not to enter into dispute let us go forward and tell meat what time those Princes put the Imperial Crown upon their head G. Frederick II. having past from this life to a better the Empire continued some year without a Head After which Interregnum all Germany esteeming the vertue of Rodolph Count of Habspourg worthy of the Empire he was set upon the Throne in the year 1278. and reigned 18. Rodolph being dead Adolph Count of Nassau was chosen in his stead But Albert Rodolphs son being now become Duke of Austria by the gift which his Father made him of that Principality and Lord of Carinthia by the marriage which he contracted with Elizabeth inheritrice of that Province because he could not brook a Superior took arms slew the Emperor Adolph in battel and forced the Electors to put him into his place in the year 1298. and ten years after on May-day 1308. he was killed upon the high way by his Nephew John the son of Rodolph and his successors were no more admitted to that honor till the year 1438. in which Albert the Fifth Duke of Austria and second Emperor of that name was raised to that dignity He reigned no longer then one year and was succeeded by Frederick III. his Cousin who reigned 54. years and got his son Maximilian I. to be Elected whilest he lived To Maximilian Charles V. his grandchild succeeded and to Charles Ferdinand I. his brother from whom are descended in a right line of males all the Emperors that have reigned ever since his death and still reign happily to this day P. I think the sons of Philip Archduke of Austria Duke of Burgundy divided that House into two branches G. That House arriving to greatness by little and little by the acquisition of the Countreys of Austria Carinthia Stiria Tirol and Alsatia was raised to a prodigious grandeur by the marriage of Maximilian of Austria with Mary of Burgundy who brought him in Dowry the 17. Provinces of the Low-Countreys with the Franche-County And a little after it acquired a great part of the world by the marriage of Jane of Spain with Philip the saiâ— Maximilians son For by the death of the Queen of Portugal her elder Sister Jane became heiress of all that her Father and Mother had in Spain and of the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily Majorca Minorca Sardinia and the New World So that Charles V. seeing he had enough to satisfie the two branches severally quitted all that he had in Germany to his brother Ferdinand reserving nothing thereof to himself but the name of Austria and gave his son all his other Dominions which are so great that the Sun never sets upon them P. You do not tell me that Philip II. son to Charles V. got the Kingdom of Portugal partly by right and partly by force after the death of the King and Cardinal Henry Unkle by the Fathers side to Sebastian who was unfortunately lost in Africa in the year 1578. G. I reserve those things to be spoken of when we shall travel into Spain and then I shall tell you that Philip II. having gotten the Kingdom of Portugal with the East Indies Brasile the places of Ceuta Tanger Marzagan many Isles in the Ocean Sea and all the Coasts of Africa unto the great Monomotapa many lands and fortresses beyond the Cape of Good Hope in Persia Arabia and the Indies he and his son possessed them prosperously But Philip IV. his grandchild lost that Kingdom upon Christmas-day 1640. and afterwards all that depended upon that Crown followed the sway and revolution of Portugal P. This House being most mighty in Europe Africa Asia and America and having the Imperial Crown upon its head ever since the year 1438. without intermission it must certainly have priviledges unknown to other Houses of Germany G. The Princes of this House have received extraordinary mercies and advantages from God from nature and from men From Nature inasmuch as they have all a long chin and thick lips which is a Physiognomical mark of their piety constancy and integrity From God inasmuch as by giving a glass of water with their own hand to one that hath great Wens hanging at his throat they cure him and by kissing one that cannot speak plain they unloose his tongue nay which is more this House having within 300. years afforded twelve Emperors five Kings of Spain and forty other Kings Cardinals Archdukes and Dukes there hath been never a Tyrant amongst them all As for the priviledges they have received from the Emperors of that House they can create Gentlemen Barons and Counts through the whole Empire and the Emperor cannot take from them the lands they are seized of to give them to another The Archduke of Austria is the first and most intimate Privy Counsellor of the Empire and hâ—â— Principality is not subject to contributionâ— These Princes when they receive the land they hold in Fee are in Royal habit wear aâ— Archdukes Cap upon their head pay nothing for their Investiture and are not subject to the Justice of the Empire In Assemblies they take their place on the right hand of the Emperor after the Electors before the Ecclesiastical Princes If they be challenged to fight a Duel they may take a Champion though that priviledge be denied to their adversary And if all the Princes of this House happen to fail the eldest daughter shall inherit all their Estate and bring all these priviledges to her husband P. In real truth this House hath done so many good offices to the Empire that I wonder not to see it priviledged above all others Are these Princes many G. No That Emperor is since dead as also his brother and one of his sons but few The King of Spain at the time we are now speaking which is the year 1657. hath but one son the Emperor two and one brother and the Archdukes of Inspruck are two Thus the branch of Burgundy is in danger to be totally extinguished but that of Austria is strong enough still there being five young Princes of it P. If the Branch of Burgundy should totally fail should not that of Austria inherit G. I believe of Right it ought to succeed for it is no less descended of Jane of Spain then that of Burgundy But being daughters inherit it would be known whether the heiress of the Kingdom will not marry some other Prince and whether a Spanish Lord will not have a mind to taste so dainty a bit P. It would be a great weakening of the Emperor to take from him the strong support he hath alwayes found in King Phillips Exchequor Let us now look if you please upon the Palatine House G. By your demands you oblige me to follow the order which the Princes observe in their sitting at the Assemblies After the House of Austria that of the Palatine holds the first rank without dispute This House enjoyes the first Electorship and the first place amongst the Secular Electors after the
oâ— Saxony having taken Doctor Luther under hâ— protection left both his dignity and zeal entailed upon his son Iohn the Constant whâ— likewise transmitted them both to Iohn Frederick surnamed the Magnanimous Now it camâ— to pass that Charles V. moved with a zeal foâ— the Catholick Religion endeavoured to makâ— the Protestants submit to the doctrine of Rome which Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxony vigâ— rously opposed But on the other side Masrice son to Henry the Pious Cousin to this Elctor desiring to fish in troubled water anâ— do his own business took part with the Emperor and while that War lasted taking thâ— advantage of Iohn Fredericks absence entre-upon some of his Forts and Castles For which cause the Elector retreated out of Sueâ—ben and came to succour his own Territonâ— The Emperor pursued him beat him took him prisoner and stript him of his Electorship with which he invested Maurice Not long after a fear was awakened in Maurice his mind lest Germany might lose its liberty and the Protestants their Religion whereupon he asked leave of Philip Landgrave of Hesse and though he could not obtain it yet he made himself Head of a Confederacy which forced the Emperor to an accommodation of greater advantage to the Lutherans A little after Maurice died of the wounds he had received in a battel fought between him and Albert Marquiss of Brandenbourg This Prince was succeeded in the Electorship by Augustus his brother who having reigned till the first of October 1585. left the Electoral Cap to Christian I. Father to Christian II. and Iohn George the first of that name who died in the year 1656. and was succeeded by his eldest son P. So the Descendents of Iohn Frederick the Magnanimous lost the Electorship for his undertaking the defense of the Lutheran Religion G. So it was indeed and that Prince is so much the more to be admired that during his imprisonment and after he had lost all he exhorted every man to constancy and opened his purse liberally towards the relief of those that were persecuted for matter of Religion This great personage coming out of his captivity which had continued five years received his lands again which his Successors possess at this day and among others left two sons the elder of whom called by his Fathers name Iohn Frederick having entertained some Rebels in his Fortress of Gotta was besieged there taken and deprived of his estate which yet was restored to Iohn Casimir and Iohn Ernest his children The younger of the foresaid Electoâ— children called Iohn William bare arms for the assistance of Henry II. King of France and afterwards retired to Weymar where he married Dorothy Susan daughter to Frederick Ill. Elector Palatine by whom he had two sons from the elder of which comes Frederick William who resides at Altembourg and from the younger the Dukes of Weymar and Gotta are descended who are the only survivors of teâ— children that he had of whom the undaunted Bernard was the youngest P. I have heard say there is some dispute for precedency between the Duke of Altembourg and those of Weymar and Gotta his Cousins G. In this point there is no regard had to the proximity of blood because there is no yielding in part without losing all However this dispute was determined upon these terms That Duke Frederick William should precede as long as he lived and after his death the most aged should have that preference without respect had to any thing else For in the House of Saxony there being no right of Eldership all the Princes are equal and amongst persons of equal condition age only gives the precedency And it is to be understood that there is no regard had to the right of primogeniture but inasmuch as it concerns the Electorship in which case the nearest kinsman inherits it P. Iohn Casimir and Iohn Ernest sons of Iohn Frederick II. of that name who as you have mentioned above was kept prisoner in the Fortress of Gotta did they leave no children G. No and their Principalities were divided among their Cousins So as Duke Frederick William had the Dutchy of Cobourg and those of Weymar Gotta had that of Eiscnach By means whereof they are all well enough but as it is the custome of these Princes to share their lands equally the lots may chance to become very little for William Duke of Weymar hath four sons and Ernest residing at Gotta seven P. I perceive then that the Descendents of the Elector Iohn Frederick are divided into three branches and after the death of their Fathers they will be sub-divided into three times as many The Nephews of the Elector Augustus will do no less since they are four and likely to have more children I would willingly know out of what Houses they took their wives and what every one of them obtained for his part after the death of the Father G. Iohn George Elector of Saxony Father of another Iohn George and of Augustus Christian and Maurice died in the year 1656. and bequeathed by his last Will to Augustus Administrator of Magdebourg twelve Bailywicks about Hall and in Thuringia to Christian the Diocese of Marsbourg and some lands in Fordland Voidland and in the Mountains to Maurice besides the Dioceses of Naumbourg and Zeitz all that his Electoral Highness pretended to in the Principality of Henneberg and to Iohn George who is Elector besides the lands inseparable from the Electoral dignity he gave the upper and lower Lusatia with some Bailywicks about Dresden Ordering likewise that every one of these Princes should equally participate of the ready money Artillery and the Utensils and equipage of Hunting which he left P. Questionless those Princes must have found a vast Treasure for that Elector caused much money to be coined and so locked it up that very little of it was seen abroad Tell me now something of the marriage of these Princes and of their Sisters G. The Sisters of these Princes are still living and the eldest is married to George Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt the second to Frederick Duke of Holstein and the youngest to Frederick William Duke of Altembourg The Elector was married the 13. of November 1638. to Magdelen Sibyll daughter to Christian Marquiss of Brandenbourg and hath had one son by her of his own name born the 20. of June 1647. Augustus took to wife November 23. 1647. Anne Mary daughter to Adolph Frederick Duke of Meklebourg and hath three sons by her Christian and Maurice were married upon the same day the first to Christina and the second to Sophia Hedwig sisters and daughters to Philip Duke of Holstein by whom Christian hath two sons and one daughter and his brother hath had children but they are dead as is the Mother also These are all the Princes of Saxony who have their habitations at Dresden at Hall at Marsbourg and at Naumbourg that is all the Descendents of the Elector Augustus They of the other Line which
