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SIR, Kojne, July jo, 1750a T hus am I at length arrived at the fa- mous City of R o M E, that City which has been fo long the Miftrefs of the World, and is ftill the Metfopolis of Europe : But don’t exped I Jfhould give you a per- fed Defcription of it, becaufe that would require a Man better skilled in Architedure than 1 am. I fliall only mention fuch things as to me appeared to be the moft beautiful, or thofe which I thought the Reverfe, and which yet the Oftentation of the Italians cries up for the Wonders of the World. I fhall make it my Bufinefs, to give you an Ac- count of Things anfimate,- much rather than thofe which are inanimate the latter having been fo well A . defcribed. I ) V, 1 Rom e '. defcribed, that all I could fay to you upon that Head would be but a Repetition of what you have read a thoufand times over. Rome is certainly one of the fineft Cities in the World j but it is not now That Rome of which we read fuch pompous Accounts, it having fcarce any Remains left of what it was in ancient Days. Notwithrtanding this, it muft be owned, that it has matchlefs and ftately Stru<5tures. Nothing is equal to its Churches, its Fountains, and fome of its Palaces. At one’s firft Entrance thro’ the Gate {^el Popoli^ a Foreigner cannot but be ftruck with Admiration, when he looks right before him, which methought refembled the grand Decoration of a Theatre ; but when I caff my Eyes to the Right and Left, the Scene was quite different : I believed I was entring into a Village. This is a Riddle, which I will now endeavour to explain to you. When I looked ffrait before me, I im- mediately perceiv’d a Square of a triangular Form, at one Point whereof rtands the Gate del Popoli, through which I entered, facing three very long Streets drawn to a Point, in the Shape of a Goofe- foot. Thefe Streets are feparated by two Churches, the Fronts whereof are magnificent, and of regu- lar Architedlure. In the middle of the Square there’s a ftately Obelisk, or Spire, of oriental Gra- nate, which, according to the infeription on the Pedeftal, was raifed by Pope Sixtus V. At the Foot of this Pyramid, on the Town-fide, there’s a Fountain. All this together makes the Square a Beauty, and feemed to be worthy of Rome : What follows appear’d to me to have the Air of a Village. The firft Thing one perceives at the Left hand of the Square, is a Church confecrated to Our Lady, the Architedure of which is very plain •, and cn the fiime Side are feveral very lorry Houfes, or rather Huts. The Right-hand of the Square Rome. 3 Square confifts of Hay-Barns, and two or three wretched Hovels. From the Square delPopoU^ I flaall run through the three Streets which lead from thence to the chief Quarters of R o m e. I (hail begin with that in the Middle, which fronts the Gate. ’Tis called the Street del Cor/o, becaufe there it is that in the Carnival Time, the Barbary Horfes run Races, and where there "is the Pafaggio, or Ring, fre- quented every Day by the Coaches. This Street runs thro’ almoft all Rome, and has fome fine Houfes in it, particularly the Palaces Rufpob, Gicci^ CaroUs, Mancini, Pampbili, and Bolognelli. It crofles the Squares of St. Mark and Colonna. The firft is a Quadrangle, encompaficd with good fubftantial Buildings, and adorned with the famous Anionine Pillar, which the Senate cauRd to be eredcd to the Honour of Antoninus the Pious ^ whofe Statue was formerly on the Top of it, but has fince given place to the Efngies of St. Paul. St. Mark‘s Square is fo called, becaufe it lies be- fore the Church dedicated to the Saint of that Name. In it ftands the Palace of Venice, a vatl Pile of Building, now occupied by the Ambafiador of the Republic, but was the Refidence of Pope Sixtus V. The fecond Street which takes its Rife in the Square del PopoU, is called la Sirada Ripetta. It has nothing in it remarkable but the Stairs leading down to the Tiber, which are of a grand Defign, and fo contrived, that there are two Flights of a Stair-cafe, without Steps, for the Convenience of the Florfes that carry the Goods which are landed at the Foot of the Stairs j that being one of the principal Ports of R o M e. The third Street, which ends in the Square of Spain, has alfo nothing in it v/orth feeing. To hear a Roman fpeak of the Square of Spain, one would A 2 think 4 Rome. think it the finefi; Place in the World ; but I know nothing that lefs deferves that Charadler. ’Tis much narrower in the Middle than at both Ends ; it is but half-paved •, and, excepting the Palace of Spain, which is occupied by the Cardinal Befiti- voglio*, the Ambafiador of that Crown, and the' Palace de Propaganda, it has not one handfome Ploufe. In the Middle of it there’s a plentiful Fountain, in form of a Bark, placed in an- oval Bafon. This Fountain Hands at the Foot of a prodigious Stair-cafe, which leads to the Church of Prinily on the Mountain, belonging to French Minims. ’Twas made during the Pontificate of Pope Innocent XIII. of the Family of Conti, out of the Money which a v\c\\Frcncbman left on his Death- Bed for that very Purpofe. They fay, that no lefs than 60,000 Roman Crowns were expended in it ; which, if true, ’twas Money very ill laid out j for the Stair-cafe is of a Tafie perfectly Gothic, and fo ill built, that it is actually falling to De- cay, though it is not above five Years fince it was finiflied. If the old Romans were but to peep out of their Graves at this Piece of Work, I dare fay, they would blufh to fee how their Succelfors build. The Square of Spain, as ugly, and as much hid as it is by Houfes, is the Place of Rendez- vous for all the Beau Monde in the City. Here the Ladies, fitting at their Eafe in their Coaches, receive the Homage of the Gentlemen Handing at their Coach-doors •, and thus an Hour or two is fpenC every Evening, in breathing the wOrft Air in Rome, mixed with Clouds of Duft ; and one * His Eminency died in the Beginning of the Year 175J.’ after which, Signior Thomas Kattc. and Omnelli, heretofore Auditor of the Rota, and now Bifliop of Cordoua, had the Care of the Spmijh Affairs, in which he was fucceeded by Cardinal jicquaviva. Rome. 5 is not only pefter’d with Beggars, but every Mi- nute in Danger of being crulh’d to pieces between the Coaches, which prefs forward, without keeping their Ranks, or obferving any Order. I know not how you would like it, but I am lure, for my own Part, who am not a Man for amorous Prattle, I avoid being here as much as poffible, and had rather go up to the Terras, which is upon Mount ^rinit'j. There I have the Pleafure to fee fome- thing of what paffes in the Square of Spain *, I ex- tend my View over all Rome, and even into the Country beyond it, and there I breathe the frefh Air, without the Rifque of being broke upon the Wheel. ’Tis true, that I fee none except Abbes and Prelates but they are not Eye-fores to me, and befides, I Ihould find the fame at the Doors of the Ladies Coaches. Foreigners refide commonly in the Square of Spain, and the feven Streets which run into it. This Quarter belongs to the JurifdifHon of the Spani/h Ambaflador, whither the Sbirri dare not purfue a Criminal, or to venture being feen there •, for if they did, they would be attacked by Bravo’s, who, like the Swifs of the Spanifh Minifter, are very jealous of their Rights of Franchife, which all Ambafladors enjoy as well as he : This is of- ten the Source of many Diforders, and, if I may venture to fay it, authorizes Wickednefs, becaufe it gives the Criminals fo ready an Opportunity of finding Refuge ; but ’tis a rare Income for the Bravo’s and their' Captain ; for the Libertines and Malefadlors who retire into their Mafters Quar- ter, can do no lefs than pay them for their Pro- teftion. The Square of Spain leads me to give you fome Account of the Square Navona, which, tho’ by no Means regular, and by much too narrow for the Length of it, may be numbered among the A 3 fine ft 6 Rome. finefl Squares in the World. ’Tis adorned with noble Fountains, two of which are worth the ftridl Attention of the Curious, The Middlemoff^ which IS the largeft, was erefted by Order ofPopi^lnm^ cent X. of the Family of Pamphili, according to a Model by Signior Lorenzo Bernmi^ who has made a Alining Difplay of his Art in this pompous Work. T he Whole is a large oval Bafon, lined with white Marble, in the Midfl of which there rifes a Rock, with four Grottos cut in it, and on the Top there’s an Obelisk, or Spire, of oriental Granate, which was formerly in the Circus of the Emperor Jnto- uinus Carcicullci. At the four Corners of the Rock, there are four Statues of white Marble, fitting in Attitudes equally bold and noble, which repre- fent the four principal Rivers of the World, the Ganges^ the Nde^ the Danube^ and Rio de la Plata^ in the bPeJi-Indies. T[ hefe four Statues, tho’ made by different Hands, are alike beautiful, and adorned with the Attributes fuitable to each Sta- tue. The fecond Fountain is a white Marble Eafon in an oval Figure, in the Middle of which a Triton appears fitting on a Dolphin cut in Marble, done by the Hand of the famous Michael Angelo Buona^ rota, Oppofite to the great Fountain ftands the fine Church of St. Agnes,^ begun by Innocent X. and finifiied by his Nephews the Princes Pamphili, ’ Fis one of the moll: fumptuous and ftately Edifices in R OM E. The Infide is an Oval. It abounds everywhere with Marble, Gilding, and excellent Paintings. Arjoining to this Church is a great and magnificent Palace, belonging to Prince Pampbdi, who lets it out to the Cardinal Co-jhii*. There’s a Gallery which is admired by the Connoifieurs in Painting. * Now Pope Clement XII. whofe Nephews and Nieces dwell in it. The Rome. 7 The Panlheon, commonly called the Church de la Rotonda, becaufe of its round Figure, is a Mo- nument of the Magnificence of ancient Rome, which has been well preferved. Jgrippa caufed this Temple to be built, with an Intention to de- dicate it to Auguftus his Father-in-Law ; but he afterwards devoted it to Jupiter Ultor, or the Avert- ger, Pope Boniface I. or, as others fay, Boniface IV. confecrated this Temple to the True God, by de- dicating it to the Holy Virgin and the Martyrs, with the Title of Sta. Marta ad Martyes. No- thing is more Majeftic than the Portico of this Church, which is fupported by fixteen Columns of oriental Granate, of a wonderful Height and Circumference, all of a Piece, and of the Corin- thian Order. The Church, which is round, re- ceives Light only by an Opening in the Middle of the Roof, which is built in Form of a Dome. The Walls are lined with Marble, even up to the Cornifh which fupports the Roof, and feveral little Chapels are cut out in the W^all. The Roof was heretofore covered with Brafs, but Urban VIII. (tripped the Church of that magnificent Covering, and employ’d the Brafs partly on the High Altar of St. Peter's Church, and of the reft of it he caufcd thofe Guns to be caft that are (till to be feen in the Caftle of St. Angelo. The Pope who did this, being of the Barberini Family, gave Oc- cafion to the Romans, who take a Pleafure in cri- ticifing the Condu ftof the Popes, to fay, chat the Barberini had done even more than the Ba'^bariatrs ; and really, it is worthy of Remark, that in the fe- vcral Sackings of Rome the Rotonda was always fpared. St. Peter's Church fo aftonifhed me, that I can- not pafs it by in Silence. To tell you in few Words what I think of it ; I believe, that though there were no other Building in Rome but this A 4 Church, I II O M E,’ Church, it would be worth while to make a Jour- p^y hither on Purpofe to fee it. The Area which lies before this fuperb Pile, can’t but be admired by all that fee ic. Pope Alexander VII. caufed it to be laid out after the Model of my Hero in Ar- chiteiflure, Signior Lorenzo Bernini. The Form of this Area is round, and encompaflTed by a Pe- riftyle of two hundred eighty-fix Pillars, which Jeads all the way under Covert to the Church. Tliefe Columns fupport an Architrave adorned with a great Number of Statues, reprefenting di- vers holy Martyrs. The i\rea is adorned with two magnificent Fountains, which continually throw out valt Sheets of Water, into three Bafons, the lowermoft whereof, being the larged, ferves to let put the Water, which runs under Ground. An Obelisk of feventy-two Feet in Height, befides the Bafis, (lands up in the Middle of the tv/o Fountains. Pope Sixtus V. who may judly be reckoned the Reftorer of Rome, on account cf the Ornaments with which he embellifiied every Part of it, caufed it to be fet up, after ’twas dug out of the Earth, near the Place where now ftands St. Peter’s Sacrilly. He ordered it to be eredled on a very high Pedeftal ; and Signior Fontana^ the famous Architect, was the Man by whole Direc- tion fo immenfe a Weight was railed to that Height. ’Tis laid, that Pope Sixtus V. com- manded that every Man who affifted in raifing this .Obelisk fhould keep Silence on Pain of Death, ifor fear left Talking fhould diftrad the Work- mens Thoughts, and take them oft* from a due Attention to the Orders of the Archiredl ; and as they knew that Sixtus would be obeyed, not a Man fpoke a Work. The Work went on very well, till when the Spire was almoft raifcd, the Ropes happened to be too fhort. This Accident fo con- founded Rome; ^ founded Fontana, that he knew not what to do, when one of the Spedtators took it in his Head to call out to him to throw Water upon the Ropes. Fontana followed his Advice with fuch good Suc- cefs, that the Pope promifed a Reward for the Perfon who would own that he gave it : But no body cared to truft Sixtus ; the Advifer concealed himfelf in the Crowd, and it could never be known who he was. The whole Height of the Obelisk, including the Bafe and Crofs, is one hundred and eight Feet. Sixtus V, caus’d fome Timber of the real Crofs to be fet in the Crofs of gilt Brafs at the Top of the Spire, and granted ten Years Indulgen- ces to any Perfon that Ihou’d falute it, and at the fame Time repeat three Pater-noflers, and as many Ave Maries. When you have pafied over the great Square, there’s an Afcent of fome Steps to a grand Plat- form or Terras, that leads into the Portico which is before the Church. The Roof of it is fupport- ed by Columns of the Corinthian Order, adorned with Baffo Relievos of Marble. The Cieling is of Stukoe, divided into feveral Compartments in the Mofaic Tafte, which form the Arms of Paul V. of the Borghefe Family •, the whole gilt all over. As one turns to the Right in this Portico, one fees the Statue of Conftantine the Great, carved in Marble by Bernini, who has reprefented the Emperor on Horfeback, in a Pofture of Aftonifhmentat the Ap- pearance of the Crofs. Over-againft this Statue, on the Left-fide of the Portico, is Charlemaign’% Sta- tue, likewife on Horfeback, done by Aiiguflin Cor- nicebini, a Native of Pefehia in Fufeany ■, but ’tis not near fo bold a Figure as that carved by Bernini. At the Entrance of the Church, we leave on the Right-hand the holy Gate, which the Pope opens and (huts every twenty-five Years, at the Time of the great Jubilee. I muft lO Rome. I mufl: confefs that the infide Decoration of St. Peter\ did not ftrike me at firft View ; for I ima- gined that every thing there muft be Gold and Azure, but I was miftaken ; tho’, after having examined Things clofely, I was, as it were, in an Ecftafy at the Variety of Beauties I there faw. The High Altar, which is almolt in the middle of .the Dome, is of a Magnificence not to be parallelled. It Hands by icfelf, and is on all Sides open, con- fifting of four wreathed Columns of Brafs, of an immenfe Pleight and Bulk, which fupport a Ca- nopy of the fame Metal, furmounted by Angels holding Feftons of Flowers, fo completely carved, that one would naturally imagine the Whole to be the Work of a Goldfmith. At this Altar none can celebrate Mafs but the Pope himfelf, and the Car- dinal Dean, by his Holinefs’s exprefs Permiflion ; and underneath, in a Chapel richly adorned, there lie fome Parts of the Holy Bodies of the Apoftles St. Peter and St. Paul. There’s aDefeentinto this Chapel by a Stair-cafe of fine Marble, confifting of two Flights, in Form of a Horfe-flioe, and furrounded by a Baluftrade ot Bi afs, fupporting a great many Silver Lamps, which never ceafe to burn, except on Good-frUay, when the Church is hung in Mourning, in Memory of the Death of our Saviour. At the Bottom of the Church ftands, highly ele- vated, St. Pe/^r’s Chair, a very fine Piece ot Work, all of Brafs, gilt, and fupported by the four Fa- thers of the Church, St. Amhrofe., St. Jerome, St. Auguftine, and St. Gregory, of a gigantic Size, with a Glory of Brafs, gilt, over them, raifed as high as the Roof. Under the Chair is an Altar, on both Sides of which there are ftately Tombs of Brafs and Marble, of incomparable Workmanfliip and Beauty. The Maufoleom of Urban VIII. on the Rieht Hand, has two admirable Statues of white ^ Marble, Rome. 1 1 Marble, reprefenting two Virtues, of fuch exqui- fite Beauty, that there was aNeceffity of covering their Nudities to prevent the like Scandal which a certain Spaniard gave, in whom a Statue of this fort kindled an unruly Paffion. Thefe two Tombs are not the only ones which adorn this Church ; for there are many others altogether as fuperb ; par- ticularly, the Mauloleum of thtiComith Matilda, and that of Cbriflina Queen of Sweden, to whom the Popes granted Burial in St. Peter’s Church, where, except theSuccelTors of char Apoflle, none can be interred. Thefe two Princefles were of fuch high Birth, and had done fo much for the Church, that they well deferved to be honoured with this Diftintfion ; for the firft defended the Church, at the Head of her Army, againft the Emperor Henr'j IV. the other even abdicated her Crown, and ‘l/jj abandoned her Dominions, to embrace the Roman Religion. Chrijlina’s Tomb is nobly defigned, without being overcharged with Ornament ; and there is her Pidure in a great Medal of Brafs, which is perfedly well executed, Tho’ every thing in Sc. Peter’s Church is wor- thy of the particular Obfervacion of a curious Tra- veller, I think nothing deferves it more than the noble Pictures of Mofaic Work, wherewith the Altars are decorated, than which there can be no- thing more complete ; for it farpafles any thing that was ever done by the Anci' nts. ’Ti - but a few Years that the Artifls have arrived to the Perfection we now difeover in Works of this kind. One of tlicfe Pictures, which is jutt finifhed, reprefents the Story of Sta. PetroniHa, St. Pettr’s Sifter, fo excel- lently defigned, and fo nicely coloured and polifhed, that nothing in the Art of Man can out do it. One would fwear’twas a Picture behind aGlafs; yet it confiftsonly of litcleGlafs Squares, exiCtly cemented together by a certain Gum that is extremely aftrin- genc Vl Rome,’ gent. ‘Tis a Piece of Work of the more Value, becaufe it is Proof againft the Injuries of Weather, and nothing can damage it. They defign to remove out of this Church all the Pidures painted in Oil, which grow mouldy by Time and Moifture, and to put Pidures of Mofaic Work in their place. If this Projed, which is in a good Forwardnefs, and carried on apace, be ever finifhed, St. Peter’s Church will be poffefled of a T reafure the more precious becaufe there will be none like it. The fubterraneous Parts of the Church are alto- gether as magnificent as the Superftrudure for Marble and Pidures of the Mofaic kind are its Or- naments. ’Tis worth while to take the Pains to go up to the Top of this Church, which one afcends by a doping Stair-cafe, without one Step, that leads to the Dome •, and by other Stairs, not fo commodious, one rifes to the Globe, which, ’tis laid, will hold twenty Perfons with Eafe. Upon St. Peter’s Day the Church is illuminated from the Foundation to the Crofs, by Lamps without Number, which make a very fine Appearance. All the other Churches of Ro m e are beautiful Piles, and ’tis certain that the lead of ’em contains fomething that will entertain a curious Spedator, Thofe of them indeed that are the mod worthy of Attention, are, St. Paul’s without Rome, St. John’s de Lateran^ St. Marj Major’s, the Churches of Jefus, St. Ignatius, St. Philip de Neri, our Lady’s of Vidory, the Church of St. Agnes, and the No-, viciate of the Jefuits, As to tire Foundation of St. Mary Major’s Church, there is a Tradition, that two Bridegrooms of Qua- lity, both very rich and very devout, having pray’d to the Holy Virgin, that die would pleafe to reveal to them for what good Purpofe they fhould be- ftow their Wealth 5 the Mother of God fignified Rome; 15 to them in a Dream, that (he would have them build a Church at the Place which they would find cover’d next Day with Snow ; a Thing the more extraordinary at that Time, becaufe it was the Month of Auguft. But, to the End that this Re- velation might be the more authentic, the Holy- Virgin imparted it the fame Night to the Pope St. Liberim I. who next Day made a Proceflion round the City, accompanied by all the Clergy, and by John a Patrician, and a Senator of Rome, and found that Spot of Ground where now ftands the Church of St. Mary Major, covered with Snow. The Building was begun that very Day, and at firft the Church was called the Liberian Church, and alfo the Church of St. Mary of the Manger, becaufe the Manger in which our Saviour lay, was there depofited ; and at laft it was called St. Mary Ma- jor, becaufe it is the biggeft of thofe Churches in Rome that are dedicated to the Holy Virgin. I have been fo long upon Churches, that’tis high Time to (hift the Scene. I am now going to ac- quaint you of what has happened here fince I came, referring what I have farther to relate to you con- cerning the Buildings of R o m e to another Oppor- tunity. The Conclave is ended, and we have at laft got a Pope ; After tedious and warm Difputes, which had divided the facred College for four Months, they have eledled Cardinal Corfini. The Cardinals could not determine whom to chufe for Head of the Church, till about a Week ago. Car- dinal /wpem/ii was propofed at firft, and he would certainly have been the Man, upon account of his great Age and Merit, if the Cardinal Bentivoglio, the Minitter of Spain, had not put the Negative upon him in the Name of their Catholic Majetties ; neverthelefss ’tis the Opinion of many People, that the Cardinal had no fuch Order in his Pocket at that 14 Rom e. that Time, tho’ he had it at the EIe(flion of Pope Conti ; becaufe out of perfonal Pique to Cardinal Imperialt he had reprefented nim to his Mafter as an Enemy to the Houle of Bourbon, and too much attached to the Emperor. Probably the Cardinal Bcnlivoglio thought, that becaufe their Catholic Ma- jefties did, at his Solicitation, grant an Exclufion to Cardinal hnperiali that Time, it was to continue for ever ; at lead, his unreafonable Grudge againffc his Eminence made him take that Handle. The Reafon he bore him fo much ill Will was this j Bentivoglio had a Brother, a Marquis, who, for certain Outrages which he had caufed to be com- mitted by his Bravoes, was arrefted by Order of this very hnperiali, when he was Legate of the Holy See at Ferrara. Cardinal Bentivo^io, who was a proud haughty Man, took this as fuch an Alfront to his Family, that he could never forget it ; and as the Italians feldom lofe an Opportunity of taking Revenge, he laid hold on this : So that Cardinal Imperiali came fhort of the Fiara, merely for having done an A.61 of Jullice. Cardinal Imperiali being thus fet afide, Corfini was propofed for Pope •, but his Eminence fearing he fhould be excluded by the Germans, pretended an Unwillingnefs to accept of the Pontificate, and defired his Brethren to cafl their Eyes upon fome other Perfon. Davia was propofed, and would undoubtedly have been in St. Peter's Chair, if Cardinal de Bijji, a Frenchman, had not excepted againft him, on pretence that he was a Janfenift. ’Tis true, that Cardinal Davia was never a great Friend of the Jefuits, and that M. Bijfi is a Man after their own Hearts : The Society, indeed, is accufed of having put the French Cardinal upon it but this is what 1 won’t fwear. Though, be it as it will, I think, if the Society were convinced that Davia was their Enemy, they did very wifely to Rome. 15^ fet him afide. During this, Cardinal CorfinU who ftill kept the triple Crown in View, and had only declined it for fear of being oppofed by the Impe- rial Cardinals, wrote to the Great Duke, and to the Grand Princefs Violante^ defiring the former to intercede for him diredly with the Emperor, and the latter with the Bavarian Family •, to the end that Family might do him good Offices at Vienna. His Wifhes were accordingly anfwered •, for the Great Duke earneftly defired the Emperor to con- fent to the Eleftiori of Corftni, and he obtained for Anfwer, that his Imperial Majefty would order his Cardinals not to oppofe him. Corfmi having this favourable Anfwer, engaged his Friends to bring him again upon the Stage. And the Cardinal Cham- berlain Albano, the Head of the Cardinals, made by Clement XI. his Uncle, fpoke for him to all of his Party, who accordingly gave their Votes for him ; but Cardinal Barberini hearing that Corfini was go- ing to be propofed a fecond time, declared openly againft him ; and faid, he would never confent to his Eledlion. The Chamberlain was in no great Pain for this Oppofition ; for he was much moreappre- henfive of the Imperialifts, and particularly of the Cardinal CienfuegoSy who was very earneft for the Eledion of Colonna^ or fome other Subjed of the Emperor. The Chamberlain therefore went at Midnight to the Cardinal Cienfuegos^ and propofed the Choice of Corjini to him •, and not finding him intirely for it, he threw himfelf at his Feet, and conjured him for God’s hike not to oppofe the faid Cardinal’s Advancement. ‘ You fee, laid he, that ‘ we cannot agree in the Choice of a Pope. Will you end your Days here? ’Tis now four Months that we have been Ihut up. What have you to ‘ fay againft Corfmi? He is old, and, according to the Courfe of Nature, cannot live longer than ‘ the 1 ime it will take us up to deftroy the Fadions that Rom e. * that are among us. If you have a Notion that ‘ he is not in the Interefts of the Emperor^ you ‘ perceive that it can’t be long in his Povver to ‘ hurt him. Moreover, if you confent to his Ad- ‘ vancement, he will be obliged to own his Obli- ‘ gation to the Emperor for the Pontificate, and ‘ confequently cannot but make him an Acknow- ‘ ledgment. ’ The Cardinal Chamberlain wa- ter’d his Difcourfe with a great many Tears, for the good Man can weep when he will. This fo jmoved CienfuegoSy who is the beft-natured Soul in the World, that he gave his Confent to the Elec- tion of Corfini. But then the French feigned they would not be for him any longer, and pretended to take Umbrage at the Germans efpoufing the Man whom they had before oppofed. They flood out abundance of Intreaty, but at length they confented, faying, that fince the Germans made the Pope, they would name the Minifter ; which was granted them. They nominated Cardinal Banchien, who had been Vice-Legat at Avignon^ to be Secretary of State. The Cardinal Cienfuegos^ who was pufied up with the Thoughts of having made the Pope, did not fo much as think of op- pofing the French in the Nomination of a Mi- niller who was intirely devoted to them. Ma- ny People of very good Senfe are of Opinion that the Gertnans were bubbled in this Affair, and that the French made both the Pope and the Mi- nifler. Whether ’twas fo or not, I cannot fay the Intrigues of the Conclaves will never be right- ; ly known, but in the Valley of Jehofaphat-, yet it feems to me, that fince we have been the Ma- ilers of Itah, we are even more hated there than the French ever were, and ’tis certain that they were hated there with a Vengeance. ’Tis very probable, therefore, that the Italian Cardinals had it not very much at Pleart, to give us a Pope that was 4 Rome. ueen of England. After he had converfed a while with them, he went on Foot to the Chapel of Pope Sixtus, and placed himfelf on a Scat before the Altar, where he re-' ceived the Adoration of the Cardinals, who came according to their Seniority, and kneeling down, kiflTed his Foot, and his Right-hand. The Pope embraced them one after the other, and gave them the Pax to kifs. ’Tis only upon that Day and the Coronation-day, that the Cardinals kifs the Pope’s Foot; for afterwards, they only kifs his Hand. When this firft Ceremony was over, the Pope was feated in his Chair of Procession, which is a great Arm-chair, adorned with red Velvet, richly VoL, Jh B em- 1 8 Rome. embroidered with Gold ; and then eight Men took him upon their Shoulders, and carry’d him thro* the great Stair-rafe to Sr. Peter\ Church. When they came before the Chapel of the Holy Sacra- ment, the Pope Vvfas fet down ; and rifing from his Chair, he went and kneeled at a Desk pre- pared tor the Purpofe. After a fliort Prayer, he returned to his Chair, and was carried towards the High Altar, where he was feated in the Middle. There the Cardinals paid another Adoration to him, like that which they made to him in Sixlus’s Chapel •, and then the Pope was carried into a Pew, near the Altar, w’here he put off his Mitre and Cope, and being put into a Sedan, returned to his Apartment, where he quickly after received the Compliments of the Ambafladors, the Roman Princes, and of all the Quality of Rome; and in the Evening, there were Pduminations and Bonfires throughout the City, accompanied with a Difcharge of the Cannon of the Caftle of St. An- gelo. The fame Rejoicings were continued next Day, which the Pope fpent in giving Audiences, and naming his Minifters. Then it was, that at the Recommendation of the French., he appointed the Cardinal Banchicri Secretary of State. They fay, that in the Evening, Cleme7tt XII. had a long Converfation with the Perfons who had the greateft Share of his Confidence when he was a Cardinal, and afleed them, what they faid at Rora e about his Exaltation. One of them intreated to be ex- cufed from telling him, but the Pope injoining him to declare the whole Truth to him, the Con- fident obeyed, and told the Pope that the Ro- mans feemed to approve of the Choice which the Cardinals had made ; but that they were appre- henfive they flrould have no better Treatment from Rome, 15? from the Florentines, than they had from the Bene- venlines, under the laft Pontificate. ‘ The Romans, ‘ faid the Pope, are afraid then without a Caufe •, ‘ for I will have no Refpedt of Perfons, but will fo ‘ govern, that if I don’t win the Love of my Sub- ‘ jeds while I live, they fhall, at leaft, be forry ‘ when 1 die.’ Then turning about to his Nephew the Marquis Neri Corftni, now a Cardinal, whom he had made a Prelate but the Day before ; ‘ I ex- ‘ hort you. Nephew, jaid he, to behave fo as to ‘ offend nobody. My Reign cannot be long. ‘ My Age and my Infirmities ought to put me ‘ upon thinking of the Grave, much rather than ‘ of human Grandeur. Let you and I live the.n ‘ fo, that our Name may not be hated when I am ‘ no more feen ; and let us, if poflible, fo carry it ‘ to Mankind, that I may be lamented after Death, ‘ and that you may not want Friends.’ ’Twaswith fuch Sentiments as thefe, that Clement XII. afcend- ed the Throne of Sr. Peter. The Ceremony of his Coronation was perform- ed on the 1 6 th of Juh, and I can affure you, that, fetting afide the Number of Cardinals and Biihops who attended at it, there was nothing in it magni- ficent. The Pope, veffed in his Pontificahhus, and preceded by the Sacred College, went in Proce.ffion to Sixtus’s Chapel, where he made a very fliort Prayer, and then was carried thro’ the grand Stair- cafe under St. Peter’s Portico, where he was feated on a Throne, and admitted St. Peter’s Chapter to kifs his Foot. He was from thence carried into the Church, and put down at the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, before which he made his Prayer kneeling, as did alfo the Cardinals. After this Prayer, he was carried to the Chapel of Sr. Gregory the Great, where he made another flaort Prayer proftrate before the Altar. Then he was placed Be in 20 Rome. in a Throne on the Right-fide of the Altar, and the Cardinals feated themfelves upon Benches, on both Sides of the Chapel. While the Mufick was performing a Tercet^ they put on their white Copes, embroidered with Gold, and their Mitres c f white Damafk, and the Archbifhops and Bifhops did the fame. After this, th y went all, both Cardinals and Prelates, to perform Homage to the Pope, with this Diffindlion, that the Cardinals kifled only the Hand cf the Holy Father, but the Prelates kilTed his Hand and his Foot too. When this Ce- remony was ended, the Pope caufed the Crucifix to be elevated, and gave his firft Bleffing to the Standers-by, and the Populace, thereto annexing a plenary Indulgence in artlcnlo morlis. He ufcer- wards defccnded from his Throne, put himfelf again in his Chair of Proceffion, and was carried before the High Altar. He was the only Per- fon that had then the Mitre on his Head ; for the Cardinals and Prelates held theirs in their Hands. While he was thus carried in Proceffion, a Mafter of the Ceremonies went before him, burning Flax three times, calling out aloud at each lime to him, SanSie Pater! Jic tranfit Gloria Jvlundi : i. e. Ao/y Father ! fo pajjeth away the Glory cf the dVorld. This Exhortation to the Remem- brance of the Frailty of human Greatnefs feemed to me to touch the Pope’s Heart ; for he lifted up his Eyes to Heaven, and the very Tears trickled down his Cheeks. When he drew near the Altar, he fell on his Knees, and prayed with a great deal of Devotion and Humility. He then received the Benedidfion of three of the eldeft Cardinal Priefts, and the firft Cardinal Deacon prefented him with the Pal! ; after which, he went up to the iVltar, perfumed it with Incenfe, and then caufed hi.mfelf to be feated in his Throne, which was eredled Rome. 21 eroded at the Bottom of the Church, facing the ^Itar. The Cardinals fat upon high Benches, on both Sides the T hrone, in two Ranks, leading to the Altar. The Perfons whom they here call the King and Queen of England, with the Princes their Sons, and their whole Court, were in a Gal- lery on the Right-hand of the Throne, and in another Gallery oppofite to this, were the princi- pal Ladies of Rome, and the molt diftinguinred Foreigners. I w’as there in the Retinue of the Prince of IValdeck, v;ho has been here thefe tW’O Months, From that Gallery, we faw the Cardinals, the Archbilhops, and the Eifhops, pay their f lomage to the Pope ; which was performed by kifTing the Pope’s Hand and Foot. Then the Pope tuned High Mafs, at which the Epiftle and Gofpel were fung, both in Greek and Lalin^ by a Greek Bifhop and a Cardinal Deacon. The Pope, after he had performed the Confecration, returned to hisThrone, where a Cardinal affiflanc Prieft carried the con- fecrated Hoft to him, and the Chalice, of both of which the Pope took one half kneeling and bare-headed. Fie fucked the Divine Blood, ac- cording to a Cuftom, thro’ a golden Tube *, and when the Cardinal afliftant Prieft had taken the half that remained, both of the confecrated Hoft, and the Chalice, the Mafs was ended. After the Office was over, the Pope, preceded by the Car- dinals, Eifhops, and Prelates, was carried in grand Proceffion to the Gallery which is over the great Gate of the Church, fronting the great Square, where he was feated on a very high Throne, in order to be feen by the People*, and after two Cardinal Deacons had taken ofi" his Mitre, and put on his Tiara^ kiffing at the fame Time both his Hand and Face, the Pope rofe up, and gave his folemn IJenediCtion ftanding, to the People B 3 that 11 Rome. that were crowded in St. Peter’s Square, and the Streets that led to it : At the fame l ime the Cannon of the Caftle of St. Angelo were fired, and the Ligiit-horle Carabineers and Guards made a Difcharge of their fmall Arms. Then the Pope defcended from the Throne, and being again placed in his Chair, was carried in Proceffion to his Apartment, where he difmifled the Cardinals, who, i believe, wanted Reft as well as the Holy Father, after a Ceremony which had lafted five Hours. At Night the Houfes were all illuminated, and a line Fire-work was play’d off at the Caftle of St. Ainelo. o Here give me Leave to make a Remark upon an Author, in v.'hofe Favour I have feen you pre- poffefled, namely, Mr. MiJJon., who, in his Ac- count of the Pope’s Coronation, the Ceremony of W'hich, he htys, he copied out of the Ceremonial of Rome, defcribes this Atf as the moft magni- ficent and fuperb that can pioflibly be feen ; for, according to him, the Pope’s Throne is covered with precious Scones, tho’ I affure you, that there cannot be a greater Miftake ; for if, as I faid once before, we except the many Cardinals, Bifhops, and Prelates, whofe Prefence renders the Ceremo- ny auguft, nothing is more plain and fimple. St. Peter’s Church, indeed, is hung upon that Day with red Damafk, laced with gold Tinfel, but ’tis the very fame upon every grand Feftival ; nor is St. Pe/^r’s Throne, upon this Occafion, richer than ordinary ; and-I can’t imagine where Mijfon could fee thofe Canopies covered with precious Stones. That Author really affcdled to impofe on his Readers, and this is not the only Place where he has deviated from the Truth. The firft Pope, who caufed himfelf to be crown’d, was Damafiisll. in the Year 1048. And Urban V, was the fjrft that ufed the triple Crown, commonly called Rome. 25 called the 'Tiara ; and this he did, to fhew that the Vicar of Jefus Chrifi has Pontifical, Imperial, and Regal Pov/er ; and for the fame Reafon, St. Peter was anciently defcribed (as is dill to be feen in the Palace of the Vatican) holding three Keys in his Right-hand. Not many Days after the Coronation, the Pope quitted the Vatican^ and took up his Refidence in the Palace of Monte Cavallo. The Holy Father marched out with a Pomp which pleafed the Ro- mans, who are naturally fond of Pageantry ; and they were the more delighted with this, becaufe they had feen nothing like it during the Pontificate of the deceafed Pope. He rode in a very fplendid Coach, preceded by the Roman Nobility on Horfe- back, his Guards, and all his Houfhold, which fo rmed a numerous Train. The Streets were full of People, who neverthelefs difcovered no Signs of Joy, as is ufual when the Popes go abroad •, for the Romans, when they faw Clement XII. remem- bred that he was a Florentine ; and there needed nothing more to put them out of Conceit with him. I am, isc. L i£ 1'. 24 Rom e. LETTER XXIX. 5 T Ry Rome, Sept. lo, 17J0. I N this L>etter I (hall run through the Palaces of Rome, as briefly as I traverfed the Churches in my former. I Oiall take Care to mention no Houfes to you, but fuch as deferve tlie Name of Palaces •, for you muft know, that the Buildings which we Ultramontaim think much to call Hotels, are here ft y led Palaces. I think, that the Pope’s two Palaces called the Vatican and Mont e-Cav alio to be mentioned before all the others : The firft, for its Extent and Magnificence •, the (econd, becaule the Popes give it a Preference to the other, from an Opinion here, that it (lands in the moft healthful Air in the City. The Vatican is a Building extremely irregular, very great and very high, and fo clofe to St. Fcla ’3 Church, that it takes off a great deal of its Beauty. As to the Outftde of it, I don’t fee any thing to be admired in this Building, except the Quantity of Brick and Stone that has been employed in it ; but as to the Infide, ’tis quite otherwife ; for one cannot help being allonifhed at the Grandeur of the Apart-; ments, and the Beauty of the Piftures every-where, in which the bell Painters of Italy feem to have llrove to difplay the uimoft; of their Art: Raphael has done Wonders here : His Mafter-piece is a Pic-; ture reprefen ting the Hillory of Jltila, a Piece which one cannot behold without being charnted. Sixtus\ Rome. 25 Sixtus’s Chapel is of fingular Beauty, on Account of its wonderful Paintings, and efpecially for that oreat Pidiure of the Day of Judgment, by Michael Jngelo Buomrato^ v,?ho, ’tis fiiid, reprefented all the Perfons of his Acquaintance ib much to the Life, that’twas impolTible to miftake them ; and chat he placed his Friends among the Eledl, and thofe that he did not love, among the Damned ; whereupon a Prelate, who was a Domeftick of Pope Sixtus IV. then in St. Peter’% Chair, finding himfelf among the damned, complained of it to the Pope, and delired him to deliver him out of fucli bad Company ; but the Holy Father told him, that his Power extend- ed no farther than Purgatory •, that he could deli- ver Souls from thence, but not from Ficll ; and that therefore, fince ’tvvas his Misfortune to be in. fuch Company, there he mud day. The Vatican Library is, without Difpute, the fined and the greated in the World. ’Tis full of MSS. in the Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, and other Languages. Pope Sixtus V. fpared no Cod to enrich it with the bed Books •, and fince his Death, it has been very much augmented by the Heidelberg Library, and chat of Chrijlina Queen of S-zveden. The former was brought hither, as I think I told you, after the Defeat of Frederic the F-,le£lor Palatine, King of Bohemia, when Heidelberg fubmitted to the Power of the Houfe of Aujlria. The latter was purchafed by the Pope from that Qtjeen’s Heirs. The Building which contains this Library is worthy of the great Sixtus V. who caufed it to be built from the very Foundation. ’Tis ge- nerally divided into two Parts, vA. the Pubhe, and the Private. The fird is three hundred Feet long, and fixty broad, the fecond confids of two great Rooms, into which the Admittance is not fo eafy as into the Gallery, becaule of the very Icarce MSS, that are there contained. Shim V. caufed the Rome. the whole Library to be painted, both Infide and Outfide, in which he employed the mod ingenious Artifts of his Lime. T, he Outfide reprefents, in diflerent Figures, the Arts, the Sciences, and the Virtues. In the Infide, there are painted in divers Compartments, the moft memorable Aflions of Sixtus V , the holding of fixteen Councils, the mod celebrated Libraries •, and the Men, in fhort, ever fince Adam, who have been mod didinguifhed in the World for their Learning. In the private Li- brary are painted the principal Adions of Pope Sixtus V. and the Dodors of the Church. The lad Pope Beneditt XIII. was of a different Opinion from the Popes bis Predeccffors, with re- gard to the Palace of the Vatican. He thought it "too fine for his Refidence, as he did alfo the Palace of Behideroy which is properly a Floufe of Piea- fure, tho’ it joins to the Vatican, And as ’twas his Maxim, that a General ought to die in the Army •, and a Biffop, if not at the Altar, at lead near his Church ; he was not willing to quit the Neighbourhood of St.Pcter •, and therefore, on the Backfide of the Gardens of the Pontifical Palace^ he caufed a little Houfe to be built, with Ibme few Rooms in it that looked into the Country ; where all his Furniture was a few matted Chairs, all his Ornaments the Ima.<2es of certain Saints, and all his Companions a Brother of his own Order, with whom he ufed to take the Air, and fay his Bre- viary ; and he could go out of this Apartment whenever he pleafed, without being feen. I fanfy, Sir, you will not be forry if I fiiould make a Digrefilon here, touching the Perfon of this Pope, who was perhaps the mod humble, and the mod regular in his Morals, that ever filled the Pa- pal Chair fince St. Feter. Being born at RcmCy of the illudrious Family of the Urfmi, he entered very young into the Order of St. Dominic^ and was made a Rom e. 27 a Cardinal at twenty-three Years of Age, by Pope Clement X. of the Altieri Family. He commonly refided, after he was a Cardinal, at Benevento^ of which he was Archbifhop. ’Twas there that he heard of the Death of his Predeceflbr Innocent XIII. of the Family of Conti. When he receiv'ed the News, he had juft given away all his Money to the Poor, fo that he was fain to borrow of Fini., whom he afterwards made a Cardinal, the Sum of eight hundred Crowns, to enable him to repair to the Conclave at R o M e. The Divifion of the Sacred College, who could not agree in the Choice of a Pontiff, was the Caufe of his Advancement. The Cardinals aimed at placing the Tiara upon the Head of a Man who might wear it juft long enough, either to diffipate, or to form their Cabals, and no longer. They were all convinced, that by chufing the Cardinal Urfini, they fhould give a holy Pope to the Church, but an indifferent Prince to the State ; however, they thought to remedy this De- ficiency, by planting fuch Minifters about the Pope, as they did not doubt would make him do what they pleafed. But they were egregioufly miftaken for the Cardinal Urfwi, when he was advanced to the Pontificate, was refolved to be Pope ; and he chofe his own Minifters, without confulting the Sacred College. One Cofeia, a ISeapolilan Clergy- man, born of mean Parents, had for a long Time a great Afeendanc over him. The Pope advanced him to the Purple, preferred him to the higheft Offices both in the Church and the State, and made him Archbiffiop of Benevento. This new Creature bore greater Sv/ay than ever any Cardinal Nephew had done, v/hen Nepotifm was in its Meridian. He was guilty of a tlioufand Oppreffions. Nothing was to be feen. but Rapine and Injuftice ; and he converted all Things, even the molt facred, into Money. Every body groan’d •, but 2-8 Rome. but it was to no Purpofe to complain, for the Pope was fo byafled in his Favour, that he turned a deaf Ear to all his Accufers. Even the Cardinals, fen- fible of the public Mifery, vigoroufly reprefented to the Pope the Grievances that happened under his Adminiftration •, but he would not hear them, and imputed their Remonftrances to Envy, Cofcia con- firmed him every Day too in this Sentiment. They will accufe me of every thing that is ill, faid he to the Holy Father, but God is my IVittiefs, that I dfcharge my Duty ; and they hate, and jirive to blacken me, for no other Reafon, but becaufe perhaps lam in this refpedl too ftriul. I have been very well aflured, that the Cardinal, when he made his Defence to the Pope, often (bed Tears, which wrought fo much on his Good- nature, that he wept too. I know not whether I dare vouch the Truth of the following Story, which however is firmly be- lieved by all the People of R o m e. Certain Cardi- nals reprefented to the Pope one Day, that Cofcia was not only guilty of innumerable Extortions, but that he led the mort irregular Life in the World, and diverted himfelf every Day with Proftitutes. The Pope faid, he would inquire into the Matter, and punifh Cofcia, if what they alledged was true. Accordingly he taxed him with it the very fame Day, but Cofcia eafily brought himfelf off. Fie faid, ’twas all Calumny •, fwore with Tears in his Eyes, that he was innocent ; and defired the Pope to hear him in Confeffion. The Pope agreed to it ; he faid what he pleafed, and his Flolinefs almoft took him for a Saint. But Cofcia, fearing left the Pope fhould at length open his Eyes, thought to blind him the more by writing an anonymous Let- ter, which he caufed to be delivered to him by a trufty Valet de Chambre, importing in Subftance as follows : ‘ Your Flolinefs being fo prepoffeffed in Favour of Cardinal Cofcia, that you will give Cre- ‘ dit Rome. ip ‘ die to nothing that is told you of his Debauche- ‘ ries, ’tis thought proper to acquaint you, that ‘ this very Night, at Nine o*Clock, the Caidinal ‘ will have fomeMiftrefles in his Chamber, Your ‘ Holinefs may be an Eye-witnefs of the Intrigue, ‘ if you will but take the Trouble to repair to the ‘ Cardinal’s Apartment, and peep thro’ the Key- ‘ hole. ’ The Pope did not fail to go at the Time mentioned ; but inftead of feeing what he expedl- ed, the Cardinal, who imagined he would come, took care to be on his Knees at Prayer, with his Beads in one Hand, and a Crucifix in the other, which he kiffed with a great Air of Contrition. The Pope, beholding the crafty Cardinal in this Pofture, cry’d out to fomebody that was with him. Do but fee that holy Man, who has been reprefented to me in fuch a wicked Light ! Would to God that all the Clergy were like him. Then entring into the Cardinal’s Chamber, Dear Cofeia, faid he, em- bracing him. They have accufed you to me as the greatejl of Sinners, and I was fo weak as to think you guilty *, / ask your Pardon, and I pray God to forgive me the Injury I have done you. He afterwards joined with Cofeia in reading the Litanies of the Holy Virgin ; and he wanted no other Proof of his being a Saint. Thus was the honeft Pope made the Dupe of the greateft of Hypocrites. But, to the Pope’s Sorrow, this was not ail ; Cardinal Cofeia was not the only Man who abufed his Credulity ; for all that ferved him being Beneventines, and as cunning as Cofeia, whofe Creatures they were, they tried who (hould bubble the Pope mod *, which made Cardinal Buoncompagno fay. That the Pope was like the Holy Sepulchre, in the Hands of Turks. This good Pope never knew what Money was, nor the Value of it ; but gave away all that he had, and efpecially to the Poor, for whofe Relief he fold all the Prelents he received. He could ne- Rome. ver underftand how a Piece of Gold could be fome- times worth lefs than a Piece of Silver ; and I have been told, that one Day, as he was felling fome Prefents he had received from the Emperor of Chi- na, to his unworthy Beneventines, one of them of- fered thirty Crowns for a thing that was perhaps worth live hundred. Another came and offered a gold Crown-piece. The Pope, furprized at the golden Proffer, laid to him that had offered the thirty Crowns, ‘ I am forry I can’t let you have * the Thing ; you offered me only Silver, but here’s ‘ one offers me Gold ; what I fell, is for the Poor, ‘ and 1 will not wrong them. ’ Accordingly, he that held out the gold Coin had the Preference ; and thus did thole Knaves juggle together to trick the Pope. They had one common Purfe, and what they bought of the Holy Father at their own Price, they fold afterwards in Rome, and fliared the Profit. At the Beginning of his Pontificate, the Gover- nor of R o Tvi E having complained to him that Pba- rao and BaJJet proved the Ruin of a great many People, he anfwered him fmartly, Alas I are not you the Governor ? Send the Gatnefters to the Gallies, He never loved to talk of State Affairs, and would never read the Relations given by Nuncios, who, he fiid, were only Newfmongers and Spies, with whom he did not care to have any Concern •, nor would he ever advance them to the Purple, but always put them back, tho’ perhaps the Term of their Nunciature had been long expired. This holy Pope, for I really believe him a Saint, lived in the very midft of Rome, and of his Court, like a Hermit, always at Prayer, or employed in the Fundtions of the Priefthocd. Fie was an Ene- my to Luxury and Pageantry, would never fuffer a Clergyman to kneel at his Feet, but always made him rife, and fit down by him •, being as humble as ’twas poffible for any mean Prieft, and perb.aps too l Rome. 3 h too humble for his Charafter. He went out every Day in a forry Coach, with only a Pair of Horfes, without Guards, without any Companion, as I laid before, befidcs a Brother of his Order, viz. the Dominican., to the Rules of which he always adher’d, and without any Attendants but a Couple of Foot- men, and fix of his Swifs Guards. If he happened to meet with any Carriage in a narrow Street, he bade his Coachman flop, faying, he did not defire to fall out with any body. So much is enough for Benedi^ XIII. who was a pious Pope, and wouid have been a good Prince too, if his Minifters had been Men of Honour. I now return to the Vatican. This Palace joins to the Caftle of St. Angelo^ which is the Citadel of R o m e, by a covered Gal- lery, which was made at a Time when the turbulent Renans., not paying their due Obedience to the Popes, the latter thought proper to make themfelves a Paffage to it in cafe of a Revolution •, but. Thanks to God, this Precaution is no longer neceflary ; for the Popes are the Matters. The Cattle of Si. An- gelo is for Prifoners of State, and in it is the Arfe- nal, which, by the way, is in a very bad State. There are alfo kept the four Millions of Roman Crowns, which Pope SixttisY. depofited there, with an Injunction, by a Bull, at the fame Time, that they ttiould not be touched but to ferve fome pref- fing Exigency of the Church. It has the Name from the Appearance of an Angel to Pope St. Gregory the Great, putting up a Sword all over bloody, in its Scabbard, to denote that God had ttay’d the Petti- lence, in regard to the Prayers of St. Gregory, who, accompanied by all the Clergy and People of Rome, carried in Procettion to St. Peter’?, Church two Images of the Virgin, the one painted by St. Luke, and kept in the Church of Sr. Mary Major, the other, which appeared to Sr. Galle, and is worfhip- ped in the Cliurch ol St. Mary in Coinpitcllo. From Rome. Im‘ 0111 the Eaflle of St> ylngelo you will pleafe to follow me to tl’.e Palace of Monte Cavallo, which is travelling from one End of Rome to the other. Gregory Xlif. began this Palace, and feveral of the I'ucceeding Popes have carried it on. ’Tis much more fpacious than magnificent, .and yet none of the Apartments are good for much, ex- cept that of the Pope, who indeed is well lodged. Paul V. cf the Borghefe Family, who, next to Sixttis V. was the Pope that has moft embellifhed Rome, has alfo moft of all contributed to the Em- bcllifliment of the Palace of Monle Cavallo. Plere are excellent rich Ciclings, made in the Time of his Pontificate. This vaft Building forms a long Square, with a great Court in the Middle, encom- pafied v/ith Piazzas, five hundred Paces in Length. The wo crofs Buildings, of which that at the fir- ther Fmd forms the main Body of the Building, are higher than thofe on the Sides. In the Front of the main Building there’s a mofaic Picture of the Floly Virgin, with the Infant Jefiis in her Arms, as defigned by Charles Marntti, which is an admirable Piece. There are alfo fine Paintings in the Apartments, but they are not near fo mag- nificent as thofe of the Vatican. The Furniture of this Palace, and indeed, of all the Pontifical Pa- laces, is fiir from being rich. The Flangings are of crimfon Damaflc, with Lace and Fringe of gold Tinfei. The Seats are Benches of Wood, painted with the Arms of the reigning Pope, and var- nifiaed ; and the Cardinals themfelves have no other in the Apollolical Palace. From the Pope’s Apartments there’s one of the moft agreeable Profpeds that can be over almoft all Rom e, and very far into the Country. The Air of Monte Cavallo is fa id to be the beft in Rome, and in- deed no other Reafon could induce the Popes to re fide Rome.’ 3 3 refide here