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720 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
days during the whole reign of Elizabeth. On her demife, Peter the Third recalled
Biron to Peter fburgh, but “did not reinftate him in the duchy of Courland. Biron had
refufed during his confinement, to refign his right to that duchy, although he was of-
fered his liberty, and a penfion of 100,000 roubles; nor could he be prevailed upon by
Peter the Third to abdicate in favour of the Duke of Holftein; nobly adding, that he
would undergo a fecond imprifonment rather than injure his family, Catharine reftored
him to his former dignity.
In 1768, Biron repaired to Mittau, twenty-eight years after his election, and for the
firft time fince he had been raifed to the ducal throne. Prince Charles of Saxony,
although fupported by a large partyin Courland, yet receiving no afliftance from his father
Auguftus the Third, wascompeiled to retire before the Ruflian forces; and Biron received
the oaths of allegiance from the whole nation. In 1764, he obtained from the King
and republic of Poland the inveftiture of Courland for his eldeft fon Peter, the prefent
Duke ; in 1769, abdicated in his favour, and in 1772, clofed at Mittau, in the eighty-
third year of his age, a life of unparalleled vicillitude.
The conftitution * of Courland is extremely complicated, and the rights of Poland,
of the Duke, and of the diet are fo interwoven, as to be difcriminated with difficulty.
From the hiftorical fketch of the fucceffion to the ducal throne, it will appear that_
Courland is a male-fief, dependent on and conferred by the crown of Poland. The
territorial fuperiority of Poland is fettled by the Pacta Subjectionis, or acts of vaflalage,
ratified by the King and Duke, on the receipt of the inveftiture. | The King invelts each
Duke with the duchies of Courland and Semigallia as fiefs of Poland ; and receives his
homage as from a vaflal to his liege lord. If Poland is engaged in war, the Duke muft
furnifh two hundred horfe, or five hundred infantry ; and the nobles are bound to fupply
two hundred horfe, or 30,00¢ dollars in the firft year of the war, provided no Polith
or enemy’s troops are quartered in Courland, and: 10,000 dollars in each of the fuc-
ceeding years. The money bears on one fide, the head of the King, or the arms of
Poland and Lithuania, and is {truck on the farhe {tandard as the coin of Poland. ‘The
Polifh money paffes current in Courland, and the Courlandifh in Poland.
The King fettles difputes between the Duke and his fubjects, receives remonftrances
again{t any infringement of privileges from the diet, and can order the redrefs of
grievances.
The diet of Poland ratifies all laws which alter or new model the conftitution, con-
firms the creation of nobles, and the indigenat recht, or right of naturalization, recom-
mended by the Duke and diet of Courland. It is alfo the fupreme court of judicatur C5
to which any noble may appeal from the decifion of the courts of juftice in Courland. -
In all civil caufes above the value of 500 Polifh florins, and in all criminal cafes fpeci-
fied in the ftatutes, the final decifion is left to the King and republic. The King in re-
turn binds himfelf to fupport the conftitution, the Duke in all his prerogatives, and the
nobles and burghers in all their privileges.
The Duke and diet enjoy the fupreme authority in all other circumftances not con-
tradictory to their feudal dependance, or which are not mentioned in the acts of
fubjection.
The Duke is invefted with the executive power, ’and the general adminiftration of
affairs. He has a negative in all the proceedings of the diet, confers the principal
charges, both civil and military, enjoys the right of pardoning criminals, judges in par-
* For the hiftory and conttitution of Courland, fee Lengnich, Juf, Publ. Reg. Poloni. lib, i. c. x. fec. v.
to vii. and Ziegennorn’s Staats Recht der Hertzogthuemer Courland and Semegallen.
ticular
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