The estate of the Empire, or, An abridgement of the laws and government of Germany cast into dialogues for the greater conveniency of a young prince that was instructed therein / by Lewis Du-May ... ; translated into French by D'Alexis Esq. ... ; now faithfully rendered into English.

A Summary of the Dialogues.

THis Treatise contains ten Dialogues between a Prince and his Governor, who teaches him all that there is considerable in the Empire: For this Book comprehends in brief all that the Do∣ctors of Law and the Interpreters of the Golden Bull have written thereupon; as may be seen in the reading of it.

I. Dialogue.

This Dialogue serves for an Introduction to the rest, and the Governor having shown his young Prince, that he should learn to be a good Christian, before he learn to be a good Prince; makes him understand, that it is necessary for him to go out of his Fathers Court, and travel through Forein Countries, as a means to become such. Here it is discoursed at large of certain Travellers that learn nothing but the worst fashions and customs of other Nations. Then he showes the advantage of Travelling with judgement, and in company of such as know what is requisite to be observed in every part of Europe. After that, he makes it appear, that it is easy to become a wise Counsellor and an able Souldier by Travelling; wherein a

man learns to know the humour of people, and the Languages. Hereupon he speaks of the cor∣ruption of Languages, the cause thereof, and other curious notions. Lastly he maketh his Ger∣man Prince understand that he ought to know the French and Italian Tongues; and that, with∣out busying himself upon sciences that have more vanity then solidity, he should learn the art of Governing well, and consequently the Estate of the Empire, which contains almost all that a Prince ought to know.

II. Dialogue.

This Dialogue containes the Estate of the Em∣pire in general; and therein is shown, that the Emperor is a Monarch, though he have not an absolute power to do all that he pleases, forasmuch as the Princes of Germany acknowledge that all their dignity is communicated to them by and from him. He can create Kings, Arch Dukes, &c. but cannot confer Ecclesiastical Benefices, and why.

In the beginning of this Dialogue the Author sayes, that his Book shall treat of the Head and principal Members of the Empire; of their power & authority; of the Origine, progress, and alliances of the illustrious Houses; of the rank and place they hold in the Assemblies; of the Branches of every Family; of the causes of love, hatred, and

jealousie amongst them, &c. After that, he proves that the Estate of the Empire is Monarchical, and confuting the contrary opinions, he establishes his own. And because the Emperor hath not right to confer Ecclesiastical Benefices, he ren∣ders the reason thereof; and makes it clear, that notwithstanding all that, he is the first Monarch in the world. And forasmuch as he is made so by Election, the Author speaks of the Electors, their beginning, their power, their order, and their number; and showing what necessity there was to increase the last, he brings the reasons which the Ancients had to raise to that dignity three Ecclesiastical, and four Secular Princes, who have power to create and depose the Emperor, and the King of the Romans. Then he speaks of the Ceremonies used at their Coronation, and of the power both of the one and the other.

III. Dialogue.

In this Dialogue he speaks of the Estates of the Empire; and having shown that those which are so, have many rights of Regality, he passes to the consideration of the House of Austria, dis∣covers its original, how long it hath born the Im∣perial Crown, into how many Branches it is di∣vided, how it came to be so powerful, and what are its priviledges. After that, he discourses of the Pa∣latine, Saxon, and Brandenbourg Houses; and sayes all that the curious can desire to know about them.

IV. V. Dialogues.

In these two Dialogues he treats of all the Se∣cular Princes of the Empire, and of every House in particular, assuring the curious they shall there find wherewithal to satisfie themselves in their search after the antiquity, descendancies, rights, rank, titles, alliances, and Branches of the Houses of Brunswick, Meklebourg, Wirtem∣berg, Hesse, Baden, Holstein, Saxon-Lawem∣bourg, Anhalt, Hohenzolleren, Aremberg, Henneberg, and East Friseland; in like manner as they saw the greatness of the Electoral Houses in the preceding Dialogues. And all along where occasion offers any Political question, he resolves it briefly; not forgetting the praises of men of merit, of Vniversities, and of Colledges, which are very many in Germany. And because it is almost im∣possible but there should be some jealousie, hatred or envy between so many Houses of equal condition, he layes down the causes thereof; and shows how those that precede by turns, take their place; and how many voices they have in the Diets of the Empire; who ought to inherit those Houses, in case they come to be totally extinguished; in what Houses there is right of Primogeniture, and what Religion they profess.

