairs They are divided into fower classes or Metropolitan Cities to wit Lubeck Colen Brunswick and Danzick who have a solemn yeerly convention at Lubeck where they keep their Records The Hans or Hansiatique Association is of long antiquity touching the word some wold fetch it from hand because they of the Society plight their faith when they enter into the fraternity others derive it from the word Hansa which is Counsell or advice in the Gothique toung
G GEnsericus the Vandal sacks Rome 5 Galba the first Emperour chosen by the Soldiers 7 A geer upon Rome and Venice 11 Of the Goths and Vandals 12 German Princes do carry Dogs for their punishment 17 German Princes feather themselfs with the Eagles Plumes 61 Germany able to raise 200 thousand electif men 54 H HUngary took name from the Huns 11 Henry the second in France had the first Title of Majesty 30 The high power of the King of the Romans 37 Hans-Towns whence derived 42 How Hamburgh first receiv'd the English staple 46 A hundred and fifty millions the revenues once of the Roman Monarchy 54 How the Imperial Towns got out of Caesars yoak 59 I IUlius Caesar cimented the Empire with his blood 7 Iulianus bought the Empire of the Soldiers 10 Imperial Towns 42 Immunities payed for monies to the Towns of the Empire 59 Ibraim the Turks Ambassador his witty Parable 64 King Iames his prophetique saying 68 K KIngs continued in Rome 140 years 7 King a more antient title than Emperour 29 Kings of Spain sometimes called Emperours 32 King of Denmark Arch-bishop of Breme 39 L THe late Swedish army like to have prov'd such another as that of the Goths and Vandals of old 11 Lombardy freed of the Goths by King Pepin 14 Lutherans a great cause of the decay of the Empire 62 The latitude of power which the Princes of the Empire have 96 The lubricity of political bodies as well as natural 108 M THe Moors and Saracens sack Rome 5 The manner of electing an Emperour 25 Majesty and other high titles how they began 30 Maximilian Duke of Bavaria takes Prague from the Palatin with a lesser army 69 Marq-Spinola takes the Palatinat 69 The Mahumetan Moon fill'd by the wane of the Christian Empire 65 Of the Marquis of Brandenburg his interest 85 N THe names of divers of the Emperours that were put to violent deaths 9 A notable saying of Charles Martel 13 The names and offices of all the Electors 21 Nothing so unlike as the present Empire and the old 53 A notable story of a Bavarian Dutchess 57 The notable symbolisation of sense 'twixt the Psalmist and a Pagan philosopher 108 O ONe of the cause that may oververthrow the Turkish Empire 9 The new Ottoman Emperour must encrease the Ianizaries pay 9 Otho the third the first Establisher of the Electors 20 The Offers of Wenceslaus to the Electors to make his Son Emperour 55 Of the Swed 82 The tremendous Oath the Electors take 103 P THe present King of Spain a Goth by descent 12 Pepin a little man but a great Conqueror 14 Pope Iohn the ninth taken Prisoner and his eyes pluck'd out 20 Palatin of the Rhin Arch-sewer of the Roman Empire 22 Parallel 'twixt the Empire pass'd and present 51 Palatin of the Rhin adjudg'd to carry a Dog for his punishment 57 The Pope a great Temporal Prince 60 The poor revenues of the Empire 53 Q QUarrell 'twixt Rome and Germany for choosing the Emperour 19 Quarrel 'twixt Queen Elizabeth and the Hans-Towns 43 Quarrel 'twixt the Count Palatin and the Duke of Bavaria touching the Vicariat of the Empire 74 Quarrel 'twixt the King of Denmark and Hamburgh 81 A thing like a quarrel 'twixt the King of Scots and the Palsgrave 97 R THe Rise of the Roman Empire 5 Rome eight times ravish'd and ransack'd 5 The Roman Emperours held their lifes from the Army 8 The Roman Monarchy shrunk from a Giantess to a Dwarf Reasons why the King of Hungary is likeliest to be Emperour 88 The revennues of the French Church 300 millions of liures and 20. 91 S THe several kinds of Goverments in Rome 7 The Stewards in Scotland and Charles Martel of France had the same beginning 13 The Septemvirat or the seven Electors 18 Staplers their first rise 43 The Suisse one of the last that fell from the Empire c. 63 The Spaniard the Popes Champion 61 The small power of the Emperour 53 A sad saying of the Turks 66 The Spaniard comes from the elder House of Austria 90 The several Interests of the Princes of Germany 85 T TOtila the Hun sacks Rome 5 The translation of the Empire to Constantinople fatal to Rome 5 Thirty Emperours put to violent deaths by the Army 8 Two Turkish Emperours kill'd in less than 25 years 9 A Tradition remarkable how the House of Austria came to be so great 26 The Turk gives place to the Emperors Ambassadors above all