loss of all Emanuel Duke of Savoye who had no equal in courage and but few in prudence having a little slackned the Maximes of his accustomed Politicks saw himself almost totally ruined and Duke Charles of Lorraine is still out of his Countrey for having justled against that party that was able to fall foulest upon him So that Frontier Provinces stand in need of Princes endued with an extraordinary vertue and an unparalleled vigilance otherwise they rather bring bring harm then advantage P. The present Princes of Brunswick and Lunebourg are so great personages that I make no question but they use a Policy worthy of themselves Tell me something of their Alliances G. All the Houses of Germany have great relations but one shall find few of them like this that hath had in marriage seven daughters of Kings one of an Emperor and four Electoral Princesses It hath also bestowed three of its Princesses upon Kings one upon an Archduke many upon Electors and far more upon other Princes of the Empire It hath likewise had in marriage Palatine Princesses Dutchesses of Brabant Saxony Cleve Pomerania Meklebourg Wirtemberg Saxon-Lawembourg and Berg Marchionesses of Brandenbourg Landgravesses of Hesse and in a word daughters of all the illustrious Houses of the Empire P. I think this whole Family is of the Protestant Religion G. When Duke Julius took the government upon him he spent three years in the Reformation of his Countrey and being assisted by the care and knowledge of Doctor James Andrew Chancellor of the University of Tubing brought his design to such perfection in the year 1570. that it continues in vigour to this day and learning in the highest ascendent by the diligence of the Professors which these Princes maintain in their University of Helmestad All this Family follows the doctrine of Luther except Iohn Frederick who was born April 25. 1625. and embracing the Roman-Catholick Religion in the year 1650. solaces himself at this time in Italy P. Hath this Prince many brethren G. The whole branch of Luntbourg consists of four young Lords of whom Ernest Augustus is designed for the Bishoprick of Osnabruâ— Iohn Frederick may arrive to eminent preferment in the Church if he engage not in marriage George William shall be setled at Haâ—vick and Christian Lewis their eldest brother hath married Dorothy daughter to Philip Duke of Holstein This Prince who resides at Cel is obliged to pay to each of his younger brethren 12000. Rix-dollars yearly and much more to the youngest Sophia Amelia their sister is married to Frederick III. King of Denmark and their Mother Anne Eleonor daughter to Lewis Landgrave of Darmstadt is yet living P. Pass on if you please to the branch of Brunswick G. The Head of this branch is Augustus the most knowing Prince of Europe He hath but three sons of whom Rodolph Augustus the eldest hath married Christina Countess of Barby as Antony Vlrick hath done Iuliana Dutchess of Holstein but Ferdinand Albert is a Batchelor So that these two Houses are almost equal in number of Princes as well as in extent of Territory P. I have oftentimes heard mention of the marvellous knowledge of that Duke Augustus and of the Books he hath published and the judgement which I have heard made thereupon obliges me to ask you whether it be necessary that a Prince be learned G. There is no doubt to be made but that Sciences do enhance and adorn the Titles and Souls of Princes as diadems do their heads and jewels their Crowns And although this quality be very rare yet it is necessary to those that would rule happily and gloriously Solomon Alexander the Great Ptolomee Iulius Cesar Augustus the two Antonines and Charlemagne had never attained to so great renown if they had not associated Letters with the sword and learning with valour Wisdom and Knowledge are such Royal endowments that the greatest men do not think any State happy if the Prince be not Wise and Knowing P. Since we are occasionally fallen upon this discourse tell me what Science Princes ought to learn G. The first and most necessary Philosophy of a Prince is to know how to do justice to his People and defend them from their enemies And to that end I think he should study to understand those persons that are able to serve him well and not to neglect the Mathematicks which teach him both to besiege and fortifie places as he ought to form Battalions and batteries to entrench a Camp and to take his advantage As to other things I do not desire that a Prince should spend his time upon Logical notions nor that he should like a Pedant be evermore bringing out some verse of Horace It is sufficient that he be ready in Sacred and Prophane History that he take a delight in Books and consult the dead to learn of them what none of the living dare tell him P. Then you do not believe it requisite for a Prince to be as skilful in Natural Philosophy as Bajazet in Astronomy as Alphonsus King of Aragon nor in Languages as the Emperor Frederick II. was G. It is as great a fault to aim at knowing too much as to learn nothing at all The Prince that hath studied too much despiseth his Counsellors and will fetch all his counsels out of his own head and he that hath learnt nothing is not capable to make choice of the best advices He that would oblige a great Lord to make himself as perfect in the Sciences as they that make it their profession deserves no less blame then if he should forbid him to learn above three words of Latine Learn then to express your mind in good terms read such books as may teach you to know the condition of your friends and of your adversaries be well instructed in truly Christian Politicks let it be your care distinctly to know those that love the publick Interest honor them with such offices as they deserve and leave the rest to your servants P. This subject leads us out of our way I pray let us recover it And since we have said something already of the Dukes of Pomerania that take their turns with the Houses of Meklebourg Wirtemberg Hesse and Baden let us take a view of these four one after the other G. The House of Meklebourg is derived from the Vandal Princes who joyning with the Goths struck terror heretofore into the Roman Eagles and bore their victorious arms in Italy Gaule and Spain P. Do not you believe that Bucephalus his head which they carry in their Escutcheon is not a sure mark that they are descended of one of Alexander the Greats Generals G. Genealogies that are so far fetcht relish more of the Romance then of History and Writers that insist upon such Fables do injury to ancient Houses For my part I think it better to confess my self ignorant from whence a Family draws its beginning then to make even the most credulous to question what is said of it
and freely acknowledging that I do not know whether these Princes be descended from a General of that incomparable Conqueror of Asia I do know that they are of the most Illustrious and most Ancient personages in Germany P. If I be not mistaken the Emperor Charles IV. admitted Albert and John Dukes of Meklebourg sons to Henry Leo Prince of the Vandals amongst the Princes of the Empire G. Charles IV. receiving those Lords into the number of the Estates of the Empire did not give them the quality of Prince which they had before but only brought them under the protection of the Empire by making them Members thereof upon condition they should be subject to its Laws and contribute to its necessities and so enjoy the same priviledges which other Lords of their degree and quality did P. In the time of the last Wars the Emperor made those Princes feel the weight of his indignation giving their lands to Wallestein a Gentleman of Silesia who by a strange ingratitude and a devillish ambition endeavouring to seat himself upon the Throne of Bohemia and dispossess his Master of it came to a miserable end G. The lamentable death of the Duke of Fridland gives us to understand that Kings have long arms and that no man ought to abuse their favors nor follow the motions which an undaunted courage and an inordinate ambition inspires The Duke of Biron and the Earl of Essex had such like designs and as Tragical Catastrophes As to the Dukes of Meklebourg I am to tell you that the greatest part of the Potentates in Germany have felt the smart of Mars his rods and these Princes as much as any other having seen a great Captain indeed and a renowned Souldier but unworthy of their degree bear the name and Arms of their Principality Nevertheless they re-entred into it by the vertue of the Great Gustavus their Cousin-German and though the conclusion of the Peace took Wismar from them yet it gave them in exchange the Bishopricks of Ratzebourg and Suerin turned into Principalities So as they have lost nothing if they do not prefer the convenience of that Haven and its Fort before twice its Revenue P. I did not know that these Princes were so near of kin to the late King of Sweden G. The Great Gustavus and these Dukes were sons of two sisters daughters to Adolph Duke of Holstein which proximity of blood moved that Heroical Prince to embrace their interest So after the Battel of Leipsick he turned his victorious arms towards the Dutchy of Meklebourg and re-placed these Princes there June 25. 