This, Sir, is all that I have to say to you of _Antwerp_; from whence I went to MECHLIN, a pretty Town, where the Metropolitan Church is worth seeing. The Cardinal _de Bossu_, Brother of the Prince _de Chimay_, is its Archbishop, and the only one in the _Netherlands_, belonging to the House of _Austria_. You know, that at _Mechlin_ is held the Sovereign Council or Parliament, which is the Reason one sees such a Swarm of Attornies and Solicitors here, and hears so many of the Quirks of the Law. There are few People of Quality here, and the a.s.semblies are not very inviting.
The Causey between _Mechlin_ and _Louvain_ is a new Piece of Work. Before this was cast up, the People of _Mechlin_ were obliged, in the Winter-time, to go thro" _Brussels_, in order to avoid the bad Roads, which was a great Way about.
LOUVAIN is a great City, where one sees a vast Number of Students, Doctors, Priests and Friers. But none of these being Companions for me, I only pa.s.s"d quite thro" the Town; for I had seen the Churches before; and I was not a Stranger to the turbulent Spirit of the Inhabitants, who are the most unpolish"d of all the _Netherlands_. One of the grand Privileges of the University of _Louvain_, is a Nomination to a great Number of Benefices; about which they are actually at Law with several Bishops of the _Netherlands_, who pretend to dispute their said Right; on Pretence, that the University prefers Men to Livings, of whose Persons or Sentiments they have no Knowledge. Mr. _Strickland_, by Birth an _Englishman_, and Bishop of _Namur_, is to go on the Part of the Bishops, to get this Affair determined at _Rome_. But I"ll lay a Wager, that he will do nothing more than see the Datary and the Rota with a round Sum of Money.
There"s a very good Pavement from _Louvain_ to _Tirlemont_, which is a Town in a Manner abandoned, and where I know of nothing remarkable; so that I brush"d thro" it, and went and lay at MAESTRICHT, one of the best and strongest Places in _Europe_, belonging to the _Dutch_; to whom _Spain_ abandoned it by the Peace of _Munster_. The _French_ Army took it in 1673, in thirteen Days, and the Allies retook it in fifty. The _Dutch_ Propriety in it was recogniz"d by the Peace of _Nimeguen_, and they maintain a numerous Garison in it. The Governor of it is Prince _William_ of _Hesse Ca.s.sel_, Brother to the King of _Sweden_; but since the Death of the Landgrave of _Hesse_, that Prince being vested with the Regency of the said Landgraviate, resides no longer at _Maestricht_; which is a Loss to this Town, for he kept a fine Court there, and liv"d with all the Dignity answerable to his high Birth. The Person who commands in the Place during his Absence, is the Brigadier[89] _d"Amerongen_.
The Walks about _Maestricht_, especially those on the Ramparts, are charming; for there"s no want of good Company, and "tis the genteelest of all the Garisons that belong to the _Dutch_. "Tis a very pretty Town, with beautiful Squares, and the Streets are very open. The Catholics, as well as Protestants, have Churches here, and keep up that Union which is remarkable in all the Towns of _Holland_. The _Maese_ pa.s.ses thro" this Town, and over it there"s a Stone Bridge; from which, I have been a.s.sured for a Truth, the late Marshal _d"Auverquerque_, when a young Man, leaped his Horse into the River, to convince Mademoiselle _de Feldtbruck_, how sincerely he loved her. It seems he was one Day making his Vows and Protestations to her at her Coach-Door, when she told him, That she looked upon all he said to be Flams, and that she would lay him a Wager, he did not love her enough to leap his Horse over into the River. He accepted the Wager, and won it at the Risque of his Life. He was so fortunate as to keep his Footing in the Stirrups, and his Horse was so good as to wade with him to the Sh.o.r.e. But after he had taken this dangerous Leap, he reflected on the capricious Temper of his Mistress; and broke off his Courtship with the young Lady; which, I think, was the least she deserved.
