NOw for a cleerer illustration of things, and a more regular proceeding, it is not amiss to fetch in matters from their fundamen­tal (for the furthest way about is som­times the neerest way home specially in the reserches of Truth.) And to do this, we must go to Rome, a City that hath [Page 5] had as many strange traverses of for­tune, and turns of Goverment, as any other upon Earth, having bin eight several times ravish'd and ransack'd by sundry warlike Nations. First by Brennus the bold Britain, then by Ala­ric the Goth, afterwards by Ge [...]seri­cus the Vandale, then twice by To [...]ila the Hun, after him by the Moores and Saracens, then by three Christian Em­perours, viz. by Henry the fourth, Otho the third, and Charles the fift when his General the Duke of Bourbon breath'd his last in scaling her walls, (and she was lately like to receive an ill-fa­vour'd shock by the Duke of Parma) yet she never fell sans recource as they say, or was ever layed so flat upon her back, but she recovered herself, and rays'd up her crest again, whence it may be inferr'd, that an extraordinary Providence, and Tutelar Genius doth attend that Citty; 'Tis tru that the translating of the Imperial Court by Constantine, to Bizantium (which he christned afterwards with his own name) was fatal to Rome, when the [Page 6] glory of the Tyber and Tyrrhene Sea pass'd over to the Hellespont, yet a Spi­ritual Head preserv'd her still in some lustre, In so much that when the Pope came to be her Master, she might have bin sayed to have bin reduc'd to her first Principles, and to have pass'd from one Shepheard to another, viz. from Romulus, to Sylvester; But ther were a world of vicissitudes and revolutions of goverments inter­ven'd, and pass'd between; Her pri­mitive, and original way of Ruling was by Kings, but, after a hundred and forty yeers continuance, she sur­fetted upon that, which surfett may be sayed to have proceeded from the Peeples wantones rather than from Tarquins lust; Then, she was govern'd a while by Consulls, so call'd a Consulends carrying a memento of their duty is their names; Then followed the De­cemvirs who were put down for the same vice that destroyed the Kings After that, the Supremacy was delated to two Tribunes; Then it revolv'd to Consulls, then to Tribunes again, b [...] [Page 7] more than two, which lasted a good tract of time above seventy yeers, then came Consuls in again the third time, after that Dictators, untill Caius Iulius Caesars time who was the first perpetuall Dictator, and a little after the first Emperour, though it cost him dear, for he might be sayed to have cimented the foundation of the Roman Empire with his own bloud being mur­ther'd in the Senat by small contemp­tible tools, yet it remain'd in his pro­geny to six descents, viz. to Domitius Nero.

Thus after so many rotations or retrogradations of goverments, and a kind of cushion dance of several kind of Rulers, the Imperial was Establish­ed at last, and the successive Empe­rours were us'd to be chosen by the Senat, and then saluted by the Army; But afterwards the Legionary Soldiers & Pretorian bands made Emperours sub hasta in the field, and Galba was the first who was chosen so, and that with the consent of the Senat; now, it was the most unpolitique act that ever [Page 8] the Roman Senat committed, which prov'd so fatal to so many of the fol­lowing Emperours who held not their security as much as their lifes from the Soldiers, which took them away at plesure; for after that the Election pass'd from the Senat to the Sword, ther were above thirty Emperours that were put to violent deaths, and som of them very tragical, fower mur­thered themselfs, many also of those that were adopted Caesars, and design'd to succeed in the Empire were un­timely made away, being rays'd to that pitch that they might perish the sooner, as an Author sayes.

But to go more punctually to work we will muster up here most of those Emperours that came to immature and violent deaths; Iulius Caesar was assassi­nated in the Senat. Octavius the first Augustus (called so ab augendo Impe­rium, from enlarging the Territories of the Empire) was made away by his wife Livia; Tiberius by Macro; Cali­gula by Cassius Chereas; Claudius poy­son'd by his wife Agrippina; Nero and [Page 9] Otho slew themselfs; Galba and Vitellius were done away by the Soldiers; Do­mitian by Stephanus; Commodus by Letus, and Electus; Pertinax and Iulianus by the Praetorian bands; Caracalla by Macrinus command; Macrinus, Helio­gabalus, Alexander, Maximinus, Maxi­mus, and Balbinns by the Soldiers; Hostilianus by Gallus and Aemilianus, and they by the Legions; Valerianus died in Parthia; Florianus waas ccessary to his own death; Aurelianus murther'd by his own meniall servants; Gallienus, Quintillus, Tacitus and Probus by the militia, &c.

Now, that which heighned the Spi­rits of the Soldiery to such infolences, was the largesses, and encrease of sa­lary, that the Praetorian bands us'd to receave from the new Emperour, which pernicious kind of bounty was begun first by Claudius Caesar, and is now practised by the Turk: for evry new Sultan useth to enhance the pay of the Spahies, and Ianizaries to so ma­ny aspers more for fear of mutinieng, which in time may be the bane of the [Page 10] Ottoman Empire, for such hath bin the presumption allready of the sayed Ianizaries of late yeers that they have murther'd two of their Emperours in lesse than five and twenty yeers.

But in the Roman Empire the mili­tary bands came to such an exorbitan­cy of power, that somtimes they did prostitute, and put the Empire to sale by publique outcry, as we read how Sulpitianus offerd twenty Sestertiums (which are neer upon eight pounds sterling apeece) to evry Soldier, but Iulianus rays'd the market higher, and out-bad him; But Constantine the great (the first Christian Emperour and a Britain born) found out the policy to regulat, & lessen the Praetorian bands, till at last he quite casheerd them, at least reduc'd them to such a nomber that they could do no hurt.

The removal of the Imperial Court to Constantinople, though it prov'd ad­vantagious to the Bishop of Rome, who had the Citty transferr'd unto him by way of a pious donation from Constan­tine about his departure from Italy to [Page 11] the Levant, as the Church Annals affirm, though some by way of drollery, and derogation to the Pope do say, that he hath the same right to Rome, as Venice hath to the dominion of the Adriatique Gulph, and that they are both inserted in one patent, though that patent cannot be found upon any record; I say though this removall was an advantage to the Bishop of Rome, yet it prov'd very pre­judiciall to Italy in general, and to all the Western parts of the Empire, for many rough-hewn Northern Nati­ons, that desir'd to come neerer the Sun, took the advantage here­by to rush in, not only to Ita­ly, and harasse her so often, but like so many fwarms of Locusts they cover'd other Countreys, (And some fear'd the like of the late Swedish Ar­my, had they prosper'd in Poland) The Huuns took such firm footing that they gave the name to Hungary; The Longobards to Insubria, and the territo­ties about Milan; The Goths and Van­dales piercing the very heart of France [Page 12] overcame Spain, and denominated Andaluzia, Insomuch that the pre­sent King of Spain doth acknowledg himself to be de la sangre de los Godos, to descend from the Goths, wherby som wold inferr that he is a German not on­ly by extraction from the House of Austria, but also from the Gothique race, who were a branch of the Teutons, or Germans, taking the word in the largest sense; but more proper­ly may Germany challenge the French, and English to be her Children, the first comming from the Territories of Franconia, the other from the lower Circle of Saxony wherof they bear the names ( Saissons) among the Welsh and Irish to this day.

But to proceed from the main sub­ject, the Eastern part of the Roman Empire bore up many ages after Con­stantine with som lustre in the Levant, though the Northwest parts suffred many Eclipses, being so pittifully dilacerated, and torn by the fury of forein Nations; Now the chiefest cause therof may be ascrib'd to the re­motenes [Page 13] of the Emperours person at Constantinople, who by reason of so incommunicable a distance could not reach a timely hand to assist them with auxiliaries; But about the yeer eight hundred a new kind of auspici­ous star appeer'd in the West, which was Charlemain, whom the Germans do claym to be their Compatriot, though they go a great way back and fetch him from Pharamond, or the first race of the Kings who invaded Gal­lia, and by way of conquest call'd it France.

Charlemain was the Gran-child of Charles Martell, who being Maire of the Palace, or chief Steward and Surinten­dent of the Kings Court gott his Son Pepin to be crown'd King of France o­ver the head of Chilperic his liege lord and master, Martel giving out that he did not follow the ambition of his heart, but the inspirations of heaven in this act; So the Scotts stories tell us that the Family of the Stewards came to be Kings of Scotland by taking their Surnames from their office, for as [Page 14] Charles Martell was in France, so the first of them was Steward of the Kings Court in Scotland.

Pepin though a little man did great exploits, for he cross'd the Alpes, and recover'd Lombardy where a race of Goths had bin Kings above 200 yeers, And at his return to France conferr'd the Exarcbatship, or Vicegerency of Italy upon the Bishop of Rome.

Charlemain his Son did higher a­chievments, for he clammer'd ore the Pyreneans and debell'd the Saracens in Spain, discomfited the Saxons, and confirm'd the conquest of Italy, so that he was solemnly saluted Empe­rour of the West at Rome by the gene­ral voice, and wonderfull acclamati­ons of the peeple, and so confirm'd by the Popes benediction ( Leo the 4th. on Christmas day.

Nicehporus in Constantinople stor­m'd extremely at first ther shold be another Emperour besides himself, alledging that he was the sole Ro­man Emperour, and according­ly us'd to send his Exarques, or Vice­royes [Page 15] to govern Italy, but not knowing how to remedy it, he complied at last with Charlemagne who then kept his Court in Germany, where he died, and was buried at Aquisgrave, leaving Ludovicus his son to succeed him, who partitioning the Empire afterwards twixt his three Sonns did wonderfully enervat and enfeeble it, as a great Ri­ver cutt out into many armes, and sluces must needs grow weaker and shallower in her first bed.