1631. Three years after these Lords were reconciled to the Emperor and at this time live in peace divided into two branches the Chiefs whereof make their residence at Suerin and at Gustron P. Have these two Branches equal shares of the Estate G. They have each of them a moyety of the Dutchy and in regard thereof a seat and voice in the Assemblies But Adolph Frederick hath eight sons and six daughters and Gustavus Adolph who is Head of the other Branch had no body to participate with him being aâ— only son This latter who resides at Gustron iâ— of great spirit knowing courteous affable and generous He married Magdalen Sibyll daughter to Frederick the present Duke of Holstein and hath one son by her The children of Adolph Frederick who resides at Sâ—â—nin are all well made and qualified both in body and mind Christian the eldest hath married his Cousin Christina Margaret daughter to Iohn Albert Duke of Meklebourg And Anne Mary youngest of the daughters is the worthy Consort of Augustus Duke of Saxony son to the Elector Iohn George I. All the rest are still to be married and all worthy of Kings as well for their inward as their outward beauty These Princes have all conjunctly one University at Rostoch which was established there in the year 1419 by Iohn and Albert first Dukes of this House P. I should willingly desire a more particular recital of the Alliances of this House but fearing to be too troublesome to you I shall forbear that and intreat you to tell me something concerning that of Wirtemberg G. I shall not proceed any further till I have acquainted you that the House of Meklebourg hath had in marriage six daughters of Kings and five of Electors within less then 200 years As for that of Wirtemberg which after it had for many ages born the quality of Count was raised to the Ducal Dignity by the consent of all the Estates of the Empire in a Diet held at Wormes 1495 it comes behind never a Family in Revenue alliances piety magnificence and priviledges It hath a Countrey where the Mountains abound in Mines Wines and Woods the Forests are well stored with Timber-trees Game and Venison of all kinds the Valleys are a continuation of Meadows covered with Cattle and watered with Brooks full of Fish the Plains are thick set with Gardens and the Gardens like those of the Hesperides or rather like earthly Paradises There is in no place to be seen fairer rows of Orange-trees Grotta's better contrived and beautified Fountains more artificial nor Fruits more pleasant to the sight and taste then at Stutgardt Few Princes have a house of Pleasure and a Heronry within their Garden as this Duke hath neither is there any one in the Empire that hath a greater care of the Sciences and of Learned persons They that have been at Tubing know how many Princes Counts Lords Barons and Gentlemen have been bred in the noble Colledge which Duke Lewis caused to be built and which his Successors do splendidly maintain there P. Since we are entred upon this discourse make me if you please a more particular description of that Colledge G. It would require a more copious and eloquent tongue then mine to make you comprehend the benefit which the Empire receives by this Athenaeum Princes learn there to fear God to honor the Emperor to serve their Countrey to judge of the sincerity of their Confederates and to cherish their friends Counts Barons and Gentlemen do there learn the ways of winning and keeping the favour of Great men a sweetness of carriage necessary for the maintaining of a perfect friendship amongst equals and an infinity of vertues which are the same thing in their Souls that the Soul is in the body the eye in the head precious stones in gold and flowers in meadows P. I suppose that in this illustrious Colledge the exercises of the body are no more neglected then those of the mind G. One may there learn with little charge and pains that which men go to seek for in Italy and France at the expense of their health and soundness both in body and soul Florence hath nothing for riding the great horse nor Rome and Paris for fencing and dancing Schools which may not be gotten without going out of Tubing where the University and Colledge have excellent Professors in all faculties and principally in those
by the deceased Princes Subjects he added a clause in his Will to deprive that party of the right of Succession that should oblige his Subjects to change their Religion Notwithstanding which clause Maurice forced the inhabitants of his division to embrace the Reformation of Calvin Lewis taking Maurice to have forfeited the right he had to the inheritance complained of the non-observance of the Will Whereupon they took Arbitrators who judged that the Clause annext to the Testament could not deprive Maurice of the right he had as a Prince of the Empire of obliging his Subjects to follow his Religion Lewis appealed from this Arbitrary sentence to the Court of the Emperor where he found more favour and obtained a Decree that condemned Maurice and an Army that put Lewis into possession of the lands in question Maurice not being able to withstand the Army and the will of the Emperor gave waâ— to power So Lewis surnamed the pious and George his son possest those lands in peace 〈◊〉 Amelia Elizabeth Mother to William VI. hâ—ving an Army at her command used it so oâ—portunely that she drove George out of theâ—tigious Territories and forced him to another Agreement which was mediated by Erâ—â— Duke of Saxony in the year 1647. P. These contentions must needs begethtred between the two Houses But are they 〈◊〉 equal puissance G. That of Cassel is the elder hath prendence and more estate then that of Darmstrâ—â— but they are so far forth equal that each 〈◊〉 them hath a voice in the Assemblies and neither depends in any wise upon the other They are both well allied George Chief of the Branch of Darmstadt is married to the eldâ—â— daughter of the late Elector of Saxony his eldest son to a daughter of Frederick Duke 〈◊〉 Holstein and one of his daughters to Philâ—â— Lewis Duke of Newbourg William the present Prince of Cassel hath taken to wife a sister of the Elector of Brandenbourg and Williams eldeâ— sister is married to Lewis of Tremüoille Dolâ— of Toüars Prince of Tarante and the young est to Charles Lewis Elector Palatine P. You have already told me that Williâ—â— VI. was son to Amelia Elizabeth who governed his person and estate from the year 1637. till the Peace and her Regency was so renowned and so beneficial to that House that I think my self obliged to propose this question to you Whether they do not great wrong to Ladies that esteem them unable to govern a State G. I wonder there should be any Philosophers who dare affirm that the Female Sex is unworthy to bear the Scepter since Histories tell us that Ladies have preserved and enlarged the Kingdoms of Spain England Denmark Sweden Portugal and France that the five former never flourished so much as under two Elizabeths Margaret Christina and Loüyse and that the last was freed from the English yoke by Jane d'Arc commonly called the Maid of Orleans preserved in peace under the Regency of Blanche of Castile Mother to St. Lewis and the bounds thereof advanced under Anne of Austria Mother to the incomparable Lewis XIV the present King P. You will acknowledge that this Sex is usually weak inconstant and faint-hearted and that it is not able either to ride or wear armour for the good of the State G. It is the opinion of those who to decry Ladies tell us they are naturally inconstant fearful and cruel and when we object the illustrious examples of Roman Grecian Spanish German and French Ladies they say they are rare things and such as ought not to be drawn into consequence and that for one that hath administred the State well there be two that have abused their authority I confess they are not all sufficiently qualified to rule but I deny also that all men are so And I may confidently say that never any King of England was better obeyed then Queen Elizabeth that the bravest Swedish Commanders freely acknowledged their victories proceeded as much from the happy Genius of their Queen as from their own valour that Portugal ows its deliverance to Loyse de Gusman who governs it still with admirable prudence that Elizabeth of France wife to Philip IV. would have re-established the affairs of Spain if the impertinency of a Favourite had not held her at distance from the Counsels of the King her husband that the Hessians were never better ruled then by Amelia Elizabeth and that no Prince was ever more moderate in his prosperty nor more constant in adversity then this matchless Lady One example shall make you confess this truth In the year 1647. her Army besieged Paderborne and was forced to raise the siege with loss The news came to her while she sate at Table she read the Letter and told me We have ill news my Troops have been worsted and forced to leave a plate which it concerned me very much to have taken And so sate out her Meal without the least show of any alteration P. No more would a great man be much moved at such a loss G. I know Philip II. seemed not to be concerned when he heard of the victory won at Lepanto and of the losing of a Fleet which he thought Invincible but that Prince was singular in generosity and constancy And to prove that Ladies are worthy to bear the Scepter it is enough that we find some comparable to the most excellent of men P. I submit to your reason but withal I think there are not many Amelia Elizabeths to be found G. There are but few indeed because the malice or envy of men keeps them off from showing their ability and making their prudence and generosity admired Nay I make no question but if there were as many Ladies as there be Princes upon the Throne we should often find Female accomplishments superior to ours enough to make Philosophers recant and acknowledging their error to confess that Ladies are as much if not more excellent then men P. I perceive you love that beautiful Sex and understand their worth and if they had no greater enemies then you they should have the honour that is due to them I shall always be of the same opinion and if ten thousand Philosophers would perswade me the contrary I should not forbear to say and believe that there be many Ladies worthy to govern and would be many more if they were instructed and brought up to great affairs from their youth The end of the Fourth Dialogue Dialogue V. Of the same Secular Princes P. I Would gladly have heard something of the Marquisses of Baden in the preceding Dialogue because they take their turns with the other princes you last mentioned But I hope there is nothing lost G. These Princes as well as all that are Ancient hear many men speak of the beginning of their House but few that speak truth I do not desire to confute opinions contrary to mine nor to entertain you long upon such a subject It is enough for me to tell you what I have learnt from
of Brandenbourg and widow to Christopher the last King of Denmark That Prince having Reigned happily 33. years in Denmark 32. in Norway and 25. in Sweden dyed afterwards A. D. 1482. leaving two sons who succeeded him in this manner John his eldest was King of those three Kingdoms after his Father and gave his brother Frederick the moyety of his Hereditary lands Then having reigned peaceably he dyed A. D. 1513. leaving his son Christian II. to be his Successor That Prince was born A. D. 1481. and married Isabel sister to the Emperor Charles V. by whom he had Dorothy Electoress of Brandenbourg Christina Dutchess of Milan and afterwards of Lorraine and John who dyed bearing arms under the Emperor Charles his Unkle by the Mothers side in the year 1532. Christiern otherwise Christian II. forsook the way of his Father and Grandfather and became so cruel a Tyrant that the Swedes drove him out of their Countrey and placed upon the Throne Gustavus Vasc son to Erick a Swedish Knight A. D. 1523. And nine years after the Danes cast him in prison where he ended his dayes in five more P. Men seem to be of a worse condition then beasts inasmuch as Eagles do not ingender pigeons nor Lions Stags yet Heroical persons rarely beget their like The greatest men are subject to the misfortune of seeing their children unworthy to succeed them But what came to pass after the imprisonment of Christiern G. We will speak in another place of what followed in Sweden In Denmark the Nobility had an honourable memory and high esteem of the virtues of Christian I. and of Iohn wherefore instead of the Tyrant who was prisoner at Sunderbourg they placed Frederick his Unkle by the Fathers side upon the Throne who was very aged and yet he introduced the Doctrine of Luther into Denmark and his own hereditary