of Brandenbourg and widow to Christopher the last King of Denmark That Prince having Reigned happily 33. years in Denmark 32. in Norway and 25. in Sweden dyed afterwards A. D. 1482. leaving two sons who succeeded him in this manner John his eldest was King of those three Kingdoms after his Father and gave his brother Frederick the moyety of his Hereditary lands Then having reigned peaceably he dyed A. D. 1513. leaving his son Christian II. to be his Successor That Prince was born A. D. 1481. and married Isabel sister to the Emperor Charles V. by whom he had Dorothy Electoress of Brandenbourg Christina Dutchess of Milan and afterwards of Lorraine and John who dyed bearing arms under the Emperor Charles his Unkle by the Mothers side in the year 1532. Christiern otherwise Christian II. forsook the way of his Father and Grandfather and became so cruel a Tyrant that the Swedes drove him out of their Countrey and placed upon the Throne Gustavus Vasc son to Erick a Swedish Knight A. D. 1523. And nine years after the Danes cast him in prison where he ended his dayes in five more P. Men seem to be of a worse condition then beasts inasmuch as Eagles do not ingender pigeons nor Lions Stags yet Heroical persons rarely beget their like The greatest men are subject to the misfortune of seeing their children unworthy to succeed them But what came to pass after the imprisonment of Christiern G. We will speak in another place of what followed in Sweden In Denmark the Nobility had an honourable memory and high esteem of the virtues of Christian I. and of Iohn wherefore instead of the Tyrant who was prisoner at Sunderbourg they placed Frederick his Unkle by the Fathers side upon the Throne who was very aged and yet he introduced the Doctrine of Luther into Denmark and his own hereditary Principalities That Frederick was the first Duke of Holstein which is held in Fee of the Empire as Schleswick is of Denmark but neither he nor his son Christian III. durst send any body to the Diets fearing they should be but ill used for having assumed the place of a brother-in-law to two Emperors P. It may be those Princes not daring to send their Deputies to the Diets lost the Rank they held there G. Frederick I. of that name King of Denmark was Duke of Holstein before he came to the Crown yet I cannot tell whether he had taken place in the Assemblies of the Empire But to pursue the discourse we have begun that Prince left two sons the elder of whom was King after him by the name of Christian III. and Adolph his younger son Duke of Holstein They had both children from whom all the Princes of this House are descended For Christian was Father to King Frederick II. and to Iohn the younger and Adolph to Iohn Adolph and to Frederick Archbishop of Bremen and Bishop of Lubeck P. I pray draw out this Genealogy a little more at length G. Frederick II. husband to Sophia daughter to Vlrick Duke of Meklebourg had one son and four daughters very worthy of your knowledge For as much as Elizabeth the eldest was married to Henry Iulius Duke of Brunswick Anne to Iames VI. King of Scotland who afterwards got all Great Britain by the death and Testament of Elizabeth Queen of England Augusta to Iohn Adolph Duke of Holstein and Hedwig to Christian II. Elector of Saxony His Son and Successor to the Crown was Christian IV. a great King both in time of peace and war That Prince who admiring the worth of Henry the Great King of France made him his pattern in every thing and had at the least as many sons as he as well Legitimate as Natural But there remains no more of the lawfully begotten then his Successor Frederick III. who hath already many children and may have more P. This King is esteemed throughout all Europe for a knowing Prince and one that sets a value upon good men Let us see the Descendents of Iohn the younger G. That Prince was even goodness it self and God blessed him exceedingly for he had 23. children by Elizabeth Dutchess of Brunswick and Agnes Hedwig Princess of Anhalt his wives Two of those Princes dyed in Hungary one at the illustrious Colledge of Tubing two departed in their infancy and four lived to be married who are fathers of many Lords either residing at Sunderbourg Nortbourg Glugsbourg and Plone or else seeking their fortune in the Wars The daughters were thus married the eldest to a Duke of Lignitz three of the youngest to three Dukes of Pomerania Anne Sabina to a Duke of Wirtemberg Eleonor Sophia to a Prince of Anhalt and Margaret to John Count of Nassau The rest dyed in their Cradle except Eleonor who is still unmarried and leads an exemplary life she is 67. years old yet very lovely for her age and worthy to be visited by Kings for she hath a marvellous way of entertaining those Princes and Ladies that do her the honour to see her And I can assure you I never saw better sweet-meats served any where then at her house nor strangers received with greater civility P. Tell me I pray a little more particularly who are the Descendents of John the younger brother to King Frederick II. G. Alexander his eldest son had six sons whereof the eldest married a Countess of Delmenhorst and at his death left one son and two daughters by her Frederick Philip and Joachim Ernest brethren to Alexander are yet living the first hath three sons and as many daughters the second hath but two sons alive five Princesses