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
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
to the contrary And if that any of the Princes Electors Spirituall or Temporall vpon iust and good occasion being summoned to be there at the sayd feast cannot come he shall send his deputie but of what estate or dignitie soeuer hee be that is so sent for his deputy yet hee shall not sit downe at the Table or in the seate of him that sent him Further these offices and other things being performed at the sayde Imperiall or Kingly feast The master or Steward of the feast shall haue all the tables boords and scaffolds of wood for his fee that was prepared against that feast for the Emperour and the King as also for the Electors at the celebration thereof according to ancient custome What Fees the Officers are to haue when the Princes acknowledge Fealtie to the Emperour or King of Romaines WE ordaine this Imperiall Decree that the Princes Electors Spirituall and Temporall when they acknowledge their fealty to the Emperour or the King of Romaines shall not be bound to giue or pay any mony to any man at that time for that the mony which is due to Officers in that kinde seeing the sayd Princes Electors are euery one superior Imperiall officers and haue their Deputies or Substitutes in euery one of their offices giuen them by the Romaine Princes it were absurd that vnder-Officers or Substitutes should vpon any colour whatsoeuer aske or exact any fees of their Superiors vnlesse the saide Princes of their owne free wills and liberalities will giue them any thing But other Princes both Ecclesiastical and Secular when they as aforesayd acknowledge fealty vnto the Emperour of Rome or to the King they shall giue to the Kings or the Emperors officers of the Court sixty and six markes of siluer vnlesse any of them can by speciall priuiledge or indulgence by the Emperours formerly granted to them discharge themselues thereof and proue that they are free from paying such or any the like fees vsed when they acknowledged their fealties which sayd sixty sixe markes the Master or Steward of the said Imperiall feast shall diuide in this manner First reseruing ten markes for himselfe hee shall giue to the Emperors or Kings Chancelor of the court ten marks to the Masters of the Court Clarks and Doctors three markes and to the Clarke of the Seale for Wax and Parchment one marke in such manner neuerthelesse that the Chancellor and Clarkes shall not take such fees of the Princes but onely to testifie that they haue done their fealty and to signifie the same The said Master also shall giue vnto the vice-Butler of Limburgh ten markes to the master Cooke of Noremburgh ten markes to the vice-Marshall of Papenheim ten markes and to the vice-Chamberlaine of Falkenstein ten markes vpon this condition neuerthelesse if they and euery of them shall be present at the Court to execute their offices according to their places and that if they or any of them be absent then the Officers of the Imperiall or Kings Court that vse to serue in those Offices shall supply their sayd places euery one as it falls out and shall haue the said fees accordingly And when any Prince sitting vpon an horse or other beast doth his fealty to the Emperour or the King that horse or beast of what kinde soeuer it be belongeth as a fee vnto the chiefe Marshall the Duke of Saxon if he be present or else to the vice-Marshall of Papenheim and in his absence to the Marshall of the Emperours or Kings Court Forasmuch as that for the honour of the Romaine Emperour it is expedient that the saide Emperour hauing to deale and treate with diuers Nations of sundry and seuerall Languages should vnderstand and speake the said Languages It is fit and conuenient in euery mans iudgement that the Princes Electors being the pillers and supporters of the Empire should be instructed and taught diuers Languages that they may vnderstand euery man and be vnderstood of them and thereby assisting the Emperour in his principall and speciallest affaires he may the more be honoured Therefore wee ordayne and appoint that the illustrious Princes Electors viz. the King of Bohemia the County Palatine of the Rhine the Duke of Saxon and the Margraue of Brandenburgh their sonnes heires and successors when they can perfectly vnderstand and speake their owne mother Language the High Germaine tongues at the age of seauen yeares they shall be taught to speake the Latin Italian and Slauonian tongues so that at foureteene yeares of age by the helpe of God they may well vnderstand the same being not onely necessary but for speciall causes most necessarie for that those Languages are much vsed in the Empire and by them they may the eassier mannage the Imperiall affaires Which the better to effect we thinke it fit and conuenient that the Fathers should leaue the charge of their sonnes if they haue any or of their next kinsmen whom they know must and shall be their heires and successors in their honours and lands and eyther send them to such places where they may be instructed and taught those languages or else keepe such Maisters and Instructers for them in their houses together with yong Boyes that are skilfull in those Languages to beare them company that they may by those meanes the readilier sooner and perfectlier learne and be instructed in the same * ⎠* FINIS