Principalities That Frederick was the first Duke of Holstein which is held in Fee of the Empire as Schleswick is of Denmark but neither he nor his son Christian III. durst send any body to the Diets fearing they should be but ill used for having assumed the place of a brother-in-law to two Emperors P. It may be those Princes not daring to send their Deputies to the Diets lost the Rank they held there G. Frederick I. of that name King of Denmark was Duke of Holstein before he came to the Crown yet I cannot tell whether he had taken place in the Assemblies of the Empire But to pursue the discourse we have begun that Prince left two sons the elder of whom was King after him by the name of Christian III. and Adolph his younger son Duke of Holstein They had both children from whom all the Princes of this House are descended For Christian was Father to King Frederick II. and to Iohn the younger and Adolph to Iohn Adolph and to Frederick Archbishop of Bremen and Bishop of Lubeck P. I pray draw out this Genealogy a little more at length G. Frederick II. husband to Sophia daughter to Vlrick Duke of Meklebourg had one son and four daughters very worthy of your knowledge For as much as Elizabeth the eldest was married to Henry Iulius Duke of Brunswick Anne to Iames VI. King of Scotland who afterwards got all Great Britain by the death and Testament of Elizabeth Queen of England Augusta to Iohn Adolph Duke of Holstein and Hedwig to Christian II. Elector of Saxony His Son and Successor to the Crown was Christian IV. a great King both in time of peace and war That Prince who admiring the worth of Henry the Great King of France made him his pattern in every thing and had at the least as many sons as he as well Legitimate as Natural But there remains no more of the lawfully begotten then his Successor Frederick III. who hath already many children and may have more P. This King is esteemed throughout all Europe for a knowing Prince and one that sets a value upon good men Let us see the Descendents of Iohn the younger G. That Prince was even goodness it self and God blessed him exceedingly for he had 23. children by Elizabeth Dutchess of Brunswick and Agnes Hedwig Princess of Anhalt his wives Two of those Princes dyed in Hungary one at the illustrious Colledge of Tubing two departed in their infancy and four lived to be married who are fathers of many Lords either residing at Sunderbourg Nortbourg Glugsbourg and Plone or else seeking their fortune in the Wars The daughters were thus married the eldest to a Duke of Lignitz three of the youngest to three Dukes of Pomerania Anne Sabina to a Duke of Wirtemberg Eleonor Sophia to a Prince of Anhalt and Margaret to John Count of Nassau The rest dyed in their Cradle except Eleonor who is still unmarried and leads an exemplary life she is 67. years old yet very lovely for her age and worthy to be visited by Kings for she hath a marvellous way of entertaining those Princes and Ladies that do her the honour to see her And I can assure you I never saw better sweet-meats served any where then at her house nor strangers received with greater civility P. Tell me I pray a little more particularly who are the Descendents of John the younger brother to King Frederick II. G. Alexander his eldest son had six sons whereof the eldest married a Countess of Delmenhorst and at his death left one son and two daughters by her Frederick Philip and Joachim Ernest brethren to Alexander are yet living the first hath three sons and as many daughters the second hath but two sons alive five Princesses married and one to marry the third hath four Princes two whereof have command in the King of Spains service and three Princesses still maids all beautiful and witty and brought up in the School of a Father inferior to none in the Empire for prudence and of a Mother that hath but few equals in all kind of vertues P. Do not forget the Descendents of Adolph younger brother to Christian III. of that name G. Adolph had many sons that dyed young one that was Archbishop of Bremen and John Adolph his eldest married Augusta daughter to Frederick II. King of Denmark These two had issue John Bishop of Lubeck a comely and liberal Prince who dying left his son John Augustus still very young but pretty and exceeding hopeful Frederick this Bishops elder brother hath the moyety of the Dutchies of Schleswick Holstein Stormar and Dithmarsh and takes turns with the King of Denmark in the administration of Justice in having place and voice in the Assemblies of the Empire and in all other Rights of Regality This Prince great in knowledge and magnanimity hath for a partner in his bed and felicity Mary Elizabeth daughter to John George Elector of Saxony by whom he hath still living three sons and five daughters four whereof are married to John Prince of Anhalt Gustavus Adolph Duke of Meklebourg Lewis Landgrave of Darmstadt and Charles Gustavus
of Nassan Bredâ— and Dilembourg who are great in number and consideration P. I know that House hath produced Heroical spirits that have made the world understand the King of Spain was not invincible and that William Maurice and Frederick Henry of Nassau stopt his Chariot when he was driving apace to the Universal Monarchy Tell not something of their Alliances G. There are few Houses in Europe which are not allyed to that of Nassau Otho married the heiress of Guelderland and brought that County into his House as that of Zutphen also in the year 1079. Another Otho was husband to Adelais who brought him the County of Viande and the Baronies of St. Vit and Grumberg about the year 1350. Enguilbert grandchild to Otho took to wife the heiress of Breda John married Anne Countess of Catzenelleboguen by whom he was Count of Dietz and Henry son to John married Claudina of Chaalâ—â—s upon whom he begat Renatus the universal heir to Philibert of Chaalons Prince of Orange Now Renatus leaving no children by Anne daughter to Antony Duke of Lorraine had for the Successor of his whole estate William of Nassau who was Founder of the Commonwealth of Holland That Prince had four wives Anne of Egmont Countess of Barc Anne daughter to Maurice Duke of Saxony Charlotta of Bourbon Dutchess of Montpensier and Loüyse of Coligni His daughters were married to William Lewis Count of Nassau Emanuel son to Antony King of Portugal Philip Count of Hohenlohe Frederick IV. Elector Palatine Henry de la Tour Duke of Bouillon Claude de la Trimouille Duke of Toüars and Philip Count of Hanau P. I did not think that House was so well allied G. Philip William eldest son to the said William married a sister of the Prince of Conde And William son to Frederick Henry his youngest son while he was in minority was married unto Mary eldest daughter to Charles I. King of Great Britain John brother to William had three Wives and amongst them Cunegonde daughter to Frederick III. Elector Palatine John who was husband to Margaret Dutchess of Holstein and Ernest Casimir to Sophia Dutchess of Brunswick The Counts of Nassau are also very highly allied Lewis married Anne Amelia and John Sibyll Magdalen both daughters to George Frederick Marquiss of Baden From whence you may easily see that there be few Princes so well allied as those of Nassau Lastly those of Sarbrug do still bear the title of Count and all the rest that of Prince P. That which you have told me of the House of Nassau encreases the desire I have to know the other Counts Give some particulars concerning those of Hohenzolleren G. We said something of them when we were speaking of the Princes to which I now adde that Eitel Frederick who was living in the year 1202. married Elizabeth daughter to Adelbert Count of Habspourg the Emperor Rodolph I. his own sister from whom the Electors of Brandenbourg and the Counts of Hehenzolleren are descended Frederick the Blad is very famous for his military exploits and Justus Nicolas for re-edifying the Fort of Hohenzolleren which had been ruined by Henrietta Countess of Wirtemberg and Montbeliard That action was the more illustrious because Philip Duke of Burgundy Albert Elector of Brandenbourg Albert Duke of Austria and Charles Marquiss of Baden laid the first stone of it using a Tray a Trowel and a Mallet all of Silver about the year 1480. The Lords of that House are Hereditary Chamberlains to the Emperor since the time of Maximilian I. who to recompense the services of Eitel Frederick VII of that name honoured him with that Office to him and his Successors P. The House of Furstemberg is very renowned in History I would gladly know something of it G. Those Lords were grown very illustrious in the time of Henry the Fowler to whom Lewis Count of Freibourg and Furstemberg performed great services maintaining at his own charge threescore men at arms against the Huns and he was a party in the Turnament held at Magdebourg in the year 935. He was son to Frederick and to Agnes daughter to a King of Scotland and from him are descended all those that at this time bear the name and arms of Furstemberg Conrade son to Egon and to Agnes Dutchess of Zeringuen being Bishop of Losanna and Cardinal of the title of St. Ruffina was chosen Pope and refused it P. There are more to be found that sollicite for the Popedom then that reject it when it is offered G. Egon brother to Conrade added to his other titles that of Count of Aurach and his Successors enjoyed it till about the year 1443. at which time that County past into the House of Wirtemberg Henry V. accompanied the Emperor Frederick III. when he went to be Crowned at Rome Henry his son dyed at Tournay in the service of the Emperor Maximilian 1. And William son to Courade is celebrated in the History of France for having served and disserved King Francis I. To conclude all those that are living at present are descended from Frederick and Anne Countess of Heclehemberg who left two sons Christopher and Joachim From the first come Elizabeth the worthy Spouse of Frederick Marquiss of Baden Dourlach Eleonor married to Jâ—hu Eusebius Fugger Count of Kirksberg John Maximilian Frebemus Maria John Martin and Frances a young Lady still and of extraordinary beauty From Joachim are descended Francis Egon Canon of Collen and Strasbourg great Steward great Chamberlain and Counsellor of State to the Elector of Collen Herman Egon and William Egon both Church-men Mary Frances widow to William Palatine and Duke of Newbourg and Ferdinand Frederick Egon Counsellor Chamberlain and Captain of the Halberdiers Guard to the Emperor Ferdinand III. This Count was born February 6. 1623. and communicated his Genealogy to me upon the ending of the year 1654. P. I should be glad that you would run through all the Houses of the Counts of the Empire that I might know them well but seeing that is impossible I shall content my self with what you will be pleased to tell me of them G. I will tell you what I know but that will be no great matter The Counts of Barby are allied to the Dukes of Brunswick and to the Princes of Anhalt and East-Friseland they use the title of Noble Lords Those of Castel are as ancient as the Empire in Germany they are of the chiefest persons of Franconia fruitful in vertue great in merit happy in alliance soverain in their Justice and might raise envy in many though they had none but Wolfgang George President of the Councel of State and great Steward of the Court of Wirtemberg a most excellent pattern of piety justice and integrity The Counts of Oldenbourg and of Delmenhorst are totally extinguished by the death of Antony Gunther who having made his name known amongst all the greatest Princes and secured his lands by the great number of Horses which he gave away to save himself from losing 1200. breeding
