below, one before another, are the Deputies of the towns.

The Archbishop of Mentz, as Marshal of the College of the Electors,
begins and reads the proposal, and the resolution thereupon in writing of
that college; 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 College 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 suffrage of the Emperor
decides it.

Whitelocke asked him, whether the advice 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 thereunto. 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 affairs. Upon Whitelocke's
invitation, he did him the honour to dine with him, and they had much and
good discourse together.

[SN: Visit of M. Woolfeldt's brother-in-law.]

In the afternoon Whitelocke received a visit from Monsieur Hannibal
Schestedt, whose wife was sister to Woolfeldt's lady, one of the
daughters of the late King of Denmark by his second wife,--as they term
it, his left-handed wife; this relation, and his own good parts, brought
him in high esteem with the King, his brother-in-law, till by jealousies
(particularly, as was said, in some matters of mistresses), distaste and
disfavour was against him, and he was put out of his office of Viceroy of
Norway, and other advantages; upon which he retired himself into these
parts, and lived upon a pension of six thousand dollars yearly, allowed
by the King unto his lady. Whitelocke found him a gentleman of excellent
behaviour and abilities, which he had improved by his travels in most
countries of Europe, and had gained perfectly the French, Italian, Dutch,
English, and Latin tongues. His discourse was full of ingenuity and
cheerfulness, and very free touching his own country and King, on whom he
would somewhat reflect; and he spoke