THE GOLDEN BVLL OR The Fundamentall Lavves and Constitutions of the Empire Shewing The Persons and Priuiledges of the Princes Electors the manner of the Election the forme and Ceremonies thereof with other politique Orders to be obserued by the States and Subiects of the Empire which shall be assembled at Francford for the Election of the now next Emperour the tenth day of Iuly next ensuing 1619. LONDON Imprinted by T. S. for Nathanaell Newbery and are to be sold at the signe of the Star vnder S. Peters Church in Cornehill and in Popes-head Alley 1619. The Imperiall Lawes and Constitutions set downe in the Golden Bull or Letters Patents of CHARLES the fourth Emperour of Rome for the Election of Emperors * ⎠* In the Name of the most holy inseparable and glorious Trinity Amen CHARLES the fourth by the Diuine grace of God Emperour of Rome semper Augustus and King of Bohemia for a perpetuall memorie to all Posteritie Sendeth greeting Euery kingdome diuided in it selfe shal be madde esolate for the Princes thereof are become fellowes with theeues therefore the Lord sendeth the spirit of Blindenesse amongst them that at noone day they grope about as if they were in darkenes and remoueth their Candlesticke out of their place that they should be blind leaders of the blinde and they that walke in darkenesse offend and are deceiued and being blinde commit wickednesse and fall into diuision Tell mee Pride how didst thou raigne in Lucifer but by the meanes and aide of Dissention Say enuious Sathan how didst thou cast Adam out of Paradise terrestriall but by making him to disobey God Speake Lust how didst thou destroy Troy but by causing Helena to forsake her husband Say Wrath how didst thou destroy the common-wealth of Rome but by mouiug Iulius Caesar and Pompey to ciuill and intestine warre Thou Enuie like a craftie Serpent creeping into the Christian Empire which by the power of the holy and inseparable Trinity is grounded on the Theological vertues of Faith Hope and Charitie and whose foundation is happily established vpon the most Christian Kingdome of God by pouring thy auncient and most impious venime amongst the imperiall branches and nearest members of the same that the Pillars thereof beeing shaken the whole building might fall to the ground oftentimes hast set vngodly diuision among the seauen Electors of the Empire by whom as by seuen Candlestickes shining in the vnitie of a seuen-fold Spirit the holy Empire should be illuminated Therefore by vertue of our office which by the Imperiall Crowne we hold to preuent the dangers of future diuisions and dissentions among the Electors whereof as being King of Bohemia we acknowledge our selfe to be one by a double reason as well of our Imperiall Commaund as by our right of Election which we execute among other Lawes prescribed for the nourishing and maintaining of correspondencie among the Electors and thereby to induce them vnto an vnitie of Election and a detestation of the afore-said diuision and to stop the passage vnto diuers perills thereby ensuing at an Imperiall assembly holden in our Court at Norembergh in the presence of all the Princes Electors Spirituall and Temporall and of a great number of other Princes Earles Barons Knights Gentlemen and Burgesses of the Cities and Townes of our Empire sitting in our Throne apparelled in our Imperiall Robes and Crowne vpon our head with mature deliberation and by imperiall power ordaine declare and establish c. In the yeare of our LORD GOD 1356. in the ninth Indiction and the fourth Ides of Ianuary and of our reigne the tenth of Bohemia and the first of our EMPIRE In what manner the Electors are to be conducted to the Election and by whom VVE ordaine and by this our present Imperiall Edict perpetually to be obserued commaund of our meere motion and free Imperiall power that as often and whensoeuer in time to come vpon necessitie or the cause of Election of the King of Romaines to be Emperour it shall happen and fall out that the Princes Electors according to the auncient and laudable custome for the said Election are to trauell and set forward on their iourney euery Prince Elector shall vpon request made by the said Electors be bound to conduct and accompany his co-Electors when they are for that cause to trauell through their territories lands and iurisdictions and further also as necessitie requireth and without refusall conuey them to the City or place where such Election is to be made and celebrated and also at their returne from thence vpon paine of periurie and losse for that time onely of his or their voyce which he or they is or are to haue in the said Election Which said penalties to him or them that shall shew themselues rebellious obstinate or negligent in the said conduction we our selues will iudge and impose Wee further ordaine and commaund all other Princes Feodaries and belonging to the Imperiall Iurisdiction by what name soeuer they are called Dukes Earles Barons Knights and their Retainers Gentlemen and others Burgesses and Officers of Castles Cities and places whatsoeuer of the