Spain On the other side Maximilian Duke of Bavaria son of William and of Renata of Lorraine left a son who in the year 1650. married Adelaïs daughter to Victor Amedeus Duke of Savoy and to Christina of France who is allied by consanguinity to all the greatest Kings and Princes in Christendom P. These are indeed very great Alliances G. But this is not all Frederick V. Elector Palatine in the year 1613. married Elizabeth daughter of James King of great Britain and by reason of her the House became allied to the Kings of England and Denmark Philip Lewis his brother in the year 1631. married Mary Eleonor daughter to Joachim Frederick Elector of Brandenbourg and his sister Elizabeth Charlotta was given in marriage to George William Elector of Brandenbourg July 14. 1626. Philip William Duke of Newbourg his first wife was Anne Catherine daughter to Sigismond King of Poland and John Casimir was the worthy husband of Catherine daughter to Charles and mother to Charles Gustavus King of Sweden From whence it may easily be seen that few Houses in Europe are better allied then this which besides what we have newly mentioned is of kin to the Houses of Hesse Gonzaga Bourbon Nassau Saxony Juliers Wirtemberg Rohan and many others P. Is not this Elector Palatine Charles Lewis married G. I forgot to tell you that this Prince who at least equals if he doth not go beyond all his Ancestors in Prudence and Magnaniâ—â—ty hath taken to wife Charlotta the worth daughter of the incomparable Amelia Elizabeth Landgravess of Hess which is sufficienâ— to say that he could not have made a betteâ— choice Edward this Electors brother marâ—â—ed Anne daughter to Charles Duke of Mantâ— and Neuers and Henrietta their sister dye a little after she was married to the Princeâ— Transylvania His other brethren and sisteâ— are yet to marry Robert and Maurice havâ— given proof of their ability and courage upoâ— occasions almost without number and thâ— Princesses Elizabeth Loüyse and Sophia havâ— made skilful masters confess that the Sciencâ— have nothing so sublime nor Picture-drawiâ—â— any thing so marvellous but the wit and hauâ— of these Ladies have been able to reach it P. I hope you will make me a long reciâ—â— of the Genealogies of great persons and theâ— you will not omit these Alliances and these â—â—lustrious Princes and Ladies But that it may bâ— done with the less trouble I shall be conteâ—â— to hear you discourse it at your leisure Leâ— us pass if you please into Saxony and do 〈◊〉 the favour to tell me what you know of theâ—â— Electoral House G. There is not any House in Europe moâ—â— glorious then that of Saxony It restored the honour of the Empire after the race of Charlemagne had lost its first vigour and under oâ—â— Henry and three Otho's it confirmed the Imperial dignity unto Germany it conquered many enemies gave Princes to Savoy and if it be true that Hugh Capet was descended from this House it hath likewise furnished France with their Kings P. Do not the Kings of Denmark also come from Witikind of Saxony G. It is said that the Counts of Oldenbourg are a branch of this great Stock and it is most certain that after the death of Christopher III. the Danes would have chosen Adolph Duke of Schleswick who would not accept of the Crown in regard of his great age declaring that such an honour would be better placed upon the person of Christian Count of Oldenbourg his grandchild and heir apparent The Danes taking this counsel and admiring the generosity of him that gave it chose Christian the first of that name whose posterity Reigns at this day in Denmark Norway Schleswick Holstein Stormar and Dithmarsh P. We will take another time to speak of the Kings of France and Denmark and of the Dukes of Savoy It will be sufficient for the present to inform me when the Electoral Cap was first brought into this House into how many branches it is divided how many voices it hath in the Diets and what are its principal forces and alliances G. The Emperor Sigismond knowing the merit of Frederick the Warlike Marquiss oâ— Misnia and the obligation that the Empire had to his Predecessors charged Eric V. of the House of Saxon-Lawembourg for having lapsâ—â— his due time of demanding the Investiture of the Electorship which his Ancestors had possessed ever since the year 1180. and transfored the same upon the forenamed Frederick oâ— Twelfth-day 1423. Since that time this House hath without interruption possessed the Electoral dignity with the Dutchy of Saxony thâ— Marquisate of Misnia the Landgraveship oâ— Thuringia And by a further accumulation oâ— good fortune it inherited the Principality oâ— Henneberg nay since the last War of Boheâ—â— the Emperor gave the upper and lower Lusaiâ— to Iohn George Elector of this House who diâ—ed the 8. of October 1656. and was interred thâ— 4. of February 1657. with more then Regâ—â—pomp there being 3500. persons in mourâ—ing and 24. Horses of State covered with black and the Electoral Escutcheon embroidered thereon every one of them led by two Gentlemen P. In a late discourse concerning the valiant actions of Duke Bernard Weymar it was sail that he loved not the House of Austria because it took the Electoral dignity from thâ—â— branch G. It is true that Iohn Frederick furnamed the Magnanimous having taken arms for the liberty of Religion was deprived of his dignity by the Emperor Charles V. who took him prisoner near Wirtemberg and gave the Electorate to Maurice in the year 1547. Thus passed this dignity into another branch and the elder became younger brethren For this cause there was but little confidence and kindness between the Princes of this House But as there is no grief which is not diminished by length of time even so the bitterness between these Princes hath been sweetned and they seem to be entirely reconciled For Frederick William Duke of Altembourg took for his second wife Magdalen Sibylla daughter to Iohn George the Elector last deceased and Maurice son to the same Elector hath married Dorothy Mary daughter to William Duke Weymar eldest son of that matchless Bernard whose praises you have heard P. For so much as I perceive this House is divided into many branches G. Not counting the Kings of France and Denmark and the Dukes of Savoy who are the illustrious Ciens that sprung out of this great Tree the Electoral House of Saxony is divided into two principal branches in each whereof there have been six Electors The last of the first branch lost the Electoral dignity because he was unsuccesful in making War for the liberty of Germany against Charles V. and the first of the second branch left the Electoral Cap unto his brother and his posterity for having happily taken and born arms in favour of his Countrey against the same Emperor P. I pray make this business out a little clearer to me G. Frederick III. of that name Elector
as we have said was the principal are Frederick William Duke of Altembourg husband to Magdelen Sibyll daughter to John George Elector of Saxony by whom he hath a son and a daughter William Duke of Weymar Cousin to the former husband to Eleonor Dorothy daughter to John George Prince of Anhalt and Ernest his brother residing at Gotta who married Octob. 24.1636 Elizabeth Sophia daughter to Iohn Philip Duke of Saxony By which you see the alliances of these Princes as heretofore you learnt the number of their children For what concerns the voices they have in the Assemblies besides that of the Elector the Administrator of Magdebourg hath one the Duke of Altembourg two they of Weymar and Gotta each of them one and all together one for the Principality of Henneberg P. How did the Saxons come to inherit that Principality G. The Counts of Henneberg having flourished for above 800. years the Emperor offered them the quality of Prince which they accepted But as things of this world are of short continuance that House failed totally in the year 1583. and that of Saxony took possession of the estate by vertue of a Confraternity made between those Princes in the year 1554. This Principality is situated partly upon the mountain and forest of Thuringia partly on this side towards Franconia It remains undivided still because the Elector who hath five eighth shares in it hath not been willing to make partitions in severalty as the Dukes of Altembourg Weymar and Gotta desired him to do This Countrey lies very commodiously for the Princes of Saxony because it joyns their Landgraveship of Thuringia with the lands they hold in Franconia and gives them a passage of great difficulty in that mountain To conclude this House is potent by the extent and fertility of its lands by the great number of Nobility there inhabiting by its good mines of Silver and Copper and by the excellent Fortresses of Leipsick Wittenberg Dresden Konigstein and many others which put these Princes above parallel as well as that Soverain Justice they all exercise upon their own lands from which no man is allowed to appeal P. By what I understand these Princes are to be reckoned amongst the first and greatest of the Empire as well because the most illustrious think themselves happy if they can derive their Origin from this House as also because they are very highly priviledged And if I be not mistaken the Marquisses of Brandenbourg have no great cause to envy them G. I do not know of any King that comes in a direct male Line from the Marquisses of Brandenbourg Nevertheless this House is allied to all the great ones of Christendom and is no less potent those that are the most esteemed in the Empire It hath the Dutchies of Prussia and Cleve the Principalities of Halberstad Minden Sculemberg and Anspach the moyety of Pomerania the expectance or next reversion of the Dutchy of Magdebourg the Marquisate of Brandenbourg whereto the Electoral dignity is annexed in a word it hath so much land that to put it beyond comparison in Germany there remains nothing to be wisht but that the Estates thereof were contiguous P. Are these lands very distant one from another G. They are not so far off but that a Courier setting out from Cleve to ride to this Elector in the furthest parts of Prussia may lye almost every night in his Masters Territories from the Countrey of Cleve into that of Iuliers from thence into the County of the Mark so to Ravensbourg out of which he enters into the Diocese of Minden and from thence into the Principality of Halberstad from whence he reacheth the New Marquisate at night and so of the rest passing on through Pomerania All which voyage is two hundred German leagues long wherein he is not to be equalled by any Prince in Germany P. The Reformed Religion whereof this Elector makes profession differing from that of his Subjects he is thereby less powerful in my opinion and if he would embrace the Lutheran which his Grandfather forsook and as many believe only out of worldly considerations he would enlarge his power and if I be not deceived his Subjects would have more confidence in him G. This Prince is Reformed and all his Subjects except those of Cleve follow the doctrine of Luther but that abates not either the Princes love toward his Subjects or the Subjects obedience toward their Prince His Electoral Highness hath Preaching within his Palace after his way and permits the Lutherans to teach their doctrine through all his Estates Now the diversity of Religion between Kings and their Subjects is little prejudicial to a State except when they would lay violence upon consciences and force men in that which ought to be free P. I am of another opinion and am perswaded that difference in Religion hath poured out those deluges of blood which our Fathers and we have seen with horror in France and Germany G. It is most certain that Religion hath cost many thousand mens lives that it were to be wisht there were but one Religion in a State and that Philip the Prudent II. of that name King of Spain did many times say he had rather not have a Countrey then have it infected with Heresie I do also grant that France and Germany were in danger to perish in their blood by reason of different Religions but it was only when endeavors were used to force men to go to Mass against their will or to deprive Princes of the means to maintain their Subjects in the liberty of their conscience Otherwise Religion is a strong bulwark for the preservation of both those States and the Spanyard did not lose his hope of attaining to the Monarchy of Europe till he saw the Reformation stop the passage against his Gold as well as against his Armies P. I have heard it said that when Henry the Great came to the Crown of France all the Catholicks of Europe bandied their power to hinder him from sitting upon the Throne and that he had not arrived thither but by his valour accompanied with his Right and with the services which he received from the Protestants but I do not see wherein diversity of Religion is beneficial to Germany since the miseries of the last War proceeded from no other source but that G. Germany receives no less advantage from the Reformation of Luther then France from that of Calvin The Empire had been Hereditary before this time and the Princes become Subjects if the Reformation and the desire of maintaining Religion had not opened our eyes The Italians who are very clear-sighted in matters of State have perceived this long since and Bocalini when he brings in Apollo making answer to Sir Thomas Moore that all people will be Catholicks when the King of Spain will be content with Castile and the Emperor with the County of Habspourg shows manifestly that Religion defends us from slavery P. This digression hath not been unpleasant