I stay"d a few Days at _Maestricht_, which City put me in Mind of my Father, who died there in the Service of the Elector _Frederic_ of _Brandenbourg_. I have been to shed a few Tears at his Tomb in the new Church, which is the only Devoir I could pay to his Memory; the Religion wherein he died, forbidding me to put up the Prayers of the Church for him.
The City of LIEGE is about five Leagues from _Maestricht_. A Vessel goes thither, and returns every Day. But to go against the Stream of a River so rapid as the _Maese_, and which in the Summer-time often wants Water, is what I shall never advise any Friend of mine.
The Generality of the Antiquarians will have it, that _Liege_ was built by that _Ambiorix_ King of the _Eburons_, a great Enemy of the _Romans_ who cut in Pieces one of their Legions, commanded by two of _Caesar"s_ Lieutenants; for which Affront, _Caesar_ afterwards took a sweet Revenge.
But be this as it will, "tis certain that _Liege_ is a very ancient City.
"Tis large and very populous, and situate in a pleasant Valley, encompa.s.sed with fine Hills and Dales; wherein there are Meadows, thro"
which there run several Rivulets, that fall into the _Maese_, which pa.s.ses thro" the City, and has a Bridge over it of Stone. The Cathedral, dedicated to St. _Lambert_, is famous for its Chapter, which consists of Princes, Cardinals, and Persons of the first Quality; in which Number are included some of but ordinary Extraction, who become Lords of Manors, or _Tressonciers_, (the t.i.tle that the Canons a.s.sume) by means of the Doctor"s Degree. But this Chapter, let it be as venerable as it will, comes very far short of being as well const.i.tuted as those of _Germany_.
The Palace of the Prince and Bishop of _Liege_ is ancient. It has large Rooms, but is so pent up by little Streets, that the Apartments are not airy enough[90]. The present Bishop is the last Survivor of the Family of _Berg_. He was chosen against powerful Compet.i.tors, who were the Elector of _Cologne_, and the Cardinal of _Saxe Zeits_; but he had the good Luck to be chose when himself did not expect it. Whether the Chapter is pleased with him, I know not; but the Populace are very fond of him. He governs with Moderation and Wisdom. He is very just, rarely pardons a Crime, is of very difficult Access, but in other respects good; very regular in his Affairs, and abounding in Charities; which, perhaps, are not always distributed according to his Intention. He had for a long time a _Capuchin_ to be Confessor, who directed every Thing; but the good Father was accused of loving his Brothers too well, and of being accessary to their Breach of the Vow of Poverty. This _Capuchin_ Minister died without being lamented for any thing else, by that Prince"s Domestics. He is succeeded in his Post of Confessor, by another _Capuchin_; but his Authority is more limited.
The Prince leads a very private Life, and is eight Months in the Year at _Serai_, a Country House a small League from _Liege_, on the Banks of the _Maese_, towards _Huy_, where he has seldom any body with him but his Confessor, the Captain of his Guards, and a Gentleman of his Bed-chamber.
His Table is not so sumptuous as "tis elegant; his Liveries are very modest, his Guards but few, and cloath"d exactly alike. He has rais"d a Regiment of Guards, of which the Count _de Beaufort_, Brother to the Governor of _Charleroy_, is the Colonel. This Regiment is lodged in the old Caserns of the Citadel, which was formerly very considerable, but has been intirely ruin"d and demolish"d, since it was besieg"d and taken by my Lord _Marlborough_. "Twas also stipulated in the Treaty of Peace, that the Citadel of _Liege_ shall not be rebuilt.
You know, that the Episcopal See of _Liege_ was formerly at _Tongres_; of which, they say, that _Maternus_, sent by St. _Peter_, was the first Bishop. The See was transferr"d by his Successors, first to _Maestricht_, and then to _Liege_.
There are some magnificent Churches in this City, where those that love Paintings will be delighted. The Churches in general are beautiful, and have for most part been repaired within these few Years. St. _Paul"s_ Church here would be admir"d, even in _Rome_ itself. Divine Service is perform"d in it with very great Regularity; and "tis impossible not to be edify"d by it, the _Roman_ Ritual being observed in every Particular.