married and one to marry the third hath four Princes two whereof have command in the King of Spains service and three Princesses still maids all beautiful and witty and brought up in the School of a Father inferior to none in the Empire for prudence and of a Mother that hath but few equals in all kind of vertues P. Do not forget the Descendents of Adolph younger brother to Christian III. of that name G. Adolph had many sons that dyed young one that was Archbishop of Bremen and John Adolph his eldest married Augusta daughter to Frederick II. King of Denmark These two had issue John Bishop of Lubeck a comely and liberal Prince who dying left his son John Augustus still very young but pretty and exceeding hopeful Frederick this Bishops elder brother hath the moyety of the Dutchies of Schleswick Holstein Stormar and Dithmarsh and takes turns with the King of Denmark in the administration of Justice in having place and voice in the Assemblies of the Empire and in all other Rights of Regality This Prince great in knowledge and magnanimity hath for a partner in his bed and felicity Mary Elizabeth daughter to John George Elector of Saxony by whom he hath still living three sons and five daughters four whereof are married to John Prince of Anhalt Gustavus Adolph Duke of Meklebourg Lewis Landgrave of Darmstadt and Charles Gustavus
the Marquis of Brandenbourg and his Successors or rather to Anne only Niece to the said Mary Eleonor excluding Magdalen wife to John Duke of Deux-ponts and Sibyll Marchioness of Burgon her sisters daughters to William and sisters to John William the last of that Family Duke of Juliers and Cleve who received the same priviledge from the Emperor Charles V. in the year 1546. P. It is then the inheritance of John William Duke of Juliers which served for a pretense to the vast preparation that Henry IV. King of France made when he was unfortunately assassinated which hath already occasioned some misunderstandings between the Houses of Brandenbourg and Newbourg and which may yet cause greater But let us leave these intricacies to be disentangled by those that are concerned and take a further view of the immunities priviledges and Alliances of the House of Brandenbourg G. The Golden Bull which hath in all things been exceeding liberal and free of the graces of the Empire towards the Electors grants them all in general and every one in particular Soverain Justice Some say that these Electors not regarding this priviledge so much as they ought carelesly lost it and having been depriv'd of it may years at last the Elector Joachim Frederick got himself repossessed of this Right by the Emperor Rodâ—â—ph II. For my part I am of another opinion and think with the greater number of Writers that they alwayes preserved and enjoyed it As for the order of place observed in Assemblies this Elector is the last but one since the creation of the eighth Electorship We have already said that he hath many voices and the younger brethren of his House to wit the Marquisses of Culembach and of Anspach have each of them one but no right to give a definitive judgement in their Subjects causes if the sum exceed 400. Florins of the Rhine P. I would gladly know whether there be many Princes of this House G. At the time I now write there are three married and three children The Elector Frederick William son to George William and Elizabeth Charlotta Princess Electoral Palatine after long hopes of marrying the matchless Christina Queen of Sweden who hath since declared that she will dy a Maid was married December 7. 1646. to Loâ—yse of Nassau daughter to the great Town-taker Frederick Henry Prince of Orange by whom he hath a son called Charles Amelius who was born February 2. 1655. and another named N. N. born 1657. The Electoral Branch doth at this time consist of these three Princes The Marquisses of Culembach and Barheit are Christian Ernest son to Herman Augustus and Sophia daughter to Joachim Ernest also Marquiss of Brandenbourg This young Prince was born July 27. 1644. and George Albert his Unkle born in 1619. married Mary Elizabeth daughter to Philip Duke of Holstein in the year 1651. The third Branch which resides at Anspach hath been long in fear of ending without issue Male there being none but Albert son to Joachim Ernest and to Sophia Countess of Solmes who in her â—ife time had but few her equals in vertue and beauty This Prince endued with piety as well as magnanimity was born September 28. 1620. and in 1642. married Henrietta Loüyse daughter to Lewis Frederick Duke of Wirtemberg by whom he had only two daughters But that Princess being gone to receive in Heaven the Crown which her vertues merited upon earth this Lord hath taken for his second wise Sophia Margaret daughter to Joachim Ernest Count of Ottinguen And by this Lady who is a Phenix in beauty courage and liberality he had a son October 8. 