Now, though Charlemain was an extraordinary heroique, and a Mag­nanimous gallant man as his actions tell us, yet his children for fower de­scents together did strangely degene­rat, and prov'd but poor spirited men, His Son Lewis was call'd the Gentle for his soft nature, Charles the Bald was of a baser alloy than hee, Lewis the stuttring inferior to both, Charles the grosse the last Emperour and King of France died a most disastrous death; After him the Empire was soly devolv'd to the Germans; Charle­main and his Dependants enjoy'd it [Page 16] 118 yeers, then it came to the House of Saxony who held it 117 yeers, The House of Suevia 110, other families (wherof the House of the Count Pala­tine of the Rhin, and of Nassaw were somtimes) held the Empire 112 yeers, untill it came to the House of Austria, who have held it longer than any one Family ever did.

Now, ther is a remarquable Tra­dition how the House of Austria came to that comble of greatnes, which they report thus,

Rodulph Earl of Habspurg returning homeward fromhunting one day over­took a Priest that had the Eucharist under his habit, comming from visi­ting a sick body, The Earl finding he was tyr'd alighted, and help'd the Priest a horsback, and holding the bridle in his hand wayted upon him as a lacquay till he came to the Church, and replac'd the Host upon the Altar, The Priest sang an extra­ordinary Masse (where the Earl de­voutly attended all the while) and pronouncing the Benediction at the [Page 17] end, he cross'd the Earl, saying that for so signal, and a sweet Act of pie­ty, His House shold be one of the grea­test, and most glorious Families that ever was upon Earth, which prov'd tru, for a while after not only the German Empire, but the East, and West Indies, with all the Dominions of Spain, wherof some are the tother side of the world, came to that Family.

And now, my Lord, I will proceed to the Septemvirat, or Colledg of Elect­ors (wherof I promis'd an account in the beginning) whose Creture the Em­perour may be sayed to be, for tis their breath that makes him.

FOr two hundred yeers after Char­lemain, who was the Restaurator of the Occidental parts of the Roman Monarchy (which had bin so pitti­fully shatter'd by the irruption of sun­dry barbarous peeple, as was sayed before) and therfore meritoriously stil'd, the first Emperour of the West, I [Page 19] say for a long time ther was no certain or regular way of Election, and the customs was that the Emperour reg­nant us'd to nominate, & recommend his Son, or neerest Kinsman to the Ger­man Princes, but in the yeerabout 1000 after the Incarnation, Rome began to rayse up her crest, and brussle, by re­demanding and challenging the E­lection of the Emperour, alledging, 'twas a prerogative of Hers de jure antiquo; The raking up of the ashes of this old Right, was like to kindle a great fyre on both side of the Hills, for the Italian Princes stuck to Her in the claym; But Otho the third a prudent Prince found a way to prevent it, by procuring a Cosen of his to be created Pope by the name of Gregory the fift, who being a German born, was so fa­vorable and indulgent of his own Countrey, that he confirm'd the choo­sing of the VVestern Emperour to the German Nation, but the Romans, with some Italian Princes stomaching heer­at, they depos'd Gregory, and chose the Bishop of Placentia Pope in his place, [Page 20] by the title of Iohn the ninth: Otho took this in so great indignation, that he suddenly rays'd an Imperial Army, clammer'd or'e the Alpes, and made his way by the point of the Sword to­wards Rome, which open'd her Gates unto him without much difficulty, so he seaz'd upon the person of the new Pope, disoculated that counterfait light of the Church by plucking out his eyes, and replac'd Gregory the fift his Cousin in Saint Peters chair with triumph.

Otho being victoriously return'd to Germany, convoqu'd the chiefest Prin­ces, and propos'd unto them the mul­tiplicity of inconveniences, encum­brance, and causes of confusion, that the incertain, and unesta­blish'd way of choosing an Emperour, and his immediat Successor, was sub­ject unto, therfore he desir'd them to consider of a more regular way of Ele­ction; so after many mature delibera­tions, and bandings of opinions they fell upon settling a Septemvirat, viz. seven Princes, in whom a plenary [Page 21] power shold be invested, to elect an Emperour, and his next Successor; Herupon the Colledg of Electors was founded, and constituted, but they must be all within the German pale; Addresses were made to the Pope a­bout this business, who not only ap­prov'd herof, but was ready to confirm the Act, provided that three of the sayed Electors were Ecclesiastiques; So the Western Empire was made pure­ly Elective, giving encouragements therby for Princes of Vertue and me­rit to aspire.

Herupon the Archbishop of Mentz, the Archbishop of Collen, and the Archbishop of Tryers were chosen for the three Spiritual, and for the secular the Palsgrave of the Rhin, the Duke of Saxony, the Marquis of Brandenburg, and in case their suffrages were equal, the Duke of Bohemia (made about 80 yeers after King) was chosen to have a session among them, and whom he nam'd of those two that they had elected, shold be Emperour, so that the Bohemian might be call'd rather an Um­pire [Page 22] than an Elector in these trans­actions.

This great Act was solemnly vo­ted, and enroll'd in the Imperi­al Chamber, and som hundred of yeers after 'twas ratified and for­tified by the famous Aurea Bulla, the Golden Bull, who regulated mat­ters more punctually touching the Offices, the Precedencies, and other particulars reflecting upon the sayed Electors. The Archbishop of Mentz was made High-Chancellor of Ger­many, He of Colen High-Chancellor of Italy, and he of Tryers High-Chancellor of France; The Duke of Saxony was made sacri imperii Archi-Marascallus, Lord high Marshall of the sacred Empire; The Count Pa­latin of the Rhin sacri imperii Archi­dapifer, Lord high Sewer of the sa­cred Empire; The Marquis of Bran­denburg was made sacri imperii Ar­chicamerarius, Lord high Chamberlain of the sacred Empire; The Duke (now King of Bohemia) was made sacri imperii Archipincerna, Lord chief [Page 23] Buttler of the sacred Empire, all which offices are contracted in this tetrastique.

Thus in English,

So the secular Electors are compos'd of a King, a Duke, a Marquis, and a Count.

[Page 24] Upon an occasion of a new choise, these with the Ecclesiastiques were to be summon'd by the Archbishop of Mentz, to assemble within three months time, and to be garded by the Countrey as they passed along, but their reti­nue was not to exceed two hundred horse, wherof ther shold be but fifty armed.

Being conven'd, the Ecclesiastical Electors were to put their hands only on their breasts, the Secular Princes so­lemnly upon the Book, to choose a fit Imperial head for Christendome, and they were to do this within the com­pass of thirty daies, and not to go out of Frankford, or the place where they mett in the interim, & Iury-like to have no other nutriment but bread and wa­ter after the expiration of the sayed thirty dayes.

The choice being made by the As­sembly of Electors, the new Emperour, according to the tenure of the golden Bull the grand Charter of the Empire (so call'd because 'twas confirm'd by [Page 25] the Pope) is saluted by the Title of King of the Romans, and not Empe­rour till he be crown'd with three Crowns, viz. with the golden Crown representing Rome, with a sylver Crown representing Germany, and with an Iron Crown representing Lombardy, which ceremony useth to be perform'd at Aquisgrave for all the three places, But he is not to be call'd Augustus till confirm'd by the Pope.

At the first day of the Emperours Inauguration, the foresayed Electors were to give their personal atten­dance in the Emperours Court, but now they are dispens'd withall to do it by proxy.

Before the Palace Gate ther us'd to stand a heap of Oats to the breast of a Horse, then comes the Duke of Saxony mounted, having in his hand a sylver wand, and a sylver measure stood by, which was to weigh two hundred Marks, he fills the measure, sticking his wand afterwards in the remainder, and so goes to attend the Emperour; The three Arch-bishopps [Page 26] say Grace; The Marquis of Branden­burg comes also on hors-back with a sylver bason of water, of the value of twelve Marks, and a clean towell which, being alighted, he holds to the Emperour; Then comes the Count Palatin of the Rhin a hors-back also, and being alighted he carries fower dishes of meat, ev'ry dish of the va­lue of three Marks; Then the King of Bohemia comes with a napkin on his arm, with a cover'd cupp of twelve Marks which he presents.

Touching the precedence of the Ele­ctors among themselfs one may judg of it by the maner of their session with the Emperour, when he sitts in Maje­sty, which is thus.

The Arch-bishop of Tryers high Chancellor of France sitts over against the Emperour; The Arch-bishop of Moguntia or Mentz, as high Chancelor of Germany sitts on the right hand of the Emperour; The Arch-bishop of Collen on the left hand; The King of Bohemia hath his seat on the right hand of the Arch-bishop of Mentz, and next [Page 27] him the Count Palatin of the Rhin; The Duke of Saxony fitts on the left hand of the Arch-bishop of Collen, and by him the Marquis of Branden­burgh.

Moreover when they us'd to go in procession with the Emperour 'twas ordain'd in the Golden Bull that the Arch-bishop of Tryers shold go before his Imperial Majesty, and neer him on both sides one of the Ecclesiastical Electors; The King of Bohemia was to go alone after the Arch-bishops, and after him the Elector of Saxony with the naked Sword of the Empire in his hand, having on his right hand the Count Palatin of the Rhin, carrieng the golden apple which denotes the world to be under the Roman Empire; And on the left hand of the Duke of Saxony, the Marquess of Bran­denburgh was to march with a Scep­ter in his hand, then followed the Emperour himself.

By what hath bin spoken the dis­cern [Page 28] Reader may judg who had the priority of place, the Count Palatin of the Rhin or the Duke of Saxony, a Contest that hath gravell'd many.

