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THE CONCILIÜM S SAAL AT CONSTANZ.

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(16.)THE CONCILIUM'S SAAL AT CONSTANZ.

The diocese of Constanz, in the " good old " Papal times,numbered, besides its cathedral, 22 collegiate churches, 350 mo-nasteries, including 49 abbcys, and more than 2000 parishes.During the reign of tlie Emperor Sigismund it boasted 17,000priests, and its bishop was lord of more than 100 Castles andvillages, besides being Sovereign-Governor of Constanz, Baronof the Island of Reichenau, Director of the Circle of Suabia,and Prince of the Empire—and having his chancellors, minis-ters, and guards, in true monarchical style.

The famous Council held in this city, in the years 1414-18,is said to have been attended by no less than a hundredthousand strangers, bringing with them as many as 30,000liorses. The Diet was composed of deputies, civil and eccle-siastic, from all parts of Christendom, and included, besidesprinces, 30 cardinals, 20 archbishops, 150 bishops, 4 patriarchs,200 professors of universities and doctors of theology—togetherwith a multitude of ambassadors, inferior prelates, abbots,friars, &c.

Indeed, the concourse of ecclesiastics and others flockingfrom all parts of Christendom to the Council was such, thatnot only were the houses in the town crowded to the atticswith lodgers, but booths had to be erected in the streets, whilethousands of pilgrims remained encamped in the fields withoutthe walls. Religious processions, representations of miracles,and entertainments of every description, hourly followed eachother; and thousands of individuals were employed solely intransporting thither the choicest delicacies of Europe for themaintenance of the assembled nobles and clergy.