a province or signory, possessed Palatinately by a palatine.

PALATINATE of the Rhine, a province of Germany, divided into two parts by the Rhine, called the Upper and Lower Palatinate. The former lies in the circle of Bavaria, and belongs to the elector thereof; but the latter, in the circle we are now treating, belongs to the elector Palatine. The latter part is bounded to the east by the county of Katzenelnbogen, the archbishopric of Mentz, the bishopric of Worms, and part of the territory of the Teutonic order in Franconia; to the west, by Alsace, the duchy of Deuxponts, the county of Sponheim, the duchy of Simmern, and certain districts of the electorate of Mentz; to the south, by the duchy of Wurtemberg and the bishopric of Spire; and to the north, by a part of archbishopric of Mentz and the county of Katzenelnbogen. It contains 41 towns, besides several boroughs; and its greatest extent is about 80 miles. The air is healthful, and the soil fruitful in corn, pasturage, wine, tobacco, and all sorts of pulse and fruits, particularly walnuts, chestnuts, and almonds. This country also breeds abundance of cattle, and is well watered by the Neckar, the Nahe, and the Rhine. In the last of these, near Germerstein and Selz, is found gold; the exclusive right of searching for which is farmed out by the elector. The state of religion hath varied greatly here since the Reformation, Lutheranism and Calvinism having been uppermost by turns, till the electorate devolved to the Papist branches of the family, when Popery, with all its superstition and mummery, was established anew: so that the Protestant religion is now on a very precarious footing in the Palatinate, though most of the natives are still of that persuasion: but the two sects of Protestants, namely, the Lutherans and Calvinists, have greatly contributed to their own ruin, by their mutual jealousy and animosity, being no less rancorous against one another than against their common adversaries the Papists. The Lutherans reckon themselves 50,000 strong, and are possessed of about 83 churches; but not one half of their preachers and schoolmasters have a competent maintenance. The number of Calvinists clergy here is estimated at 500, and that of the Roman Catholics at 400. Besides schools and Jesuits colleges in this country, there is one university, namely, that of Heidelberg; but there is very little trade in it except in wine. Authors are divided about the origin of the name Palatines, or Pfalzgraves, as the Germans call them; but it seems most likely to be derived from the palatia, or palaces, which the old Frankish and German kings and Roman emperors were possessed of in different parts of the country, and over which they appointed supreme stewards or judges, who were called Palatines or Pfalzgraves. The countries where these Palatines kept their courts were, from them, called Palatinates; which name came at last to be appropriated, by way of eminence, to this country, as being the most considerable of them. The ancient electoral line failing in 1685, the electorate devolved to Philip-William Duke of Neuburg; and upon the death of his second son Charles-Philip, to the prince of Sulzbach. This elector has the title of arch-treasurer of the empire, as well as the elector of Brunswick-Luneburgh, and is the fifth in rank among the secular electors. He is also one of the vicars of the empire alternately with the elector of Bavaria, and enjoys many other prerogatives. In his own dominions, he dispenses of all vacant benefices; but allows the ecclesiastical council, composed of two clergymen and two laymen, to present two candidates, of which he chooses one. He is also master of all the tithes in his dominions; but he either grants them to the clergy, or salaries in lieu of them, out of the revenues of the church. His title is Pfalzgrave of the Rhine; archtreasurer and elector of the holy Roman empire; duke in Bavaria, Juliers, Cleve, and Berg; prince of Mors; marquis of Bergen-op-Zoom; count of Veldeus, Sponheim, the Mark, and Ravenberg; and lord of Ravenstein. His quota to the army of the empire is 30 horse, and 138 foot, or 914 florins monthly. To the charge of Wetzlar he contributes, each term, 404 rix-dollars, 82 kruitzers. There is an order of knighthood in this country, viz. that of St Hubert; the badge of which is a quadrangular cross pendant to a red ribbon, with a star on the breast. The whole of the elector's revenue, arising from the Palatinate, the duchies of Berg and Juliers, the feignory of Ravenstein, and the duchies of Neuburg and Sulzbach, hath been estimated at about 300,000 l. per annum. The military establishment consists of several regiments of horse and foot, besides the horse and Swiss life-guards. All the different courts and councils, usual in other countries for the different departments of government, are also to be found here.