COncerning the Character, and title of Emperour, it is of a younger date than that of King, and among the Romans it was in the beginning given to him who was Commander in chief of the Militia, nor was it neer of such a transcendency then as now it is, He was at firstbut tutoyè he was but Thou'd when he was [Page 30] spoken unto, but afterwards in regard he had the prerogative to conferr ho­nors, and offices, to grant pardons, and patents of grace, with other obli­ging motives, the Courtiers, especial­ly the Churchmen began to magnifie, or rather deifie him with sublime at­tributs, as we read in Symmachus in his Epistles to Theodosius, and Valentinian, wherin his stile unto them is Vestra ae­ternitas, vestrum numen, vestra perenni­tas, vestra clementia, &c. then he began to be call'd Divus Imperator; but touch­ing the title of Majestas, which was given ab augendo Imperium (as was touch'd before,) or as some wold have it a majori statu, it is an attribut of no great antiquity, for it is not found among the old Authors, and it came not till Henry the seconds time to France who is not us'd to be backward in as­suming, and applyengtitle of great­nes to her self.

But concerning the dignity of Em­perour, as heretofore, so is he still ac­counted the prime potentat and Prince paramount among Christians, and not [Page 31] only among them, but the Turk, next himself accounts the German Empe­rour the greatest Monark upon Earth, and esteems him accordingly, which appeer'd in the person of David Vng­nadius, who being not an age since Ambassador in Constantinople for the Christian Emperour, and coming for audience to the Duana in the Sera­glio, the Perfian Ambassador had come before, and got the chair, but Vngna­dius offering to go away ther was an upper chair put for him.

Another time upon the celebration of Mahomet the Thirds Circumcisi­on which lasted forty daies & nights, ther being then in Constantinople the Legats of the greatest Monarks upon Earth, yet Hee who was Ambassa­dor at that time for the Emperour Rodulphus the second had alwayes the first place.

Some Civilians exalt the Emperour with divers transcendent titles, wherof one is, Dominus totius terrae, the lord of the whole Earth; That Caesar is Proximus Deo; Caesar is next to God Almighty; But [Page 32] though the Emperour be accounted the sole supereminent Prince in Christen­dom yet ther have bin other Kings who assum'd that title besides him; Som of the Kings of Spain have bin call'd Imperatores Hesperiae; King Edgar whowas row'd upon the river of Dee by fower Kings, wherof the Scot was one, had this title, which appears upon good record by this bouncing Chara­cter. Ego Edgarus Altitonantis Dei largiflua clementia Anglorum Basileus om­nium (que) Regum Insularúm (que), Oceani (que) Britanniam circumjacentis, Cunctarúm (que) Nationum quae infra eam includuntur Im­perator, et Dominus, He was call'd also Albionis Imperator.

I Edgar by the bountifull clemency of the highthundring God, King of the English, Emperour, and Lord of all the Kings, Islands, and seas circumja­cent to Britain, and of all the Nations included therin, he was stil'd in ano­ther place Emperour of Albion.

Moreover the Realms of England was declared an Empire by Act of Par­lement octavo Henrici octavi and in di­vers [Page 33] other Acts the Crown of England is call'd the Imperiall Crown, and the City of London the Imperiall Cham­ber.

Now touching the respects that o­ther Christian Kings owe the Empe­rour, they acknowledge no other but that of precedence only, though Henry the second of England in his letter (which stands upon record) to Fre­derique Barbarossa, and Richard the first in his to Henry the 6. Emperour, seem to acknowledg a kind of subordinati­on by way of Complement; but Ed­ward the third of England wold not kisse the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria's feet at their Enterview in Colen, and the reason he alledg'd, was, because he was Rex inunctus habens vitam & membrum in potestate sua, &c. because he was an anointed King having life and limb in his power, &c. which Ed­ward, as the German Annals attest, Ab Electoribus fuit vocatus, et nominatus Vi­carius Imperii, he was call'd, and no­minated Vicar of the Empire, and as some have it, was offer'd to be Emper­rour, [Page 34] in regard of his acquests, and glorious Exploits in France, whence he brought the three flower de luces upon his Sword, after the French had sent him that geering answer that la Couronne de France n'est pas liee a la que­noville, that the Crown of France was not tied to a distaff.

Add herunto that the Emperour cannot be call'd so pure, and indepen­dent a Monark as some other Kings, for besides that he is but Tenant for life and govern'd by Diets which are Imperial Parlements, the Electors may be sayed to be his Associats, and to have a share in the goverment; Nay, the Emperour by the ancient customs of the Empire may be brought to answer in causis pro quibus impetitus fuerit, sayeth the Bull, before the Count Palatin of the Rhin, but he can passe no Iudgement unlesse the Emperonr himself be present in Im­periali curia.

Ther want no examples that some Emperours have bin depos'd for their mal-administration, an instance shall [Page 35] be made in Wenceslaus in the yeer 1400. who was formally degraded by the Archbishop of Mentz upon a pub­lique theater in the plaines of Brubach neer the river of Rhin by a judicial sentence, which I thought worthy the inserting here.

VVee Iehn Archbishop of Moguntia, Prince Elector and Archchancellor of the German Nation, in the name of other Prin­ces Electors, Dukes, Landgraves, Counts, and other Lords, Barons, and Potentats of the Empire, in regard of divers dommageable interests, and for the special importance of all the Empire, we do depose, and deprive by common consent, and Mature deliberation, Wincestaus as negligent, unprofitable, and unworthy of the Roman Empire; We degrade him of all the dignities and of all the honors which were due to him from the Empire, and we publish him in the presence of all the Princes, Barons, and Potentats of the Empire for a prophane person, and un­worthy of such an honor, and dignity; En­joyning Evry one of what quality or condi­tion soever he bee, not to yeeld him obedience as Emperonr, prohibiting evry one to payhim [Page 36] any kind of tribut, fief, or forfeiture, either by Right or by covenant, or any office appertain­ing to the Empire, Nay, we will that those perquisits be reserv'd untill God doth give us the grace to elect an Emperour, that may be for the benefit of the whole Empire, and the Christian Common-weale. And it is well known how often he hath bin admonish'd by the Princes Electors both in publique and privat, and particularly by ev'ry one of our Order that he wold leave his unworthy de­portments, and carry himself as his Dig­nity requir'd.

Concerning the King of the Romans, it is but a modern title, peculiar to him who is declar'd Heir apparent, or the design'd Successor of the Empire; But at first, he who was so chosen was called Caesar, and it was the Emperour Adrian who first cal'd AeliusVerus by that title, insomuch that the family of Iulius Cae­sar being extinct in the person of Domi­tius Nero who was the sixt in descent (as afore was told) the name Caesar ceas'd to be us'd as the name of a fami­ly or blood, but it was us'd as a name meer honorary, and precedent to the [Page 37] Empire; Afterwards the design'd Successor to the Empire was call'd Despote, after that he was call'd King of Italy, then King of Germany, and lastly King of the Romans, Romischer Konig in high Dutch, and the Emperour himself was only call'd Caesar Keyser in Dutch, wch appellation continueth to this day; And it was Charles the 5 who introduc'd the title of King of the Romans, who since is acknowleg'd the immediat, and un­questionable apparent Heir and to succeed in the Empire, whether it be by Resignation, by deprivation, or death, being in proximo fastigio collocatus to the Emperour; Nay som Civilians hold that the King of the Romans may make Edicts without the regnant Emperour, being bound only as they say, Majesta­tem Imperialem comiter observare, making him hereby to owe a duty of reverence, but not of superiority to the Keysar or Emperour.

THe German Empire is divided to ten Circles, viz. Austria the high, and low, Franconia, Bava­ria, Saxonia, Westphalia, the low­er Circle of Saxony, Burgundy, the two Palatinatts; The goverment wherof is [Page 39] principally in the Emperour, contracted­ly in the Electors, and diffusively in the Diet or Imperiall Parlement, and o­ther Courts, wherof the Chamber of Spire is the Supreme, whence ther is no appeal.

In the Diets, after the Emperour, the Princes Electors are the prime state, among whom the Prelats have still the priority; The second state is compos'd of four Arch-bishops, viz. he of Magdenkurg (who is primat of all Germany) He of Salzburg, he of Be­sanson, and the Arch-bishop of Breme, which Archbishoprick the Kings of Denmark have had a long time; Then ther are one and thirty Bishops, and eleven Abbats, wherof he of Fulda is the chief, having above fourscore thou­sand rich dollers in annuall revenue; Then come the secular Princes of the Em­pire, wherof the Arch-dukes of Austria are first, and they are divided into two branches, viz. of Germany and Burgundy.

