shall be voyde and of no effect Lastly wee will and ordaine that they or any of them that shall not fraudulently make such resignations vnto their Lords and yet afterward trouble them for the same or fraudulently making them wilfully molest inuade and assaile them by force of this our-imperiall decree shall incurre all the penalties aforesaid Of Conspiracies FVrther detesting as our Lawes import all conspiracies assemblies or vnlawfull confederations made either in or out of Cities or betweene Cities and Cities persons and persons or persons priuate and Cities vnder pretence of banquets or meetings of friends and Citizens at funerall feasts c. those kinde of assemblies confederations or compacts as also the customes of the same we censure to be corrupt and doe reprooue condemne and vpon good aduice disallow and disanull them of what estate dignitie or degree soeuer they be either among themselues or without the authoritie of the Lords whose subiects or ministers or vnder whose Iurisdictions they are their said Lords not excepted or shall from henceforth doe or in time to come presume to doe as by the sacred Lawes of our excellent imperiall predecessors they are without doubt prohibited and disanulled those confederacies and Lawes excepted which Princes Cities and others for the generall peace of their Prouinces and Countries shall make conclude and agree vpon among themselues which being in our Decree specially reserued we iudge to be and remaine in force and vigour vntil by vs other order shall be taken for the same And conclude that if any particular person contrary to the tenor of this our Decree and the ancient Lawes made concerning the same shall hereafter enter into any other confederacies meetings conspiracies and compacts besides the penalties for the same set downe in the Lawes they shall incurre the danger of infamie and the forfeiture of ten pounds and those Cities or Vniuersities that shall in that case doe contrary to our said Lawes the forfeiture of an hundred pounds together with the losse and depriuation of their Imperiall liberties and priuiledges the one halfe of their said forfeitures to be payd into the Emperours Exchequer and the other halfe to the Lord of the place in whose Iurisdiction the same was committed Of Psalburgerie BEcause no Citizens and Subiects to Princes Barons or such like persons shall seeke to cast off the originall yoke of subiection as they oftentimes doe complaine thereof vnto vs and to that end boldely procure their admission to dwell and inhabite in other Cities and often in times past practised the same and neuerthelesse still hold their Priuiledges in those Cities Lands Townes and Villages wherein they formerly resided and yet seeke to enioy the Liberties and Freedomes of those places whereunto they so remoue and claime protection of the same which in Germany was wont commonly to be called Psalburgerie To the end that no deceit nor guile should in such cases be fauoured or vpholden by our Imperiall power together with the counsell and aduice of all the Princes Electors both Spirituall and Temporall we will and ordaine this Law perpetually to be holden That such Citizens and their Subiects so deluding or fraudulently dealing in all the territories places and prouinces of the Empire from this day forward as so fraudulently procure and hereafter shall procure themselues to be entertained and to dwell in other cities shall not in the same Cities enioy any rights or liberties whatsoeuer vnlesse they dwell corporally in the said Citie and therein continually keep house and truly and not fainedly reside in the same paying Lot and Scot due and payable therein And if any contrary to the tenour of this our Decree are or shall be so receiued from hence-forth such their acceptance or receiuing shall be voyde and of no force and such as are so receiued of what dignitie condition or state soeuer they be from hence-forth in no manner shall enioy any rights or liberties within the saide Cities whatsoeuer notwithstanding any rights priuiledges or customes by them obtained vsed or obserued in former times Which in as much or so farre as they are contrary to this our Decree we doe hereby reuoke and by our Imperiall power and authoritie pronounce them to be voyde of all vigor and force Touching the premises concerning the Princes Lords and others which shall happen so or hereafter to be forsaken by their Subiects their rights in the persons and goods of their Subiects that so shall leaue them alwayes excepted Those neuerthelesse that haue presumed or shall hereafter presume so to receiue and entertaine other mens Citizens and Subiects contrarie to the tenor of this our present Decree If they doe not remit and send them away within one moneth after the intimation of these presents made vnto them shall for euery time so offending forfeit and pay one hundred markes the one