1655. and is at this time in hopes of having many more Which I wish he may and pray God that imitating their Ancestors they may be as so many German Achilles and Alcibiades P. Have these Princes any good Forts full Magazins and wherewithal to bring Armies into the field G. The Elector hath at this present very considerable forces in Prussia where he takes part with the King of Sweden and he is of so high esteem by the means he hath to help and to harm that he is courted on all hands His Forts are exceeding well maintained and as well provided Custrin hath never been taken Pillaw and Memel make him redoubted in Prussia Colberg in Pomerania Drisen in the Mark and Landsperg upon the Vard His Cousins of Culembach and Anspach have their sure retreats at Blassembourg and Melspourg And forasmuch as Princes strike their enemies more smartly with the head then with the hand the Elector and the Marquis of Anspach are as much to be feared for their prudence as for their valour The end of the third Dialogue Dialogue IIII. Of the Secular Princes of the Empire P. If you be so particular in describing the Origin progress and Alliances of the Princes as you have been in those of the Electors it will be long before we get out of Germany G. The desire I have to see you speedily comprehend the manners strength and Laws of other well governed Nations in Europe will quicken me to pass as lightly as may be over the consideration of the Princes of the Empire We must nevertheless speak of all those that have place in the Assemblies P. I am content you should do so but your undertaking will carry you out of Germany or into a tedions repetition for the King of Sweden the Elector of Brandenbourg and many Princes of his and other Electoral Houses whereof you have already made mention are in the number of those who have place in the Diets of the Empire G. Having elsewhere said that this King and some younger brethren of Electoral Houses have voices in the general Assemblies I shall not repeat it here and shall speak of the Duke of Lorraine in another place because his Estate is at present in the most Christian Kings hands P. By that means you will very much shorten this discourse and yet not lose the opportunity of entertaining me with the commemoration of that House wherein Valour Affability and modesty seem to be natural G. Since there is nothing more dear to me then to give you content I shall willingly omit all other matters to discourse upon the Houses of Brunswick Meklebourg Wirtemberg Hesse Baden Holstein Saxon-Lawembourg Anhalt Hohenzolleren Aremberg Henneberg and Eastfriseland And having considered them one after another I will pass to the Ecclesiastical Princes the Prelates the Counts and the Barons But before I enter upon this Theme I beseech you to consider that the King of Sweden being a Member of the Empire may very much contribute to the preservation of its Liberty and the maintenance of the Protestant Religion P. The French accuse the Spaniards for aiming at the Universal Monarchy and on the other side the Spaniards say that the French seek for an opportunity to seize upon the Empire If it were so methinks the King of Sweden might disappoint the designs of those Monarchs G. All Princes know that
who was born Princess of Hohenzolleren he hath yet living Leopold William who serves the Emperor with great zeal and reputation Herman Canon of Collen with some others who are yet but young and Ferdinand Maximilian the eldest who knowing that Mary daughter to Amedeus IX Duke of Savoy had been married into his House was desirous to renew that alliance and to that purpose married Loüyse of Savoy daughter to Thomas Prince of Carignan A. D. 1653. by whom he hath one son Herman brother to William makes a Branch apart and hath children of both sexes marriageable P. Hath not this Prince Herman some land◠in the Countrey of Luxembourg and a son Canon of Collen G. Yes Ernest brother to Bernard and son to Christopher who had for his share the Marquisates of Hochberg Pfortzen Weiemberg Baden Vsysiler and Rhetel took to wife Elizabeth daughter to Frederick V. Marquiss of Brandenbourg His son Charles married Anne daughter to Robert Prince Palatine by whom he had many children who all died young except George Frederick He was not to be paralleled for valour and magnanimity yet was beaten at Wimpfen by the misfortune of his powder taking fire while the Battel was fighting which he thereupon lost when he was half-assured of the victory This Prince had two Wives Juliana Vrsula daughter to the Rhingrave Frederick and Agatha daughter to George Count of Erbach Of the latter there remain but Anne and Elizabeth Princesses no less knowing then vertuous and of the former by whom he had 15. children Catherine Vrsula Anne Amelia and Sibyll Magdalen who are thus married the first to Otho eldest son to the Landgrave Maurice and the other two to two Counts of Nassau Sarbruck Ernestine is for her rare vertue and admirable knowledge worthy of an eminent fortune and Frederick their eldest brother the present Prince of Dourlach an incomparable man for his skill in Mathematicks and Opticks hath had five Wives and many children the eldest whereof called by his Fathers name hath married Christina Magdalen the worthy sister of Charles Gustavus King of Sweden and daughter to John Casimir Prince Palatine of Deux-ponts who in his life-time knew better then any man how to get a powerful ascendent over the hearts of all that looked upon him He hath very fine children by her both for outward features and inward faculties The youngest called Charlemagne is eminent for vertue merit and military experience he is married to Mary Juliana Countess of Hohenloch and hath by her one son who will equal his courage and one daughter who will not be inferior to her Mother in comelyness of body and sincerity of