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HefTe.] GERMANY,
5
In
UPPER HESSE,
V. 'npHE diflrid fituate on the river Lahn, and forming a part of the
•*"
upper Principality of Marburg.
I. The bailiwick of Marburg is of confiderable extent. The neighbouring
territory of Gladcnbach and Caldej-n aboundr, in flate, and near
Webrßiaufen are found mines of filver, copper and iron. This bailiwick receives
its name from
Marburg-, the capital of Upper Hejfe, and the convocatory town of the
Lahn diflridl, which is alfo a town of receipt and ftands on a hill near the
river Lahn. Above it is a fortified caftle, which was once the refidence of
the Landgrave of Hejfe. In this town is fometimes held the Samihofgericht,
and for fix years the Samt revifions, or appellations gcrichf, alternately with
Giejfen. It is alfo the feat of the fecond regency in HefJ'e-Cajfel and of the
fecond confiftory, as hkewife of a Lutheran fuperintendency and an univerfity
founded there, on the thirtieth of May, 1527, by the Landgrave
Phil'p the Magnajiimous, which was ratified on the lixteenth of y///v, 1541,
by the Emperor Charles Y. and, in the year 1653, endowed by the Landgrave
William VI. with the vogteys of Singlis near Romberg, Nordhaufen near
Ca£el, Fritzlar and Homberg. In this town is alfo an academy for claffical
learning, together with three Proteftant churches, one of which is French j
and the Lutheran church, of St. Elizabeth, in which that faint and feveral of
the Landgraves of HeJfe lie interred. The monument of St. Elizabeth is
plated over with filver gilt, furrounded with a profulion of pearls and other
gems. In this church is alfo to be feen a ftatelyalabafter monument ofAugufius,
Count 'oon der Lippe, who was the firft provincial Lutheran commander.
The German houfe is the refidence of the provincial commander of the
Teutonic order for, Heffe and the commander of Marburg, and near it ftands-
Elizabeth'"^ hofpital, the care of which St. £A'2^7/^rfÄ recommended to the
above order. The provincial commander, by the convention of Caffel, in
the year 1681, is chofen alternately from each of the three religions. To
this commandery belongs the manour of Schwalhcim, at JJpper-Widderßjeimy
in the bailiwick of Stormfeh, as alio the manour of Rodheim, lying both^
within the territories of Darmßadt, together with many other revenues at
different places. The Prince of Heje has alio a fine ftud here. Marburg,
from a village, was raifcd to a town about the beginning of the thirteenth
century. In the years 1261 and 13 19, it was Avholly deftroyed by fire»
In 1529, a folemn but fruitlefs conference was held here betwixt Luther
and Melanthon on one fide, and Zwinge! and Oecolampad on the other.
Towards the clofe of the year 1645, and the beginning of 1646, this town
and caftle were taken after a furious cannonading by the troops of Caffel,
which