rather than at the Vatican. The Gar- dens belonging to it are very much admir’d by the Italians, who never travell’d out of their Coun- try, where Gardening is not in very great Per- fedlion ; but as for us Ultramontains, who know a little of what belongs to Gardens, we look up- on thofe of this Country with very great Indiffe- rence. The Capitol is a confiderable Building, with Curiofities worthy a Traveller’s Attention. It was built in the Pontificate of Gregory XIII. The Afcent to it is by a Stair-cafe of feveral Flights, adorn’d on both Sides with Baluftrades of Free- Ifone, at the Bottom of which two Lions are plac’d, of a kind of black Stone like Jet, which form two Fountains. At the Top of the Stair- cafe, there are two great Horfes reprefenting Caflor and Polhix, when they came Exprefs to Rome with the News of the Vidory gain’d over the 'Tarquins. In the Midft of the Area, which is form’d by three feparate Piles of Building, two whereof are as advanc’d Wings to the main Building that fronts the Afcent, there’s an Equef- trian Statue in Brafs, of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, which is the moft beautiful, and completeft Piece that was perhaps ever made of the Kind. They lay here, that the Re- public of Venice offer’d fbme Years ago to pay as many Sequins for this Statue as cou’d be put into the Horfe’s Belly. If this be true, that Re- public was undoubtedly more wealthy than it is at prefent. ’Tis certain, that the Capitol con- tains a confiderable Treafure in ancient and mo- dern Statues, in Bafl'o Relievos, and in all Sorts of Fragments of Antiquity. The Structures are according to the Diredion of Michael Angelo. In the midcllemoft Pile of Buildings, which is much higher than the two others, the Senate of VoL. II. C Rome 54 Rome* Rome meets, and there Jnftice is adminifter’d. There are two Flights or Steps up to the Gate which opens into the Hall of the Tribunal where they plead. Between the two Flights, there’s a {lately Fountain adorn’d with two an- tique Statues of Marble, lying on Pedeftals, re- prefenting the Nile and the Tiber ; and in a Niche over it, Roma triumpbrns^ a Work of Porphyry, an antique Marble of excellent Sculpture, The Infide of thefe three Piles of Building contains fine Paintings, particularly the Rape of the Sabines ; and among the modern Statues, the Connoilieurs efleem the brazen Statue of Pope Urban Vlll. done by Bernini ; the ColofTal Statue of Pope Leo X. in Marble, done by Lorenzetto of Florence ; thofe of Alexander Farnefe, Marcus Antoninus^ Colonna, Gregor'^ XIII. Paul III. and many others, in fnort, which I don’t mention, as being of lefs Value, and which are not msuch minded here, becaufe they are not done by the beft Hands, but wou’d pafs with us for Mafter- pieces. Being in the Neighbourhood of that great Square call’d Campc-vaccino, I cannot help giving you forne Account of it •, not that 1 pretend to parti- cularize it, becaufe I have not i'ufficient Learning. Here we fee the admirable Ruins of the Magni- ficence of old Rome, which 1 cannot behold v/ithout pitying the Condition they are in at prefent. You wou’d have the fame Concern as I have, were you in the Middle of a large Square, and to fee nothing all round it but Ruins •, to fee on one Side the Walls of the ancient Capitol, on the other the Cnnflantine Arch ereded with lb much E-xpence by the Senate and People of Rome, broken and half-bury’d •, beyond that, the Arch of Titus^ in a Condition ftill worfe ; on your Rome, 35 your Lefr, the immenfe Ruins of the Temple of Peace ; the Veftigies of the Temple of Antoiinus and I’dtijlina, on the Architrave of which is this vain Inlcription, Divo Anlonino, 'Divce Faujhme ; on your Right-hand the melancholy Ruins of the Temple of Concord, which, to judge of it by the cipht Pillars that are dill remaining, mult have been very fuperb ; it was built to tulfil a Vow made by the Didtator Furius Camillas for having reconcil’d the Plebeians and the Patricians. ’Twas in this Temple, according to Varro, that the Se- nate afiembled to treat of the Affairs of the Re- public. In (hort, here are fo many other unfor- tunate Remnants of the Miltrefs of the Univerfe, as wou’d put you in mind of the Inftability of this World, and that all is Vanity. But whac v/ou’d you fay, if you fliou’d go on till you come to the famous Coliftnm, which Time, the Dslfroyer of all Things, had fpar’d, but was dedroy’d by Men, and fuch too as were mod concern’d in the Prefervation of evcrv thing in Rome that was beautiful ? And what wou’d you think, if you faw there was fcarce enough remaining of this' dately Edifice to give you an Idea of what it was once ’Twas Vcfpajlan that caus’d it to be built after the Model which was intended by Au- gufius. Its Form on the Outfidc is round, and ’cis built of a prodigious Height, intirely of great Free -Stones. The Court or Arena is oval. There were three didindt Rows of Seats in the Amphitheatre, the highed for the Senators, the fccond for the Knights, and the third for the common People. They fay it contain’d eighty- five thoufand Spedfators. It was dedicated by ^itiis, who upon that Occafion celebrated a great Read, didributed large Sums to the common People, and enter’d five thoufand wdld Beads of all Sorts into it in one Day. PaitiVA. and Ur- C i b.an li Rome. banVWl. caus’d the to be demolifli’d, and made ole of the Stones for building the Palaces which are now inhabited by their Families. Flaving entertain’d you fufficiently with the public Stru<51ures, let us now take a View of fome of the private Palaces ; but before I introduce you into them, I will give you my Thoughts of the Palaces of Rome in general. I don’t deny that there are finer and greater Palaces here than elfe- where; but of thefe there are few ; and as for the others, they are not worth fo much Notice as is taken of ’em. Methinks, ’tis with the Buildings . of Rome, as with thofe People, whofe Reputation being once well eftablifli’d, we are apt to applaud ^ in them, what in others perhaps we fnou’d cenfure. \A great many Palaces are admir’d here, barely from the Pi epofieflion that Architecture flourifhes here more than any-where elfe. Indeed, this was true enough heretofore, in the Time of a Sixtus V. a Paul V. and an Urban VIII. who had the Em- bellifliment of Rome at Heart ; but ’tis not fo now, fince the indolent Popes have nothing more of that Work upon their Hands. I can affure you, that they aflually build now much better in Francs than they do in Italy, efpccially as to the Difiribulion of the Apartments, of which the Ita- lians have no Notion. MoPt of the xVpartments of Rome confift of a long; Suite of Rooms, of- ten very fmail ones, vvhich have no Way cut of them but the Door you enter at ; and commonly the Rooms have no Light, nor Chimney, nor Place to fee up a Bed, or Canopy •, which is the Realbn that thoie tvvo Pieces cf Houfhold Stuft are feldom fix’d where they fl^iou’d be ; mean ^ time, Canopies are what the Etonian Princes and Cardinals are very fond of, and many of them have no lefs than five or fix ; vain Oftentation, which makes thofe Gentlemen fancy they are giving Rome. 37 wiving Audience, when they are only receiving Vifit°! After all, one muft not look for fuch Or- naments here as they have in France, and elfe- where. As to their Floors, they are only made of Bricks *, they know nothing of Wainfcotting ; their Glazing is horrible •, and moft of their Ceil- ings, tho’ there are fome very magnificent, are of Timber, fo coarfly work’d, that the Gilding em- . ploy’d on them ferves only the more to expofe their Deformity, The Furniture is almoft every- where the fame ; confifting either of red Damafic, with an upper Border of Velvet, of the fime Co- lour, adorn’d with Tinfel Lace and Fringe re- fembling Gold, orelfeof Pidlures, which are, in- deed, the moft perfed of the Kind ; but when I fee five or fix Rooms all together in a Row, full of Paintings, I fancy myfelf in fome Pifture-lhop at the Fair of St. Germain. Befides, thefe Pic- tures are in fuch forty old-faflaion’d Frames, that they difparage them. They have but few Look- ing-glafies, and thofe very fmall. As for Porcel- lane and cryftal Vefiels, they are not much in Vogue •, but, on the other hand, here are beau- tiful Statues which I admire, and think very fine •, but I fhou’d be better pleas’d to fee them in a Gallery, in a Salon, or in a Garden ; For I don’t think they look well in a Chamber, All the Furniture one fees here is antique, having been laid in, for moft part, by Popes that have been a long while in their Graves •, and there’s no Houfe turnifli’d in the modern Tafte, except thofe of the Cardinals del Giudici, Aibanp, Boloonelti and Carolis. ^ ’Tis time now to enter into fome of the Pa- laces. That which they call here the Farnefe Pa- lace, is, in my Opinion, the moft magnificent in Rome ; Michael Angelo was the Architeeft. Moft of the Stones of this Building were taken C 3 out Rome. out of the Colifeum of the Emperor V-efpafian, by Order of Paul\\\. who made no Scruple to de- ftroy the proudeft Monument of Antiquity for the fake of furnifhing his Nephews with a Pa- lace. This Palace is two Stories hia;h, and has a peiiecl: Square before it, adorn’d with two ftately Fountains, the Water of which conti- nually fpouts up fiiiecn Feet liigh, and then falls by tVv^o Sheets into a Shell or Ciftcrn of oriental Granate, of a vaft Bigncls, and all of a Piece. The Entrance to this Palace is through a great Court, adorn’d within by Doric Pillars *, and this leads to a fquare Court, the Buildings of which are fupported by Arches, with great Galleries well cover’d over, where we fee the famous Statues of Hercules and Fiora^ which are really worthy the pbfervation of the Curious. In a fecond Court, which is pretty much negle£led, there is to be feen, in a wooden Cafe, the magnificent Groupe of white Marble, all of one Piece, reprefenting the Fable of Dirce^ fafien’d to a Bull, by Zethus and Ampkioriy the Sons of Aniiope^ Wife of King of Bceotia^ who, to take Revenge for their Mother, v^hom huus had divorc’d, becaufe flic had fuffer’d hcrfelf to be debauch’d by Jupiter in the Form of a Satyr, were fo barbarous as to murder L^:cus^ and to tie Dirce by the Flair of her Head to the Horns of a wild Bull, by which (lie was dragg’d about, till the Gods, pitying the State of this Princefs, turn’d her into a Fountain, Tins great Machine was brought from Rhodes to Rom e by Order of the Emperor Ayitoyiinus Cara- calia^ and was found under Ground in the very Place v/here were formerly the Barbs of that Em- peror, from whence Paul III. had it brought to the Palace of his Family, that it might ferve as a Vifta to the grand Gate j but it has not yet been plac’d there. The Rome. 39 The great Stair-cafe which leads to the Apart- ments is adorn’d with feveral fine Statues. We enter firft into a great Hal], where we have the Hiftory of Alexander Farnefe, when he pafs’d the Scheld, who is reprefented as crown’d by Victory, with Flanders and the Scbeld chain’d to his Feet. There is alfo a Number of other fine antique Sta- tues in feveral Niches, and upon lev'eral Pedeftals. The firll Chamber is painted in Frefco by Salviali and Zucat o. There we fee the E mperor Charles V. and Francis 1 . Kin >, of France, fhaking each other by the Hand ; the memorable Tranfadions of Paul III. and Martin Luther in Conference with that Pope’s Nuncio. In the next Apartments there are a great many fine Buftos and Ceilings, well painted and richly gilt. But the fineft I’iece of all in this Palace is the Gallery, which was painted throughout by Annihal Carache, whofe Ikilful Hand has therein reprefented with very great Art the feveral Deities aflifiing at the Tri- umph of Bacchus. In fine, no Coft has been fpared in this Palace. I have been aflured, that the Furniture of it was very magnificent formerly but it is fince all taken away, and the Palace ferves to lodge the Minifter of Parma. ’Tis pity that ’tis not finifl'i’d, for in Truth it wou’d be a fine Piece of Building •, but the Cafe is the very fame with all St. Peter’?. Miracles, which is the Name they give to all the Palaces built by the Popes for their Families. The Popes are old Men when they come to the Pontificate, and Modefty, or Decency, hinders them from doing any thing for their Families, the firft Year or two ; fo that they begin in the Decline of their Years, to under- take vaft Defigns, which they don’t live to fini(h ; and ’tis feldom that their Nephews purfue what was begun by their Uncles, either becaufe they don’t care to m.ake a Shew of the Wealth that C 4 was 4^ Rom e. was left them, or clfe becaufe they have not Souls great enough for the Undertaking ; for, to be plain, thofe Nephews of the Popes are feldom good for much, and have had a poor Education. The Generality are Perfons of a mean or bale Ex- traction, who become Princes without any Meric but the Fortune of their Uncles, and are fo in- toxicated with their Grandeur, that they are fwal- low’d up in Sloth, and think of nothing, not even of the Prefervation of their grow'ing Families ; fo that they quickly fall to decay, and as foon as their Spring is over, they are fnatchM off on a fudden by Winter. PdiiiWl, had a Project for building a Bridge over the behind the Farnefc Palace, in or- der to give it a Communication with the Garden ot the little Farnefe Palace, which is on the other Side of the River, in the Qiiarter calEd Longa-} a ; and it this Defign had been executed, the Duke of Parma wou’d have had a much finer Palace at R o M E, than he has in his owm Capita!. The Barberini Palace is in no refpect inferior to the Farnefc^ and is larger, and, without doubt, richer in Pictures, Statues and Tapeftry. The Stair-cafe is very much taken Notice of, v/hich runs up winding, and forms a great oval Well in the Middle, from the Bottom to the Cupola. The great Hall, which is a ftately Room, is painted in Frefco by Peter Cortona^ who has art- fully reprefented the four Cardinal V'irtues, and the Triumph of Glory, with their proper Figures and Ornaments, all to great Perfection. The Apartments to vs;hich this Hall leads, are very fpacious, and really contain a vail Trealure in Pic- tures and Statues, of which were I to give you all the Particulars, I fhou’d never have done. That which very much disfigures this Palace is the Entrance to it, a Defetl which however might ealily N Rom e. 4a eafily be remedied, were they only to pull down two or three Outhoufes which belong to it. The Palace Pamphiii in the Street del Corfo will be, as to the Outfide, the moft magnificent in Rome, when the grand Front, which is now aftiially carrying up, is finifh’d. The PnnctPam- fhilt who is the Owner of it, is very well able to go through with it ; for he is one of the richeft Noblemen in ready Money in Rome. His Bro- ther the Cardinal, who died a little while ago, left him four hundred thoufand Roman Crowns in Specie. The Prince is a very good CEconomift, has no Children, and being not like to have any, becaufe of the Variance betwixt him and his Wife, his Nephew the Duke Carpidelti^ who is the laft of the Pamphiii Family, will be his Heir. The Prince and his Lady have been often parted ; and though they have been as often reconcil’d, either by their Kindred, or by the Popes, they are con- tinually at Variance ; neverthelefs, I have been afiured by People who know them perfedlly well, that when they are afunder, they are very loving, and write to one another the moft tender Letters ; but that as foon as they come together, they hate one another as bad. ’Tis not long ago that the Campappta di Roma was infefted by Locufts (which are here call’d Grilli) to fuch a Degree, that Pope BenedlB XIII. curs’d them, and banifii’d them to the Sea, in which it is pretended they were all drown’d. This Miracle being talk’d of fome Days after in Pre- fence of the Prince Pamphiii^ he made Anfwer, that he did not believe it ; for, faid he, were it lb, I ftiou’d be the moft unhappy of Men ! Bur, ‘ How is it pofiible for all the Grilli to be plung’d headlong into the Sea, and the Carnpagna di Roma ‘ to be deliver’d from them, and that I fhou’d ♦ ftill keep the Grillo in my Houfe ?’ He alluded 4^ R o M E. hereby to his Wife, who is of the Grillo Family in Gctioa, It the Duke Crtr/>/w,'// fliou’d die without IlTue, as tis believ d will be tlie Cafe, from his having been married thel'e four Tears paft to a Lady who never yet conceiv’d, the immenfe Eftate of the Paml>hili Family goes to theFamily of the Conftable Golonna, and really it will then be in better Hands. You know that the Colomm'^ are the gayeft Peo- ple in Rome, and the moft illuftrious next to the Princes of Sovereign Families, to many of whom they are related. They have the Flonour to be of the fame Stock as the Royal Family of Pruffta. Since the Grfim Family is extindt, there’s not one in Roime can equal the Colonna's. The Head of this Family is hereditary Conftable ; he is Prince ilel Sogiio, (of the Throne) and as fuch, in all pub- lic Ceremonies, he fits at the Right-hand of the Pope’s Throne, which is a Place that he yields to none but the Nephews of the reigning Pope. He is moreover Knight of the Golden Fleece, and the prefent Emperor declar’d him his perpetual Ambaflador for prefenting the Hackney, which is a Mark of the Tribute that the Kingdom of Naples owes to the Holy See The Cblonna'ss are well-bred, affable and generous, and always liv’d with a Dignity fuitable to their Birth. The prefent Cardinal, and the Conftable his Nephew, are perhaps two of the fineft Gentlemen in the World. They both dwell in the fame Palace, and live in a Concord and Union, which is the more beautiful, becaufe ’tis what is feldomknown * The laft Hackney that was prelented on the Part of the Houfe of Aujiria, was deliver’d by the Prince of Santa Croce, whom the Emperor appointed for that Ceremony, becaufe Spain having conquer’d the Kingdoin of Naples, the Conftable was not willing to concern himlelf in the Affair, before it was finally decided. This was in the Year i7J4* among Rome. 43 the Grest* *X heu is one of the moft magnificent in Rome, as to the Infide of it ; and ’tis pity but that it had another Front. It owes its Rife to none but its Owners, without being oblig’d for it to any of St. Peter’’^ Succefifors. Inftead of giving you the Particulars of every Room, I need only tell you, that they are all richly furnilh’d. It has Cabinets, Piflures and Statues, that are of an extraordinary Beauty. The Gallery is truly Royal, and has Beauties that are not to be found in that of Verfailles, which is admir’d by all Europe : Such are four Pillars of antique yellow Marble, two of which fupport an Arch at each End, whereby there’s an Entrance to the Salon, which is at the End of the Gallery. This might be faid to be a complete Gallery, if one of the Salons at the End of it was nor raifed five or fix Steps, whereas the other is level with the Apartment and the Gallery. The Roof of this fine Piece of Building is painted, and reprefents the Vidory gain’d in the Time of PiiisY. over the at Lepanto, by the Valour of Mark Antonj Colonna. Thefe Paintings are by different Elands, and not all of the fame Beauty. As to the Piftures and Statues that adorn the Walls which are fac’d with Marble, ’tis im- polTible to fee any thing more complete ; and this is a Truth even confeffed by Frenchmen. I never faw a finer Show than this Gallery makes, when illuminated on the Eve and Feftival of St. Peter., which is the Time of the Conftable’s prefenting the Hackney to the Pope. This Ceremony was perform’d not manv Days ago •, but as it cou’d not be on St. Peler'^ Fciti''al, by reafon of the Vacancy of St. Peter's S.-'., it was done at the Church of Our Lady del Po' yH, on the Day of the Fertival of that Church. Tiie Pope went thither with a great Train, tiie Cardi- nals 4^ Rom e. nals Olivieri and Banchieri, the one Secretary of the Briefs, and the other Secretary of State, fitting over-againft him in his Coach, When he came to the Gate of the Church, he was put into his Procefiion Chair, and carried towards the Altar, where he ton’d the Vefpers, which were continu’d by the Mufic. During this, Don Philip Corftni, the Pope’s grand Nephew, and all the Nobility that accompany’d the Holy Father, fet out on Horfeback from the Church, and went to the Conftable’s Palace. They were attended by a De- tachment from the hundred Swifi Guards, Light- Horfe and Carbineers. Don Philip Corfini com- plimented the Conftable in the Name of Cletnent XII. and told him, that he came to condufl him to an Audience of his Holinefs, A Detachment of Light-horfe began the March ; then came all the Feudatory Nobility of the Kingdom of Na- ples : The Princes march’d alone, according to their Rank, being preceded by their Gentlemen and Officers on Horfeback, and follow’d by the Hackney, which is a white Horfe carrying a Saddle of red Velvet, in form of a Pannel, with the Houfing of the fame Stuff, richly embroider’d with Silver, trailing on the Ground : A Purfe of red Velvet was hung about his Neck, wherein was the Bill of Exchange for feven thoufand Ducats, which is the Tribute that the Kingdom of Naples pays to the Holy See. Immediately after the Hackney, came the Conftable, between two Files of the hundred Swifs, preceded by thirty-fix Foot- men, and furrounded by fixteen Pages, all of his own Livery, Don Philip Corfini was on his Right- hand, and M. Acquaviva, the Major Domo, (who has been a Cardinal ever fince i733-) Left. The feudatory Prelates follow’d him, dreft in ffiort purple Mantles, and riding on Mules, two a.breaft. The March was clos’d by fifteen of the Con- Rome. 45 Conftable’s magnificent Coaches, four of which were drawn by fix Horfes. When the Conftable came to the Church, he alighted, and met the Pope, who was juft then going out of it in his Proceflion Chair. The Ambaffador kneeling be- fore him, faid to him, ‘ That the Emperor ‘ CbarlesVl. King of the 5rV//w, his Mafter, ‘ had charg’d him to deliver to his Holinefs, ‘ the Tribute of the Hackney, and the feven ‘ thoufand Ducats, which his Imperial and Royal ‘ Majefty ow’d to the Holy See, for the Kingdom ‘ of Naples* This Compliment muft be made in the Spanifi Tongue, to which the Pope makes Anfwer in Latin, Clement XII. faid, ‘ We ac- ‘ cept the Tribute and the Prefcnt which our ‘ well-beloved Son VI. Emperor and King ‘ of the Sicilies, owes to us ; and we give to him, ‘‘ and his Auguft Spoufe Elizabeth the Emprefs, ‘ to his Kingdoms and Dominions, and to all his ‘ Subjefts in general, our Apoftolical Benedidlion, ‘ in the Name of the Father, Cfc.* When the Pope had faid this, the Ambaflador, who was all the while on his Knees, rofe up, and an Apoftoli- cal Notary, who was prefent, immediately made an Entry of this Function in the Apoftolical Re- gifter, according to Cuftom. This done, Clement XII. went out of the Church, and return’d with a great Train to the Palace of Mont e-cav alio. The Conftable came out in a Moment after, accompa- nied by the Emperor’s Ambaflador, his Cardinal Cienfuegos, who rode in the Conftable’s chief Coach, the Conftable fitting on his Left-hand. The Footmen of the Cardinal, and of the Ambafla- dor, walk’d in a Body together, without any Di- li indtion, but the Coaches follow’d alternatively, viz. one Coach of the Cardinal’s, and one of the Conftable’s. Flis Eminency had ten, which were each drawn by only a Pair of Horfes. Thus they arriv’d 4^ Rome. arriv’d at the Conftable’s Palace, which they found illuminated with Flambeaux of white Wax. All the Nobility of R o M E came in a few Moments after, with all the Cardinals. They were plenti- fully regal’d with Refrefhments, and a fine Fire- work was play’d off, which was ereded in the Court-yard in fuch a manner, that it fronted alike both the Palace and the Street. Next Day the Conftable and the Cardinal took anotiier Tour with a great Train thro’ the principal Streets of Rome ; and in the Evening, the Ambaffador’s Palace was illuminated, where the Sacred College, and all the Nobility, appear’d, as they did the Night before ; and there vvas another Fire-work : Thus the Ceremony ended, and ’tis alfo Time for me to conclude my Letter, by afl'uring you, that I am ever, Ltc. LETTER XXX. S' / Rome, Dec, 5*, 1750, T HO’ I am heartily weary of entertaining you with Palaces, yet I can’t forbear giving you fome Account of the Palace of iiie Prince Borghefe. There’s an admirable Court-yard, and the Buildings round it are of an elegant and agreeable Contrivance. They are two Rows of Arches, one above the others fupported by ninety-fix Columns of Granatej which form Corridors or Galleries, fo that one may walk all round under Shelter. The Summer Apartment, which 4 Rome. 47 which is level with the Court, is fit to lodge a Monarch. ’Tis adorned with the choiceft Paint- ings, and feveral of the Rooms have the Pleafure ol Fountains in them always playing into Bafons of Porphyry, or other precious Stones, of which one is a complete Piece of Work of m.afly Silver. The Furniture is not anfwerable to all this Magni- ficence, it being all as old as the Time of Paid V. who was of the Borghefe Family, and tho’ no more than an Advocate at firft, rais’d his Family from the mean State it was in at Sienna. The Eldeft of this Family has a Revenue of one hundred and fixteen thoufand Crowns, and as he lives, is in no manner of Danger of becoming a Bankrupt. There is not a Family in Rome for which St. Peter has done more than this. The Prince’s Palace in the City is, as I have told you, a (lately Building. There are fine Sta- bles belonging to it, and there’s a fecond Palace fronting the firfl:, which ferves in common for the Domellics. Almoft all the Houfes of that Ward, which is one of the moft populous in Rome, be- long to this Prince, who has alfo feveral magni- ficent Country Houfes, particularly that of Mon- dragone, near Frefcati, built by Pope Paid V. and the Garden near the Gate Pinciano, made by Cardinal Sapio Borghefe., one of that Pope’s Ne- phews. Before the Art of Gardening was intro- duc’d into German’^ and France, the Gardens of Italy were reckon’d the fineft in the World j but now-a-days ’tis otherwife, and unlefs (as is part- ly obferv’d before) a Man is an Italian, and ne- ver pafs’d the Alps, he will look with Contempt upon all the Gardens v/hich the Romans call won- derful, charming, and ajlonifloing. Neverthelels, I wou’d not have you think that I find no Beauty at all in their Gardens *, I admire the continual y erdure of their Holyoaks, Firs, Pines and Lau- rels, 44 R o M Ei rels, of which the Walks are form’d, tho’ they are gloomy and melancholy. I am amaz’d at the Magnificence of thofe who made thofe Gardens, and am pleas’d to find by what they have done, that they had the Tafte of Noblemen, and that indeed they have not come fliort of the moft ex- cellent Works in their Time. But then I am forry to fee how little Care their Nephews take of thefe Things, how they fuffer them to run to Ruin, and how little they know to make a good Ufe of the Eftates left them by Providence. Thanks to the Foundations of Paul V. and Car- dinal Scipio, the Houfes and Gardens of the Prince Borghefe are kept in better Order than thofe of the other Roman Nobility •, yet for all this, they are not near fo neat, and fo well trimm’d, as the Gardens of France, Holland, and the Ultramontane Countries. Mondragone ftands upon an Eminence, and fronts the City. ’Tis a large Building, after the Model of the Palace of Monte-cavallo. The Apartments are fpacious, but very forrily furnifh’d. The Houfe at the Vineyard Pinciano is only magni- ficent on Account of the rare Sculptures with which ’tis adorn’d. ’Tis almoft intirely cover’d on the Outfide with (lately Baflc -relievos, of antique Marble, among which, ’tis a Pleafure to iee Curtius on Horfeback, throwing himfelf and Horfe headlong into the Gulph, to deliver his Country from the Peftilence. The Statue of Belu farm, in the Attitude of a poor Man begging Alms, is fo well made, that it raifes Compaflion. The Apartments, tho’ very ill furnilh’d, are adorn’d with fine Pidures and Statues : Among the latter, you wou’d admire Idavid holding his Sling, cut in Marble by Signior Bernini ; the Groupe reprefenting beginning to be me- tamorphos’d into a Laurel, at the Nick of Time when Rome. 45 when the God of Day is going to embrace her the ancient Statue of Seneca expiring in the Bath, which is of antique black Marble, reprefenting the Philofopher up to the Middle of his Legs in a Ciftern, or Vellel of African Stone, of modern Workmanfhip ; the famous Statue of the Gladiator in a fighting Pofture, the Work of Jgaftas the Ephefian, as the Greek Infcription denotes, which is at the Foot of the Statue •, and in fine, the fair Hermaphrodite lying on a Matrals, all of Marble, of curious Workmanfhip. ’Tis faid that this Statue was dilcover’d under the Foundations of the Front of the Church of Our Lady of Vidloria, at the Time that Cardinal Scipio Borghefe caus’d it to be erefted •, and really ’tis fo curious a Piece, that it wou’d have been pity it had not been found, and brought again to Light. Were I to tell you of all the other Statues of the Prince Borghefe^ I fhou’d never have done ; for no King in the World has fo many, or fo fine ; and he may boaft of be- ing the Owner of a Treafure that is ineftimable. I beg leave to take a prefent Farewel of every Thing relating to Buildings and Statues, and muft acquaint you after what Manner Clement XII. has taken Poffefllon of the Church of St. John de La- teran. This Ceremony was perform’d on Sunda" the 19th of November laft. The Pope went in the Morning with his ufual Train from the Palace o Monte-Cavallo to that of the Vatican. At half an Hour pad: eighteen o’clock, as they call it here, which with us is about half an Hour paft One in the Afternoon, the Cavalcade began. Two Trumpets and four Light Horfemen of the Guard led the W^ay, follow’d by feveral clofe Carriages cover’d with Tapeftry embroider’d with the Arms of the Cardinals to whom they belong’d ; Then came the Cardinals Mace- bearers, with their Maces of folid Silver. Thefe were follow’d by Vo L. II, D their 4 ^ Rome. their Eminencies Gentlemen and Chaplains, by the Legate of Bologna^ and the Roman Princes, all very forrily mounted, and drefs’d in black Coats and Cloaks. Four of the Pope’s Equerries in red Robes, his Holinefs^s Taylor, and two Boys of the Wardrobe, in Robes of red Serge, went before two Portmanteaus trimm’d with red Velvet lac’d with Gold, which were carry’d on the Backs of Mules, in form of a Litter. The Grooms in Surtouts of red Serge, two and two, leading the Hackneys of the Tribute for Naples. The Pope’s Mules with Caparifons of red Velvet, with Lace and Fringe of Gold. Three Litters cover’d with red Velvet trimm’d with Gold Lace. The Mafter of the Pope’s Stables follow’d by two Prickers. At fome Diftance from thence came the Roman Nobility, walking without Di- ftindion of Rank, all drefs’d in black Coats and Mantles, with great Perukes, and their Hats off. Then came five of the Pope’s Mace- bearers, in long-fleev’d purple Gowns with black Velvet Lace, bearing their Maces of folid Silver, and follow’d by fourteen Drummers on Foot, in Sur- touts of red Sattin with yellow and red Lace, bearing the Arms of the fourteen Quarters, or Wards of the City of Rome. Four of the Pope’s Trumpeters drefs’d in Red with Gold Lace. The Valets of the Apoftolical Chamber in red Robes. The Valets de Cha7nbre call’d Ca^neneri extra mtiros. The Commifiary and Fifcal of the Chamber in purple Robes, The Confiftorial Ad- vocates drefs’d in Black. The Chaplains of the Commonalty in red Robes. The Valets of the Privy-chamber, and the Chamberlains of Honour in purple Robes. The four lafl; carry’d on long Poles the four Cardinals Hats that are vacant. Then came forty Officers of the Senate and Peo- ple of Rome, in Gowns of black Velvet, and wearing Rome. 47 wearing Caps of the fame Stuff: Thefe were fol' low’d by the Clerks of the Chamber, the Audi- tors of the Rota, by the Mafter of the facred Palace walking on the Left of the Dean, by the Auditors of the Rota, and by fourteen Marfhals wearing white fattin Waiftcoats under Gowns of purple Mohair, and Caps of black Velvet. Then came theGovernorof Rom E in his Camai! and Rochet, the Princes del Soglio in black Coats and Cloaks, two Mafters of the Ceremonies preceding the Pope’s Crofs-bearer, who carry’d the Image of our Saviour turn’d towards the Holy Father, and walk’d between two Ufhers bearing red Wands. Then the Holy Father appear’d in a Litter, like a Phaetbon, lin’d with red Velvet embroider’d and lac’d with Gold, carry’d by two white Mules. Twenty-four Pages in an antique Drefs of white Sattin, with a great many red and filver’d Rib- bands, and black Cloaks lin’d with white and filver Mohair, and inrich’d with broad Gold Lace, encompafs’d the Litter, as did the Footmen, the Scavengers and the Lance-prefadoes, in fcarlet Cloaths trimm’d with Gold. Immediately before the Litter the Captain of the hundred Swifs rode on Horfeback, arm’d with a Cuirafs of Iron, and his Helmet, at the Head of two Files of the hundred Swife arm’d with Cuiraffes like himfelf. His Holinefs, who was in the Middle, wore a white Caflbck. He had a Rochet on, and over it a Stole of red Sattin embroider’d with Gold, the Camail or fhort Mantle of red Velvet lin’d with Ermin, a Cap of the fame Stuff, and over that a red Hat. Next to the Litter came the Almoner, the Gentleman Carver, the Secretary, and^the Phyfician. At fome fmall Dillance fol- low’d fourteen Cardinals riding on Mules, who were drefs’d in purple Habits, and had their Cowls flapp’d over their Eyes, with their red D 2 Flats. 4^ Rome. Hats. They were follow’d by Signior Neri Cor/tni^ a Nephew of Clement Xil. at the Head of the Pa- triarchs, Archbifhops, afTiftant Bifliops, Apoftolical Frothonotaries, the Auditor of the Chamber, the X reafurer, the Recorders of the Signature, and the other domedic Prelates, all clad in their Rochets and Camails of Purple. The March was clos’d by the Light-horfe and Carbineers. The former had at their Flead the Marquis Bartholomew Corfini^ and the Duke (both Nephews of the Holy Father) who (lione in gilt Cuiraffes, and had over them Surtouts of red Grogram, or Mohair, em- broider’d with Gold. They had on their Hats great Plumes of white Feathers, and their Pages carry’d their Spears and Helmets before them. The Light-horfe had over their Cloaths, which are not of the fame Pattern, Surtouts of red Cloth with Gold Lace ; their Hats were adorn’d with large Plumes of white and red Feathers, and for their Arms they bore Lances, at the End of which are little Standards of red and blue Taffeta, fuch as I have feen carry’d by the Spahis. All this Cavalcade pafs’d thro’ the Capitol, the Court whereof was hung with Tapeftry of red Da- inafl< lac’d with Gold Tinfel. The Marquis Frangi- pani^ a Roman Senator, receiv’d the Pope, and pre- fented him the Keys of the Capitol, after making a fhort Speech to him, which the Pope anfwer’d by a Benedidion. At Campo-Vaccino^ thro’ which the Train pafs’d, the Pope found near the Farnefe Vineyard a triumphal Arch, which the Duke of Parmet-^ as Feudatory of the Holy See, is oblig’d to ereft every 'Fime that the new Popes take Pof- feffion of t\\^ Later an Cliurch. From the Capitol to the uiid Church, which is a very confiderable Diftance, the Streets were hung witli Tapeftry fur- niOi’d by the Jews, who had brought out a great many moth-eaten Rags for the Purpofe. When Rome. 49 When the Pope alighted from his Litter, he was receiv’d at the Gate of St. John de Laleran, by the Cardinal Piciis de Mirandola, Arch prieft of the faid Church, who prelented the Holy Fa- ther with the Crofs to kifs, and being preceded by the Chapter of St. John de Lateran, condufled him to the Throne which was erected on the Right-fide of the great Gate. The Pope being there feated, array’d himfelf in his PontificalibuSy and put on the Mitre, after which he admitted the Chapter to kifs his Foot. Then the Cardinal Arch-priefl harangu’d him in the Name of the Chapter, and prelented him the Keys of the Church, one of which was of Gold, the other of Silver, in a Silver gilt Bafon adorn’d w'ith Flowers. During this, the Cardinals put on their Copes and their Mitres. Then the Pope rifing from his Throne, advanc’d towards the great Gate of the Church. The Cardinal Arch-priefl: perfum’d him with Incenfe thrice, and prefented the Sprinkler to him, which the Pope dipp’d into the Holy Water, and therewith l])rinkled the Clergy and Laity. Then he feated himfelf in his Proceflion Chair, and was carry ’d thro’ the Body of the Church to the Fligh Altar, the Members of the Chapter holding a Canopy over his Flead, The' Pope kneeling before the Holy Sacrament, made a fhort Prayer, and went and plac’d himfelf upon a Throne ereded at the Bottom of the Choir facing the Entrance. There he receiv’d the ufual Obcifance of the Cardinals, Bilhops, Prelates and other Clergy, and then gave hisfolemn Benedidion to the Standers-by, being aflifledin this Ceremony by two Cardinal-Deacons, who put on his Mitre, and took it ofl, jufl as the Service requir’d. Then his Holinefs defeended from the Throne, and be- ing feated in his Proceflion Chair, was carry’d to the Lateran Palace. During this, the Mufick 3 play’d 5^ R O M £• play’d Anthems, and the Cardinal Arch-pried read fevcral Prayers. When the Pope arriv’d at the great Pew fronting the fpacious Square that opens towards the City of Rome, he afcended a very high Throne, and gave his Benediction twice to all the Chriftian People. Then he faw fome flight Medals fcatter’d among the Populace, which were ftruck with his own Die. After this, he was carry’d in a Sedan to his Coach, in which he took with him the Cardinals Banchieri and Olivieri^ and thus he return’d to the Palace of Monte-Cavalloy attended by his ufual Train. This Cavalcade and Ceremony, after all that can be faid, appear more magnificent in the De- feriptions or Prints that are engraved of them, than they are in reality. If I may prefume to fay fo, it has an Air of Mafquerade which I don’t chink fuicable to the Court of the Vicar of Jesus Christ. All the Laity drefs’d in Black, and mod of the Clergy in Purple, mounted upon Mul es *, all this, I Ly, forms a very difmal Pomp. Mod of the Cardinals and Prelates are ancient, and to fee them on Horfeback, is not to fee them at an /Advantage. Carpets of difterent Colours were hung out at all the Windows, as is the Cuf- tom here upon all folemn Fedivals, either in Pro- cefTions, or in public Entries. But in my Opi- nion, all this Tapeftry, indead of adorning the Houfes, makes them look like Brokers Shops. The Carpets which are hung out in France and the Netherlands upon fuch Solemnities have an Air much more majeftic. The Models after which the triumphal Arch was erected were very fine ; but as it was execu- ted in Paper and PaRboard, a great Rain which had fallen for fome Days before, had aimed fpoil’d it. Bcfidcs this, the Order of the Procefllon was very ill obfei v’d j for there were fometimes In- tervals Rome. 5 * tervals of half a Quarter of an Hour. And When the Pope went out of Letter un Chuich, there was fo great a Stop of Coaches, that he was above an Hour getting along. ’Tis faid, there will fDeedily be a Promotion of Cardinals ; if fo, I fhall not fail to let you know what pafles at that Ceremony. But at prefent I fhall add no more, and I queftion whether you will hear from me again before Lent. I am, t^c. LETTER XXXI. SIR, Rome, March i o, 1731 I W AS feme Days ago at an Audience of the Holy Father. I might have had it fooner, but I thought fit to give Way to thofe that were mere importunate for it 3 for Clemefit'K.ll, has been continually teaz’d upon that Score from the very Day of his Exaltation. The Form of demanding Audiences is the fame here as at other Courts, and I afiure you, the Difficulty of ob- taining them is every whit as great fo that in this Point, all Countries, and all Courts are alike. Having made my Application to Signior Jcqua- viva^ the Major Domo^ who officiated as Head- Chamberlain, in the room of Signior ^ Doria^ then indifpofed, he gave the Pope Notice that I attended, and he order’d me to be immediately admitted. 1 left my Hat and Sword at the ^ He is now a Cardinal and Archbifliop of Benevento, D 4 Door, 5 ^ Rom e. Door, according to Cuftorri. I found the Pope fitting under a Canopy, in an elbow Chair, af- cended by three Steps, with his right Foot reft- ing on a Cufcion of red Velvet. As I enter’d the Chamber, Signior Acquavlva bid me kneel, which 1 did, and the Pope gave me his Bleffing. I then rofe up, and approach’o him as far as half the Length of the Chambe*, when I kneel’d again, and receiv’d the Pope’s Bleffing a fecond Time. Then I arofe again, and coming up clofe to the Pope, I kneel’d again, and receiv’d a third Bleffing, all which Bleffings really did not coft his Holinefs much Trouble ; for they confifted in no more than making a Sign of the Crofs, without fpeaking one Word. The Pope, who is talkative, but eloquent, afk’d me many Queftions, and recollebled that he had known me when he was only a Cardinal. He was extremely gracious, and 1 had reafon to be fatisfied with my Au- dience fo long as I had no Favour to afk. But the Moment that I put myfelf in the Number of Petitioners, I faw the Pope's Countenance ' change ; his Smiles were turn’d into Frowns, and I could eafily perceive that he had rather have my Room than my Company. But being appriz’d before-hand, that his Holinefs was always un- eafy at receiving Petitions, I proceeded without omitting a Word of what I had to fay to him. In going out of the Chamber, I went backward, kneeling three times 'ey the Way, as 1 had done at Entrance, and trie Pope at each time gave me his Bleffing, which w'as all that I got by my Audience ; but I am preparing to defire another very foon ; for they fay, the honeft Pope loves to be importun’d, and therefore I will gratify him in his own Way. Indeed all that go to the Audience of the Holy Father fare no better than I did, unlefs they are Princes, Rome. 53 Princes, and even the Cadiolics muft all kifs the Pope’s Toe. The Prince Regent of IValdeck, who was here not long ago, went to an Audience of his Holinefs, and was receiv’d in the fame manner as the Princes of Brunfwic had been formerly : He waited fome Moments in the Antichamber, and without being oblig’d to leave his Sword and Hat, as thofe of his Retinue were, he was introduc’d by the Major Bomo to the Pope, who receiv’d him feated on his Throne. The Prince did not kneel as he enter’d, nor did the Pope, who afk’d him feveral Queftions, and was inform’d that he was a Lutheran^ give him his Bleffing : Before he with- drew, the Prince defir’d the Pope, that he would give him leave to introduce his Retinue to him ; when one of his Gentlemen, fcrupulous to thelaft Degree, neither kneel’d, nor kils’d the Pope’s Foot. At Geneva indeed he deferv’d to have his Statue eredled, tho’ here his Politenefs was call’d in queftion; but as for the Prince of IValdeck, all Rome v/as charm’d with his obliging and polite Behaviour : He fperit four or five Months here, and liv’d handfomely. He apply’d himfelftothe Knowledge of Antiques, and made a Colledion of Stones finely cut, which, tho’ not fo large as fome are, is not the worfechofen ; for he has difcover’d a very great Tafte and Skill in Curioficies ; and happy would it be for German-j^ if all its Princes were like him. The Prince of fV %ldcck leads me to give you an Account of thofe unfortunate Princes who are here call’d the King and Queen of England. Perhaps you will not diflike to know what they are doing, and on what Foot they ftand here. That unfor- tunate Prince, which is a 1 irle I think no body can envy him, lives a very melancholy Life; and I queftion whether the Penfion which the Pope al- lows him of 12000 Crowns, is enough to make him 54 Rom e. him eafy under his Afflidions : He lodges in the Palace of the Marquis Monti^ and has a great Number of Domeftics, but few in his Service that are Perfons of Quality. My Lord Dunbar is the chief Man at his Court, fince Mr. Hayes, to whom the Pretender gave the Title of my Lord Invernefs, retir’d to Avignon : This Gentleman is intrufted with the Education of the young Princes, who are here ftyl’d the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Tork, and as lovely Children they both are as one fhall fee. The King, or the Pretender, it matters not, is complimented with the Style of MajeJlj by the Pope, and by all that have Accefs to him. He never goes to an Audience of the Holy Father in public, but always by the Back-ftairs ; and the Pope not only gives him an Arm-chair, but all the Honours are paid to him that are due to a King who keeps incognito. When the Cardinals vifit him, he gives thtxn thtDabouret, or little Stool ; but the Imperial Cardinals never go to fee him, nor did they think 6t to do it, even at the Time when the Emperor feem’d to be more embroil’d with the King of Great Britain than ever whereas the French Cardinals go to him every Day, and are always with him, notwithftanding the ftrift Alliance between the King their Mafter, and the King of Great Britain. When the eldeft Prince, who is here ftyl’d the Prince of Wales, goes to wait on the Pope, he is treated as the prefumptive Heir of a Crown ; he has a Chair fet for him with a Back to it, and takes Place of the Cardinals. As to the younger Son, the pretended Duke of I'ork, his Rank is not yet fettled, nor has he yet made a Vifit to the Pope. Dhe Pretender is of a middling Stature, but a mere Skeleton ; and if I may venture to fay it, has nothing in his Looks of an Impoftor : He is pro- digioufly Rome. 55 digioufly like the Pidures I have feen of the late King James II. his Father, only his Afped is fome- thing more melancholy *, but he is fo far from it in his natural Temper, that he is a Lover of Pleafures, and would indu ge himfelf in Gallantry, if he was not fo ftridly watch’d by the Priefts •, for if the fcandalous Chronicle does not belye him, Mrs. Ha-jes, alias Lady Invernefs, had, for a while, the Honour of obliging him. If one may guefs at the Heart by external Appearances, he is fincerely attach’d to the Religion which he profefles, yet without being fuch a Bigot as fome will have him to be ; for he caufes his Children to be educated by Proteftants, and every Sunday a Church of England Minifter preaches in Englijh in the Pro- teftant Chapel of his Palace ; He is extremely re- ferv’d at firft to thofe with whom he is not ac- quainted, but it wears off by Degrees ; and when once he knows People, he is very courteous and civil to them. I have the Honour to be often at his Table, and I am bound to acknowledge his Favours to me. His Table, which is commonly laid for a dozen Guefts, is ferv’d with what is grand and delicate. The Queen eats at her own little Table. People arc feated at the King’s Table without any Di- flindion of Rank, and he fits himfelf between the two Princes his Sons: He talks a great deal at his Meals, but the Tone of his Voice is not the mofl; agreeable : His Converfation runs generally upon common Topicks, and falls very naturally upon his Misfortunes. All this Prince’s Time is regu- larly divided ; he rifes early, devotes the Morning to his Bufinefs, hears Mafs before Noon, when he goes to Dinner, and after fitting an Hour and half, or two Hours at Table, takes a Nap •, and then, unlefs it be a Saint’s Day, when he goes to Velpers, he walks out for the Air in fome Garden or R o M E. or ocher without Rome, wnere he exercifes hiinfelf on Horfeback, or die diverts himfelf at Mall with liis Sons, and his Gentlemen. In the livening he returns to his Palace, and receives Vifus from the Cardinals ; at Ten o’Clock he goes to Supper, and at Midnight to Bed. During the Carnival he was almoft every Day at the Opera, where his Box being very large, he ufed to fup with the Gentlemen and Ladies of his Court. The Queen his Wife is a Princefs, who deferves in reality to be a Queen ; and tho’not a fparkling Beauty, it may be faid that her Perfon is infinitely charming ; flie has Indeed the Character of a molt accomplilh’d Lady, and never was there a better natur’d Perfon with more Humility *, fhe is friendly, compafllonate, charitable *, her Piety is exemplary, and in Truth, fhe leads the Life of a Saint, without aftedting the Shew of ceremonial Devotion ; for fhe has nothing more at heart than to do good, and her Love of one fublime Virtue is incredible ; for tho’ file is heartily attach’d to her own Reli- gion, fhe has no Rancour againft thofe who differ from her in Opinion, but would fain reclaim them by her good Example and good Nature. Were fhe Miftrefs of a Kingdom, fhe would certainly make it her Rule to difeharge the Duties of her Rank as became it ; and indeed, Nature has given her great Advantages to acquit herfclf worthily in fuch a Sphere ; for fhe has a wonderful quick Com- prehenfion, an admirable Memory, and fhe Ipeaks Pohjh, High-Dulch^ French^ Italian, and Englijh fo well, that ’cis not eafy to diftinguilh which of thofe Languages is moft familiar to her, I own to you, that of all the Princefles whom ever I had the Honour to approach, I don’t know one more de- ferving of the Veneration of the Public. I fhouid be glad to fee her happy ; and if that Refpedt and Duty, from which I fhal! never depart, did not bind Rome. 57 bind me fo ftrongly to the King and Qiieen of Great Britain, I could wifli to fee her wear the Crown of the three Kingdoms. You know that this Princefs is Daughter to Prince James SobieJlH, and by confequence Coufm German to the Emperor, and the Queen of Spain, and Niece to theEleftor Palatine, and the (^leen of Spain, Widow of Charles II. Yet all this did not proted her from being arrefted at Infpruck, when fhe pafs’d that Way to Italy, to be married to the Pretender ; Ihe was kept in very clofe Cuftody, and the Manner of her Deliverance Ihews the Su- periority of her Genius. The Pretender fent Mr. Gaydon, then a Major in the Service of France, to try if he could procure her Liberty ; the faid Offi- cer went to Infpruck, accompany’d by Mr. IVogan, an Enplifh Gentleman, and one Miffet, an IrifJo7nm, who carry’d his Wife with him. They arriv’d accordingly at Infpruck with a great Retinue, and there they pafs’d for People of Confequence ; They contriv’d fo that their Coach Wheels broke at the Gate of the City, to give them a Pretence for flaying in the Town till their Coach was re- pair’d : They introduc’d themfelves into all Af- iemblies, and found out a Nun whom they brib’d to deliver Letters to the Princefs. Having fix’d on the Day for carrying her off, and even appointed the Hour, which was Eleven at Night, they got a young Woman of the Princefs’s Stature to pafs thro’ the Guards in the Antichamber, and to lie in the Prifoner’s Bed, who for two Days had pre- tended to be fick. The Princefs put on the Girl’s Cloaths, and in that Difguife went out of her Apart- ment, pafs’d thro’ her Guards, and made up to- wards Mijfet, who gave a Whillle oppofite to the Convent, as had been agreed on beforehand, that file might know whom to apply to. The Princefs was conduifled to an Inn, and as it had fnow’d a great 5 ^ Rome. great deal, and was very dirty and dark, Ihe hap- pen d to ftcp into a Slough ; one of her Shoes ftuck fo fait in the Mud, that fhe was oblig’d to leave it behind her, and to walk only with one Shoe on to the Inn. From thence, without giving her- felf Time to change her Stockings, fhe went, wet and draggled as fhe was, into a Coach, where Mrs. MiJJ'et and Mr. Gaydoivh^d the Honour to fit with her. TVogan rode by the Side of the Coach, and Mijfet flay’d two Hours longer at Infpruck^ to fee whether any Difcovery was made of the Prin* cefs’s Flight. The Silence of the Guard wasfuch, that he believ’d they knew nothing of the Matter, fo that he rode after the Princefs, but kept two Poft-Stages behind, in order to watch if they were not purlued, which was a very good Precaution ; for early next Day it was found out that the Princefs had made her Efcape •, and the Commandant at Infpruck immediately fent off Meffengers to all the great Roads, with Orders to all the Officers of the Country to apprehend the Fugitive. MiJJ'et being overtaken by one of thofe Meffengers, he travell’d a little way with him, and refolv’d either to make him drunk, or to knock him on the Head. Hav- ing provided himfelf beforehand with a certain intoxicating Drug which immediately bereaves People of their Senfes, and throws them into a pro- found Sleep, he gave fome of it to the Meffenger ; and when he found him doz’d, he took away his Difpatches, and went and overtook the Princefs, who, after travelling three Days and three Nights fucceffively, without Reft, was got into the Do- minions of the Holy See. Arriving at Bologna, fhe there found my Lord Dunbar, vefted with a Proxy from the Pretender, then in Spain, to marry her ; which Ceremony was accordingly perform’d there without much Pomp, and the Princefs fee out in a few Days for Rome. Mv 1 Rome. 5p My Lady Marr, accompany’d by all the Englijh of both Sexes that were at Rome of the Pretender’s Party, went in that Prince’s Coaches to meet the Frincefs ; and the Cardinals, the Ro 7 nan Princes, and all the Nobility likewife fent their Coaches. Thus did the Princefs make her public Entry into Rome, where (he was receiv’d with great Marks ofRefped •, and there (he was, not long after, join’d by her Hufband *. While I am fpeaking of the Pretender, I ought not to omit acquainting you of a certain Prophecy in every body’s Mouth here, which was faid to be found among the Papers of the late Pope, im- porting, that in the Year 1734, the Pretender (hould be in the peaceable PoffelTion of the Throne of Great Britain ; but I would not give much Mo- ney for his Hopes f. Be this as it will, the Pro- phecy is as follows : Dum Marcus cantahit Hallelujah^ El Antonius Veni Creator^ Et Joannes Baptijia ccendbit, ‘Tunc regnabit et triurnphabU Rex in Anglia Ja- cobus III. i. e. When Eafier falls on St. Mark's Day, And Wbitfunday on St. Antony's of Padua, And when St. John the Baptijl's is a Sacrament Day, 'Then King James III. fhall remi and triu?npb in England. Thanks to God, the Carnival is ended *, I fay. Thanks to God, becaufe it was to me very tirefom, * This Princefs, who was born July 6. 