pality of Mindelheim may long continue in the duke's family, and not fall again after his decease into other hands."

But the proposition being discountenanced by Austria, and not favoured by the german princes in general, the suggestion proved fruitless, as well as the attempts of the duke's friends to procure an extension of the tenure at the time of the grant."

The account of the ceremonial is extracted from a letter of his representative, baron Schrader, minister of the elector of Hanover. "Nov. 22, 1706.-The count of Pappenheim, marshal of the diet, having received the imperial commission, arrived on the 19th, with a suite of 20 followers, and 13 horses. On the 21st the cardinal of Lamberg, principal commissioner of the emperor at the diet, sent to the representative of the new prince the decree of admission. The quarter master of the empire, Heberer, went the same evening to baron Schrader, to invite him to the congress and solemnity of the morrow. On the 21st, at ten in the morning, the ministers of the electors repaired to council, in carriages drawn by six horses; and the deputies of the princes in their best equipages. The guards were doubled at the town house, and each entrance guarded by six centinels. A dispute arising about cedence, the ceremony did not begin till after mid-day; when the different members being assembled in the college, the director of Austria proposed to call count Pappenheim, the bearer of the imperial commission.

pre

"He came with the accustomed suite; and all the ministers rising on his entrance, he took his place, in a white habit, embroidered with gold, and a red mantle. After farther ceremonies, the director of Austria ordered the sub-marshal to introduce the envoy of Mindelheim. He rose, and, attended by the quartermaster and other officers, went to the commission chamber, where he complimented the envoy, and invited him to take his place.

"The envoy appearing in the college, the marshal assigned him his seat on the bench of princes. The ministers, who had hitherto stood, resumed their places; and the director of Austria addressed a compliment of congratulation to the envoy, in which he commemorated the heroic valour and meritorious ser

vices of the duke, and testified his hopes that he would continue to pursue his glorious career, for the advantage of the common cause, and the benefit of that empire of which he was now become a member. The representative of the new prince having made an appropriate reply, was then complimented by the other ministers individually. He afterwards regaled them with a splendid entertainment, and the ceremony was concluded by a ball.”*

It is not unworthy of remark, that the first public act in which Marlborough assisted, by his proxy, was, the confirmation of the electoral dignity, granted to the house of Brunswick Luneburg.

The customary fees attending the creation of a principality, and the introduction to the diet of the empire, did not amount to less than £.8,500 sterling. But from regard to the duke of Marlborough the emperor remitted his own claims, and promised to pay those of the two chancellors of the empire, if not voluntarily relinquished. The ministers of the Austrian cabinet also followed the example of their sovereign. The charges attending the Austrian investiture at Inspruch, amounted to nearly £.2,000,† but were diminished by favour to £.250. With all these deductions, however, the expences attending this accession of honour, including fees, presents, and travelling charges, exceeded £.1,500; as the duke, in leaving the payments to Mr. Stepney, expressly en

* From the Protocol of Proceedings, and the report of count Schrader himself. +We find from the documents communicated to the duke of Marlborough by his agents, and proxies, that the ordinary fees for the creation of a prince of the empire, amounted

.......

Exclusive of the fees for the investiture at Insprach, and admission to the diet, which may be estimated at

20,000

67,822

Or

8.8,477

joined that due regard should be shewn to his own credit and honour.*

In transmitting a seal of the arms, which Marlborough was to bear as prince of Mindelheim, Mr. Stepney introduced the bell, the armorial ensign of the principality, on an escutcheon of pretence. He at the same time apologized for the omission of the family bearing of the duchess. But she was not of a temper to submit to this exclusion; and accordingly we find the ensign of Mindelheim supplanted by her own, in the public and private seals afterwards used by her husband.†

We close our account with a description of the territory of Mindelheim, transmitted to the duke by Dr. Heyland, who assisted Mr. Stepney in the ceremonial of taking possession.

"The territory of Mindelheim is agreeably situated; the air is healthy, and the soil fertile. It consists of arable, pasture, and forest, is rich in all sorts of corn, well stocked with cattle, and abounds with deer, and wild boars.

"The length is six leagues, and the breadth from three to four, It borders on the bishopric of Augsburg, on several lordships and counties of the empire, and on the imperial town of Memmingen. The clear yearly revenue may be estimated at 15 or 20,000 german florins, though the precise amount cannot be ascertained, on account of the uncertainty of the crops, and the fluctuation to which the price of corn is subject. To this may be added, certain seigniorial rights, particularly tolls and customs, which the princes of Germany levy on their people. The country also produces a small quantity of salt petre, which yields a trifling tax to the sovereign.

* Letter from Mr. Cardonnel to Mr. Stepney, Hague.

On the plate annexed are fac similes of the seals and arms used by the duke of Marlborough as prince of Mindelheim. That which exhibits the bell, on an escutcheon of pretence was taken from the original seal, ordered by Mr. Stepney, in the possession of the present duke. The fac similes of the arms of Mindelheim, the impression of the seal on a letter from the duke to the elector Palatine, and the grand seal with the mantle were kindly communicated by Messrs. Stuertzer and Samet of Munich, the first archivist, and the last herald to the king of Bavaria.

"The natives are industrious, and would be in good circumstances, had they not been exhausted by frequent wars. The greater part are labourers, or breeders of cattle, others are employed in making linen, which manufacture would improve, if they were better provided with hands; but for want of weavers, the poorer farmers are obliged to sell their thread, of which they spin large quantities, to foreign manufacturers. The wood which abounds, is rendered less valuable by the want of water convey

ance."

The title of prince, and admission into the diet, which was thus conferred on Marlborough, gave him no additional rank or precedence in England, but abroad it proved of essential advantage in increasing his influence, and obviating those jealousies, to which he had been exposed in his command, from the prejudice of foreigners in favour of high birth, and sovereign power.

END OF VOL. I.

T. C. Hansard, Printer, Peterborough-Court, Fleet-Street, London.