jefts, receives remonftrances againft any infringement of privileges
from the diet of Courland againil the duke, and can order
the redrefs of grievances.
The diet of Poland mull finally ratify all laws which tend to
alter or new-model the conftitution of Courland, and which have
been palled by the duke and diet of Courland, to be referred
to the king and republic of Poland. The Polilh diet alfo confirms
the creation of nobles, and the indigenat recht, or right of
naturalization, recommended by the duke and diet of Courland.
It is alfo the fupreme court of judicature, 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 Polilh florins, and in
all criminal cafes fpecified in the ftatutes of Courland, the final
decifion is left to the king and republic of Poland. The king
in return binds himfelf to fupport the conftitution of Courland,
the duke in all his prerogatives, and the nobles and burghers in
all their privileges.
The duke and diet of Courland enjoy the fupreme authority
in all other circumftances, not contradictory to their féodal dépendance
on Poland, or which are not mentioned in the a£ts of
fubjection.
The duke is invefted with the executive power, and the
general adminiftration of aflàirs. 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
particular cafes without appeal, in all civil caufes below 500
Poliih
Poliih florins; and in delinquencies and crimes not fpecified in c h^a p.
the ftatute law of Courland. 1— -v— j
The duke, ftriitly fpeaking, has the right to declare war, make
peace, or contract alliances; but although fome inftances of his
exercifing theie prerogatives have occurred in the hiftory of
Courland, yet he ufually confults his diet on thefe occafions.
His revenues are very ample, and are derived from the ducal
demefnes, which are fuppofed to contain one-third of the
duchy, from tolls and cuftoms, manerial and feudal rights,
fines, and confifcations of goods, amounting to not lefs than
£. 160,000 per annum, which almoft entirely belongs to his own
privy purfe, as the expences of his court are trifling, and he
is not permitted, by the laws of his country, to keep on foot
more than 500 troops.
The prerogatives of the duke are circumfcribed by his vaffalage
to Poland already mentioned, by the diet of Courland, and
the privileges of the nobles.
Diets are ordinary or extraordinary; and both are convoked
by the duke, either at his own fuggellion, or at the requeft of
the nobles.
Extraordinary diets are fummoned as occalion requires. Ordinary
diets are convoked every two years, about fix weeks previous
to the meeting of the Poliih diet. With the circular letters
expedited to the different pariihes for the election of the
deputies, the duke alfo fends the propofitions called Deliberations,
which are to be laid before the diet, and muft, at the fame
V o l . III. Qjq time,