halfe into the Emperours Exchequer and the other halfe to the Lords of those that were so receiued without fauour or pardon Of Defiances SVch men as pretend to haue iust cause of Defiance against any man in those places where they dwell not or commonly inhabit and sodainly defie them we declare such dammages as shall happen or arise by burning spoyling or pillage of the parties defied with their honour be satisfied And because other mens fraud and deceit should not be vpholden nor maintained We ordayne this Law for euer to be kept and obserued That such Defiances made or that in time to come shall be made against any Lords or persons with whom they are conuersant familiar and friends shal be of no force nor valew neither shall it bee lawfull vnder any pretence whatsoeuer to defie any man and to spoyle burne and bereaue him of his goods c. vnlesse such defiance be certified and made personally vnto the party defied three dayes before or else in the place where he was wont to dwell and that the party defying can testifie the same Defiance to be so made by lawfull witnesses And whosoeuer shall doe the contrary shall for the same incurre infamie and disgrace as if no defiance had beene made whom we also censure by the Law to be punished as a traitor Wee likewise prohibit and condemne all warre and uniust quarrells euery vnlawfull burnings spoylings pillages vndue and extraordinary toles safe-conducts and such extraordinary exactions as are vsed to be made and taken for such safe-conducts vpon the paines in the Lawes aforesaid and such like ordained and set downe A Letter of Certificate or warning to be giuen to the Electors to assemble about the election of the King of Romaines ILlustrious and magnanimous Prince H. Margraue of Brandenburgh High-Chamberlaine of the Empire Prince Elector and our most especiall friend The election of the King of Romans which for good causes is now to be made we doe by these presents certifie vnto you and according to your office and dutie call you to the Election aforesaid to the end that at such a day
to kill the reuerent and illustrious Princes Electors ecclesiasticall or temporall or any of them for they are a part or our body he or they that in such case are found guilty shall be punished for the same fact of conspiracie as if they had really committed the fact and were guilty of high-treason by losse of their liues and forfeiture of all their Lands and Goods to the Emperour and his or their sonnes whose life by our speciall imperiall fauour wee spare shall be punished for his fathers fault hee shall loose his fathers inheritance and others shall enioy the same he shall be incapable of making any will or of receiuing any thing by another mans will he shall alwaies be needy and poore his fathers infamie shall euer be imputed vnto him he shall neuer be admitted into any honour nor his oath allowed to be good and to conclude hee shall be so miserable and in perpetuall pouerty that death to him shall be a comfort and life a punishment And further we command him so to be noted obserued that without our speciall license hee shall not at any time presume or be permitted to haue accesse vnto our person Touching the daughters how many soeuer they be they shall not haue the full fourth part of their Mothers goods whether she die intestate or not wee will take order that they shall haue an indifferent part thereof for their reliefe rather then the wholâ— as if they were her heires for their sentence in truth ought not to be so rigorous that by infirmitie of sexe are of lesse power to commit euill Emancipations or Feoffments made by the parents either to the sonnes or daughters shall be voyde and of none effect neither shal any fraudulent alienations made by the said parents from the time that they once entred into the said conspiracies and factions be good nor allowable in law And touching their wiues dowries if they were so made by their husbands vnto them that the reuersion thereof should reuert vnto the sonnes after the wiues decease they shall acknowledge that reuersion to reuert vnto our Exchequer the fourth part whereof ought rather to fall vnto the daughters then to the sonnes and that punishment which we set downe and appoint for the parties and their sonnes the same seuerity also shall be vsed towards the Seruants Officers and Abetters of them and of their sonnes But if any of them that in the beginning and entrance into the said faction shall seeme to keepe counsell with the parties guilty and afterward shall disclose it and rather seeke to crosse it for our good and honour and they also that shall haue sought to put their malitious faction in practise if at last vnknowne to the other conspirators they shall secretly disclose it wee iudge them to be worthy of pardon and forgiuenesse We further ordaine that if any conspiracies shall haue beene made against the said Princes