the Marquis of Brandenbourg and his Successors or rather to Anne only Niece to the said Mary Eleonor excluding Magdalen wife to John Duke of Deux-ponts and Sibyll Marchioness of Burgon her sisters daughters to William and sisters to John William the last of that Family Duke of Juliers and Cleve who received the same priviledge from the Emperor Charles V. in the year 1546. P. It is then the inheritance of John William Duke of Juliers which served for a pretense to the vast preparation that Henry IV. King of France made when he was unfortunately assassinated which hath already occasioned some misunderstandings between the Houses of Brandenbourg and Newbourg and which may yet cause greater But let us leave these intricacies to be disentangled by those that are concerned and take a further view of the immunities priviledges and Alliances of the House of Brandenbourg G. The Golden Bull which hath in all things been exceeding liberal and free of the graces of the Empire towards the Electors grants them all in general and every one in particular Soverain Justice Some say that these Electors not regarding this priviledge so much as they ought carelesly lost it and having been depriv'd of it may years at last the Elector Joachim Frederick got himself repossessed of this Right by the Emperor Rodâ—â—ph II. For my part I am of another opinion and think with the greater number of Writers that they alwayes preserved and enjoyed it As for the order of place observed in Assemblies this Elector is the last but one since the creation of the eighth Electorship We have already said that he hath many voices and the younger brethren of his House to wit the Marquisses of Culembach and of Anspach have each of them one but no right to give a definitive judgement in their Subjects causes if the sum exceed 400. Florins of the Rhine P. I would gladly know whether there be many Princes of this House G. At the time I now write there are three married and three children The Elector Frederick William son to George William and Elizabeth Charlotta Princess Electoral Palatine after long hopes of marrying the matchless Christina Queen of Sweden who hath since declared that she will dy a Maid was married December 7. 1646. to Loâ—yse of Nassau daughter to the great Town-taker Frederick Henry Prince of Orange by whom he hath a son called Charles Amelius who was born February 2. 1655. and another named N. N. born 1657. The Electoral Branch doth at this time consist of these three Princes The Marquisses of Culembach and Barheit are Christian Ernest son to Herman Augustus and Sophia daughter to Joachim Ernest also Marquiss of Brandenbourg This young Prince was born July 27. 1644. and George Albert his Unkle born in 1619. married Mary Elizabeth daughter to Philip Duke of Holstein in the year 1651. The third Branch which resides at Anspach hath been long in fear of ending without issue Male there being none but Albert son to Joachim Ernest and to Sophia Countess of Solmes who in her â—ife time had but few her equals in vertue and beauty This Prince endued with piety as well as magnanimity was born September 28. 1620. and in 1642. married Henrietta Loüyse daughter to Lewis Frederick Duke of Wirtemberg by whom he had only two daughters But that Princess being gone to receive in Heaven the Crown which her vertues merited upon earth this Lord hath taken for his second wise Sophia Margaret daughter to Joachim Ernest Count of Ottinguen And by this Lady who is a Phenix in beauty courage and liberality he had a son October 8. 1655. and is at this time in hopes of having many more Which I wish he may and pray God that imitating their Ancestors they may be as so many German Achilles and Alcibiades P. Have these Princes any good Forts full Magazins and wherewithal to bring Armies into the field G. The Elector hath at this present very considerable forces in Prussia where he takes part with the King of Sweden and he is of so high esteem by the means he hath to help and to harm that he is courted on all hands His Forts are exceeding well maintained and as well provided Custrin hath never been taken Pillaw and Memel make him redoubted in Prussia Colberg in Pomerania Drisen in the Mark and Landsperg upon the Vard His Cousins of Culembach and Anspach have their sure retreats at Blassembourg and Melspourg And forasmuch as Princes strike their enemies more smartly with the head then with the hand the Elector and the Marquis of Anspach are as much to be feared for their prudence as for their valour The end of the third Dialogue Dialogue IIII. Of the Secular Princes of the Empire P. If you be so particular in describing the Origin progress and Alliances of the Princes as you have been in those of the Electors it will be long before we get out of Germany G. The desire I have to see you speedily comprehend the manners strength and Laws of other well governed Nations in Europe will quicken me to pass as lightly as may be over the consideration of the Princes of the Empire We must nevertheless speak of all those that have place in the Assemblies P. I am content you should do so but your undertaking will carry you out of Germany or into a tedions repetition for the King of Sweden the Elector of Brandenbourg and many Princes of his and other Electoral Houses whereof you have already made mention are in the number of those who have place in the Diets of the Empire G. Having elsewhere said that this King and some younger brethren of Electoral Houses have voices in the general Assemblies I shall not repeat it here and shall speak of the Duke of Lorraine in another place because his Estate is at present in the most Christian Kings hands P. By that means you will very much shorten this discourse and yet not lose the opportunity of entertaining me with the commemoration of that House wherein Valour Affability and modesty seem to be natural G. Since there is nothing more dear to me then to give you content I shall willingly omit all other matters to discourse upon the Houses of Brunswick Meklebourg Wirtemberg Hesse Baden Holstein Saxon-Lawembourg Anhalt Hohenzolleren Aremberg Henneberg and Eastfriseland And having considered them one after another I will pass to the Ecclesiastical Princes the Prelates the Counts and the Barons But before I enter upon this Theme I beseech you to consider that the King of Sweden being a Member of the Empire may very much contribute to the preservation of its Liberty and the maintenance of the Protestant Religion P. The French accuse the Spaniards for aiming at the Universal Monarchy and on the other side the Spaniards say that the French seek for an opportunity to seize upon the Empire If it were so methinks the King of Sweden might disappoint the designs of those Monarchs G. All Princes know that
which are worthy of illustrious persons P. Doth it cost his Highness of Wirtemberg much to maintain the Professors and Masters of exercises which you now mentioned G. More then you think but that expense is not considerable in comparison of the glory which redounds from thence This Colledge and this University are the Pearls which do wonderfully set off the Crown of this Duke For although he be exceedingly at his ease though he have whatsoever he can wish though the delight of Hunting never fail him though every day present him some new delicacies made or growing upon his own Territories yet he would be much less spoken of in Forain Countreys if Eberhard the Wise had not founded that University if Christopher the Prudent had not projected this Colledge if Lewis the Pious had not built it if Frederick the Magnanimous had not endowed it if John Frederick the Peaceable had not preserved it and if Eberhard the Constant had not raised it to a higher point for the good of the Princes Lords and Gentlemen of the Empire P. Are none admitted into this Colledge but persons of quality G. This Colledge would not be illustrious if all sorts might be promiscuously received into it And these Princes having erected it for the education of persons of noble extraction they have thought it convenient to exclude those that are not Gentlemen born to the end that whilest there is none there but such as are obliged to aspire unto an eminent vertue and that have worthy Predecessors to imitate there may be nothing seen but such examples as may give furtherance to young Lords in the purfâ—â— of that mark they aim at Nevertheless it is sufficient qualification for the Masters and Governors of Great men to be modest knowing and pious P. I would gladly know in what manner they live in this Colledge G. Order being the essential principle of all Societies Laws have been made that appoint every one what he is to do and what he is to avoid These Rules are read unto such as enter into the Colledge to remain there and they all promise and engage before the President of the Colledge to observe them except great Lords who are not bound to those Laws but so far forth as decency and the command of their Parents enjoyns them to obey their Governors who are responsible for them and are themselves subject to the Laws which are extreme easie and require nothing of any man but what he cannot well omit without running counter to honour and honesty P. This Institution is worthy of such Princes But is the Dutchy of Wirtemberg so great that it can maintain this Colledge and the University of Tubing without incommodating the Prince G. This Countrey is not so considerable for the extent as for the goodness of the Soil and number of Lordships in which they reckon 63. Cities 158. great Towns 645. Villages 537. Water-mills and 14. Abbeys of large Revenue Before the War this Duke could have brought together 24000. men in 24. hours and at this time he hath a fair Militia afwell of Horse as Foot and many Fortresses whereof Schocenderf Habsperg Anach and Neïf are indifferent good and Hoheuvilz one of the best in Germany P. Do me the favour to acquaint me further with the Priviledges and Alliances of this Prince G. There is no Prince in Germany that hath more noble priviledges then this Duke Not one of his subjects can appeal from his Justice And for that purpose he hath a Presidial Court at Tubing composed