The Count de Schonborn, Bishop of Bamberg and Wurtzbourg, Vice-Chancellor of the Empire, is the fourth Counsellor of the Conferences[104]. You know, Sir, that the Schonborn Family has given us several worthy Gentlemen; but I may venture to say, with all due Regard to the Memory of those great Men, and without flattering the Vice-Chancellor, that of all the Family he has the greatest Capacity for Business, the most generous Temper, and the most engaging and most civil Behaviour. As this Prelate has not his Equal at Vienna for Grandeur and Riches, so he has not his Fellow for Magnificence. The Emperor has a singular Esteem for him. The Vice-Chancellor has the Chancery of the Empire under him, and no body above him but the Emperor, and the Elector of Mentz, who is the Great Chancellor of the Empire.
The Count de Konigseck, Vice-President of the Aulic Council of War, is the fifth Counsellor of the Conferences. This Nobleman, whose Extraction is from a Family of Distinction in the Empire, is one of the tallest and handsomest Men at Court: He is the Emperor's Ambassador Extraordinary at the Court of Spain. His Family has for a long time past been attach'd to the House of Austria. He studied at Besançon, and was design'd for the Church; but he quitted the Band, took to Arms,
and enter'd into the Service of the Emperor Leopold; in which he had not been many Years before he had a Regiment of Foot, and the Emperor Joseph made him his Chamberlain. He also gave him the Government of Mantua, from whence he was recall'd by Charles VI. and sent to take possession of the Netherlands in the Name of the Emperor, to whom they were evacuated for that purpose by the Maritime Powers. The Count de Konigseck, during his Administration of the Netherlands, concluded the Barrier Treaty with the States-General. At Brussels he married Madamoiselle de Lanoi la Motterie, a young Lady of a good Family, and distinguish'd Merit. When he left the Netherlands he went Ambassador from the Emperor to the Court of France, where he gain'd great Esteem, especially from the Duke of Orleans, the Regent; a Prince who was an excellent Judge of Merit, and very sparing of his Applause. After three Years stay at Paris, the Count return'd to Vienna. He attended the Archduchess, Wife to the Electoral Prince of Saxony, in quality of Steward, to Dresden; and at his return went to the Government of Transilvania. But the Emperor recall'd him from this Post and sent him his Ambassador Extraordinary to Spain; where the Count is as much esteem'd as he was at Paris. 'Tis said that he is in entire Favour with their Catholic Majesties; nevertheless he makes such earnest Application to be recall'd, that 'tis said he will obtain his Request, and that his Nephew[105], who is the Emperor's Minister Plenipotentiary to the States-General, is already nominated to relieve him[106].
In the Council of Conferences the most important Affairs of the Empire are taken into Consideration, and the Emperor is always present.
Besides the five Ministers whom I have now mention'd to you, there are several others whose Interest is more circumscrib'd. Every Kingdom subject to the Emperor has its Minister and particular Chancery.
Count Badiani directs the Affairs of Hungary, in quality of its Vice-Chancellor.
The Affairs of Bohemia are in the Province of Count Kinski, the Chancellor of that Kingdom, who has a Vice-Chancellor under him, with a great many Assessors and Counsellors.
The Council of Spain consists of a President, Vice-President, and Counsellors. Its Authority extends over all the Kingdoms that were formerly subject to Spain, but yielded to the Emperor by the Peace. The Count de Monte-Santo, a Grandee of Spain, Brother to the Count de Cinfuentes, Constable of Castile, is President of this Council[107]; in which Office he succeeded the Archbishop of Valentia, who quitted his See to follow the Emperor whom he had acknowledg'd for his Sovereign in Spain.
Of all the Tribunals at Vienna the Aulic Council is the most venerable; because 'tis the Parliament of the Empire. It is compos'd of a President, viz.