Electors spirituall or temporall by any man that is dead and the same after his death is knowne and discouered that crime concerning the hurt and danger of the life of the Princes Electors touching the imperiall maiestie for if the members be hurt the head cannot be well nor in safetie therefore wee will and commaund that after the death of the partie that is knowne to haue beene guilty in his life time the same fault shall be punished that the dead partie being found guilty his memorie may be extinguished and his goods taken away from his successours for if any man conceiueth or imagineth mischiefe if followeth thereby that his minde was depraued and therefore seeing that he did imagine and inuent such a mischiefe he had no power to alienate nor infranchise the same nor yet by right in this case to take order for the payment of his debts Therefore if the members be hurt the head must needes be the worse that is if any conspiracie were made against the Princes Electors spirituall or temporall by any man that is dead the goods and lands of the said person shall be attached as if hee had beene executed for the same offence Touching the integritie that is to be obserued among the Princes Electors IF other Princes of our Empire doe agree in vnitie of spirit and willes to obserue iustice and equitie that the Subiects of the Empire may thereby liue in peace and tranquilitie much more ought the Princes Electors of the Empire to seeke to maintaine and preserue the same for where the danger is most euident there it ought more speedily to be preuented left those the pillars breaking the whole house should fall to decay Therefore We decree and ordaine this to be a perpetuall Law That as in former time out of the memory of man so in time to come the illustrious and magnificent Princes the King of Bohemia the Earle Palatine of the Rhine the Duke of Saxon and the Margraue of Brandenburgh being strictly bound together by their Territories ought not touching homages vassalage and other rights to them belonging to be seperated diuided or in any wise dismembred but to the end that they may rather be and remaine in their perfect integritie their eldest sonne shall succeed them in their rights priuiledges and dominions vnlesse hee shall chance to be distract of his sences foolish or otherwise defectiue in mind for the which cause he ought not nor cannot gouerne others in which cases being prohibited of succession therein the second son if there be any or some other elder brother or cosin that is a Temporall Prince and next of bloud that lineally descendeth from the father shall be his successor who then shal deale kindly with the other brethren and sisters touching their maintenance and as hee shall thinke good and according to his meanes without diuiding or dismembring the principality and appurtenances thereof in any sort Touching the Emperours Court and Sessions THat day whereon the Emperours or the King of Romaines Court is to be holden at an houre appointed the Princes Electors both Spirituall and Temporall shall come to the Emperours or Kings Pallace and there the Emperour or the King shall put on all his Imperiall Roabes and mounting vpon their horses all of them shall goe with the Emperour or the King to the place where the Court is to be holden orderly and in manner and forme as it is formerly set downe in our Decree to that end made The chiefe Chancellour in whose precinct or iurisdiction it shall happen to be shall beare or carry all the Seales and imperiall and regall Tipes vpon a siluer wand The Secular Princes Electors shall beare the Scepter the Ball the Sword euery one as he is orderly to doe it according to the Decree for the same purpose made They shall likewise beare going directly next before the Arch-bishop of Tryer keeping his ordinary place first the Crown of Aqusgranie then the Crowne of Millaine before the Emperour as then apparelled in his Imperiall Roabes which shall bee borne by other
signifie vnto euery one of the Princes his fellow Co-electors both spirituall and temporall the said Election in which his Letters hee shall specifie with as much speede as those Letters can conueniently come vnto their hands the day on which within three moneths next after ensuing in the said letters contained al the said Electors are to be at Franckford vpon Maine either in person or by his or their lawfull deputies thereunto appointed with full power and authority vnder their hands and seales to elect the King of the Romains to be Emperour In what manner forme such Letters shall be made and perpetually penned and in what manner and forme also the said Princes Electors shall authorize their deputies in that case of Election by them so appointed to be done at the end of this booke you shall finde it set downe and more plainely expressed which forme so set downe by our imperiall power and authoritie wee doe