of five Gentlemen four Doctors and as many Burgers who give definitive judgement upon all controversies that happen between his Highness Subjects both in Civil and Criminal causes also a Consistory formed of certain Divines and other grave persons who are skilful in matters Ecclesiastical and such as have any relation to the Spiritual as Marriages and Adulteries He hath other Councels also for affairs of State and of the Exchequor As to your demand touching the Alliances of this House I find that anciently the Males married Marchionesses of Brigan Dutchesses of Lernigen daughters of Kings of Poland and of Emperors Dutchesses of Bavaria Milan Savâ—y and Cleve Since they were Dukes Eberhard I. married Barbarâ— of Gonzage Eberhard II. Elizabeth Marchioness of Brandenbourg Vlrick Sabius daughter to Albert the Wise Duke of Bavaria Christopher Anne Mary Marchioness of Brasdenbourg Lewis Dorothy Vrsula Marchioness of Baden and Vrsula Princess Palstine Frederick had Sibyll Princess of Anhalt for the conservatress of his House John Frederick took Barbara Sophia Princess Electoral of Brandenbourg for an assistant and admirer of his Magnificence and Eberhard III. had Anne Catherine Rhingravess for the comfortress of his displeasures in the time of the War and Mary Dorothy Sophia Countess of Ottinguen for a partner of his felicity in the time of peace with whom he lived in such perfect union and harmony that it seemed as it were a taste upon earth of the life hereafter in Heaven P. Hath this Prince no children G. He had 14. by his first wife and hath still nine of them very sweet lovely persons The five Princesses speak French and dance as if they had been bred at Paris The eldest son John Frederick is excellent for horsemanship and at his Weapon William Lewis Frederick Charles and Charles Maximilian are but young but they carry in their countenances such characters of generosity as easily perswade me they will one day make the vertues of their bravest Ancestors live again P. Methinks you are very much addicted to this House and yet you do not tell me that one of the younger sons of Frederick the Magnanimous had Weiltingen and Brents and the youngest of all Monbeliard Ericourt Granges Horbourg Richeville and their appurtenances which give him a voice in the Diets of the Empire and almost all the Nobility in the Franche-County and Burgundy hold of him in Fee Also that this Princes Lands depending upon the Empire enjoy the same right that the Dutchy of Wirtemberg doth and that the eldest Son had the Dutchy entire and left it undivided to his eldest Son G. I have elsewhere said that the right of Primogenitute takes place in this House And since you are not satisfied with what I have told you hitherto you ought to know that the four daughters of Frederick the Magnanimous were married to John George I. Elector of Saxony John George Marquis of Zeguerendorf Frederick Marquis of Baden and Francis Julius Duke of Lower Saxony which are high Alliances The sons of Lewis Frederick Prince of Monbeliard are married the eldest to Sibyll Dutchess of Wirtemberg and the younger to Anne of Coligny Dutchess of Chastillon The younger son of Julius Frederick married a Countess of Aldembourg and the eldest a Dutchess of Mansterberg who brought him is dowry the Principality of Ols in Silesia Vlrick a younger son of the present Duke was General of the Forain Horse for the Spaniard in Flanders where he took to Wife Isabell
those Marquisses themselves who have graciously communicated to me what they have drawn out of their own Records But before we go any further I desire you to take notice that the House of Hesse being divided into two Branches whereof one follows Luthers Reformation and the other Calvins each of them hath one Prince that hath withdrawn himself to the Church of Rome Frederick brother to the Landgrave George of Darmstadt grand Prior of the Order of Malta in Germany and Ernest Unkle by the Fathers side to the Landgrave William of Cassel who making as if he would dispute with the ablest men of the two Religions permitted by the Laws of the Empire hath embraced that of Rome together with his Wife who is of the House of Solmes P. I was not ignorant of that change of Religion which hath made noise enough throughout all Germany As for those Writers that fetch what they deliver concerning the antiquity of Houses either out of their own brain or from weak conjectures I think they are much to blame For my part I conceive there is no better way to know from what source Houses are derived then by the Charters and Epitaphs of the Houses themselves G. There are some that think Princes flatter themselves in this point and report fables for truths on purpose to appear more illustrious and more ancient And I am verily perswaded that many endeavour to usurp the Estates of others by vain and false Genealogies nay that our nature cannot endure any that doth not flatter it On the other side I cannot deny but that Princes themselves or their learned servants who have the custody of their Records must know the truth of their beginning and off-spring better then any other person Now the Marquiss George Frederick having caused his own to be searcht out with great care the Prince his Son communicated the same to me such as I here represent it unto you P. The truth is but one pure simple and without mixture Wherefore I pray tell me what you know not regarding the device of some that would draw this House from that of the Vrsins and others from that of Della Scala or the Scaligers some labour to show that Baden and Hochberg were two different Families and others that they are but one G. They that would have this House come out of Italy say that Frederick Barbarossa brought Herman Marquiss of Verona from thence and gave him the Marquisate of Hochberg which cannot be seeing in the time of the Emperor Conrade II. there were already Marquisses at Baden and at Hochberg It is therefore more probable that Berchtold I having two sons divided his Estates between them giving the greatest part thereof to his eldest son Berchtold II. with the title of Duke of Zeringuen and a good share to Herman his younger son with the title of Marquiss This Herman II. having married Judith inheritrice of Baden gave occasion to Herman III. whom he had by her to style himself Marquiss of Baden to take his Mothers Arms and transmit them to his posterity as he did Some while after the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa having ruined Milan and chastised Lombardy put German garrisons in all the strong places and left Herman IV. Governor of Verona When that Prince came back into Germany he was called Marquiss of Verona in memory of that Expedition and that name hath occasioned the mistake of those who write that the Marquisses of Baden are descended from them of Verona P. Then you hold it for certain that the Marquisses of Baden are descended neither from the Gothick Kings nor from the Scaligers nor the Vrsins nor from any Marquisses of Verona whatsoever but from the ancient Counts of Vindonissa and Altembourg who flourished a long time in Swisserland from whom also the Dukes of Zeringuen and Tek the Counts of Habspourg and the Archdukes derive their original G. That is my opinion and I believe it as true as it is certain that Herman Marquiss of Baden founded a Monastery in his Village of Backenau A. D. 1116. which Bruno Bishop of Spire confirmed at the request of the said Herman 1122. and which Herman the younger his son enriched with many endowments in the time of Lotharius II. or Conrade III. A.D. 1145. All which things were done by Marquisses of Baden before there were any according to the opinion of my Adversaries and by the Descendents of Herman son to Berchtold Duke of Zeringuen P. I believe your reasons unanswerable and am absolutely perswaded by them that the Marquisses of Baden did not come out of Italy It lies upon you now to prove that these Princes and those of Hochberg were both of the same House G. On St. Bartholomews day 1490. Christopher Marquiss of Baden and Philip Marquiss of Hochberg made an agreement and a reciprocal Testament whereby one of the Houses surviving the other was to be heir thereof because they both issued out of the same stock and bore the same Arms or with very little difference That Will and Testament was confirmed by the Emperor Maximilian I. A.D. 1499. which is sufficient methinks to prove that those Houses were but Branches from one and the same root P. I am satisfied with what you have told me concerning the unity and descendance of the Houses of Baden and Hochberg Let us now see into how many Branches that of Baden is at present divided G. This House which had been severed into two ever since the year 1200. was re-united after the death of Philip the last of the Hochbergian Branch by vertue of that interchangeable Testament made by him and Christopher as we mentioned before Now Christopher inheriting the lands of Philip A. D. 1503. possessed the two Marquisates till the year 1515. wherein he dyed and his lands were parted between Bernard and Ernest his children who are the Heads of the two principal Branches into which this House is divided at this time P. Make a little larger relation of this matter and show me how the Marquisses of Baden come from Bernard and those of Dourlach from Ernest both sons to Christopher who inherited the entire Estate of Philip Marquiss of Hochberg except the County of Newchastel in Swisserland which Jane daughter to the forementioned Philip brought in Dowry to Lewis of Orleans and it is still in the hands of Henry Duke of Longueville his Nephews son G. By the division thus made between those two brethren Bernard had Baden with its appurtenances He married Frances Countess of Luxembourg by whom he had Christopher who after Philibert his elder brother was slain at the Battel of Moncontour took upon him the government of his Estate That Prince married Cecily daughter to Gustavus first of that name and of his Family King of Sweden among other children he begat Edward Fortunatus Father to William present Marquiss of Baden Knight of the Golden Fleece and Judge of the Imperial Chamber at Spire William hath had two Wives and many children by the first