The Pleasures of _Liege_ consist very much in Drinking, for there"s little Society among the Women; and as for the Men, they are generally at the Tavern, where there are good _Bar_ and _Burgundy_ Wines, and a sort of Beer still better, neither of which being very dear, the People of _Liege_ go with Joy to the Bottle; but being, at best, Men of warm Brains, great Talkers, Railers and Backbiters, their Entertainments and a.s.semblies commonly end like the _Italian_ Comedies. The _Liegeois_ are accused of being insincere, and are called, _the_ Italians _of the_ Netherlands. They drive a great Trade, with as little Honesty as elsewhere. They are Drunkards, quarrelsome, and so vindictive, that they think any sort of Revenge sweet. They love Law-suits and Chicanery, to such a Degree, that the Country of _Liege_ alone furnishes the Chamber of _Wetzlar_ with more Business than all the Empire. I confess, that of all the People I ever conversed with, there are none for whom I have less Esteem, and none, whose Society I shall always more avoid; tho" I shall ever esteem the honest Folks there, of whom, I am persuaded, there are some: But I enter not into Particulars, I speak only of the Generality of the _Liegeois_, who appeared to me such as I have describ"d them; and if I wrong them, I ask their Pardon. Another Man may conceive what Idea of them he pleases, and for my own part, I shall be overjoy"d to hear of any Merit found among them.
The Country of _Liege_ is fruitful, and abounding with all Things, except Wine and Oil, which they must have from Foreigners. Here are Mines of Iron and Lead, Quarries of Marble, and a sort of Mineral, which is an Earth proper to burn, and their common Fuel; but a Fuel very disagreeable, because of its nasty Smell, which is infinitely worse than the _English_ Coal, and renders _Liege_, in the Winter-time, as black and as sooty as _London_.
The Bishop is Lord of the whole Country: He has, however, his States, who are not always of the Prince"s Opinion. In this Country are reckon"d fifty Baronies, a great Number of Abbies, above twenty wall"d Towns, and near fifteen hundred Villages. This Princ.i.p.ality is subject to the Empire.
I reckon to set out hence To-morrow, and to go and lie at _Spa_, where I hope to be merry. Be you the same, and believe me to be always Yours, _&c._
[Ill.u.s.tration]
LETTER XLVI.
_SIR_, _Cologn, July, 13, 1732._
The Road from _Liege_ to Spa is very disagreeable, and, really, the Place itself is not worth the Trouble of going to it; I mean, for such as are not under a Necessity of using the Waters; for I am not willing to embroil myself with the _English_, who neglect the best Waters in the World, which they have at _Bath_ and _Tunbridge_, to go to those of the _Spa_. Here are several Springs, which the Physicians of the Place adjust to all Distempers. That of _Poubon_, which is in the Middle of the Square of _Spa_, is good for the Gravel, the Sciatica, and in short, for every Thing, except the Stomach; but then, on the other hand, this Part of the human Body may be set to Rights by the Water of the _Geronstere_, which must be taken every Morning, three Quarters of a League from _Spa_, in a little Coppice, where a sorry Hovel is built, to shelter the Water-drinkers from the Rain. But how good soever the _Geronstere_ Spring is for the Stomach, it is of no manner of Service to the Breast; in which Case they must go to another Fountain, of which I have forgot the Name.
The Physicians and Inhabitants of _Spa_, good People, consulting their own Interest more than the Health of the Foreigners, tell them absolutely, that they must continue to drink the Waters, at least, six Weeks successively; which Precepts the _English_ follow very readily, and even go beyond them. I knew a young _Irishman_, who for three Years fansied himself to be sick, and was continually taking the Waters of the _Spa_. He would fain have persuaded me, that otherwise he should have died: He complained of a great Pain in his Kidneys; yet he look"d very well, eat heartily, slept sound, and danced like one mad. While I was at _Spa_, I thought myself at _London_, there being ten _Englishmen_ to one Foreigner.