heart Gustavus Adolph a younger brother of this House is serving his apprentiship in the school of the King of Sweden and of his brethren whom he will equal or surpass if God give him life and health as I wish him P. You tell me nothing of the controversie between these two Branches nor of the sentence which Edward Fortunatus his Successors obtained against the Marquis George Frederick and his son G. It is not good to rub old sores that are skin'd over nor to speak of differences that are silenced by a determination for fear of grieving those persons whom we respect It is sufficient for you to know that these Princes are good friends that they have forgotten all that is past and endeavour to oblige one another to the uttermost of their power The branch of Baden is Catholique that of Dourlach Lutheran and both zealous in their Religion but that zeal will not hinder them from being kind to one another as to their persons though their interest keep them asunder as to their party Each branch hath one voice in the Assemblies and the Marquis Frederick shall have precedence there as long as he lives but after his death the two Branches shall take their turns that is shall precede alternatively according to the resolution made at Munster by the last Treaty of Peace P. Since we have spoken of Houses in Germany that take their turns successively do me the favour to tell me the manner how that alternation is observed G. You may see in this figure how they sit for ten dayes together after which they begin again and continue as they were before every letter denoting the name of one of the five Houses that take their turns P M W H B M W B P H W H B P M H W M P B B P H M W P M W B H M P W H B W B H M P H P W B M B W M H P The five alternating Houses are Pomerania Meklebourg Wirtemberg Hesse Baden P. I wonder the Houses of Saxon Lawembourg and Anhalt do not precede these five or at least alternate with them seeing they hare had the Electorships of Saxony and Branderbourg at the same time G. The Houses you last mentioned are so far from preceding those five that they follow that of Holstein which comes behind the said five 'T is not that those two Houses are not ancient on the contrary I think their antiquity and greatness hath done them wrong for as we have elsewhere seen the Emperor Sigismond deprived them of the Electoral Dignity to give it to the Marquis of Misnia and the Burgrave of Nuremberg which so morrified those Princes that it made them neglect to appear in the Assemblies and gave opportunity to others to take their place P. I have read that those Princes kept the title of Elector long after they had lost the Electoral Dignity and when they could not have place in the Electoral Colledge they cared but little for taking it among the Princes But tell me something of the House of Holstein before we speak more fully of the other two G. I think I have told you already that the House of Holstein and that of Oldembourg are but one that it was derived from Witikind of Saxony and that after the death of Christopher III. King of Denmark the Danes chose Christian Count of Oldembourg into his place at the intreaty of Adolph Duke of Schleswick his Unkle by the Mothers side who leaving no issue behind him made this Nephew of his heir of a great part of the Cimbrick Chersonese and from that Christian it is that all the Princes are descended who have Reigned in Denmark Norway Schleswick and Holstein ever since that time P. The Kingdom of Sweden having been sever'd from that of Denmark under the Reign of the Princes of the House of Oldembourg it is fit you shew me when and how that came to pass G. I shall do it with all my heart both because you desire it and because I shall be glad in doing that to give some testimony of my gratitude to those Princes who have almost all of them obliged me You must know then that Christian the first of that name being 23. years of age was chosen King of Denmark A. D. 1448. A year after he married Dorothy daughter to John Marquis
Bull which hangs at the Parchment book which we last mentioned is a great round seal of pure gold fastened unto small cords of yellow and red silk on one side whereof there is the Portraiture of the Emperor Charles IV. seated upon his Throne with the Crown on his head the Sceptre in one hand and the Ball in the other having at his right hand the Imperial Arms and those of Bohemia at his left with this Inscription round about the Bull Carolus quartus Divinâ favente clementiâ Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus Bohemiae Rex On the other side of the Bull there is a Castle with two Towers at the bottom and middle whereof there is seen a Gate with these words Aurea Roma and these in the Circumference Roma caput mundi regit Orbis froena rotundi P. Those Laws are fortified with a Seal that declares their importance and I am confident the Emperor will derogate as little from them as he can G. Usually Laws cannot be abrogated but by those that made them and for that reason I believe though the Emperor should be desirous to annul the Golden Bull he would not be permitted so to do because it was published by the advice and with the consent of the Electors and many other Princes and Estates of the Empire who are to concur to its abrogation But the Bull is so advantagious to the Electors that they have no reason to desire