who was born Princess of Hohenzolleren he hath yet living Leopold William who serves the Emperor with great zeal and reputation Herman Canon of Collen with some others who are yet but young and Ferdinand Maximilian the eldest who knowing that Mary daughter to Amedeus IX Duke of Savoy had been married into his House was desirous to renew that alliance and to that purpose married Loüyse of Savoy daughter to Thomas Prince of Carignan A. D. 1653. by whom he hath one son Herman brother to William makes a Branch apart and hath children of both sexes marriageable P. Hath not this Prince Herman some land◠in the Countrey of Luxembourg and a son Canon of Collen G. Yes Ernest brother to Bernard and son to Christopher who had for his share the Marquisates of Hochberg Pfortzen Weiemberg Baden Vsysiler and Rhetel took to wife Elizabeth daughter to Frederick V. Marquiss of Brandenbourg His son Charles married Anne daughter to Robert Prince Palatine by whom he had many children who all died young except George Frederick He was not to be paralleled for valour and magnanimity yet was beaten at Wimpfen by the misfortune of his powder taking fire while the Battel was fighting which he thereupon lost when he was half-assured of the victory This Prince had two Wives Juliana Vrsula daughter to the Rhingrave Frederick and Agatha daughter to George Count of Erbach Of the latter there remain but Anne and Elizabeth Princesses no less knowing then vertuous and of the former by whom he had 15. children Catherine Vrsula Anne Amelia and Sibyll Magdalen who are thus married the first to Otho eldest son to the Landgrave Maurice and the other two to two Counts of Nassau Sarbruck Ernestine is for her rare vertue and admirable knowledge worthy of an eminent fortune and Frederick their eldest brother the present Prince of Dourlach an incomparable man for his skill in Mathematicks and Opticks hath had five Wives and many children the eldest whereof called by his Fathers name hath married Christina Magdalen the worthy sister of Charles Gustavus King of Sweden and daughter to John Casimir Prince Palatine of Deux-ponts who in his life-time knew better then any man how to get a powerful ascendent over the hearts of all that looked upon him He hath very fine children by her both for outward features and inward faculties The youngest called Charlemagne is eminent for vertue merit and military experience he is married to Mary Juliana Countess of Hohenloch and hath by her one son who will equal his courage and one daughter who will not be inferior to her Mother in comelyness of body and sincerity of heart Gustavus Adolph a younger brother of this House is serving his apprentiship in the school of the King of Sweden and of his brethren whom he will equal or surpass if God give him life and health as I wish him P. You tell me nothing of the controversie between these two Branches nor of the sentence which Edward Fortunatus his Successors obtained against the Marquis George Frederick and his son G. It is not good to rub old sores that are skin'd over nor to speak of differences that are silenced by a determination for fear of grieving those persons whom we respect It is sufficient for you to know that these Princes are good friends that they have forgotten all that is past and endeavour to oblige one another to the uttermost of their power The branch of Baden is Catholique that of Dourlach Lutheran and both zealous in their Religion but that zeal will not hinder them from being kind to one another as to their persons though their interest keep them asunder as to their party Each branch hath one voice in the Assemblies and the Marquis Frederick shall have precedence there as long as he lives but after his death the two Branches shall take their turns that is shall precede alternatively according to the resolution made at Munster by the last Treaty of Peace P. Since we have spoken of Houses in Germany that take their turns successively do me the favour to tell me the manner how that alternation is observed G. You may see in this figure how they sit for ten dayes together after which they begin again and continue as they were before every letter denoting the name of one of the five Houses that take their turns P M W H B M W B P H W H B P M H W M P B B P H M W P M W B H M P W H B W B H M P H P W B M B W M H P The five alternating Houses are Pomerania Meklebourg Wirtemberg Hesse Baden P. I wonder the Houses of Saxon Lawembourg and Anhalt do not precede these five or at least alternate with them seeing they hare had the Electorships of Saxony and Branderbourg at the same time G. The Houses you last mentioned are so far from preceding those five that they follow that of Holstein which comes behind the said five 'T is not that those two Houses are not ancient on the contrary I think their antiquity and greatness hath done them wrong for as we have elsewhere seen the Emperor Sigismond deprived them of the Electoral Dignity to give it to the Marquis of Misnia and the Burgrave of Nuremberg which so morrified those Princes that it made them neglect to appear in the Assemblies and gave opportunity to others to take their place P. I have read that those Princes kept the title of Elector long after they had lost the Electoral Dignity and when they could not have place in the Electoral Colledge they cared but little for taking it among the Princes But tell me something of the House of Holstein before we speak more fully of the other two G. I think I have told you already that the House of Holstein and that of Oldembourg are but one that it was derived from Witikind of Saxony and that after the death of Christopher III. King of Denmark the Danes chose Christian Count of Oldembourg into his place at the intreaty of Adolph Duke of Schleswick his Unkle by the Mothers side who leaving no issue behind him made this Nephew of his heir of a great part of the Cimbrick Chersonese and from that Christian it is that all the Princes are descended who have Reigned in Denmark Norway Schleswick and Holstein ever since that time P. The Kingdom of Sweden having been sever'd from that of Denmark under the Reign of the Princes of the House of Oldembourg it is fit you shew me when and how that came to pass G. I shall do it with all my heart both because you desire it and because I shall be glad in doing that to give some testimony of my gratitude to those Princes who have almost all of them obliged me You must know then that Christian the first of that name being 23. years of age was chosen King of Denmark A. D. 1448. A year after he married Dorothy daughter to John Marquis
and tell me when it obtained the quality of Count and lastly of Prince G. The Counts of East-Friseland and those of Oldenbourg did always maintain great feuds and emulations between one another till the year 1656. At which time Antony Gunther dying without issue lawfully begotten left the King of Denmark and the Duke of Holstein for his Successors And I believe the cause of that mis-understanding might proceed from hence That Mary of Jeuer being married to Eno Count of East-Friseland and having children by him did yet make John Count of Oldenbourg her heir and again that the Counts of East-Friseland being less ancient then those of Oldenbourg are as rich as well or better allied then they and do also exercise Soverain Justice over their Subjects P. I know the Counts of Oldenbourg are the ancienter But when did those of East-Friseland begin G. Vlrick Sirxena Lord of Gietziel and other lands was made Count of East-Friseland by the Emperor Frederick III. A. D. 1454. That Lord married Folca who brought him in Dowry the Lordships of Escui and Stetendorf Of that marriage came Edzar l. of that name Father of Eno who married Mary of Ieuer by whom he had Edzar II. That Count aspired higher then his Predecessors and took to wife Catherine daughter to Gustavus I. King of Sweden of whom he begat Iohn from whom the Counts of Ritberg are descended and Eno II. who married Anne daughter to Adolph Duke of Holstein by whom he had Vlrick husband to Iuliana daughter to Lewis Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt This Princess remains a Widow and makes it her business to bring up her children well of whom Edzar Ferdinand is still travelling abroad George Christian is at home with her and Eno Lewis her eldest son having continued some time at the Imperial Court was there made Counsellor to the Emperor and Gentleman of his Chamber Afterward in the year 1653 he was raised unto the rank and dignity of Prince by the Emperor Ferdinand III. at the Diet of Ratisbon This Prince was contracted to Henrittta daughter to Frederick Henry of Nassau Prince of Orange while they were both children but the parties not liking one another the Artitles of marriage were broken and Eno Lewis married Iustina Sophia Countess of Barly November 7. 1656. I am told for certain that this Prince hath 150000. Crowns Revenue and thereby is well enabled to maintain the quality he bears which is annext to the eldest alone the other being no more then Counts and having no part in the Countrey P. We are at length arrived to the end of this journey Let us rest a while and afterwards we will take a view of the Ecclesiastical Princes G. I am content and shall in the mean time prepare my self to tell you how the Ecclesiastical Princes live in Germany how many they are what order of place they observe in the Assemblies by whom and how they were raised to their dignity to what Jurisdiction they are subject and all other necessary things that shall come into my head The end of the Fifth Dialogue Dialogue VI. Of the Ecclesiastical Princes of the Empire P. THe Princes Ecclesiastical hold the first rank in the Empire and you place them after the Seculars but it matters not much since it is neither for want of respect nor of knowing their due place Well then let us see whether the Empire be as venerable by the Mitres of its Prelates as it is formidable by the Sword of its Souldiers G. There is never a Countrey in Christendom where Prelates have so much power as in Germany They are almost all Great Princes and as absolute over the Temporalty of their Benefices as a Secular Elector is over his Lands These riches are now and then misapplied to bad uses and the debauches made by Church-men their great Train the dogs the horses they maintain the Jesters they keep for their pleasure and their dissolute life obliged our Predecessors to upbraid them with it and allow us to believe that they gave occasion to Doctor Luther to preach against their Doctrine as well as their evil conversation Yet still it is often seen that the same Prelate possesseth two three nay a greater number of huge Benefices of the Empire and spends the Revenue thereof without any scruple of conscience in worldly pomp continual debauches and other things unworthy of their rank and profession P. These Princes give themselves but little if at all to their studies misusing their riches and think it beneath their greatness to preach the word of God and do other Ecclesiastical functions But they do not all live alike G. Whatever is spoken against ungodly persons doth nothing concern the truly religious There are Prelates of sundry conditions and different humors some are voluptuous and others chast some love nothing but dogs and bouffons others make much of worthy persons Heretofore besides the three Ecclesiastical Electors there were five Archbishops and thirty Bishops that had seat and voice in the Assemblies of the Empire At this time there are not so many because the Archbishopricks of Magdebourg Bremen and Riga and the Bishopricks of Halberstad Minden and Verden have been changed into Secular Principalities as those also of Besanson Verdun Mets and Toul were dismembred from the Empire and inseparably united to the Lands of Spain and France by the last Treaty of Peace And those of Valesia Losanna and Chur have been abolished by the Suisses So that at present there is none but Saltzbourg that holds the rank of Archbishop in the Colledge of the Princes and about twenty Bishops P. The German Church must without question have lost very much by the last Treaty of Peace where three Archbishopricks and six Bishopricks were Secularized G. Riga was cut off from the Empire before and all those other Benefices were in the power of the Lutherans who had no mind to let them slip out of their fingers And so methinks the generality of the Protestant Princes hath lost more by this Treaty then the German Church seeing the Princes have now no more means to provide for their younger brethren as they had before For in real truth the Elector of Saxony had Magdebourg the King of Denmark Bremen and some other Lords the Bishopricks whereof we have last made mention P. The King of Spain having the Archbishopricks of Besanson and Cambray in his possession there is little likelyhood that those Archbishops should come to the Diets of the Empire G. I do not know whether those Prelates have lost the right they had to sit in the Assemblies of the Empire but it is certain that Cambray doth not challenge the place of an Archbishoprick there though it have gotten that name amongst the Prelates of the Low Countreys by the augmentation of Bishopricks in Flanders which King Philip II. made in the beginning of his Reign That Prelate keeps his ancient title and always qualifies himself Duke of Cambray Count of Cambresis and Prince of the