If it should happen, however, that unanimity cannot be attained in the assembly, it shall be negotiated according to the following distribution of votes, of which there shall never be more than nine who decide the matter at hand. The votes shall be distributed as follows: the elector of Saxony, 2; the dukes of Brunswick and Lüneburg, plus Prince Wolfgang [of Anhalt], and the counts of Mansfeld together, 1; the landgrave of Hesse, 2; and the honorable free, Imperial, and Hanseatic cities, 4; the southern cities of Ulm and Strasbourg, 2 each; Lübeck and Bremen together, 1; and the other Saxon cities belonging to the League, 1.
In order that voting on the question in our League's assembly is done in an orderly fashion, we, Duke John Frederick of Saxony, elector, etc., or our councilors, shall put the question [to the other voting members], because we hold this office in the Empire.
Once all the estates or their envoys have stated their opinions, those of the estates or envoys who possess the nine votes shall consult together, and whatever they think best and decide, that will be decided. If, however, among the nine votes there is no unanimity, the majority shall decide.
When a defensive action and aid is decided on by all the estates or by a majority of the nine votes, then they shall deliberate on how, where, and with what forces the action should be undertaken. This shall be done with the advice of the commander and the members of the military council as follows.
If the matter is so urgent that the commander cannot call all of the League's members together, he shall, in accordance with the following articles, call the other commander and the appointed military councilors to meet with him and decide and act in the following manner.
[3.] Third, in order that the aid will be reliable and useful, the levy shall be set at 2,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry. For the purpose of supporting this military force, we members of the League will have supplied funds according to the following schedule. Or, if the levy has not yet been paid, it shall be sent as soon as possible to the proper place: the elector, princes, and counts to Torgau and Kassel; the southern cities to Ulm; and we, the Saxon and Hanseatic cities to Brunswick to be deposited with the burgomaster and council. The commanders and the military councilors shall receive assurance from the cities named, so that the latter will have the deposited funds ready for the former and will disburse them against appropriate receipts.
Every member of this Christian, honorable League should know how much he should pay into this levy for the aid and can, if necessary, show that he has paid: we, the elector of Saxony, the dukes of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Landgrave Philip of Hesse, etc., Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt, and the two counts of Mansfeld, 70,000 Rhenish florins; the southern, Saxon, and Hanseatic cities, also 70,000 Rhenish florins – all to be paid in coins. Reckoning one florin as equal to 21 groschen of Meissen, 26 weispfenning, or 15 batzen, the approximate costs for two months' service (including a two-month extension) will run to 52,000 Rhenish florins for 2,000 cavalry and 88,000 Rhenish florins for 10,000 infantry. We members of the League have discussed the sum and each member's share of it, as our earlier decisions show (3).
(3) In the recesses of the League's earlier assemblies – trans.
print version
return to list
previous document