I believe that Nation, in short, has laid a Plot to take away _Spa_ from the Bishop of _Liege_. I was overjoy"d to renew my Acquaintance there with Persons of good Families, whom I had known at _London_. Tho" I am extremely prepossessed in Favour of _England_ and _Englishmen_; yet I cannot help agreeing with many others, that they are more amiable, and more sociable Abroad, than they are at Home.
In my Road from _Spa_ to _Aix la Chapelle_, I came to LIMBOURG, the Capital Town of the Duchy of that Name, and truly, the most dismal Capital in the World. It stands upon a Mountain, as it were, by itself, and in one of the most disagreeable Situations that can be imagined. Heretofore it was fortified, but is now dismantled. There are, however, three hundred Invalids that keep Guard here, such a one as it is. The whole Country has a very miserable Appearance; yet I have been a.s.sured, that the Inhabitants are very well to pa.s.s. They have good Store of Cattle, make a great deal of Cheese, and manufacture very good Cloth, for which they have a great Vend in the _Netherlands_, and at _Frankfort_ Fair; where a great many Pieces are sold, which pa.s.s for the Cloth of _Holland_, and even of _England_. The Road from _Limbourg_ to _Aix la Chapelle_, which is four Leagues, is very disagreeable to travel in a Chaise, because of the Rocks and Mountains.
AIX LA CHAPELLE, which is an Imperial City, owes its Foundation to _Charlemagne_, who established the Seat of his Empire here; and, they say, that the Town-house was formerly Part of his Palace. This City is fixed by the Golden Bull, to be the Place for Crowning the Emperors. _Charlemagne_ caused his Son _Louis the Pious_ to be crowned there, by _Hildebold_, Archbishop of _Cologne_; since which, there have been thirty-six Emperors crowned in _Aix_. They who have been crowned elsewhere, have always given an Instrument to the City of _Aix_, and to the Chapter Royal of the Church of our Lady, declaring, that this Ceremony, performed elsewhere, shall be of no Prejudice either to the City, or its Church.
The Annals of _Aix_, among several other miraculous Events, report, That during the Coronation of _Rodolph_ I. there appeared a great bright Cross over the Church of our Lady, as a Mark that G.o.d approved of the Choice which the Electors had made of that Prince, according to the Advice given them by _Albert the Great_, of the _Dominican_ Order, Bishop of _Ratisbon_, and _Rodolph_"s Confessor. When the Electors were going to take the Oath of Fidelity to _Rodolph_, according to Custom, the Sceptre which they were to touch, was not to be found; whereupon _Rodolph_, who did not think this Ceremony absolutely needless, took a Crucifix from the Altar: _See_, (said he to the Electors, who stood round _Charlemagne_"s Chair, in which _Rodolph_ sat) _see the Signal of that by which we and all the World have been redeemed; we will make use of this, instead of the Sceptre._ Then kissing the Crucifix very devoutly, it so wrought upon the Princes and Electors, that without staying for the Sceptre, they took the Oath, and paid Homage with their Hands crossing each other. I forgot to tell you, that the Cross which appeared in the Firmament, during this Transaction, tho" white at first, became red as Blood; which being told to the Emperor _Rodolph_, he said, _If G.o.d gives me Life, I will go beyond Sea, and there sacrifice my Blood for my Sins, for the Honour of my Saviour_ Jesus Christ. Probably, this Emperor did not live to perform his pious Resolution; for History does not say, that he ever went to Sea; but it mentions, that when this Prince was only the Count _de Hapsbourg_, he met a Priest in a Field, walking on Foot, and carrying the Viatic.u.m to a Person that was sick, and that _Rodolph_, such was his Devotion for the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, alighted from his Horse, and set the Priest upon it, using this Expression, _That it should never be said, that the Man who carried the Saviour of the World, should walk on Foot, while he_, Rodolph, _sate on Horseback_. The Priest, who was wrought upon by the Zeal of the Prince, and inspired by G.o.d, prophesied to him, That he should be chose Emperor, and that his Posterity should attain to the highest Honours. The Event has answered the Prediction; for G.o.d has so blessed _Rodolph_"s Family, which now goes by the Name of the House of _Austria_, that since his Time, the Imperial Sceptre has not departed from it; _Charles_ VI. being the fifteenth Emperor, besides seven Kings of the _Romans_, who are descended, without Interruption, from the _Rodolphin_ Line.
