The  Archbishop  of  Mentz,  as  Marshal  of  the  Col-
lege of  the  Electors,  begins  and  reads  the  proposal,
and  the  resolution  thereupon  in  writing  of  that  col-
lege ;  after  him,  the  Marshal  of  the  College  of  the
Princes  doth  the  like ;  and  lastly,  the  Marshal  of  the
College  of  the  Free  Towns,  who  is  always  the  chief
magistrate  of  the  place  where  the  Diet  sits.  If  the
resolution  of  the  three  colleges  agrees,  or  of  the  Col-
lege of  the  Electors  and  one  other  of  the  colleges,  the
business  is  determined  accordingly  ;  if  the  colleges  do
not  thus  agree,  then  they  meet  all  together  and  debate
the  matter ;  whereupon,  if  they  come  not  to  an  accord,
the  business  is  remitted  to  another  day,  or  the  suf-
frage of  the  Emperor  decides  it.
Whitelocke  asked  him,  whether  the  advice  of  the


368  JOURNAL   OF   THE

Diet,  being  the  supreme  public  council,  were  binding
to  the  Emperor.  He  said,  that  the  Emperor  seldom
did  anything  contrary  to  that  advice,  but  held  himself
bound  in  prudence,  if  not  in  duty,  to  conform  there-
unto. Whitelocke  asked  him  what  opinion  they  had
in  the  Emperor's  court  of  the  present  King  of  Sweden.
He  answered,  as  was  expected,  and  most  true,  that
they  have  a  great  opinion  of  the  King,  especially  for
military  aflFairs.  Upon  Whitelocke's  invitation,  he
did  him  the  honour  to  dine  with  him,  and  they  had
much  and  good  discourse  together.