other 31 The Titles of the Heirs apparent to the Empire from time to time 37 The Territories of the Pope 300 miles in length 60 The Pope pretends to be Lord Paramount of England by King Iohns Grant 61 Titles of the House of Austria 89 V THe Vastnes of the old Roman Monarchy 54 The vast circumference of Rome in Vopiscus time 50 miles compass 54 A very witty embleme of the Turks Ambassador touching Germany 64 A very witty devise of the Dutchess of Bavaria to preserve her husband 58 The Vicarship of the Empire challeng'd by the Count Palatin and his reasons 74 A very witty way found by a Iesuitt to make the old Duke of Bavaria get Children 71 The Upper Palatinat the County of Cham with the Electorship conferr'd upon the Bavarian 79 W THe wantones of the peeple more than the Tarquins cause of the expulsion of Kings 6 A weak Act of the Roman Senat. 7 The Welsh and Irish have no other name for an English man but Saisson or Saxon. 12 Wenceslaus the Emperour depos'd and the manner how it was 35 Why England fell from the Roman Emperour and from the Pope 62 Were not the Imperial Eagles imp'd with Austrian feathers they wold be as bare as a Coot Gloria Honorque Deo saeclorûm in saecula sunto Chronogramma
Being conven'd the Ecclesiastical Electors were to put their hands only on their breasts the Secular Princes solemnly upon the Book to choose a fit Imperial head for Christendome and they were to do this within the compass of thirty daies and not to go out of Frankford or the place where they mett in the interim Iury-like to have no other nutriment but bread and water after the expiration of the sayed thirty dayes The choice being made by the Assembly of Electors the new Emperour according to the tenure of the golden Bull the grand Charter of the Empire so call'd because 't was confirm'd by the Pope is saluted by the Title of King of the Romans and not Emperour till he be crown'd with three Crowns viz. with the golden Crown representing Rome with a sylver Crown representing Germany and with an Iron Crown representing Lombardy which ceremony useth to be perform'd at Aquisgrave for all the three places But he is not to be call'd Augustus till confirm'd by the Pope At the first day of the Emperours Inauguration the foresayed Electors were to give their personal attendance in the Emperours Court but now they are dispens'd withall to do it by proxy Before the Palace Gate ther us'd to stand a heap of Oats to the breast of a Horse then comes the Duke of Saxony mounted having in his hand a sylver wand and a sylver measure stood by which was to weigh two hundred Marks he fills the measure sticking his wand afterwards in the remainder and so goes to attend the Emperour The three Arch-bishopps say Grace The Marquis of Brandenburg comes also on hors-back with a sylver bason of water of the value of twelve Marks and a clean towell which being alighted he holds to the Emperour Then comes the Count Palatin of the Rhin a hors-back also and being alighted he carries fower dishes of meat ev'ry dish of the value of three Marks Then the King of Bohemia comes with a napkin on his arm with a cover'd cupp of twelve Marks which he presents Touching the precedence of the Electors among themselfs one may judg of it by the maner of their session with the Emperour when he sitts in Majesty which is thus The Arch-bishop of Tryers high Chancellor of France sitts over against the Emperour The Arch-bishop of Moguntia or Mentz as high Chancelor of Germany sitts on the right hand of the Emperour The Arch-bishop of Collen on the left hand The King of Bohemia hath his seat on the right hand of the Arch-bishop of Mentz and next him the Count Palatin of the Rhin The Duke of Saxony fitts on the left hand of the Arch-bishop of Collen and by him the Marquis of Brandenburgh Moreover when they us'd to go in procession with the Emperour 't was ordain'd in the Golden Bull that the Arch-bishop of Tryers shold go before his Imperial Majesty and neer him on both sides one of the Ecclesiastical Electors The King of Bohemia was to go alone after the Arch-bishops and after him the Elector of Saxony with the naked Sword of the Empire in his hand having on his right hand the Count Palatin of the Rhin carrieng the golden apple which denotes the world to be under the Roman Empire And on the left hand of the Duke of Saxony the Marquess of Brandenburgh was to march with a Scepter in his hand then followed the Emperour himself By what hath bin spoken the discern Reader may judg who had the priority of place the Count Palatin of the Rhin or the Duke of Saxony a Contest that hath gravell'd many The third Section Touching the stile title of Emperour or