1701. O. S. died Jun.j. 1735.. t As the Baron above three Years fince durft not venture much Money on the fulfilling of this Prophecy, we may now fay It IS not worth a Farthing. ' ^ the’ Rome. tho’ it lafted here, according to an eftablifh^d Guflom, but a Week. During all that T.'ime, from 1 wo o’clock in the Afternoon till Sun-fet, all the Streets were full of Mafquers, fome on Foot, and fome in open Chaifes : The former fay a thou- fand filly Things, and the latter throw Meflin in one another’s Eyes by Handfuls ; but the beft on’c is, that either by their Cloaths, or their Equipage, every body is known. Befidcs, the Pageantry of the Romans is always the fame, even in Mafque- rades *, they drefs up their Domeflics like Harle- quins, and make them follow them with their Faces bare. They thus take the Air gravely in open Chariots made like Gondolas. Their Horfes are adorn’d with Plumes of Feathers, and loaded with little Bells like ours in the Sled Races. In the Evening the Coaches range themfelves in two Rows in the Street del Corfo, which is befides pretty nar- row, and there they fee the Race of Barbs, which are five or fix Horfes, that are fuller’d to run loofe without a Rider, from the Gzte del Popoli to a Place beyond the P'enetian Palace. The poor Beafts gallop thro’ the Shouts and Cries of the Po- pulace, and are often crippled by ftriking them- felves againft the Coaches. The firltof thefe Horfes that reaches the Goal wins a Prize for his Mailer, which generally confills of a Piece of Cloth of Gold, and at Sun-fet every body retires. Mean time a Roman will tell you, that the Carnival of Rome is the fineft in the World. But the thing of which they brag moll, and which they believe is no-where to be parallell’d for Magnificence, is their Balls, of which you fhall now be Judge: Several Gentlemen having clubb’d this Winter for the Hire of the Palace Barberiniy near the Mount of Pietj, and caus’d it to be fur- niflt’d by the Jew Brokers ; when the Day was fix’d for the Ball, they invited all the Ladies; and as Rome. <$5 as to the Gentlemen, they had the Liberty of ap- pearing there maflc’d, provided they made them- felves known at the Door : All the Rooms were fmall, and but poorly lighted ; there were fevera! Pieces of Dancing to the Mufic of five or fix Violins ; The Room defign’d for the principal No- bility was encompafs’d with Forms, and the Place for the Dancers was an oval Nook rail’d in. A Gentleman of the Company that gave the Ball flood at the Entrance of the Oval ; they gave him the Title of Mafter of the Hall, and ’twas he that call’d out the Dancers. All the Ladies were mafk’d at this Ball, which was call’d a Feaft, but I know not why ; for there wereGlafTes indeed, but there was nothing to eat or drink. The Ladies were all very gay, and lome of them in Court- Drefies. I have b^een twice at thefe pretended Entertainments, but was fo tir’d, and in fuch Danger of being prefs’d to Death, that I don’t care to go again ; for which reafon the Romans fay, I have not an elegant Tafte. Neither am I very well reconcil’d to their Plays, of which indeed here are none all the Year, except during the Carnival •, but then we had two Opera- I Theatres, and four or five for Comedy. Of all thefe Theatres there’s but one that’s good for any thing, and that’s the Ladies Theatre, commonly call’d the Theatre of AUherli^ becaufe ’twas built by Order of one Count Aliberti. The Room is ex- ceffively large, fo that the Voices are loft in it ; it has feven Rows of Boxes, fo low and little, that it makes the Room look like a Flenrooft •, the Pit will hold 900 Perfons with Eafe : The Stage is fpaci'ous, very high, and fitely decorated ; but they don’t fhift the Scenes with that Dexterity as they do at our Play-houfes, yet, when the whole is put together, the Place is not to be defpifed : The Habits of the three principal Adors are mag- VoL, II. E nificent. Rome. rificent, butthofeof the reft are horrible. Their Voices are good, and fo are their Inftruments for the moft part ; but their Dancers are too bad to behold, and you can’t imagine any thing more hi- deous : 1 he Women are in the Difguile of Men, out of a ridiculous Scruple, if I may venture to call it fo, which they have here, that Women fhould not be feen at the I'heatres. This is the Reafon, that the Operas of Rome are vaftly inferior to the other Operas of Italy, There is not perhaps a more ridiculous Sight, than to fee thefe Creatures, who are but half Men, play the Parts of Women ; yet, tho’ they have neither Air nor Gracefulnefs, they are applauded here as much as the beft Acftrefles are elfevvhere. Tho’ I am paftionately fond of the Italian Mufic, yet I own to you, that I am dif- gufted with their Operas, when I fee thofe Eunuchs play the Parc of a Roland^ a Hercules,, or fome fuch Hero ; and I have not Patience to fee no more than half a dozen Adors, no Machines, and no Dances, except in the Interludes. In my Opinion, fuch an Opera rather deferves the Name of a Concert ; good Voices here are very fcarce, and there are aftually but five or fix Men, and three Women, that have the Reputation of finging well. The Cafe is the very fame with the Cornpofers ; they have juft loft one of the ableft Men of thatClafs; viz, Leonard Vinci,, who, they fay, was poifon’d at Naples ; but there are ftill remaining M. HafSy commonly call’d the Saxon,, and Signior Purpora^ of whom the former is a German,, who married the famous Signiora Faujlina, While I am giving you an Account of the Plea- furesof Rome, I ought not to omit the Inundations of the Square Navona, which are perform’d on the four Sundays in the Month of Auguft, Two Thirds of the Square being then laid under Water, it forms a Lake, in which the Coaches make a Ring. Rom e. 67 Rincr. Theadjacenc Windows are full of Spectators* and°he Fronts of the Houfes are crowded by the Populace, who make hideous Shouts and Outcries, when a Coach happens to take in a little \Vater, or when one overturns, which fometimes is the Cafe. The oddeft Thing of all to my Mind is, that while the People were intent upon feeing the Coaches pafs, and playing a thoufand Pranks, a Jefuit, mounted upon a Rail at the other End of the Square, bawl’d out in vain for an Audience of Pe- nitents ; and tho’ very few, if any body, heard him, yet he went on haranguing, and ’twas not his Faultthatevery body did notforfakeall to hear him. About twenty Paces from the Preacher was a Mountebank, who, by the comical Jefts and AClions of his Merry Andrew, drew a much . greater Au- dience to him than the Jefuit had. Are not thefe now very inchanting Pleafures ? Yet -i. Roman, who never pafs’d the Ponte Mole, as there are a great many who have not, will tell you there are none like thofe of Rome. But I affirm that the Romans don’t know what DiveiTion is ; for in thofe Parties of Pleafure where reigns the greateft Freedom, there’s always an Air of Conllraint, which one does not fee elfewhere : Nor does a free Deportment become them, infomuch that when they aflume fuch a Carriage, they naturally forget Politenefs, which befides is not what they are much ufed to •, for they know how to be refpedful, much more than to be polite. The Way to be acquainted with them thoroughly, is to vifit them at their Country-Seats, where they are more frank, lefs ceremonious, and more fociable, and where they live much better than they do at Rome, at lead they feed better •, and I will even venture to fay, that they there fpend high, but they get not the Credit by fuch Living which they ought, becaufe they don’t fet it off to the beft Advantage ; and if I am E 2 not 6 ^ Rome. t not too much prejudiced, it feems to me, that they grudge the Expence. The niofl: fumptuous Article of their Repafts is Deierts, and they have excellent Cooks and Butlers ; but as for us Uitramontains, we are not quite fo well ufed to their Method of Cookery. I know not whether ’tis the Depravity of my Tafte, or the Want of Difcernment j but I cannot conceive what Motives, except Devotion or Curio- fity, can bring any Man to Rome, than which there is hardly a more melancholy City in the World : Yet I k now fome Foreigners, and in particular certain Englilhmen, who are fond of Rome to a Degree of Enthufiafm. I ftrive to think as they do, and would fain perfuade myfelf, that the Life which they lead here is agreeable ; but I can’t be of that Opinion, nor can laccuftom myfelf to take up Manners and Cuftoms fo con- trary to ours. At my Age, ’tis a hard Matter to fall into a new Tafteand Fafhion of Living : Thofe of Rome don’t agree with me, and I forefee they never will *, yet if by Chance I fhould meet with any Paflime here, I promife you. I’ll revoke my Complaints, and give you an Account of my Plea- fures, as I do of my Chagrin. The People here rife late, and go to Bed late ; the firft Thing which they do is to drink Choco- late ; then they hear Mafs in their domeftic Chapel, of which almoft every Houfe has one : They af- terwards make fome Vifits, return home at Dinner- time, undrefs, and dine frugally with their Fami- lies. After their Meal they get between the Sheets, and fleep for an Hour or two ; and after that, loiter away as much in doing nothing at all •, but then they drefs, and go the Ring, which is without the Gate del Popoli ; from thence to the Ponte Mole there’s a Walk, which is very forrily pav’d, between two Walls, and fome pitiful Houfes ; and there’s Rome. 6 ^ there’s no Air, but Duft enough to choak one. When the Sun is upon its Decline, the Beau Monde repairs to the Square, or Place d'Efpagne^ where I think I have already told you how they amufe themfelves. From the Square they go and make their Vilits of Ceremony : At Two o’Clock at Night, which in the long Days in Summer is about Ten with us, thty H\\ into Ajfemblies. Thefe may be divided into three ClafiTes, the great Companies for Gaming, the private Companies where they alfo play, and the Societies in which they only converfe. Neither of the three are very numerous, which is owing to the Difference between the Prin- cefles and the Ladies, and to the Fondnefs of all the Ladies to have Company at their own Houfcs. The Aflemblies that are moft frequented by Fo- reigners, are thofe of Mefdames Corjini^ the Pope’s Nieces, the Duke of Santo Bueno, and the Coun- tefs of Bologpnelli. Thefe are the three Houfes at Rome where there is moft Company, and where Foreigners are moft civilly entertain’d. The Duke has a Concert at his Houfe every Friday, at which are prefent all the People of Dillinflion at Rome. Madame de Bolognetti has a grand Affembly every Sunday, which begins with a great Levee of Wo- men, for the moft part well-drefs’d, who lend their Ears to two or three prating Abbes, lolling care- lefsly on the Backs of their Chairs. A Foreigner enters, and falutes the Company refpedlfully, but no Lady gives heed to him, except Bolognetti, a fine young Lady, who is the only one that rifes ; and (he does her beft to entertain the poor Stranger in French, which (he talks very prettily. Many other Ladies both underftand, and can fpeak this Language -, but whether it is owing to Timorouf- neft or Ill-nature, they don’t care to talk it ; which is fo true, that I remember the firft Time I travell’d hither, I one Day accofted a very amiable E 3 Lady Rome. Lady in the Tongue, becaufethen I did not under ft and the Italian ; but fhe anfwer’d me in good French^ Sir , / neither fpeak nor under jt and the F rench Language, She then turnM about, and in a Moment Ifaw a well-looking Abbe come in, who talk’d with her in private all the E.vening, and probably in fuch a Language as fhe underftood. After the Levee they fall to play, but ’tis at fuch Games as we Ultramontains know no more of than Magic ; viz. fuch as Farot^ PazzicUy Pre- mierey and Milchiades. As to the laft of thefe, I take it to be like the Languages, which ’tis diffi- cult to be Mafterof, unlefs People begin to learn them when they are young. It would take up a Man’s whole Life to learn to know the Cards, whereof at one Game they play with 99, which are painted too with very extraordinary Figures of Popes, Devils, ^c, and it often happens, that the Devil takes up the Pope. During the Conclave they play at PharaOy but the Pope has prohibited all Games of Hazard, which was an Injury to many Houfes that fubfifted by the Money for the Cards. The private Aftemblies differ only from the pub- lic ones, in that they have not fo much Company. There is generally the Miftrefsof theHoufe, and a Dozen Peiits-coletSy who really are the Petits- Maitres of this Place, fuppofing them to be Ita- lians \ for you are not to imagine that thefe Gen- tlemen will fuffer a poor Ultramontain Abbe to put in a Word, becaufe they think he has neither Senfe nor Merit. As this is a Country of Priefts, you fhall fee ten Sparks of the Band to one of the Sword. ’Tis true, that the Abbe wears the fame Habit as the Gentlemen of the Gown, and as all others do who are not able to lay out much Mo- ney in Cloaths ; fo that when you fee a Petit-colet come out of any fufpicious Places, you muft be- ware Rome. y \ ware of Miftakes ; for they are noc always Priefts, nor even Clergymen. The third Clafs of AflTemblies, where there is no Gaming, is generally at the Houle of lome Piince; there I fpend my Evenings with great Pieafure and Freedom ; yet ’tis at one of the chief Floufes of Rome, and really the Converfation is held in one of the fineft Apartments in the Wor ld. I enter a very fpacious magnificent Room, illuminated by a Couple of Wax Candles, fo that if Cuftom had not taught me the way, I fliouM be at a Lofs where to falute the Mafier and Miftrefs of the Houfe: Thefe two little Candles are plac’d in great Candlefticks of Silver upon old-faflilon’d Stands of the fame Metal. A Fountain of folid Silver, from which the Water fpouts with a foft Murmur, in- vites me agreeably to Slumber *, and it feems as if thofe in the Room were afraid to awake me ; for they do nothing but whifper, and not a Mortal ftirs from the Spot in which his good or ill Fortune plac’d him, becaufe it wou’d be a Crime even to move a Chair ; fo that unlefs one had a fpeaking Trumpet, a Man muft be content to converfe with his next Neighbour. The Moment one enters the Room, two Pages in a black Livery attend us with Ice upon Salvers, but I don’t accept it every time *cis offer’d ; for if I did, my Stomach vvou’d have long ago been congeal’d like the frozen Ocean. This profound Silence, this murmuring Fountain, all thefe Cardinals, Prelates and Abbats, drefs’d in Black ; the two Wax Candles, giving a difmal Light ; all this, I fay, together, makes the Af- fcmbly look like Mutes ported to watch a Corpfe, and I affure you that a Church-yard itfelf does not put me more in mind of Mortality. Neverthelefs it fometimes happens that one or other of the Com- pany raifes his Voice, and relates the News of the Day. This is generally confin’d to what is done E 4 within Rome. within the City •, for what was faid by the Pope, the contrary EtTeft of fome Medicine, orelfefome Cardinal or Prelate, the Heat or Cold of the Weather, and the Age of the Moon, are the com- mon Topics. And after having thoroughly can- vafs’d thefe momentous Subjefts till Midnight, all the Company retires with their Pleads as empty as their Stomachs. Can you think. Sir, after what I have told you, that a Foreigner pafTes his Time here well ? No, truly, Rome is a City that a young Gentleman indeed ought abfolutely to fee ; for here he will conceive a perfefl Notion of Archirefture, eftablifh himfelf in aTaftefor Painting and Sculpture, and acquire a true Idea of the Magnificence of old Rome : But when he has digefted all this, I would advife him to be gone, fince there is nothing more for him to learn, and he is in Danger of forgetting every thing. There is not fo much as one good Fencing M after, and fcarce a Mafter of the Lan- guages that underftands the Italian ; and thofe who are Dabblers in this Way are generally Foreigners, who have neither Accent nor Method. All that a young Gentleman can learn here is i\rchitedure, and the Canon L.aw ; for as to Ecclefiaftical Hifto- ry, there are few People that are Mailers of it in its Purity. A Gentleman that lives beyond the Mountains will here be apt to forget the good Manners he may have contracted in France, or elfewhere ; for, I fay it again, the Generality of l\\t Romans know nothing more than Ceremony, becaiife they are ig- norant of good Manners, and there’s fcarce one of them in a thoufand that has the Air of a Man of Quality : To be a Judge of this, one muft fee them at Table, and in what a very flovenly Man- ner they behave at their Meals, which is owing to their eating generally alone 5 for they then loll fo much Rome. 73 much at Table, that when they dine in Company, they are at a Lofs what to do. They are not only nafty in their manner of eating, but in their Cloaths *, for I believe ther.e is not above one out of thirty that puts on frefji Linen every Day. I remem- ber that in 1719, when I was in France, a Refor- mado Colonel, who, tho’ an I ' ) • Service, often came to me in a Morning, and feeing me drefs myfelf, told me one Day that he ob.- ferv’d I follow’d the Frf«r^Fafliion ftriftly : I afk’d, him. In what? He made Anfwer, In my changing my Shirt every Day. Neverthelefs I wou’d not have you think that this Slovenlinefs is general •, for there are People as much perfum’d here as elfe- where *, and you may take my Word for it, that a Petit- Matlre at Rome is as great a Fop as the perteft French Petit- Mditre. Indeed they are more rare here than elfewhere, becaufe no young Sparks are admitted to the Aflemblies before they are twenty Years of Age. But as for what remains of the Charafter of the Romans, I muft tell you ingenuoufly, that I think the Notion we on the other Side of the Moun- tains have of them comes far (hort of it. There are good People in all Countries, and I know fome Romans of as ftridl Probity as the honefteft Feuto- nics. I know others that are not fo honeft •, but is not the Cafe the fame every-where, and is there one Country upon the Face of the Earth, where all the People are virtuous? The .Italians are in ge- neral accus’d of being jealous, but I really think it wrong ; for there’s no Nation where the Ladies have more Freedom than here. ’Tis poffible that fome of the Leaven of the antient Jealoufy may ftill remain among the Citizens ; but as to the People of Quality, I don’t think them any more liable to that Imputation than our People are : I wiflt I cou’d fay as much in their Vindication as to 74 Rom e.' to their being too much given to Niggardlinefs ; but the badt is too well known, and ’cis the ori- ginal Sin of almoft all the ItalianSy particularly of the Romansy from the higheft to the loweft ; and ’tis undoubtedly this avaricious Temper which makes them fo fober as they are ; for I think I took Notice to you, that when they are at other Folks Tables, they are intemperate enough •, yet I never faw the better Sort drunk, and the common People but very feldom. They are accus’d alfo of being revengeful, which may be true enough •, but really they are cry’d out againll upon that Score much more than they deferve •, for I have known fome that have receiv’d Affronts, fo good-natuv’d as to forget them. ’Tis true, that the Populace are very apt to make ufe of the Stillello, but this is owing to the too great Indulgence of Juftice. A Man convidfed of Murder for the firft Time is condemn’d to the Gallies ; tho’ in fome Cafes in- deed he is only banifli’d from the City, and the Ecclefiaflical State ; and then, after two or three Years Abfence, he pays 50 Crowns, and returns to Rome. They who have committed a Murder, and are not apprehended, generally compound the Matter with the Government by paying a certain Sum of Money. If Juflice was no ftrider in our Part of the World, and if our Churches were Sandluaries, as they are here, we fliou’d have more Crimes perhaps committed among us than there are at Rome, where, when all is faid and done, we don’t hear of Robberies, nor of Murders com- mitted for the fake of Robberies ; and tho’ there are no Lanthorns, nor Watchmen, nor Patrolls here in the Night, I fliou’d make no Scruple to go from one End of the City to the other with rny Purfe in my Hand. What I fhou’d be moft afraid of wou’d be the being aflafTinated by Miflake ; but even Murders of this Kind are much oftner com- Rome. 75 committed among the Dregs of the People, than among Perfons of Breeding ; for fince I have been here, 1 have not heard of fuch an Accident to any Perfon of Note.* I happen’d not long ago to be one Evening at a Houfe not far from my Quarters, fo that 1 went home alone, and on Foot •, it might be about Eleven o’Clock, ’twas a fine Moon light Night, and there were a great many People ftirring in the Streets. I pafs’d thro’ the Street del Corjo, and juft as I came to the Square of Colonna, near the Houfe of Cardinal Imperiali, I faw two Men coming towards me, one at a little Diftance be- hind the other : As the former brufh’d clofe by me, I heard a Piftol go off, and faw the poor Man fall down dead at my Feet: The Shot came from the Man that was behind, with whom, it feems, he had a Quarrel at Gaming ; but nobody troubled their Heads to apprehend the Criminal, fo that he went very quietly to take Shelter in a Church, where I faw him fome Days after ; at length he is got abroad, and if he can but make up the Sum of 5oCrowns, he will be fure of his Pardon, after three Years Exile. But ’ tis really an abominable Caie^ that facred Places, fet apart to keep the Holocauft without Spot |/| or Blemifh, fhouM ferve as a Place of Retreat for aMifcreant, that comes in reeking with his Neigh- bour’s Blood. This is an Abufe which every body confefles, but they are loth to violate antient Privileges. In the laft Pope’s Time, Jlheroni propos’d to the other Cardinals in a Congregation to fol icit the Pope to take away the Franchifes from the Churches ; but his Propofal was rejected, whereupon he faid with Indignation, ‘ Since ’tis ‘ fo, I heartily wifh, that lome Villain wou’d take ‘ it into his Head to murder fome one of you, ‘ and fly for Refuge to the Church of which I am ‘ Protedor : I aflure you, that were the whole ‘ Sacred 7 ^ Rome. ‘ Sacred College to demand him of me, inftead ‘ of delivering him up to Juftice, I wou’d do all ‘ in my Power to promote his Efcape.’ ’Tis faid, that Clement XII. has a Mind to take away thofe Franchifes with regard to Affaflins ; but I queftion whether he will have the Courage to venture at it, becaufe it brings fo much Grift to the Friers Mills, the Privileges of whofe Convents procure them the Refpeft of the better Sort of People, and the Homage of the Mob. Notwithftanding the Diforders that happen here, and the Abufes that are fo eftablifh’d, yet there is not a City in the World where God is better ferv’d, and where Charity to the Poor is more put in Prafbice. For this Purpofc there’s a great Num- ber of Hofpitals, among which that for Pilgrims is worth feeing. Hundreds of Pilgrims of all Na- tions are admitted into it alrnoft every Day, who are there lodg’d and taken care of for three Days, and then difmifs’d with Money in their Pockets. Towards the latter end of the Holy Week, thefe Pilgrims are ferv’d, the Men by the Cardinals, and the Women by the Princefles and Ladies of Rome. Divine Service is perform’d with very great Pomp in all the Churches, but particularly in the Pope’s Chapel, Were I to give you an Account of all the Ceremonies therein obferv’d, it wou’d take me up another Day. I will, in due Time and Place, give you a Narrative of the Ceremo- nies of the Holy Week, which, tho’ I was prefent at once before, during the Pontificate of Clement XI. I am very defirous of feeing again, that I may be the better enabled to relate them to you hereafter. I am, Cfc. LETTER Rome. 77 letter XXXII. SIR, Rome, y»»e If, 17^1. T HO’ the fir ft Promotion of Cardinals by Clement XII. was made the Clofe of the laft Year, yet I had fo many other Matters to entertain you with, that I deferr’d giving you an Account of that Ceremony til! now. This Promotion was made in Favour of three Nuncios, (who, by the way, never quit their Nunciatures, but for the fake of being made Cardinals) I mean the Nuncios in Germany, France, and Spain, and Signior Rufpoli, the Pope’s Kinfman. The latter might have had the Hat during the Pontificate of BenediEl XIII. his Father having obtain’d it for him of Cardinal Cofcia, on the Promife of thirty thoufand Crowns ; but being appriz’d of the Bar- gain, which his Father had made with Cofcia, he went to Corftni, then a Cardinal, and now Pope, who was his Father’s Friend and Kinfman, and having told him what had pafs’d betwixt his Father and Cofcia, intreated him to fruftrate the Contradl, %ing, that he wou’d never accept of a Hat, un- lefs he had it from the Pope’s mere Good-will. Cardinal Corftni being charm’d with the generous Temper of young Rufpoli, took Care to vacate the Bargain-, and now that he is feated in St. PeteCs Throne, he has preferr’d Rufpoli over the Heads of many Prelates, who have grown grey in the Service of the Holy See. This 7 8 Rome. This Promotion was made at Mont e-Cav alio. The Pope had declar’d in a private Confiftory, that he was rdolv’d to make five Cardinals, viz. the three Nuncios above-mention’d, Signior Ruf- foliy and a Fifth, whom he referv’d in Petto. The Cardinal Secretary of State, for want of a Car- dinal Nephew, immediately difpatch’d Couriers to the Nuncios to carry them the News of their Promotion, and likewife fent to acquaint Rufpoli of what had pafs’d. This Prelate, who waited for the good News in the Apartment of the Car- dinal Secretary of State, went immediately up the Back-Stairs to the Pope, and thank’d him for the Favour he had juft done him, and then return’d to his Palace, where he receiv’d the Compliments of all the Nobility. In the Afternoon he went and paid a Vifit to Signior Neri Corftni, Clement Xlleh’s Nephew, the Man whom the Holy Fa- ther had referv’d in Petto. On the Phurfday fol- lowing there was a public Confiftory, in which the new Cardinal, who, till that Day, had, ac- cording to the Ceremonial, been oblig’d to keep his Chamber, and to be drefs’d in Purple, receiv’d the Hat from the Pope’s own Hand. His Emi- nency repair’d in the Morning to the Chapel of Mont e-Cav alio., while the Cardinals were aflembled in the Chamber of the Confiftory. He was join’d in the Chapel by thefe Cardinals, viz. Barberini., who reprefented the Dean of the Sacred College ; Ottoboni^ the Great Chancellor; Albano, the Cham- berlain ; and Cienfuegos, Treafurer of the Chapel. Their Eminencies, after great Compliments, led their new Collegue towards the Altar, and gave him the ufual Oath of Fidelity to the Holy See. They return’d from thence into the Hall of the Confiftory, and the new Cardinal was left alone in the Chapel, with his Caiidataire, or Train- bearer, and a Mailer of the Ceremonies. During ^ 1 • Rome. 79 this, the Cardinals went, and made their Obe- dience to the Pope, by kifling his Hand ; after which two of the Cardinal Deacons went to fetch Cardinal RufpoU, and introduc’d him into the Hall of the Confiftory. As he enter’d within the Bar, he made a low Bow to the Pope, who was feated at the other End on his Throne ; he made a fecond Obeifance in the Middle of the Hall, and a third at the Foot of the Throne ; after which he fell on his Knees, and kifs’d both the Foot and Hand of the Holy Father, who rais’d him from the Ground, and embraced him. The new Cardinal went afterwards, and embraced his Collegues, according to the Order of their Seniority, and then return’d and fell on his Knees again to the Pope, A Mafter of the Ceremonies drew the Cowl over his Head, and the Pope put on his Hat, which was taken off in a Moment by the Mafter of the Ceremonies, The new Car- dinal now kifs’d the Holy Father’s Foot and Hand a fecond Time ; and the Pope, rifing from his Throne, retired to his Chamber, whither Rufpoli follow’d him, and after having thank’d him for the Honour he had done him, went and rejoin’d the Cardinals in the Hall of the Confiftory, This done, they went in ProcelTion, with the Pope’s Mufic playing before them, to the Chapel, where Te Deum was fung ; after which the Cardinals went into the great Room that is before the Chapel, call’d the Ro-^al Hall. There they form’d a Circle, where the new Cardinal thank’d his Collegues for the Honour they had done him, by admitting him for a Brother, and then they all retir’d. When Rufpoli came home, he there found a Gentleman of the Pope’s Privy-chamber, who brought him the Hat, which the Pope had juft before put up- on his Head, in a Silver Bafon, When Dinner was over, the new Cardinal repair’d with a great 1 ram Rome. Train to St. Peter’s Church ; after which he went and paid -his Refpefts to the Pretender to the Crown of England^ and to the Princefs his Wife ; he alfo made a Vifit to the Cardinal Dean ; and on the Days following he vifited the whole Sacred College, without regard to their Rank. A Week after the public Confiftory the Pope held a private one, in which he both fliut and open’d the Mouth of Cardinal Rufpoli. At the former Ceremony, the new Pope kneeling at the Holy Father’s Feet, his Holinefs laid two F'ingers on the Cardinal’s Mouth, and ftridly in- join’d him not to reveal to any body what fliou’d pafs in the Confiftories at which he fhou’d be prefent. This clofing up of the Mouth for- merly depriv’d the Cardinals of either fpeaking or voting, whenever it happen’d that they enter’d the Conclave before the Pope had open’d their Mouths ; which might fometimes be the Cafe, becaufe the Popes generally left an Interval of fome Days between the Ceremony of (hutting the Mouth, and that of opening it. But Pius V. de- clar’d by a Bull which he publifli’d the 26th of Januar-j 1571, that the fhutting of the Mouth being a mere Ceremony, it fhou’d not exclude the new Cardinals from giving their Votes, or fpeaking. Cardinal RtifpoU being now upon his Legs be- fore the Pope went and took his Place among the Cardinals : At the fame time the Holy Fa- ther pronounc’d the Words extra onmes., which are repeated by a Mafter of the Ceremonies, and ob- lige all but the Cardinals to turn out. Then the fecret Confiftory was held, after which the Doors were fet open, and every body re-enter’d the Room. The new Cardinal went again, and threw himfelf at the Pope’s Feet, who open’d his Mouth, by giving him the Power both of Voting and 1 Rome. 8 1 Speaking. At the fame time he nominated the Church of which he was to bear the Title, and this he did by putting on his Finger a Gold Ring adorn’d with an oriental Saphir, for which the Cardinal, according to a Cuftom eftablifh’d by Gregory XV. is to pay five hundred Crowns of Gold to the College de propaganda fide. With that the Ceremony ended. In the Evening the Palaces of the Cardinals, the Princes and the Foreign Mi- nirters, and thofe likewife of the other Perfons of Qiialicy, were illuminated as they had been on the Day of the Promotion. There are, as I have obferv’d, two Sorts of Con- fiftories, the one Public, the other Secret, and they are both notify’d to the Cardinals by two of the Pope’s Ufhers, who receive the Order directly from the Holy Father himfelf. Thefe Ufhers give previous Notice alfo of all the public Chapels to be held, of all Procefllons, Cavalcades, and other Ceremonies. They wear Gowns of purple Cloth, and carry a black Wand. They fpeak to the Cardinals on the Knee, in thefe Terms, Emi- nenlijfme Domine., Craftina Die, Hora, i^c. in Pa- latio ApoftoUco eril Confftoriuni fecretum, or, fiet Procejfo. They have this Privilege, that the Car- dinals muft not let them wait a Moment ; but are oblig’d to admit them, in what Plight foeverthey are, to receive their Mefifages {landing, and to veil their Bonnet to them. Thefe Ufhers have the Privilege alfo, that when they find a Cardinal at Table, they may carry off the belt Difli, unlefs the Cardinal chufes rather to give them a Couple of Piftoles. This Confiftory is in a proper Senfe the Pope’s Council of State, wherein he deliberates fecretly with the Cardinals on the mofl important Affairs of the Holy See. After the Pope has therein gi- ven a particular Audience to each Cardinal, the VoL. II. F Bilhops Rome. Bifliops are therein nominated to vacant Sees, and the Palls conferr’d upon the Archbilhops, Every thing that has been treated of in the con- pftorial Congregations, is there determin’d, as is, in fliort, every thing whatfoever relating to the Welfare of the Church, both in Spirituals and Temporals: And this is what is call’d the Secret Confiftory. In the Public Confiftory, the Pope receives the Ambafladors that come from Tribu- tary Countries, and delivers the Hat to the new Cardinals. The Pope has the Power of aflembling the Confiftory as often as he thinks fit, and on that Day all other Congregations are fufpended. In this Public Confiftory, the Pope’s Throne is rais’d much higher than ordinary, and the Cardi- nals lit on high Benches, with their Train-bearers plac’d at their Feet. The Conftable Colonna, in Quality of firft Prince of the Throne, ftands on the Right-hand of it, which is a Poft of Honour that he yields to none but the Pope’s Nephews. The Ambaflador of Bologna, and the Confervators of R o M E, in Robes of Gold Tiffue, are plac’d on both Sides of the Throne, about which are alfo the Pope’s great Officers. The Holy Father is fupported by two Cardinals, one on the Right, the other on the Left of the Throne, fitting on Stools. When the Pope declares he has a Cardinal in Petto, tho’ he names him not, he is always fure to be a Cardinal, and walks even at the Flead of all thofe that are to receive the Hat before him. When it happens that the Pope dies ere he has declar’d him in Public, ’tis fufficient if the Holy Father leaves a Note behind him, wherein he fays, that the Perfon whom he declar’d a Cardinal in Petto, is fuch a one ; or if two Cardinals atteft that they heard the deceafed Pope fay, who was the Man that he had nominated in Petto. $ The Rome. 8^ The Dignity of a Cardinal is look’d upon here as the greaceft Thing in the World. There are no Cabals nor Intrigues of any kind, which the Prelates of this Court don’t form to obtain it; and a Family at Rome never thinks its Fortune made, if it has not feme Cardinal of its own Name. This is fo true, that one of the firil; Princes in Rome, who did not want a Hat in his Family, for the fake of illuflrating it, did neverthelels, during the Pontificate of Benedict purchafe one for his Soi7, of the Cardinal Cofeia^ at the Price of eighty thoufand Crov/ns. But ’cis mere Ambition only that can make a Man wifii to be a Cardinal ; for the Life which thofe purple Gentry lead, is, as ’cis here faid, the moft melancholy in the World ; every thing they do at home is by Compafs and Meaiure ; they are continually under Uneafinefs and Conftraint, oblig’d almoft every Day to be prefentat Chapels, Congregations, and Confiftories. muft give and receive Vifics of Cere- mony, affift at the Feffivals of the Church, at the raking of Habits, granting of Audiences ; in fiiort, a Cardinal who minds his Profeffion, has not an Hour in the Day that he can call his own. ’Tis true, that an infinite deal of Refpeft is paid Co them ; but what fignify iiich empty Honours, attended wuh a perpetual Conftraint, to a rational Man, who is moreover a Nobleman by Birth, and does not forget that iie is but a Man ? I am fare, there are above four Cardinals to whom their Grandeur is a Burden. When a Cardinal goes abroad with a great Train, which is here call’d in hiochi^ he muft have three Coaches. That in which he rides him- felf goes foremofi;, preceded by all his Id very Ser- vants, and a Footman carrying an Umbrella under his Arm. All that meet him, tho’ they are Ih'inces, muft ftop for liim ; and when two Car- F 2 dinals 84 Rom e. dinals meet one another riding out after this man- ner in State, they muft both Hop their Coaches, and compliment each other, and then the oldelt pafTes on firft. When the Cardinals thus ride out v/ith this Ceremony, they are drefs’d in long Robes of Scarier, except in Time of Lent, when they are of Purple. Their common Drefs is that of an Abbat, with a red Bonnet and Stockings ; and ’tis in this Habit they make their familiar VI- fits, without any Retinue, and with the Curtains of their Coach drawn. The beft way of feeing them, after a Perfon has been once introduc’d to them, is to attend in their Train, when they go to any public Funftion, or to make any Vifit of Ceremony. The Cardinal, when he takes Coach, ialutes thofe who are to ride with him. The moft honourable Place in it is by the Side of the Cardinal, the I'econd upon a Seat in the Boot of the Coach, next to his Eminency, and fo of the reft. As to the vehement Out-cry in our Part of the World againfl the Luxury of the Cardinals, I really think it unjull ; for I can’t fee wherein it confhfs. Their Houfhold is not over and above numerous. Their Domeftics are generally a Mai- tre dc Ctambre, an Officer who they fay is tanta- mount to the great Chamberlain of our Eleftors ; a Cupbearer •, a Train-bearer ; one or two Gen- tlemen •, t'wo or three Priefts ; as many Valets de Charnhre ; eight or ten Lackeys •, three Coachmen ; eight Horfes, and three Coaches. Their Furniture is red Damalk very plain. They keep fo frugal a Table, that they commonly allow their Cook but one or two Teftoons a Day to defray the Expence of it, exclufive of the Bread, Wine and Fruit ; for they always eat alone. None but the Car- dinal Minifters keep an open Table at any time ; and of thefe, not one does it at prefent, but the Cardinal Rome. 85 Cardinal de Polignac, the Minifxer * of France : For the Cardinal Cienfuegos, the Emperor’s Am- baflador, has retrench’d his Table, by reafon of his great Age ; as has the Cardinal 'f Bentivoglio, on account of his Infirmities. I can't help thinking there’s much more Reafon to exclaim againft the ridiculous Pretenfion of the Cardinals to an Equality with crown’d H^rads, and to take Place of Sovereigns, tho’ a Cardinal is often but an ordinary Man at firfi, only rais’d to the Purple by good Fortune, and the Favour ot the Pope ; of which we have living Infiances in two Creatures of the laft Pontificate, the Cardinals Fini and Cofeia, That fuch Cardinals fnou’d pre- fume to have the Precedency of an Eledor of Ba- varia^ or of Cologne^ of a Duke of and in fhort, of every Prince whatfoever, is what, not- withftanding all my Refped to the Sacred College, I muft own to be an Abfurdity. That thefe Car- dinals have conceiv’d fuch a high Opinion of their Dignity, is owing to the excefiive Complaifance of the Princes of who every-where give them the upper Hand ; and a Cardinal takes fo much State upon himfelf, that he refufes the Precedency in his own Houfe, to a Sovereign Prince of Italy. Our Princes on the other Side of the Mountains are perhaps as ftaunch Catholics, and as much de- voted to the Floly See, as the Italian Princes are ; yet they don’t pay this Homage to the Cardinals. And indeed, what Reafon is there for it? We have feen Cardinals in the Service of Sovereigns ; and I dare affirm, there are very few of ’em that wou’d refufe to be Penfionersto an Eledor of the Empire. His Eminency is return’d to 'Frmnce, and fucceeded in his Embafly by the Duke of St, Algnttn, f The Death of this Cardinal has been already mention’d 4 His Succeflbr is M. Ratto, Bifliop of Conlom, F 3 When S6 Rome c When one Cardinal makes a Vifit to another^ the latter receives the Vifitani: at the Coach-door, and conducts him into the Chamber of Audience, where they both place themfdves in Arm-chairs, under a Canopy *, and after having been a few Mi- nutes by themiblves, (he Gentlemen of the Cardi- nal that receives the Vifit, bring them Ice, Cho- colate, and Sweetmeats. When the Stranger ^oes away, the other waits on him to the Coach, lends him a Hand to put him into it, and even Ihuts thf Coach-door. They give one another the Title of Eminency, but in all their Interviews there's a great Air of Conftraint. The complete Number of Cardinals is Seventy. They are the Pope’s Counfellors in ordinary, and have the Right of ele6ling him. Thty are di- funguid'i’d into three Orders, Six Cardinal Bifliops, fifty Prieds, and fourteen Deacons. I'heir Number was fix’d by Pope Sixtus the Vtli. The firil Cardinal Bifliop is fiyPd Dean of the Sacred College. He that is fo nov/ is Cardinal Pignatelli^ Archbiihop of Naples, This Dean, the firfi Car- dinal I^ridt, and the firil Cardinal Deacon, are ftyl’d Chiefs of the Order and as fuch they have the Prerogative of giving Audience to Anibafia- dors, and to t!ic Magidrates of the Ecclcfiadical State, during the Vacancy of the Holy See. Jnnocerd the I\dh, while the Council was held at Lyjns,^ made a liule that the Cardinals Hat ihou’d he reel, to denote that they were always ready to fhed their Blood for the liberties of the Cliurch. Boniface the Vlllch order’d that tiu 7 fhou’d v/ear fcarlet Robes. III. requir’d that their Bonners flaou’d be of the fame Colour ; and Or- ban the Vlllth granted them the Title ot Emb nency, which before that vras only given to the Ecclefiadical Electors of the Empire, and to the Grand Mader of Malta. The Council of "Trent own’d Rome. 87 own’d it to be the Right of ail Nations, to put in for the Dignity of Cardinal ; but thofe who pufh for it with the greateft Succefs, are the Kindred of the reigning Pope, the Nuncios in German'^, France and Spaln^ the Auditors of the Rota, the Clerks of the Chamber ; and in fine, many of the Pope’s Great Officers. There are few Examples in Hiftory of Cardi- nals that have quitted the Hat. The firft that had a mind to do it, was the Cardinal Ardicinio •, but Fo\>g Innocent Y\\\. refus’d to con fen r to it, at the Remonftrance of the Cardinals, who reprefented to him, that the Church ought by no Means to be depriv’d of fogood a Subject. Some time af- ter this. Cardinal Borgia refign’d his Dignity to Alexander Vl. The Cardinal Henry of Portugal quitted his too, for the fake of fucceeding to his Brother, * the King Don Sebajlian. After him, Ferdinand de Medicis, upon the Death of his Bro- ther Francis de Medicis^ without Iflue Male, pre- ferr’d the Sovereignty of Fufcany to the red Hat, which he reftor’d to Pope Sixtus V. There are alfo feveral Inftances of Perfons who have preferr’d an auftere Retirement to the vain Grandeur of the Purple, particularly Cardinal Maurice of Savoy^ Ferdinand and Vincent Gonzague^ Francis of LoraWy Camillus Pamphili, John Cafimir of Poland ; and Gabriel Filippuci of Macerata, fo lately as in the Pontificate of Clement XI. This Refignation of the Hat cannot be made without the Pope’s Con- fent to it ; and when this is done, the Cardinal who renounces it muft pay the Officers of the Apoftolical Palace the fame Sum, as his Heirs wou’d be oblig’d to pay, if he was dead. There being a Plat vacant by the Exaltation of every Pope, they commonly honour one or * Henry was Son to King Emanuel, and Sebajlian was Grand- on of John III. Brother to the Cardinal Henry. F 4 Other Rom e; ‘ / other of the Pope’s Family with it wIjo ad- vanc’d them to the Purple ; which is what they here call Refhtution ; and when they omit this Piece of Refpeft, they are accus’d of Ingratitude. Cleinent XII. has not yet made this Rejiitution to the Albano * Family, tho’ he has promoted half a fcore Cardinals. He thought it was more na- tural to confer that Dignity on his Kindred and Friends ; and at the laft Promotion which he made, he contented himfelf with making an Apo- logy to the Allani, becaufe he did not reftore their Hat to them for that time, afluring them, that he wou’d take care to fatisfy them at the very next Promotion. The Albani were oblig’d to fet a good Face on a bad Game •, but I would not give them much for the Hat they are like to have of Clement XII. for you are to take Notice, that the Pope is fourfeore Years of Age ; that he is af- fiidted with the Gout and other Ailments ; that there is not one Hat vacant, and yet the Holy Father hopes to live to make another Promotion, and then to fttisfy the Albani. The Pope pretends to the Prerogative of depo- fing the Cardinals, but they deny it. Be this as it will, there’s hardly an Inltance that the Popes ever exercis’d this A6l of Authority. Clement XL had an Intention indeed to haue depriv’d Cardinal Alberoni of his Flat, becaufe when the Cardinal was the Minifter of Spain, he employ’d that Mo- ney againft the Emperor, which the Pope had permitted him to levy upon the Clergy for the War asainll the Turks. But Clet7ient XI. met with fo much Oppofition from the Sacred Col- lege, that he cou’d not accomplifli it, and died. Whether Clement XII. will fucceed better, and whether he will ever be able to deprive Cofeia of ■if. He did it however in the Year 1733, his Rome. 89 Ills Hat, which is what he feems to be very much let upon, I know nof, for he too is thwarted un- cler-hand by a great many of the Cardinals, who, as unworthy as Cardinal Cofcta is of the Purple, are not willing that he fhou’d ferve as an Example for the future. The Pope is alfo too old to lee the Iffue of this Procefs, which, tho’ it has been fifteen Months depending, is not yet very far advanc’d. Cardinal Cofcia is retir’d to Naples. He has been very much blam’d for quitting Rome, and People who know the Tricks of this Court, have aflTur’d me that he might have ftay’d here fafe enough. As for my own Part, if I had been the unfortunate Cardinal Cofcia, I wou’d have retir’d, but not in the Manner that he did. Moreover 1 promife you, that were I in the Cafe that he is now, they fliou’d cite me long enough before I wou’d be feen at R o m e ; and I think, whoever advis’d him to the contrary, v/as in the wrong *. You * Since thefe Letters were wrote, he is actually return’d, and hitherto he is come but poorly off. Tho’ his Fate be not yet intirely determin’d, ’tis certain that he will not be degraded. A Sentence has been pafs’d upon him, and ratify’d, whereby he is declar’d excommunicate, and out of a Poffibility of being ab- folv’d, but by the Pope, even in articulo mortis j he is alfb to be confin’d in a Fortrefs, depriv’d of the Power of Speaking or Vo- ting, ^c. But as omnm venalia RomsZy even more now than in JugnrthiCs Time, the Cardinal del Gimlici, who is a Friend of his Eminency Cofcia^ gave him to under ftand, that the Pope was refolv’d to treat him as a Grand Vizier in Difgrace 5 that he muff abfolutely refund, and that all his Sins fliou’d be blotted out. Confequently his Eminency fubmitted to implore his Ho- linefs’s Clemency, on Condition of paying well for it j and in fine, his Pardon has been tax’d at thirty thoufand Ducats. He has clamour’d againfi; it not a little; but the Holy Father wou’d not abate an Ace of it, and the Cardinal was forc’d to acquiefee ; however, as he always watches for the Death of the Pope, he defir’d to pay it at feveral Terms ; and upon depoliting ten thou- fand Crowns down, he immediately receiv’d Abfolution, l\is Guards were taken off, and he had Liberty granted him to walk about po Rom e. You know that immediately after the Death of Pope Benedict XIII. the Populace ran to Cofcia\ Palace, plunder’d it, and wou’d have torn the Cardinal Limb from Limb, if he had not efcap’d by a Back-door ; after which, he difguis’d himfelf, and left the City. He ought not to have come back again, or elfe he fliou’d have got a fafe Con- du6t from his Collegues, whereby he might have been fure of a PermilTion to retire to his Archbi- fhoprick of Benevento^ after the Eleftion of the new Pope ; but he did not take this Precaution. He came and afllfted at the Conclave, and after- wards went to live in his Palace. The new Pope threaten’d him with the Caftle of St, Angelo ; whereupon he was frighten’d, and march’d out of the Country ; which is charg’d upon him as a Crime, becaufe a Bull of Innocent'^, of the Pam- fhili Family, -publifli’d the 19th of February^ 1646, injoins, that no Cardinal fhall depart out of the Dominions of the Holy See, without Leave of the Pope; with thisClaufe moreover, that the Cardinal who difobeys it fhall be fummon’d three times in the Space of fifteen Months, viz, once at the End of each fix Months, and the laft Time at the End of three Mondis after the fecond Ci- tation ; and if then the Cardinal be ftill obftinate, and does not return, he fhall be depriv’d of the atout in the Caftle of St, Angelo^ and to converfe there with his Brother the Bifliop of Target, He pleads Poverty, and Ihuf- flesoff his Payments from one time to another, in conftant Ex- pectation that the Gout will rife into the Pope’s Stomach, and take him out of his Way. At length, in i734> he paid down ten thoufand Crowns more. But a CoIleClor of Taxes, from whom he formerly receiv’d a great Prefent to procure him an Acquittance from the Chamber, to which he ow’d feventy thou- fand Crowns, died lately infolvent, and without making good the Fraud j and as CAfar, they fay, lofes nothing, the Chamber comes upon Cardinal who is condemn’d to pay this De- ficiency too, and the Pope won’t hear any Talk of compound- ing it. Hat. Rome. 91 Hat. Cofda has as yet been cited but once, and does not feem inclin’d to return, tho’ his Acquaintance don’t flick to affirm that he will. Mean time, he has been depriv’d of the Archbi- Ihoprick of Benevenlo, which the Pope has con- ferr’d on * M. Dorta, the firft Gentleman of his Bed-chamber ; a Thing fo unufual, that Cardinal Co/cia complain’d of it bitterly, tho’ to no manner of Purpofe. 1 queftion whether the Cardinal will ever come hither again, even tho’ the Pope were to give him his Palfport : And really, what hap- pen’d to M. his Brother, is enough to deter him •, for this Prelate coming to Venice, after he had been at Vienna, foliciting the Emperor’s Pro- tedion for himfelf and his Brother in vain, the Pope order’d him to return to Rome; which, after having defin’d, and obtain’d Promife of a Safe- guard for his Perfon, he did accordingly, and took up his Lodging in a Convent. But two Days after this, the Pope fent him an Order to re- move to another, and not to flir out of it without his Leave. Targa yields Obedience, and the Monks, to whofe Guard he was committed, watch him narrowly ; yet for all this, there came certain Soldiers one Night, who carry’d him off to che Caflle of Si. Angelo ; which feems to be the very Safeguard that the Pope intended by his Promife ; tor there he is clofely confin’d, and can fpeak to nobody. Theie fevere Afts of Juftice are frequent in the Pontificate of Clement XII. who taking a Fancy to undo every thing that was done by his Predecciffor, on Pretence that the faid Pope alie- nated the Rights of the Holy See, we hear of * He afterwards created him a Cardinal; but he died at .Be- nevento in 1755. Nobody after his Death wou’d accept of this Benefice, till tfte Pope gave it to the Abbat Contiy a Roman, who only took it upon Condition that his Holinefs wou’d give him a red Hat to boot; which he did accordingly, at the laft Promotion of Cardinals. p2 Rom e. nothing but Writs and Attachments. The wifell Men, or, if you will, thegreateft Criminals, get out of the Way, while others fuft'er themfelves to be arreiled, as did Signior Sardini, who was im- peach’d of having put the late Pope upon making a Treaty with the King of Sardinia, by which the Holy Father granted that Prince the Nomi- nation to all the Bifhopricks and Benefices in his Kingdom. This Prelate was arrefted in his Houfe in the Night-time, and committed to the Caftle of St. Angelo, where he is kept a Prifoner of State*'. Not many Days before he was ar- relled, all his Papers were feiz’d, which he defir’d to have again for the Vindication of his Condud, but they were refus’d. Some Days ago the Pope lent to tell him, that he had his Leave to juftify himfelf, if he cou’d •, to which Sardini made An- fwer. That he had nothing to fay ; that the Pope fliou’d be his Judge, and Cardinal Corfini, his Holinefs’s Nephew, Ihou’d be his Advocate : But all this has flood him in no flead ; he is llill in Prifon, and ’cis faid, that the Pope will either be- head or pardon him. Some time ago Cardinal Ottohoni made Interefl for one Noccra, a Canon, who was in Trouble alfo upon Sardini’s Account ; and he defir’d the Pope that he wou’d pleafe to call in the Writ iflued for attaching the Perfon of Nocera, who was re- tir’d to a Sanduary at Albano. The Pope made Anfwer to the Cardinal, That he was forty he * It was publiili’d in the News-papers of 1734, that this Gentleman was ientenc’d to be beheaded, but that his Holinefs had commuted that Sentence to ten Years Imprifonment. It was afterwards faid in the public News, that the Pope had fhorten’d it, firft, to feven Years, and then to three Years Im- prifonment. At length the Pope was for removing him to P«- reufii, orelfewhere; but the Prelate wou’d not go, and faid. If he cou’d not have his intire Liberty, he wou’d live and die in the Caftle of St . AngeU. cou’d Rome. 95 cou’d not grant him his Requeft ; but that he wou’d not charge his Confcience with the Sin of having fuffer’d Iniquity to pafs with Impunity. ‘ We are old, faid the Holy Father ; and our Age ‘ tells us, that it can’t be long before we lhall ap- ‘ pear at God’s Tribunal; therefore we are de- ‘ firous of fo behaving, that we may hope there ‘ to find Mercy ; but this is what we dare not ex- ‘ peft, if we don’t let Juftice take its Courfe. ‘ Who knows, my dear Cardinal, whether we ‘ fhall live till To-morrow ? Your Holinefs, re- ‘ plfd the Cardinal, ought not to think of dying ‘ fo foon : For God generally grants to great ‘ Princes two Stages of Life, one wherein to dif- ‘ play their Juftice, and the other their Mercy. ‘ He has permitted your Holinefs to finifh the ‘ Career of Juftice, and ’tis to be hop’d, that he ‘ will alfo permit you to run that of Mercy.’ I will conclude my long Letter with a very cu- rious Anecdote, which I had from Cardinal Impe- riali, who has had the Purple fo long, that he is actually grown grey in it. As he was talking one Day of the Bull of Innocent X. which forbids the Cardinals from departing the Ecclefiaftical State without the Pope’s Leave, he told me. That Innocent X. fulminated this Bull by reafon of the Elopement of Cardinal AflalU, his Kinfman, when he went to deprive him of his Hat. What gave Occafion to all the Rout was this : After the Portuguefe had fhook off the Yoke of the Spaniards, and reftor’d the Braganza Family to the Throne, the King of Spain, who always took the Title of King of Portugal, pretended that ’twas his Right to nominate to the Bifhopricks and Benefices that became vacant in Portugal. The Pope was at that time in fo much Subjec- tion to the Spaniards, that this Plea of their Mo- narch perplex’d'him fadly. At laft he thought of extri- 94 Rome. extricating himfelf out of this Difficulty, by re- ferring it to a Confiftory to nominate to the Por- Bifhopricks, and he refolv’cl to affembleone with all Speed for that Purpofe. He imparted his Defign to no Perfon but the Cardinal Secre- tary of State, and the Cardinal Ajlalli, whom he injoin’d not to fpeak of it on Pain of Death. The Evening when the Confiftory was to be ftim- mon’d for the next Day, the Ambaftador of Spain made ftich an earneft Application for an Audience of him, that he durft not refufe it. I'he Minifter therein told him. That he was inform’d of his De- fign •, and at the fame time protefted againft every thing that fiaou’d be done in the faid Confiftory, contrary to the l^retenfions of the King his Ma- iler. The Pope, very much incens’d that his Se- cret had taken Wind, fufpedted that he had been betray’d by his Secretary of State, and he re- proach’d him for it bitterly, threatning him with the Lofs of his Head. The Minifter fwore, that he had not reveal’d it to the Spaniard ; and he ftid moreover. That if the Ambaffador knew of his Holinefs’s Secret, it cou’d be only from Cardinal Aftalli. tie defir’d but twenty-four Hours of the Pope to prove his Innocence, and to find out where the Guilt lay. For this End he fent for one of the Spanijh Ambaflfador’s Valets de Chambre, and promis’d him five hundred Piftoles, if, after he put his Mafter to Bed, he wou’d fearch his Pockets, and take out a Letter which he faid he knew there was in one of them, writ- ten in the very Hand of Cardinal AJlalli, The Valet de Chambre cou’d not ft and the Tempta- tion, but carry’d the fatal Letter to the Cardinal Secretary of State, and he made Hafte with it to the Pope whofe Wrath was then wholly turn’d againft Ajlalli, to fuch a Degree, that he forbad hfm his Palace, and adually intended to have him arrefted 4 Rome. 95 arrefted the very next Day : But JJlalU difap- pointed him of that Pleafure, efcap’d the fame Night in a Felucca from Rome, and fail’d for Sicily. Then it was that Innocent X. ilTued the Bull in Queftion. He caus’d Aft alii to be fum- mon’d, who indeed return’d to the Dominions of the Holy See ; but he flay’d in a little frontier Town of the Kingdom of Naples^ where he was accompany’d by a Guard of two thoufand Spa- niards, who remain’d with him as long as the Pope liv’d, after whofe Death AftalU return’d to Rome. I have the Honour to be, LETTER XXXIII. SIR, Sept.f, I7J>‘ G ive me Leave to tell you, that I think the Approbation with which you honour my Narratives, favours more of Compli- ment than Sincerity •, for all the Merit they can challenge, is, that they are written with an unaf- fedted Simplicity. I tell you Things juft as I find them, or as they are reported to me ; if I accufe wrongfully, ’tis owing to my Mifinformation, or my Credulity ; for I do my beft, and fet about it heartily, and you can’t defire any thing more. You wilh to know the Ceremonies of the Holy Week ; I will now relate them to you as they pafs’d this ear. On p 6 Rome. On Palm Sunday, the Pope diftributed Palms in the Chapel of Monte-Cavallo to all the Cardi- nals, and others that were prefent. Upon the laft IPednefday in L.ent^ the Cardinals went after Dinner to the Pope’s Chapel, where they were prefent at Vefpers, and the Tenebrce^ fung by the Pope’s V^oices, without being accompany’d by Inftruments. ’Tis perhaps one of the fineft Pieces of Mufic that was ever compos’d, and ’tis fo much valued here, that the Matter of the Chapel dares not to give Copies of it, nor the others to tran- fcribe it, on Pam of Excommunication. The Pope being fomewhat indifpos’d upon Holy Thurfday, Cardinal Barberini officiated for him. The Cardinals repair’d in the Morning to the Va- tican in Sixtus’s Chapel, and affifted at High Mafs ; after which the Cardinal Barberini^ preceded by the Bifliops and Cardinals, all in Mitres and white Copes, carry’d the Holy Sacrament in Proceffion, under a Canopy held up by eight Archbiffiops, into Paul’s Chapel, which was finely illuminated. There our Lord’s Body was depofited, after which tlie Cardinals went into a Hall, where they found thirteen Prielts of divers Nations, drefs’din white woollen Robes, with fquare Caps of the fame, all fitting on a high Bench in form of a Gradatory. Cardinal Barberini, who fat on a Throne eredled at the End of the Hall, took off his Cope, and having put on the Chafuble, he pro- nounc’d fome Colleds, which were anfwer’d by the Mufic. He then put off the Chafuble, took a white Napkin, and went and wafh’d the Feet of the Priefts, in a filver gilt Bafon, which was carry’d by the Mafters of the Ceremonies. Hav- ing wip’d their Feet dry, he kifs’d them, and diftributed to each Prieft, by the Hands of the Apoftolical Treafurer, two Medals of Gold, and one of Silver. Then he reafcended the Throne, Rome. ^7 and having again put on the Chafuble, he ftruck up the Pater-nofler^ and the Mufic finifh’d it* This done, he went with the Cardinals his Bre- thren into a feparate Room, where he refum’d his ordinary Habit. On the other Hand, the thir- teen Priells were led by a Mafter of the Cere- monies into a Hall, where they feated themfelves at a Table, which was elegantly ferv’d. The Pope’s Chamberlains of Honour waited on them, and if the Pope had been well, he wou’d have done the fame himfelf. The Cardinals din’d alfo together, and their Dinner, which was one of the moft fumptuous, is always provided at the Expence of their Eminencies out of certain Mo- nies coming to them from the Rota and the Da- tary. The Priells Table is defray’d by the Apo- flolica! Chamber, and the Service of both Tables is order’d by the Pope’s Major Domo. The Cardinal’s Beaufet is very neat ; I have feen fome that are more magnificent, but never one that is better difpos’d. The Cardinals always take their own Liquor with ’em ; which, ’tis faid, has been their Pradice ever fince the Cataftrophe that hap- pen’d to Pope Alexander VI. and his Son Ccefar Borgia, Duke de Valentinois, when the latter, for the Sake of having the Debris of the Cardinal Adrian de Cornetto, order’d Wine that was poi- fon’d to be ferv’d up at a Supper where the Pope was to be prefent, together with the faid Cardinal, tor whom he intended the poifonous Draught. But Cornetto had the good Luck to efcape the Snare, and only the Pope and Ccefar fuffer’d by it : For being both thirfty, when they came into the Supper-Room, and calling for a Glafs of Wine at the very Inftant when the Perfon who was let into the Secret was gone out of the Room, another fill’d them out each a Bumper, of the Wine that was prepar’d, which JL G kill’d 9^ R O M Ei kill’d the Pope ; but Cafar, having caus’d him- felf to be wrapp’d up in the Skin of a Mule, re- cover’d. After Dinner, the Cardinals return’d to Sixtus’s, Chapel, where they afllfted at the Tenebrce, and the Miferere. This Day’s Ceremony of walking Feet is a Cuftom of antient Standing among the Catho- lic Princes. We find in the Hiftory of France, that Robert the Pious, he that was call’d King of his Morals, as well as of his Subjects, conftantly kept two hundred poor Men in his Retinue, and often walk’d their Feet, particularly upon Holy Fburfda'^. So at Vienna, Ver failles, in Spain, and at feveral other Courts, the Emprefs, the Queens, and other Sovereign Princefles, walk the Feet of thirteen Women upon the fame Day. Upon good Friday in the Morning, the Car- dinals were again prefent at Divine Service in Sixtus’s Chapel ; after which, they dha’d together, but they had nothing befides Roots ; and one of the Pope’s Chaplains read the Ledture. After their Repaft, they again a flailed at the Miferere, and then they all went down into St. Peter’s Church, vvhere, having form’d a Semi-circle before the High Altar, they kneel’d down upon Culkions of purple Cloth, and in that Manner reverenc’d the Reliquts, which were held forth to them from a high Balcony. Thefe were the Spear with which our Saviour’s Side was pierc’d, the Holy Hand- kerchief, and a great Piece of the Crofs on whick he was crucify’d. On Saturday the Cardinals afllfted at Divine Ser- vice, in the Chapel of Monte-Cavallo, Upon Sunday, which was the firft Day of FLafteri the’Pope, drefs’d in his Pontificalibus, was carry’d in his procefTional Chair to his Chapel, where he ftruck up the High Mafs, which was fung to the End by a Cardinal Prieft. Then the Rome* 99 Pope was carry’d to the Box or Gallery facing the Great Square, where a Cardinal Deacon read the Bull hi Ccena Domini wich an audible Voice ; after which the Pope fulminated the Apoftolical Cenfures againft Heretics, by throwing down a lighted Flambeau into the Square. After this, the Holy Father, while the Cannon were fir’d from the Caftles of Monte-Cavallo, and St. Angelo^ gave his Benedidlion twice to the Populace, who were on their Knees in the Square, and in the Streets that led to the Palace. The Blcfling which the Pope gives that Day is folemn, and extends to the whole Chriftian World. I forgot to tell you, that upon Holy Thurfday and Good Friday., while the Church is in Mourning for the Saviour of the World, the Pope’s Chapel is ftripp’d of all Orna- ments, the Throne of the Holy Father is without a Canopy, and the Pope neither gives fo much as one Bleffing, nor admits any body to kifs his Foot or his Hand. Since I am treating of Ceremonies, I will give you an Account of thofe that are obferved at the Fabrication and Diftribution of the Agnus Dei’s of white Wax, which on one Side reprel'ent the Sa- viour of the World, in the Form of a Lamb, (bearing the Standard of the Crofs) according to the Attribute that was given him by his F'ore* runner St. John- the BaptiJL This of Agnus Dei is an old Cuftom in the Church. St. Augujliti makes mention of it in his iiSth Epiftle. Baro- »maffuresus, in his 8th Volume, that ’twas the Cuftom in his Time, upon the ^afimodo Sundays., to diftribute among the People Agnus Dei’s conlecrated by the Pope. And Cardinal Bel- larmine fays, that in 79 Pope Deo III. gave an Agnus Dei to the Emperor Charlemain, which was fet in a Gold Frame adorn’d with precious G z Scones, 100 Rome. Scones * All the Popes confecrate Agnm Dei's in the firft Year of their Pontificate ; and they per- form the fame Ceremony in the Jubilee Year, and every feven Years, reckoning from the firft Year of their Exaltation. Clement XII. perform’d the Ceremony on the Wednefday after Eajler^ in the great Hall of his Apartment at Mont e-Cav alio , which was then hung with red Damafk adorned with Gold Lace. The Pope’s Throne was at one E.nd of the Hall, with an Altar on his right Hand ; and between the Throne and the Altar, there was a Pew for the Pretender and his Fa- mily. Oppofite to the Throne, there was a great Gallery, with Steps to it, for the Ambaffador of Venice^ the Ladies, and ocher Perfons of Diftinc- tion. Under that Gallery was an Amphitheatre for the Spectators of the ferond Clafs. Within the Rails, which were cover’d with red Damafk, there was a fquare Pic, and in the Middle of it four large Cifterns of folid Silver, full of Water, The Origin of this Ceremony, if vve may believe Father Sirmond 2tndCiccarelUy was this: It comes from a Cuftomthey had at Rome, of diflributing to the People upon every Whit- fmday the Remainder of the Pafchal Wax-taper, which was confccrated on Holy Saturday , The Vulgar, who are always fu- perftitious, appropriated feveraj Virtues to this confecrated Wax, particularly that ’twas a Prefervative againft the Delufions of the Devil, and the Injuries of Lightning, ^ and they us’d to burn little Pieces of this Wax in their Houies. There being not enough left of the Pafchal Wax-taper to iatisfy the Cravings of the People, the Archdeacon took it into his Head to take Ibme other Wax, which he fprinkled with Oil, bleisM it, and made little Bits of it in the Form of a Lamb, and then diflribu- ted them to the People. Afterwards they only flatted thofe Pieces of Wax, and imprefs’d’em with the Stamp of a Lamb bearing the Standard of the Crofs. They believe that none but fuch as are in Orders have the Power to touch them, and they are co- ver’d neatly with embroider’d Stuff to be given to the Laity. There is nothing by which the Monks more fuccefsfully impofe upon the Crcdulousj for to fuch they difiribute Agnus Dei*s that were never on t’other Side of the Rome, i o i placed on Pedeftals of Wood, filvered and gilt, admirably carv’d by Bernini. When the Pope, accompanied by ten Cardinals, whom he had in- vited to this Ceremony, was entered into the Hall,^ and feated on his Throne, two Chamberlains of Honour placed a Ciltern before him of the fame Kind as the four that were in the Hall. The Pope, who had a Mitre upon his Head, of filver Brocade, and a Cope of the fame, ftruck-up the Veni Spirilus San£Ie, which the Mufic carry ’d on. Afterwards the Holy Father read fome Col- lefls, and bleflfed the Water that was in the Cif tern before him, into which he poured Floly Oil, and Holy Chrifm. Then came four Cardinals with filver Ladles, who dipp’d them into the Holy Water, and carry’d it to mix with the Wa- ter that was in the four Cifterns. This done, the Pope and the Cardinals put on great white Aprons, and the Cardinals fat two and two upon Joint- ftools at each Ciftern, while two other Car- dinals fupported the Pope. The Chamberlains of Honour.^ and the Prelates of the Houlhold, brought the Agnus Dei's in wooden Tubs, walh’d with Silver; and as fail as they threw them into the Cifterns fill’d with Holy Water, the Pope and the Cardinals fifti’d them up again with great Skimmers of Silver, and put them into other Tubs, which the Prelates deliver’d to the Sextons. This lafted near two Hours, till the Pope, being quite fatigued, rofe up, read fome more Colleds, and then retired. The fame Ceremony was re- peated next Day, and in thefe two Days they made threefcore thoufand Agnus Dei's^ which they fay coft the Chamber twelve thoufand Crowns. Upon ^afimodo Sunday^ the Pope diftributed the Agnui's with very great Ceremony in the Chapel of IVhonte-Cavallo. He was carry’d in his Procefllonal Chair from his Apartment to the G 3 Chapel, .101 Rome. Chapel, where, being feated on his Throne, and the j^gnus Dei having been perform’d by the Mufic, one of the Apoftolical Subdeacons, carrying the Agnm\ in a Silver Bafon, preceded by the Crofs, and by the Acolytes, or Affiftants at Mafs, bearing Wax Candles in great Silver Candlefticks, and the Cenfer, enter’d the Chapel, and kneeling down, faid to the Pope with a loud Voice, Pater San£le, ijli funt Agni tiovelli^ qui annunciaverint nobis Alleluja ; modo venerunl ad fontes, repleti funt cha- ritate ; Alleluja. To which the Choir anfwered, Deo Gr alias-, Alleluja. Then the Sub deacon rofe, and went and kneel’d down in the Middle of the Chapel, where he repeated the fame Words as be- fore. Fie did the fame Thing at the Foot of the Pope’s Throne, to whom he prefented a Bafori full of Agnus Dei’s, in little Packets, wrapp’d up in Cotton, which the Holy Father dillributed to the Cardinals, and all the Standers-by, who re- ceiv’d them on their Knees. I got my Share of them, and only wait for an Opportunity to fend fome to you. There’s a Sort of People here who carry their Pretenfions very high. I'hefe are the Roman Princes, who for molt part are only beholden for this princely Dignity to the Flappinefs of their Families, in having one of them a Pope ; for many of them are fcarce fo much as Gentlemen. They are complimented with the Style of F.xcel- lencyg but this Title extends only to the Firft- born of the Family. They require a vaft deal of Homage from their Domeftics, and all affeft to have Canopies and Chambers of Audience in their Palaces. They expedl that a Gentleman fhnuld come to their Houfes without fending Vv'ord beforehand, and wait in their Antichambef till they are pleas’d to fee him. You will think tiiat they mult be very neceffitous Gentlemen, Rome. _ 105 who will fubmit to this Rule, and that their Ex- cellencies Antichambers areonly frequented by their own Domeftics. When they receive Vifits from one another in Ceremony, they feat themfeives under a Canopy like the Cardinals ; then they go abroad in State, and have two Coaches to follow their Body-Coach, in which his Excellency fits forward by himfelf, and his Gentlemen ride back- ward, and at the Boots of the Coach : A Footman carries an Umbrella before them, as is done before the Cardinals, which is a Signal of Refpedt that re- quires all Coaches, except thofe of the Cardinals or Priefts, to give them the Way, and even to flop while they pafs by. The Princeflfes formerly did not ufe to give thfc Right Hand to the Ladies of Quality at their own Houfes j but fince the Honours annex’d to Nepo- tifm have been abolilh’d, they have been oblig’d to humble themfeives, and to treat the Ladies as their Equals ; yet for all this they correfpond to- gether very little. Heretofore too the Pope’s Nieces did not give Precedence to any body, not even to the PrincelTes ; and all Ladies in general were oblig’d to be in a full Drefs, when they paid them a Vifit ; nor did the Nieces go to any body’s Houfe, but enjoy’d all the Honours of Sovereigns. But all this is over now *, for the Nieces of the pre- fent Pope not only give the Right Hand to Ladies of the lowed Rank, but alfo return their Vifits. Indeed the PrincelTes Corftni are extraordinary civil and complaifant to every body j and even at this Day, tho’ the Pope has declar’d their Hulbands Princes and Dukes, they are content to pafs with the Title of MarchionelTes, and have fet up no Canopies. The Nobility are vadly pleas’d with their Carriage, but the Princes are much difguded at it, and think that by fuch Behaviour they dif- parage their Dignity. G 4 Some :io4 Rome. Some Days ago an Englijhman^ one ‘Thirerns^ v-ho nas been a long time in the Service of the Great Duke of ‘Tujean-^, and is very much attach’d to the Corjini Family, faid to the Pope, with whom he is very free, that the Behaviour of the Corftni La- dies was very much applauded by the Nobility, but as much diflik’d by the Princes. ‘ What ! ^ fatd the Pope, Do the Princes think that my Ne- ‘ phews and Nieces were not of as good Blood, ‘ when they had only the Title of Marquifes and ‘ Marchionefles, as they are now they have the ‘ Title of Prince ? I would have them know, ^ that tho’ I have declar’d my Nephews Princes * and Dukes, it was rather to conform to an old ‘ Cuftom, than with any Defign to ennoble them.’ I would pardon the Roman Princes all their Va- nity, if they enjoy’d any folid Prerogatives ; but at their Edates they are no more than plain Gen- tlemen, and whenever the Pope pleafes, he fends the Sbirri to arreft them, as well as the meanefl: of his Subjeds. The Thing which puffs up this Gentry to fuch a Degree, is, that Gentlemen of good Families make no Scruple to wait on them, the Poverty among the Nobility being very great, and there being but a very indifferent Chance for Gentlemen of the Sword, becaufe the greateft Part of the Roman Gentry are fo much degenerated from their Anceftors, that they have no Tafte for Arms •, while their Fondnefs for Rome, and the Notion they have, that there is not fuch a de- lightful Place in the World, hinders them fro.m going abroad, and puts them under a Necedity of being Slaves to People, who are very often their Inferiors in Birth. Nor do the Roman Princes diftinguifh themfelves either by their Air, or their Manner of Living. They have a great Number of Footmen indeed, fomeno lefs than two dozen j but they Jive very meanly^ Rome. 105 ?nctinly5 ^ not one of them keeps jin open Table, or has any thing to treat with but Ice, and at moft a Dilh of Chocolate. The Evening is the Time to converfe with them ; tor as foon as the Angelm has founded, all Ceremonies at Rome are over, the Abbats and Priefts go in the Lay Habit to the Cardinals, and all Compliments at meeting are fet afide. The Princes and the Cardinals give their Do- meftics fuch forty Wages, that their Livery Ser- vants are continually mumping. The firft Time one comes to a Houle, the Domeftics accoft you for fomething to drink, which is what they call Lucky Handfei-, they mump again at New-Years Tide", and in the Month of Jugujl, which is whac they call la Ferra Gufla^ and again when the Mi- ftrefs of the Houfe is brought to bed of a Son ; in Ihort, they find out fo many Pretences, that they arc perpetually teizing People for Money. The Princefles have the Privilege of being lighted to the public Spedacles by eight Flam- beaux of white Wax *, but I have known fome of them, who, for faving their Wax, never burnt any till they came within four or five hundred Paces of the Theatre, when they flopp’d to give their Lacqueys Time to light their Flambeaux, in order that they might arrive at the Opera in Pomp. And when they went out, they flopp’d at the very fame Place for the Lacqueys to put out their Flam- beaux, from which Place all the Light the PrincefTes had to go home by was no more than a couple of little dark Lanthorns, which are here made ufe of com- monly. This way of going with eight Flambeaux puts me in mind of a certain EngUfi) Dutchefs, who having travell’d in that manner at Rom e, would fain have introduc’d the Fafhion at Paris too ; but fhe was forbid to make that Parade there, becaufe the firfl two or three times that fhe went abroad with io6 Rome. with fo much Splendor, every body fell on their Knees, and thought the Holy Sacrament was car- rying to fome fick Perfon. Moft of the Ladies, as well as Princefles, have very magnificent Coaches, but feldom make ufe of them. The Marquis Sudarini, who has lately match’d his Son, has made his Daughter-in-law a Prefent of a Coach, for which he gave 7000 Roman Crowns, and there are many others that coft more Money ; but thefe Coaches are terrible Machines, and ’tis as much as a Pair of Horfes can do to drag them along : Befides, thefe ftately portable Houfes have an Attendance on them, which is by no means fuitable ; they are generally accompany’d by half a fcore, or a dozen fhabby Footmen, who, with the Swords that they wear, look more like Catchpoles than Footmen. Their Liveries in general are Scare- crows, and 1 do not think that there are any in the whole World more fantaftical : The Lacqueys are for the moft part old, dirty, unfhapable Fel- lov/s, becaufe, when once a poor Wretch has a Li- very put upon his Back, he never throws it off, and does not fo much as attain to the Honour of being a Valet de Chambre. When he is paft his Service his Mafter jubilees him, that is to fay, puts him upon Half-pay, and he ferves no longer. The Appearance or Neatnefs of a Servant are Things that are not regarded here 5 and provided they have but the Number, what matters it, fay they, how they look ? This Maggot of keeping fo many Lacqueys has infefted even the Citizens ; they who are in fuch mean Circumftances, that they cannot afford to maintain them the whole Year round, covenant with them only hr Sunda'^sa.rxd Saints Days. Thus a Journeymen Shoemaker, or a Chimney-fwceper, who has but that very Day put a Scrub Livery on his Back, and that often borrow’d of a Tallyman, Rome. 107 fliall walk gravely before young Mafter, or pretty Mifs, to and from Church, with his greafy Hair turn’d up behind his Ears, and a long Sword by his Side. For it would be reckon’d indecent here to fee a Woman or a Mifs go abroad alone, and the moft abandon’d Proftitutes are always attended with a Matron. The Funerals of Perfonsof Quality are perform’d here with very great Pomp ; all the Dead are carried to Interment with their Faces bare. I faw the Funerals of Cardinal Buoncompagno, Archbifliop of Bologna^ and the Prince RufpoU. The former was carried by Ni^ht in one of his Coaches to the Church of St. Andrew de Laval, wlrich was hung all over with Black. Next Day the Corpfe was laid upon a Bed of State in the Middle of the Nave of the Church, drefs’d in the Sacerdotal Veftme’nts, with the Head turn’d towards the Choir, and the Cardinal’s Hat at the Feet: Four Valets deChambre flood at the Corners of the Bed, and each held a Banner of black Taffeta, with the Arms of the Deceas’d : There were an hundred great Tapers or Torches of White Wax in large Iron Candleflicks round the Bed : The high Mafs was fung with Mufic, and the whole Sacred College was prefent : When the Cardinals enter’d the Church, they made a fhort Prayer to the Holy Sa- crament on their Knees •, after which they went and kneeled at the Feet of the Deceafed, where they faid a Pater, and the Prayer Abfolve Domtne, &c. and then taking the Holy Water Brufh, they fprinkled it on the Corpfe : The Cardinals retir’d after the Mafs, but the Corpfe lay expos’d till the Evening, when the Priefls Veftments were taken off of the Decealed, and he was put into a Leaden Coffin, which was inclos’d in another of Cyprefs Wood, and then let down into the Grave. The Prince RufpoH'% Corpfe was expos’d in the Church of 1 o8 Rome. of St. Laurence Lucini, which had been his Parifh Church, in the fame manner as the Cardinal de Buomoinpagno was ; but none of the Cardinals, nor any of the Deceafed’sKindred,affiftedat theOffice; for the Italians fay,’tis barbarous to oblige Relations to attend each other’s Funerals, as is the Falhion with us. But tho’ they do not attend at the Funerals, yet they wear Mourning much more regularly, and longer than we do. A Woman’s Mourning is black from Head to Foot, fo that one does not fee the leaft Bit of Linen they have, which is not a very favourable Circumftance to thofe of a brown Complexion. The Pope’s Nieces never wear Mourning, not even for their neareft Relations ; for the Romans reckon it fo great a Happinefs for a Family to have a Pope of it, that they fay nothing ought to afflift the Kindred of a Pope. They bury People here twenty-four Hours after they are dead, and fometimes fooner. ’Tis fur- prizing to fee how quick they drcfs their Churches, whether for Funerals or Feftivals, which it muft be allow’d is always done with extraordinary Magni- ficence and Elegance. Moft of the Churches have their own Suits of Hangings. Upon folemn Fefti- vals they are commonly hung with Crimfon Da- mafk, with a Border of Velvet of the fame Co- lour, adorn’d throughout with Lace and Fringe of Gold, All thefe Feftivals of the Church are cele- brated with very great Pomp and Buftle ; all the Houfes of the adjacent Quarters are illuminated in the Eve of the Feftival, as well as in the Night itfelf ; which always concludes with a Fire-work play’d off in the moft fpacious Part of the Quarter where it is celebrated, at the Expence of the Pa- riftiioners. The Romans have a fingular Tafte for all Holidays, and are great Admirers of Spedacles : They are at leaft as mere Cockneys as the Parifians^ Rome. 109 and every little Novelty makes them run to it, as if they had never feen the like in their Lives, tho* all that they fee is but the fame Thing over again : They ereft a Firework in the Twinkling of an Eye ; thefe are very high Machines made of Reeds cover’d with Paper, which makes a very great Shew at little Expence : There’s fcarce a Week that pafles in the Summer-time, but they have one or two of thefe Fireworks. The Tribunal of the Rota is, next to the Con- gregations of the Cardinals, the chief Tribunal in Rome, if not of the whole World ; for its Autho- rity extends over all the Kingdoms and Dominions that acknowledge the Holy See. It confifts of a dozen Prelates, who have the Title of Auditors ; viz. one German., one French, two Spaniards, one Bolognefe, one Ferrarefe, one Venetian, one Tufcan^ one Milanefe, and three Romans. They have four Notaries under them, and the oldeft Auditor is Prefident ; they meet twice a Week in the Palace where the Pope refides. Appeals in all Catholic Countries for Caufes relating to Benefices are made to the Tribunal of the Rota. The Governor of Rome is always n Prelate, and commonly an Archbifhop in partihus •, his Poll gives him the Rank immediately after the Cardi- nals, and he challenges Precedency of the Ambafla- dors of crown’d Heads * ; tho’ I cannot pofuively fay whether thefe yield it to him, becaufe I never yet faw them appear at any public Ceremony. This Governor is the Sovereign Judge of Criminal Caufes, and takes Cognifajice of all Civil Caufes, that require a Ipeedy Iffue : He has under him a Lieutenant and an Auditor Civil, a Lieutenant and two Judges Criminal, with a Multitude of Sub- altern Officers •, and the .Provoft, who is call’d the J He is the Pope’s Vicechambcrlain. Barrigello, 1 10 Rome. Barrigdlo^ with 300 Sergeants, or Sbirri. When he goes abroad, he is attended by his Guards, who arc ten or a dozen old Halbardiers, more ragged than any that you ever faw ; he caufes his Horfes to wear Tufts of black Feathers; for you mult know, that there are four Sorts of Plumes ; the Cardinals who are Princes by Birth, or the Ambafladors, have them of Red and Gold ; thofe of the Cardi- nals, who are not Princes, are plain Red ; the Princes have theirs of Gold Colour: The Gover- nor of Rome, and the other Prelates, as the Ma- jor DomOy caufe their Horfes to wear black ones : The Governor always goes abroad with two Coaches, and has an Umbrella carried before him as the Cardinals have : He goes twice a Week to an Audience of the Floly Father, to give him an Ac- count of what pafl'es, but particularly to make a Report of the condemn’d Malefadors ; and he muft never be abfentfrom Rome: One of the nobleft Prerogatives belonging to his Office, is, that he never quits it but to be made a Cardinal. Another Magiftrate of Note at Rome is the Se- nator : The pretend that he reprefents the ancient Senate- of R o m e ; if fo, ’tis but a poor Epitome of it. He lives in the Capitol, and muft always be born out of Rome. He holds his Of- fice by Patent from the Pope, and has it for his Life. He has under him feveral Subaltern Officers ; two Lieutenants Civil, fty I’d Collaterals; a Judge, intituled Captain of the Appeals ; a Lieutenant Criminal, or Fifcal, who pafl'es Sentences of Death ; and he has a Right to take Cognifance of all Caufes Civil and Criminal, that happen to arife between the Citizens and Inhabitants of R o m e : For this End he has alfo under him 30 Notaries or Com- miflfaries, and the Prifons of the Capitol are at his Difpofal: When he appears at any public Ceremony, he is drefs’d in a long Robe of Gold Brocade lin’d 4 / Rom e. 1 1 1 with red Taffeta, and a Cap of black Velvet : He has a Seat to hitnfelf in the Pope’s Chapel, and goes, like the Governor of Rome, twice a Week, to give an Account to the Pope and the Cardinal Nephew of what has pafs’d at his Bar ; he is then drefs’d in a long Simar, or Robe of Velvet, or black Mohair. When he enters into his Office, he takes an Oath to the Pope, and his Holinefs gives him the Staff of Command, which is a Sceptre of Ivory ; he is afterwards conduded with great Ceremony to the Capitol, guarded by all the No- bility of Rome on Horfeback, and by all the Mi- litia of the City. Their Manner of executing Criminals is very fingular. They have but two Sorts of Puniffiments here, viz, xhtStrappa Cor da,, and the Gibbet. The firft, tho’ ’tis not mortal, feems to my Mind more terrible than Death itfelf ; the Malefador being ty’d with his two Hands together to a Rope, by which he is hoifted 15 or 16 Feet from the Ground, and then let fall on a fudden, fo that he generally becomes a Cripple for Life. When a Man is to be hang’d, they talk of it a Week beforehand, as if it was the fineft Holiday in the World : The Night before the Execution, feveral Prelates, Princes, and others of Quality admitted into the Confraternity of Comforters, repair at Midnight to the Prifon. When they come near the Dungeon, they make a great Noile, and with a loud Voice afk the Gaoler, Where is fuch a one ? naming the Criminal that is to be condemn’d. Here he is, fays the Man, loud enough to be heard by the Criminal. Open the Doors to us, fay the Comforters ; he is in a had State there, we will remove him to a Place where he (hall be better. The Turnkey opens the Dun- geon, and lets in the Comforters, who exhort the Criminal to go along with thetn ; and being guarded by a Company of the Sbirri, they put him in •> 112 Rome# in the middle, and carry him thro’ feveral Galle- ries and Turnings towards the Door of a Chapel, before which is hung a Piece of black Cloth. Juft as the Criminal is preparing to enter it, the Fifcal, calling him by his Name, fays to him, You — there is 'jour Sentence-, and at the fame time throws him a Paper, in which the Sentence is written : The Criminal reads it, or elfe one of the Comforters does that Office for him : That very Moment the Sbirri withdraw, and the Comforters remain alone with the Criminal : Then the Cloth hung before the Chapel Door is lifted up, and the Patient is led to an Altar at the End of it, with a Crucifix upon it, in the middle of fix lighted Wax Candles, where the Queftion is put to him. If he is willing to confefs : If he fays. Yes, as very few Italians die willingly without Confeffion, a ConfelTor is allotted him, who gives him the beft Advice that he can. The Italians generally make their Exit like good Chriftians, but ’tis with very great Reludance. A Man, who was condemn’d to die fome Years ago for the Crime which brought down Fire from Heaven upon Sodom, would not hear any Talk of Confeffion *, upon which Cardinal Banchieri, at that time only a Prelate, being one of his Com- forters, and exhorting him to beg of God to par- don his Sins ; JVhat ! faid the Criminal to him, H^ould you have me die for a Crime, of which you Priejls are all guilty to a Man ? I don't know, faid the Cardinal, 'of any Briefs that are fo unhappy as to commit ftich a Crime but if there are, they don't plead guilty in the Face of Jufice. Another Male- fador being very loth to die, a Comforter faid to him, that Kings and Popes mull: all fubmit to Death. Yrue, reply’d the Convid, but they are not all hang'd. After a Criminal has confefs’d, he receives the Sacraments, and the Comforters continue with him till R O M Ed 113 till the next Day. At Ten o’ Clock, which is the Hour of Execution^ he is convey’d in a Cart to the Gallows, to which he rides backwards, attend- ed by two Priefts, and two Comforters. When they are come to the fatal Place, they fet him down out of the Cart before a Chapel to fay his Prayers ; and then they make him walk backwards to the Foot of the Ladder, which he always mounts with his Back to it ; when the Hangman, who is at the Top of it, faftens the Rope about his Neck, and then leans with all his Weight upon his Shoulders, to put him out of his Pain. After he is expir’d, MaflTes are (aid in all the Churches, and even in the Pope’s Chapel, for the Repofe of his Soul ; and for this End a Colleftion is made, to which the pooreft People contribute fomething ; ar length, after he has hung four or five Hours, he is bury’d like another Man. You’ll excLife me. Sir, for concluding my Let- ter with fuch a difmal Subjeft : The Port is juft going off, and I have many other Letters to write, fo that I hope you won’t take it ill that I add no more to this. 1 am, LETTER XXXIV. ^ ^ Rotne, OBober lo. 1731. T his being in all Appearance the lad Letter I fliall write to you from Rome, I (hall now give you the beft Anuver I can to the Queftions you put to me in your laft, V O L. II, H Yom 1 1 4 Rome. You defire, 5ir, that 1 fhould give you a faith- ful Charafte*- of the Holy Father *, but do you con- fider well whai it is you require ? Is it likely that fuch a private Man as I, who only fee the Pope thro’ a Perfpeflive in all his Glory and Grandeur, fliou’d be able to paint him ? No, Sir, the Suc- ceffors ot St. Peter are not like other Princes : None but fuch of their Domeftics as are their moft intire Confidents can know them thoroughly ; and thefe, either out of their Zeal or Policy, paint them al- ways if not as they are, at leaft as they ought to be. You will tell me, that in all Courts ’tis the fame Cafe ; and that, notwichPanding this, one may judge of Princes by their Aflions. ’Tis very true, yet this gives us hnr an imperfeft Idea of Princes, who often do Good or Harm without meaning either. To judge by outward Appearances, Clement XII. may he rank’d among the greateft Popes that ever the Church had : He had always, even before he was Pope, the Reputation ofanhoneft Man, and all his Pride is to merit that Charafter : He is rigid •, and, if 1 may venture to fay it, fometimes blunt in his Anfwers: His earneft Application to the re- trieving of the Finances, wdiich were very much diforder’d by the Minifters of Benedi5tyi\\\. renders him an QEconomift, perhaps more than fuits with his Dignity : He has the Interefts of the Floly See very much at heart; but is accus’d of being more troubled for the Lofs of the Duchy of Parma, (which they give out here was devolv’d to the Holy Sec bv the Death of the Duke Francis Far- nc'rd} than for the Difturbances owing to the Affair of the Conftiturion in France: He is a great Ad- mit- r of Perfons of Quality, but he does them litt'"- good : His good Hiifbandry extends even Eo his Nephev/s, whom he has loaded with Ho- nours and Titles ; blithe has hitherto given them ' very Rome. 115 very little Money. When he was a Cardinal, his Houfe was open to every body ; he liv’d magnifi- cently, and it was expefted he would rather be a prodigal Pope, than a J'aving one : He was civil and affable, but not very ready to do Services ; for if he made his Friends welcome, he thought that was enough ; Bufinefs was what took up little of his Time, and he bent his Thoughts more to noble Living than to Affairs of State. And the Romans, who had other Reafons not to be pleas’d with his Election, faid he rofe to the Pontificate from a Game at Picquet. Since he is become a Pope, he is quite another fort of a Man : He is defirous to know every thing that paffes, and is fond of being his own Minifter. But’tis his Misfortune, that his Memory begins to fail him, and he is almoft blind befides which, as he never was employ’d in State Affairs, he knows them notfo much by Experience asTheory : Yet for all this it were to be wiOi’d, for the fake of the Ecclefiaftical State, that he had been chofe Pope in the place of Benedioi 'K.Wl. But’tis the Unhappinefs of this Country, that its Princes are commonly more harafs’d with their bodily Infir- mities, than with the Cares of Government: ’Tis pity that the Pope is fo old •, for he has the very Qualities that conflitute a great Prince. Notwith- ftanding his great Age, he has had the good Luck to make ten Cardinals, tho’ he has not been fixteen Months in the Poncific.ate ; but his lafb Promotion of five Cardinals was not generally approv’d of. Among other coarfe Pasquinades that were utter’d upon thatOccafion, this infeription was affix’d to feveral Gates of the Pontifical Palace, Nojlro Sig- nora faunabella Promotione, qualro Matti, ed iin Minchionc, i. e. Our T.ord has made a fine Promo- tion, fiour jVIadmcn, and one Pool. Thofe five Car- dinals wereSignior Gnadagno^ thS Pope’s Nephew, 1 1 2 . formerly / T 1 6 Rom e. formerly a barefooted Carmelite ; Signiov Doria Ma-' efiro di Camera, Archbifliop of ; Signior Gentili, ^.Datarj, who had been formerly of the Congrcgativn of the Bi/hops, and the Regular Clergy, a Poll v/hich, tho’ the very next Step to a Cardinal’s Cap, the Pope had made him refign for the Office of a Datary, which is but a mean Commiffion •, Signior Ferrayo, and Signior Bichi, both Nuncios in Portugal. The iaft is noted for the Broils that he occa- fion’d between the Holy See and the Court of Lif- hon : I he King ot Portugal being difgufted with this Nuncio for having defrauded him of the Cuf- toms, by entring Goods upon his own Account, which he fold afterwards to the Prejudice of the Portuguefe Merchants, and being moreover exaf- perated with this Prelate for alTuming more Au- thority to himfclf, than his Predeceffiors had ever done, demanded of Clement XI. to recall him •, and upon that Popp’s Death he repeated his In- Kances to Innocent XIII. who at length confented to his Demand : But then the King, for what Caufe I know not, alter’d his Mind, and declared he was not willing that Bichi fhould leave his Court till the Term of his Nunciature was expired. And as the Pope had nominated M. Ferrayo to relieve Bichi, and wasobflinate for the Retur.n of the latter to Rome, the King order’d his Ambaflador to demand of the Pope for what Reafon he recall’d Bichi j and in cafe the Holy Father ffiould declare that it was to punifh his Nuncio, he injoin’d him to fay. that this Minifter was intirely innocent of the Matters laid to his Charge in Portugal •, but that il, on the contrary, the Pope ffiould give him to underhand, that he recall’d Bichi, to give him fuch an Office in the Apolfolical Palace as might fecure him a Cardinal’s Hat, he the AmbafTador fliould then make Anfwer, that his Portuguefe M:i- Rome. h/ -jefty was of Opinion, the Dignity of Nuncio at his Court ought to procure the Purple for all thofe who refided with him in that Qiiality ; and that there- fore his Majefty would never fulFer M. to de- part from Liisbofiy till he was declared a Cardinal. The Pope exclaimed againft the King’s new De- mand, repeated his Orders to Bichi to return to Rome, and fent away M. Ferraro for Portugal. But the King would not let Bichi go out of the Kingdom, nor Ferra-^o come into if, and Bichi himfclf refus’d to obey the Holy Father, who threaten’d him with Excommunication but the Prelate, being fure of the King s Protection, did not much value the Apoftolical Cenfures. The King in Ihort continu’d to folicit the Hat for hitii ftrenuoufly •, but Innocent XIII. would not hear it mention’d, alledging that it was not proper for him, who, in Quality of Cardinal Protedor of Por- tugal., had impeach’d Bicbi at the Holy See, to ad- vance him to the Purple. BenediPl XIII. wlio was of a beneficent and pacific Difpofition, no fooner came to the Pontificate, but he wrote a Letter with his own Hand to the King of Portugal, wherein he promis’d him the Hat for Bichi. The Sacred College, when they were inform’d of the Pope’s Intentions, made fmart Remonftrances to him, and every Cardinal in particular reprefented to him how unworthy Bichi was of the Purple. Cardinal Corfmi, the prefent Pope, was the Man that de- clar’d himfelf againft that Prelate with the greateft Warmth •, for he told the Pope, that notwith- ftanding his Refped for his Holinefs, he would never confer, t that Bicki, that diflionourable, that faithlefs Man, (which were the Epithets wherewitli he honour’d him) fhould be one of his Brethren. •In a Word, the whole Sacred College fliew’d fo much Difguft at the Thoughts of this Promotion, that the Pope was oblig’d to revoke the Promife H 3 he i 8 Rom e, he had made to the King of Portugal That Mo* narch, incenfed to fee himfelf made a Jell of by the Priefts, recalled his Ambaifador and Envoy then at Rome, and ordered his Subjects to leave that City, and to have nothing more to do with the Idoly See. And the Pope, in his Turn, re- called Ferraw, who Hill continued in Spain^ on the Frontier of Portugal and lummoned Bichi to Rome, whither at lalt he was determin’d to return. During this, Beneditl XIII. died, and Clement XII. fucceeding him, Bicbi, who is his Kinfman, went to Sienna, the Place of his Birth. There it was that he heard of his Promotion, which was made on the 24th of Septernber laft, but not with- out ftrong Debates in die Sacred College. A great Number of the Cardinals put the Holy Father in mind, that he vvas formerly the moll zealous Stickler againft Bichi: And in the Confiftory where- in the Pope propos’d him, a Cardinal gave his Opinion, that the Prelate might be admitted into the Sacred College in Quality of a Penitent. The Pope happening to fay, that he knew of no other Way to come to an Accommodation with the King of Portugal, than by making Bichi a Car- dinal ; one of the Cardinals made Anfwer, ‘ I ‘ queftion whether the promoting of Bichi will fet ‘ us to Rights w'ith Portugal ; but let it happen ‘ as it may, ’twill be, at the worft, but one Hat ‘ more ill beflow’d.’ The Romans adlually pine for an Accommoda- tion with Portugal -, for the Ambalfadors of that Crown have alv\ays expended great Sums here, efpecially fince the Acceffion of the prefent King, who has caus’d a great deal of Money to be laid out here in Statues, Pictures, and other Things of Value. ’Tis reckon’d upon the whole, that the Abfence of the Portuguefe is a Lofs to the City of Rome Rome. 119 Rome of above a Million of Roman Crowns in a Yfar. The Pope’s Nephews arc like their Uncle, Men ol great Sincerity, Honour and Probity ; but whether ’tis owing to the Indolence ot their Tempers, or to their Want of Intereft with their Uncle, they ferve nobody, and know not the Pkafure of doing Good. The Cardinal, who fhould naturally have the moil Credit, is he that has the lealt : He is penurious to the laft De- gree Before he was made a Cardinal and Mi- nifter, People conceiv’d a high Idea ot him •, they believ’d that a Perfon who had travell’d lb much as he had done, and who had been many Years employ’d by the Great Duke in France^ and at the Congrefs of Catnbraj^ mult needs be well verfed in Bufmefs *, therefore they apply this Verfe to him, "Tel hrille au fecond rang^ qui j’ eclipfe ati 'premier. i. e. lie Jfjines fo much in the Jecond Clafsy as eclipfes him in the firJL Every body allows he is an upright Man ; but they don’t look upon him as a Miniher. Pie is fo referved, that ’tis quite difgufting ; and when he grants any f avour, he does it in fo ftrange a Manner, that they who receive it are forry they were beholden to him. I queltion whether he will * when he was at the Congrefs at Cambray^ he had a Fancy to regulate every Plenipouentiary’s Houihoid i and indeed, that was all he did there. One Day he took it into his Head to give his Oeconomical Rules at my Lord Whhwor$h\ \ but he did not find my Lady very compiaifantj for, faid Ihe, M We make uje of the Italians to regulate our Concensi but asjvr the Table, pray give u$ leave to coujuit the French. H 4 have '2^0 Rome; have very many humble Servants left, when his Uncle dies. In the fame Confiftory wherein the Pope made Bichi a Cardinal, the Holy Father talk’d a great deal about the Succefllon of Parma, He com- plain’d in general Terms of the Emperor, for ar- rogating to himfdf thofe Prerogatives relating to the Dominions of Parma,, which were only due to the Holy See. He acquainted the Sa- cred College with every thing that he had done for maintaining the Rights of the Church ; he faid, that as loon as he was informed that the Duchefs of Parma was really not with Child, he ordered his Nuncio at Parma to take PolTeffion of the Dominions, that were devolv’d to the Holy See by the Extindfion of the Male Line of the Far- Tfc/e FzmWy •, that his Nuncio had executed" his Orders ; but that Stampa, the Emperor’s General and Commilfary, had caus’d an Edidf to be pub- lifh’d, whereby, in the Name of the Emperor, he forbad all the Subjedfs of Parma from owning any other Sovereign, but him to whom his Impe- rial Majefty Ihou’d give the Inveftiture of the Duchy. The Pope laid, he was forty when he heard Slampa had taken that Step but that he ex- pedfed from the Emperor’s Juftice and Piety, that he wou’d not approve of the Condudl of his Ge- neral, and that he wou’d not do any thing con- trary to the inconteftable Claim of the Holy See to the Dominions of the Farnefe Family. The Cardinals returned a very modeft Anfwer to the Pope, thanking him for the Endeavours he had us’d to maintain the Rights of the Holy See, and praying him to continue them. The Cardinals Ctenfuegos and Bentivoglio, being inform’d of all |;he Complaints which the Pope intended to make in this Confiftory, took care not to be there. Thf"!e Gentlemen are extremely angry with the ■ ' ■ • • - Em- Ill Rome. Emperor •, ‘ What ! [aid they^ to have no more ‘ Refped for the Pope and the Holy See, tu in- ‘ vade the Eftates of the Church, and diipofe of ‘ them as he pleafes, are thefe A6Uons becorning ‘ an Emperor, Froteftor ol the Cat’nolic Faith ? ’ Really, to hear how they talk, one wou’d think the Emperor iiad adlually taken all they had from ’em ; tho’ I am perfuaded, that if he would but give them the Duchy of Parma, they wou’d con- fent to his being a janfenijl. You defire. Sir, to be inform’d of the Recep- tion that is given here to Ambafladors. I fhou’d have done this long before you defired it, if I had feen any Ambaflador go to an Audience of the Pope, befides the Maltefe, who has not fo grand a Reception here as the Ambafladors of Crown’d Heads. ’Twas on the fecond Sunday in Lent, in the Afternoon, that the AmbaflTador of Malta, who has refided here fix Years in Qua- lity of Ambaflador of that Order, made hb E.acry as Tributary AmbalTador Extraordinary. This Miniiler, repairing without any Retinue to the Vineyard of Pope Julim, without the Gate del Popoli, was complimented there, on the Part of the Pope, by the Major Domo, and the oldelt Prelate •, and on the Part of the Cardinals, and principal Nobility, by their Gentlemen. After this, the Cavalcade was made with more Order than is com- monly obferv’d here at public Ceremonies. Fi> ft came the feveral Coaches and Six of the Cardi- nals, Princes, and other Perfons of Diftindion, following one another without Obfervation of the refpedive Ranks of their Owners. Then came two of the AmbaflTador’s Grooms on Horfeback, who were follow’d by four cover’d Waggons, and a Couple of Field Carriages, cover’d with Ta- peftry, that was embroidered with his F.xcellency’s Coat of Arms. Next came the Ambaflador’s Mafter 121 R o M E i Matter of the Horfe, follow’d by fix led Horfes, two Trumpets, with the Lackeys, Vaieti de Chambre^ Pages, and Gentlemen belonging to the AmbafiTador, all on Horleback. TheL were fol- low’d by the cnief Lackeys of the Cardinals ride- ing upon Mules, and carrying their Matter’s red Hats flung over tneir Shoulders •, and after thele carriC the Cardinals Gentlemen, who were follow’d by a Detachment of Lighr-horfe. The Cnam- berlains ot Honour follow’d riding upon Mules. The Knights of Malta on Horfeback rode jutt be- fore the Ambailador, who was fupporteU by the Major Domo, and Signior Colonna, the oidclt Pre- late. His Excellency was preceded by twelve running Footmen in his Livery, and he walked in the Middle of a Couple ot Files of the hundred of the Pope’s Guard. Three of tne Am- baffador’s Coaches and Six clos’d the March. The whole Train pafs’d thro’ the chief Streets of Rome, and accompany’d the Ambaflador to his Palace, where his Excellency treated all the Company with Refrefliments. On the Day of Audience, the Ambaflador went in his Equipage to the Palace of Mont e-Cav alio ^ attended by the Coaches of the Cardinals and the Nobility. He was receiv’d at the Top of the Stairs by the Major Domo^ who conducted him into that called the Prince’s Apartment. The Am- baflador having waited there a little Time, two Mafters of the Ceremonies came to acquaint him, that his Holinefs was ready to admit him to an Audience in the Confiflory then fitting. The Ambaflcidor wont thither, conduced by the Ma- ffers of the Ceremonies •, and Signior Acquaviva^ the Major Domo, received him at the Entrance of the Hall of the Confiflory, and cqnduded him to the Entrance of the Court fronting the Pope. The Ambafliidor fell on his Knees, and made Rome.' 1 25 made a profound Obeifance to the Pope, who gave him his Bleffing. Then he fell on his Knees again in the Middle of the Court, and the third Time at the Pope’s Feet, to whom he made his Speech kneeling. In this Pofture he alfo deli- vered the Letter from the Grand Mailer to the Holy Father, who gave it to a Prelate, ordering him to read it. The Ambaffiidor arofe, and hav- ing croffed the Court, faluting the Cardinals on the Right and Left, he fell on his Knees at the Entrance of the Court, oppofire to the Holy Fa- ther. There he heard the Gnnd Mailer’s Letter read, and afterwards a very long Speech in Latin, which an Abbat, who was a Knight of Malta, made in the Name of the Order, upon his Knees. The Prelate had no fooner read the Letter, but he anfwered the Speech in Latin. The Amballa- dor, who was ilill on his Knees, arofe, after the Prelate had ended his Speech ; went and kneel’d again at the Pope’s Feet, which he kifs’d, and then prefented to his Holineis the Knights of Malta, who had accompany ’d him to the Audience, and who all kifs’d the Holy Father’s Feet. The Pope, rifing from his Seat, retir’d to his Apartment; but the AmbaiTador flay’d in the Hall of the Con- fiflory, till all the Cardinals were gone out. He then returned to his Palace, where he gave a grand Repafl to the Knights of his Order. The next and the following Days, he made his Vifits of Ce- remony to the Cardinals. Their Eminercies don’t give Precedence to the Ambafladors ; but bating that only, they treat them as their Equals. 