The third Estate is compos'd of Im­perial towns which are about sixty five [Page 40] in nomber, som wherof hold soly from the Emperour (which are ac­counted the most noble,) and some are Relevant from other Princes. Ther is another sort of Towns call'd the Hansiatique Towns, twixt whom ther is a strong confederacy, and fra­ternal league in merchantile affairs: They are divided into fower classes, or Metropolitan Cities, to wit Lubeck, Co­len, Brunswick, and Danzick, who have a solemn yeerly convention at Lubeck where they keep their Records. The Hans or Hansiatique Association is of long antiquity; touching the word, some wold fetch it from hand, because they of the Society plight their faith when they enter into the fraternity; others derive it from the word Hansa, which is Counsell or advice in the Go­thique toung; Others wold have it from Hander see which signifieth a place neer the Sea, and this passeth for the most current Etymologie, in re­gard that all their Townes are so situ­ated, or upon som Navigable river leading to the Sea. The Extent of [Page 41] the old Hans was from the Nerve in Liefland, as far as the banks of the Rhin, comprehending about 62 townes of trassique, whereof the fower great Towns afore nam'd were the several precincts; The Kings of Poland, and Sweden have sued to be their Protector, but they refus'd them, because they were not Princes of the Empire; They put off the King of Denmarque also with a complement, nor wold they admit of the King of Spain when he was most powerfull in the Netherlands, though afterwards they desir'd his help when 'twas too late; They refus'd also the Duke of Anjou, notwith­standing that the world thought at that time he shold have married Queen Elizabeth of England, who ap­peer'd for him in this busines, wher­by 'twas probable, they might have recover'd their old priviledges in England; So that I do not find that they had any other Protector (unles of late yeers) but the great master of Prussia, and their want of a Protector did do them some prejudice in that [Page 42] famous difference they had with Queen Elizabeth; The old Hans had Extraordinary immunities conceded unto them by our Henry the third, be­cause they assisted him in his warrs with so many Ships, and, as they pre­tended, the King was not only to pay them for the service of the sayed Ships, but for the vessels themselfs in case they miscarried; Now, it fortun'd, that upon their return to Germa­ny from serving Henry the third; a great part of their Fleet was cast away by distresse of weather, for which ac­cording to covenant they demanded reparation; Our King in lieu of mo­ney gave them some immunities, and a­mong other acts of grace, they were to pay but one per cent custom, which continued till Queen Maries time, and by the advice of King Philip her hus­band she Enhanc'd the one to twenty percent; The Hans not only complain'd, but clammor'd allowd for breach of their ancient privileges confirm'd un­to them by long prescription from thirteen successive Kings of England, [Page 43] which they pretended to have pour­chas'd with their money; King Philip undertook to accommodat the busines, but Queen Mary dieng, a ltttle after (out of a conceit of the lesse of Calais, which she sayed upon her death-bed should be found Engraven in her heart if she were open'd) and he retiring hence, there could be nothing done; Complaints being made afterwards to Queen Elizabeth, she answered, that, as she wold not innovat any thing, so she would protect them still in the immunities, and condition she found them. Hereupon their navigation, and traffic was sus­pended awhile, which prov'd very advantagious to the English, for they tryed what they could do themselfs herein, and after som adventures they thrive so well that they took the whole trade into their own hands, and so divided themselfs to Staplers, and Merchant adventurers, the one residing constant in one place, the other stir­ring, and adventuring to divers towns abroad with cloth, and other manu­factures; This so netled the Hans, that [Page 44] they devis'd all the wayes they could to draw upon them the ill opinion of other Nations; Moreover the Hans towns being a body incorporated in the German Empire, complain'd to the Emperour, who sent over Ambassadors to mediat the busines, but they retur­n'd still re infectâ; Herupon the Queen caus'd a proclamation to be pub­lish'd, that the Merchants of the Hans shold be intreated, and us'd as all other strangers within her domi­nions in point of Comerce, without a­ny mark of distinction.

This nettled them the more, ther­upon they bent their forces more ea­gerly, and in an Imperial Diet at Ratis­bon they procur'd that the English Merchants who had associated them­selfs in corporations both in Embden, and other places, shold be adjudg'd Monopolists; whereupon ther was a Co­mitial Edict procur'd against them that they shold be exterminated, and banish'd out of all parts of the Empire, which was done by the acti­vity of Suderman a great Civilian; [Page 45] Ther was there at that time for Queen Elizabeth Mr. Gilpin, as nimble a man as Suderman, and he had the Chan­cellor of Embden to countenance and second him, but they could not stop the Edict wherby the society of Eng­lish Merchants adventurers were pro­nounc'd a Monopoly; yet Gilpin played his cards so well that he wrought un­der hand that the sayed Imperial Ban shold not be publish'd till after the dissolution of the Diet, and that in the interim his Imperial Majesty shold send an Ambassador to England to ad­vertise the Queen of such proceedings against her Merchants; But this made so little impression on the Queen, that the sayed Ban grew to be rather ridiculous than formidable; for the town of Embden harbour'd our Merchants notwithstanding, and af­terwards the town of Stode; but they, being not so able to protect them a­gainst the Imperial Ban removed, and settled themselfs in Hamburgh; After this the Queen commanded another proclamation to be publish'd, that the [Page 46] Hansiatique Merchants shold be al­lowd to trade into England up­on the same conditions and pay­ments as their own Subjects did, provided that the English Merchants might have the same privileges, to re­side, and trade peaceably in Stode or Hamburgh, or any where else within the precincts of the Hans; This in­cens'd them more, therupon endea­vours were made to cut off Stode, and Hamburgh from being Members of the Hans, or of the Empire, but they suspended this dessein till they saw what successe the great Spanish Armada shold have which was then preparing in the year 88, for they had not long before made their addresse to the King of Spain which had done them som good offices; Wherfore to this day King Philip and his Councell were tax'd of a great oversight, that ther was no use made of the Hans towns in that great Expedition against Eng­land.

Queen Elizabeth finding that they of the Hans were not contented with that [Page 47] Equality she had offer'd to make twixt them, and her own Subjects, put out a Proclamation that they shold tran­sport neither corn, victuals, arms, tim­ber, masts, cables, metals, and any o­ther materials, or men to Spain, or Portugal; And after, the Queen grow­ing more redoubted, and famous by the overthrow of the Fleet in 88, The Hans began to despair of doing any good; Add herunto that another dis­after befell them, which was the ta­king of 60 Sayles of their Shipps about the mouth of the River of Lisbon by the Queens Shipps, that went laden with ropas de contrabando, or goods prohibited by her former Proclama­tions into the Dominions of Spain; And as these Shipps were ready to be discharged, she had intelligence of an extraordinary Assembly at Lubeck, which had purposely mett to consult of means to be re­veng'd of her, therupon she made ab­solute prize of the sayed 60 Shipps, only two were freed to bring home ty­dings what became of the rest; Her­upon [Page 48] the Pole sent a ranting Ambassa­dor in the behalf of the Hans, who spake in a high tone, but the Queen herself did suddenly answer him in a higher.

These premisses being well consi­dered, it prov'd an advantagious thing for England that this clash fell out be­twixt Her and the Hans, for ever since the English Merchants have beaten a peacefull and an un-interrupted trade into High and Low Germany, with their Manufactures of Wool, the Golden fleece of England, and found also a way through the White Sea to Archangell, and Mosco, which may be sayed to have been the chiefground of that en­crease of Shipping, Mariners, and Merchandising which she is come unto.

Now, ther is one passage in this re­lation observable, that the Hans-towns, do not tie themselfs to obey the Bans, and Edicts of the Imperial Diet no further than it conduceth to their own interest, as it appeer'd by the ex­amples of Embden, Stode and Hamburgh, [Page 49] in the traverses of this busines, which towns stuck stil to the English Factories, notwithstanding the publique transa­ctions & prohibitions of the Diet to the contrary, Aeneas Sylvius hath a memo­rable critical saying of the German Diets when he sayeth omnes Germanorum Dietas esse valde faecundas, et quamlibet in ventre habere alteram, Ac credible est quia fae­mineum sit nomen libenter impregnari, pie­tas est parturire. All the German Diets are fruitfull, in regard ev'ry one hath ano­ther commonly in its belly, and 'tis cre­dible because Diet is of the Faeminine gender she is more willing to be got with Child; wherunto alluded also the saying of ( harles the fift, viz. That the German Diets were like vipers, for as these destroy their Damms, so the latter Decrees of Diets destroy the former.

I have dwelt longer upon this par­ticular, than my propos'd brevity requir'd, but the Hans being that part of the Empire with whom England hath most correspondence in [Page 50] point of negotiation and comerce, I suffred my self to be transported till my pen came to a full period.

THough by the tru rule of proportion, no parallel canbe made 'twixt the Ro­man Empire pass'd, and the present, no more than 'twixt an Eagle and a Wren, yet because comparisons and examples conduce much to the elucidation of things, somthing shall be said to that point.

The Roman Monarchy when she was at the highest altitude of greatnes, and [Page 54] glory, may be sayed to have had no horizon, while she sate upon her seven Hills she may be sayed to have over­look'd the World; She was once fifty miles in circuit, and five hundred thou­sant free Citizens were computed to be within her Walls, by that famous cense which was made that Vopiscus re­lates; The Roman Eagle fix'd his ta­lons upon the Banks of Euphrates East­ward, on the Nile South, on the Danube and the Rhin Northward, and flew West as farr as the British and German Seas; Her annual revenues were then computed at a hundred and fifty millions, wherof the salary of her legionary Sol­diers amounted to above twenty Mili­ons; some of her Generals usually brought ten thousand talents into her aerarium, her Exchequer, at their return from abroad, and Gabinius twenty thou­sand; Som of her Emperours are record­ed to have strew'd the Amphitheater with gold sand in their publique spe­ctacles, & triumphs, so she might well have taken then the 5 Vowels for her symbole A, E, I, O, V, which signified, [Page 53] Aquila, Electa, Iustè, Omnia, Vincit. But she may be sayed to have shrunk since from a Giantess to a Dwarf, Insomuch that he who hath the Empire now may be sayed to have an Eagles feather on­ly in his Capp, for he must have som­thing of his own to support the sacred Caesarian Majesty, els he may be put to live upon Alms; Take all the tributes of the free Towns, they come but to five thousand Crowns a yeer, but for any tru fundum, or Real estate ther's none; He depends meerly upon the plesure of the Diet for all publique pe­cuniary erogations, and taxes; And wheras we read that Charles the fift had once ninety thousand foot, and thirty five thousand effectif horse against Solyman, and above that nomber against the Lutherans, most of those were leavied in his own Dominions, and patrimo­nial Territories, Insomuch that if the Roman Eagles were not imp'd with Austrian feathers they wold be as bald as a Coot.

