If they had received no instructions, they took back the proposition to lay before the councils of their respective cities, in order to return a decision at an adjourned session, or at a subsequent diet.

It will be seen, therefore, that the principle of national, popular representation was but imperfectly developed.

The municipal deputies acted only under instructions.

Each city was a little independent state, suspicious not only of the sovereign and nobles, but of its sister cities.

This mutual jealousy hastened the general humiliation now impending.