he please, appeal from the sentence of these judges
to the Imperial Chamber at Spires, as they also do in capital causes; but
civil causes under the value of a thousand dollars are finally determined
within themselves, and no appeal lies from them.

They acknowledge the Emperor as their protector, but afford him no
gabels or taxes but what their deputies, whom they elect and send to the
general Diet of the Empire, do assent unto. Their chief officers are a
Burgomaster, like our Mayor, twenty-four Senators, like our Common
Council, and a Syndic, as our Recorder. These are the chief Council and
Judicatory of the city, and order all the public affairs thereof; only in
some extraordinary occasions of making laws or foreign treaties, matters
of war and peace, the people of the town make choice of deputies,
sometimes forty or fifty,--more or less, as they please,--who sit and
consult with the Senate, and by their votes by the people, who willingly
submit thereunto.

The town-house of their Guildhall is reasonably fair, not extraordinary.
Their Court of Justice is below at the upper end of a large hall, made
four-square, with seats like the Court of Exchequer in England; above
this is another Court or Council-house, greater than that below, which is
for the meeting of the Deputies of the Hanse Towns, who usually all
assemble here; they have also several other chambers for the meetings and
consultations of their own Senators and officers about the affairs of the
city.

[SN: Aspect of the city.]

In the afternoon the Commander or Lieutenant-General of the forces of the
town, whom they call Obrist Lieutenant, Monsieur Andreas Keiser, and the
Senator Bilderbeck, came, with four of the city coaches, to accompany
Whitelocke to see the town and fortifications of it. The Senator spoke
only Latin, the Lieutenant spoke good French. They went through most
parts of the town, and found the figure of it exactly done in painting in
a table in their magazine, with the fortifications of it: upon the view
of the whole town, it seemed a pleasant and noble city. It is of great
antiquity, freedom, privileges, trade, polity, and strength, few in these
parts exceeding it; not unhealthful in the situation, beautiful in the
buildings, profitable in the commerce, strong in the fortifications, and
rich in the inhabitants.

The streets are large and fair, kept clean and sweet; the houses built of
brick, generally uniform, most in the frontispieces,