Yet Germany or Almain, as the know­ing statists have delivered their opini­ons, [Page 54] is a continent of that large ex­pansion, and so well peepled, that take the whole bulk together she is a­ble to rayse two hundred thousand effectif men, and maintain them by a general unanimous contribution.

Now, my Lord, if you desire to know the reason of this so great an al­teration and decay of the Roman Em­pire, ther were many causes concurr'd therunto, the main cause was touch'd before, viz. the translation of Caesars Court from Rome to Constantinople, wherby Italy, and the rest of the West­ern parts of the Empire were left obvi­ous and as a prey to other Nations; Add herunto the dismembring of the Empire into East and West, with o­ther accidents pointed at before.

But for the declination of the Occi­dental Empire founded by Charlemain, ther was a greater concurrence of cau­fes; First the unhappy partition that Lewis the Gentle Charlemains Son, made of the Empire to find a-pannage and portions for his Sons, wherof he had three; Adde herunto, that when the [Page 55] Empire came to be within the German pale, and Italy became but a Province to Germany, being to be dispos'd of by the Colledg of Electors, They who aspir'd to be Emperours, or to have their Sons to succeed them us'd to prepossesse, and oblige the Electors by donatifs, and indeed no lesse than bribes, as Charles the fourth to make his Son VVenceslaus capable to succeed him, offer'd them a hundred thousand Florins apeece, as Aeneas Sylvius hath it, but having no ready money to sa­tisfy them, he transferr'd, and pass'd over som Imperial townes unto them, wherof the Count Palatin of the Rhin had three for his share at one time, viz. Openheim, Inquelien, & Keyserlausen. It is recorded in the Imperial Annals that Gerardus Archbishop of Mentz was call'd pro pola Imperii, the Hucster of the Empire, and having conspir'd with others of his Complices against Albert the first, and design'd to elect another Emperour, the sayed Gerardus having a hunting horn about him, and being a potent popular man, he wind­ed [Page 56] out these words In hoc cornu complu­res gesto Caesares, In this horn I carry many Keysars, viz. Caesars; The Em­pour taking this in indignation, by the speciall benediction of Heaven, he was quit with him, and his confede­rats afterwards, by making them car­ry doggs about the Countrey so many miles, which is acccounted in Germany the disgracefullest and most oppropri­ous kind of punishment that can be in­flicted upon a Nobleman, or Gentleman, wheras a Boore or Plebean is condemn'd according to the quality of his of­fence to carry only a Chair from one County to another; such a peculiar punishment ther was of old in France, for wheras ther was a law call'd la loy de la chevelure that none shold wear long hair but the Nobles, he who had committed any degenerous offence was adjudg'd to have his hair cutt off before the tribunal of Iustice, and so was degraded from being a gentleman, his honor going away with his hair, and so made a Roturier or Yeoman: The story tells us that the Emperour Fre­derique [Page 57] Barbarossa made Hermannus Count Palatin of the Rhin, and ten Counts more to carry doggs above one German mile, for the praedations, and ill balancing of dollars, with other insolences they had committed while he was in Italy warring with the Pope, against whom we read he had twelve pitched battails.

Such another clash the Emperour Conradus had with Guelphus Duke of Bavaria, who bore up a good while a­gainst him, at last the Emperour, re­cruting his Army with Italian Auxi­liaries, shut up the Duke in VVinsberga, and beleagred him so close that he was ready to famish; And the Em­perour having bin provok'd so farr that he had vow'd to put all to fyre and sword, The Duchesse being a come­ly couragious Lady went through the throng of the army into the Empe­rours tent, and made such a flexani­mous speech which so melted the Em­perour, that he publish'd a proclama­tion, that for her sake all the Women of VVinsberga shold have safe conduct [Page 58] to depart and carry away upon their backs as much of their most precious wealth that they could bear. Herup­on the Dutchesse took the Duke upon her back, and evry wife by her exam­ple her husband, mayds and unmarri­ed women took up their brothers, and kindred, and so all marched out; The Emperour being much taken with this witty peece of humanity, publish'd a generall act of Amnestia, and so the Duke was redintegrated into his fa­vor. This memorable story I couch'd once into verse, being a task impos'd upon me, and the Epigram runns thus.

But to return where we left, another cause of the Empours decay, was, that being often reduc'd to som exigents for want of money, they us'd to have re­cours to the richest Imperial towns for a supply, who us'd to lend them money, and the Emperours payed them their money back with immunities; Many towns in Italy got their necks out of Caesars yoak this way, and som of them very cheap, as Florence, for it cost her but six thousand Crownes, and Luca ten thousand; &c. In so much that the liber­ties of most of the free Citties of Italy, much more of high and low Germany, sprung out of the necessities of the [Page 60] Emperours, wherby their power as well as their glory did daylie decline; Adde herunto that the Bishopps of Rome feather'd their nests from time to time with the Eagles plumes, specially in Italy, for besides the City of Rome, and the Countreys adjacent, such was the high reverence the Church had in those daies that many other territories were given to the Apostolical See, and since, by well devoted Princes, Inso­much that the Pope is grown herby to he a great temporal Prince, for the state of the Church extends above three hun­dred miles in length, and about two hun­dred miles in breadth; It contains the Dutchy of Ferrara, Bologna, Romania, the Marquisat of Ancona, Sabina, Pe­rugia, with a part of Toscany, the Pa­trimony of Saint Peter, and Latium; in these there are above 50 Bishopricks; He doth signorize also over the Dut­chy of Spoleto and the Exarchat of Ra­venna, he hath the Towns of Beneven­to in the Kingdom of Naples, and the County of Venisse in France call'd Avig­non, he hath title good enough to [Page 61] Naples also herself, and Calabria, but rather than incurr the diplesure of the King of Spain his Champion, and chief supporter of his Chair, he is con­tented with an annual heriot of a white Mule with a pursfull of pistols about her neck; He pretends also to be Lord paramount of Sicily, Urbin, Parma, and Masseran, as also of Norway, Ire­land, and England since King Iohn did prostrat our Crown at Pandulpho his Legats feet: His Dominions reach from one Sea to another, viz. from the Tyrrhene to the Adriatique, and these Territories run through the center of Italy, which enables the Pope to do good or harm to the Princes about him, and makes him capable to be an Vm­pire, or a potent Enemy, his authority being mixt twixt secular and spiritual, for he can use the sword, and thun­der-bolt of Excommunication at ple­sure; And (to return to our chief subject) most of the Countreys point­ed at before being feathers of the Eagle did much decrease her strength.

Moreover, as the Roman Church did [Page 62] this way impair the power of the Em­pire, so the Reformed Church, and the difference of Religion in Germany did much enfeeble it; For those Princes who turn'd Lutherans daylie encroach'd upon, and impropriated the demeans of the Church, which was a great sup­port to the Emperour, being more devoted to him; than to the secnlar Princes.

But to go a little more particularly to work, we will not rove in Asia and Afrique where so many mighty parts of the Continent fell from the Roman Empire, nor will we look so farr back in Europe as to speak of the defection of Spain, France, and Great Britain, which was the first Province that fell from Rome, though indeed Rome may he sayed to have fallen first from Her, being not able by reason of warrs she had in other Countreys, to protect the Britains against the Picts, as England sayes now in point of Religion that she had never fallen away from Rome, un­lesse Rome had fallen from her self; I say we will not look so fart back, but [Page 63] come to more modern Times since the Empire came within the German pale; The Suisses were one of the last that revolted, who being summon'd to the Imperiall Chamber at Spire, they sent a rough hewn Ambassadors totell the Imperial Councel in these words, Do­mini confaederati Heluetii vos vicinos suos salvere jubent, mirantur verò quod tam cre­bris citationibus, &c. The Lords Con­faederats of Switzerland do greet you their Neighbours, but they wonder that by your so frequent citations you wold disquiet Them, therfore they pray and exhort you, that you would no further molest Them. In Charles the fifts time the Livonians fell off, and He summoning them to their obedience, and menacing to reduce them other­wise by force, they sent him a geering Answer, That they beleev'd his Horse wold tyre before he could reach the skirts of Liefland, as Thuanus hath it. A Ger­man Author hath it upon record, that since the reign of Rodolph the first, a­bove two hundred States and Princes have un-membred, and emancipated [Page 64] themselfs from the German Emperour, who were us'd to obey his summons, & make their apparance accordingly.

Touching Germany it self, 'tis tru, that it is a huge Continent, and full of Princes, which make som compare her to a Firmament spangled with Stars; Others compare the Emperour to a great Luminary incircled with the seven Planets, meaning the Septem­virat, or the Colledg of Electors, and not improperly, for this agrees with the Caesarean Arms, which are Sol, Saturn arm'd, and crown'd Mars, and the Eagle displayed with two heads; yet, though therby the Emperour be call'd Rex Regum, these Princes are prejudi­cial to his greatnes, wherof Ibraim Ambassador to Solyman the great Turk gave a hint by an ingenuous Fable which was thus; When Maximilian the second was chosen Emperour, the foresayed Ibraim was then at Frank­fort, who having bin a Spectator to the ceremony, and observ'd what great Princes attended the Emperour that day, and being told that som of [Page 65] them could rayse an Army of them selfs, and maintain it against any power, The Ambassador smilingly sayed, That he doubted not of the puissance of Germany, but he observ'd that the Minds and Actions, the Counsels and Interests of the Germans were like a beast with many heads, and tayls, which in case of necessity being to pass through a hedg, and ev'ry head seeking to find a par­ticular hole to pass thorough, they were a hindrance one to another, ev'ry head drawing after his own fan­cy, and so hazarded the destruction both of all the heads body & tayls: But the Empire of Solyman his great Ma­ster was like a beast with many tayls, yet she had but one head, which head being to get thorough or over any pas­sage, without any confusion, or diffe­rence of fancy, all the tayls, and the whole body follow'd smoothly af­ter.