sacred Empire that at such time as the King of the Romains is to be elected Emperor vpon request vnto them made by the Princes Electours or any of them for conduction either of themselues or their Deputies which they shall appoint as aforesaid without any deniall to conduct guide them thorow their territories lands possessions further as need shall require And that if they shall presume or refuse not to doe as wee herein ordaine and appoint they shall be liable to the paines and penalties heereafter following viz. All Princes Earles Barons Knights Nobles and Gentlemen doing the contrary shall incurre the paine of guiltinesse of periurie and depriuation of all liberties and immunities whatsoeuer they hold and enioy by Imperiall right or otherwise as also of all other their offices and functions And all Burgesses and Commons of Cities and Townes that presume to doe the contrarie are likewise guiltie of periurie and shall be depriued of all the Rights Liberties Priuiledges and Immunities which by Imperiall libertie and graunt they hold and haue obtained which together with their bodies and goods shall escheate and fall into the Emperours hands and further ipso facto be depriued of all Law and Right whatsoeuer so that from thence-forth it shall be lawfull for euery priuate man of his owne authoritie without lawfull proceedings or aide of Magistrates freely to assaile and set vpon them not once incurring any penalty paine or punishment whatsoeuer by Imperiall authoritie or otherwise for the same they being so conuinced for disobedience against the Common-wealth and the sacred state and dignitie of the Empire as also against their owne honours and credits and found to haue rashly neglected their duties and done as rebells disobedient subiects and periured persons against the Decree aforesaide Decreeing further and commanding That the Citizens and Inhabitants of all Towns and places where
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
Citations Processes and Sentences diffinitiues or otherwise against them begun for not appearing before such forraine Iudges or hereafter to be made and pronounced as also the precepts and executions of the same and all things which from them or any of them or by that means shall or may be done and attempted are and shall be voide and of none effect expresly commaunding that no Earle Baron feodarie Vassall Knights Citizens Burgesses Peasants nor any other person subiects to the said Churches or their inhabitants of what estate condition or dignitie soeuer they be shall appeale from the processes sentences definitiue or other precepts of the said Arch-Bishops and their Churches or the executions therof made pronounced or to be made and pronounced against them in the Arch-Bishopricke or their Consistories tribunall seates as long as they are not denied Law and Iustice in the Arch-Bishoprickes nor their Consistories aforesaid and that such appeales in that sort made shall not be receiued accepted nor allowed but to the contrary shall be voide and of none effect But for want of Iustice they and euery one of them may immediately appeale from them to the imperiall Court and tribunal seate of the Emperor not to any other Court whatsoeuer either ordinarie or extraordinary that whatsoeuer shall be done contrarie to the premisses wee pronounce it to be voyde and of none effect The same Law Order and Statute by vertue of this our Imperiall Decree the illustrious Duke of Palatine of the Rheine the Duke of Saxon and the Marques of Brandenburgh temporall Princes Electors and their heires successors and subiects shall also hold and enioy in manner and forme as aforesaid Touching the assembling or meeting of the Princes Electors AMong many other cares wherewith wee are daily busied it seemeth much to import our greatnesse and sublimitie that the Princes Electors of the sacred Empire should often meete and assemble together to sit about and consult vpon the affaires of the Empire and the good of Christendome in generall Which sound pillers and stedfast and immoueable supporters of the Empire as they are a great way distant one from another on the other side meeting in counsell they may consult vpon the defects of the Countries and Territories about them by comming and conferring together and by their wholesome and sound counsels apply good remedies thereunto And to that end we haue ordained our generall meeting in Noremburgh with the Venerable Ecclesiasticall and Illustrious temporall Princes Electors and many other Princes and Nobles of the Empire there with good deliberation and their counsell and aduise for the common good of the Empire to consult with the said Princes Electors ecclesiasticall and temporall It is further by vs thought good that the said Princes Electors from henceforth euery yeare once after the feast of the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus Christ commonly called Easter for the space of foure weeks together shall meet assemble in some one of our imperiall Cities and at the same time to come or ensew in the next yeare the same meeting or counsell to be holden by vs and the said Princes in our imperiall Citie of Vianna in Austria and then at that place by our said Counsell