The Church of _our Lady_ is very ancient, being consecrated by Pope _Leo_ III. in Presence of the Emperor _Charlemaign_, and as many Bishops attended at the Ceremony as there are Days in the Year; of whom, no doubt, a great many were Bishops in Parts beyond the Seas. At this Consecration a Thing happened very surprising and extraordinary; to which you may give as much, or as little Credit as you please. "Tis, that G.o.d, in order fully to answer _Charlemagne_"s Desire to complete the aforesaid Number of Bishops, of which there wanted two, permitted St. _Monulphus_, and St.
_Gondulphus_, Bishops of _Tongres_, who had been both dead a long time, and buried in the Church of _St. Servais_, at _Maestricht_, to appear visibly at the Solemnity of this Coronation, and to receive the Pope"s Blessing; after which they vanish"d. But I think, without pretending to dive into this Mystery, that if these two Bishops were really Saints, they ought to have given the Pope their Blessing, as being older Saints than the Holy Father. Mean time, that there is such a Story, you are not to doubt; for in the Roof of the Church of _St. Servais_ at _Maestricht_, I saw a Picture that represents it. There is an Angel holding out a Label in the Language of _Brabant_, signifying, Monulphus _and_ Gondulphus, _arise, and go to the Consecration of the Church of_ Aix: And upon their Tomb there is this _Latin_ Distich, expressing their Departure from thence to the Church at _Aix la Chapelle_.
_Excitus bac arca_ Monulphus, _Aquisque dicato_ Gondulphus _Templo se reddit uterque Hierarcha._
After such authentick Evidences of so extraordinary a Pa.s.sage, a Man must be very incredulous not to believe it. I should never have done, were I to give you an Account of all the precious Reliques that are in our Lady"s Church, of which you know that the Emperor is by Birth a Canon. The great Reliques are only shown once every seven Years, when Pilgrims come from all Parts, and particularly from _Hungary_; but as they are then only exposed from the Top of a Steeple, the poor Creatures have only the Satisfaction of seeing them at a very great Distance; and after having been regaled by the City of _Aix_, most of "em return Home, without being able to say what they have seen. The first and most ancient Relique, is the Shift which the Holy Virgin had on when she was delivered of our Lord.
Whenever these Reliques are exposed, a Priest makes a Proclamation to the People, what Relique he is going to shew them. The following is the Form of one of those Proclamations.
At the first RELIQUE.
We shall shew you the Linen, the sacred Raiment, in which the Holy Virgin +Mary+, Mother of G.o.d, was drest the Night of the Holy Nativity of Our Lord, when she brought forth +Jesus Christ+, Very G.o.d and Very Man. Therefore let us beseech G.o.d, that we may look upon this sacred Relique in such a Manner, that the Honour and Glory of G.o.d may be thereby advanced, and that we may obtain his Grace, and his sacred Benediction.
The other Proclamations are in the same Taste: But so much for Reliques.
In the Church of _Aix_, there is a very great Treasure, consisting of Vessels of Gold and Silver gilt, Copes embroider"d with Pearls, and other sacred Ornaments, which are very rich. There is the Royal Chair, in which _Charlemaign_ sate in his Tomb three hundred and twenty-five Years. "Tis of white Marble, not polished, because it was covered with Plates of Gold; but what"s become of "em, I know not. "Tis in this Chair that the King of the _Romans_ goes and seats himself as soon as he is consecrated; and here the Electors, and the Chapter of the Church, go and make their first Obeisance to him, in Quality of King of the _Romans_. The High Altar, and the Pulpit, are covered with Plates of Gold, adorned with Jewels of a great Value, especially an Agate of an extraordinary Size; the Whole given by St. _Henry_ of _Bavaria_, the second Emperor of the _Romans_ of that Name. Were I to give you all the other Particulars of this Church"s Treasure, my Letter would swell to a Volume.