Caesar and of the King of the Romans c. COncerning the Character and title of Emperour it is of a younger date than that of King and among the Romans it was in the beginning given to him who was Commander in chief of the Militia nor was it neer of such a transcendency then as now it is He was at firstbut tutoyè he was but Thou'd when he was spoken unto but afterwards in regard he had the prerogative to conferr honors and offices to grant pardons and patents of grace with other obliging motives the Courtiers especially the Churchmen began to magnifie or rather deifie him with sublime attributs as we read in Symmachus in his Epistles to Theodosius and Valentinian wherin his stile unto them is Vestra aeternitas vestrum numen vestra perennitas vestra clementia c. then he began to be call'd Divus Imperator but touching the title of Majestas which was given ab augendo Imperium as was touch'd before or as some wold have it a majori statu it is an attribut of no great antiquity for it is not found among the old Authors and it came not till Henry the seconds time to France who is not us'd to be backward in assuming and applyengtitle of greatnes to her self But concerning the dignity of Emperour as heretofore so is he still accounted the prime potentat and Prince paramount among Christians and not only among them but the Turk next himself accounts the German Emperour the greatest Monark upon Earth and esteems him accordingly which appeer'd in the person of David Vngnadius who being not an age since Ambassador in Constantinople for the Christian Emperour and coming for audience to the Duana in the Seraglio the Perfian Ambassador had come before and got the chair but Vngnadius offering to go away ther was an upper chair put for him Another time upon the celebration of Mahomet the Thirds Circumcision which lasted forty daies nights ther being then in Constantinople the Legats of the greatest Monarks upon Earth yet Hee who was Ambassador at that time for the Emperour Rodulphus the second had alwayes the first place Some Civilians exalt the Emperour with divers transcendent titles wherof one is Dominus totius terrae the lord of the whole Earth That Caesar is Proximus Deo Caesar is next to God Almighty But though the Emperour be accounted the sole supereminent Prince in Christendom yet ther have bin other Kings who assum'd that title besides him Som of the Kings of Spain have bin call'd Imperatores Hesperiae King Edgar whowas row'd upon the river of Dee by fower Kings wherof the Scot was one had this title which appears upon good record by this bouncing Character Ego Edgarus Altitonantis Dei largiflua clementia Anglorum Basileus omniumque Regum Insularúmque Oceanique Britanniam circumjacentis Cunctarúmque Nationum quae infra eam includuntur Imperator et Dominus He was call'd also Albionis Imperator I Edgar by the bountifull clemency of the highthundring God King of the English Emperour and Lord of all the Kings Islands and seas circumjacent to Britain and of all the Nations included therin he was stil'd in another place Emperour of Albion Moreover the Realms of England was declared an Empire by Act of Parlement octavo Henrici octavi and in divers other Acts the
Others wold have it from Hander see which signifieth a place neer the Sea and this passeth for the most current Etymologie in regard that all their Townes are so situated or upon som Navigable river leading to the Sea The Extent of the old Hans was from the Nerve in Liefland as far as the banks of the Rhin comprehending about 62 townes of trassique whereof the fower great Towns afore nam'd were the several precincts The Kings of Poland and Sweden have sued to be their Protector but they refus'd them because they were not Princes of the Empire They put off the King of Denmarque also with a complement nor wold they admit of the King of Spain when he was most powerfull in the Netherlands though afterwards they desir'd his help when 't was too late They refus'd also the Duke of Anjou notwithstanding that the world thought at that time he shold have married Queen Elizabeth of England who appeer'd for him in this busines wherby 't was probable they might have recover'd their old priviledges in England So that I do not find that they had any other Protector unles of late yeers but the great master of Prussia and their want of a Protector did do them some prejudice in that famous difference they had with Queen Elizabeth The old Hans had Extraordinary immunities conceded unto them by our Henry the third because they assisted him in his warrs with so many Ships and as they pretended the King was not only to pay them for the service of the sayed Ships but