1 have been afllired, that tha Ambafladors Ex- traordinary of Kings are lodged three Days in the Pontifical Palace, during wliich they have the Honour to dine once with the Holy Father. If I continue here till the Arrival of the Duke of 5jf. Ai^nan, the Ambaflador of France, who is every Day I. 124 Rome. Day expelled, I will give you an Account how he is received ; for tho’ thefe Ceremonies are printed here, I fhall be willing to have ocular Demonftra- tion of the I'hings that I write to you. Of all the public Funftions at this Place, there is none more auguft, and more folemn, than the Proceffion with the Holy Sacrament, when *tis carry ’d by the Pope. Upon Corpus Chrijli Day, the Holy Father was plac’d in an Arm- chair, without a Back to it, with a Dcfk before him, upon which he laid the Pyx that con- tained the Holy Sacrament. His Cope, which was very long, and very wide, fo cover’d the Defk and the Chair, that the Pope feemed to be kneeling. His Head was uncovered, and in this Pofture he was carry’d by eight Men. In my whole Life, I never faw any thing more exem- plary than the Countenance of the Pope during the Ceremony, his Face being the very Pidture of Contrition and Devotion. The Proceffion fet out from St. Peter\ Church, attended by all the Fraternities, ttie Monadic Orders, the No- bility, the Confervators of Rome, the Governor of R OME, the Chapter of St. Peter, and all the Prelates and Biffiops. Tnree Ptara’s, and as ma- ny Mitres, adorn’d with Pearls and Diamonds, were carry’d before the Holy Father. The Pope was environed with the hundred Swifs of his Guards, all in Armour, and by the Officers of ■his Chamber ; and the Proceffiion was clos’d by the Light-horfe, and Cuiraffiers on Horfeback. The Colonnade of St. Peter, and the Streets, were hung with Tapeftry, and cover’d with Can- vas, to keep off the Heat of the Sun. As the Pope paffed by the Houfe where the Family of the Stuarts liv’d, he gave to thofe Princes the Bleffmg of the Holy Sacrament. The Holy Fa- ther’s Nieces were in a neighbouring Houfe ; but Rome. 125 they did not receive that Honour, it being referved only for Sovereigns. You feem. Sir, to be fo much prejudiced againft the holy Office of the Inquifition, that I mull endeavour to convince you of the miftaken Notion, which, I prefume to fay, you have conceived upon that Head, Honeft People have no more Rea-, fon to dread this Tribunal, than any of the other Courts of Jullice. They tell a thoufand Stories of it in our Part of the World, and efpecially among the Protejlants, which are abfolute Falfe- hoods. Be but an honeft Man ; fpeak of God and the’ Saints with all due Refpefl, or at leaft don’t offer to infult them ; give no public Scandal ; and you have nothing to Far from the Holy Of- fice, To fpeak the Truth, will not a Man in all the Chriftian Countries, that is notorioufiy impious in Word or Deed, will he not be taken to Tafk by the Confiftories, and by the Law ? I own, for my part, that I don’t fee wherein that Barba- rity, and that Inhumanity confifts, which the Holy Office is charg’d with in Protejlant Countries ; on the contrary, it feems to me to be the mildeft: Tribunal in the World. Let me be guilty of the greateft Injuries to God and Religion, in Thought, Word or Deed •, if I do but go and confefs my Crimes-io the Holy Office, and tell them I repent of my Wickednefs and Folly, the Father Com- miffiry will reprefent the Horror of my Sins to me, will exhort me, for the Salvation of my Soul, to behave and think better for the future, and at laft will abfolve me. Where now is that Pro- T ribunal, which is content with a voluntary Confeffion ? Inftead of abfolving the Penitent, don’t they condemn him to Imprifonment, and bodily Pains ? For thefe fixteen Months that I have been at Rome, I have not heard of any one’s being ar- refted Il6 R O M E. refted by the Holy Office ; on the contrary, I have feen Ads of Clerncncy perform’d by this Tribunal, fo much run down, which perhaps the Confiitory of Geneva would never have done, I had not long been here, but there came one Pal- las, a Native of Poulon, and Captain in France, who brought a young Woman with him, whom he faid he had raviPn’d ; he defir’d a Licenfe of the Vicar to marry her, which was granted. But fome Months after, there comes a Woman, who appear’d to be the Wife of Pallas, and the Mother of the young Creature that he had but juft mar- ried, and who was ready to lie in, Pall'as, per- ceiving his Crime on the Brink of being detefted, goes and reveals the- whole to the Holy Office, which firfl; gave him Proteftion for his Perfon, and in a few Days after acquitted him, injoining him at the fame time to take his firft Wife again. This Pallas dying not many Days after, his two Wives went to Law for their Jointure. I quellion now whether this Officer would have been acquitted by a Parliament of France. The Congregation of the Holy Office was efta- bliffied by Pope Paul III. at the Solicitation of the Cardinal John Peter Caraffa, who afterwards, becoming Pope, by the Name of Paul IV. made a remarkable Addition to the xVuthority of this Tri- bunal. That Holy Pontiff, Pius V, reduced it to its prefent State. This Congregation confifts of a dozen Cardinals, befides a Number of Pre- lates, and a great many Divines of different Or- ders, who are called Confultori (F ^alificatori del Santo Officio. Among thefe are included a Con- ventual, the General of the Dominicans, the Ma- iler of the Sacred Palace, the Commiffirry of the Holy Office, the Fifcal, and the Affeffor, which lall muff always be a fecular Prelate. This Tri- bunal takes Cognizance of the Caufes of Herefy, Rome. 127 i and of fuch novel Opinions as are repugnant to the Soundnefs of the Catholic Faith ; as alfo of Matters of Apoftafy, Witchcraft, the Abufe of the Sacraments, and other wicked Adions ; and it likewife takes Cognizance of prohibited Books. It fits twice a Week, viz. on IVednefdays in the Con- vent of Minerva, and on ‘T’hurfda-jS in Prefence of the Pope, who is the Head of it. The oldeft Cardinal has the Title of Secretary of the Holy Office, and is the Keeper of its Seals. None but Cardinals can vote in it, and they admit of no Propofals but what they think proper. The Palace of the Holy Office is clofe by St. Peter’'?, Church, and there live the AffeflTor, the Father CommiflTary, the Fifcal, the Notary, and other Officers. There alfo thePrifoners are kept, and there they are try’d, according as the Cafe requires. The Officers of the Holy Office ac- knowledge no other Judges in the firfl: Inftance, but the Aflefibr of the Tribunal whereof they are Members ; and they appeal for the Definitive Sentence to the Cardinals who are Members of the Congregation. I will conclude my long Letter with a Remark, which I have made' upon the Romans in particular, and the Italians in general, I mean as to the reci- procal Hatred of the Inhabitants of the different States of Italy. That the Romans hate the Floren- tines, I think I have told you more than once ; but that’s not all, for they as heartily hate the Neapoli- tans and the Genoefe. They commonly fay, that there muff, be feven Jews to make one Genoefe, and I'even Genoefe to make one Florentine. ’Tis unac- countable how the People of Italy can fo hate one another. I can’t imagine that they ffiould be fo blind as not to fee the Prejudice it docs them •, for, in fhort, tis not barely the Flatred of one Province to another, but itdifibfes its Poifonto the Towns that 1^8 Rome. that are fubjedl to one and the fame Sovereign. Thefe People don’t confider that they form one and the lame Nation , and that if they did but unite together, they would be both rich and power- ful ; but being jealous of one another, they only feek to ruin each other, and by that means deprive themfelves of the moft folid Support of their Li- berty. To my mind, we aft much more rationally ; for tho’ our Germany is divided into many more Do- minions than Italy is, we do however form a Body againft Foreigners, who have a Defign upon our Edates and our Liberties. The lefler Princes com- ply with the Emperor’s Will *, and their own Inte- relt, and that of the Emoire, is all one. Our Princes vifit and afTociate with one another, and maintain a Sort of common Friendfhip; the Italian Fvxncts on the contrary never vifit one another ; and when by chance a Sovereign of four or five Leagues of Country comes to have an Interview with iuch another Sovereign as himfelf, it takes up as much Negociation to adjuft it, as was neceflTary to fettle the Interview between Philip IV. and Lewis XIV. But is it not ridiculous to fee fuch petty States adt towards one another with as much Finefle and Craft as the moft powerful Kingdoms ? ’Tis this Diffidence, this reciprocal Hatred between the Go- vernments and Towns of haly^ that has made them for a long time the Sport of Foreigners ; whereas, if thefe People did but keep up a good Under- ftanding with one another, they would foon drive them out •, for Nature has furnifh’d them with Ditches and Walls, which if they don’t defend, ’tis their own Fault : But it feems as if Provi- dence, by which the Fate of all Dominions is de- termin’d, would not have it fo. Adieu, Sir, for the prefent : I cannot be fure when I (hall write to you again, much lefs when I (hall Loretto. Bologna! 129 flull have the Plealure of embracing you, tho’ there’s fcarce a Day paffes over my Head bur Ido it in Imagination. Do you but render me like for like, and be afllir’d that nobody in the World is more ftridly than I am, Tours, &c. LETTER XXXV. 5 I R Genoa, Nov.t, i7Ji» T he Road from Ro7»e to Loretto has been fo fully defcrib’d, that I think I fliould pafs it over in Silence ; nor fhall I fay any thing more to you of the Santa Cafa, which you know in what manner the Angels bore to the Place where it now Hands. If you would be in- form’d of the Treafure of this Houfe, look into the Voyages of Miffon, who has given a large Ac* count of every Particular : Since he wrote, the Treafure is not very much increas’d, the Princes having almoft done making their Offerings to it. The Queen of France has lately fettled a perpetual Endowment on it for the Celebration of four Maffes a Day, by way of Thankigiving for the Birth of the Dauphin. From Loretto to Bologna the Road is good, and ’tis a fine fruitful Country ; I ftay’d three Days the longer at that City, on purpofe to fee the Cardinal Grimani, who is Legate there from the Holy See. Fie is a Prelate of great Virtue, found Morals, and polite, but unatfedted Beha- V o L. II. I viour. i;o Florence; viour. He has been Internuncio at Brujfehy Nuncio zt Cologne, and in Poland, and in this Quality he refided at Vienna, when he was advanc’d to the Purple. I knew him at all thofe Nunciatures ; I faw him at Borne, when he went thither to re- ceive the Hat, and I have now feen him again at Bologna, and find he is the fame Man now he is both Cardinal and Legate, that he was when but an Intcrnuncio*. For ’cis only in vulgar Souls that Honours change Manners. Notwithftanding the Reludance I had to repafs the Apennine Hills a fecond time, I was forced to refolve upon it, or elfe to renounce all Thoughts of being at Leghorn at the Arrival of the Fleets from Spain and England. I have been at Florence, and have had the Honour to wait on the Great Duke, and Madame the Eledtorefs Palatine Dow- ager. I had formerly paid my Compliments to this Princefs, both here and at Dujfeldorp, and flie was now pleas’d to call me to mind again, and to fhew me abundance of Refpedt and Kindnefs : Her moft Serene Eledloral Highnefs lives very retir’d, and is almoft continually at her Devotions : She has her own Ladies of the Bedchamber ; but as for the reft, fhe is attended by the Officers of the Great Duke, and makes ufe alfo of that Prince’s Equipage. I did not fuppofe that I fhould be able to pay my Refpedfs to the Great Duke, becaufe I had been told, that it was very difficult to get an Au- dience of him ; yet I attain’d to that Honour at the very Time when I leall of all expedled it. As I was going from the Eledrefs’s Apartment, I met one of the Great Duke’s Valets de Chambre, who ♦ Cardinal Grimmi fucceeded Cardinal BentivogUo in the Lcgatefhip of Bolog7iay as foon as the prefent Pope had created him a Cardinal \ but he died in the Legateflnp, and his Holinefs ccnterrM it upon yofm Baftift SpinoU, whom he had juft be- fore advanc’d to the Purple. came Florence. 131 came to tell me, That his Royal Highnefs wanted to fpeak with me : This Meflage fo furpriz’d me, that I thought the Man miftook me for another Perfon, till he convinc’d me of the contrary : I was obliged to yield Obedience, and the V %let de Chafnbre introduc’d me to the Audience : I found the Great Duke fitting upright in Bed, accompany ’d by feveral Lap-dogs, with nothing on but a Shirt without Ruffles, and a long Cravat about his Neck of coarfe Muflin : His Cap was very much be- fmear’d with Snuff, and truly there was nothing neat nor grand about him : By his Bed*fide there flood a Table in Form of a Beaufet, upon which there were Silver Buckets, that contain’d Bottles of Liquors and Glafles : His Royal High- nefs receiv’d me however with great Marks of Goodnefs, reproach’d me becaufe I had not yet defired to fee him, and faid to me in the kindefl: Manner poffible, That I did very ill to treat my old Friends with fo much Indifference. The Prince remember’d he had known my Father, and h,e call’d to mind, that when he was at Berlin^ my Parents paid him all due Refpedls *, he aflc’d me what News from the Court of Prujfia? and wanted to know all the Alterations that had been made there fince his Time : He talk’d to me of the Court of Rome, and particularly of the Pope ; and faid with a Smile, That the Holy Father was at firft his Subjed, afterwards his Equal, and now the Mafler of him, and of all the Catholic Princes. The Converfation at length took a gayer Turn, and ran upon Pleafures, goodChear, and the Bot- tle. The Grand Duke faid, ’twas too early in the Day to drink Wine, (for *twas no more than Two o’clock in the Afternoon) but that he had a choice Dram, of which I fhould tafte, and he was fo good as to fill me a Glafs of it out of a Bottle which was by his Bedfide. ’Twas to no Purpofe for me to 1 2 proteft. Florence. proteft, that I never drank Drams ; I was farn to drink that Glafs, then another, and after that a third. I he Great Duke aflum’d no State upon Account of his Rank, bur treated me as his Equal, and drank Glafs for Glafs with me. 1 was juft going to fall at his Knees, and to beg Quarter, when, as good Luck would have it, Joannino^ his iavourite Vaht de Chambrc^ came in, and whifpeRd lomething in his Ear. LTpon this the Great Duke put on a ferious Air, and foon after difmifs’d me, but charg’d me not to go from Florence before I had receiv’d his Commands. Make yourfelf as merry as you can^ (aid the Prince; but be fare not to go away without taking your Leave of me. Two Hours after I return’d to my Inn, his Royal High- nefs fent me a Prefent of Fowls, Bologna Saufages, Cheefe, Sweetmeats, and other good Things, to- gether with feveral Dozens of Bottles of moft ex- cellent Wine ; fo that I aflure you I had Subfiftence enough for three Months. I ftay’d four Days, expepn Vincenzo, who is like fome Day or other tp^Bb the’ Head of the Family, has traveled very much’,|[ahd is certainly a Gentleman of very great Acquife'mencs and Merit. \ ... There Florence. 135 There are a great many fine Ladies here, but they don’t drefs well, and have not near fo much Liberty as thofe of Roms : There’s one Madame Suarez indeed, that cuts a very great Figure, and keeps open Houfe to all Comers *, (he receives Fo- reigners in a grand Manner, efpecially the Engli/h ; but her Houle would be better, if there was notfo much Gaming in it. Before I fet out from Florence, 1 can’t think it will be improper to give you a few Particulars concerning the Family of the Medicis^ which is near being extindl in the Perfonof the Great Duke "John Gajion, This Family has given feven Sovereign Princes to T ufcanj. Cofmo the Firft, of that Name, was alfo the firft Great Duke. He obtain’d that Title about Ann. 1568. from the Emperor Maximilian II. of whom he had demanded the Title of King of He~ truria ; but the Emperor return’d him for Anfwer, That he knew of but one King in Italy, and that was himfelf. However, to gratify Cofmo*s Vanity, invented the Title of Great Duke, that of Arch Duke being already the Appenage of the Houfe of Auftria. The Names of the feven Great Dukes, with their Alliances, are as follow. Cofmo I. who married Eleanor of Toledo. Ferdinand I. who married ]om of Auftria. EVancisI. who marriedyizxy Magdalen Auftria. Cofmo II. whofe IVife was Claude of Lorain. Ferdinand II. married to Mary de la Rovero, Duchefs of Urbino. Cofmo III. who married Margaretta Louifa of Orleans. John Gafton, married to Anna Maria Frances of Saxe-Lawenbourg. The Family of Medicis calls to my Mind that of the Kelilers, Dukes of Courland and I fanfy the I 4 fol- 1 3 Leghorn. following Parallel will hold between the two Fami- lies. The Medicis^ before they were Sovereigns of Tufcan^^ were Standard.-Bearers of Florence ; the Kettlers were Gentlemen, and Grand Mafters of the teutonic Order in Couyland, The Kmperor Mcixu inilian II. made Medicis Grand Duke : Sigifmond Auy giijhis^ King of made a Duke. The two Families have each given feven Sovereigns to Europe^ and they are alike related to the greateft Families. The lalt of the Medicis^ and the laft of the Kettlers^ were m.arried to Princeffes of the Saxon Family. They both fee Foreign Powers diipofing of their Succeflion before they are dead^. Both Families began to flourifh almoft at the fame time, at the two Extremities of Europe \ and in all Appearance their Period is like to be the fame. 1 could ftay but fix Days at Florence this Jour- ney, becaufe I had a mincl to fee the Landing of the Spaniards at Leghorn. I had no Time nei- ther to iofe, for they came into tjie Road the Day before I arriv’d, and landed two or three Days after. The Fleet was compos’d of two Squadrons, one of which, viz, the Engliflj^ confifting of thir- teen Ships, was commanded by Admiral Wager, The two Squadrons fct Sail at one and the fame time, but had been difpers’d by a Storm in the Gulph of Lyons, The Enghjh came in all toge- ♦ Neverthelefs there is a Difference between theletwo Fami« lies: The Duke Ferdinmd'is the laft Survivor of that oiKettler, but of the Family of Medicis there are Princes ftill living, who have an inconteftable Right to the Succeftion 5 for ’tis certain, that JBermrdde Medicis, the eldeft Brother of ?o^c Leo XL defeended {torn Jtivenco de Medici:, Brother of Sylve/ier ClariJJimus, the Head of the prefent reigning Branch, v/h\cn Bernard de Medicis was the Son of Ottaviano, the laft Standard-bearer of Florence in 15-28. This Bernard purchase the Barony of Ottajano ncecc Mount Vefuvius in the Kingdom of Naples, to which he cranC* ferr*d this Branch of the Medicis \ and the prefent Prince of Ot- tajano, and Duke of Sarno, who married Therefa, Daughter ot cLarles Prince of Accytmvivd) is his Great Great Grandfon. ther \ Leghorn: 137 ther ; but the Spaniards arriv’d one after another, and fome of their Tranfports were loft. In fine, the Troops were all landed on the fecond of No- vember^ All Sopls Da)\ whereon there fell a terri- ble Rain, on which the Superftitious founded dif- mal Conjeftures. The Marquis de Charni *, the Commander of the Spanijh Forces, came on Shore the Day preceding, to adjuft all Matters with the Marquis Rinticcini, whom the Grand Duke had fent for that Purpofe to Leghor^t. The Spanijh General was oblig’d to take an Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Duke before the Marquis Rinucchtiy which when he had done, the Spanijlo Forces enter’d the City, incorporated themfelves with thofe of the Grand Duke, and mounted Guard on the very fame Day that they landed. It is ftipulated, that there fiaall be always two Thirds Spaniards to one Third of the Great Duke’s Soldiers. The Spanijh Army confifts of no more than 6000 Men, but then they are the Flower of their Troops, and there are Arms and Equipage for above 20,000. There’s one Swijs Regiment, another of Walloons. I have been to fee the two Admiral Ships : The Englijh has three Decks, and carries 86 Guns: The Spanijhy which had Admiral Mari on board, car- ries 90 Guns, has three Decks alfo, and is by much bigger than the Englijh Man of War : It had been fitted up for bringing over the Infante Don Carlos^ and no Expence was fpar’d to render it magnifi- cent. The Admiral’s Cabbin was hung with Sky- blue and Silver Brocade *, the Tables, Chairs, and the Frames of the Pier Glafies, iAc. were cf Indian Dacca Red and Gold : But notwithftanding all this Magnificence, the Englijh Ship was the neateft, and ^ The Count h Charm figns N. tYOrUms C. de Charni. He is a Ballard ot the Orleans Family, but by whom is not knowr}. He has advanc’d himfelt at the Court ot Spain, and is now Com- mandant of NapUf, and Lieutenant General of the Kingdom. far Leghor n« far out-did the Spanicifd in the civil Treatment of thofe that went aboard. The Englijh Naval Offi- cers are almoft all Men of equality : They drove who ffiould be the mod polite to fuch as came to vifit them, and talk’d very modedly both of their Ships and their Tackling ; whereas iht Spaniards bragg’d of theirs beyond meadire ; they pretended that their Ships, which had only two Decks, were much eafier to work than thofe of the Englijh^ which are all of three Decks ; and affirm’d, that as their Ships were broader and longer, and their Decks higher, they were much more formidable than the Engitfis, and not fo much incommoded by the Smoak in a Battle. On the other hand, I was told by an Englijh Officer, That a Ship with three Decks was preferable to one that had but two, be- caufe when ’tis a high Sea, and they are forc’d to fhut up the lowermod Deck, there are dill two Batteries remaining, whereas a Ship with but two Decks, in the fame Cale, can have but one remain- ing : Befides, a Ship with three Decks, faid the Of- jicer, being higher than a Ship with but a couple, has a great Advantage over what the other has, when they come to Boarding. As I underdand nothing of Navigation, I know not whether my Englijhinan was in the fight. But be that as it will, I am of the Opinion, which prevails almod univerfally, that whenever it ffiall pleafe God to let fecond Caufes have their Effetds, it will^be always fafer to lay a Wager on the Side of the EngliJ/s chan on the Spanijh Ships. On Sc. Charles’s Day, which was the Fedival of the Infante Don Carlos, the Marquis Mari gave us a grand Fead : I fiy us, becaufe I was there, as well as all Leghorn, Florence, Sienna, Lucca, and PJa, which you’ll fay was a goodly Company, and I alTure you moreover, it was very gay. The Flo- rence Gentry, who expeded that the Infante would have Leghorn; 1^9 have come with the Fleet, had all befpoke new Apparel ; and as they are naturally very prodigal, they fpar’d no Coft upon this Occafion. The Luc^ Gentry did not comefhort of them, of whom it may be' laid, that taking the Milaneje and Ge^ noefe along with them, they are of all the Italians the moft polite, and have moft of the Air of Men of Quality. Befides the Italians^ there was fo great a Concourfe of Engli/hmen and Foreigners at Leg- horn, that all the Lodgings were taken up ; ne- verthelefs Provifions were in great Plenty, and as cheap as ever. The Englifh are return’d home. *Tis laid, that the Infante * will come hither fpeedily by Land. The Eufcans long mightily to fee him, and expedl he will work Miracles •, for befides what they have heard in his Praife, they lay great Strefs upon- a Prophecy of I^oftradamus, who fays in one of his Stanzas, Du plus profund de I'Occidenl d’ Europe, De doubles Nopces un Enfant nattra, vers le Po menera grande 'Troupe : Son bruit au Regne d'Orient plus croitra. i. e. ‘ In the moft Weftern Part of Europe an Infant ‘ lhall be born of a double Marriage, who lhall ‘ lead a great Force towards the Po, and whofe ‘ Fame fhall fpread to the Eaftermoft Kingdom,* This Child, born of a double Marriage, muft be the Infante, who is the Son of Philip V. by his fecond Wife. I heartily wilh that I cou’d have ftaid at Flo- rence till this Prince arriv’d ; but I have order’d This Prince went thro’ France, and arriv’d at Florence the Beginning of the Year 173a. my 14© Leghorn; my Affairs fo as to be at Paris before Chrijhnas^ and I muft fleer my Courfe accordingly. Ytt be- fore I leave Leghorn, I muft give you fome Ac- count of this City, which is of more Note for its great Trade, than for its Antiquity. ’Tis one of the neateft Cities in Italy, and that to which there’s the greateft Concourfe of Foreign Merchants, either for the fake of Trade, or for Shelter from their Cre- ditors : The City is well built, the Streets broad, ftrait and lightfome, and leveral have Canals in them, after the Manner of Holland. The great Square is beautiful, and the Port magnificent, being divided into the great and little Harbours, the for- mer of which has been render’d convenient by the Expence of a fine Mole, and fome Towers that ferve for Light-houfes •, the other, which has a very narrow Entrance, ferves for the Gallies. There’s an admirable Marble Statue of Cofmo I. de Medicis, which is rais’d on a Pedeftal of the like white Mar- ble : The Great Duke is reprefented in Armour, with a Ducal Mantle over his Shoulders, a Turban on his Head, and a Scymitar at his Feet. The Concomitants of this fine Statue are worthy of a nice Obfervation : At the very Foot of the Bafe or Pe- deftal, at the four Corners, there are as many Slaves in Brafs, reprefenting Purks, in admirable Attitudes, which feem, as it were, chain’d to the Pedeftal ; Th^Connoiffeurs reckon them Mafter-pieces: Their Proportion, which is twelve Foot, makes the Vul- gar think they reprefent four Giants ; but Tradition fays, that they are the Figures of four Turks, viz. the Great Grandfather, the Grandfather, the Father, and the Son ; who being all on board a Turkijh Veft fel, the youngeft of them, who was an Aftrologer, prophefied to his Companions, as they embark’d, that on fuch a Day they fliou’d all be taken into Slavery by the Chriftians ; which Prediction, to their Misfortune, came to pafs ; for they were taken by PiSA. VlAREGGIO. I4I the Great Duke’s Gallies, and this Prince caus’d their Statues to be carv’d, to tranfmit the Event to Pofterity. Pisa, tho’ a much more confiderable City than Leghorn for its Antiquity, and the Beauty of its Buildings, is not fo pleaiant a Place by far. ’Tis a large, fine, well built City, but extremely thin of People ; ’tis divided into two Parts by the River Arno^ which comes from Florence^ and forms two ftately Kays here. The Cathedral is a great ftately Fabric of Gothic Architecture : It has three great Gates, the Doors or Leaves of which are of Brafs, and reprefent the Paflages mention’d in the New Teftament, a Proof how grofiy they are mif- taken, who fay they were the Gates of Sohmort% Temple ; but they are not near fo fine as thofe at the Baptiftery of Florence. The Infide of the Church is anfwerable to the Magnificence of the Outfide, and the Roof is fupported by fixty Mar- ble Columns. I fay nothing to you of the Tower that leans to one Side, and which confifis of fix or feven De- grees or Rows of Pillars one above another, nor of the ftately Baptiftery, much lefs of the Church- yard, call’d il Campo Santo. Look into Mijfon^ he will tell you the Meafuresof every thing ; for that Gentleman always rarry’d Mathematical Inftru- ments about him, fo that there was nothing but what he meafur’d and weigh’d. Pisa is a City, which a Traveller can’t avoid feeing, but ’tis impoffible for him to flay in it ; the 1 eople being fo proud of the Honour their A nceftors gain’d by the Conqueftof Carthage, that their Vanity is perfectly furfeiting. ^ Plaving flay’d but one Day atPifa, I proceeded in my Journey to Genoa paffing thro’ the Foreft of lAREGGio, where, it I had had a great Charge of Money about me, and had credited what my Guide 141 PiETRA Santa. Massas Guide faid, I fhou’d have fweat for Fear ; becaufe he affirm’d to me, that there was not a Week throughout the Year but PaflTengers were robb’d and murder’d in thisForeft. But when I came to the Village of Viareggio, which (lands in the Middle of the Foreft, I heard that every Word my Guide has told me was falfe ; and that fince the Courier from Lucca was robb’d, which was eighteen Years ago, they had not heard of any Robbers this Way : This put me very much in Heart again, for, to be plain with you, I don’t care to tilt with Highway- men ; but for all this, an Italian Lacquey that I have in my Service, cou’d not be eafy : As we had ftill three Leagues of this Foreft to pafs thro’, he con- jur’d me to take a Guard ; but I banter’d him, and proceeded on my Way. My Lacquey rode by me on Horfeback, telling his Beads. I had fcarce tra- vell’d half a League, but I faw five Men coming arm’d ; my Lacquey, who was the firft that fpy’d them, cry’d out like a Madman, Jefu Marla ! what ! mufi I die tvithout ConfeJJion ? Mifericordia ! Mife- ricordia ! I put my Head out of the Chaife to take a View of the Men, who had innocently put mv Lacquey into fuch a Fright, and found by their Garb, that they were Soldiers from Lucca, who patroll’d there for the Security of the Foreft. The Panic which my Lacquey was under made me at firft laugh very heartily, but I foon chang’d my Note ; for when we came to Pietra-Santa, a little Place in the State of Lucca, he had not Strength to alight from his Horfe \ for the Fright had fo feiz’d him, that he was almoft dead : He wanted a ConfefTor ; but I thought a Surgeon would do every whit as well for him, and therefore I fent for one, and caus’d him to bleed the Fellow, who in two Hours time grew better. I took him into my Chaife, and went and lay at Massa di Car- itARA, the Capital of a very fmall Feodal Sove- reignty Sersana. Lerici. Sestri. 143 reignty of the Empire, belonging to Cardinal Cibo^ the laft of his Family. After his Death, this Prin- cipality is to fall to his Niece, who, ’tis faid, is defign’d for the young Prince Eugene of Savoy^ Nephew * to the Great Eugene^ and Lieutenant- General of the Emperor’s Forces. The Founder of this Family was Alberic Cibol the natural Son of Innocent VIII. and, for his Sake, the Emperor Maximilian II. eredted Majfa into a Feudal Principality of the Empire : This City has nothing remarkable in it but the Prince’s Palace, which makes fome Shew. The Emperor keeps a Garrifon in it f. The People at Maffa are of good florid Complexions, and the Country is famous for its Quarries of Marble, and for Oil in abundance. YxovnMaJfato Sersana, orSARZANA, a City in the State of Genoa, the Country is extremely well cultivated, being planted with Olive-Trees and Vines. In this City the Genoefe have a Go- vernor, or Podeftat, but they keep a very forry Garifon in it i and if the Republic has no better Soldiers to withftand the Corjicans, who are call’d the Devils of Italy, I queftion whether the Rebel- lion will be foon fupprefs’d. The Sergeant of the Guard at the Gate made me a very civil Petition for Charity, which he afllired me was a fmall Tri- bute due to him from Foreigners. From Serfana 1 proceeded to Le r i c i, a little Town on the Sea-fide. There I put my Chaife on board a Felucca, and arriv’d in lefs than twenty-four Hours at Genoa, tho’ I flay’d feme Hours at Sestri, an Epifcopal City of that Re- public : It is a fmall, bat pleafant Town, and * This young Prince died in 1 73^}.. as his illuftrious Uncle did in the Year following. f The Spaniards took it at the Beginning of the War, and ^^was the full of their Exploits, very 144 G E N o aJ very agreeably fituate upon a Rock forming a Cape^ which runs very far into the Sea. This Town is defended by a Fort, which feem’d to me to be well furnifh’d with Cannon, but the Garifon is no better mann’d than that of Serf ana. Genoa, from that Side which is next the Har- bour, affords one of the greateft and fineft Points of View in the World •, and though moft of the Streets are narrow, clofe, and not very lightfome, yet among all the Towns of Italy it is with Juftice call’d the Superb ; for there is not a City in Europey where there are more fpacious and magnificent Pa- laces, and where the Houfes are in general better built. This rich and ftately City has been fubjedl to feveral Revolutions, but never fuffer’d a greater Shock than in 1684. when ’twas bombarded by Order of Lewis XIV. The Marquis de Seignelaiy who was the Minifter of his Revenge, difcharg’d hisCommiffion fo well, that from the loth of May to the 28th, he caus’d 13,000 Bombs to be thrown into the Town. The Genoefe were oblig’d to hum- ble themfelves, and the King granted them a Peace, on Condition that they wou’d fend four Senators into France, to make their Submifllon to him by the Mouth of the Doge, whofe Title was to be kept up, tho’, according to the Laws of the Republic, he lofes it as foon as he ftirs a Foot out of the City. Francis-Maria-ImperialiLercari was then the Doge, who went to Verfailles, and had his Audience there on the 15th of May 1685. Fie affeded to appear very gay there, by which means he gave more Lufire to the Satisfadion which he came to make, than to his own Dignity. The French boaft very much of this Event, and have not only ftruck Medals upon it, but have re- prefented it in Baffo Relievo’s of Brafs, in Tape- ftries, and in Pidures ; and all their Hiftorians talk of it as one of the moft glorious Epochas of the Reign Genoa. i4j Reign of Lewh XIV. Far be it from me to de- tract from the Glory of a Reign, which all the Uni- verfe admires, and to this Day refpeds ; but I can- not help faying^ that I queftion whether French wou’d eafily pardon any other Nations for making the like Boaft of their Exploits. The Spaniards^ who have the Charadicr of being vain, are, in my Opinion) if I may prefume to fay it, lefs lo than the French. They have a more glorious Paflage in their Hiftory, and that is, the Excufes which Phi~ liber t. Prince of Piedmont., Son to Charles Rmanuel., Duke of Savoy, made in Perfon to Philip IV. King of Spain, in i6io. That Monarch, being difgufted at the Condudl of the Duke, becaufe he had made a Treaty with France, fought to be reveng’d on him, and found an Opportunity. Henry IV. King of France being aflalTinated, Mary de Medi- cis, the Regent, was in no Condition to embroil herfelf with Spain, by affifting Charles Emanuel. Philip IV. improv’d this Opportunity, and caus’d Troops to march from the Milanefe towards Pied~ mont : The Duke, in order to divert the Storm, fent his Son to Madrid. The young Prince was very well receiv’d there at firft, but he had the Mortifi- cation to be oblig’d to make the moft fubmiffive Speech that could come from the Lips of a Sove- reign Prince : ‘ Sir, faid he, addrejjing hunfelf to the ‘ King, the Duke, my Lord and Father, being hin- ‘ der’d from coming himfelf, by his Age and Bufi- ‘ nefs, has fent me to fupplicate your Majefty on ‘ my Knees, to accept of the Satisfadtion which I * am now making. lam at a LofsforTerms ftrong * enough to exprefs the Grief of the Duke my Fa^ ‘ ther for the Lofs of your Favour. I fall once ‘ more at your Majefty’s Feet, refolv’d not to rife, were I to die on the Spot, till you have granted ‘ me the tavour I defire of you, which is, to take ‘ the Duke my Father, and our whole Family, into VoL. ]I, R vour 14 ^ G E N O A. ‘ your Royal Prote6lion. By this, 6*/r, you will give a Proof of your Readinefs to pardon the greateft Errors, and of the Kindnefs which you always had for a Family which is devoted to you, and honours you as its Lord and Father. ‘ This D cciaration, which is now made at your ‘ Knees by a Prince of your Blood, fhail, if ne- ‘ ceflary, be feal’d by mine. The Duke my ‘ Father abfolutely relies upon your Majefty’s * Goodnefs, and we refign ourfelves to you with- ‘ out Referve, If it pleai'es you to grant me the ‘ Favour which I humbly defire of you, it will ‘ be a new Obligation, that will attach us forever ‘ to your Interefts.’ Was not fo fubmiffive a Speech as this more likely to feed the Vanity of the King of Spain, than all the Excufes made by the Doge of Genoa to puff up Lewis X.IY ? And is not a Prince of Piedmont at Madrid, a Perfon of more Confequence than a Doge of Genoa at Verfailles ? Neverthelefs, the Spaniards have neither ftruck any Medals, nor raifed any Monuments to tranfmit that Event to Pofterity. Pardon me. Sir, for this Digreflion : The Prince of Piedmont’s Speech is not to be met with in all the Hiftorians : I believ’d it would be acceptable to you, and thought it was not alto- gether foreign to my Subject, to put the Repa- ration made by that Prince in a Parallel with that of the Doge. I now refume the Thread of my Narrative. The Street Baibi, and the new Street, are more like Galleries than Streets. The former lies near the beautiful Church of the Annunciation, and the firft confiderable Strudlure that appears in it, is the Jefuits College, of which James Balhi, a Ge- noefe Nobleman, made a Prefent on his Death-bed to the Society, on Condition that his Arms fhould always remain over the great Gate. The Reve- rend Genoa. 147 rend Fathers the JefuHs have laboured much to efface this poor Remembrance of their Bene- faftor, and for this End have had great Law-Suits with the Balbt Family •, but at length they were condemn’d by an Arret of the Senate to keep up the Arms of the Founder, and there they ftill remain. The two Palaces Purazzi, which are in the fame Street, are very magnificent, and richly fur- nifhed. In one of thole Palaces there is a Theatre, called the Theatre of the Falcon, which is fo ex- tremely well laid out, that every Spedator may fee and hear what pafi'es with Eale, and without incommoding his Neighbour, the Boxes being large and convenient, and the Ornaments difpos’d every-where with Judgment. The new Street is every whit as magnificent as the Street Balbi. Here are the two Palaces Brignole, and indeed they are both ftately Build- ings. Their Ornaments are the fined that can be imagined, and of the newed Fadiion: The Fur- niture is extremely rich, there being excellent Pic- tures by the greated Maders, Chimney and Pier- Glades of an extraordinary Size, and placed to Advantage; Tables of choice Marble upon Stands of an excellent Contrivance, and very richly gilt : In fhort, one wou’d not wifli to fee any thing more fine, and more complete. Mefiieurs Brignole are four Brothers, of whom there is but one that has a Son : They are immenfely rich, and have feven ■magnificent Palaces in Genoa. The Palace of the Duke Doria, which is in the fame Street, is grand and dately ; but not fo richly furniflied as the Palace of the Prince Doria, without the Gate of St. Fhornas, which owes its Foundation to the celebrated Doria, who was a General of the Emperor Charles V. This Palace is K 2 very G E N O A. very extenfive, and has a Profpcifl: of the Sea, but the Apartments are low and old-fa(hioned. The Suburb ot St. Peter d* Arena is very large, and contains fcveral noble Palaces, of which the Irnperiali^ where the Emperor and Emprefs lodged at their Return from Spain^ is efteemed by the ConnoilTeurs in Architecture. The People at Genoa are more fociable than they are at Venice^ and the Nobility here much more eafy of Accefs. I don’t believe, that they who accule the Italians of Jealoufy, include the Genoefe in that Charge ; there being few Countries in the World where the Women are allow’d more Freedom, and where, to all Appearance, they take more. A Woman muft have very few Charms indeed, if fhe has not two or three profefs’d Lo- vers. Thefe Sparks, who go by the Name of Ci- cisbety are never out of their Sight ; but they take great Pains in their Amours, being obliged to run fo faft by the Side of their Miftrefles Sedan, that they earn a Glance from the Fair with the Sweat of their Brows. There are Ladies here, who have five or fix of thefe Admirers always attending them where- ever they go ; and ’tis happy for thefe Rivals, that they never fall to- gether by the Ears. ’Tis true, that if they quarrel, they would be obliged to box it ; for the Gentry here don’t wear Swords, their Drefs being like that of the Lawyers in Prance ; but they al- ways wear flaort filk Mantles, which I could wilh the Counfellors of Parlbment in France would likewife wear, in orderHEo diftinguifli them from Tailors and Shopkeepers. The People of Quality here drefs very well, and the Genoefe of both Sexes have a much better Air than thofe of Florence and Rome. The Prin- cels of Modena's Refidcnce with them has not been to their Detriment i for they have contracfled a Genoa. & courtly Behaviour, to which the Itoil uns are pretty much Strangers. The Gencefe in general underftand good Living, and are never deficient in that refpedt, for want of knowing better. Tho* they are faid to be a forry People, I could like to live here very well. I have been at two of their Aflemblies, upon Occafion of the Marriage of a Nobleman, and have not feen any thing more magnificent •, for a King could not have made a more fplendid Entertainment. I was introduced to them by the Count Guiccardi, Envoy Extraordi- nary from the Emperor, and received abundance of Civilities. This Envoy is a Subjeft of the Duke of Modena, and was formerly in his Service. He was that Prince’s Minifter at Vienna, when he went into the Service of his Imperial Majefly. He married the Countefs Stnzendorff, who was the Daughter of Hawitz, the Grand Marfhal at Bref- den. This Lady was a Luthei'an ; but being at Vienna, and having a Curiofity to go to Divine Service in the Metropolitan Church of St. Stephen, while fhe was looking upon a Pidure of the Holy Virgin, a Flafh of Lightning came into the Chapel where Ihe was, and fcorch’d her in a Part, which I verily believe fhe wou’d not fhew for all the Gold of Peru ; but fhe received no other Harm, and thinking that fhe faw the Holy Virgin proted;- ing her, it made fuch an Impreffion upon her, that fhe embraced our Religion, of which flie is an exemplary ProfefTor, You know that the Genoefe are adually at War with their Subjeds the Corficam, who have newly publifh’d a Manifefto of their Reafons for taking Arms. If all they fay be true, ’tis certain they have been very ill ufed ; and that if any Rebellion can be excus’d, theirs may. This War has already coft the Republic immenfe Sums, and by the Turn which Affairs are taking, ’tis to be prefumed ir, K 3 will I 150 Genoa. e will run taeni iiuo a mu:h greater Expence. Th_ Corficam have chofe one Gtafferi for their Leader, He js a Man of Courage, and a good Headpiece : They fay he has taken an Oath to procure his Country its Liberties ; and if the Genoefe are not afiifted by fome Power, he is like enough to fuc- ceed. * Time will bring all Things to Light. I am, * Gmfferi did all fie could ; but was obliged to fubmit to Force, the Republic being alfifted by the Troops which the Em- peror had aficmbled in Lombardy^ to oppofe the Encerpriz.es he was then apprehcnlive of from the Spaniards, Giafferi was ar- retted, but by a great deal of Art and Cunning he obtain’d his Freedom, after the thought thQCorJicansvjtvt difarmed, deftitute of Leaders, and reduced to a Senfe of their Duty j and he retired to Tufeany. But the Corjicans being no better treated than they were before their Accommodation, took up Arms again, upon which Giajferi procured them all manner of Affifl:^ ance, and actually returned to that liland, and put himfelf at the Head of the Malecontents, who feeined to have a fair Chance of regaining their Liberties. They were fo uppifh in Expcdla- tion of foreign Affiffance, that they reje6fcd fbme new ConceP fions made to them by the Genoefe, in Bee. 1734, declar’d Ai-- telli General of the Forces, and one Cojla, a Man of great In- trigues, General-Auditor of tbelfland; and, at the fame time, made Propofals to the King of Spain to take them under his Protedlion, having renounced all Subjedlion to the Republic of Genoa, declar’d themfelves a free and independent People, and refolv’d to defend their Liberties to the laft Man. At length they receiv’d fome Recruits of Money and Ammunition hy oncTheo- dore, who call’d himfelf the Baron de Neuhoff, and arriv’d in March 173^. on Board znEnglifi} Ship from Tunis but in the Name of what Power he a^fed, is as yet a Mydery. Fie had the Succefsto be proclaim’d King of Corfica, and Copper Money was coin’d therewith his Effigies; but he has lince been obliged to abandon the Ifland ; and the French have taken upon them to accommodate Mattel^ between the Genoefe Corjicans, It mud be left to Time, to fhew whether the Genoefe will have Reafon to be pleafed with this formidable Mediation. After all, that Republic has too much Caufe to remember the Saying of Prince Leveis of Wirtemberg, who, when he return’d with the Imperial Troops from fuppreffing the former Rebellion, told them. That the Ifland was not worth the Expences which* the Republic had been at in reducing the Corjicans, and what they mud be at continually to keep them in Subjeftioa. LETTER Alexandria. Asti. Quieri. i 5 1 LETTER XXXVI. g J Turin , Nov . 28. 1731. T H E Road hither from Genoa is very bad at this time of the Year. Doring the firft two Poft-Stages I crofs’d one River no lels than thirty-two times, and fiw a great many fine Houfes on the Banks of it ; for tho’ the Neighbourhood of Genoa is very mountainous, ’tis-very pleafanr, all the Hills being covered with Chefnuts, and other Fruit-Trees. After I had tfavell’d about four Poft-Stages, I enter’d on the Plain which brought me to Turin. This is certainly one of the finell Countries in the World, and wants nothing but Cauieys. The moft confiderable City that I met with in my Road, was Alexandria de la Paille, which ftands on the River Tanaro. ’Tis a great Town, but not very populous. It formerly de- pended on the Milanej'e., and was yielded by the Emperor to the King of Sardinia, who keeps a good Garifon in it, and has fet Men at Work to repair the Fortifications, which had really been very much negleded. This City is alfo of Note for its Fairs, which are the moft confiderable in I afterwards came to Asti, where I found no- thing good but an Inn, which indeed is one of the beft of Ital'j. From thence I went and lay at Quieri, a great Town in Piedmont, ill-built, K 4 but 1^1 Montcallier. Turin. but full of People of Quality, and fituate in a Plain, which is perfectly beautiful ; but I was in fo much Hafte to get to Turin, that I did not ftay there. I pafs’d by the Foot of a Hill, on which Rands the Caftle of Montcallier, a Royal Palace built by her late Royal Highncfs, the Mother of King Fi^or Amedeus. The^Apar^ ments are large and magnificent, and command one of the fineft Profpecls in the World ; but the Gardens belonging to it are no more worth a Traveller’s View, than the Village of Montcallier kfelf. At fome DiRance from this Place I crofs’d the Po a Vv'ooden Bridge, and came thro’ a pleafant Avenue to Turin, the Capital of Pied- mont^ and the ordinary Refidence of the Dukes of Savo\K Thofe Princes chofe alfo to make it the •/ Seat of the Chamber of Accompts, and of the Senate, which is what they call in France the Par- lemenc ; and they have rendered it one of the ftrongeft and fineft Cities of Ital'^^ exclufive of its charming Situation. ’Tis divided into two Parts, the old and the ne'W City, with Baftions and Out- works, well fac’d, and a Citadel very regularly fortify’d. It ftands eighteen Miles from the Alps^ in a Plain which has the Po on one Side, and the JDiiero on the other. This City will always be remembred for the ^ Siege which it fuftained in 1704, when the Mar- flial and Count Dann, Governor of Milan, com- manded here, by the Emperor’s Permiftion, at the Requeft of the Duke of Savoy. He defended the Place againft the Duke of Orleans, the Grand- fon of Fr ance, and gave Time to Prince Eugene of Savoy to come to its Relief, and oblige the Enemy to raife the Siege. The French pretend, that all this was done by Order from Court ; and that the Duchefs of Burgundy, the Daughter of • I Turin. ijj of King Victor Amedeus, was the Perfon that pre- vail’d on Lewis XIV. to confent to the raifing of the faid Siege. As I am not privy to what pafs’d at that Time in the Cabinet ot the King of France^ this is an i\.necdote, which I can neither affirm nor deny ; but as the Belief of what the French give out upon this Head is not an Ar- ticle of Faith, I hope they will not be angry, if I do not give Credit to Rumours, fo much to the Dilhonour of the greateft King that ever they had : For how can it be imagin’d, that if Lewis XIV. had really a Defire, that his Army fhould decamp from before Turin, he would have chofe to have fubjeded that Army to the Hazard of be- ing obliged to fight againft his Will and his Or- ders, and by that Means to have expos’d the Honour of his Nephew, the Glory of his Arms, and the Lives of a great many brave Men, which were loft in that Defeat ? Surely, a Retreat con- certed in the Cabinet would have been made in better Order, and would not have had the Ap- pearance of a Flight. But the French have this Notion : They were never routed, but ’twas ei- ther becaufe it pleafed the Court that they fiiould be routed, or becaufe of fome Jealoufy betwixt their Generals. They loft the Battle of Hochjlety s/1 A for want of a right Underftanding betwixt the ^ Eledor of Bavaria^ and the Marlhal de Lallard ; that of RamillieSy becaufe the Marlhal de Filler oy would not let the Eledor of Bavaria have the Honour of beating us ; that of Audenardcy be- caufe the Duke of Vendofme’% receiving that Shock, was a real Satisfadion to the Duke of Burgundjy the Prefumprive Heir of the Throne : And M. de la Motley too, fuffered himfelf to be beaten near JV ^nendaky only in Complailance to the Duke of Burgundy, who was apprehen five that he fhould pot be able to perfuade the King his Grandfather to 154 T U R ! Ni to the Peace, which he had very much at Heart, if Lijle was not taken by the Allies, which City could not have been mattered, but by letting the. Convoy pafs, which M. de la Motte had attack’d. The Paflltge of the Scheldt the raifing of the Siege of Bruj[j}h, the Surrender of Ghent ^ without ftrike- ing a Blow •, all this was done alfo by Order of the Duke of Burgundy^ who was for a Peace upon any Terms, and cou’d not obtain it without facri- ficing both the Army and Glory of the King his Grandfather, But to fpeak the Truth, were all the Marttials of France to tell me the fame Story, they would find me as great an Unbeliever as St. Fhomas, and v/ou’d never prevail with me to be guilty of fuch an Infult upon the Memory of the Duke of Burgundy, the wifeft Prince of his Time, as to believe that he had the Plonour of his Coun- try, and the Interefts of his Family fo little at Fleart. Nothing can be more regular than that Part of Turin, vvhich is called the new Citv. The Houfes are of Brick, and three Stories high. The Streets are wide, flrait, and well-pav’d. It has fine Churches, particularly the Metropolis, or Chape! of the Holy Handkerchief, which is alfo the Royal Chapel, and may be reckon’d the Matter- piece of Architecture. ’Tis in the Form of an Octogon Dome, all fac’d, not excepting the Roof, with black Marble. The Altar is in the Middle of the Dome. There is preferved the precious Re- lique of our Lord’s Handkerchief, of which there’s the like in St, Peter’s Church at Rome, and at Befanpn. I had been told, that I ttiould be able to dittinguifh the very Print of the Face in this Hand- kerchief, and a Part of our Saviour’s Body ; but i was not fo happy as to difeern any thing like it. The King’s Palace makes no great Appear- ance, nor indeed is it quite finifli’d ; neverthelefs, -- th.e. T U R.I N. 155 the Apartments are well contriv’d; The Furniture is rich, and there are excellent Piftiires, and mag- nificent Cielings. There are Gardens in this Pa- lace, which are artfully difpos’d in the Manner of Fortifications, according to beautiful Plans ; but. fetting this afide, they are not much adorn’d. The fineft, and the completeft Thing at Tu- rin, and perhaps in Europe^ in the modern Ar- chitedure, is the Front of the Palace of the late Madame Royale, the King’s Grandmother. This Palace is contiguous to the King’s Palace, and communicates with it by a Gallery. ’Twas a very old Building, and made a poor Appearance ; but Madame Royale fpar’d no Coft, either in Gild- ing or Painting, to fet ofi^ the Infide. When this was done, it happened that the Stair-cafe was in- convenient ; upon which her Royal Highnefs, who was in every Thing magnificent, undertook to build one ; and to this is owing the ftately Front, of which I here make mention. This Princefs confulted with all the fkilful Architeds in Italy., and fix’d upon the Plans, which to her appear’d the moil grand and beautiful. Before this Stair- cafe was built, they us’d to fay that Madame Royale’s Palace was a Houfe without a Stair-cafe •, and now they fay ’tis a Stair-cafe without a Houfe ; and really, the Stair-cafe wou’d become the Loit- vre, it being by much too big for the Building it belongs to. I cou’d not get a Sight of the Cafile of the Venerie, three Leagues from Turin; for while KingT/^or is a Prilbner there, no body is fulfer’d to go near it. You muft, no doubt, have heard of that Prince’s being under an Arreft ; but I que- ftion whether you have been inform’d of what gave Occafion to that Affair, and of the Manner of his being taken into Cullody. What I have heard of it from People of Credit, is as follows. King M'S Turin. King Vi^or Amedeus^ after the Death of the C^ieen his Wife, who was Daughter of Philip of France, the late Duke of Orleans, by Henrietta of Fngland, fell in Love with the IMarchionels of 6/, Sehajlian, Lady of Honour to the Princels of Piedmont, now C^ieen of Sardinia. The Vir- tue of Madame de St. Sehajlian, and the Kino’s Devotion for her, induc’d him to marry this Fa- vourite. But not thinking it honourable for a King to place a Subjedl on his Throne, he took a Refolution to refign his Crown, before he con- trafted fo unequal a t Match. He imparted his Defign to Madame de St. Sehajlian, who did ali fTie cou’d to prevail with Vitlor to continue upoa the Throne ; but finding he was refolv’d not to make her a ^een, fhe confented to his Abdica- tion, ftill thinking herfelf highly honour’d to be- come the Wife of a Prince, who had worn a Crown. King Vihtor confulted with his chief Fa- vourites about his Abdication, who all advis’d him not to leave the Throne. His Son Kino" to * The Prince had a Kindnefs for MademoifelJe de Cummne^ before fhe was married to the Count deSt,SehaJUanyV/htn fhe was Maid of Honour to Madame Royale. She was afterwards a Lady of Honour to the Duchefs of Savoy^ and at laft Tire-Woman to the Pi’incefs of Piedmonty late Queen of Sardinia, She has been a Widow fince 1723. After fhe was married to the Count de St» SebaJHany fhe ftili preferv*d the King’s Friend fhip and Efteem, and was always in great Credit with him. When (lie became a Widow, the old Flames of Love broke out again j the King gave her an Apartment at Court, where he cou’d fee her without being feen, and he took Care of her Family. f ’Tis faid, that the real Motive of this Abdication was his Perplexity on Account of the Succeflion of Parma and Tufeany^ and the Introdudtion of the Infante Den Carlos into Italy, They fay he had enter’d into Engagements relating to this Affair, firif with the Court of Vienna, and afterwards with Spain 5 and it not being poffible for him to fatisfy either of thofe Courts withr out expofing himfelf to the Refentment of the other, herefblved to abdicate, at lea ft for a Time, becaufe he knew of no other Way to extricate himfelf from the Dilemma. Charla Turin. 