The Citizens of _Aix_, being in Hopes to have that Congress there, which was held afterwards at _Soissons_, caused their Town-house to be repaired; so that "tis now one of the finest in _Germany_. They also built new Baths, very proper and commodious, and the Structure makes a handsome Appearance. _Aix_, take it all together, is a very pretty Town, and there"s very good Company here, even when the Waters are not in Season; but the noisy Pleasures are not to be expected. The Houses of the Countess _de Golstein_, and the Baron of _Dobelstein_, are of great Relief. The last is a Gentleman of Merit, and of a good Family, his Father having been a General Officer in the Service of _Joseph Clement_, Elector of _Cologne_; and having served in _France_, the last War, with Reputation.
He honoured me with his Friendship, and I revere his Memory.
Of all the Places where the Waters are used, there"s none of more agreeable Accommodation than _Aix_; the Lodgings and Provisions here being perfectly good. There"s the House of _Bougir_, near the _Fountain_, where the late King of _Denmark_, the Queen, the Princess, and all their Retinue, were lodged very conveniently. This House is exceeding well furnished, and belongs to very genteel People, who, during the Season, hold a.s.semblies, and give a Ball, in a Room which is perfectly fine.
From _Aix la Chapelle_, I came in less than a Day to _Cologne_, thro" a very even Road, and a flat Country all the Way, excepting a Hill that one ascends going out of _Aix_. I pa.s.sed thro" JULIERS, the Capital of a Duchy of that Name, upon the little River _Roer_, which is very subject to overflow its Banks. Several Authors will have it, that _Julius Caesar_ caused this City to be built, while others ascribe its Foundation to _Drusus_. Which of them soever it was, the Town does no Honour to either.
There is not one House in it, that can be called a Structure; and I thought the Fortifications were very much neglected. The Castle, or Citadel, which I only saw at a Distance, "tis to be hoped, is in a better State. The Elector Palatine keeps a good Garison there, commanded by the General _Haxhausen_; whose House is, I think, the best in all _Juliers_.
The _Roman_ Catholic is the only Religion exercised in the City, but the _Lutherans_ and _Calvinists_ have their Chapel on the Glacis of the Place; and "tis natural enough to suppose, that ere long they will have Churches in the Town itself, since nothing stands in the Way but the Life of the Elector _Palatine_; after whose Death, "tis hardly supposed that the King of _Prussia_ will let a Country slip from him, to which he has such just Pretensions.
COLOGNE is the greatest City in _Germany_, but the saddest in _Europe_.
There"s nothing to be heard in it but tolling of Bells, and nothing to be seen but Priests, Friers and Students; many of whom beg Alms with a Song.
The People of _Cologne_ boast, that _Agrippina_, the Mother of _Nero_, was born there; and that this Princess, in order to give the City signal Proofs of her Good-will and Generosity, very much augmented its Circ.u.mference, and peopled it with a Colony of Veteran _Romans_. "Twere to be wish"d, that this Empress was still living, and that she would take it into her Head to people _Cologne_ again, where there are really more Houses than Families. For "tis a poor Burgher indeed here, who has not a whole House to himself.
If the Inhabitants of a Town were the more righteous for having a Number of Churches, those of _Cologne_ would be the greatest Saints upon Earth; for they have as many Churches and Chapels as there are Days in the Year.