commaund in that manner to be obserued And whensoeuer it shall happen that the death of the Emperour or of the King of the Romaines is knowne in the Diocesse of Mentz then within a moneth from the day of the notice of the same iustly accounted our will and pleasure is that the said Arch-Bishop shall by his Letters signifie the same vnto euery one of the Princes Electors in manner as aforesaid which if the said Arch-Bishop shall neglect or carelesly put off then the said Princes Electors shall of themselues without calling or warning in performance of their oathes and alleagiance to the Empire at the end of three moneths aforesaid as in the former institution is declared repaire to the said towne of Franckford there to proceede to the Election of the King of the Romains to be Emperour And euery Prince Elector or his deputie shall enter into the said towne of Franckford at the said Election with a trayne of not aboue two hundred horsemen and not more whereof fiftie of them onely and not aboue shall be armed And euery Prince Elector that is called and summoned to the said Election not comming therevnto nor yet sending his lawfull deputie with his Letters Patents vnder his hand and seale with full power authority to elect the King of the Romains to be Emperour or if after the said Prince or the said deputie shall goe from the said place of election the King of the Romains not being elected to be Emperour nor his said deputie fully authorized he shall lose his voyce which he ought to haue in such election Wee also charge commaund and enioyne the citizens of Franckford to defend and protect all the said Princes Electors in generall and euery one of them in particular from all inuasions or tumults that may happen among them vpon any particular dislike and also from all other men that may attempt any thing against them and likewise their seruants and followers which they or any of them shall bring to the number of two hundred aforesaid into the said Citie and they shall take their corporall oathes vpon the holy Euangelists for performance thereof vpon paine of incurring the danger of Periurie together with the losse of all their Rights Liberties Priuiledges and Immunities which by Emperiall authoritie they hold and enioy and to fall into the danger of outlarie both in body and goods and in that case it shall be lawfull for euery man at his or their owne liberties without orderly proceeding to inuade and assault them and euery one of them when they will and at all times being thereby depriued of all Law as traitors and Rebels to the Empire without any punishment to be inflicted on them for the same neither within nor without the Empire The said citizens of Frankford also during all the time of the said Election shall not suffer any man of what estate or condition soeuer he be in any sort to enter into the said Towne the Princes Electors themselues and their deputies aforesaid excepted who are euery one of them to enter with two hundred horse-men as aforesaid And if after they are entred with their traines aforesaid or in their presence any man be found to be there contrary to our decree the said Citizens presently and with all speede shall take order for his speedy departure out of the Citie without stay vpon paine of incurring the penalties aforesaid to be laid vpon them or else of the breach of their oathes which they are to take vpon the holy Euangelists for the performance of this our decree as it is formerly expressed and declared Touching the Election of the King of the Romaines AS soone as the said Electors or their deputies are entred into the said Citie of Franckford the next day in the morning in the Church of Saint Bartholomew they shall cause the Masse of the holy Spirit to be sung before them to the end that the said holy Spirit might open their hearts and illuminate their mindes to chuse and elect a good vpright and a fit person to be King of the Romaine and Emperour and for the aduancement of the Christian faith And after the said Masse all the Electors or their deputies shall approach vnto the Alter on which the said Masse was celebrated where the spirituall Princes Electors standing together with the temporall the Gospell of Saint Iohn beginning In principio erat verbum shall be laid open before them the spirituall Princes reuerently laying their hands vpon their brests and the secular Princes laying their hands vpon the booke in the presence of all their company who then are to be there shall take their oath which oath the Arch-Bishop of Mentz shal giue vnto them and shall openly pronounce the same in this manner J Arch-Bishop of Mentz HIGH-CHANCELOR of the sacred EMPIRE in Germany and Prince Elector sweare to this holy Gospell now laid before me that vpon the alleagiance which I owe to God and to the Empire of Rome I will with all my heart and best indeauour by Gods helpe chuse a temporall