for the vessels themselfs in case they miscarried Now it fortun'd that upon their return to Germany from serving Henry the third a great part of their Fleet was cast away by distresse of weather for which according to covenant they demanded reparation Our King in lieu of money gave them some immunities and among other acts of grace they were to pay but one per cent custom which continued till Queen Maries time and by the advice of King Philip her husband she Enhanc'd the one to twenty percent The Hans not only complain'd but clammor'd allowd for breach of their ancient privileges confirm'd unto them by long prescription from thirteen successive Kings of England which they pretended to have pourchas'd with their money King Philip undertook to accommodat the busines but Queen Mary dieng a ltttle after out of a conceit of the lesse of Calais which she sayed upon her death-bed should be found Engraven in her heart if she were open'd and he retiring hence there could be nothing done Complaints being made afterwards to Queen Elizabeth she answered that as she wold not innovat any thing so she would protect them still in the immunities and condition she found them Hereupon their navigation and traffic was suspended awhile which prov'd very advantagious to the English for they tryed what they could do themselfs herein and after som adventures they thrive so well that they took the whole trade into their own hands and so divided themselfs to Staplers and Merchant adventurers the one residing constant in one place the other stirring and adventuring to divers towns abroad with cloth and other manufactures This so netled the Hans that they devis'd all the wayes they could to draw upon them the ill opinion of other Nations Moreover the Hans towns being a body incorporated in the German Empire complain'd to the Emperour who sent over Ambassadors to mediat the busines but they return'd still re infectâ Herupon the Queen caus'd a proclamation to be publish'd that the Merchants of the Hans shold be intreated and us'd as all other strangers within her dominions in point of Comerce without any mark of distinction This nettled them the more therupon they bent their forces more eagerly and in an Imperial Diet at Ratisbon they procur'd that the English Merchants who had associated themselfs in corporations both in Embden and other places shold be adjudg'd Monopolists whereupon ther was a Comitial Edict procur'd against them that they shold be exterminated and banish'd out of all parts of the Empire which was done by the activity of Suderman a great Civilian Ther was there at that time for Queen Elizabeth Mr. Gilpin as nimble a man as Suderman and he had the Chancellor of Embden to countenance and second him but they could not stop the Edict wherby the society of English Merchants adventurers were pronounc'd a Monopoly yet Gilpin played his cards so well that he wrought under hand that the sayed Imperial Ban shold not be publish'd till after the dissolution of the Diet and that in the interim his Imperial Majesty shold send an Ambassador to England to advertise the Queen of such proceedings against her Merchants But this made so little impression on the Queen that the sayed Ban grew to be rather ridiculous than formidable for the town of Embden harbour'd our Merchants notwithstanding and afterwards the town of Stode but they being not so able to protect them against the Imperial Ban removed and settled themselfs in Hamburgh After this the Queen commanded another proclamation to be publish'd that the Hansiatique Merchants shold be allowd to trade into England upon the same conditions and payments as their own Subjects did provided that the English Merchants might have the same privileges to reside and trade peaceably in Stode or Hamburgh or anywhere else within the precincts of the Hans This incens'd them more therupon endeavours were made to cut off Stode and Hamburgh from being Members of the Hans or of the Empire but they suspended this dessein till they saw what successe the great Spanish Armada shold have which was then preparing in the year 88 for they had not long before made their addresse to the King of Spain which had done them som good offices Wherfore to this day King Philip and his Councell were tax'd of a great oversight that ther was no use made of the Hans towns in that great Expedition against England Queen Elizabeth finding that they of the Hans were not contented with that Equality she had offer'd to make twixt them and her own Subjects put out a Proclamation that they shold transport neither corn victuals arms timber masts cables metals and any other materials or men to Spain or Portugal And after the Queen growing more redoubted and famous by the overthrow of the Fleet in 88 The Hans began to despair of doing any good Add herunto that another disafter befell them which was the taking of 60 Sayles of their Shipps about the mouth of the River of Lisbon by the Queens Shipps that went laden with ropas de contrabando or goods prohibited by her former Proclamations into the Dominions of Spain And as these Shipps were ready to be discharged she had intelligence of an extraordinary Assembly at Lubeck which had purposely mett to consult of means to be reveng'd of her therupon she made absolute prize of the sayed 60 Shipps only two were freed to bring home tydings what