The most considerable is the Metropolitan Church, dedicated to the Apostle St. _Peter_. If it were finished, it would be one of the greatest and most magnificent Buildings in _Europe_; but in its present Condition, it does no very great Honour to the Chapter, which is the most ill.u.s.trious in _Germany_; the Canons being all born Princes, or Counts of the Empire, who must prove their n.o.bility from sixteen Descents. There are, indeed, some Canons who are only Doctors; but, properly speaking, they are no more than the Officers of the Chapter. The Bodies of the three Kings that were brought to _Cologne_, lie in a Chapel behind the Choir. They came into the City through a Gate towards the _Rhine_, which was walled up, as soon as the sacred Reliques had pa.s.s"d, that nothing might profane it. The Effigies of the three Kings are painted over it. The Inhabitants of _Cologne_ have such a Veneration for these Reliques, that I believe, it would not be proper so much as to question whether they are genuine, in a Company of the Burghers.
The n.o.bility and Gentry at _Cologne_ are as polite as they are elsewhere; but the Vulgar are extremely clownish. There are very ancient _Patrician_ Families here, who make as plain Proof that they are descended from the old _Romans_, as the Duke _de Ventadour_ in _France_ does, that he is a Kin to the Holy Virgin.
The Town is governed by a Senate, and is a Free Imperial City; nevertheless, the Elector of _Cologne_ holds the Supreme Court of Justice here, by a sort of Chief Justice, or Lieutenant Criminal, who has no manner of Dependance on the Magistrates. The princ.i.p.al Offices are shared among the _Patricians_ or Senators; who keep close at their own Houses, and shun the n.o.bility, as do all the _Patricians_ of _Germany_. There are very few Families of Quality in this City, considering its Bigness. The n.o.blemen of the Chapter, are all the good Company to be met with in _Cologne_, and they are respectful to Foreigners; but the greatest Part of "em are very little in Town; for as soon as their Residence is expired, they either go Home, or remove to other Places, where they are Prebendaries. There are substantial Tradesmen here, who eat well, and drink still better. They may be merry Blades, for aught I know, but I have not kept them Company; and you need not be told, that our _Germanic_ Haughtiness will not permit us to demean ourselves to them.
There are a great many other Curiosities to be seen in this City, particularly the House where the Horses went up of their own Accord into the Garret, to convince a Man, that his Wife, who was buried the Day before, was not dead. You will find the Account of it in _Misson"s_[91]
Letters. I have been to see the House where the unfortunate Queen _Mary de Medicis_ lodg"d, while she liv"d here, and where she died in a Condition so forlorn, as may be a Warning to the World of the Frailty of Human Grandeur. The ungrateful Cardinal _de Richelieu_, on whom she had heap"d Riches and Honour, not content with having banish"d her out of the Kingdom, abandon"d her to the Want of every thing; and while himself liv"d in the Luxury of the most splendid Fortune, he made the Queen suffer the Martyrdom of Misery and Sorrow. Cardinal _Mazarin_, his Successor in the Ministry, retir"d likewise to this Town, while the whole Kingdom of _France_ was in a Conspiracy against him; but he had the Glory to defeat it.
I shall say nothing to you of the Revenues of this City, because I have seen n.o.body that could give me the least Insight into that Matter. It maintains some Companies of very sorry Soldiers, who keep Guard at the Gates, at the Town-house, and very insolently search the Luggage of all Comers; which is, certainly, of all Inconveniencies the greatest; because when one is not above two hundred Steps from our Quarters, we are obliged to unloose our Portmanteaus, which are then search"d, and every thing turn"d topsy-turvy; after which, one is obliged to be at the Trouble of putting every thing to rights again, while the very Fellows, that have put all in Confusion, have also the Impudence to ask for a Spill of Money to drink. In other Towns, an Officer goes with you to your Quarters, and you shew him what you have. But the Imperial Cities always affect to differ from others in certain Particularities, which are generally in direct Opposition to their own Interest, and constantly so to the Convenience of the Public.
There are Protestants settled here, who are not the poorest People in the City. They go to Church at _Mulheim_, a Village in the Country of _Berg_, about half a League off.
I set out To-morrow for _Bonn_, where the Elector is expected every Hour.