Lastly, the fatallst cause of the de­cay of Caesar was the monstrou; succes­ses of the Mahumetan, whose half Moon [Page 66] fill'd out of the Wane of the Roman Em­pire both East and West, It being a sad saying, that whersoever the Turks horse sets once his foot, ther's no Christian grasse will ever grow there again.

THe attempting the Crown of Bo­hemia by Frederiqne Count Palatin of the Rhin, as it prov'd unsuccessfull unto himself and Family, so it prov'd fatal to all Christendom besides (as [Page 68] the preceding Comet did foretell An. 1618.) for directly or collaterally it hath bin the cause of all the warrs that happen'd ever since in Christen­dome, which made King Iames, as if he had bin Prophet as well as Prince to say unto his privy Councell, upon the first tydings which were brought him that his son-in-law was gone to Prague, My Lords, this is a sad busines, and the youngest man amongst us shall not live to see the end of it which prov'd tru.

The Bohemian Crown was first of­fer'd by the Revolters to the Duke of Saxony, but hee out of a political pru­dence, as well as out of the fidelity and alleageance he ow'd the Emperour, declin'd it; Then they reflected upon the Count Palatin of the Rhin as a Prince that might be par negotio, and able to go through-stitch with it, In regard of his powerful alliances, The King of great Britain being his Father-in-law, the King of Denmark his Onckle, the states of Holland his confederatts, and Maurice Prince of Orenge with the Duke of Bovillon (who [Page 69] was call'd the old Ardenian fox) being also his Oncles, which last three, inci­ted him first unto that great Attempt, though he paus'd a good while upon it, and resolv'd twice to decline it, till his lady seem'd to reproch his pusil­lanimity, telling him, Had you Sir, the courage to venture upon a King of great Bri­tains sole Daughter, and will you not ven­ture upon a Crown when 'tis offer'd you?

The Count Palatin then was look'd upon as one of the fortunatst Princes in Germany, Having the best lady in his bed, the best stable of horses, the best library of Books, the best cellar of wine of any of the rest.

Maximilian the old Duke of Bava­ria, stuck close to the Emperour in this quartell, for by his assistance and con­duct an army of 25000. was routed by lesse then fifteen thousand, and the Ci­ty of Prague with the whole Kingdom was recover'd for the Emperour; On the otherside by the arms of the King of Spain and the conduct of Marquis Spinola the Palatinat was conquer'd, though the Princes of the Vnion had [Page 70] an Army of forty thousand effe­ctif men under, the Marquis of Ans­back and others to defend it, but 'twas sayed that dolus versabatur in Ge­neralibus, that the Generals were corrupted, and that the acquest was made more by Spanish pistolls, than by Spinola's Sword.

Herupon at a solemn Assembly of the Electors at Ratisbon Anno 1623, the Electorship of the Rhin, and the Ar­chidapifership, with all the prerogatives, and perquisits, the authorities and enfranchisements, and honors an­nexed therunto was conferr'd upon the Duke of Bavaria for term of life; But in another Assembly 1628, which was five yeers after at Prague, this great Grant was not only confirm'd unto him during his own life, but entayl'd upon his Heirs to Perpetuity, and withall, the upper Palatinat was trans­ferr'd unto him, with the County of Cham in consideration of his expences in the wars, which amounted to thir­teen million of Dollars.

[Page 71] But in the Treaties at Munster and Osnabrug Anno 1652, fower and twen­ty yeers after, this Grant was quali­fied, that in case the Gulihelmian line which is the House of Bavaria did fayl without Masculine issue, the Electorship of the Rhin, with the Archidapifership and all the prerogatives therof shold revert to the Rodulphian line which is the Palatin, being the elder House of the two.

Now, concerning the Gulielmian or Bavarian line ther are but 4 living, wherof two are Churchmen, viz. the Archbishop of Colen, and the Bi­shop of Frizing, which can leave no is­sue behind; Then is ther the now Duke of BAVARIA and his Brother, nor are they also likely to get issue, for as the Tradition in Germany goes Maxi­milian the former Duke of Bavaria ha­ving maried the last Emperours Sister who was young, and the Duke being old and crazy having 5 issues then a­bout his body, ther were some Jesuitts that brought such a prolifical cordial from Italy that enabled the old Duke [Page 68] to get children, but those Children shold be impotent and barren, as it hath hitherto prov'd tru, insomuch the Palsgrave is in fair hopes to get the Electorship of the Rhin again in a short time, and then the eighth Electorship must be extinguished.

Besides, publicae tranquillitatis causa, as the Instrumentum pacis hath it, for setling a firm and general everlasting peace in Germany which had bin so miserably depopulated and torn by the late wars, which had not only scratch'd her face, but rent her very bowels, for about thirty yeers toge­ther, as also for diremption of all strife for the future, The Count Palatin was created the eighth Elector, which is term'd in the Instrument by a new coynd Epithet or logical term simul­tanea Investitura, a joint or contem­porary Investiture; And because ther's an office annexed to ev'ry Electorat, he was made Arch-treasurer of the Empire, which he executed at the Election of the last King of the Romans, and the co­ronation of the Empresse at Ratisbon, [Page 73] by throwing Medaills some of Gold, some of Sylver among the peeple; un­der this notion he hath a session and suffrage in the Colledg of Electors, but he must be content to sitt last of all; Moreover by the said In­strument of Accommodation at Mun­ster, he was to renounce all right pro tempore not only to the upper Palatinat, and the County of Cham, but he was to part with the Bergstrad (one of the best parts of the lower Palatinat) and re-deliver it to the Archbishop of Mentz, who had oppignorated, and pawn'd it to his Ancestor Anno 1463 for a sum of money, but cum pacto perpetuae reluitionis, with a proviso that it might be redeem'd at all times.

The Emperour Ferdinand the third, being not long since dead ther arose a contest, which continues still unde­cided, 'twixt the Elector Palatin, and his Cosen, and Co-elector the Duke of Bavaria about the Vicarship of the Roman Empire; And to illustrat this point the better it must be understood that by the fundamental laws of the [Page 74] Empire, exemplified in the Aurea Bul­la, it is enacted, that in the absence of the Emperour (who was us'd oft in former times to crosse the Alpes to Italy) or after his death during the vacancy or Interregnum, ther were two Vicars or Imperial De­puties appointed to manage the affaires of the Empire, to witt the Count Palatin of the Rhin, for the jurisdictions of Franconia, Svevia, and the Country about the Rhin, And the Duke of Saxony for those large Ter­ritories that lay within that Circle; The Bavarian alledgeth that this preroga­tive of Vicarship appertain'd unto the Count Palatin of the Rhin ratione Electo­ratus, by vertu of the Electorship, & the office of Archidapifer or chief Sewer of the sacred Empire, for which he pro­duceth the Golden Bull both in the O­riginal Latin, and also translated into Dutch; Hee takes also the great Instru­ment of Munster for his buckler, wherin the sayed Electorship of the Rhin, and the ofice of Archsewership with all the prerogatives, perquisits, and appendix­es [Page 75] therunto belonging, wherof the Vi­carship is the chiefest, is totally trans­ferr'd uuto Him and his Issue Male to perpetuity.

The Count Palatin utterly denies that, and positively affirmeth that this office and prerogative of Vicariat was conferr'd upon him and practis'd by his progenitors before ever the Col­ledg of Electors, and the subsequent Aurea Bulla was constituted, which Bull or Magna Charta of the German Em­pire was not the Donor but confirmer only of that great Ancestrial prerogative which inconcussa consuetudine, by an unshaken custom belong'd to his fa­mily; Avouching further, that it is an Annexum inseparabile Comitatus, That it is an Heirloome of the County Pala­tin of the Rhin, in which County he was formally and plenarily reinvested in the yeer 1652: He excepts likewise against the translation of the sayed Aurea Bulla into the Teutonique, or High Dutch, alleadging it is erroneous in many passages; And lastly con­cludes that his Progenitors enjoyed [Page 7] this prerogative of Vicariat, ratione Co­mitatus, not Electoratus, as may be in­ferr'd out of the politicall reason why that office was conferr'd upon his An­cestors w ^ch was in regard of the positi­on of their ditions & Territories which lye apposit & proper to have the go­verment of those Countreys of Franco­nia Svevia, &c. because they are situa­ted neer, & som of them conterminant with the Rhin. This controversy re­mains still indecided; In the interim the protestants of those parts make their addresses to the Count Palatin, and the Roman Catholiques to the Bavarian as their occasions require, either for re­newing or letting of leases, the forfei­ture of Felons goods, the protection of Idiots, and Lunatiques, &c.

HAving allready, my Lord, in a Succinct, but I hope, some Satis­factory way treated of the German Em­pire, [Page 78] of the Octumvirat, or Colledg of Electors, with other matters Conci­dent, and homogeneous with this subject, I shall now wind up this small bottome, and conclude with some glances upon the present Estate of Germany, together with the particu­lar Interests therof.

Your Lordship hath read before that the Office of Emperour, in statu quo nunc, is meerly a Title, and like a feather in one's capp, whosoever undertakes it must have pillars of his own to support it; Now among the Princes of Germany, the Duke of Saxo­ny, next after the House of Austria, is thought to be best able to bear the three Imperial Crowns, and at the late Emperours death he began to be much spoken of, but (as an Observing gentleman, who came lately thence, told mee) all the peeple that are under his subjection did rise up, and with open mouth protested against it, cry­eng out that they wold put themselfs under the protection of another Prince, if he wold be the Keysar; [Page 79] Now, the reason is, that if the Elect­or of Saxe were Emperour, he must of necessity enhance their tolls and taxes to support the Dignity.