wheras a Boore or Plebean is condemn'd according to the quality of his offence to carry only a Chair from one County to another such a peculiar punishment ther was of old in France for wheras ther was a law call'd la loy de la chevelure that none shold wear long hair but the Nobles he who had committed any degenerous offence was adjudg'd to have his hair cutt off before the tribunal of Iustice and so was degraded from being a gentleman his honor going away with his hair and so made a Roturier or Yeoman The story tells us that the Emperour Frederique Barbarossa made Hermannus Count Palatin of the Rhin and ten Counts more to carry doggs above one German mile for the praedations and ill balancing of dollars with other insolences they had committed while he was in Italy warring with the Pope against whom we read he had twelve pitched battails Such another clash the Emperour Conradus had with Guelphus Duke of Bavaria who bore up a good while against him at last the Emperour recruting his Army with Italian Auxiliaries shut up the Duke in VVinsberga and beleagred him so close that he was ready to famish And the Emperour having bin provok'd so farr that he had vow'd to put all to fyre and sword The Duchesse being a comely couragious Lady went through the throng of the army into the Emperours tent and made such a flexanimous speech which so melted the Emperour that he publish'd a proclamation that for her sake all the Women of VVinsberga shold have safe conduct to depart and carry away upon their backs as much of their most precious wealth that they could bear Herupon the Dutchesse took the Duke upon her back and evry wife by her example her husband mayds and unmarried women took up their brothers and kindred and so all marched out The Emperour being much taken with this witty peece of humanity publish'd a generall act of Amnestia and so the Duke was redintegrated into his favor This memorable story I couch'd once into verse being a task impos'd upon me and the Epigram runns thus Tempore quo Bavarum superârat Roma Guëlghum Seria festivo Res fuit acta joco Conradus victor VVinsbergam oblesserat Vrbem Hinc fame Deditio facta premente fuit Matribus at miserans Bavaris sponsaeque Guelphi Induperator iis tale Diploma dedit Quaelibet ut Mulier tuto cum Rebus abiret Quas humeris posset sustinuisse suis Cum reliquis Comitissa novo Diplomate nixa Inde viros portant pondera grata suos Pendebant collo nati nataeque lacertis Sic abiit licita Faemina Virque fugâ Hac delectatus Caesar pietate pepercit Omnibus atque novum cum Duce faedus init But to return where we left another cause of the Empours decay was that being often reduc'd to som exigents for want of money they us'd to have recours to the richest Imperial towns for a supply who us'd to lend them money and the Emperours payed them their money back with immunities Many towns in Italy got their necks out of Caesars yoak this way and som of them very cheap as Florence for it cost her but six thousand Crownes and Luca ten thousand c. In so much that the liberties of most of the free Citties of Italy much more of high and low Germany sprung out of the necessities of the Emperours wherby their power as well as their glory did daylie decline Adde herunto that the Bishopps of Rome feather'd their nests from time to time with the Eagles plumes specially in Italy for besides the City of Rome and the Countreys adjacent such was the high reverence the Church had in those daies that many other territories were given to the Apostolical See and since by well devoted Princes Insomuch that the Pope is grown herby to he a great temporal Prince for the state of the Church extends above three hundred miles in length and about two hundred miles in breadth It contains the Dutchy of Ferrara Bologna Romania the Marquisat of Ancona Sabina Perugia with a part of Toscany the Patrimony of Saint Peter and Latium in these there are above 50 Bishopricks He doth signorize also over the Dutchy of Spoleto