it shall be determined vpon the place where wee shall meete againe the next yeare for the same purpose this our order to hold no longer then we and our Counsell shal be pleased to continue it during the assemblies aforesaid wee will defend and protect them by our imperiall conduction both comming to staying and departing from thence Further lest the furtherance of the common good and peace of the Empire might by too much solacing or excessiue frequenting of banquets be delayed and put off as many times it falleth out and happeneth to be so wee haue agreed that from henceforth while this meeting aforesaid shall hold it shall not be lawfull to call and assemble any generall Court of all the Princes of the Empire together in any other place particular assemblies and expeditions moderately assembled onely excepted Priuiledges VVEe further ordaine and set downe for a perpetuall imperiall Law that all Priuiledges and letters pattents of any person or persons of what estate preheminence or dignitie soeuer hee or they be or of any Cities Townes or Vniuersities c. whereby any rights graces immunities customes or any other things either by vs or otherwise by the Emperours and Kings our predecessors in any manner or forme of words hath vnto them beene graunted or that are to be graunted by vs or our successors Emperours kings in time to come neither shall may nor ought at all to derogate and contrarie the liberties iurisdictions rights honours and dominions of the Princes Electors temporall ecclesiasticall or of any of them in particular notwithstanding that in such priuiledges and Letters pattents made to any person of what estate dignitie or quallitie soeuer they be as aforesaid or to any Vniuersity it be or shall be expresly set downe therin that they shall be irreuocable If the said priuiledges and immunities be not found any wayes to derogate or contrary the priuiledges liberties iurisdictions rights honours and dominions as aforesaid of the said Princes Electors or any of them if otherwise wee censure them to be reuocable and to be disanulled and by these presents vnderstand repute and hold them to be reuoked Of those to whom as vnworthy thereof Feoffments are made IN diuers parts and places the feodaries vassails of lands benefices which they haue peaceably obtained from their Lords often times by word of mouth and fraudulently passe them ouer againe vnto their said Lords which hauing done they defie and malitiously fall out with their said Lords and thereby wrong them and vnder pretence of warre or enmitie re-enter vpon the same and forcibly hold and possesse them Therefore this present law shall for euer be obserued that such resignations or surrenders shall be held and esteemed to be voide and of no value vnlesse they be freely orderly and lawfully past ouer in such manner that the said benefices feoffments may be really effectually assigned into the Lords hands againe that so in time to come there may no quarrell nor claime be made for them with the Lords either by themselues or any other in their names or by the counsel aide or procurement of them or of any man whatsoeuer And doing to the contrarie or troubling and molesting the Lords for the said benefices and feoffments resigned or not resigned or doing them any wrong or counselling aiding or abetting others against them in that case they shall lose their said benefices and feoffments and be accounted holden and esteemed to be infamous persons and outlawes and not worthy to enioy or repossesse the same by any meanes and if by any new contract or bargaine by them made with their said Lords they shall at any time be remitted into the same by all manner of construction the said feoffment
inferiour Princes thereunto appointed by the Emperour The Empresse or the Queene of Romaines apparelled in her Imperiall vestures shall goe and follow after the Emperour or the King of Romaines and the King of Bohemia whose place is to goe next after the Emperour an indifferent space from them her Ladies and Maides of Honor orderly following her to the Court. The offices of the Princes Electors at the Solemnities which are to be obserued in the Emperours Court at royall feasts and assemblies VVE ordaine and appoint that when the Emperour or King of Romaines shall celebrate any solemne feasts whereat the Princes Electors are to serue and execute their Offices heereafter declared and set downe the Emperour or the King sitting in the Imperiall Throne the Duke of Saxon shall execute his office in this manner Before the Gate of the Emperour or the King there shall be set a heape of Oates so high that it shall reach to the breast or saddle of the horse whereon the sayd Duke shall ride who shall beare in his hand a siluer Wand and a Measure of siluer which both together shall weigh two hundred Markes of siluer and sitting vpon his horse shall first fill that measure full of Oates and shall giue it to his seruant that is next vnto him which done sticking his staffe in the Oates hee shall goe backe againe and then his vice-Marshall Seigneur de Papenheym comming thither or in his absence the Marshall of the Court shall distribute the rest of the Oates The Emperour or the King being gone in to sit