The Duke of Bavaria since he hath bin invested in the upper Palatinat, and the County of Cham, is grown very con­siderable, and to be able to counter­poise the Saxe in power, their yeerly revenues amounting to above a million of rich dollars apeece; Besides, the Bavarian Sylver mines have wonder­fully thriven of late yeers both for the purenes, and quantity of Bullion; And if Maximilian the former Duke of Ba­varia could lay out thirteen millions for the service of the Emperour, in consideration wherof he had at first a part of the Territories of Austria hy­pothequ'd unto him, and afterwards the upper Palts and the County of Cham transferr'd unto him, together with the Electorship of the Rhin in full and valuable satisfaction of the said 13 millions, I say if the former Duke was so powerfull, it may be well inferr'd that the present Duke is much more, [Page 80] by the new acquests he hath made, and so might be capable of the Em­pire, but notwithstanding that the French is sayed to spurr him on, and that the Elector of Colen be his Oncle, yet 'tis not probable he will make any competition with his Cou­sin-germin the King of Hungary, his peeple like them of Saxony being also very averse therunto, though his pee­ple be in a surer way of subjection and vassalage unto him, than other Ger­mans are, ther being no great ones in his Dominions to clash with him.

Touching the Marquis of Branden­burg, though he be great Master of the Teutonique Order, and hath such spacious and large Territories that he can go upon his own demeans above 500 miles from Cleve to the furthest parts of Prussia, yet is he thought to be inferiorto the other two in revenues, & wealth, therfore the lesse able to bear the weight of the German Empire; Adde herunto that of the eight Electors, five are still Roman Catholiques, so that it is improbable, a Protestant shold be [Page 81] chosen, for ther are such ceremonies to be perfotm'd that are incompatible with a Protestant, besides the Pope wold never confirm such an Emperour, and without his confirmation no Empe­rour can be call'd Augustus.

Touching the King of Denmark though he be capable of the Empire being a kind of German, yet the nature of those Kings and peeple hath bin rather to preserve what they have than to ex­tend their Country further; Moreover the present King is ingag'd in an open war against the Swed; Ther is also a late clash 'twixt him, and the town of Hamborough about the Huldygen, which is an Inauguration to be her Protector, as his Father was: for Hamborough was built upon, and stands still upon the King of Denmarks ground; yet she re­fuseth to Huld him, alledging that she bought him out for great summes of money, And so pretends to be now an Imperial free Town, and to hold so­ly from the Keyser; Wheras others averre that she is meer Hansiatique within the Verge of Lubeck her Neigh­bour, [Page 82] which is the chiefest of the first Precinct of the old Hans, as was touch'd before.

Adde herunto that the last King of Denmark hath some particular obliga­tions to the House of Austria, his great Gran-mother having bin Charles the fifts Sister. Besides, when General Tilly was like in the eye of human re­son with a Veteran victorious Army to overcom all Holsteyn, Ferdinand this King of Hungaries Gran-father made a friendly, and favourable peace with Christian the fourth, who had invaded Germany with a considerable Army, but with little successe, in the behalf of the Count Palatin of the Rhin his Nephew.

The Swed mought have bad fair for the Imperial Golden Apple had he took firmer footing in Poland, and succee­ded in his notable designs further; Nay, his Army being compos'd of Soldiers of Fortune, might still by new recreuts as they push'd on their hopes, have prov'd in time as formidable, and fatal to the test of Christendome as [Page 83] their Ancestors the Goths and Vandales were of old, who pierc'd the very cen­ter of Europe to find warmer habita­tions.

Nor was the Swed altogether inca­pable to have stood for it in regard of those Territories which Gustavus got, and annexed to the Crown of Sweden within the pale of the Empire, viz. Pomerland, and Breme; But the Dane entring into a new warr with him, and the Marquis of Brandenburg de­serting him, and having the House of Austria, the Pole, the Moscovit his actu­al enemies besides, 'tis thought his hopes are blasted for enlarging his do­minions at this time, but 'tis well if he can now secure Sweden it self, much more the new acquests aforesaid in Germany; specially his friends (viz. England and France) being so remote from him, and his enemies so neer a­bout him.

The French King, though I be­leeve he be in despair to have it himself, he being Exterus & non Germa­nus, a Scranger and no German, and [Page 84] ther being a fundamental Law that no Forrener be Emperour, as ther is a Sanction in the Conclave among the Cardinals, that no Tramontane, viz. one born this side the Alps can be Pope, I say, though the King of France looks not for it himself, yet he spends all the interests he hath, and is like to em­ploy all the power he can with all the Artificies besides to cajoll, I will not say, corrupt the Electors for the seclu­ding of the young King of Hungary, and that the Empire shold not be alwayes a prostitut to one Family. But France they say hath few real Friends in Ger­many among the Princes; 'Tis true the Elector of Tryers being perpetual Arch-chancelor of France, hath always bin, and is still Fleurdelizè, he is Flow­deliz'd and Frenchified all over, and France alwaies sticks to him also upon all occasions; 'twas about him that ther was such a counterbuff 'twixt Lewis the thirteenth, and Gustaphus Adolphus, because he had invaded part of his Territories; 'twas for his sake, be­sides the still growing greatnesse of [Page 85] Spain, that this present warr was de­nounc'd by sound of Herald against the House of Austria, by the last French King: Moreover, 'tis tru that the Mar­quis of Brandenburg while he lately ad­her'd to the Swed was devoted to France, but since he hath accommodated mat­ters with the Pole, he hath chang'd his interest, and is like to enter into the general league they speak of to be made between the Princes of the Em­pire for preserving the common peace of Germany against all that shall at­tempt to disturb it; And besides the Electors themselfs, The Duke of Bruns­wick, Prince of Anbalt, Luneberg, Law­enburg, the Landgrave of Hesse, Darm­stad't, Baden, Newburgh, Wittemburgh, though the last, and some of the other smell rank of the French interest, yet to prevent a new warr in Germany they are like to enter into the foresayed Patrial league, together with all the Imperial and Hansiatical Towns.

Touching the Palsgrave, or Prince Palatin of the Rhin, 'tis tru that ther hath bin a great deal of intimacy, and [Page 86] reciprocal leagues twixt his Progeni­tors, and France, but the last Empe­rour and his Son the King of the Ro­mans oblig'd him (and his brother Prince Rupert) by many recent civili­ties; At the Treaties of Osnabrug, and Munster the Emperour wold have his busines to be dispatch'd first, and was very indulgent of him all along the while; The fower hundred thou­sand dollars which were assign'd him­self, and to make portions and apen­nages for his younger brothers, the twenty thousand dollars that were a­warded the Lady Dowager his mother pro victalitio, and the ten thousand dol­lars which were assign'd for dowries to evry one of his Sisters, were all granted as the words of the Instru­ment run pro benevolo suae Majestatis Cae­sareae affectu ergo domum Palatinam, for the benevolent affection his Imperial Majesty bore to the family of the Pa­latin, which summes the Emperour punctually payed; Moreover at the coronation of the Empresse, and the creation of the last King of the Ro­mans, [Page 87] the Prince Palatin officiated in person, and ther were many Endear­ments pass'd twixt the Emperour, and him; In so much that 'tis thought he will be no back frend to his son the now King of Hungary when the busi­nes of Election comes to be canvas'd.

These Premisses, & particular inte­rests being well considered, in the eye of all humane probality 'tis thought, that the last Emperours son Leopoldus Ignatius, now King of Bohemia and Hun­gary, &c. and being one of the Electors himself, and chiefest of the Temporals, is like to be the man, and make the four­tinth Emperour of a direct Austrian line; And they who think thus, ground their conjectures upon divers reasons deduc'd from the present posture of things.

First, because the Iunta, or Assem­bly of the Princes Electors is stil de­ferr'd, and like to be so, till the sayed King of Hungary be come to his Majo­rity, which by the German law in this point is at eighteen yeers, and this will be in Iune next; then being out [Page 88] of his bassage, or minority, he is ca­pable both to be King of the Romans, and to have a suffrage among the E­lectors as he is King of Bohemia, and Archbuttler of the sacred Empire.

Secondly, because if the King of Hungary have the canvas, and be reject­ed, ther will be an inevitable warr in Germany, which she will avoyd if pos­sible she can, having had not only her face scratch'd, but her very entrails rent asunder for so many yeers by a cruentous lingring warr, and the deep wounds she receav'd thence are not yet consolidated in som places.

Thirdly, because ther is no Prince so potent and proper to bear the weight of this great burden than the King of Hungary, or to keep out and encounter the Common Enemy, to witt, the Turk, as Hee, for he hath not only most of the Dominions of Austria, but two Kingdomes besides situated on the confines, and serving as ram­parts against him by land, as the Re­publique of Venice doth by sea; Inso­much that both the danger, as well as [Page 89] security of the House of Austria is in­volv'd with the Empire it self, and in­deed of all Europe. Now we shall find all these Countreys in the title of the last Emperour, which runns as fol­lowe's.

Ferdinandus tertius divinâ favente clementia electus Romanorum Imperator, semper Augustus, Ac Germaniae, Hun­gariae, Bohemiae, Dalmatiae, Croatiae, Slavoniae, &c. Rex, Archidux Austriae, Dux Burgundiae, Bragantiae, Stiriae, Carinthiae, Carniolae, &c. Marchio Moraviae, Dux Lucemburgiae, ac supe­rioris & inferioris Silesiae, Wittembur­giae, & Teckae, Princeps Sveviae, Comes Haspurgi, & Gloritiae, Langravius Alsa­tiae, Marchio sacri Imperii Romani, Bur­gaviae, ac superioris, et inferioris Lusatiae, Dominus Marchiae Slavonicae, portus Na­onis, & Salinarum, &c.