head for the people of Christendome that is a King of the Romains to be Emperour such an one as shall be fit and capable for the place according to my alleagiance aforesaid and my voyce and the voyces of the Electors without any fraud or other sinister and particular dealing by mee therein to be vsed so helpe me God and all his holy Saints This oath in this manner being taken by the said Electors or their deputies according to their said oath they shall proceed to the Election and shall not in any manner depart out of the said Citie of Franckford before that the greater sort of them shall haue chosen a temporall head or gouernour of the world or of Christendome a King of Romains to be Emperour which if they shall prolong or deferre the space of thirty dayes from the day of taking their oathes then the said thirty dayes being expired they shall eate nothing but bread and water nor by any meanes goe away from the
said Citie vntill or before they or the greater number of them shall haue chosen the ruler or temporall head of Christendome as aforesaid And after that in the same place they or the greater part of them shall haue made their Election the same shall be as lawfull and good as if it had beene made by the voice and consent of them altogether without gaynsaying and so shall be celebrated And if it shall happen that any of the Electors or their deputies aforesaid shall stay longer from comming to Franckford to the Election then the time appointed yet if hee or they shall come thither before the said Election iâ— made wee ordaine and decree that he or they shall neuerthelesse be admitted to the said Election as well as if they had come thither at the first day and time aforesaid which in the same manner wee will and commaund to be continually and perpetually obserued Wee also ordaine and by our imperiall power and authority commaund that hee who in manner aforesaid shall be chosen to be King of Romains the Election being made before hee shall doe any thing or proceed to the ordering of any affaires whatsoeuer touching the Empire by vertue of his place and dignitie of King of Romains he shall by his Letters Patents confirme all the priuiledges rights liberties graunts auncient customes and dignities vnto the Princes Electors both Spirituall and Temporall which are knowne and reputed to be the principallest members of the Empire and whatsoeuer else they shall haue obtained and enioyed in the Empire vntill the day of the Election and when hee shall be crowned Emperour he shall ratefie and confirme the same vnto all the Electors in generall euery one of them in particular without any denyall or contradiction whatsoeuer And in case wheras three Princes Electors present or their deputies in their absence shall together chuse one of the Princes Electors either present or absent to be King of Romains the voyce of him that is Elected if he be present or his deputie in his absence shall be of sufficient power and means to encrease the greater number of the Election and to make the same as effectuall and of as good force as if it had beene made by all the Electors together The manner how the Spirituall Princes Electors shall sit by the Emperâ—ur when he is set in his Imperiall Throne In the name of the holy and inseparable Trinitie Amen CHarles the fourth by the diuine grace of God Emperour of Rome Semper Augustus and King of Bohemia in perpetuall memorie and for the glory and grace of the holy Empire the honour of the Emperour and for an order hereafter to be prescribed to the common-wealth to the end that the most reuerent and illustrious Princes Electors may be maintained in peace and vnity of minde who as principall pillers circumspectly prudently wisely and holily sustaine support and vphold the sacred edifice of the Empire and whose assistances and aydes strengthen and corroborate the right hand of the imperiall power and how much the more by mutuall fauour and ample dignitie they are vnited together so much the more peace and tranquility and commodity the people of Christendome thereby obtaine and enioy therefore that among the venerable Arch-Bishops and Prelates of Mentz Collen and Tryer Princes Electors of the sacred Empire all dissention suspition and contention touching Superiority or sitting in counsell in the imperiall Courts and resorts that may arise or grow hereafter may be cut off and ceased and that they being peaceable and quiet in minde may the better and freelyer consider of the important affaires of the Empire and with one will and consent and vnity meditate thereon for the consolation and comfort of the christian people By the counsell and deliberation of all the Princes Electors both spirituall and temporall wee Decree and by our imperiall power and authoritie ordaine this Order and Law perpetually to be obserued that the aforesaid reuerent Arch-Bishop of Tryer shall sit opposite right