An Account of Denmark

11 Of the Sacred Authority of the Publick Council; and what Affairs were wont to be transacted therein

270 CHAPTER XI Of the Sacred Authority of the Publick Council; and what Affairs were wont to be transacted therein  We think it necessary in this Place to consider what Kind of Affairs were wont to be transacted in this general Annual Council, and to admire the great Wisdom of our Ancestors in constituting our Republick. We have (in short) observed that they are these that follow. First the Creating or Abdicating of their Kings. Next, the declaring of Peace or War. The making of all Publick Laws: The Conferring of all great Honours, Commands, or Offices belonging to the Commonwealth: The assigning of any part of the deceased Kings Patrimony to his Children, or giving Portions to his Daughters; which they usually called by a German name Abannagium; that is, pars exclusoria, a Part set out for younger Children. Lastly, all such Matters as in popular Speech are commonly call’d Affairs of State: Because it was not lawful to determine or debate of any thing relating to the Commonwealth but in the General Council of the States. We have already produced sufficient Proofs of the Electing and Abdicating their Kings, as well from the last Will and Testament of Charles the Chapter XI  271 Great, as from several other Authors: To which we will add this one Passage more out of Aimoinus, lib. 5. cap. 17. where speaking of Charles the Bald, he says thus, “Having summon’d a General Council at Carisiacum,95 he there first gave his Son Charles arma virilia; that is, he girt him with a Sword, or knighted him, and putting a Regal Crown upon his Head, assign ’d Neustria to him, as he did Aquitain to Pipin.” Now concerning the Administration of the Kingdom, Aimoinus gives us this remarkable Instance, Lib. 5. Cap. 35. speaking of Charles the Bald. “Charles (says he) being about taking a Journey to Rome, held a general Placitum on the Kalends of June at Compeign; and therein was ordained under particular Heads, after what Manner his Son Lewis should govern the Kingdom of France, in Conjunction with his Nobles, and the rest of the Faithful People of the Realm, till such time as he returned from Rome.” Also in the same Book, Cap. 42. speaking of Charles the Simple: “Whose Youth (says he) the principal Men of France judging (as it was indeed) very unfit for the Exercise of the Government of the Realm, they held a General Council touching these weighty Affairs; and the great Men of the Franks, Burgundians, and Aquitanians being assembled, elected Odo to be Charles’s Tutor and Governor of the Kingdom.” Now concerning the Power of making Laws and Ordinances, that single Passage in Gaguinus’s Life of St. Lewis is a sufficient Proof. “As soon (says he) as King Lewis arrived at Paris, he called a General Convention , and therein reformed the Commonwealth; making excellent Statutes relating to the Judges, and against the Venality of Offices, etc.” Concerning the conferring the great Honours and Employments upon Persons of approved Worth, Aimoinus lib. 5. cap. 36. gives us this instance; speaking of Charles the Bald, he tells us, “That whereas he began (before his Inauguration ) to distribute the Governments and great Offices of the Realm according to his own liking; the Great Men summon’d a General Council, and sent Ambassadors to the King; neither would they admit him to be crown’d till he had made use of their Advice and Authority in disposing of those great Employments. The Nobles (says he) being very much dis95 . Note in margin: “Crecy.” 272  Francogallia pleas’d, because the King conferr’d Honours without their Consent; for that Reason, agreed together against him, and summon’d a general Convention in the Town of Witmar, from whence they sent Ambassadors to Lewis, as Lewis likewise sent his Ambassadors to them, etc.” Also the Appendix to Gregory of Tours, lib. 2. cap. 54. “That same Year (says he) King Clotharius, cum Proceribus & Leudibus, i.e., with the Nobility and Free Subjects of Burgundy, met at Troyes, and when he earnestly solicited them to advance another Person to the same Place and Degree of Honour which Warnhar (lately deceased) had enjoy’d, they unanimously refused to do it; and said, they would by no Means have any Mayor of the Palace, earnestly desiring the...