157 Charles conjur’d him to keep Pofleflif n of it, I frotejl to 'jOur Majejl'j, faid this Prince, / never once indul£d a IVtJh to govern^ and think mjfelf ex- ceeding happy to he your Firjl Subjedl. But all his Remonftrances were of no Effeft •, and the 5th of September^ was fix’d for the Day of Abdica- tion. Upon that Day, all the chief Perfons in the Government, and the Senate, met in the great Hall of the * Palace. There the King appear’d without any Mark of Royalty, accompany’d by the Prince of Piedmont^ and declar’d to the Af- fembly, that he was refolv’d to yield the Throne to his Son ; and that from that Moment he ex- empted them, as he did all his Subjefts, from the Oath of Allegiance they had taken to him. He exhorted them, at the fame time, to acknowledge his Son Charles, Prince of Piedmont, for their King ; and defir’d them to be as Loyal to their new Sovereign, as they had been to him. Then the Att of Abdication was read with a loud Voice, by the Marquis del Bor go. Secretary of State, and Charles was recogniz’d for King. After the Ceremony was over. King ViSlor, with the Marchionefs of (he is fair, and has a very fine Com- plexion, is a Princefs of folid Piety, charitable to the Poor, and ready to do Good to all Mankind, but particularly to her Family. She is the Mother of two lovely * Princes, and a Princefs, and feems very attentive to give them an Education fuitable to their Birth. The Ceremonial of this Courtis pretty much the fame with that which is obferved at the Court of France. The King and Queen always eat toge- ther, and permit none to be Speftators but the Officers of their Floulhold. The Ladies muff: not come to the Palace, without being in the Court Drefs, the Queen alone wearing a Mantua. Her Majefty has fix Ladies of Honour to attend her, * There is now but one Prince, the youngell being deadj but there are three Princefles. d Shediedy«». ij. 1755. and his Majefty has fince married Sifter of the prefcnt Great Duke of Tufcany, L 3 who ^66 Turin. who mufl: be all Wives, and as many Maids of Honour. She has a Drawing-Room every Night, when the Queen is feared in an Arm-chair, the young Princefs of and the Queen’s youngeft Sifter, fitting on Folding-chairs, two Rows off, by the Side of the Queen’s Chair; and^ all the Ladies ftand, with the Gentlemen behind them. This Drawing-Room holds for about an Hour, when the Queen riles, and, laluting the Prin- ceffesand Ladies, retires. After this, all the No- bility repair to fome Houfe where there is an Aff fembly. The gayeft ot all is held at the Houfe of the Marchionefs de Prie^ whofe Hufband was Lieu- tenant Governor of the Netherlands^ who often gives a Ball, at which the King is fometimes prefent. There’s an Air of Eafe and Freedom in this City, which is not to be enjoy’d in all Italy be- fides ; and the Piedmontefe don’t think themfclves Italians •, fo that 1 am often afle’d, Whether I came laft from Italy ? Or, Whether I am going to it ? I could like to live in this City better than in any other. I think this Mixture of the French Man- ners with the Italians is perfedtly agreeable and juft. The People here live well. There are fe- veral Noblemen that keep a good Table, and are very civil to Strangers. For this, the Marlhal de la Rhehinder is particularly noted. This General is a Native of Livonia ; He commanded the Eledtor Palatine’s Troops in Italy, and then went into the Service of the Duke of Savoy, in Quality of Lieu- tenant General, and Colonel of a foreign Regi- ment of Foot. King FWor created him a Velt- Marfhal, and he is adlually Commander in Chief of the King of Sardinia's Troops. The Marquis d' Ormea is the Chief or Prefident of the Council, firft Secretary of State, and Prime Minifter. He was heretofore in the Confidence of Kino Vitlor. That Prince had fent him to Rome, where Turin. 167 where the Marquis d’Ormea obtained great Advan- tages of Pope Benedi^fXlll. for the King his Ma- tter ; particularly the Nomination to all Benefices. This Minifter was recall’d in the firft Year of the Pontificate of Clement XII. when his Holinefs was fo inclement as to revoke all that his Predeceflbr had granted. Not long before King Vt^lor's Ab- dication he returned to Turin. King Charles does nothing without him. He is a Gentleman ol Good-nature, an Enemy to Subterfuges, and is facred to his Promifes. I knew him at Rome, and have the Honour of feeing him here as often as the Multiplicity of his Affairs will permit him to receive my Vifits. Every body here applauds and fpeaks well of him, which is not always the good Fortune of People elfewhere, that are in Places: This Minifter has a Brother a * Cardinal, and an only Son, who is a very lovely Youth, and has a natural Inclination to tread hereafter ip the Steps of his Father. The Youth here don’t feem to be fo hair-brain’d as they are elfewhere : I don’t know whether they are really wifer, but however they feem to be fo in Public. Were I to advife a Father of a Fa- mily, it Ihould be to fend his Children to the Univerfity here, tlian which I queftion whether there’s a better in Europe, as well with regard to the Matters of the Exercifes, as to the Care taken of the Youth, who are boarded, dieted and in- ftrufted in all the Sciences and Exercifes, and di- vided into two Clafles ; of which the one only ftudies the Law, and therefore does not pay fo much as the other ; but they mutt be all Gentle- men. They are only allow’d to go abroad on certain Days of the Week ; but then they may appear at Court, and go where they pleafe, ex- cept to Houfesof Gaming. * This is the Cardinal Ferrcro, Bifliop of Verceil, L 4 ' The i68 Turin. Susa. The Out-parts of Turin are infinitely plea- fant. The Country is adorned with a great many pretty Cafjtnes or Pleafure-Houfes, which are only feparated by Meadows, that are conftantly water’d by a Number of little Brooks. I take the Air every Day upon the Efplanadt\ between the City and the Citadel, where there are fine Walks, and one often meets with very pretty Women. The Blood here is perfedly good, and all the Pied- montefe Ladies have a great deal of Life and Spi- rit. I am very forry to leave them, but the Misfortune is unavoidable, and Hafte prcfies me ' to be gone. I propofe to be in ten or twelve Days at Lyons^ if I don’t ftay at Chamberry ; but this you will know by my next Letter. Don’t fail to write tome 2 xParis^ and believe me to be, LETTER XXXVII. S I Lyons , March 1 . 1732. T H O’ I had pafs’d Mount Cenh twice be- fore, and travers’d Savoy^ yet I thought the PafTage of the Alps as difagreeable as ever •, and am heartily glad to find myfelf in this City, which is better than al KVirwy put together. From ‘inrin I went and lay at la Novalaise. 1 firft pafs’d by the Caftle of Rivoli, which ftands on an Fminence, and to which there’s an Avenue from ‘I'ur'm in a ftraic Line of three Leagues in Length. Then I travell’d thro’ Susa, which, by the way, is a very dirty Town, upon the Banks Brunette. Novalaise. i^p of a River form’d by Torrents from the neigh- bouring Mountains, which feem, as it were, to bu- ry Sufa aliv.e. This City, and the Valley in which ’tis built, are commanded by the Fort de la Brunette, an important Place, which King Vic- tor Amedeus caus’d to be erefted for the Defence of Piedmont. Nature and Art have alike contributed to fortify it. ’Tis provided with a good Garifon, and all Neceflaries to fuftain a Siege ; and if it had been built in the Time of Lewis XIII. I doubt whether that King, and his Minifter the Cardinal de Richelieu^ would foeafily have pafied the Moun- tains. La Novalaise is a forry Town, with a wretched Inn, which is the more difagreeable, be- caufe Strangers are oblig’d to ftop there to unload their Effeds, and put them on the Backs of Mules to carry them to the other Side of the Mountain. I was carried over it in a matted El- bow-chair by four Men, who relieved one ano- ther at proper Diftances, and often took me upon their Shoulders •, fo that if I had been ever fo little given to Chimeras, I fhould have fanfied myfelf a Pope. At the Top of the Mountain is a * Lake, and alfo an Hofpital, which I thought made but a poor Appearance. Pilgrims are there entertain’d, and other Foot Paflengers, for three Days ; and there are two Prielts to receive the Paflengers, and to ferve the Church. This is a very laudable Foundation in a forry wretched Country, where, notwithftanding this Provifion, People are often found dead in the Snow. Thofe poor Reverends may boaft, that they live in one of the laddeft Places in the World, their greatefl: Amufement for nine Months in the Year, being to fee the Snow ^ This wou’d be very extraordinary, as Mr* uiddtjbn obferves, were it not tor other neighbouring Mountains that rife above it. ^ tall. 170 Lanebourg'. Maurienne, fall, and to blow their Fingers. The Defcent from Mount Cenh on the Side of Savo'^ is by much the * eafieft, where in the Winter-time People have the Pleafure of rolling down in a Sled, which the Country People call fe faire ramajfer. This Way of travelling is very commodious and diverting, and fo fwift, that an Arrow from aCrofs-bow does not fly fafter. I knew an Englijh Gentleman that flay’d a Week together at Lanebourg, and who, after he had come down this Mountain, went up again and again, purely for the Pleafure of fe faire ramaffer. Lanebourg and its Inn are no better than ha Novalaife •, but one is oblig’d to flop again here for frefh Horfes. Thofe who don’t travel Poll, and make ufe of the Carriers of 'Turin or Chamberry, are feldom put to thisTrouble, becaufe moftof thefe People have Pack- horfes on both Sides the Moun- tain, and have nothing to do but to fend their Bag- gage away, which is very quickly loaded. From hambourg to Cbamberry all the Road is bury’d, as it were, by Rocks and Mountains, and frightful Precipices : There are Rails indeed, but not ftrong enough to flop a Carriage : I faw a Cart drawn by four Horfes tumble down one of thofe Precipices, by which the Horfes were kill’d, and the Cart with its whole Lading, which confifted of Porcer lain and Glafs Wares belonging to the Prince of Carignan, broke in a thoufand Pieces : The Car- rier, tho’ he vvas not at all to blame, drew out his Knife in order to flab himfelf, and wou’d actually have done it, if my Poftiiion and other People had not hinder’d him. I pafs’d thro’ feveral little Towns in my Way hither, that are not worth mentioning •, St. John de Maurienne is the chief, becaufe ’tis the See * This ftiews another Miftake of Mijjfon, who fays this Side is, the moll rugged. of C H A M B E R R T. 17* of a Bifhop, and the Capital of a Province of that Name ; ’tis a very antient County, and the firft Inheritance of the Princes of Savoy ; this Valley extends from the Alps to the River of Ifere on one Side, and from the Tarentaife to the Dauphinois. Chamberry, the Capital City of Savoy, is not a Town where you muft expeft fumptuous Fabrics, the Houfes there making but a mean Figure, yet the Place is not for that Reafon one jot the lefs agreeable ; ’tis fituate on the Banks of the River Orhanno in a very little Plain encompafs’d with Hills, where there are charming Walks, and fpe- cial Company. There’s a great Number of Nobi- lity, who indeed are not the moft money’d Men ; yet they make good Entertainments, and keep a great deal of Company. The Ladies are beauti- ful, and the Gentlemen handfome, the common People good-natur’d and civil, and the Savoyards in general are a very good Sort of People. They are accus’d of being too thrifty, but perhaps ’tis more out of Neceffity than Inclination; for when a Man is oblig’d to fupport the Dignity of a Noble or Gentleman, and has but a fmall Fortune, he is forc’d to be a good Hufband whether he will or no. At the Diftance of five Leagues from Chamberry I defeendeda high Mountain, in which I perceiv’d a Road had been cut for half a League. I faw by a Latin Infcription at the Foot of the Mountain, which I had not Time to copy, that the Romans formerly undertook to make this Road; but, judg- ing it impoflible, gave it over ; yet Charles Ema- r^uel II. for the Good of his Subjedts, and the Public in general, undertook it, and had the Glory to carry it to a Conclufion, which was the moll uleful and magnificent Thing that a great Sove- reign could do : But I queftion whether he wou’d luye accomplifhtd it, if, like the Romans, he had not 17 i Echelles. P. Bonvgisin. rot made ufe of Gunpowder. There was a Ne- ceflity for the blowing up of prodigious high Rocks for eftablilhing the Bed of the Caufey, which is fenc’d on both Sides by Rocks cut out in Form of Walls, that are as high as the Top of the Moun- tain. This hollow Way is fubjcdl to great Mifts ; when I pafs’d, it was the fineft Weather in the World on the Plain ; but when 1 enter’d theValley, I found a Mill fo thick, that I could not fee my Poftilion. This Mill brought me to the Town of Echelles, which is at the Foot of the Mountain at the En- trance of a Plain that leads to Lyons. I alfo pafs’d to Pont de Bonvoisin, a little Town which is fhar’d betwixt the Kings of France and Sardinia. Both thefe Princes have their Cuftom-houfes here, the Officers of which are not very tradable. The King of France keeps a Commandant, and two free Companies, in that Part of Bonvoifiny which belongs to him. This is the firft Town of IDanfbiny, which is notone of the leafl: Provinces in the Kingdom. It was granted to Philip de Valois. by Humbert de la Four., the laft Sovereign Prince of Dauphiny, who bore the Title of Dauphin of the Viennois. Hiftory fays, that Humbert, finding him- felf childlefs, made a Grant of his Principality to the King of France', and chofe a Monaftic Life at Lyons in the Order of St. Dominic, in the Rules of which he liv’d with the very great Efteem of good Men. He was afterwards eleded Prior ol this Con- vent, and nominated Patriarch oiAlexandria. Some fay, that having been the innocent Author of the Death of his only Son, his deep Concern for this Accident made him refolve to embrace the Monaftic Life ; but others pretend, that having a fecret Grudge againft the Duke of Savoy, whom he was too weak to cope with, he made an Agreement with the King of France, on purpofe that the Duke might L Y O N S. 173 might have a Neighbour powerful enough not only to oppofe, but to reduce him to Reafon. But if this be true, it muft be own'd to be a fad Sort of Revenge for a Prince to ftrip himfelf of a Sove- reignty, purely to injure his Neighbour. I fanfy there are few Princes woli'd be of the Humour to take fuch a Revenge. The fame Humbert requir’d, that the eldeft Son of France fhou’d be ftyl’d the Dauphin, which was granted him, and has been obfervM ever fince. The Duke of Orleans^ the firft Prince of the Blood of France^ is Governor of Dauphin^. This Province has- a Parliament, which is held at Grenoble. The antient Dauphins* refided at Vienne^ which is an Archbiflioprick. ’Twas to the Neighbourhood of this City, that Herod and Pilate^ our Saviour’s Judges, were ba- nifh’d. Lyons is fo confiderable a City, that the French commonly fay. Next to Paris, Lyons*. Th^Sdon runs thro’ this City, and the Rhone walhes its Walls The Trench are not the only People who boaft of the Gran- deur and other Advantages of Lyonsy as. appears from this Epi- gram by ScMtger* Tlumineis "Rhodanus qua fe fugat incitus undisy ^uaque pigro dubitat flumine mitis Araty Lugdunum jacet, mtiqm novus or bis in orbe^ Lugdunumque vetus orbis in orbe novo* ^uod nolisy alibi quAras 5 hie quAre quod optas : Ant hicy ant nufqnamy vincere vota potes. Lugdnni quodcunqne poteft dare mundns habebis : Rlnra petasy hac urbs tibi plura dabit. X. e. Where Rhone impetuous rollsy and where the flow And gentle Saon with milder Streams does flowy There Lyons ftands \ where we united findy What flatter d thro* the World delights the Mind p And if you ftill feek more with greedy Tyey Lyons can tv*n more Wonders flill fnpply* CIS 174 Lyons. ’tis a large opulent City, for the Inhabitants are induftrious, laborious, and given to Tradings There’s not a Town in France^ if in the whole World, where they make fuch fine Stuffs. They endeavour to imitate them at Turin, in Holland, and elfewhcre, but they can’t come up to them* The City of Lyons is the See of an Archbifliop, who is at prefent M. de Rochebonne, and therein fucceeded the late M. de Vdleroi, Son to the late Marflial of that Name, who was Lewis the XVth’s Governor. The Villeroi Family has been for a long time in PoffTeflion of the Government of Lyons, and the chief Dignities of its Province. The late Marfhal obtain’d the Government of Lyons and the Lyonnois from King Lewis XIV. who alfo granted him the Reverfion of the faid Government for his eldeft Son, the Archbilhoprick for his fecond Son, and the Abbey of St. Peter in L.yons for his Daughter. The Duke of Orleans, when Regent of the Kingdom, conferred on him moreover the Reverfion of the Government of L^yons for his Grandfons the Duke de Retz, and the Marquis d* Aline our t, and nominated the latter Iheutenanf- General of the Province. Tho’ Authority gene- rally renders thofe hated who are vefted with it, yet the Gentlemen of the Name of Villeroi have ever efcap’d that Fate ; ’tis true they have always adled with very great Moderation, and are bene- ficent, well-bred, civil and generous, fo that they are mightily belov’d in Lyons, where the late Mar- flial was as much refpeded as the King himfelf ; for he procur’d great Advantages for the Province, and for the City in particular. They tell a very good Story concerning the Ad- milTion of the firft Villeroi to the Archiepifcopal Dignity of this City. The Chapter of Lyons is one of the moft haughty in all Cbriftendom, and ’tis not without Reafon 5 for it is founded upon the Blood 4 Lyons. 175 of above 20,000 Martyrs, and has always been reputed the Seminary of Popes, Cardinals and Bi- fliops, who have been taken from thence to govern the Church. Nobility is infeparable therein from the Priefthood, and *tis an Obfervation made by feveral Authors, that in the third Century the Chapter confifted of fevcnty-four Canons, of whom one was the Son of an Emperor, nine the Sons of Kings, fourteen the Sons of Dukes, thirty the Sons of Counts, and twenty were Barons. *Tis no won- der therefore, that the Counts of Lyow, for they are not called Canons, made a Scruple to admit for their Archbirtiop Camillus de la Neuville^ who was not of their Body, and whom King Lewis XIV'. had nominated to this Archbifhoprick. Neuville is known to be the Name of the Family of Villeroi. The Grandfather of this Prelate was the firft of the Family that was of any Eminence ; he had been Treafurerof the W'^ar- Office, undi Prevot des Mar- cbands of the City of Paris ; his Grandfather Ni- colas de la Neuville had been Secretary of State, and his Father Charles de la Neuville was the firft of the Family who had a Title of Honour, which was that of Marquis d' Aline our t, Sieur de Villeroi^ an Eftate which Peter le Treafurer of France^ had giuen to his Grandfather. The Marquis dd Alincour I was Governor of Ayow^and the Lwnnois^ and dying in the Service of the King, as Ambaffa- dor at Rome, his Majefty gave his Son the Arch- bifhoprick of Lyons, when it became vacant. The Chapter refus’d to admit him, becaufe he was not of a fuitable Rank, nor a Member of their Body *, but the King found a way to make himlelf obey’d, and when the Archbiffiop harangu’d the Chapter, he took thefe Words of the Pfalmifi: for his Text, The Stone which the Builders had rejected, is become the head Stone of the Corner. The Uifcourfe he made was, they fay, as infulting to the Chapt er as one would 17^ Lyons. would expeft from the Choice of the Text. The Dean, whofe ready Wit was applauded, made no other Anfwer to the Archbilhop, than by taking the next Verfe to that which the Prelate had chofe, viz. This is the Lord's (the King’s) Doings it is mar- vellous in our Eys. Notwithftanding this, the new Archbifhop found means to become both the Spiri- tual and Temporal Governor of this City •, for he was made Lieutenant-General in the Government of the Ljonnois till the Year 1693, when he was fucceeded by the Son of the Marfhal Villeroi his Nephew, and the latter was fucceeded by M, de Rochebonne. The Perfon who commands in the Abfence of the Duke de Villeroi., Governor of the City, is the Prevot des Marchands, which is fo much the worfe for any Foreigner that comes Poll ; for he is carried to his Houfe, and as ftriftly examin’d as if he was a Prifoner at the Bar, I was alfo oblig’d to conform to this Cuftom *, having made me wait a long time in an Anti-chamber, where was a Mix- ture of People of all Sorts, he appear’d at laft with an Air of Importance, which was not natural to him. The Queftions he put to me, and the Anfwers I gave, were very Laconic, and I imagine that there is no Love loft betwixt us. The Prevot des Marchands ought to be chang’d every three Years ; but when he is acceptable to the Court, he is commonly continued. One wou’d think, that the tranfitory Grandeur of thefe Gentle- men lliou’d not make them fo vain ; for when they are turn’d out of their Employment, they make juft the fame Figure as a Stage-Player, after he has put off the Roman Habit, in which he has reprefented Mithridates or Pyrrhus. I have reafon to be as much pleas’d with M. Poultier the Intendant, as I have to diflike M. Pe- richony the Prevot des Marchands. I have been to make Lyons. 177 make him a Vifit, which he has return'd ; and for thefe four Days that I have been here 1 go every Night to his Houfe, where 1 fee the belt People of this City, in which there’s good Company, tho’ few Nobility. The Merchants of the firft Rank Jive like petty Sovereigns, and hav^e fine Houfes, both in the Town and the Country. If a Fo- reigner has ever fo little Acquaintance here, he cannot fail of being diverted ; for the Lyonnois are civil and obliging, and not fo much abforb’d in Commerce as to negletSt good Manners. 1 hey are extraordinary civil tome, and make me very welcome. They delight in Gaming, and are not infenfible to Love and the Bottle. The Comedy here is tolerable, and as much fre- quented as if it was the beft : The Comedians ge- nerally make their Fortunes in this City, and if they don’t get an Eftate, they can at lead (hew a fine Wardrobe. At one of thefe Madams Levees a Captain is oblig’d to yield the Precedence to a Journeyman Shopkeeper. There's an old Adtrefs here, who forty Years ago was the Darling of the Generality of L'^ons : The People of good Tafte wi(h her banifh’d from the Theatre, but there’s no perfuading this fuperannuated Beauty not to expofe her wither’d Charms : She has the Direction of the Comedy, which brings her in 20,000 Livres a Year. An Attempt has been made to cut off her Penfion, which really might be better employ’d ; but Mademoifelle Marez^ which is the Namie of this Matron, remonftrated, that flie cou’d not Jive with lefs than 35000 Livres a Year, that her Gal- lant was not able to furniff her the odd 1 5,000 any longer, that (he had no Eftate ; and that if they touch’d her Penfion, (lie fiiou’d be undone for ever4 Reafons fo juft as thefe prevail’d, fo that it was not thou^ght fit to pufh poor Mademoifelle Marez to an Extremity. A Lady of this Province happen- VoL. II, M ino- L y o N s. ing to be in Town, and hearing it reported that Mademoilelle Marex had no lefs than 15,000 Li- vres a Year from her Gallant, faid fmartly, Jb ! hafe Jade ! (fee ought to be burn'd •, floe takes the Bread out of the Mouths (f above fifteen honeft Wives. \ often take tlie Air here in the Square of Belle- Covjg Or Lewis le Grand, where I am fare to meet with good Company, there being always a great many very pretty Women, and well drefs’d, who a£t the Ladies ol Quality very well. But I men- tion my Walks at Belle-Cour to you, without ac- quainting you what Sort of Place it is : ’Tis not pav’d, nor near fo wide as it is long : The Houfes at both binds are uniform, and finely decorated i and it v/ere to be wifn’d, that thofe on the two Sides were of the fame Proportion. On one Side of this Square there’s a Row of Trees, and in the Middle an Equeftrian Statue of Lezvis XI Y. who is there reprefented on Horfeback on a Pedeftal of white Marble ; but with no other infeription than the Name, Lev/is XIV. which, after all that can be fitid, is a great deal of Praife in a little Compafs •, and the late Marfhal de Villeroi, who engag’d the Citizens of Lfons to be at the Expence of it, thought it the greateft and moft refpeftful Compli- ment that cou’d be paid to the Original, There’s another Square here call’d les ferreaux^ which is worthy of Notice ; in the Front of it Hands the Town-houfe, which is a grand and mag- nificent Edifice of Stone, L^wuXIV. on Horfe- back is reprefented in Baffo-Relievo over the Gate. On the Left-hand of the Towndioufe upon the Square of 'T erreaux (lands the Abbey of St. Peter, which is a great Building, and, when finifh’d, will not want for Magnificence. I am, Cfc. I. E r T E R T R E V O U X. letter XXXVIII. ^ / i?, Farisy March lo. F O R the fake of good Wine I preferr’d the D jon Road to Paris^ before the great Road frOiTi L'^ons thro’ Parare ; but I have been rigtitly ferv’d for being fo over-nice in my Palate, for I have been fadly impos’d on, and did not meet with one Glafs of good Wine at any Houfe ol: Entertainment in all the Road, which in other re-^ fpeds I found pleafant enough. I fent my Chaife to Chalons upon the Saone^ and went thither by Water in the Boat that carries PalTengcrs, who go in the Diligence (Stage Coach) to Paris, In this Vehicle, which otherwife was not a very pleafant one, I happen’d to meet with a Couple of Officers of my Acquaintance, very amiable Gentlemen. We pafs’d by Trevoux, the Capital of the Prin- cipality of Dombes^ of which the Duke de Maine is Sovereign : It came to him by Inheritance from the late Mademoifelle Moyitpenfter,, Daughter of Gajlon of France,, Duke of Orleans,, a Princefswho render’d herfelf famous in the Civil Wars by the taking of Orleans,, and by ordering the Cannon to be fir’d from the Baftille upon the Army of Lewis XIV. who never intirely torgave her for that Piece of Difrefpeft, and to puniffi her wou’d never give her leave to mairy was to reconcile the King Her Amours with M. de Lauzun have made a great Noife» M 2 to 1 8o Macon. C h a l o n s. to her, that her Laciyfhip made the Duke Maine her Fleir. Dombes has a Parliament, and Trevoux is famous for the iMerary ‘Journal printed there, which caufes iuch frequent Difputes among the Learned. After having pais’d Trevoux^ we faw feveral other T. o wns, Villages and Manfion-houfes in a Country, one ot the finell Landfkips chat ’tis poffible to ima- gine. We din’d very much in Hafte at a Village, and went and lay at Macon, an Epifcopal City, where the Canons of the Cathedral have the Title ot Counts, as well as thofe of the Church of St. John at Lxons. This City did not feem to me to have any thing remarkable, and whether there is any good Company in it, I did not Hay long enough to fee. Chalons upon the Saone is alfo the See of a Bi- ihop, but did not appear to me to be one jot more confiderable than Macon: I went to fee the Caftle, which has a full Command of the Town : There I was fnew’d the Apartment v;here the Duchefs of Maine was kept Prifoner during the Regency of the Duke of Orleans. A Perfon had need of all that Spirit which fne is known to have, to bear up under a Difgrace equal to hers : ’Twas but a little before, that all the People of France were fond of making their Court to her ; her Grandeur was not equaU’d by any Princefs of the Blood, and her Lodgings were perleiftly fuperb ; but on a fudden ihe fell from all her Splendor, and was oblig’d to live in a miferable Caftle, with no Companions but the W'^omen that are abfoliitely necefiary to attend her A I will hereafter give you a more particular Ac- This Misfortune came upon the Duke and Duchefs of Maine, merely from a Sufpicion which the Regent entertain’d, that the Duke had a Hand in the pretended Confpiracy of the Prince of iCellamare, the Ambaflador of Sfain ; which, they laid, was to re- move Dijon. 1 8 1 Account of this Prlncefs ; but I now proceed on my Journey. From Chalons I went to Dijon^ after having pafs’d thro’ Beaune^ and along by the beft Vine- yards in all Burgundy. To tell you frankly my Mind, I had quite another Idea ol' Dijon.^ than what I reaUy found it to be : ’Fis an ancient City, and moft or the IFoufcs are old, and make no great Appearance, tho’ they are very convenient, and well fitted up. In the Street of Condc, which is newly built, the Floufcs are of equal Proportion, The lower Part confifis of Shops, and over them are the Merchants Lodging- Rooms, and there are Iron Balconies at the Windows, which, if the I loufes were higher, wou’d make a fine Sight. This Su'eet leads to the Place Royale, in which there’s an Eqtieftrian Statue of the late King XIV^. which is plac’d on fo high a Pcdeftal, that it even raifes the Statue higher than the Houfes that fur- round the Place, which moreover is by much too fmall to contain fo great a Monument. The Houfes are actually very low, and if they were to be carry’d higher, the Statue would look as if it were imprifon’d in a Cage. This Mafs of Copper was call in Paris^ and firil carry’d by W^ter to Auxerre^ where it remain’d a long while, it being fo very heavy and large, that it was in a manner immovea- ble ; but at laft it was remov’d by Land Carriage to Dijon^ but not vvithouc very great Difficulty, and as great Expence ; yet it appeared to me to be one of the leafi Statues in the Kingdom. move the Duke of Orleans from the Regency, and to vefl: it in the King of Spain, who wou’d have put the Duke of Maine in his Place, according to Lems XlVth*s laft Will. The bare Su- I'picion however amounted to fix the Guilt upon this Prince, and all that belong’d to him. It were to bewilh’d, that fo me Eye- v/itnefs of what was then tranfa6ted at Court, and in Bretagne:^ wou’d give the Public an exadt Account of it, M 3 This- Dijon. 1 his Statue faces the Kin^s Houfe^ where liv^es the Duke of Bourbon^ Governor of the ProvuncCp ’ 1 is a very fpacious Building, with two advanc’d Wings, but can only be reckon’d a very irregular Strudture. I did not go to lee the Apartments, becaufe I was told, that they were not furnifh’d, and not worth the Trouble of a View. The Palace, v^here the Parliament meets, is very ancient, and one of the vllell in the Kingdom. Whether the Dukes of Burgundy refided there here- tofore, I know not *, but if they did, they were not very fumptuoufly accommodated. Dijon was ereded, but a few Years ago, into a BiPnoprick, by the late Pope Benedidt XIII. at the Requeft of the Duke of Bourbon \ who was very glad to procure that Plonour for the Capital of his Government. The Ring at Dijon is the fineft Thing about this City; which is really neither fine nor agreeable. The common People are not over and above civil, and thofe of Quality value themfelves very much upon their Nobility. Pray read only the Letters of BuJJi Rahutin^ and you will know what Sort of Gentry the Burgundians are; for they are all, like him, pufied up with their Birth. The Parliament of this Province confifts generally of Perfons of Quality. The Duke of Bourbon is the fourth Governor of Burgundy^ of the Conde Family ; to which this Go- vernment is a Sort of Appenage. This Prince never comes to Dijon^ but to hold an Affembly of the States. The Count de ‘tavannes^ who is Lieute- nant-general of the Province, commands there in his Abfence. There is an Intendant, and all the Sovereign Courts. Notwithftanding fo much Com- pany, I thought Dijon a melancholy Place ; and I have feen a great many Towns in France of lefs Note, which to me had a more gay and agreeable Appear- Auxerre. Sens, 183 Appearance, There is a public Concert here, to which I was forc’d to go, whether I would or not ; I thought, before 1 went, that it would be but in- different, and fo indeed I found it. The Hall was magnificent, the Company numerous and fplen- did, and the Concert would have been very good, if there had been Muficians; but as it was, it re- fembled the Butchers Concerc of Marrow* bones and Cleavers. From Dijon I went to Auxerre and S e n s, of which the lad is the See oi an Archbifliop; and that’s all I can fay of ir, becaufe I only ftaid there to change Florfes. When I came to Auxerre^ I found the whole Street where the Poft-houie (lands in an Uproar, it being full of Mob, and efpecially of Women, who all feem’d very much enrag’d. This was owing to a Traniaftion the Night before, when the Wife of a Baker qualify’d her Flusband for one of the chief Pods in the Seraglio : The Mo- tive which induc’d her to this barbarous A6Hon was Jealoufy : Her Husband, who was about twenty Years old, and a very likely Man, was ( at lead, as the fcandalous Chronicle of Auxerre faid) a little too intimate with a Padry Cook Wo- man, who was young and handfome. The Baker’s Wife, who was old and ugly, not being able to bear the Thoughts of her Hufband’s Incondancy, had taken Care to lay a Razor under her Bolder \ and at the very Time when her Hufband was giv- ing her the Marks of his Tendernei's for her, fhe made him a fecond Abelard, This Tragedy hav- ing happen’d jud as I arriv’d at Auxerre^ the In- habitants were all very much incens’d againd the Biker’s Wife, and hurry’d the poor Wretch to nion. 1 he Women curs’d her heartily, yet in their ferious Imprecations there was fomeihing per- fefUy comical. I verily believe, that if they had M 4 ■ had 184 Fontainebleau. had her at their Mercy they would have tore her to Pieces. Fontainebleau, a Royal Palace which I pais’d thro’, is fourteen Leagues from Paris. There s a great Village belonging to it, which ftands in the Middle ot a large Forcft, wherein a great Number of long Roads is cut, for the Cpn- veniency of Hunting. The Palace is irregular, becaufe all the Kings from FrancuX, to LezvislLW. have made very confiderable Additions to it; ne- verthelefs the Apartments are grand and magnifi- cent, There^s a great Number of Cielings painted by celebrated Matters, whom Francis I. fent for on purpofe from The Gallery of the Stags is noted for the cruel Adion committed there by Chrijlina^ Queen of Sweden ; who caus’d her Matter of the Horle, and her Favourite Monaldefchi^ to be aflaffinated there before her Face, after having fhewn him fome Letters, which he had the Indifcre- tion to write, and reproach’d him for his Treachery, in the Prefence of the Minifter ^ of the Order of the Holy Trinity, whom fhe had fent for to give the poor Man Confettion, and who in vain foli- cited his Pardon, Lewis XIV. was very much dif- gufted at an Execution thus committed in his Pa- lace, and, as it were, under his Nofe : Indeed, rather than be oblig’d to manifeft his Refentment,he chofc to keep a profound Silence ; buttho’he diflembled it as much as poflible, perceiv’d, that fhe had ftaid too long at his Court, and refolv’d to retire to Rome^ where in 1689 fhe died. But Fontainebleau has lately been the Scene of an Adlion more pleafant, grand and glorious, viz. the Ceremony of the Marriage of King Lewis XV. The Duke of Orleans having marry’d the- Queen by ^ The Friar, who in the other Orders is a Prior, is call’d a Minifter in this Order, which is better known in Irance by the Name of the burins. Proxy, I Fontainebleau. iBj Proxy, at Strasbourg, the Princefs came by fliorc Days Journies to a Place about a League from Morel ; where fhe was met by the King, and the Princefles of the Blood. I had the Pleafure of being an Eye-witnefs of this Interview. When the Two Coaches of the King and Queen came in Sight of each other, they advanc’d a few Paces upon the Trot, and then flopp’d ; when their Ma- jefties alighted, and walk’d to each other upon Carpets. When the Queen came near to the King, fhe kneel’d down upon a Cufhion of blue Velvet, feeded with Fleurs-de-Lys of Gold. The Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon rais’d her up again, when the King faluted her, but faid nothing to her : The Princes' and Princefles faluted her alfo, and Ihe receiv’d them with fuch a good-natur’d, modefl Air, as prepoflefs’d the whole Court in her Favour. Then the King went into his Coach, where the Queen feated herfelf on his Left-hand ; and the Princes and Princeffes having plac’d thernfelves according to their Rank, they thus proceeded to Moret. I heard the late Duchefs of Orleans fay, that there was a very great Silence obferv’d in the Coach for fome time, becaufe all that were in it, out of Refpedl to the King, waited for him to fpeak firfl: But as he faid nothing, the Duchefs of Orleans, who had feen the Queen in Gertnany, and at Metz, was the firfl that broke Silence •, and, by degrees, the Converfation became general. When they ar- riv’d at Moret, the King and the Queen, attended by the Princes and Princeffes, went into the Queen’s Clofet : There the King talk’d ; and after having flay’d about an Hour, he return’d to Fontainebleau, with the fame Train that attended him when he fee out from thence. The next Morning, at Eight o’ Clock, the Queen arriv d Fontainebleau, without any other Retinue than what flie had during her whole Journey. Bein 1 Fontainebleau. in an Undrefs, (he went ftrait to her Apartment, •and iat down to the Toilet ; wlien (he was drtTs’d, \Vord was brought to her, that the King was ar- riv’d ; who, in a tew Moments after, made his Ap- pearance, in a Mantle of Gold Brocade, trimm’d with Spanijh Point of Gold, the whole enrich’d with Diamonds. His MajePcy, having faluted the Queen, walk’d the fame Inllant towards the Chapel, and the Queen follow’d immediately after him, fupported by the Dukes of Orleans and Bourbon: She was drefs’d in a Blue Velvet Gown, feeded with Fleurs-de-Lys of Gold ; her Petticoat, and the Tail of her Gown, were fac’d with Ermin, and adorned with Diamonds and her Royal Mantle, which w'as like her Gown, was held up by the Pi incefles of the Blood. She had the Royal Crown on her Head •, and ’tis certain, that every thing about her was truly magnificent, and made a very grand Appearance. The Chapel was adorn’d with a rich Suit of Hangings, of blue Velvet, imbroider’d with Gold. The Ekdor of Cologne, the Eledtoral Prince of Bavaria, now Eledtor, the Duke Ferdi- nand, and the Bifhop of Freifingen and Ratisbon, were prd’ent incognito at the Ceremony. The Car- dinal de Rohan gave their Majefties the Nuptial Benediflion. The Queen happening to be out of Order during the Mafs, the Duke of Bourbon, who perceiv’d it, gave her fome Balm-water, by which her Maiefty found immediate Relief. After Mafs was ended, they return’d in great Ceremony to the Queen’s Apartment •, and foon after w.as the Royal Feafr, when the Princes and Princedes din’d with their Majefties. All this was very fine, but the Room was fo much too fmall, that they who were in it were ready to be (mother’d, and three Fourths of the People could not get in. When Fontainebleau. 187 When the Feaft was over, their Majefties chang’d their Apparel, and took an Airing with the Royai Family in a Calalh, round the great Canal, pre- ceded by all the Court Nobility, and the Officers of the King’s Houffiold, and follow’d by the La- dies, in Coaches drawn each by Six Horfes. But ^tis certain, that in the whole, there was nothing more magnificent than the Number of the Perfons, and their Cloaths •, for as to their Equipages, they were very ordinary ; there was not fo much as one new Coach, the Liveries were old, and the Nobi- lity very forrily mounted. When the King and Queen were return’d to the Palace, there was a Drawing-room ; after which, their Majefties fupp’d with the Princeffes of the Blood; and during the Supper, there was a Con- cert. When their Majefties arofe from Table, they went to the Windows, and faw theP irework, and the Illumination in the Park; which was very much admir’d, but really appear’d trifling to us Germans^ who are accuftom’d to fee Fireworks that coft immenfe Sums, and which are executed in a Manner that furpafles every thing done elfewhere of the Kind. Thus ended all the Rejoicings upon account of the King’s Marriage. They fay there were great Illuminations and Bonfires alio at Paris ; but as I was at Fontainebleau^ I did not fee them. ’Tis certain tho’, that how much foever the French w^ere pleas’d with the Marriage of their King, they were in no very great Humour to rejoice at a Time when a Pound of Bread coft eleven Sols, and few were they that had a Belly-full. ’Tis no laughing Matter, when the Guts grumble. But I leave this long Digreffion, and relume the Thread of my Narrative, by proceeding v/ith the Pefeription of Fontainebleau, This i 8 8 C H o 1 S Y. This Royal Palace is accompanied with a fine Park, which, tho’ not near fo much adorned as the Park of Verfailks^ has remarkable Beauties, not to be met with in that. The great Canal is fuperb, and, generally fpeaking, the Palace of Fon- iahiebleau, with all that environs it, has much more of the Air of a Royal Palace, than Fer- failles and Marl-j. The Village or Town of Fon- iwiebleau, for I know not which to call it, is very well built. Moft of the Lords have great Houfes here, where they put their Equipages and Dorne- fticks *, it being the Cuftom at the Court of France, lor every Lord that belongs to the Court, to be lodg’d in the King’s Palace; and the French are fo infatuated with this Praftice, that a No- bleman had rather be lodg’d in a Manger at Court, than in an Apartment ever fo commodious, and magnificent, in hisHoufe at Verfailles and Fon- tainebleau. The Road from Fontainebleau to Paris is pav’d all the Way. There are a great many fine Houfes on it, particularly Petitbourg, be- longing to the Duke d' Antin, to whom it came by Succeffion, from his Mother, the Marchionefs Montefpan. Very great Buildings have been eredled there within thefe few Years, which have the Ap- pearance of Magnificence and Grandeur ; not to mention the rich Furniture, the Pleafures of the Park, and feveral other Things, fo ingenioufly chofe, and fo beautifully difpos’d, as are infinitely delightful. Choisy, which belongs to the firft Princefs Dowager of Conti, Daughter of Lewis XIV. by Mademoifelle de la Valiere, is, to my thinking, one of the fined: Houfes in the Kingdom. ’Tis built intirely in the modern Tafte, and Hands by the River Side. The Apartments are richly adorn’d. The Garden which belongs to it is fpacious, and feveral Paris. feveral Alleys are cut out in it, which yield very fine Walks, and render Choify an inchanting Place. Were I to mention all the other fine Houfes to you that are upon the Road, I fhould never have done. If you confult the Delices de la France^ you will find a large Account of all thofe Houfes, as well as of their Names and Situation. For my part, my Head akes fo much at this Inftant, chat ’tis impoffible for me to add any more ; But in a few Days, you fliall hear farther from me ; and then I will give you fome Account of Paris: In the mean time, believe me to be always Yours intirely, iSc. LETTER XXXIX. SIR, Varh, Afrili. ijji. D ON’T imagine, that I am going to give you an exadl: Defcription of the City of Paris; for that would be an Undertak- ing to as little Purpofe, as it is beyond my Abi- lity. Paris has been fo fully defcrib’d, and is fo much- talk’d of, that moft People know what Sort ol Place it is, though they have never feen it. Several Authors are fo divided about the Antiquity of Paris, that I can fay nothing pofi- tive to you upon this Head. Ccefar, in his Com- rnentaries, fpeaks very much in its Favour, and fays, that in his Time, this City was call’d Lti- tetia. The Learned differ alfo about the Origin of ipo Pari s. of this ’**^Name-, but I (hall leave them to difpute this Matter as long as they pleafe, and afTure them, that I am not concern’d in their C^arrel. According to Father Paris was the Capital City of France^ in the Reign of Clovis^ about the Year 507. But even then, Paris was a Place of very little Confequence *, and, if it be duly confider’d, could not be rank’d among the great Towns, before the Reign of Philip AuguJtuSi That Prince made it his Endeavour to emb^ellifh it, and added Buildings to it, which at that Time were reckon’d very magnificent. Since his Reign, Paris has always been the Seat of the Kings, and has been continually increafing in Grandeur and Beauty. But none of its Kings has contributed fo much to the Magnificence of Paris, as the Prince who leaft refided in it, I mean Lewh XIV. who caus’d fuch Strudures to be rais’d in it, as are wor- thy of the greateft Monarch in the World. Of fome of thefe Works, I may hereafter give you a more particular Account. The French pretend, that no City in Europe contains fo many Inhabitants as Pa r is •, but the Engliflo fay, the moft populous is London ; yet, without the leaft Flefitation, I determine it for the latter of the two Rivals. My Reafon for it ia this : Ac P A R I s, eighteen or twenty thoufand * In all Appearance, the Latin Name Lutetia comes from Leucothecia, which lignifies white Town, a Name that Strata gives to this City, the Houles of which were plaifter’d. By Ab- breviation it was call’d Lutetia. As to the NameP or down the River •, which is the Reafon, that Carts are not fo much in Ufe there : And moft of the Ladies, inftead of Coaches, ride in Sedans. But a French- man will tell me, you fhall fee five or fix Families in one Houfe at Paris-, whereas at London, they are feldom two. To this I fhall anfwer, that ’tis true, there are more Lodgers in the Houfes of Paris-, but this ftands for nothing, and only proves, that there are more Houfes at London. At Paris, there are many Hotels, or great Houfes, Convents, large Gardens, public Squares, Quays, and a River that runs through the Middle ; all which takes up a great deal of Ground ; and in fe- veral of the Suburbs, without which Paris itfelf is but a little Place, there are intire Marfhes. But at London, ’tis quite otherwife, fuch Hotels are uncommon there, and few Houfes there have Courts to them. They are all very much pent up, and many a Houfe at London is not fo big as the Halls in a great many of the Hotels at Paris. But what matters it, whether London is bigger or lefs than Paris? I fhall now fpeak of the lat- ter, not as the biggeft, but as the moft beautiful City in Euro].'e. ’lis reckon’d, there are in Paris nine Paris. 3 nine hundred Streets, with above twenty thoufand Houfes, of which four thoufand have great Gates, and Courts to turn Coaches in. The Number of Inhabitants amounts to above eighty thoufand; in which mull be reckon’d one hundred and fifty thouland Domeftics. There are at lead twenty thoufand Coaches, and near one hundred and twenty thouland Horfes for Carriages of all Sorts, of which, one Year with another, ten thoufand die. In fine, the very Expence of the Lanthorns, which are lighted nine Months in the Year, is computed at two hundred thoufand Crowns at lead. The common Revenues which the City of Paris produces, are faid to amount at lead to twenty- eight Millions of Livres ; a Sum, which, I believe, is not rais’d by fome Kingdoms. Paris enjoys all the Prerogatives that can be enjoy’d by the Capital of a powerful Kingdom. Th is City has not only the Reputation of being the Refidence of Kings, but is the Seat of an Arch- bifliop, a Parliament, an Univerfity, an Intendant, a Governor, and of all the Sovereign Courts in the Government, Its Metropolitan Church, which was heretofore no more than the See of a Bifliop, Suffragan to the Archbilhop of Sens, is dedicated to the Virgin Mar>j. St. Denys, who liv’d in the fird Ages of Chridianity, is own’d to be its Foun- der, or at lead its fird Bifliop. Its fird Arch- bifhop was Francis de Gondy, who obtain’d that Dignity by a Bull of Pope Gregory XV. in 1622. fince which Time there have been feven Arch- bifhops. Whoever is the Archbilhop, has the Title of Duke of St. Cloud, and in that Quality is both Duke and Peer of France. The prefent Arch- bifhop’s Name is N. N. de Vinlimiile of the Counts du Luc. He fucceeded Lewis- Antony, Cardinal de Noailles, and finds his Diocefe as difobedient to his Mandates, as it was to thole of his Predeceffor. The Paris. ip} The good Prelate does all he can, to bring back his * ftray’d Sheep ; but it feems as if molt of the Pariftans know not what they would be at ; and indeed the greateft Number difpute about Matters, which they don’t underhand. I find the 1 alk of all Paris engrofs’d by two grand Subjedts ; I mean grand for the Pariftans, and, if I may venture to fay it, for the French in general : For, to be plain, ’tis owing to the Want ot fomething elfe to talk of during a long Peace, that they bufy themfelves very ferioufly about Things, which at other Times they would think unworthy of their Attention. The one is the Affair of Father Girard and la Ca- diere-, the other, the pretended Miracles of the Abbe Para. There is nothing fo bafe, with which Knavery and a furious Zeal can infpire a Party, but what has been faid and written on thefe Subjedfs. The Enemies of the Jefiiits have ■{“ invented, that ^ The Author does not fay whither nor from whence thofe Sheep are ftray'd. All thofe Sheep feed in the lame Failure, or at lead, there are but few of 'em that feed in the Failures to which M. lie Vintimille could wifh to bring the others. Some Slanderers don't fcruple to fay, that this goodVtthiQ gives him^ felf more Uneaflnefs about the Excellency of the Difhes at his Table, than the Goodnefs of the Failure for his Sheep : For he has been feen to give the fame Welcome to xh^Jefuits, and the Tathers of the Oratory^ to the Cafuchins and the BenediBins^ 8cc. For the Sake of fuch of our Readers as have a Tade for Erench Foetry, we infert the ioWoWmg Efigr am y which was made upon this Frelate's Mandate in Favour of the Conllitution : Le Public efl un Sot, d'etre fcandalise Du Mandement Vintimille Vient de refmdre dans la Ville, Me dtfoit ce Matin un DoBeur avise ! Il eft, dit il, d'Ufage indifpenfable. Pour qu'un Saint foit canonise, D'entendre PAvocat du Diable, f This is a Thing in Quellion; and the Negative feems to be plainly prov’d by the Opinions of the Counfeilors of the Par- lement, all Men of unexceptionable Charadler, who roted for putting the Reverend Father to Death. VoL. II. N Father 194 Pari s. Father John Baptift Girard^ a Native of Dole in tranche Comte^ debauchM one la Cadiere^ who came to him tor ConfetTion ; they prevail’d on the . young Woman to accufe him of Crimes, the very Idea of which is fhocking, and which the moft refolute Villain would not dare perhaps to be guilty of, much lefs Father Girard % who, till accus’d of this Wickednefs, had always pafs^d for an honeft Man, whofe Conduft and Morals had been edify- ing in Places where he had been, and particularly at T^oulon^ where neverthelefs he is faid to have committed the mod horrid Enormities. But la Cadiere has recanted ; and the Parlement of Aix^ before whom the Caufe was pleaded, has declar’d Father Girard innocent. Yet the JaJtfeniJls exclaim, and wifh that the King would caufe the Members of that Parlement to be hang’d up, becaufe they could not in Confcience bring in Father Girard guilty. The following Epigram is lately publlfh’d upon that Parlement: Pour avoir immole le Fils du Tout -Piiijf ant ^ Pilate moins que votis nous parut detejlable ; II ne re cut point d^or pour punir Innocent^ Aids votis en recevez pour fauver le coup able, i. e. Pilate,, tho’ he facrific’d the Son of the Al- mighty, is even lefs deteftable in our Eyes than you; for he receiv’d no Gold to punifh the Inno- cent, but you take it to fave the Guilty. Or thus : Of Judges that in Judgment fit,, IV he t her incurs mojt Banns He that for Gold doth Vice acquit^ Or Virtue gratis damns r Pilate, Par is. [ipj Pilate, "who facrific'd the Son Of the Almighty Lord, Becaufe no Golden Bribe he won. Is lefs than you abhorr'd. Father Girard's Adventure calls to my Mind a great Scandal of this Nature, that happen’d in the fourth Century, on Occafion of a Lady’s Confef- fion to a Deacon; which obliged the Patriarch NeAarius to aboli/h Auricular ConfelTion through- out the Eaji-, as may be feen in the fourth Torne of Fleuri’s Ecclefiajlical Hijlory. This Author, in his Sixteenth Tome, fays, that in the twelfth Cen- tury there were AbbelTes in Spain, who preach’d, gave Bleffings, and confeffed Perfons of both Sexes. If this Pradice was re-eftablifli’d, there would be no Room to fear fuch Diforders and Scandals as have happen’d in Provence. The fecond Topic, which takes up a great deal of the Pariftans Converfation, is the pretended Miracles of the Sieur Paris, to whofe Tomb Peo- ple flock as much as they could be fuppos’d to do to the Holy Sepulchre itfelf. Curiofity drew me thither as well as others ; and I found fuch a vafl: Crowd of People, that ’twas with much ado I could get to the Stone which covers the Saint of the Populace. While I was looking at this Tomb- ftone, I heard ’em cry behind. Stand by, make Room there -, fo that I thought fome Prince of the Blood was coming ; but ’twas no more than a mean-looking Fellow, who, with a very contrite Air, went and ftretch’d himfelf on the Tomb ; where he had not lain many Moments, but I faw him turn up the Whites of his Eyes, grind his Teeth, foam at the Mouth, and twift his Body into fuch Poftures, that he look’d more like one that had the Devil in him, than the Favourite of a Saint, Thefe Agitations lafted as long as the N 2 Man 19^ Paris. Man had any Strength *, after which he was carry^d ofF, and I afilurc you, that when he was taken from the 1 omb, he had a much more fickly Look than v/hen he came to it. Neverthelefs the People bawl’d out, A Mu'ade! and I even heard it faid, T4^bo can doubt one IVioment^ aftcn fo incinij^eji ci Cure as this^ that Paris is a Saint ! Such Miracles, as this that I have now related to you, are work’d here every Day : One can’t fet a foot into a Houfe, without being entertain’d with fome new Story plac’d to the Accompt of theAbbe Paris •, yet I proteft, that not one fingle Miracle has been pro’vd : and M. Herault, the Lieutenant- General of the Police, to whom all thefe Miracles are reported, faid, in my Hearing, that there was not one of them true; that ’twas a palpable Delu- fion ; and that ’twas only tolerated, the better to trace it up to its Source, and to undeceive the Populace ; which, I believe, will be no eafy Mat- ter, they are fo much prepoflefs’d in Favour of their Saint. The only Way would be for the Pope to canonife the Sieur Paris, and then I am perfuaded, that all the Devotees of this new Saint wou’d aban- don him, rather than be in the Holy Father’s Mefs, But here I leave both Father Girard and the Abbe Paris, though perhaps I fhall find an Opportu- nity of difcovering all that I may hear of them to you, when I think it worthy of your Regard ; but I fliall be far from troubling you with every im- pertinent Tale that is fpread about them •, for I verily believe, that all the Songs and Verfes that are made upon them wou’d formfeveral Volumes: And it muft be expefted this Humour will laft, till fomething new ftarts up to drown both thefe Sub- jects of prefent Conversation. 