at the Table the Arch-bishops Princes Electors standing before the Table with the rest of the Prelates shall say grace according to the order formerly set downe and when grace is sayd the three Arch-bishops if they be all there or two or one of them shall receiue the Imperiall or Regall Seale and Tipe from the Chancellor of the Court hee in whose Chancellours iurisdiction that feast or solemnitie shall chaunce to be celebrated standing in the middle and the other two on either side of him shall all lay their hands vpon the Staffe whereon the said Seale and Type hangs and so carry it and with great reuerence laye it vpon the Table before the Emperour or the King who presently shall deliuer the same againe vnto them in whose Arch-chancelors precinct it shall then be as aforesaid he shall carry the greater Seale about his necke to the end of the Table and from thence to his house riding from the Emperours Court vpon his horse The Staffe whereof mention was formerly made must be siluer waighing two hundred Markes the third part of the value whereof euery one of the Arch-Bishops must pay and contribute equally and that Staffe with the Seales and Types must presently be giuen to the Chancelour of the Emperours Court to vse them when occasion serueth after that he who by order carrying the great Seale about his necke from the Court is gone home to his lodging as aforesaid he shall presently send it backe againe by one of his friends on horse-backe to the Emperours Court to the Chancelour which according to the dignitie of the place and the fauour which hee is to beare to the Court of the Chancerie hee is bound freely to deliuer to the said Chancelour Then the Margraue of Brandenburgh Lord High-Chamberlaine of the Empire comming on horse-backe with a Siluer Bason waying twelue Markes in Siluer full of water in his hand and a fine cleane Towell on his arme lighting downe must giue the Emperour or King of Romaines water to wash his hands after him the Earle Palatine of the Rhine must come on horse-backe with foure siluer Platters in his hands full of meate euery one of them waying three Markes in value who lighting off from his horse must carrie and set them downe vpon the Table before the Emperour or King after him the King of Bohemia chiefe Butler of the Empire riding on a horse with a Napkin on his arme and a couered cup in his hand waighing twelue Markes full of Wine mixt with water lighting downe giueth the cup to the Emperour or King of Romaines to drinke Further wee ordaine that the Secular Princes Electors hauing performed their offices the Earle of Falkenstein vice-Chamberlaine shall take the Horse and Bason from the Margraue of Brandenburgh for his fee the chiefe master cooke of Noremburgh the horse and dishes from the Earle Palatine for his fee the Earle of Limburgh vice-Butler the Horse and Cup from the King of Bohemia for his fee and the Baron of Papenheym vice-Marshall the Horse Staffe and Measure aforesaid from the Duke of Saxon for his fee if they be there personally present to execute their offices but if they or any of them shall be absent at that time then the ordinary officers of the Emperours or King of Romaines Court in their absence that is to say in euery one of their places that are absent whose place is to execute the same as to his office belongeth shall take away and haue the aforesaid things The Emperors table must be in suth sort prepared placed that it must stand six foot higher then the rest of the tables in the hall whereat vpon that day the Emperour or King of Romaines must sit alone The Table whereat the Empresse or Queene of Romaines shall sit must stand on the one side of the Hall three foote lower then the Emperours Table and so many foot higher aboue the Princes Electors which Princes shall haue their Seates or Tables one as high as another lower then the Emperours or Kings Table being seauen in number which shall stand three on the right hand and three on the left and the seauenth directly before the Emperour or King as in our Ordinance formerly made for the order manner by them to be obserued in sitting downe in the Emperours presence is at large declared and no man shall sit with them at the saide Tables but themselues alone Neyther shall any of the saide secular Princes Electors hauing performed his office sit downe at the Table appoynted for him as long as the rest of his Co-electors Princes are performing their offices but while any of them or their Officers are about the performing therof he shal stand at the Table appointed for him expecting the performance of their offices aforesaid and then euerie one of them shall sit downe at his seuerall Table Also we finde in the ancient Records time out of minde that those that were our Predecessors thought it fit and conuenient to be obserued that the election of the King of Romaines to be future Emperour should be made in the City of Francâ—ford and that his first Coronation should bee done in the City of Aquisgranie and the first solemne feast held in the City of Noremburgh wherefore for many considerations we ordaine and appoynt the same to be so obserued in time to come vnlesse any lawfull cause of hinderance or impeachment thereof fall out