before the Emperors face The Arch-bishop of Mentz in his owne Diocesse and Prouinces and also out of his Prouinces in al his Chancelours regiment throughout Germany the Prouince of Collen onely excepted And the Archbishop of Collen in his Diocesse and Prouinces and out of his Prouinces throughout all Italie may shall and ought to sit on the right hand of the Emperour of Rome in all publique actes Imperial Iudgements Assemblies Feodarie Courts Feasts Counsels and all other actions which may happen and fall out for the seruice and honour of the Empire which mutuall order aforesaid of sitting so appoynted for them wee ordaine and command to be obserued and kept among the said Arch-bishops of Collen Tryer and Mentz and their Successors for euer that hereafter no contention or distaste may for the same grow and breed among them Touching all the Electors sitting in the Emperours presence VVEe further ordaine That whensoeuer the Emperour shall holde his Imperiall Court of Parliament in euery Session as well in Counsell as in Parliament and at meate or any other place whatsoeuer where the Emperour and the King of Romaines shall happen to sit with the Princes Electors next after the Arch-bishops of Mentz or Collen which of them at that time in regard of the qualitie of their places or varietie of Prouinces and his other Priuiledges shall be set downe on the right hand of the Emperour the King of Bohemia being an annoynted and a crowned Prince shall sit next vnto him the Earle Palatine of the Rheine shal haue the next place on the left side of the Emperor after one of the Arch-bishops aforesaid whose chance it shall be then to sit on the left side of the Emperour Then the Duke of Saxon and after him the Margraue of Brandenburgh shall sit downe But when and as often as the Emperours shall be dead then the Arch-bishop of Mentz shall haue power as it is formerly set downe by Letters to summon all the Princes aforesaid to come together for the election who being all or as many of them as can or will come within the time of election assembled the said Arch-bishop of Mentz and none other shal aske euery one of his fellow Electors their voice in the election as followeth First the Arch-bishop of Tryer whom we ordaine to speake first to whom we find that it hath still belonged Then the Archbishop of Collen to whom it belongeth to crowne the King of Romaines The third the King of Bohemia who amongst the Temporall Electors in regard of his Royall dignity is the chiefe of them The fourth the Earle Palatine of the Rheine The fift the Duke of Saxon and the sixt the Margraue of Brandenburgh who sitting orderly the Archbishop of Mentz shall aske euery one of them whom they will choose or giue their consent vnto Further in the celebration of the Imperiall Offices the Margraue of Brandenburgh shall holde the Bason whilest the Emperour or King of Romains wash
his or their hands Next the King of Bohemia shall beare the Kings cup to drinke which by reason of his regall Crowne and according to the priuiledge of his kingdome vnlesse he will voluntarily doe it he is not bound to doe The Earle Palatine of the Rheine shall serue in the first dish and the Duke of Saxon shall exercise the place of Marshall as he hath anciently vsed to doe The Priuiledges of the Earle PALATINE of the Rheine and the Duke of Saxon. AS often as the Empire shall happen to be void the illustrious Earle Palatine of the Rheine chiefe Sewer of the Empire in place of the future King of Romains by right and priuiledge of his Earledome ought to bee Oner-seer in the territories of the Rheine Sweuia and Franconia for the Emperor with power of exercising Iustice presentation of Ecclesiasticall Benefices receiuing Rents and Reuenews and in the name of the Empire to take the oaths of fidelitie and feoffments which neuerthelesse after the King of Romaines is elected shall all bee reiterated and they shall againe renew their oathes vnto him the oathes of the Princes and of those that are called Vanlehen excepted which we specially reserue for the Emperour himselfe or the King of Romains but all kindes of Alienations or Obligations of Imperial things are excluded out of his power The like power of Ouer-seer we giue and appoynt vnto the illustrious Prince the Duke of Saxon as Marshal of the Empire in those places where the Iurisdiction of Saxon extend in like manner and forme as aforesaide and although in the interim that the Emperour or King of Romaines are to be elected Iustice shall be done by the Earle Palatine as chiefe Sewer and Prince Elector yet the County Palatine shall not execute the saide Iudgement in any other place then openly in the Emperours Court where the Emperour himselfe or the King of Romains if they were present should doe it How the Princes Electors shall take place before other Princes and Noble men of the Empire VVEe further ordaine That whensoeuer