AULIC

AULIC, AULICA, an Act which a young Divine maintains in some foreign Universities, upon the Admission of a new Doctor of Divinity. See ACT. It is so called from the Latin, Aula, a Hall; it being in the Hall of the University that this Act is usually held. See UNIVERSITY, DEGREE, DOCTOR, etc. The Person who presides at the Disputation is the same, that is, to take the Doctor’s Cap. Aulic, Aulicus, is also a Name attributed to certain Officers of the Emperor, who compose a superior Court or Council, which has an universal Jurisdiction, and without Appeal, over all the Subjects of the Empire, in all Processes entered therein. See EMPEROR and EMPIRE. We say Aulic Council, the Aulic Court or Chamber, Aulic Counsellor, etc. The Aulic Council is established by the Emperor, who nominates the Officers; but the Elector of Mentz has a right of visiting it.—It is composed of a President, who is a Catholic; a Vice-Chancellor, presented by the Elector of Mentz, and of eighteen Assessors, or Counsellors, nine whereof are Protestants, and nine Romanists. See ASSESSOR. They are divided into two Benches, one whereof is taken up by Nobles, and the other by Lawyers.—They hold their Assembly in the Presence of the Emperor; and for that reason are Called Justitia Imperatoris, the Emperor's Justice; and Aulic Council, because theirs follows the Emperor’s Court, Aula, and has its Residence in the Place where he is.—This Court clashes a little with the Imperial Chamber of Spires; in that they are preventive of each other: It not being allowed to remove any Cause from the one to the other. See IMPERIAL CHAMBER. Nor can the Emperor himself hinder or suspend the Decisions of either Court; much less call any Cause before himself which has once been before them; without the Consent of the States of the Empire. Yet, in some Cases the same Council forbears making any peremptory Conclusion without the Emperor’s Participation; and only Decrees thus, Fiat Relatio ad Caesarem; that is, make a Report hereof to the Emperor in his Privy-Council.

AULIC