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620 G E R M A N r. [Merfeburg.
Kofzfcben, Lama, Ltndnamfdorf, Poppitz, Prcbitz mA Roßn. It has alfo
fome fubjeds at Geifclmimdorß Kotzfchlitz and 'Tragarth. To the provoftfliip
here are annexed the villages of Gohlitzjch, Kaja, Meyken, Nieder-
'wiinfck, Oberkhbikau, Sittel and Vencnin, as allb one half of Atzendorf. It
is likewjfe poiTefled of fuhjedls at Grofzfcorlop, Rahna and Ziveymen.
§. 9. The foundation has its own regency, together with a peculiar chamber-college
and confiftory.
§. 10. The prefeäurates into which it is divided are the following :
namely,
•
I. The prefedurate, or kitchen-amt of Merseburg, comprizing in it
forty-five villages and nineteen noble eftates. In this prefeöurate is,
I, Merfeburg, in Latin Martisburgum, a town feated in a pleafant tradl
on the river Saale. Within the liberties of the chapter fl:ands the epifcopal
palace, together with the cathedral, in which are to be feen, among other
things, the metal monument of the Emperov Rudolph of Sivabra, his right
hand, which he loft in 1080, in the battle againft the Emperor Henry IV.
and the burying-vault of the Dukes of Saxe-Merfebiirg ; as alfo the gymna-
Jium, or foundation-fchool, the refidence of the fuperintendant of the foundation,
thechancery-houfe, the chapter-houfe, the n^r/'^ or abodes of the
canons, and other buildings. The town itfelf has a parifli-church of its
own, and draws its befb fubfiftance from the flrong beer which is brewed
here and exported to diftant places.
Its fuburbs, that is to fay the Neumarkt and the Altenburg, f!:and under
the amt-office. Each of thefe has its own church, and in the latter are
alfo to be found an orphan-houfe, a water-engine, by means of which the
water is conveyed out of the SaaJe into the palace, the town and fuburbs j
th e palace-garden, the Jagerhof 3.ndi the Bauhof.
The ancient county of Merfeburg was probably ere6led by Charlemagne,
The Counts have refided in this town, but it belonged as little to them
as it did to the prefedurate, they being pofTefTed only of the ban, and at
firft of fome regalia in it. The extent of this county cannot be determined
with any degree of certainty. The firfl; Count in Merfeburg, of whom we
have any certain account, was named Sigfrid, and was Count of this
place in the year 932. The laft Count, whom we have any tolerable
knowledge of, was alfo named Sigfrid, and died in 1038. What was
the fucceeding fate of this county remains üill a fecret to this v^ry day.
The two lafl: Counts whom we know with any degree of certainty, namely,
Burcbard and the above-named Sigfrid, at the fame time adminiflered
the palatine county, to which belonged a confiderable tradl of land about
Alßed, ^lerfurt and Eifzlebe?i. We likewife find fome Burggraves here
who were ftiled from Merfeburg, and whofe chief refidence was fixed by
the Saxon Emperor at the citadel of Merfeburg, which, together with the
kurgivard, belonged to them in property .^
This