and the Exarchat of Ravenna he hath the Towns of Benevento in the Kingdom of Naples and the County of Venisse in France call'd Avignon he hath title good enough to Naples also herself and Calabria but rather than incurr the diplesure of the King of Spain his Champion and chief supporter of his Chair he is contented with an annual heriot of a white Mule with a pursfull of pistols about her neck He pretends also to be Lord paramount of Sicily Urbin Parma and Masseran as also of Norway Ireland and England since King Iohn did prostrat our Crown at Pandulpho his Legats feet His Dominions reach from one Sea to another viz. from the Tyrrhene to the Adriatique and these Territories run through the center of Italy which enables the Pope to do good or harm to the Princes about him and makes him capable to be an Vmpire or a potent Enemy his authority being mixt twixt secular and spiritual for he can use the sword and thunder-bolt of Excommunication at plesure And to return to our chief subject most of the Countreys pointed at before being feathers of the Eagle did much decrease her strength Moreover as the Roman Church did this way impair the power of the Empire so the Reformed Church and the difference of Religion in Germany did much enfeeble it For those Princes who turn'd Lutherans daylie encroach'd upon and impropriated the demeans of the Church which was a great support to the Emperour being more devoted to him than to the secnlar Princes But to go a little more particularly to work we will not rove in Asia and Afrique where so many mighty parts of the Continent fell from the Roman Empire nor will we look so farr back in Europe as to speak of the defection of Spain France and Great Britain which was the first Province that fell from Rome though indeed Rome may he sayed to have fallen first from Her being not able by reason of warrs she had in other Countreys to protect the Britains against the Picts as England sayes now in point of Religion that she had never fallen away from Rome unlesse Rome had fallen from her self I say we will not look so fart back but come to more modern Times since the Empire came within the German pale The Suisses were one of the last that revolted who being summon'd to the Imperiall Chamber at Spire they sent a rough hewn Ambassadors totell the Imperial Councel in these words Domini confaederati Heluetii vos vicinos suos salvere jubent mirantur verò quod tam crebris citationibus c. The Lords Confaederats of Switzerland do greet you their Neighbours but they wonder that by your so frequent citations you wold disquiet Them therfore they pray and exhort you
he hath made and so might be capable of the Empire but notwithstanding that the French is sayed to spurr him on and that the Elector of Colen be his Oncle yet 't is not probable he will make any competition with his Cousin-germin the King of Hungary his peeple like them of Saxony being also very averse therunto though his peeple be in a surer way of subjection and vassalage unto him than other Germans are ther being no great ones in his Dominions to clash with him Touching the Marquis of Brandenburg though he be great Master of the Teutonique Order and hath such spacious and large Territories that he can go upon his own demeans above 500 miles from Cleve to the furthest parts of Prussia yet is he thought to be inferiorto the other two in revenues wealth therfore the lesse able to bear the weight of the German Empire Adde herunto that of the eight Electors five are still Roman Catholiques so that it is improbable a Protestant shold be chosen for ther are such ceremonies to be perfotm'd that are incompatible with a Protestant besides the Pope wold never confirm such an Emperour and without his confirmation no Emperour can be call'd Augustus Touching the King of Denmark though he be capable of the Empire being a kind of German yet the nature of those Kings and peeple hath bin rather to preserve what they have than to extend their Country further Moreover the present King is ingag'd in an open war against the Swed Ther is also a late clash 'twixt him and the town of Hamborough about the Huldygen which is an Inauguration to be her Protector as his Father was for Hamborough was built upon and stands still upon the King of Denmarks ground yet she refuseth to Huld him alledging that she bought him out for great summes of money And so pretends to be now an Imperial free Town and to hold soly from the Keyser Wheras others averre that she is meer Hansiatique within the Verge of Lubeck her Neighbour which is the chiefest of the first Precinct of the old Hans as was touch'd before Adde herunto that the last King of Denmark hath