The manifest of the most illustrious, and soveraigne prince, Charles Lodovvick, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Prince Electour of the sacred Empire: Duke of Bavaria, &c. Concerning the right of his succession both in the princedome, lands, and estates of the Palatinate: as also in the dignity, voice, session, and function of the electorship-Palatine thereunto annexed. Translated, anno. M.DC.XXXVII.

The Preface.

THe State of Empires, Kingdoms, and all Socie∣ties, is best knowne, by those Lawes, Orders, Con∣tracts, and Constitutions, which, by com∣mon consent, are, for the time being esta∣blished amongst them: for State is from standing; and that present condi∣tion wherein a thing standeth, is the State thereof. What hath been hereto∣fore, or may bee hereafter, doth ra∣ther belong to their Story, than their State. By this Line we may measure

the Germane Empire; at it hath long stood, and yet standeth, though like an old house nodding to the ground. J will not describe the whole frame ther∣of, but onely such parts as may give light to the ensuing discourse. Looke wee therefore backe to former times, and we shall finde, that Germany, like a vast body, was cut and mangled into divers Nations, Formes and Governments, till the Raigne of Charles the Great about 800 and odd yeeres agoe. Jn His dayes, the great Roman Empire split into two; whereof the Westerne part fell to His share, which Hee after subdivided a∣mong His sons. Charles had Ger∣many, Lodowick had France, Pi∣pin had Italy.

But Germany, is the greatest, car∣ried away the Imperiall Title from the rest; which caused great dissentions, not onely betwixt the three pretending Nations, but also among the Princes of Germany, after Charlemaines Line was out. At last Hugh Ca∣pet setting up a new Race in France, to secure His owne posterity, was willing to let fall the strife for the Title, and yeelded it to Germany: But Italy tossed with the furies and ambitions of the Popes, ever rebelled against the Em∣perours, and inward broyles fowlly de∣faced. Germany; Till at length the Princes, tyred and consumed with these evills, were forced to advise toge∣ther for their owne preservation, and the Empires. Then was produced this

forme of State, which hath continued without change, many hundred yeeres. First they made a Law, That the Emperor, from thence forwards, should be chosen among themselves, whereby all pretentions should bee restrained. Next, they appointed the choosers; whereof, according to those times, three were Bishops, Mentz, Tryers and Collen; and three Princes, the Pa∣latine, Saxe, and Brandenburg. These sixe doe onely, and properly, con∣stitute that Colledge, which is called the Supreame Councell of the Emperour, and Foundation of the Empire. But because their number was even, and in Elections it must be odd, the King of Bohemia was added to them, that in the Colledge might be a casting voyce:

for He hath onely Electorall Right at times of election, and is ne∣ver else admitted into the Dyets or Councels of the Colledge. This Colledge was then ordained with prepetuall elective power: Insomuch that when any was chosen by the Chapters of Mentz, Tryer, or Collen to bee Bishops, they were immediately likewise Electours; but because they could not marry, and were alwaies chosen, there was no need to povide for their succession. But the case was different of the Ele∣ctours temporall: For they being great and Soveraigne Princes, before they were Electours, had no meaning to make there Estate worse by that Ad∣dition: And therefore it was enacted

as an irrevocable Law, that their E∣lectorall Dignities, and Temporall Princedomes should goe together, and bee entayled upon their eldest Sonnes and Heire-males descending from them, by the Fathers side for ever.

For they held in necessary to cleare the Succession in those Houses, which had perpetuall Right to choose the Emperour, well fore-seeing, that it might bee no lesse pernitious to the whole body, to dispute who should be Electour, than it was before, who should be Emperour: whereas now the whole Empire might certainely know, where the Dignity would descend, and so be alwaies at rest; from whence it appeareth, that on the certainety of the Colledge, the Jafety of the Empire

dependeth. Now this Right of succes∣sion is so rooted in these Electorall Fami¦lies, and in every one of their Male off-spring, that it cannot bee plucked up, nor alienated, nor forfeited, nor transferred by any resignation, or de∣linquencie; but onely by failing and extinction of blood; in which sole case, both the Dignity and Inheritance re∣vertes unto the Empire, as a Fee thereof. The summe of all, is, that by this Policie and Constitution of the Empire, which hath bin confirmed by such continuance of time, the Empe∣rour is Elective, and the Electours Suc∣cessive; and in the mutuall oathes, which passe betwixt them, the Empe∣rour is bound deeper to them, and by them to the Empire, to preserve them

all in their immunities, than they to him, who onely sweare homage and fealty, not as His, but as vassals of the Empire. In which relation, if after∣wards any, or Electour, or of an Electo∣rall House shall commit the highest crime, though as great as Treason, yet they cannot bee punished, much lesse deposed by any power of the Emperour, who is not the Lord of their Fee, but by a lawfull tryall before the Electorall Colledge and estates of the whole Em∣pire, of which onely they doe depend. As vassals of the Empire, they may be tryed for their offence, and punished in their owne persons: but as Princes and Soveraignes in their estates, they cannot be tainted in blood, nor by their crime prejudice the succession of

their Heires; which is the difference betwixt the Regally of these Electo∣rall Tenures, and those of other Na∣tions; for their treason doth taint the blood, and disableth the Sonne to succeed the Father, because the Sonne succeeds in the Fathers Right; which the Father having forfeited, the Sonne hath nothing to succeed; but heere the Sonne succeedeth not in the Right of his Father, but of his owne; by reason of that first and Originall Contract made with his An∣cestours, wherein Hee was invested and comprehended, as well as his Fa∣ther, and cannot be excluded from his owne Right, but by his owne of∣fence. Which seemeth to bee a most just, and naturall sanction, That

if every owne will looke to his In∣nocence, the Law will looke to his Right. And this may suffice for a small Jntroduction to the worke.