VI. Dialogue.

This Dialogue will give you a perfect know∣ledge of the Ecclesiastical Princes of Germany; wherein he shows how many there were in former times, and how many there are now, as well Bi∣shops, Abbots, Abbesses, as other Ecclesiastical Prelates. How many Orders of Knighthood, what power they have, and what observance they are under. And because ordinarily some Churchman is Director of the Circles of the Empire, he speaks of the Directors of all the Circles; then he dis∣courses of every Bishoprick in particular: And afterwards he passes to the Abbots, and to the ori∣ginal of the Teutonique Knights; how they be∣came so potent, and how they have lost those great Provinces they had acquired. After that, he shows how the Prelates are become so rich; how they obtain their Dignities, which he makes appear not to be after the same manner now as anciently.

VII. Dialogue.

Here he speaks of the Counts and Barons of the Empire; and the word Count, called Graff in Dutch, gives occasion to enquire into the origin of Palsgrave, Margrave, Landgrave, and Bur∣grave, and to know how many there be, when, and how they became great: from whence the title of Archduke came: and whether the dignity of a

Duke was alwayes more illustrious then that of a Count: He proves that there are several sorts of Dukes and Counts, and confutes the opinion of those that hold, an Emperor should have four Kings under him, a King four Dukes, a Duke four Counts, a Count four Barons, and a Baron four Castellans. The Counts were anciently no more then Iudges; and he shows how, and at what time they got the inheritance, and became Lords of their Counties. At present those of the Empire have place and voice in the Diets, are al∣most equal to the Princes and many of them coyn money. He speaks of the Houses of Nassau, Ho∣henzolleren, Furstemberg, and of many others in particular; and then he passes to the Barons, who differ not from the Counts but in name, and sets down a Catalogue of them: Then having distinguished them from those which the Emperor creates in his Hereditary Provinces, he ends this Dialogue with a touch upon the new Barons, who would have the same title that the old ones have.

VIII. Dialogue.

Here will be seen the difference between a Knight and a Gentleman, and between Knights among themselves. There are four kinds of them in Germany, where the Gentlemen are separated from the Body of the Lords, and are not admitted into the Estates of the Empire, though many of them hold immediately of the Emperor; and they

are those onely of Swaben, Franconia, the Rhine, and Lower Alsatia, who observe a kind of Aristo∣cratical Republique among themselves, whereof he speaks at large, as also of their Order and their priviledges: Then he passes to the Gentlemen Subjects, and because they prove their antiquity by the Turnaments wherein they appeared as Par∣ties, he speaks of Turnaments, and the Laws therein observed heretofore, and at what time, and by whom they were brought into Germany, by whom called together, and in what place: From whence he takes occasion to discourse of the Cit∣ties, their beginning, their beauty, their privi∣ledges, and their incredible power: Then he tells what each Imperial City hath most conside∣rable, and how they preserve their liberty.

IX. Dialogue.

In this Dialogue he speaks of the Vniversities of Germany, of their foundation, their number, and their usefulness. Then he passes to the ad∣ministration of Justice, and showes how it was ad∣ministred in the time of the first Emperors, and how it is at this present: at what time the Parli∣ament or Chamber of Soverain Iustice was made sedentary, of how many persons it is composed, of what quality they ought to be, and of what mat∣ters they take cognizance. After that, he discour∣ses at large of the Diets, of him that hath the power to call them together, after what manner he

doth it, who are the persons that he calls thither, who they be that ought to come, when, and whi∣ther they are to be summoned, and of the rank which the Electors, Princes, Lords and Cities hold, when the Emperor presides there; how suffrages are given; and lastly in what manner Conclusions are resolved on, with all that can be desired upon this subject.

X. Dialogue.

Here is an abridgement of the last Wars of Ger∣many, which showes in what condition the Empire was when the Peace was concluded; where may be seen the Confederates of both Parties, and the Battels and Encounters of Armies briefly set down, with the advantage which each Party had therein. After which, the Peace was made; where he speaks of the satisfaction which the Confede∣rates obtained, and of the Troops that remain in Germany still. Then he adds a word of the Golden Bull, which contains the fundamental Laws of the Empire.