and as often as the Emperour shall summon a Court of Parliament the Princes Electors aforesayd both Spirituall and Temporall according to the order prescribed shall sit on the right and left hands of the Emperour and so holde their places and no other Prince of what degree state or condition soeuer he be in any place within the said Court in going sitting or standing shall be preferred before them And this is specially to be obserued and noted that the King of Bohemia at the celebration of the said Court of Parliament in all and euery the actions aforesaid what other King Prince or Princes of what estate soeuer he or they be that may vpon any occasion be present therein shall haue the preheminence and preferment of sitting before him or them Touching the Succession of the Temporall Princes Electors AMong the innumerable cares wherewith wee are busied for the maintenance of the happy state of the Empire by the ayde and helpe of God our heart and minde daily laboureth to this end that a desired and wholesome vnion may alwayes be had and maintained with sinceritie of heart among the Princes Electors of the Empire whose prouidence in time will so much the sooner and easelier appeare and take effect when no errour shall arise among them and thereby Charity better obserued difficulty preuented and right and equitie giuen to euery man It is generally manifestly and publiquely knowne to all men farre and neare that the illustrious Princes the King of Bohemia the County Palatine of the Rheine the Duke of Saxon and the Margraue of Brandenburgh by vertue of his Kingdome and their Principalities in the election of the King of Romains to be Emperour with the rest of the Spirituall Princes their Co-electors by right haue their Places and Voices and together with them to choose them as true and lawfull Electors of the Empire lest that among the sayde Temporall Princes sonnes in time to come there may grow or arise any trouble dissention or contention touching the right voyce and power of election aforesayd and thereby to preuent all future impediments lets and hinderances therein desiring by Gods help carefully and wisely to stay and stop all dangers We ordaine and by our Imperiall authority commaund this present Law perpetually to be obserued and kept That whensoeuer the sayd temporall Princes Electors or any of them shall leaue their right voyce and power of election aforesayd the same shall iustly lawfully and freely escheat and fall to the eldest sonne and heire of him or them being a Temporall person without any contradiction whatsoeuer And if the said eldest sonne shall die without lawfull temporall heires male by vertue of this our Imperiall Edict the right voyce and power aforesaid shall fall to the next brother being a Temporall person rightly descending from his father and after him to his eldest sonne being a Temporall Prince And such succession from the eldest sonnes and heires of the said Princes in the right voyce and power aforesaid of election shall from time to time perpetually be obserued with this condition and clause neuerthelesse That if the said Prince Elector or his eldest sonne beeing a Temporall person shall die and leaue his heires male being Temporall persons at the time of his decease vnder age then the next brother to the said eldest sonne shall be tutor and administrator of the said children vntill the eldest of them shall attaine to lawfull yeares whom we doe ordaine and appoint to be Elector at the age of eighteene yeares and at that time the said right power and voyce and other appendances thereof shall escheate vnto him and then the said administrator shall resigne the said office and rights aforesaid wholly vnto him And if any of the said Princes houses shall happen to faile and be extinguished for want of heires male then the Emperour or King of Romaines for the time being shall and may take order therein and prouide an other Elector as an escheate lawfully fallen to him and the Emperour alwayes excepting the priuiledges rights and customes of our Kingdome of Bohemia touching the election of their King in case of vacation by the Subiects thereof that haue right and authoritie to elect their King Obseruing their priuileges and ancient customes continually vsed and by diuers Emperours of Rome or Kings graunted vnto them which by this our Decree wee will by no meanes breake nor infringe but rather confirme the same from hence forward to be and remayne in as full power and effect as heeretofore they haue beene and so for euer to continue Of the immunities and priuiledges of the Kings of Bohemia and the Subiects thereof WHereas by two illustrious Emperours of Rome and Kings of Bohemia our Progenitors and Predecessors it was giuen and graunted vnto the sayd Kingdome and Crowne and at this present in the said Kingdome from time out of minde is and hath beene a laudable custome and law