the suppression of it nor so much as give way that any thing in it should be changed or altered P. I do not think the Laws contained in the Golden Bull should be totally abolished yet on the other side I do not doubt but something of them may be changed if the necessity of the Empire require it G. It is certain that those Laws will never be wholly abrogated unless the face of the Empire be changed by becoming Hereditary in which case they would all fall of themselves As to particularities it is as certain that something in those Laws may be changed since the Legislators have often derogated from them and even in a matter of great importance the Septenary number of the Electors having been altered into another less convenient by the last Treaty of Peace Besides we have elsewhere seen that although the Election of the King of the Romans ought to be made at Francfort by vertue of that Bull yet Ferdinand I. received that honour at Wormes and other Emperors since at other Cities That Bull doth also ordain that all the Electors should assist at the Mass of the Holy Ghost before they begin the Act of the Election and yet the Protestant Electors are not obliged to be at Church while the Ceremony of the Mass lasts From whence it may be concluded that some of the Laws of the Golden Bull may be altered and dispensed with But I believe I have entertained you long enough upon things that concern the Empire and therefore I shall proceed no further but make an end of this Treatise praying the Almighty that by his grace he would enable you to learn from hence how to serve your Country well me to give you as good an account of the other principal parts of Europe as I have done of Germany THE END A Table of the particular matters contained in this Book A. AAlen 269. Aix why called Aquisgranum and the Royal City and why so much indulged by Charlemagne 266. Dukes of Altembourg from whom descended 85. Alternation what and the five Houses in Germany that take precedency by turns 147. Princes of Anhalt their origin 161. When they lost the Electorship and why 97. Government of the Estate of the Princes of Anhalt 164. Religion and titles of the Princes of Anhalt and Lawembourg 166 Situation of the principality of Anhalt ibid. Marquisses of Anspach younger brethren of the House of Brandenbourg 102. How many Archbishopricks anciently in Germany and how many now that have place in the Assemblies of the Empire 174. How many Archbishopricks and Bishopricks made Secular by the Peace of Munster ibid. Title of Archduke no where but in Austâ—ia and why those Princes took it 214. 215. Counts of Aremberg how advanced and become Princes of Barbanson 169.170 Four sorts of particular Assemblies in Germany 293. Assemblies called Dayes of Election what ibid. Assemblies of Deputation what ibid. Assemblies of Visitations what ibid. Assemblies of the Circles three manner of wayes and how 294. Assemblies of the Diets what they are who takes suffrages there and after what manner 294. seq Augsbourg wherein considerable and for what famous whence and why so called 268. Titles of Augustus and Cesar found no where but in Germany 30. Austregues priviledges what 65. House of Austria its origin 70. Archdukes of Austria and Kings of France of the third Race sprung from the same Root ibid. How the House of Austria became great 71. 72. The lands Estates which it got by marriages ibid. How long it hath been in possession of the Empire 73. Graces and priviledges which the Princes of Austria have received from God Nature and Emperors ibid. Number of Emperors Kings Cardinals Dukes and Archdukes come out of that House ibid. The losses and advantages the house of Austria received by the peace of Munster 340. How the Princes of that House take their place in the Assemblies 74. Daughters of Austria succeed when the Males fail ibid. Princes of Austria their priviledge in case of Duell ibid. How many Princes of Austria there be at this present ibid. The Branch of Austria hath right to succeed that of Burgundy when it fails 75. Why the House of Austria bears the Arms of Wirtemberg 129. Authority of a Prince the soul of Government 12. 13. B. Origin of the Marquisses of Baden 141. Princes of Baden and Hochberg both of the same House 142. Baden and Dourlach principal Branches of the Marquisses of Baden at this time 143. Their alliances and several Estates 143. 144. Bamberg the first Bishoprick of the Empire and its priviledges 178. Prince of Barbanson of the House of Aremberg 170. Alliances of the Counts of Barby 233. What Barons are Estates of the Empire 238. Number of the Barons of the Empire ibid. Difference of Barons one from another 239. Basile a Bishoprick 190. Seven pitcht Battels and other bloody engagements in Germany from the King of Swedens coming in till the Peace 322. Battel of Leipsick ibid. another at Leipsick 324. Battel of Lutzen 323. of Hamelen ibid. of Noâ—tlingâ—en 323. 324. of Wistock 324. of Jancou in Bohemia 325. Baâ—aria possessed at this day by the descendents of the Count of Schieren and by whom before 110. Benefices requiring residence not to be multiplied upon one person 189. Biberac 269. The Bishops of Mets Toul and Verdun take the style of Princes of the Empire 176. Catholick Bishops that sit in the Assemblies of the Empire 177. Bishops by whom anciently chosen 198. seq Bishops Archbishops deposed by