1 own to you, that 1 am very much in Pain to think what the French can have to amufe them after this is over ; for their Genius is fuch, that it muft have fomething Paris. ip7 to work upon, tho^ ^tis h3,ppy for thctTi thtit 3, rncic Nothing fuffices, and chatYuch Nothing is always treated by them as a ferious Affair, and proves to them an inexhauftible Fund of Something. You alk me, how I employ my Time here? which is a Queftion that is not very ioon anfwer’d. My Amufements are of fuch various Kinds, tnat, to be plain with you, I find myfelf at a lofs to account for them. I ftouid often be very much puzzded to prove an alibi ot two Days. 1 his Country is my Centre, and Paris is to me the Spring of Youth. Never was any Refledion more mortify- ing to me, than the Thought that I am not in a Condition to fix my'Habitation here ; for tho’ I find Faults in the French^ as well as in all other Na^ tions, yet I acknowledge they have a thoufand good Qualities *, and 1 think them much more amia- ble at home than they are abroad, where, be a Man ever fo much prepoffefs’d in their Favour upon other Accounts, he is furfeited with their eternal Criticifms, and to hear them inceffantly remarking, donU do fo at Paris. Tou doiit fee France, Here they are polite, good-natur’d, humane, civil and engaging; and a Foreigner, who can bring himfelf ever fo little into their Way of Thinking, A6ting, and Speaking, will always be forty to leave them. But I am not about giving you the Charader of the French ; what I am now to acquaint you wdth is, how I live with them. In a very irregular Courfe of Life, I aim at a certain Regularity : I rife very late, becaufe I don’t go to Bed till Tv;o or Three o’clock in the Morning: When I am drefs’d, I go to fome Cabinet of Curiofities, fome Library, or to fome Structure or other, which, tho’ I have ieen perhaps an hundred times, I revifit with Plea- fure, becaufe I always find fome new Beauty in it. Such are the Hotel or Hofpital of the Invalids^ N 3 founded jipS Paris. founded and built by Lewis XIV. Val de Grace, the Church which is the Repofitary of the Hearts and Bowels of the Kings and Princes of the Royal Family, and was founded by June of Aujirla, Mo- ther to Lewis XIV. the Choir of Notre Dame, adorn’d with Marble and Brafs by Lewis XIV. to fulfill a V’ow made by King Lewis XIII. his Father ; the Louvre, with all the Beauties it con- tains •, and, in fine, a Number of other ftately Fa- brics, which 1 don’t mention or defcribe to you, becaufe a thoufand Authors have already given a better Account of them, than I am able to do. After having thus fiiunter’d away two or three Hours, I return home to Dinner ; for I rarely dine abroad : W^hen I have din’d, if I am alone, I read for an Flour or two ; after which I go out, either to make Vifits, or elfe to take the Air. I often go to their Plays, not only becauie I have a Tafte that way, but to avoid Gaming ; for you can’t go into aFIoufe, but they bring out the Cards. After the Comedy is over, which 1 am forc’d, whether I will or nor, to prefer to the Opera, I go to fome Houfe, where there’s no faying nay, but I muft make one at Quadrille, to eafe me of my Money •, for I know not what ’tis to win. I am entertain’d with a good Supper, and then I join in a fecond Party at Quadrille, and fometimes in a third ; and go home at three o’ Clock in the Morning, with an empty Pocket. This Itch for Gaming, which has infefbed the Generality of the French, is look’d upon as one of the Plagues of the Nation. I can’t imagine how ’tis poffible for People, who can fcarce flay a Quar- ter of an Hour in one Place, but are generally reftlefs where-ever they are, to fit five or fix Hours together in cutting and fliuffling the Cards. ’Tis however a neceffary Evil, efpecially for a Fo- reit^ner, .who mufl otherwife make a very filly ' ' ' ' ■ ' • Figure'j Paris. 199 Figure, till he is quite initiated in the Cuftorns of the Country. The Ladies fay of a Man who does not play, that he is a ufelefs Piece of Lumber ; and the moft flaming Lovers ceafe to make Love, as foon as Cards are brought upon the Carpet. There are fome Houfcs however, where this PalTion for Gaming is not quite fo prevalent j ’tis faid too, that the Lawyers Houfes are not fo liable to the Contagion ; but I own, I am not converfmt enough with them to know the Difference. ’Tis certain, that at Court they play deeper than any-- where, and very many of the Nobility have im- pair’d their Fortunes, for the fake of having the Honour to be one of a Party with the King. His Majefty commonly plays at Lanfquenet; the Party confifts of twelve Cutters, who fet Lewis 4’ Or upon the Card. The King, and the principal Gamefters, as the Count ds 'Tboloufe^ the Duke d’Antin, the Duke de Gratnmont, and the like, fet two, and fometimes four Lewis d^Ors upon a Stake. The King is reckon’d to have the belt Luck of all that play in the Queen’s Apartment : Any body that is well drefs’d is admitted to make one of the Company, which forms a great Court, tho’ a mix’d AfiTembly. All the Ladies fit round the Gaming- table, and the Men Hand. The French fay, that Gaming fets every body upon a Level. There’s one S. Remi, who had been a Lacquey firfl; to the Marlhal d' Eftre:'s Lady, and then to the Duke of Bourbon, who preferr’d him to be his Valet de Chamhre, and at the Queen’s Arrival gave him a Pod in her Majefly’s Houfhold, which he held at the lame time that he officiated as the Duke’s Va~ let de Chambre : I have feen this Man raife or fall the Mirth of the King’s Company at Pleafure ; ’tis true, he does not cut; but he is at every Card, and makes very good Paftime. At Fontainebleau, I heard him one Day bet the King twenty Lewis N 4 d'Ors, lOO Paris, d Ofs, upon liis own Card againft his Majefty’s. The King anlwcr’d coolly, No, A-farquis •, which is a Nickname that hisMajefty has given him, and may neverthelefs be tranimitted to the Foflerity of this S. lietni, who is moreover Fop enough to be a Marquis. This Medley of People at Play has been the Cuftom in France at all times. I remember to have heard the late Mother of the Regent fay. That’ when Die went upon a time from Verfailles, where file refided with the King, to fee her Husband, Lewis XlVth’s Brother, who was gone tofpend a few Days at Sr. Cloud, flie found him playing at Lanfquenet with a dozen Cutters, of whom fiie knew but two •, and when the Game was out, flic afk’d her Husband, who the People were that he had been playing with : They are very honejl Fel- lows, reply’d the Prince, good fubjiantial Fradefmen of Paris, who flay well, and for a great deal of Mo- ney. I’he old Lady gave us moreover to under- hand, that flie had not been at that time long in France, and that flie was fo vex’d to hnd her Fluf- band in fuch Company, that fhe cou’d not forbear to upbraid him for it ; but her Husband turn’d it all off with a Laugh, and made her Anfwer, Fhat fhe had fill a Spice of the German Haughtinefs, hut that it would wear off in Time. ’Tis certain however, that this Liberty, with which all Sorts of People are indulg’d, of coming in for a Game and away, renders them fawcy. That noted Comedian Baron, the greateft Coxcomb of all Men living before the ^inaults, was one Day at the Houfe of the Prince de Conti, the fame that had been chofe King of Poland, v/here they were playing at Lanfquenet. Baron, pulling his Purfe Out with a carelefs Air, faid to the Prince, Ten Lewis jyOrs ufon the Knave, M. de Conti. Done, Britan- njcus, faid the Prince de Conti, who knew that Baron lOl Paris, Baron had been juft ading that Part in a Play. It is certain, that at many of the Womens Houfes, the Gamefters are as much pamper’d as a Father Con- feflbr is by his Female Votary. A great many Houfes fubfift here by the Emoluments of Gaming, where, were it not for the Money arifing from their Cards, their Suppers would be very light, and many that now ride wou ’d goon Foot. The ^uktdeGe- vres^ Governor of Paris^ and the Prince ds Carignan, who have a Grant for licenfing all manner of Ga- ming, have farm’d it out, and get 120,000 Livres a-piece by it clear Money -, which one ftiall hardly find in any City in the World. This Gaming puts me in mind of a Lottery they have here every Month, which is a Sort of Game too, where the Banker is the greateft Gainer. Thefe Lotteries have been fet on foot by the Parfon of the Parifti of St. Sulpice, to help build his Church, and twenty Sols is the Price of each Ticket •, but they prove the utter Undoing of many a Lacquey and Maid-Servant; which made a Friend of mine fay, that the Parfon of St. Sulpice^ out of Gratitude to the poor Devils, for burying their Wages in his Lottery, could do no lefs, when they die, than bury their Carcafes for nothing. This Lottery is worth to the Parfon about 20,000 Livres a Month, be- fides the Sums he gets from the pious Contribu- tions of feveral Perfons zealous for the Houfe of God: Neverthelefs thefe Works go on fo flowly, that the Parfon’s Trowel is not like to be laid afide yet-a-while, tho’, if his Church be ever fini- fhed, ’twill be the greateft and the fineft in the Kingdom ; for all the new Works are defign’d by Giles Maria Oppenord, the Duke of Orleans’?, chief Architedl:, and one of the moft fkilful of his Pro- fcifion in France. 1 he Parfonage of St. Sulpice is the moft confider- able, not only of Paris, but perhaps of Europe-, for Paris. for it brings in the Parfon as much as fome good Dioccfes do their Bifhops. The Right of Prelenta- tion to it is in the Abbat and Friers of the Abbey of St. Gerinam* 1 he prefen t Incumbent is M. Languet de Gergy^ who has one Brother that is Bi- of Soi/Jo?is*^ and another now an Ambaflador at Venice . The Vigilance both of the Paftor, and of the Prietts whom he employs for admini- ftring the Sacraments, cannot but be commended : The Jatter form a numerous Society, attend their Function with Application, and Divine Service i$ perform’d in the Church with very great Edifica- tion. The Society, and fevera! Seminaries join’d to it, form together the molt numerous Body of Clergy in all the Kingdom. The Seminary of Sr« Siilpice is one of the moft frequented, bscaufe the Ecclefiaftical Difcipline is there taught and prac- tis’d with Care ; perhaps too, becaufe Subjefts are often taken from thence for the chief Dignities of the Church. Nothing is more edifying than to fee the Proceffion of this Parifh upon the Day of Corpus Chrijli^whtn there’s a numerous Appearance of the Clergy in magnificent Copes : The Canopy, under which the Holy Sacrament is carry’d, is ex- traordinary rich. Twenty-four young Clergymen go before the Floly Sacrament, and twelve always walk backward, perfuming the Hofl:, as they go, with Cenfers of Silver. There is not a ProcefTion in the Kingdom that is made with more Dignity and Orders. With your Favour, 1 will conclude this Letter ♦ He is now Archbifhop of Sens, and very well known for the famous Story of MarU Alucoqae, a celebrated Saint of his own making. t The Co^Lint Je Gergj died in 1735 EmbafTy, and was fucceeded by the Count de ryoulfiy- :j: As the Parfon of St. Sulpice dretches his Invention to the btmod, hov/ to allure the Muitituie, in 1 7 54 he out-did all that he had ever done before, fo that his Procellion was more like the Versailles. 203 Letter with the bare Mention of this Sacred Cere- mony. As I propofe to go to-morrow to Ver failles^ I fhall fend you what Obfervations I make there. I am, Cfc. letter XL. g J Verfailles, Afril ij'. 173X.' I HAVE been now juft ten Days at Verfailles, where I have had the Honour of greeting the King and Queen, and all the Royal Family. I perceiv’d the King fmce his Marriage is grown very fat, but he is ftill one of the fineft Princes in Europe. It may be faid of Le-wis XV. that he is a Prince born without Vice, and free from that Haughtinefs, which is commonly attach’d to Roy- alty : lie is familiar with his Courtiers, referv’d to Perfons that are unknown to him, and particularly to Ambafladors, and more fecret and circumfpedl: than Perfons of his Age. Pie has the Morals, Be- haviour, and Sentiments of a good Man, and from thence France may expedl his Reign will be gentle and peaceful. It appears, as if Lewh XV. will be concent with the Government of one of the moil powerful Monarchies of the World, and that he the March of an Army than any thing elfejhecaufe of the many Trumpets, Kettle-drums, Hunting-horns, which made the Air echo with their Flouriflies. It may by Degrees come to be like the Procellions at Cami^ray, Amwerpi Bruj[fels,zn(\ other Towns ot the Netherlamls ; where, to the Scandal of the Chri- Rian Religion, v/e fee the Revival of all the Impertinencies of the Pagan, will 204 Versailles. will not be inclin’d to difturb Europe, for the fake of conquering a Town or a Province. Fie has been educated in Inch Sentiments of Juftice, that his Neighbours ought not to be afraid of him, fince God has undoubtedly chofe him to be one of the Ai bicrators of Europe, in order for the Preferva- tion, and not for the Ddtrudion of Equity : Lewis the Pacific and the Debonaire will be his diltinguifh- ing Titles : Mull not thefe be dearer to his Subjeds, than the bloody Title of Lewis the Conqueror? And iTi^ay he not be great, and at the lame time a Lover ot Peace? Hitherto the King feems to follow the Plans ot Gos'’ernment chalk’d out by the late Duke of Burgund-j, his Father, whofe Wifdom is fcill re- ver’d by Prance. God grant that he may always take them for his Models, and that his Reign may be long, and end as glorious as it begun ! I never call: my Eyes upon Lewis XV. without admiring the Providence which has preferv’d him, contrary to the People’s Expedation. I have had the Honour to fee him Duke of Anjou, his Brother, the Duke ot Bretagne, being then alive. I have feen him the Dauphin of France, and at length I have feen him on the Throne: He had at one time a pale Complexion, which did not promife long Life. What Difeafes has he not labour’d under! yet he now enjoys a perfed State of Health, and the Crown, which was fo likely to devolve to colla-. teral Branches, is eftablifh’d upon the Head of this young Prince, and like to defcend to his own Po- llerity. In fine, a King of France, Father of five Children living before he is twenty Years of Age, is fuch a Phrenomenon as is hardly to be paralleled in antient or modernHiftory,and’tis in my Opinion more extraordinary even than the advanc’d Age, and the long Reign of his Great Grandfather. The Queen is a Princefs of exemplary Virtue, whofe lole Application is to difeharge her Duties to God, Versailles. 205 God, the King, and her Children : She is ex- tremely gracious and civil, and has a great Happi- nefs of exprefTing herfelf in the French, German, and Polifi Languages : She had formerly a great Tafte for Mufic, and is now fond of Reading ; but being entirely conformable to her Hufband’sSenti* ments, fhe takes no manner of Share in the Go- vernment: She loves no Pageantry nor Ceremony, and the Rank of being the firft Queen in the World feems to have no other EfFeft upon her, than to ren- der her Virtues more venerable and confpicuous. As for the Children of France, they are as yet too young to be charadleris’d. Mean time I afi’urc you, ’tis a fine Sight to fee them going to the Queen’s Apartment, or running along the Gallery, with at leaft forty Attendants in their Train, including the Ladies and Chambermaids, The Perfon intruded with the Care of the Education of the Children of France is the Duchefs de Ventadonr \ but as fhe is very far advanc’d in Years, and notable to be with them every-where, the Duchefs of Fallard, her Grand- daughter, is join’d with her in theCommif- fion. This Lady is the Daughter of the Prince de Rohan, Brother to the Cardinal : The Choice which has been made of her to fucceed the Duchefs of Ventadour, has been applauded by the whole Court; and in fhort, there are few l.adies that have a more noble Carriage, more Politenefs, and fub- limer Sentiments: And ’tis very remarkable, that fince the Birth of the Dauphin, Lewis XIVth’s only Son, the Mother, the Daughter, and the Grand- daughter have always been trufted with the Educa- tion of the Children of France. Her Royal Highnefs, the Widow of the Regent, who is Daughter to Lewis XIV. by Madame de Montefpan, is the firft in Rank at Court, and fte is the only Princefs that has a Right to fit at Table with their Majefties, when they dine in State ; but ’tis ^ o 6 Versailles. ’tis a Prerogative that fhe does not often make ufc of, becaufe flic, has fuch a Diflike to Drefs, that flie appears little at Court i and when Ihe comes to the K ng Cl Queen, ’tis in private : She commonly re- fides .it Paris, or at BagnoleP*: She is the only Prin- cefs of the Kingdom that has Guards, and enjoys the Honours of a Daughter of France. King Lewis X!V. granted all thefe great Diftindions to the late Duke of Orleans, in Favour of this Marriage, to which that Prince agreed againft the Confent of his late Father, and the exprefs Prohibition of his Mother •, who was fo exafperated againft her Son, for not rcfifting Lewis XIVth’s Will and Pleafure, that Ihe lilted up her Hand againft him, when he told her that he was juft marry’d, would not fee her Daughter-in-law for a long time, and never could endure the Thoughts of the Match, till Ihe faw her Grand-daughter marry’d to the Duke of Berry. Since that time, Ihe has not been fo ftrongly prejudic’d againft her, but acknowledges her Royal Highnefs’s Virtues, and always kept a good Cor- refpondence with her. This Princefs lives very re- tir’d in the Midft of the Court, and is very much employ’d in Works of Piety. Her Son, the Duke of Orleans, is a Prince of ex- cmplaryDevotion, being almoft continually at Pray- er, or performing Works of Charity : He made two or three Attempts to retire from the World,but the King thinking his Prefence necelTary in his Council, would not confent to it. His moft ferene High- nefs is the firft Prince of the Blood, and Governor of Daupbiny ; and he was once Colonel and Cap- tain General of the French Infantry, but he refign’d that Poll Ibme Years ago. This Prince marry’d the Princefs of Baden, by whom he has a Son ftyl’d Duke oi Chartres, a hopeful young Prince, who is The Mode of Bagnolette, i. e. Bathing-tubs, came from this Village, to which the Country-women carry them. educated Versailles. 20;?' educated at St. Cloud, remote from the Grandeur and Hurry of the Court. The Duke of Orleans has alfo four Sifters in the Kingdom, the eldeft of whom is the Abbefs de Chelles, who was formerly ftyl’d Mademoifelle de Chartres. This Princefs, in fpice of all the Perfua- fions of the late Regent and the Duchefs, who did their utmoft to divert her from it, took the Habit of a Nun, tho’ fhe was one of the moft amiable Princefles in Europe, and might have made a great Prince happy. The fccond Sifter is the Queen of Spain, the Dowager of Lewis I. whom fhe marry’d when he was Prince of AJlurias, before his Father refign’d the Crown of Spain to him *, but the young King did not live long to enjoy it, and after his Death, the young Queen Dowager having a Defire to re- turn to France, their Catholic Majefties confented to it, and the King of France allow’d her the Ca- ftle of Vincennes to refide in, where for fome time fhe liv’d: She had not been there many Weeks, when fhe receiv’d aVifit from the King, who faid, before he went, that his Vifit would be fhort. / ain not very talkative, faid his Majefty, and they fay, that the ^leen of Spain does not talk at all •, fo that I don’t believe we /hall have much Converfation : And indeed the Vifit was very Ihort. The Queen receiv’d the King at the Step of the Coach, and the King taking her by the Hand, led her into his Chamber, where two Arm Chairs were plac’d for them under a Canopy. The King feated himfelf on the Right Hand, and after a few Words fpoke by the Duke de Bourbon, and the Duke de Noail- les, who, as Captain of the Guards, flood behind the King’s Qiair, his Majefty rofe, and went away with the lame Ceremonies as he came. Some time after this, the Queen of Spain went to vifit the King, when her Guards were plac’d in all the Polls of ao8 Versailles* of Verfaillei^ the King’s Guards being order’d to make room for them. The King receiv’d the Queen as file allighted from the Coach, and every thing pafs d with the fame Formality as at Vincennes. The Queen of Spain, after fome Stay at the Caftle of Vincennes, went to live in thofe Apartments at L.tix- embourg, which had been the Refidence of her Sifter the Duchefs of Berry, but fome time ago (he retir’d to a Convent, and her Family, which v/as at firft: exceeding numerous, was very much reduc’d. If we except the vain Honours of Royalty, fhe would have been far more happy, if fhe had never been a Queen •, for then (he might have marry’d again ; whereas now fhe muft continue a Widow, and pafs the Prime of her Days in Solitude and Retirement. The third Sifter of the Duke of Orleans is Made- moilelle de Beaujolois, who was defign’d as a Match for the Infante, Don Carlos-, but when the Infanta of Spain was fent back from France, return’d to this Kingdom with the Queen, her Sifter: She is one of the moft beautiful and moft amiable Prin- cefles upon Earth, worthy to reign, and worthy of the Infante *. Mademoiielle f , her Sifter, is a very charming Princefs, with an exceeding graceful Air, and Behaviour fully anfwerable to her Birth. Next to the Family of Orleans, the firft in Rank is that of Conde, which confifts of three Princes, and fix PrincefTes : The Duke de Bourho7t is the chief, who is great Steward of the King’s Houfliold, and Governor of Burgirndy. His Highnefs loft one Eye in Hunting, by an unfortunate Shot from the Duke * Philippa Plifabeth of Orleans. She died of the Small-pox May ri, 17 34- unmarried, and univerfally lamented. f Louifa Diana of Orleans. She was married in 1731. to Lewis of Bourbon, Prince of Conti, by whom file had a Son, born Sept. I, >734. while the Prince was in the King’s Army upon the Rhine. of I r Paris. 209 •of Berry: He was marry ’d very young to Made- moifelle de Conti his Coufin, who died without Iflue. He was alfo but young when he made the Campaigns in Germany, in Company with his Bro- ther-in-law the Prince of Conti. After the Deceafe of Lewis XIV. the Duke went to Law with the legitimated Princes, and caus’d the Duke de Maine to be degraded from the Rank of Prince of the Blood, to which he had been promoted by an Arret folemnly regifter’d in Parliament during the Life of the late King. The DuLe of Bourbon demanded, as firft Prince of the Blood, whom he then reprefent- ed, by reafon of the tender Age of the Duke of Chartres-, now Duke of Orleans, to have the Super- intendance of the King’s Education, to which Polt the Duke de Maine had been nominated by the late king’s laft Will : He obtain’d his Demand, and the Duke de Maine retir’d to Beaux, The Duke de Bourbon had after this a great Share in the Affairs of the Regency, and the Duke of Orleans took care to keep him in good Humour. Attheunex- pefled Death of the Regent, the Duke, being then at Verfailles, went to the King, and demanded the Poft of Prime Minifler, vacant by the Death of his Royal Highnefs, and obtain’d it. The late M. de la Vrilliere, Secretary of State, being perhaps a little too forgetful of his Obligations to the Son of a Prince who had heap’d Favours upon him, drew up the Patent inftantly, and caus’d it to be fign’d by the King, before the Duke of Chartres, who was at the Opera at Paris, could hear the News of his Father’s Death ; fo that cho’ he went Pofl to V erfailles.md demanded the Office ofFirft Minifter, the Duke of Bourbon told him, that the King had difpos’d of it to hirnfelf. The Duke was no fooner vefted with the Authority of Prime Minifler, than he made great Alterations in the Government *, but thefe are the Subjedl ot Hiflory rather than of a \ o I.. II. O Letter,' 2 to Paris. Letter. M. le Blanc ^ who had been Secretary at War, and was the Darling of the Officers, was committed to the Baftille and MJe Breleuil, who had been formerly Mafter of the Requefts, and Intendant of Tours, fucceeded him in that Office *, which was the Coniequence of a Mifunderftanding, or rather a Hatred, between two Ladies, who were the Miftrefles, the one of the Duke of Bourbon, the other of M. le Blanc. All the Friends of the latter, among whom was M. the Count de Belle-Ijle, fhared in his Difgrace. The four Brothers of the Name of Paris had the Management of the Finan- ces, of which Brothers two had been Soldiers in the Guards; but they had the Cunning to extricate themfelvcs from that melancholy State, and to ren- der themfelves neceffary to the Government during the Time of the Regency. M. Ar gen fonYjtt'^tr of the Seals had been their Patron, and rais*^d them upon the Ruins of Mr. John Law, and his Syftem. Whatever was done by thefe Brothers is foreign to my Purpofe : Their rapid Fortune drew Envy upon them, and they foon became the Objedts of the public Hatred. The moft remarkable Tranfadions of the Duke’s Adminiftration, were the fending back of the In- fanta, and the Marriage of the King. The Duke, forefeeing the Inconveniencies to which France would be liable, if the King ffiould die without If- fue, thought it beft to prevent fo fatal an Accident, which it had not been poffible for him to have done without marrying the King. The Infanta of Spain was a Child, and it would be at leafl: eight Years before they could hope for any Blue from her; w’hereas by marrying the King to another fpeedily, there was a Chance of having a Dauphin very foon, who would fecure the Tranquillity of the Kingdorn. His moft Serene Highnefs therefore propos’d this Affair to the Council, which atfirfthe found very much 211 Paris. much divided about it ; for they were apprehenfive of the Refentmcnt of the King of Spain, and the Duke himfelf was heartily forty, that he was under a Necefllty of giving their Catholic Majefti;s juft Caufe of Difgult for the fake of the public Good: The Council being at lafl: agreed, they pafs’d a Refolution unanimoufly to fend back the Infanta. This was accordingly notified to the Court of Spain, where News fo unexpected was receiv’d with all the Indignation poflible. The Infanta was fenc back. The Duchefs of 1'aUard had the Care of conducing her to the Spanijh Frontier. All the Honours due to the Daughter of a great King were paid to this Princefs, and every thing that could be thought of, was done to foften the Difpleafurc of their Catholic Majefties for her Return. All France murmur’d in fecret at the Departure of this Princefs ; for (he had won the Hearts of all who had feen her, by a Behaviour and a Genius fo vaftly above one of her Age, that they prognofticated (he would one Day be a great Queen. Not long after Ihe was fent away, the King was married to a Prin- cefs fo happy in Child bearing, that Heaven there- by feems to applaud what the Duke has done, and the People, quite forgetting the Infanta, blefs his Name. The King, after he had been married a few Months, thought it was not convenient for a Prince of the Blood to have the Diredion of his Affairs ; and therefore he difplac’d the Duke of Bourbon horn. the Poll of Prime Minifter, and made the late Bifhop of Fre'jiis, now the Cardinal de Fleurj, the foie Depofitary of his Authority. The Duke re- ceiv’d Orders to retire to Chantilly, a Seat he has near Sends and there his Friends put it into his Head to marry afecondWife: Several Princeffes were propos’d to him, but he determin’d his Choice for Eleonora of Hejfe-Rbinfelds, Sifter of the Princefs O a of I 2 12 Paris. of Piedmont^ now Queen of Sardinid ^ ; and the Bro^ ther of tills Princels, having a Proxy fent to him from the Duke, married her at Rotenbourg^ in Pre- fence of the Count de Gajfe^ whom the Duke had fent to afTift in his Name at this Ceremony. The young Duchefs no fooner arriv’d in France^ but her Beauty, and the Charms both of her Perfon and Mind, made her admir’d by the whole Court, of which file is now one of the principal Ornaments : She is belov’d and refpefted by all Mankind, and every body pities her, that the Duke has not all that I'cndernefs tor her which (he deferves, and which it were to be wifl:i’d he had for the Support of the Covide Family, of which the two only Princes re- maining, vix, the Counts de Charolon and Clermont^ are not married. The Count de CLarolois Is tall, handfome, and v;ell*fet : His Entrance upon the Stage of Adion was much taken Notice of; for a 'Hiirll after Glory was the Paffion of his Soul, as foon as lie came to the Years of Underilanding. The War being kindled in Hungar^^ and Prince Eugene of Savo^^ having gain’d a Viclory near Femifwar^ which re- viv’d that Hero’s Reputation .in France^ the Count de Charolois had a mind to learn the Art of War under fo great a Mafter, and to make the Campaign which immediately follow’d that of ; but he did not dare to difeover his Intention, and fear- ino* that he lliould not obtain the Confent, either o , of the Duke of Orleans the Regent, the Duchefs his Mother, or the Duke his Father, he refolv’d to fet out privately, being furc that he fhould be ap- plauded for his Undertaking, if he could be fo happy as to put it in Execution. He imparted his * It fhould have been obferv’d in the Article of Turin^ that this Queen died the fecond ot Janumry, 1735*. O. S. and the King has fince^ marry’d the ddclt Siltcr of the prclenc Duke of Loram. Defign Paris.’ 215 Defign in Confidence to M. de Billy, one of his Gendemen, and to Renault his firft Valet de Chain- hre, and with thefe two Attendants he fee out from Chantilly on Pretence of Hunting. He trat^ell’d five or fix Poft-Stages with the very Horfes that belong’d to tlie Duke his Father ; after which he left them to the Care of the Poft malfer, and hir’d Ifefh Horfes, with which he reach’d LrVge ; where he refted fome Days, and having provided him- felf with Linen, went to the Court of the Eledfor of Colcgn, whom he had known in France: His firft Vifit at Bonn, was at the Houfe of M. de S. Maurice, the Eledfor’s Prime Minifter; but he did not find him at home. M. de Billy thereupon defir’d to fpeak with his Lady, and told her, that a certain Pundtilio of Honour had oblig’d him to come from France with the young Gentleman in his Company ; but Madame de S. Maurice, not thinking he was a Prince of the Blood, and taking tlie Count de Charolois for fome petty Officer, gave him a very cold Reception : However, fhe fent for her Husband, who was then attending the Eledlor’s Perfon ; and when the Count de S. Mau- rice came, he prefently knew the Count de Charolois, paid him all due Refpedls, and haften’d to notify his Arrival to the Eledtor, who at firft was con- cern’d to hear it, becaufe his Eledloral Highnefs knew not but he might difoblige the Court of France by receiving the Count, who he imagin’d had left the Kingdom upon fome Difguft. Ne- vcrthelefs, after refiedling with himfelf, that what- ever the Count de Charolois might have done, the ■Court of France could not be angry with him for paying a Regard to his Quality as Prince of the Blood, he fent to invite him to his Palace. The Count went thither accordingly, by the Name of the Count de Dantmartin, which he always travell’d with as long as he was abfent from the King- C 3 dom. 2.14 Pari s, dom. The Eleftor receiv’d him with all the Marks of the highefl: Efteem, kept him feveral Days at his Court, and thcn^furnifh’d him with Money for his Journey to Munich*^ where he no fooner arriv’d, but he wrote to the Duke his Father to fend him Remittances, and the neceflary Equipages for the Campaign which he was then going to make. Tho’ the Count de Ckarolois did not find the Ede6lor of Bavaria at 'Munkh^ yet he was as v/ell receiv’d as if he had been there ; and the Electrefs, tho’ he had not been to' fed* her,* no foOner heard of •t ' his Arrival, but fhe order’d' all due Honours to be paid to him. When the Eleflor return’d to Mu- 7nch^ he was overjoy’d to find this Prince there, and bder’d to make his Peace in France^ in which he fucceeded fo far, as to get his Departure out of the Kingdom approv’d by the Duchefs and the Regent. When the Count’s Domeftics were ar- riv’d, he fee out for Hungary^ and pafs’d through Vienna without fainting the Emperor, or the Em- prefs .Dowager his Coufin German. The Emprefs was fo offended at it, that fl^e wrote to her Aunt, who was the Prince’s Grandmother, and fignified to that Princefs, that fiie did not think it handiome for a Prince of fuch Defcent as the Count de Cba^c- lois^ to pafs through Vienna to ferve in the Imperial Army, without having feen tlve Emperor. The Count’s Relations did not fail to reproach him for his Want of Refpedt to their imperial Majtflies. He excus’d himfelf, by faying that he did not know what Treatment he ought to expeft ; but the An- fwer he receiv’d, was an Order from the liegent in the King’s Name, to wait on ikeir Imperial Maje- flics as h^e return’d from the Campaign. He fignaliz’d himfelf in it very much, but with fo little Care of his Perfon, that Prince Eugene of Savoy often reproach’d him for it: He took a Plea- fore to RO up to the very Breaft-work of the A rcncuCSj Paris. 215 Trenches ; and from thence with Screw-Guns he fir’d at the Turks, as if he had been fliooting at fmall Birds: On the other hand Turks did not fpare him, but fent their Balls whizzing,about his Ears in Return for his Frolic. The Count was preftnt at the Battle of Belgrade, and faw that Place taken : He afterwards went to Vienna, and ftaid there fome Weeks, where he had an Audience of the Emperor, not incognito, but as the Count de Charolois. The Emperor receiv’d him' at the Favourita ftanding : His Audience was attended' with this odd Circum- ftance. Th*e Count, beThg not acquainted with the Ceremonial, did not know that he fhould find the Emperor all alone ; and therefore, when he enter’d the Clofet, and faw a Man in ' a very plain Drefs leaning with his Back againft a Table, he took him for fome private Gentleman •, but in a few Mo- ments he fpy’d the Golden Fleece ; He was doubt- ful in his Mind, after all, whether ’twas the Empe- ror ; but he advanc’d, faying within himfelf, that in either cafe there was not much Harm in being miftaken. The Emperor receiv’d him with very great Marks of Dirtindion, and the Count kifs’d his Hand, becaufe he had been told it was the Cuftom, and that all the Princes of the Empire did the fame. He afterwards went to the Apartment of the Emprefles, and had reafon, where-ever he came, to be fatisfied with his Reception. From Vienna he return’d to Munich, after which he made the Tour of Ita^, and lodg’d at Rome at the Houfe of the Cardinal de Tremouille, who had then the Care of the Affairs of France. After having repafs’d the Mountains, he came back to Munich, where he flay’d a Year and an half, being always lodg’d and defray’d, together with his Re- tinue, at the Expence of his Electoral Highnefs, who kept a Table for him for twelve Guefls, befides Hunting-Equipage, and Horfesat his Command. O 4 Hunting 21 S Paris. i. Hunting is this Prince’s chief Amufement fince he return’d to France : He appears ieldom at Court, and neither meddles nor makes with Affairs of State. They talk often of getting him a Wife; but he does not feem to have any more Gout for the Sacrament of Marriage, than his younger Brother the Count de Clermont, a young Prince of a lovely Perfon, a fweet Nature, and who feems to have a way of Thinking becoming his Birth. They who approach him, and know him intimately, have affur’d me, that he has all the Qualities that can be to form hereafter a great Prince. It feems as if he were defign’d for the Church, fince his mott Serene Highnefs adually enjoys feveral confiderable Ab- beys ; but hitherto this Prince dreffes in the Lay Habit, and performs no Spiritual Funftion. While I was fpeaking of the Count de Ch&rolcts, I forgot to tell you, that he is Governor of la Fouraine, in which Honour he fucceeded the late M. Dangeau, firft Gentleman-Ufher to the late Duchefs of Bur- gund'j. In his time la Fourame was not reckon’d among the great Governments ; but as the Regent was willing to give one to the Count de Cbarolois, after having granted away the Reverfions of all the great Governments, he thought ot no other Expe- dient, than to put la Fouraine in the Rank of the other Provinces. The three Princes that I have juft mention’d, are the Sons of Madame the Duchefs (of Bourbon) the legitimated Daughter of Lewis yClF , and Madame de Montefpan: She is a Princefs who has been cry\i up in F.itrope for her Wit, Beauty, and the Charms of her Perfon. Tho’ ftie is the Mother of a nume- rous Eamdy, ftie may ftdl be reckon d among the Beauties of the Court; and ’tis certain, that when the Duchefs is with the Princeffes her Daughters, ibe feems rather to be their Sifter than the Mother. This Princefs is immenfely rich, thofe who ma- ■■ ' ' ' ■ nage Paris. 217 naifciple de V Adverfite, ft viens faire dans le village Le volontaire apprentijfage D'une tardive obfcurite, AuJJi bien, de mon plus bel age J'apper^ois linjiabilite. J*ai deja, de compte arret e, ^uarante fois vu le feuillage Far le Zephyr rejfufcite. Du Printems fai mat profite: y'en ai regret \ et de P Ete ye veux faire un meilleur ufage, J*apporte dans mon Pier mi t age ^ Un coeur des longtems rebate Du prompt et funefle efclavage. Emit de la folle vanite. Faifan fans rufUcite, Hermite fans patelinage, Mon but eft La tranquillite. fe veux pour unique pdrtage. La paix d'un coeur qui fe degage Des filets de la Volupte. V incorruptible probite, De mts Ayenx noble Heritage, A la Cour ne nP a point quitte, Libre et franc, fans etre fauvage, Du Courtifan four be et volage Vexemple ne vP a point gate, Vinfatigable abilvite, Refte Honours with Humility: And having therefore fix’d on this Spot tor his Refidence, he im- plores the Sandtion of the Di- vine Providence to his Choice. Here he fays,, that having been train’d-up in the School of Adverfity, he prefers a volun- tary Obfeurity in the Village ; that he has experienc’d theln- ftability of Youth; that he has feen the P^eturn of 40 Springs, which he regrets that he has lo ill improv’d ; and promifes to make a better Ufe of the Summer of his Life. He fays he brings to his Her- mitage a Heart which has been for a long Time the fatal Slave of foolifh Vanity; but that now he is become a Peafant with- out Clownifhncfs, a Hermit without Bigotry ; and that Tranquillity being his Aim, he delires no other Portion in Life but the Peace of his Mind, dif^ entangled from the Snares of Pleal'ure. Here he declares, that incor- ruptible Probity, the noble In- heritance he deriv’d from his Anceftors, did not for fake hini at Court, where being frank and free, without being rude, the Example of the crafty gid- dy Courtier had not tainted him. He obferves the good Effedf of his former Mifcarri- age; that it has made him adfire and indefatigable 5 and he hopes from Paris. 215 and has the Reverfion of his Father’s Offices. Whether the Count d* Eu has any Employments, I know not. Both thefe Princes are commonly at Court, Mademoifelle du Maine is a very amiable Princefs, whofe Education h,as been fully anfwera- ble to her Birth, and who, by her Manners and Politenefs, approves herfelf the worthy Daughter of her Mother. Hefte c\'m utile naufrage, Mes Etudes, mon Jardinage, Un Repas fans art apprete, D"une Epoufe oeconome fage La belle htmeur, le bon menage, Vont fair e ma f elicit e, Ceft dans ce Tort, qu'en furete Ma Barque ne craint point Borage, ^ffun autre a fin tour emporte, Au gre de fa cupidite, Sur le fein de Bhumide plage, Des Vents ofe affronter la rage 5 feris defa temerite, Et lui fiuthaite un bon voyage. Je referve ma fermete Pour m plus important paffage j Et je m'approche avec courage, Des portes de B Eternite. Je fat que la mortalite Du Genre humain eft Bappanage : Pourquoi feul ferois-je except e ? La vie eft un pelerinage : De fin cours la rapidite. Loin de alarmer, mefoulage. De fa fin, quand je Benvifage, V infallible necejjjte Ne me fauroit faire d^outrage. Brulez de BOr empaquete, ll rB en perit que B embalage: C"e(l tour. Un ft leger dommage Devroit’il etre regrete? from henceforward s to be hap- py in his Studies, in his Gar- den, and in a plain Diet dre'fs’d by his frugal prudent Wife, whofe good Nature is equal to her Oeconomy. In this Port, fays he, my Veffel dreads no Storm. Lee who will defy the Rage of the Winds, while he coafts along the Shore, I laugh at his Pre- fumption, and wifh him a good Voyage; but referve my Cou- rage for a more important Paf* fage, and approach with Bold- nefs to the Gates of Eternity. The Poet concludes with a Reflection, that fince Mortality is intaifd upon all Mankind, v/hy fhould he alone think to be exempted? And he fays, that fince Life is but a Pilgrimage, the Rapidity of its Race, in- flead of alarming, comforts him ; and that the infallible Ne- ccifity of his Death, when he ferioufly confiders the Matter, is no more an Injury to him, than the burning ot a Bale of Gold is to the Metal, which re- mains intirc, tho* the Cafe that contains it isconfumM; which, he adds, is too trifling a Lofs to be regarded. Vol. If. The Paris. I he Count di; '■rijoioufc, great Admiral of France ^ is the ftcoiid '5on ol King L.ewis XIV. by Madame de Montcfpan. In the laft War he commanded the Nuvr.l Army of hrance. He is one of the handiomefl and comeiieft Lords at Court. He is noble and magnificent in every thing that he does, and they lay, lie is generous. He is very polite, and has always been as much efteem’d for his Merit, as tor his Rank of a legitimated Prince, which he has preferved, tho’ his Brother was di- vefted of it. It was believed for a long time, that this Prince vvould not marry, and that his great Effate would fall to the Children of the Duke de Maine \ but he married fome Years ago, Maria Viclorxa of Noadles^ Widow of the Mar- quis de Gondrin^ Son to the Duke Anfin^ by whom he had a Son, who is now the Duke ddEper-- 7ion, The Count de Tholcufe has had a Son by her alfo, who is called the Duke * de Ponthievre \ by which Tide, the Count has the Rank of a Peer in Parliament. This Prince, fince his Marriage, has commonly refided at Rambouillet^ where the King frequently makes Parties for Hunting. His Majrfty fliews a very great Regard for the Coun- tefs of Tholoufe^ which gives her Authority to talk to his Majefty with a great deal of Freedom, The Fi ■ench fay, (lie was the Oi^cafion of the Duke of Bourbon's, being put out of the Miniftry. ’Tis certain, however, that the King was at Ram- bouillet, when the Duke de Charojt went and told the Duke, That it was his Majefty’s Pleafure, that he fhould quit the Station of Prime Minifter. The Duke being at Verfailles when he receiv’d ^ The King gave this young Duke, when he was but nine Years oKI, the Reveriion of the Poft of Great Admiral, for a New-Year’s Gift, on the firft of January 1754. He is hand- fome, well-let, ail Life and Spirit, and gives very fair Hopes of being a great Man. Paris. 2x7 the unwelcome News, they fay, he defired to fpeak with the King and ^een ; but that the Duke de Charoji told him, he had Orders for his Removal to Chantilly. His moft Serene Highnefs obey’d, and did not appear to be afflifled for the Lofs of his Authority, fo much as for the falling-off of his Friends and Creatures. The Marchio’ efs de Prie, Lady of the Bed chamber to the Qtieen, whom he honoured with a very fingular Efteem, received Orders to leave the Court, and to retire to Normandy, where, during her being in Favour, Ihe had purchafed a confiderable Eftate. The Bro- thers of the Name of Paris, thofe Objedls of the Public Odium, were divefled of their Authority. M. de Blanc came again into the Miniflry : M. de Belle-JJle regain’d his Liberty, and obtained the Command of the Troops of the Government of Metz, and the three BiOiopricks. The Marchi- onefs de Prie had the Mortification to fee her Em- ployment of Lady of the Bed- chamber fill’d up by the Daughter of M. le Blanc, to whom flie was a declared Enemy, and whom file bad endeavoured to ruin, • This Lady was not able to fupport her- felf long under her Difgrace ; for having been ufed to bear a Sway, fhe could not reconcile her- felf to Retirem.ent ; but languifhcd for a while, and at length died of a Colic, which gave her horrid Pains. She was not much regretted, be- caufe fhe had made few Friends: Ambition and Self-lntereft had taken intire hold of her. She thought her Difgrace unfufFerable, and the little Refledion fhe made upon the Revolution of For- tune, rendered hers but the more intolerable. I will hereafter give you an Account of the Car- dinal de Henry, and of the Perfons now of the pirft Rank at Court-, but at prefent my Pen is ready to drop out of my Fingers ; for ’tis One o Clock in the Morning, and it i write any more. P a • 1 Paris, I fiiall but give you my Dreams. Therefore 1 am, with a!! the Efteem, pofTible, i3c. LETTER XLI. SIR, Verf allies, May i, 1732.’ \ N my laft Letter I mention’d the Princes and Princdies o! the Blood Royal to you ; in this I am CO give you an Account of thofe Per- lons at this Court, who are in the moft exalted Stations. The Cardinal de Fleury, by his Dignity of Car- dinal, and much more by his Charafter, as the Depofitary of the Royal Authority, has the firft Rank in the State next to the Princes of the Blood. This Prelate, tho’ far advanced in Years, is brisk and lively to Admiration. His Stature is fome- what above the middle Size ; he has a happy Phy- fiognomy, to which Fortune has not given the Lye; and he is humble, good-natur’d and civil. You know that he was Bifhop of Frejus. Fie re- figo’d chat See to excufe himfelf from the Paftoral Ch arge of Souls, when the late King Leuois XIV. nominated him, by his Laft Will, Preceptor to the young Dauphin, now King Lewis XV. This was almoft tl;e only Article of Lewis the Grand’s Will, which the Regent put in Execution. M. de Frehis won the Heart of the young Monarch to fuch a Degree, that the Prince was intirely wrapp’d uo in him ; and Ins Aft'edion for him has increas’d I'o much ever fince, that now it may be literally Paris. 229 faid, that the Cardinal de Fleury is the Depofitary, or Truftee, of the Royal Authority. The Re- gent, a Prince of Penetration, if ever there was one, quickly perceived what an Afcendant M. de Frejus had over the young Monarch ; and being appreht.nfive of what might be the Confeqnences of it, he was continually contriving how to remove the Prelate from Court. With this View he offer- ed him the Archbilhoprick of Rkeims, which was vacant by the Death of the Cardinal de Madly ; but M. de Fletiry'y who refigned the Bilhoprick of Frejus, that he might not have the Charge of Souls, was fo far from accepting one of the greatelt Archbifliopricks in the Kingdom, that he abfo- lutely refufed it. The Duke of Orleans, who was intent upon carrrying his Point, offered to make him a Cardinal ; for he hoped, that the Pope’s ill State of Health would quickly bring on a Con- clave; and that then M. de Frejus would be obliged to go to Rome, where he thought he lliou’d be able to continue him, on Pretence of managing the King’s Affairs ther^e ; and that then the young Monarch’s Fondnefs to fee his Favourite would by that Means infenfibly be weaned. But M. de Frejus faw the Flook that was hid under this Bair. The red Flat did not dazzle his Eyes ; and he knew moreover, that if he kept clofe to the King’s Perfon, he could be fure of a Hat whenever he plcafed. However, he thank’d the Duke of Orleans, and told him, he had no fuch ambitious Views, and that he preferred his Station in the King’s Council, before all the Dignities, to which, in his Goodnefs, he had Thoughts of promoting him. The Duke of Orleans, however chagrin’d at the Prelate’s Moderation, was forc’d to keep it to himfelf; he was afraid to make ufe of his Authority ; for it was not long before this, that he banifh’d the Marflial de Villeroy to L)ons, ^3*^ Paris. at which the People grumbled ; and to put away the Preceptor too, would have rais’d a Clamour againft him, throughout the whole Kingdom. M. de Frejus continued at Court as a Member of the Privy Council, and there was not a Courtier who gave more conrtant Attendance ; and in this Sta- tion he fupported the Miniftry of the Cardinal du Bois, the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke of Bourbon-, but he confin’d himfelf all the while within the Bounds of his Office. At the King’s Marriage, he accepted of that of Great Almoner to the Queen, and by rhat Means his Attach- ment to the Court became moie ftficid. When the Duke de Bourbon was difgrac’d, the King of- fered the Place of Prime Minifter to M. de Frejus, who, indeed, accepted of that eminent Poll •, but ’twas on Condition, that he fl:iOuld not be com? pclled to take the Title, and that he might al- ways lay an Account of every Thing before the King. I'he Biffiop of Frejus being thus become Mafter of the Government,' it was but reafonable that he fhould be adorned with the Purple, to give the more Luftre to his Charafler. Mean time France had no Plat to demand, for the Number of her Cardinals was completed. The Emperor having a Pretenfion at that Time to a Hat, the King defired him to yield it to him for his Firft Mi- nilter ; and the Emperor, overjoy’d that he could oblige the King, and that he could make the Minifter fome fort cf Amends for his pacific Sen- timents, gave him his Nomination accordingly. Pope Beneditd XIII. fent the Cap to the Biffiop, who then afTumed the Title of Cardinal de Fleury and with this Title he now governs the State, not with the general Applaufe of the French, becaufe the Thing is impofnble •, but at leafi, v/ith the Ap- probation of his King, of Foreigners, and indeed. Paris. 251 of every Man in the King ioui, who is thorotigiily inform’d of the Stare of France in partiuilar, and of Europe in general. Yet thofe who have the leaft Arfedion for the Cardinal, muft acknowledge his Difincereftednefs and Integrity ; for the woriT: Enemy he has, cannot accufe him of amalTing Riches, or of coveting to aggrandize his Family ; in which refped he is, perhaps, negligent to a Fault, bis Kindred having the Chara£ler of Pcrfons of Worth. The Cardinal’s Expences are as much circum- fcrib’d as his Dignity will admit of. He is very regular in his Way ar;d Manner of Living, and no doubt, ’tis the ftrifl Regimen which he obierves, that keeps him in fo vigorous a State of Health : For he gives very great Application to Bufinefs, and 1 don’t think he can be upbraided v/ith wafting of Time in his Diverfions. The French (I I peak of thofe who hope to make their Fortune by the Sword) find fiuilt with his Temper as too pacific. IVe are defini'd, (fay they) cur heighbours make Treaties and Alliances without tis, and France is no longer what jhe was in the Time of l-.ewis XtV. I am not here propofing to m ike a Panegyric on the Cardinal, but I cannot help letting you fee how weakly thofe People talk, who cenfure his Condudt as to Foreign Aifairs. I don’t pretend to enter into the Domeflic Affairs of the King- dom, tho’ I am very well perfuaded, that the Car- dinal’s Integrity, and his Zeal for the King, incline him to aft to the bed of his Power. I will only leave you to judge if his Inclination to Peace is blameable. When he came into the Miniffrv, he found the King’s Coffers exhauft.d, and the Kingilom in a Condition, which riquir’d Reft rather than a War, the Event of which is always uncertain. But after all. Who is there to go to £* 4 War 25^ Paris. ^ ar with ? Whac fliall be the Pretence ? Who is it that infulcs trance ? Or, Who defires any thing more of her than her Friendfhip? Have not the Xreaties of Utrecht, and Baden, and all theTrea'? lies made fince, during the Regency of the Duke of Orleans, fettled the Interefts of Europe? Did not England earneftly court the Alliance France? Has the Emperor feem’d lefs defirous of it ? Nay, Did not Spain itfelf, forgetting the fending back of the Infanta, enter into her former Engage- ments with this Crown, as foon as the Cardinal de Fleur'j was vafted with the Miniftry ? In what re- fpecl then, can \k\^French think themfelves defpis’d by their Neighbours? I will take upon me to prove, on the contrary, that Lewis XV. during the Cardi- nal de Fleurfs, Miniftry, inftead of being neglefted, has been as much courted by the Foreign Powers, as Lewis XIV. was in all that Glory which pro- cured him the Title of Louis le Grand. When the Clamour was for abolifhing the Oftend Comr pany, How did England and Holland beftir them- felves to make the King a Party in their Quarrel ? What did not the Emperor do to engage him in his Intereft? Every thing was uncertain, as long as France remained undetermined. The Englijh and the Dutch prepared to attack the Emperor, and. the latter made ready for his Defence. The Cardinal having got the King to declare for the Maritime Powers, the Emperor abolifh’d the Oftend Com- pany immediately. What more could have been obtained by a War? When the Talk was, of introducing the Infante Don Carlos into Italy, what Meafures, vdiat Soli- citations v/erc nor employ’d by the Powers con- cerned, either to bring over Lewis XV. to their Party, or to oblige him to a Neutrality? Count Sinzendprf^s conning from Vienna to Verftailles, on purpofe to treat for the Trantjuillity of Italy, feems ' ' ■ IQ Paris. 