some particular obligations to the House of Austria his great Gran-mother having bin Charles the fifts Sister Besides when General Tilly was like in the eye of human reson with a Veteran victorious Army to overcom all Holsteyn Ferdinand this King of Hungaries Gran-father made a friendly and favourable peace with Christian the fourth who had invaded Germany with a considerable Army but with little successe in the behalf of the Count Palatin of the Rhin his Nephew The Swed mought have bad fair for the Imperial Golden Apple had he took firmer footing in Poland and succeeded in his notable designs further Nay his Army being compos'd of Soldiers of Fortune might still by new recreuts as they push'd on their hopes have prov'd in time as formidable and fatal to the test of Christendome as their Ancestors the Goths and Vandales were of old who pierc'd the very center of Europe to find warmer habitations Nor was the Swed altogether incapable to have stood for it in regard of those Territories which Gustavus got and annexed to the Crown of Sweden within the pale of the Empire viz. Pomerland and Breme But the Dane entring into a new warr with him and the Marquis of Brandenburg deserting him and having the House of Austria the Pole the Moscovit his actual enemies besides 't is thought his hopes are blasted for enlarging his dominions at this time but 't is well if he can now secure Sweden it self much more the new acquests aforesaid in Germany specially his friends viz. England and France being so remote from him and his enemies so neer about him The French King though I beleeve he be in despair to have it himself he being Exterus non Germanus a Scranger and no German and ther being a fundamental Law that no Forrener be Emperour as ther is a Sanction in the Conclave among the Cardinals that no Tramontane viz. one born this side the Alps can be Pope I say though the King of France looks not for it himself yet he spends all the interests he hath and is like to employ all the power he can with all the Artificies besides to cajoll I will not say corrupt the Electors for the secluding of the young King of Hungary and that the Empire shold not be alwayes a prostitut to one Family But France they say hath few real Friends in Germany among the Princes 'T is true the Elector of Tryers being perpetual Arch-chancelor of France hath always bin and is still Fleurdelizè he is Flowdeliz'd and Frenchified all over and France alwaies sticks to him also upon all occasions 't was about him that ther was such a counterbuff 'twixt Lewis the thirteenth and Gustaphus Adolphus because he had invaded part of his Territories 't was for his sake besides the still growing greatnesse of Spain that this present warr was denounc'd by sound of Herald against the House of Austria by the last French King Moreover 't is tru that the Marquis of Brandenburg while he lately adher'd to the Swed was devoted to France but since he hath accommodated matters with the Pole he hath chang'd his interest and is like to enter into the general league they speak of to be made between the Princes of the Empire for preserving the common peace of Germany against all that shall attempt to disturb it And besides the Electors themselfs The Duke of Brunswick Prince of Anbalt Luneberg Lawenburg the Landgrave of Hesse Darmstad't Baden Newburgh Wittemburgh though the last and some of the other smell rank of the French interest yet to prevent a new warr in Germany they are like to enter into the foresayed Patrial league together with all the Imperial and Hansiatical Towns Touching the Palsgrave or Prince Palatin of the Rhin 't is tru that ther hath bin a great deal of intimacy and reciprocal leagues twixt his Progenitors and France but the last Emperour and his Son the King of the Romans oblig'd him and his brother Prince Rupert by many recent civilities At the Treaties of Osnabrug and Munster the Emperour wold have his busines to be dispatch'd first and was very indulgent of him all along the while The fower hundred thousand dollars which were assign'd himself and to make portions and apennages for his younger brothers the twenty thousand dollars that were awarded the Lady Dowager his mother pro victalitio and the ten thousand dollars which were assign'd for dowries to evry one of his Sisters were all granted as the words of the Instrument run pro benevolo suae Majestatis Caesareae affectu ergo domum Palatinam for the benevolent affection his Imperial Majesty bore to the family of the Palatin which summes the Emperour punctually payed Moreover at the coronation of the Empresse and the creation of the last King of the Romans the Prince Palatin officiated