In this accumulation of eight and twenty titles ther are but two that he had from the Empire, viz. the stile of Emperour, and Ring of Germany, all the rest are appendixes of the House of Austria; And the King of Spaiu [Page 90] who is of the elder House hath many more, being great granchild to the Emperour Charlesle Quint, who made a spontaneous Resignation of the Em­pire to Ferdinand his second brother, though as a privat Author hath it, the second day after his resignation, was the first day of his repentance.

Now, to rayse up the House of Au­stria to this altitude, six of the greatest Families of Europe concentred in one, viz. Austria, Burgundy, Castile, Ara­gon, Hungary, and Portugal, so that it may be call'd a palace six stories high, (though as Emperour he hath not a house to hide his head in) ‘Austriacûm Domus Armipotens sex ful­ta columnis.’

Fourthly, because the House of Austria hath the good wishes of the Pope, and of the Iesuitts, who under­hand do good offices for him, though the Pope dare not appeer publiquely in the busines for fear of giving any distaste to France; For he may be sayed to hold France, and Portugal [Page 91] also, as one doth a Dog by the ears, fearing they shold run away from him to Patriarks of their own making; Nor hath any King in Christendom a greater temptation to fall away from Rome, in regard the Gallican Church, by a late computation which was made, hath above three hundred and forty millions of liures in annual reve­nue, which, shold he renounce the Pope, wold devolve most of it to the Crown.

Moreover, this Gentleman told me that the Electors, with the Princes and Cities of Empire, are more and more sensible to find the King of France shold appeer so much, and as som write, intrude him­self into this busines, by sending Am­bassadors with such gawdy trains, whose rich liureys are like to be worn out before the Election day, so that they had needed to have brought a Lantern and Candle with them com­ming so long before day, as one made a Pasquill of them in Frankfort, who with som difficulty did open her Gates [Page 92] unto them, it being an ancient Con­stitution of the Empire, that none shold be admitted to lodge in the Town where the Election is to be held, but the Princes Electors them­selfs and their train, which come to nere upon two thousand horse; But the Germans are more sensible and startled, that the French shold draw such forces to their Frontires as to Metz, Philipsburg, and Brisack (for Bri­sack-bridg makes now France and Ger­many one continued piece,) as if ther wer a design hereby to controul the E­lectors in their choice, and embroyl Germany again in a warr; which puts the young King of Hungary to extraor­dinary expences, of making new levies, Insomuch that he will have by the next Spring, as they write, an Army of 50 thousand effectif men, to con­front the French.

But indeed it may be wondred ther shold be any ambition at all, of aspi­ring to the Roman German Empire in sta­tu quo nunc, it being but an ayrie bare shadowy title, or a Skeleton of [Page 93] part of the old Roman Monarchy, Therfore a late German Author confes­seth, Quod nobis est magnum momen­tum politicum, Exteris est magnum deri­diculum, That which we make to be of so high political a consequence, seems to Forreners to be but a thing of laughter, alluding to that adoe ther is us'd about the election of an Empe­rour, as in Venice to creat a Doge who in point of power is no other than te­cta di legno a head of wood.

Nor are those who live under the Empire tyed to so strict an obedience, ther is not that exact relation, and reciprocation of subjection, and pro­tection 'twixt the Emperour and his Vassals, as useth to be 'twixt Prince and Peeple in other places, where the Liegeman is bound to submit, and the Liegelord is bound to defend; Touching the later, he spoke like a Statist, that sayed, Defendere subditos est attributum naturale inhaerens visceribus Regiminis, est qualitas infixa ossibus, et indivisibilis, ita utregimen, & protectio unum & idem judicatur indivisible. Defence of the [Page 94] Subject is a natural attribut inhae­ring in the very bowels of Gover­ment, 'tis a quality infix'd in the very bones therof, Insomuch that Prote­ction and Goverment is adjudg'd to be the self same indivisible thing: 'Tis not so in the Imperial Government, wher ther is a looser kind of Clientele, and Protection; Nor is the submis­sion of the Liegeman so absolut, for an Imperial Ban is not so much obey'd there as an Edict in France, a Prematica in Spain, a Proclamation in England, or a Placart in the Ne­therlands, wher ther is a more pun­ctual obligation 'twixt Prince and Peeple, the one to obey, the other to defend their persons, and maintain their privileges; Though som do hold, that a Country giving her self to a Prince, what privileges soever the pee­ple reserve to themselfs by contract, they are all lost when they enter into subjection, which by its nature makes a man subordinat to another without any exception, whensoever the pub­lique good is concern'd, and that those [Page 95] privileges by the sayed subjection pass into the nature of concessions of Prin­ces afterwards, which they may stretch, restrain, or revoke according to the ur­gency of their publique occasions; And when ther is a necessity to do so, the Peeple are not allow'd to revolt, or right themselfs by violence; 'Tis tru, that in all privat particular Treaties the unobservation of the Conditions, acquitts the parties from the Obliga­tions of the contract, but this doth not reach to Soverain Princes, when the Peeple have once chosen them for their advantage, and security. But to return to our chief matter, the Princes, and Towns of the Empire, though they acknowledg the Keyser for their Sove­raign, yet are they not oblig'd in that strictnes of obedience to him, as their own peeple are to them; These Princes may be sayed to be rather his Col­legues, and Associats in governing ra­ther than Snbjects; It being a Rule in Germany, that Quilibet Imperii status in suo Territorio tantum possit, quan­tum Imperator in toto Imperio, Ev'ry [Page 96] state of the Empire within his own Territory, may do as much as the Emperour in the whole Empire; They have power of life and death, they may coyn money, send Ambassadors abroad, and make confederacies, and leagues with forren Princes, with o­ther Territorial prerogatives; But that power of making leagues was re­strain'd in the late Treaty at Osnabrug, for the Instrument sayes, Ius faciendi faedera liberum esto, Ita tamen ne ejusmodi faedera sint contra Imperatorem, & Imperium, pacemque ejusdem publicam, Let it be free to make confaederacies, provided that the sayed confaederacies be not against the Emperour, and the Empire, with the publique peace ther­of; Nay further, the Princes of the Empire have such a latitude of power that they write se regnare Dei gratiâ, that they Raign by the Grace of God; And that within the verge of the Empire the Princes Electors are not to give precedence to any other forren Prince, or potentat whatsoe­ver; Therefore when Charles King of [Page 97] Scotland, was a few yeers since at Frankfort, the Count Palatin of the Rhin sent him word that he desir'd to give his Majesty a visit, but by the constitution of the Empire he was not to give priority of place there to any, it being an Imperial Town, but if his Ma­jesty wold please to come to any of his own Territories he wold then respect his Majesty in that point accordingly.

The states of the Empire have also a territorial authority, to change their Religion at plesure, by a late Consti­tution, where 'tis sayed, Religionis muta­tio est sequela Territorialis Iurisdictonis, ac inhaeret Territorio sicut nebula paludi; The alteration of Religion is a sequele of Territorial Iurisdiction, and is in­haerent in the Territory as a clowd in a pond. By what hath bin spoken it appears what a small extent of power the sacred Caesarean Majesty hath over those that professe obedience to him; Nay, when ther is a King of the Ro­mans 'tis a question who hath the greater power the Emperour or Hee; For the Emperour and the King of the [Page 98] Romans may be sayed to be like two Sunnes in one Firmament, the one de­clining, the other rising, and the la­ter hath more eyes upon it than the former.

By those particulars that have bin pointed at in this Section, a conjecture may be made, if not a judgment, who stands fairest to be the next Empe­rour; But they who harbour some doubts of the King of Hungary, have one shrewd argument that he may go without it, which is his late encrease and amplitude of power, for he hath not only the large Kingdom of Bohemia with the great Territories annex'd therunto now as hereditary by way of conquest, but ther is an ovverture, if not an offer and privat Treaty a foot that the Crown of Poland will be en­tayl'd upon him, and his successors for the future; Though this augmen­tation of power be good for the Chri­stian Common-Wealth in general, because it enableth the Emperour to bear up the better againgst the Common Enemy the Turk, yet not [Page 99] only the Electors, but some other Princes of the Empire conceave some jealousie of this enlargement of the Imperial power, not with­out some apprehensions of fear, that if the Eagle shold ranew his bill, and have his feathers come home to make his wings full summ'd again, hee might seaze up­on, and make a prey of sundry Towns, and Territories which di­vers of the sayed Princes hold from the Empire but by crazy weak ti­tles; Nay it putts a flea in the Venetians ear also, who have bin alwayes jealous of the Austrian greatnes, in regard of contiguity of Territories they both have in Dal­matia, Croatia, and other places. But it may be well expected that the Princes Electors will rather look up­on the generall good and incolu­mity of the Christian Common-Wealth, as their Oath doth bind them, which is as astringent, and conjuring kind of Oath as possibly the witt of man can [Page 100] draw, or devise, for they are not to be transported by any Pact, Price, Promise, or Prayer in the Election. Which Oath runns thus.

This tremendous Oath is pronounc'd in Latin, the Lan­guage of the Empire in all Nego­tiations with forein Princes; though the Electors be enjoynd by the Great Charter of the Imperial Constitutions, viz. the Golden Bull, [Page 105] to speak the Teutonique or High Dutch, the Italian, and Slavonique Languages.