Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/73

 Germany before the Protestant Revolt 35 Others gained their freedom by giving a sum of money to the temporal lord or bishop who held them, and who consented accordingly to cede to the town the territory belonging to it. So many towns have gained their freedom in these two ways during the period that the Germans have enjoyed control of the Empire, that they now number nearly a hundred. In order to maintain their freedom they are accustomed to unite themselves together in leagues for mutual protection and to oppose those princes who would subjugate them. They receive into their leagues those princes of the Empire who wish to join them, whether ecclesiastical or secular. The leagues are temporary and are continued or changed from time to time as suits their members. . . } The customs and manners of this German nation are as follows: first, there are four kinds of persons, — princes of the Empire, nobles, citizens of the free towns, and, lastly, the common people. The princes are in the habit of remain- ing in their own territories far from the court, where they sup- port by their income, so far as they can, the nobles [knights] of the region. These princes are almost continually at strife with one another or with some of the free towns. If they are poor, they generally permit their retainers to attack and rob on the highways. They are naturally proud and insolent, and feel resentment toward any one who is able to rival them in any respect. They heartily hate the free towns, and all republics and free communities in general, especially the Swiss and our most exalted senate, for it seems to them that the Swiss have always shown themselves rebels toward the Empire and that your sublimities, paying little attention to their authority, hold much territory which they claim is not yours and which they believe should rightfully be divided among them. Moreover the chief temporal princes are in the habit of leaving their principality to the eldest son and then provid- ing for the rest of their children with other territories, bish- oprics, or ecclesiastical benefices ; so that if a duke has ten sons, all demand to be dukes like their father. The result is 1 Here follows an account of the military system and resources of Germany. Character of the princes. Reason for the great number of dukes, counts, etc., in Germany