235 to me a Proof, that the Emperor does not negledt France to futh a D.gree as the Uneafy and Difaf- feded would fain have it believed. In good Truth, if France had not threatened to attack the Empe- ror, in cafe he did not confent to the Introdudion of the Infante into Tvfcany, would his Imperial Majctty have been influenced by the bare Menaces’ of Spain? That Monarch is too well eftablifhed in Italy^ to fear any thing from that Crown ; and if Equity and Juflice did not always accompany his Actions, it would have been eafy for him to have taken PpATefllon of Fufcany ; and the Spaniards^ who have never been able to retake Gibraltar, and who, perhaps, would never have reduced Barcelona without the Afliftance of the French, would have found it a very difficult Matter to have turned them out of it. The Cardinal de Fleury having perfuaded the King to declare in Favour of the Infante, he threatens to join the Englifh and Spa- niards-, and the Emperor feeing all Europe againfl: him, but efpecially France, which is capable of ftriking the hardcft Blows, yields to the Times, and grants every thing that is defired of him. Can there be any thing more to the Honour of the Cardinal ? And, Why Ihould a War be under- taken, if Menaces alone are fufficient to obtain what is defired ? But, fay the Difaftefted, we purchafe Peace of all the World by our Money. The Cardinal is not chargeable with laviffiing the King’s Money. I know not that he gives away any, unlefs it be the Subfidies granted to the Crowns of Denmark and Sweden. If that be purchafing a Peace, Lewis Xiy. and the Regent after him, were much more lavifh of the Royal Treafure, and perhaps with Ids Profit *, and it would be eafy to demonftrate, that in order to diflodge the Spaniards from Sicily. |he ... ^ „ A icia more money inco Germany and England^ 234 Paris. in one IVIontli, than the C-ardinal gives away in a Year ro the Northern Crowns; tho’ one of em has for Xinie out ot Mind been ufed to craw Sublldies from h'l^ance, Yet all this while, the Regent was not aioifed of purchafing a Peace ol his Neighbours ; becaufe, in’ order to make it necelfary to buy a Peace, I'ome Prince or other mull have threatened him with a War. But ’cis certain, tliat no Power did then, or does now, think of attacking France, i.et her continue peace- able, and there we will leave her. But on the other hand, tho’ it were not juftifiable for the Cardinal to entertain pacific Sentiments, and tho’ he were to indulge the PalTion of the French., I would lain know of thole who are fo hot for a War, Whether they are well afTured it would have a happy Iffue ? .Xrid, Whether, when a War is once begun, it would be in their Power to put an End to it, whenever they thought it confiftent with their Affairs.? Nay, I luppofe that every thing fhould happen as they would wifh, and that the War flrould prove a fortunate one ; What Acquifition can France make, which would nor be more to her Expence than her Advantage? For the farther flae extends her Conquefts, the more Enemies fire will have of Courfe, and the more Troops fire will be oblig’d to maintain. The Frontiers of the Kingdom are fecured. Are a few more Towns, nay, an intire Province, a fufficient Temptation for a King of France ? And are they an t'quivalent for the Blood and Treafure that muft be expended to acquire them ? No, fure- ]y, the Cardinal is perfectly in the right, and I muft bee the Frenchtnem Pardon, when 1 tell ’em, they know not what they would be at. How de- firous were they of the late Peace? And they have fcarce tailed the Fruits of it, but they now want a War. If the Cardinal fhould enter into a War, and Paris. *35 and the Confequetices of it ftiould Would they not throw the Blame upon him . Tney would fay for the Purpofe, that it was inconfiltenc with a Prieft to make War. For my Part, 1 ciunk the Cardinal de Flcury has fubdantial Reafons lor doing what he does. The french have been lo long accuftomed to the turbulent Reigrv or Lewis XIV. which was interfperfed througaout with orreat Events, that they know not how to recon- cile themfelves to one that is more placid and ca m, but ’tis to be hoped, they will ere long. Wnat- ever they do, the Cardinal feenas to be very ealy, let them fay what they will of him. As he knows that he has nothing to reproach himfelt with, and that he has always preferred the Good of the Public to his own private Intereft, he is afraid of no Revolution in his Fortune. He is fen- fible that Innocence always holds up its Head, and that real Merit is above the Reach of Envy and Malice. M. Daguejfeau^ the Chancellor of France^ is the Chief Magiftrate of the Kingdom, and his Office is attended with fuch great Prerogatives, that the King cannot take it from him. The Per- fon whom he fucceeded in this eminent Dig- nity, was M. Voiftn, who being Secretary of War, v/as made Chancellor by Lewis XIV. upon M. de Pontckar train’s refigning that Poll, to devote the Refidue of his Life to God in Retirement. M. Voifin dying fuddenly in the Beginning of the Duke of Orleans’s Regency, M. Daguejfeau, then Attorney General, was, by his Royal Highnefs, appointed Chancellor in his Room. All France applauded this Choice. Every body was fo fatif- 6ed of this Magiftrate’s Candour and Integrity, that nobody doubted he would affert Judice and Equity ; and in ffiort, he perfetlly anfwered the E^pecltitions of the Public. But as true Merit 2^6 P A R I S. is always the mofl: envied, a Cabal was foon form- ed againfl; his Integrity. M. Daguejfeau refuled to put the Seal to certain Ediifls, which he thought contrary to the Welfare of the Government ; at which the Duke of Orleans was fo incenfed, that he banifhed the Chancellor to Frene, a fine Seat belonging ro that Miniller near Meaitx ; and the Seals were given to iM c' j:‘1rgenfon^ Lieutenant of the Police, wim the Title of Keeper of the Seals, which was formerly no more than a bare Com- mifiion ; but the Regent was then for erefting it into an Ofiice. The Parliament of Paris exelaim- ed very much again il this Innovation, but the Regent, after all, was obey’d. Upon the Death of M. d' Argenjon^ the Chancellor was recall’d, and the Seals reftor’d to * him •, but he held them not long ; for the Regent, who was refolved to have no Minifters but fuch as knew how to obey, difgraced the Chancellor a fecond time for oppo- fing his Will, and gave the Seals to M. d' Arme- nonvtlle. The latter dying during the Cardinal de Fleur'^% Miniftry, the Seals were given to Ni.de Chauvelin^ who, befides the Title of Keeper of the Seals, has alfo the Office of Minifter and Se- cretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The Chan- cellor, who has been recalled for fome time, affifts at the Council ; but his Office has been depriv’d of its greateft Luftre, fince the Seals have been feparated from it. M. Chanvelin, Keeper of the Seals, Minifter and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, owes * As foon as he arrived, the Place de Vendofmey or the Square of Lems le Grsmdy where M. Daguejjeau liv’d, was fet apart for the Stock-jobbing Trade, which was before carried on in the Street ^uinquempoix , and one Morning, a Paper was found at the Chancellor’s Door, with thefe Words, Et homo faBus eji, ^ hubitabit cum nobis. t He is adlualiy join’d in the Adminiftration with the Car- dinal de Eleurjy who was very glad to nominate a Perfonfor his Coadjutor. hi3 Paris. his Advancement to the Cardinal de Fleur^^ who feems to confide in him intirely. This Minifter is reckon’d very laborious, good-natur’d and civil. The Foreign Minifters are fo taken with him, that they think no more of MelTieurs de Torcy and de Morville. The former was of the Colbert Family, Secretary of F'oreign Affairs under Lewis 'Kl'V. a Man, as one may fay, born for the Miniftry, and whofe great and good Services have been very much cry’d-up, but more rewarded by the Ap- plaufes of Europe, than by Favours from the Court. The other was the Son of the late Keeper of the Seals, d* Jrmenonville, and had acquir’d a great Reputation in his Embaffies to Holland, and the Congrefs of Cambray, when he defired Leave to * retire, and was fucceeded by M. Chauvelin. The Count de Maurepas is Grandfon to the Chancellor de Ponlchar train, and Son to the Count de Pontchartrain, Secretary for the Maritime Af- fairs in the Reign of King Lewis XIV. He en- ter’d very young into the Miniftry, and has fo behav’d as to gain Friends and Dependants. I have not heard one Man give him an ill Word, while every body fpeaks well of him ; but as for his Secretaries, or chief Clerks, the Seafaring Peo- ple often exclaim againft the Airs of Importance which fome of thofe Scribes put on, who watch all Opportunities to impofe on the Flonefty of the Minifter, in Favour of their Creatures, to the Prejudice of other Subjeds, who have more Merit. The Count de S. Florentin is of the Family of Phelypeaux, as is alfo the Count de Maurepas, who married his Sifter. Fie is the Son of M. de la V nlliere. Secretary of State ; and had the • He died fome time ago at Parh, very much lamented by all that knew him. Rever- 2^8 Paris. Rcn erfion of his Father’s Office granted him by the Regent, when he was fcarce twenty Years of Ag“. M. de la Vnlliere dying not long be- fore :iie King’s Marriage, M. de S. Florentin en- terr d on his Office. He has that Province which relates to A.. airs Ecclefiaftical. He married, fome Years ago, the Daughter of the late Count de Platen, Great Chamberlain, and Here- ditary Fofi-Mafter of Hanover-, but neither of ’em knew one another before the Match was made. Mademoifelle de Platen was a Lutheran, but is turn’d Catholic. The Lady, her Mother, for whom I had as profound a Veneration as for any Woman in the World, and whofe Memory I ftill revere, brought her into France. M, de S. Florentin has Reafon to be pleas’d with the Choice he has made ; For his Lady is not only very charming, but has noble Sentiments, and a Vir- tue which Calumny itfelf durll not afperfe. When fhe married M. de S. Florentin, King George I. of Great Britain fettled a Penfion upon her of forty thoufand Livres, for forty-five Years; and King George II. on his Acceffion to the Crown, was pleafed to confirm the faid Penfion, upon that Lady’s going to London to folicit it, in Company with her Mother-in-Lavv Madame de la Vrilliers, now Duchefs of Mazarine. M. d' Angervilliers, formerly Intendant of Alface, is Secretary of the War-Office, in which he fuc- ceeded M. le Blanc, who was the Secretary a fecond time, when he died at Versailles. The firft time that he was Secretary, he was fupplanted by M. de Breteuil, during the Miniftry of the Duke de Bourbon -, and he, in his Turn, fupplanted M. de Breteuil, the Queen’s Chancellor, in the Miniftry of the Cardinal de Fleurj. You fee by this, that the War-Office has been feveral times chang’d in a few Years ; but ’tis like to remain alw.ays in the Hands Paris. 239 Hands of M. d’ Angervilliers, whofe Application, Vicrilance and Integrity, are very much cry’d-up by^the Officers, and all that have to do with him. I gave you fome Account of this Minifter, when I wrote to you from Strasbourg, to which I have nothing to add. As the Secretary of War has been often chang’d of late Years, the Comptroller General of the Fi- nances has been much more fo. From the Year 1 71 1, when I firft came to Paris, to this Day, I have known feven Comptrollers General, and not one of ’em died in the Office : So that this Port may well be compared to that of the Grand Vizier, which is alike ftruggled for, and alike fatal to thofe who are invefted with it. Of all the Men who have had that ticklifh Em- ployment of Comptroller General in France, there is not one that has made a more ffiining Fortune, and a Fortune that fooner flipp’d from him, than John Law. This Man, of whom many People have wrote and talk’d without knowing him, and according to their Paffions, was a Scotf 7 nan, born with a narrow Fortune, but ftrong Defires to in- large it. He had travell’d through feveral Parts of Europe, and Gaming prov’d his chief Sublift- ence. Fie won confiderable Sums in Italy, efpe- cially at Genoa •, and there it was that he hatch’d all thofe Projects which he put in Execution in France. ’Tis true, that he did not come into this Kingdom, till he had ofi'ered his Services to FiBor Amadeus, the King of Sardinia. This Prince told him, 1 hat his Dominions were too fmall for the Execution of fo great a Defign ; but that France was a Theatre, where he might expedl to make his Marker, and thither he advifed him to go. //^ I know the Humour of the French, added the King, I am fur e they will reliflo your Schemes. John Law took the Monarch’s Advice, and fliewed his ^4® P A R I his Projedl to the Regent, who approved it ; and the Projedlor foon found, that he had the Purfes of the French abfolutely at his Command. As he was a Proteftant, he made his Abjuration in the Recollets Church at Melun^ in the Diocefe of Sens^ in the Month of December 1719, in the Hands of the Abbe ^ Fancin, In the Month of January fol- lowing, he was made Comptroller-General •, but he quitted that Pofl in June abruptly left Tarn on the thirteenth of December 1720; and after rambling about for a while, not knowing where to fix, (for his own Country did not fuit him) he died at Munich. The Generality of the French accufe him of having exhaufted France., and fenc away immenfe Sums to Foreign Countries. How true this is, I knov/ not, but ’tis certain, that Law, after his Difgrace, liv’d very meanly. His Widow and his Son, (Mr. John Law) -f who are adlually at Utrecht, make no very great Figure there, which very many People afcribe to Policy. But for my own Part, who think more freely, and don’t fee what could hinder Mrs. Law and her Son from making a Difplay of their Riches, in the Country where they live ; I can’t help crediting what Peo- ple, and fuch as were John Law’s Intimates, have aflured me for a certain Truth, viz. That Law being puff’d-up with his Fortune, and not think- ing it would be fo fhort-liv’d, had no Thought of fecuring it in Foreign Countries ; and that if he had fuch a Purpofe, he had not Time to fend any Sums out of the Kingdom. He was oblig’d The prefent Archbifliop of Ambrunt famous for his Zeal for the Conftitution, for the Perfecution of the Bifhop of Senez.^ and for his little Council at Ambrun. f He died at Maeftricht in the Year 1754, a Cornet in the Rc<5iment of the Prince of Orange-FrifeUncL But Mr. Luro has left an amiable Daughter, who has had a fine Education, and married to Lord WalUn^f^rdy Son to the Earl ol Banbury, both Paris.' 241 both by Neceffity, and out of Policy, to make Purchales in France ; and accordingly he made confiderable Acquifitions •, but they were no more than a pleafant Dream to him, and the Lofs of them only made his Difgrace the greater Afflic- tion. I am of their Opinion, who believe that John Law was richer when he came to France^ than he was three Months after he left it. This Copy of Verfes was made upon him, which, per- haps, you will not be forry to fee *. /• The Title of it is, A C o M i s s i o n of the Office of Comptroller-General of the Finances, for Mr. John Law, E par le Dieu porie-marotteT, Nous General de la Calotte^ Attendu que le Regiment Eft oblige ftenfiblement Au Sieur Law, de qui la Science Et conduite dans la Finance Nous a donne maints Calotins^ En inventant les Bulletins^ Autrement dits Billets de BanquCj Pour fervir au jeu de la Blanque^ Jeu non rcnouvelle des Grecs^ Comme le Fade jeu de l^Oye^ Mais imagine tout expres Pour exciter Vho7iime d la joye : Femoin les Plaifans viremens^ Et continuels changemens^ ^e l^on a vu dans le Royaume De Slinnquempoix de Vendome^ Et Principaute de Soijfons^ Ou /’ Achat fs? le Dividende * Thefe Verfes are not in the fir ft Edition of thefe Memoirs,' but are added, by the Bookfdler, to the fecond. VoL, II. Caufoient 2*4^- Paris. Caufoient un Riimeur fi grandey ne vit jamais tant de Rats Obfeder gens de tons etats : Marly Femme y Garmon G? Fille ! LaqiiaiSy ServanteSy la Famille ! En un rnoty fans rten excepteVy Venoit jouer £5? blanquetery Et s^y portoit de telle forte y il falloit Gardes a la Porte Pour renvoyer chactin chez foiy Apres les trots coups de Beffroi. La de tons Pais £5? Provincesy ' MarcbandSy M^gifratSy ArtifanSy PrelatSy Guerriers £5? CourtifanSy Duts £5? PairSy £5? me me des Princes y Non du PaiSy mats bien forainsy Accouroient comme des E[fainSy Malgre venty grelcy pluye £5? crottCy Pour y jouer d la Marottey En beaux & bons denier s comptanty Contre des Voleurs CalotineSy Dont la France £s? ter res voifines Se pourront foiivenir longtems, A ces CaufeSy vu /’ Abondance Des Calotins qui font en France De tous Rangs (A de tons etats, Par le moyen du (lit Sieur Las, Floiis lui confions nos Finances i Voulons que fur fes Ordonnances Nos fonds foient ceconomifes. Augment es A,realifes\ Afin que felon fon merite Chacun ait party groffe on petite, Dans nos immenfes RevenuSy Tant de gros Fonds cjue de^ menus. Or comme un pared Mini fere Ejl Jert ctemlu dans fa SpherCy ,Lui Paris. 243 Lui donnons pour premier Commis, * No M P A R qui des moms endonnis Connoit la manceuvre diverfe De la Fmance e? du Commerce. Lui donnons 'pour Profits Droit^ Penfions^ Gages ts? Salaries^ Le quart de tons les Angles droits^ ^ie couperont les Comm'tjfaires Au papier qui [era vife., Et duquel en homme avife II a Jl bien g^ojf le nombre^ Flue la France y feroit d l*ombre^ Si tous le Billets rajfefnbles^ Et les nns aux autres colUs.^ On en pouvoit faire une ’Tente, Au furplus de ladite Rente^ Lui donnons notre grand Cordon^ Pajfant de la droite d la gauche^ Ainfi qu^un legere ebauche Be fa droiture.^ dont le fond Va filoin que Terraffon me?ne^ Grand calculateur du Syfeme^ Ne pourroit pas le mefurer. En cutre^ pour mieux honorer Le chef de ce grand Perfonnage^ fit bouqiier tout ho^nme fage^ Et foi difant dodle iF profond^ Lui donnons Calotte de plomb^ Be la haute et prmiere clajfe ; Et pour furcroit de telle grace^ Joignons d ces * Coqs dont la voix Chant a la Jufiice au Franpns^ Papillons^ Rats Cf Girouettes^ * James Nompar of Canmont^ Duke de la Force, an afTiduous humble Servant of Mr. Law, and who, by his Management, during the MtJJifippi Scheme, drew a great many Pafquinadcs upon himfelf, of which this is not the fevered. f The Abbe Terrajfon, who wrote inFavouaof the Scheme. * Law had three Cocks for his Arms. Hantie- I ^44 Paris. Hannetons, Grelds, Somiettes. En mhnoire d\ni fi beau chants au fortir de France on public tl va chanter en Italic, Ou fans doute il aura beau champ Pour exercer fon grand Genie^ Et fa connoijfance infinie Dans I* art de dkupler les fonds Par Billets parables d vue^ Defquels aujourdbiii nous voyons En France une ft bonne l£iie. Ordonnons d tons les Pais De noire vafte Dependance^ De h^ecouter dans fes avis^ Sur-toiit dans l\irt de la Finance^:, Art qidil poffede emmemment. Fait au Conjeil du Regiment ^Tis certain, that never was any thing more fplendid, than the fljort Reign of his Fortune. The French perfedtly idoliz’d him, and even thofe who turned their Backs to his Altar, could not help admiring him as an extraordinary Man. The Nobility did not fcruple to pay their Homage to him *, and I have feen Dukes and Peers of France waiting in his Antichamber, like the mcaneft Sub- je(fls. Towards the Clofe, there was no coming to the Speech of him without Money. The Swifs rnuft be feed for Entrance at his Gate, the Lacqueys * As thefe Lines will not admit of a Verfion to the Satisfac- tion of an Englijh Reader, 'tis fufficient to acquaint him, that they are a Satire upon the Humour w'hich prevail’d at that Time, among People of all Ranks, from the Duke to his Scullion, to be Adventurers in Mr. Law's Scheme ^ a Madnefs which was co- temporary, and equally miichievous with the Delufion that was fo predominant in our own Country, in that fatal Year of 1720, when fo many People were, as we may term it, caft away in the South-Sea, and the lelfer Whirlpools, call’d Bubbles^ of which there was almoft an infinite l^uniber. I for Paris. 245^ for Admittance into his Antichamber, and the Valets de Cbambre for the Privilege of Acccfs to his Prefence-Chamber or Clofet. The Audiences too were very (hort, and People were quickly dif miffed with very little Merchandife for a great deal of Money. Mean time he was civil, and his Fortune did not feem to have puff’d him up. He was a fine handl'ome Man, of a fair Complexion, as the EngliJJj generally are, and had a very noble Port. Nobody underftood Algebra better than he did, and, let his Enemies fay what they pleafe, his Syftem was good in itfelf, and might have been beneficial to France^ if it had been puniffually follow’d. The Scheme was calculated for keeping two Thirds more of Species in the Kingdom, than of Bills, in which Cafe there would always have been Money enough to have paid off thofe Bills. But this did not fatisfy the Avarice of the Under- ftrappers; and in 1720, when the Bank Bills were put down, there were two Thirds of Bills in the Kingdom, to one Third of Money, viz. five hun- dred Millions of Money, to a thoufand Millions in Bills ; and M. J’ Argenfon, the Protedlor of the four Brothers of the Name of Paris^ prevailed on the Regent to circulate 1760 Millions of ex- traordinary Bills not regiftered, with which Peo- ple bought and fold Shares ; and during this Com- merce, the Bills were realiz’d by the Brokers in- to Species •, infomuch that, according to a Com- putation then made by Barime, they fay, that at the Time of the total Suppreffion of the Bills, v/hich was in OtHober 1720, there were more Li- vres Tournois in the famous Bank of Mijfifippi, than there had been Minutes fince the Creation of the World. All this Variety of Bills had 30 Itupified the Parifians., and they gave them fuch incite Credit, that before the Arret of the 0^3 fifteenth Paris. fitteenth of Ma^ 1720, which funk the Bills from ten per Cent, per Aienfe?n to lialt their Value, a Parlfian did not care to be paid in Specie *, for he thought Bills were far berter, not only becaufe they were not liable to be lower’d, but becaufe they were more ready to count, and efpccially to carry. A Man that had Millions in his Pocket did not perceive the Weight of ’em, whereas but one hundred 'Louts d^ors are too heavy ; and, how was it poflible for a Man to carry them in his Pocket without being tir’d? While Peoples For- tunes were in Paper, I could boafl of having had a Letter-cafe once in my Hands, in which there w'ere Notes to the Value of thirty-two Millions. If they had been my own, I queftion whether I Ihould have let them lie in Bank Bills, with the Hazard of iofing half the Value. What follows, is a fhort, but curious Account of this Scheme Lewis XIV. a little before he died, was two thouland two hundred Millions in Debt: But by the Redudion of the Principal and Intereft of the Revenues of the Town- Houle, (oi Paris) by ftrike- ing off two-fifths upon ail Contradls, and by re- ducing Intereft to four per Cent, the Debts of the Stale were reduced to one thoufand eight hundred Millions ; which was the very Sum that was owing from the Crown, when Lewis XV. came to it. The Debts of the Government were afterwards reduced to one thoufand four hundred Millions, by finking a Quarter, a half and three-fourths upon the State Bills, as well as all other Debts owing by the King, as alfo on Penfions, and by the Recovery of great Sums thro’ the Cham.ber of Juftice. Mr. Law thought he fhould be able to ex- tinguifh all the Debts, by a Scheme which he form’d ♦ This, with the Calculation annexed to it, is an Addition by the E ditor, to the fecond Edition, v/hich was not in the firil Edition pif Memoirs.. Paris. 247 upon the Profits that were made by MiJJifippi. For this Purpofe he ereded a Bank, and caufed as many Shares to be created, as amounted to one hundred and fifty Millions, at one hundred Livres each, payable in State Bills, which, to the Advan- tage of the Buyers, rofe to no lefs than one thou- fand. After this, he created more Adions, to the Value ot one hundred and five Millions, pay- able in Money or Effeds, at one thoufand per Cent, which, with the former one hundred and fifty Millions, produced one thoufand fix hundred and fifty Millions •, a Sum more than fufiicient to cancel all the King’s Debts. Befides this, Mr. Law created Bank Bills for one thoufand two hundred Millions, of which he received the Value, either in Money or Effeds, He raifed the Money higher, upon which there were at leaft three hundred Millions Profit, that are not brought to the Ac- compt. He compelled all People to carry their Money to the Bank, by certain Arrets, which in- join’d People at firft, to keep no more than one hundred Livres by them, and afterwards but five hundred. So that in eight Months Management, he augmented the old Debts of the State, that were one thoufand four hundred Millions, to one thoufand fix hundred and fifty Millions ; which, added to the one thoufand two hundred Millions of the Bank, rife to two thoufand eight hundred and fifty Millions, due at this Time from the King. If to this we add the Prctmium to which the Adions rofe, which at one thoufand eight hun- dred among private People, make five thoufand four hundred Millions more •, to which the one thoufand two hundred Millions in Bank Bills muff be added •, it will appear that the Public is charg’d with fix thoufand fix hundred Millions in Paper ; and for the paying- off of that Sum, there will be but five hundred Millions in the Kingdom QL.4 in 24^ Paris. in Specie, when they are reduced to their intrinfic Value, The King having received one thoufand fix hundred and five Millions in EfFedts, of which he owed the greateft Part, and Aftions or Shares being taken inftead thereof, which Aftions, by fecret Ma- nagement, rofe to five thoufand four hundred Mil- lions among the Subjefts, Mr. Lavo thereby gave the People the Opportunity of putting three thoufand feven hundred and five Millions in their Pockets. An Account of the Bank Bills that fubfifted, and of thofe that were burnt. Bills engraved - - - - . 669000000 Bills printed 1927400000 Viz. - 1 134000000 - 1123200000 - - - 299200000 40000000 Total 2596400000 Bills burnt of 10000 Livres - 562500000 I . 1 . 1000 — — - 1385^^*^*^*^ , 100 - 6026000 ^ 10 - - 2734^^ '' Total 707327460 Bills of 10000 Livres TOOO 100 10 There then remained therefore 7 in Trade ----- S 1989072540 The Fortunes made at Paris, during this Miji- fsppi Contagion, are fo extraordinary, that unlefs one had ken it, ‘twere impoffible to believe it ; and. what is lliii more unaccountable, the greatejl: were Paris. 24^ were rais’d by mere Scoundrels ; for except a few of the Court Cords and Ladies, it look’d as if For- tune had refolved to put the Gentry into Alms- iioufes, for the Sake of inriching a Parcel of Bank- rupts, Lacqueys, Beggars, and other of the Mo- bility t- ‘■'^y Opinion, that if God had not interpos’d. Footmen would at length have been the Matters, and the Matters the Footmen. The Handicraftfmen laid by their Work ; there was nothing talked of but Adions, and every Place echoed with Miffifippi and ^inquempoix, which is the Street where all that hopeful Trade was carried on. Thefe lucky Miffifipplar.i have neverthelefs feen the Turn of Fortune’s Wheel. The Generality of thole who had not the Precaution to fend their Money Out of the Kingdom, were called to Accompt, and obliged to difgorge a Part of their Gains. Whether the King got much by this Scru- tiny, I know not ; but I believe it had the fiime Fate as the Chamber of Juttice, ettabliflied in 1716, in the Augujlins Convent at Paris^ for the Profecution of People employ’d in the Finances, This Tribunal, at the Head of which was M. de Portail, now the firtt Prefident, had condemned feveral Tax-Gatherers for an infinite Number of Mifdemeanors committed in the King’s Finances. Some were punifhed as they juftly deferved. A great many were tax’d in Proportion to the De- clarations they were forced to make of their ini- V menfe Wealth, which m.ight have produc’d very .confiderable Sums for the Eafe of the Government, at that Time plung’d over Head and Ears in Debt. But thefe Bloodfuckers of the People compounded ■f There was a Label affixed to the Gate of the Talais Royal, with thele Words, Efurientes implevit bonh, Divites dimijtt inanes, i. e. The Hungry he hath fill’d with good Things, but the lydi he hath lent empty away. ijo Par is. for a Trifle of Expence, by a few Prefents to a Lady, or to fome Nobleman who had the Favour of the Regent. This was a Golden Shower, of which the leaft Part fell into the Kina’s Coffers. I have made a terrible Digreffion. Mr. Law carried me to which is a long Voyage, and a Country from whence a Man can’t return whenever he has a Mind to it; but I am now come back to the Court. I have mentioned the Minilters to you, but they are not the only Per- fons that have a Seat in the Council. One of its Members is the Marfhal de Villars^ who being of all the French Generals, the Man that made the mofl: (hining Figure during the laft War, I think myfelf oblig’d to give you a more particular Ac- count of him. Francis Hco!ot\ Duke de VillarSy Marfhal of France^ and Dean of the Marfhals, is a Gentle- man of a good Family, his Father having been a Commander of the King’s Orders. His Stature is above the middle Size, and he has the Port and Step of a Nobleman. He has an agreeable win- ning Countenance, and hazel Eyes, which are lively and fparkling. He is a Man of Penetra- tion, crafty, complaifant, and capable of great Affairs. He talks a great deal ; but what he fays is to the Purpofe. He is laborious, attach’d to, and indefatigable in Bufinefs, a courageous good Soldier, and a fuccefsful General. Satire charges him with Avarice, as it did the Duke of Marlbo- rough his Rival: He is, withal, accufed of being too haughty, and coo conceited of his Adions, and his Merits. This, indeed, may be true enough ; for I myfelf was Witnefs to a Converfation, in which he difeovered it fufficiently plain. ’Twas the W.incer after the Battle of Demin, when the Marfhal Paris. 151 Marflial being at Dinner with the late * M. d' Ar- magnac. Great Mailer of the Horfe, where I was likewife a Gueft ; he talked a great deal about his Exploits, to which I liftened fo attentively, that he took Notice of it *, and being unknown to him, he whifpered the Mailer of the Horfe in the Ear, to know who I was ; and when the Marfhal was told that I was a German^ he paid me a good deal cf tlefpetfl. Then refuming his Difcourfe, and add'^effing it to me, he talked of his Victory at Denaitiy with an Air of mighty Self-Applaufe. But why, faid he, did your People drown tbemjelves ? I am merciful, I would have given them garter \ and they ought furely to have asked it. I declare to yon, that my Soul was all in Fire for the Honour of Germany. Thofe Words, Mercy and Quar- ter, I took for an Infult upon my Country. 1 was young and hot-headed, and was juft going to re- turn him an Anfwer that would not have become me ; however, I kept my Temper, and 'twas not till the fecond or third Provocation that I made him Anfwer, That I did not think he ought to be fur~ prized at what the German Troops did, becaufe they had known his Valour fufficiently before the Battle of Denain, but never had a Trial of his Clemency. I faw that he did not relifh my Anfwer, upon which he iliifted the Subjed, and did not fpeak a Word more to me all the Time. Some time after the Peace, however, I made him Satisfadion : ’Twas at the Houfe of the Du- chefs de Lude, Lady of Honour to the Duchefs of- Burgundy. There was a great deal of Company, and among the reft, the Marlhal de Villars. The Conyerfation fell upon the Cuftom of the Ancients, to give Surnames to their Heroes; and the Mo- derns were blam’d for not doing fo too. What f He was of the Lorain Family, and was fucceeded in his Office of Maker of the Horfe by his Son Prince Charles. Name P A R I S. IN ante Jhould we find for you, MarJJoal? faid the Duchefs de Lude. I replied immediately, 7hh would be no difficult 'Task. I don't think that any Title would fiuit the IVIarfioal de Villars better than that of Germanicus Francifcus. This Trifle hit the Marfhal’s Tafte fo nicely, that he put on a fmiling Countenance, and faid a great many obliging Things to me. The Marflial de Villars, in his Youth, was a Page to Leivis XIV. He enter’d into the Service very young, and diftinguiflied himfelf at his firfl: fetting-out, fo that he really owes his Advance- ment more to his Services and Merit, than to For- tune. After the Peace of Ryfwic, he had the Care of the King’s Affairs at the Emperor’s Court ; but was recalled from thence a little before the War began, upon Account of the Succeflion to the King of Spain, Charles If. When the War was declared, M. de Villars, at that time Lieutenant- General, was in the Army in Germany, command- ed by the Marfhal Catinat. The Marquis de Vil- lars, with a Detachment from the Army, attack’d the hnperialifis near Fridlinguen in 1702. The French laid, that he won the Vidlory •, the Germans fay. No. Which Party is in the Right, I can’t tell but be it as it will, the Staff of a Marfhal of France was M. de Villars's Reward for the Battle. The fame Year the Duke of Savoy en- tring into an Alliance againff: the two Crowns, at the very Time that he affured them of his At- tachment, the Treaty which that Prince made with the Emperor and his Allies, was kept fecret for a while, tho’ not fo fecret but the Eledor of Bavaria knew of it ; and his Eledloral Highnefs reproaching the Envoy of Savoy with it, that Mi- niffer aftually fwore he knew nothing of the Mat- ter, and that, moreover, he did not believe it; upon which the Marflial de Villars, who was prefent, clapp’d Mj y / Paris. 235 clapp’d his Hand upon the Envoy’s Shoulder, and repeated this Verfe to him out of Racine, Tu ne k cron que trop, malheureux Mithridate, i. e. Ah ! poor Mithridates ! thou believeft it but too much. In 1704, the Marfhal de Villars was re- called from the Army in Germany, to command in the Cevennois, where he gained Palms and Olives, as well as Laurels ; for by his good Nature and Moderation he pacified a Rebellion, which the too great Severity of his Predeceflbr, the Marfhal de Montrevel, had but the more inflamed. After this, he had the Command of the Army in Germany, and kept it till 1709, when he went into the ffelherlands to relieve the Duke de Fen- do fme, who was fent into Spain. M. de Villars, when in Flanders, retriev’d the Honour of France, which had been fully’d there by feveral Defeats. For tho’ the French fuffer’d another at the Battle of Malplaquct, yet they made fo brave a Stand, that the Allies could not help admiring their Cou- rage. The Marfhal de Villars, being wounded in the Knee, was obliged to retire, and to leave the Command to the Marfhal de Boufflers, who drew off the Army in good Order. They give out, that when the Marflial de Villars heard the News, he laid, Villars was not there ; he could not be every- where, The Allies paid dear for this Vidory ; for they loft twenty-three thoufand Men, befides a con- fiderable Number of Officers of Diftindion. They might fay as Pyrrhus did, after the Defeat of the Romans, One more fuch a ViSlory, and I am undone. The French loft eight thoufand one hundred thirty- feven Men ; and during the whole Courfe of the War, there was not a more bloody, nor a more obftinate Battle. The Campaign of 1712 was the moft glorious to the Marfhal de Villars, of any tiiat he ever made ; for he therein gained the Vidory at Dc- nain. 2J4 Paris. naitiy and in two Months time took from the Al- lies what had coft them feveral Campaigns. ’Twas about the fame time, that, upon the Death of the Duke de V endome at Vinaroz in Spaitiy Lewis XIV, conferr’d his Government of Provence upon the Marfhal, who was alfo made a Duke and Peer. They tell a Story, that when he went to take Pof- feflion of his Government, and the Deputies of the Province prefented him with a Purfe full of Lewis d'OrSf One of ’em faid, Here, my Lord, is fucb mother Purfe as that we gave to the Duke de Ven- dome, when, like you, he came to he our Governor •, hut that Prince refus'd to take it. Ah! faid the Marfhal de Villars, fqucezing the Purfe, M. de Vcndome has not left his Fellow behind hun. ■ The War in the Netherlands being finifh’d by the Peace at Utrecht, the Marfhal de Villars had again the Command of the Army in Germany. When he took his Leave of the King, he fiiid to him, I mojl humbly intreat your Majejty to confider, that I leave you in the midjl of my Enemies, whilji 1 am going to fight yours. He adlually took Landau and Fribourg, and afterwards return’d to Verfailles, to receive the King’s Orders to go and treat of a Peace with Prince Eugene of Savoy. During the Campaign his Enemies told the King, in hopes his Majefty would blame him for it, that he had laid out the Sum of 1800,000 Livres in the Pur- chafe of an Eftate. The King asking him one Day at Dinner, if it was true that he had made fuch a Purchafe •, Tes, Sir, replied the Marfhal, who fu- fpefted that thofe who told the King of it were then at the Table, / have bought an Eflate which cojl me 1800,000 Livres •, and if the kVar continues, and your Majefty triifts me with the Command of your Army, I hope to purchaje a more confider able one next Tear at the Expence of your Enemies. But inftead of making another Campaign, the Marflial went to Raftadt, where Paris. 155 where he and Prince Eugene of Savoy fign’d the Preliminaries of the Peace, which thofe two Gene- rals concluded afterwards at Baden on the feventh oi June I'll Since that time the Marlhal has always refided at Court. The French look upon him as the Reftorer of their Reputation in the Ne- . tberlands, the Support of the State, and the chief Captain of his Time: He is loaded with Wealth and Dignities : He is a Duke and Peer, a Marfhal of France, a Grandee of Spain, a Knight Com- mander of the King’s Orders, a Knight of the Golden Fleece, and Governor of Provence. He has an only Son, for whom he has obtain’d the Re- verfion of his Government *. Perhaps * The King of Trmce having declar'd War againfl: the Em- peror in 1733, in Conjunction with the Kings of S^ain and Sardinia, his Majefty gave the Marfhal de VilUrs the Command of his Army in Italy \ to which Country he repair'd after the Conqueft of the Milanefe had been very far advanc'd. He took Pizz^ighitone \ but the Imperial Army being at length form'd, the Count de Merci, who commanded it, having taken the Field with it on a fiidden, by pafTing the Po, made fb many Motions, that the old Marfhal, being forc'd to be every-Tvhere, according to his old Phrafe, fell lick upon it, and was oblig'd to leave the Army. Some do not flick to fay, that he had Orders for it from Court, where his ConduCl was not approv’d : Be this as it will, his Diftemper growing woiTe upon his Arrival at Turin, he died there the 17th of June 1734, in the 84th Year of his Age, in the fame Room, as 'tis faid, where he was born, his Father the Marquis de Villars being then there by Order of the King. In 1702 he m^inkd Joama- Angelica Roque deVarengez>ille, whofe Father was the King's AmbafTador at Venice, The Family of Villars is originally of Lyons, and firft began to be dillinguilh'd in the Perfon ot Claude de Villars, Lord of Chapelle, and Mafclas, fecond Son to Francis de Villars, born about Ann. iyi6. The Marfhal was to the lafl a Man of uncommon Gaiety and Gallan- try j for whether Fighting or Dancing, he appear'd with the Tame Vivacity and good Humour, and feem’d an Enemy to none except the Jefuits. What did not conlid: with fuch a Temper, was his Love ot Money; and he inrich'd himfclf too much by the Spoils of War, and the Contributions he ufed to raife for Safe-guards, But as tor his Soldicr-hke Charadber, this one Story of him may fufficc: In 1702 the Marfhal order'd his Army to 256 Paris. Perhaps I have detain’d you too long about the Marfhal de Viliars ; but I thought the little Parti- cularities, to pafs the Rhine at Haguenaut the fame Night that he invited feveral Gentlemen and Ladies to a Ball, where he danc’d till two o’clock in the Morning, and then mounted his Horfeunobferv’d,' and follow’d his Armyj with which he furprifed the Prince of Badeny and fought a Battle by the Time the Ball was broke upj for which Adtion the King gave him the Marlhal’s Ba- toon. The Conquefts of Milan and other Places in Itafyy which he made in i755> were accompany*d alfo with Dancing and Balls; but Age and Infirmities, at laft, made a Conqueft of him. Kis Memory and his Judgment fo fail’d him, that he became troublefome to the Army ; but his fighting Humour ftill pre- vail’d, and he would have endanger’d all, had not the King of Sardinia prevail’d on the King of France to recall him. How- ever, the King of Sardinia took Leave of him in the Field with great Civility, and at his Arrival at Turin^ where he fell ill of a Dyfentery, accompany’d with a Fever, of which he died, he was receiv’d very gracioufly by the late Queen, who prefented him with a Diamond Sword, valued at 300 Piftoles. The following Sonnet was prefented to the Marfhal, when he fcj. out for Italy, VillarSy tef grands Exploits qui fauverent la Trance^ Dans les Siecles futurs Fimmortaliferont , La Faix fut le don x fruit de ta haute prudence ^ Mais de nouveaux Lauriers doivent ceindre ton front* Le Fere de ton Roi, VEfpagne ^ le Fiemont, Sur toi feul aujourd'hui fondent leurs Efperances, Arme ton bras vainqueur, cours venger leur affront 3 VAllemand pourra-t-il foutenir ta prefence? les grands Coeurs en tout terns confervent leur valeur^ VAge refpecie en eux leur premiere vigueur^ Ils favent s’affranchir des Loix de la Nature: Sefnblables aux Lauriers que leur main va cuerUir, 6)ui des ans, des faifons ne craignent point ^ Finjare, Les Her os ont le droit le ne jamais vieillir, i. e. VMllars, thy g^eat Exploits, which fav\l all France, ' • In future Ages will immortalife thee. The Feace was the kind Vrodutl of thy great Wifdomr But new laurels are fill to deck thy Brow* The P A R I 257 cularicicsl have given you would do you a PIeafure» and that you would not be forty to know fome Circumftances of a Man, who, after all, has been much cry’d up in Europe. I lliall be more brier m my Account of the other Tsioblemen, and ot thefe I flial! name but two or three, of whom you have heard fome Xalk, and fuch as are in moft Reputa- tion with us. Ja?nes Fitz-James Duke of Berwic, a Peer and Marn^al of France, a Peer of England, a Grandee oi Spain, a Knight of the Garter, and of the Golden Fleece, is the legitimated Son of Ja? 7 ies II. King of Great Britain He follow’d his Father to France, where he ferved v/ith Diftinftion. In i po 6 he had the Marlhai’s Staff given him *, and in 1707 he commanded the Army of the tv/o Crowns in Spam, where he defeated the Lord Gallwa'j near Ahnanza. The King of Spain, to reward him for fuch great Service, made him a Grandee of Spain, and gave him the Duchy of Lina, which M. de Berwic yielded to his eldeft Son, who is adlually in Pofief- fion of it. In 1714 the Marflial Duke of Berivic reduc’d Barcelona under the Obedience of P inlip V, This City had refus’d to acknowledge that Prince, and tho’ abandon’d, and v/ithout any Hopes of Relief, The T Cither of thy King, Spain, etncl Piedmont too. Upon thee alone do now found till their Hopes. Hafte -with thy conquering Arm their Quarrel to avengel Will Germany be able to withjiand thy Frefence f Great Souls always retain their Valour ; To their former Vigour Age itfelf pays a Refpebl 5 They can JJjake ojf the Yoke of Nature's Laws. Like to the Laurels gatheVd by their Hands, H'hich are Proof againjl the Injuries of Tears cwd Seafons, Heroes never /loop to old Age, * By Mrs. Arabella Churchill, Siflcr to the late Duke of MarU borough. Vol. II. R continued 258 Paris. continued the War with an Obftinacy of Men who feem’d to be defperate. The very Women, the Priefts,. Friers, all y^trtSo\6\tx% \n Barcelona-, and during the Siege, which held fixty-one Days with open Trenches, after a Blockade of eleven Months, there were five hundred and forty-three Friers and Priefts kill’d and wounded in the Sallies and At- tacks. The City was taken on the eleventh of September by Storm : The Battle lafted from Four o’clock in the Morning till Eleven, when the In- habitants retir’d into the new Town, which is only feparated from the other by a fingle Wall. They furrender’d next Day at Difcretion to the Marfhal- Duke de Berwic, who gave them a verbal Promife to fave their Lives, and to protecft the City from Plunder, on their paying down a large Sum of Money. Barcelona being thus reduc’d, the Marfhal return’d to France loaded with Wealth and Ho- nours. Upon the Death of King Lewis XIV. he was admitted to the Council of the Regency, and fent foon after to command in Guienne. The Re- gent gave him the Command of the Army againft the King of Spain, which his Royal Highnefs had before ofter’d to the Marfhal deVillars-, but that Nobleman told him. He would never draw his Sword againft a Prince who might one Day become his Sovereign, a Prince for whofe Service he had already fpilt fbme Blood, and one for whom the Kingdom had expended fuch a Treafure. The Marfhal Duke of Berivic, being not fo delicate, ac- cepted of the Command, took St. Sebafiian, and obey’d the Regent much more than he was bound to do in Duty. For this he was continued in the Command of Guienne, and particularly of Bourdeaux. For fome time paft the Marlhal Duke has been very much • at Paris* at Court, and often at his Ducal Lordfhip in Pi- cardy Vicior^Marm Duke d^ EJlrees^ whom I ought to have mention’d before the Duke of Berwic^ as being ★ The King, having appointed the Marfhal Villurs to com- mand in Itdy, thought fit to fend the Marflial de Bermc to oppofe Prince Eugene, whom the Emperor had nominated for the Command on the Rhine. He began the Siege of Phili^sburg ; but on the firft of June, O. S. 1734, as he went to take a View of the Trenches, he was kill’d with a Cannon Ball between his two Grandfbns. He is fuccceded in all his Titles by his Son the Duke de Liriu, now Duke of Bermc, who has been lately at the Court of Naples. It will be doing no Dilhonour to the Marfhal, to fay he made War his Trade, which -he ftudied with an unwearied Applica- tion } and as he never wanted Courage, fb none had more mili- tary Knowledge. Having confider’d War as a Science, he left little to Chance, or even Bravery j but depended upon Skill and Difeipline, which was the Thing that gain’d him the Battle of Almanza. As he was fo regular and mechanical a Warrior, he was himfelf the Life and Soul of his Army, not as he was bc- lov’d, but as he was much fear’d by his Soldiers, whom he never Ipar’d, and lead: of all, his own Countrymen, that came to ferve in France. He was referved even to his General Officers, rarely confulting them, nor fo much as communicating the Orders he had receiv’d, or the Defigns he had proje£led, but as they had their own Parts to execute in them. Tho’ he was the beft regular General of his Time, yet he was the Icaft enter- prising one. He was never a great Favourite at the Court of France, which is fomething to be wonder’d at, confidering the Ufe he was made ot upon every Occalionj for as a Soldier of Fortune, he had no Obligations but for his Appointments; and yet attach’d himfelf to France preferably to any other Nation, As he was bred up in the War againft the EngliJJj, his Enmity to them became a fecond Nature, which is fuppos’d to be the Reafon that he never did one of that Nation any Service, befide thofe of his ov/n Family. As the Marfhal took care to be obey’d by the Officers and Soldiers of the Armies he com- manded, he was always obfequious himfelf to the Orders of the Court, of which there needs no other Proof, than the In- ftance above- mention’d ; when he appear’d in Arms againfl: Spain with Alacrity, after he had receiv’d the highefl Honours from King Philip. He had the Title of Duke of Bermc, and likewife the Garter conterr d on him by K.\ng James, He was born in 1671, fo that when he died, he was lixty-three Years of Age. R 2 the 26 o Paris. the oldefl Marflial of France^ is Vice-Admiral of the Kingdom, a Duke and Peer, a Grandee of Spain, a Commandeur of the King’s Orders, and a Knight of the Golden Fleece. lie is the laft of his hamily, which has been render’d illuftrious by all the great Dignities of the Kingdom ever fince * the charming d'Ejtrees, who was Miftrefs to Henry IV. Fie lives with as much Splendor and Magnificence as moft Noblemen in France; His Houle is open to all Foreigners of Diftindion, and Men ot Knowledge and Learning are well receiv’d in it. The Marlhal has a fine Library, a moft beautiful Cabinet of Medals, and a complete Col- ledion of antique Stones that are grav’d. Befides the Eftate of the Family of EJlrees, of which he is the only Head, he made great Acquifitions by Mijftfippi Stock, and there are few Sovereigns that have finer Diamonds. Since the Troubles that arofe in Bretagne during the Regency of the Duke of Orleans, the Afifembly of the States of that Pro- vince is always held by this Nobleman. The No- bility of Bretagne extol him very much, and find a great Difference between their Treatment by this Marfhal, and the rigid haughty Air with which the late Marfhal de Montefqniou carried it to them during the Regency. Tho’ the Marfhal d' EJlrees is very much attach’d to the Court, yet he is often at Paris, where he has a very fine Houfe, and is vifited by the greatefl: and the beft People in the Kingdom. The Marfhal’s Lady, who is Noailles, Sifter to the Countefs de Fboloufe, was formerly a Lady of the Bed-chamber to the Duchefs of Bur- gundy ; fhe has all the Politenefs of the ancient Court, and tho’ fhe is paft the Bloom of her Youth, fhe is ftill one of the moft amiable Women at * The Family of Ejlrees, originally of Ficardy, was in Pollef- lion of the Dignities of the Crown before Gabridla ; for her Grandfather was Great Mafter of the Artillery of France. Court, Paris. i 6 i Court, and by her Management there is not a more agreeable Family than hers in the Kingdom. I am, letter xlii. SIR, Taris, May li, lyji. Y Efterday I loiter’d away a good deal of Time with a Couple of En^a/hmen, to whom, as they call it in Italy, I was a Cicero *. Neverthelefs, you muft not expe6t me to give you an Account of every thing I faw ; and befides, fo much has been already faid of Verfailles, that you fhall hardly find one Book in twenty, almoft, but what treats of the Beauties of this Royal Palace. After having Ibew’d my E.n^ijh Gentlemen the Caftle, the Chapel, the Stables and the Park, I carried them to the Royal Abbey of St. Cyr, which they had heard fo much Talk of, that they long’d to fee it: ’Tis a grand ftately Houfe, and worthy of the Magnificence of the great Monarch who founded it, at the Solicitation of Madame Mhhr- tenon, for the Education of two hundred and fifty young Damfels, whofe Families are not able to give them a Maintenance fuitable to their Birth. Immediately after the Demife of Lewis XIV. Ma- dame de Maintenon retir’d to St. Cyr, and there flie always dwelt till flie died. She went thither indeed, * This is the common Name in Italy iot Interpreters or Ex- pounders of Antiquities. Rs even 26t Paris. even during the King’s lllnefs, as foon as flie found that the Phyficians had given him over ; the King, however, contrary to all Expeftation, recover’d •, and not feeing Madame Jg Mainlenon, ask’d where file was ; Upon this the Lady return’d, when the King gave her a handfome Reprimand for aban- doning him, and defir’d her to flay with him as long as he had any Remains of Life. Madame de Mamtenon obey’d, but the King’s Breath was no fooner out of his Body, than fhe took Coach, and went to St. C)T, with a Defign never to ftir from it as long as flie liv’d. She had the Coniblation, however, of receiving Vifits there from all the Princes and Princefles ot the Blood ; and even the late Madame the Regent’s Mother, who never vilited Madame de Mamtenon in the King’s Life-time, thought fhe could not ex- cufe hcrfelf from making her a Vifit. The Regent went thither likewife, and told her, fhe might de- pend upon his pundual Regard to every Tittle that the late King had order’d in her Favour by his laft "Will and Teftament. Madame de Maintenon re- turn’d him Thanks, and faid, that as flie was re- folv’d to be retir’d for the Refidue of her Life, fhe defir’d but 40,000 Livres a Year for her Sub- fiftancc. Four Years after this (he died, and was interr’d in the Church of St. Cjr, in the Middle of the Choir, in a Tomb of plain black Marble, with the following Epitaph engrav’d on it-, which I lik’d fo well, that I have copied it Word for Word, and fend it to you, becaufe I don’t believe you have feen it el fe where. C Y G I 1 ' Tm haute & trh pdjfante Dame Mddame Francoise d’AubignEj Marquife de M a i n T £ n Q n j Femme Paris. 16 ^ Femme illtijlre^ Femme vraiment Chrhienne ; Cette Femme forte que le Sage chercha vainement dans fon Steele^ Et qu^d nous eut propofe pour modele^ fil eut vecu dans le notre. Sa Naijfance fut tres noble. On loua de bonne heure fon Efprit^ plus encore ft Veriu. La Sageffe^ la Douceur^ la Modeflie formoient fon Carablere^ . ne fe dementit jamais. Foiijours egale dans les differentes fituations de fa vie y Me?nes Principles^ mtmes Regies^ memes Vertus.' FidHe dans les exercices de Piete^ Franquille au milieu des agitations de la Cour^ - Simple dans la Grandeur^ Pauvre dans le centre des richeffes^ Htmble au comble des honneurs ; Reveree de Louis le Grand, Environnee de fa gloire^ Aiitorifee par fa plus intime confiance^ Depofitaire de fes graces.^ ^i iP a jamais fait d^ufage de fon pouvoir^ Ffue par fa bontL Une autre Efiher dans la faveur^ Une feconde Judith dans la Retraite GP POraifon : La Mere des Pauvres^ U Afjle toujours fur des malheureiix^ Une vie ft illuftre A ete ter mime par un mort faint e Et precieufe devant Dieu. Son Corps eft refte dans cette fabite maifon^ ■ Bont elle avoit procure P etablijfetnent ; Et elle a laifse d l^ univers IP exemple de fes vertus. Becedee le dP Avril 1719. Nee le 2:8 de Novembre 1635 , R 4 i. e. Paris. i. e. H E E LIES "■The mojl high and moft potent Lady 'h he Lady t rancese tL A u b i g n y. Mar chionefs ^ Main ten on. A L/ife illujlrious *, a IVoman truly ChrijUan ; Lhat virtuous Heroine ‘ivtcm the wife Man fought hi vain in bis Limey uind zvhom he well'd have propos'd to us for a Pattern^ if he bad. liv'd in ours. She was of Birth moft noble ^ Her IPlt was early commended, and much more her Virtue. Sobriety, good Nature and Modefty, form'd her Cha- racter, From which foe never derogated. Always unchangeable in the various Situations of her Life-, Lh e fame Principles^ the fame Prides ^ the fame Virtues, Sincere in the Exercifes tf Piet\,, Tranquil during the Storms at Courts Plain in the Midft of Grandeur.^ Poor in the Centre of JVcalth., * Here fliould have been added, of the Poet Paul Scarron. She was the Daughter of Confians cV Aiibigny, Baron of Surincan^ and of Joan de Card'd! ac, Charles d' Aiibigny^ Governor of Berry, and Knight of the King's Orders, who died in 1703, was her Brother, Her Grandfather was Agrippa cP Aubigny, Ad- miral of Bretagne and Guienne, celebrated for his Zeal for the Proteftant Religion, and Author of a Hijlory of his oron Time, of the ConfeJjton ot Saney, and of the Baron de Fdnejie, Every body knows, that the Attachment of his Widow Scarron to Ma- dame de Montefpan, made her Way to Lewis XIV. who was fb pleas'd with her Humour, that fhe continued in the highefl: Fa- vour till that Monarch's Death } and enjoy'd a Penfion of f 0,000 Livres, which was pundually paid her by Lewis XV. every Year as long as fhe liv'd. After her Death, the Duke de Noatlles became Marouis de Maintemn in Right ot his V/ife. Humble Paris. 265 Humble at the Summit of Honours ; Rever’d Lewis le Grand, Environ’d with bis Glory, Hefted with his mojl intimate Confidence^ Ehe Depofitary cf his Favours, IVho never made uje of her Power But to do Good. Another Efther in Favour, A fecond Judith in Retirement and Prayer : Fhe Mother of the Poor, Fhe never-fading Afyltim of the Unfortunate. A Life fo illuftrious THas cut off by a Death Pious, And precious in the Sight of God. Her Body lies in this Sacred Houfe, Of which fhe procur’d the Ejiablifhfnent : And her Virtues floe has left Fo the IVorld for a Pattern. She departed this Life April 15, 1719. Being born the 2^th of November 1635. My Englijhmen thought the Panegyric upon Ma- dame de Maintenon a little too much drain’d. I confefs that I think fhe is well equipp’d with a Charadter ; and if it be true, that fhe was as hum- ble as her Epitaph imports, I make no doubt, but if fhe had liv’d to fee fuch an Encomium, it would have put her Modefty fadly out of Countenance : For ’tis certain, that this Lady had a very great Fund of Virtue and Piety •, and I have heard it faid by Perfons, who otherwife had no reafon to be fond of her, that ’twas impoffible-to be acquainted with her, and not to efteem her. When I return’d from St. Cyr, I came hither to fee M. Voltaire’s Tragedy of Brutus, which is fo fine a Piece, that I and my Englijh Companions were charm’d with it : We not only admir’d the Conduct and Yerfificatioh of it, but we applauded the i 66 Paris. the Freedom with which the Author makes the Romans think and fpeak. Mean time, the French are not of our Opinion. The Refpe£t due to Roy- alty, fay they, is not well preferv'd in it. They cenfure the Author /or prefuming to confine the Royal Authority within the Bounds of Juftice. M. de Vol- taire, fay they, never could imbibe thefe Sentiments in France. *Tis very plain that he contrasted them beyond Sea. They may be relijh'd well enough by the Englifh ; but to us they are intolerable: And if M. de Voltaire goes on to write in this Manner, he may, perhaps, have an Apartment in the Baftile. I con- fefs that terrible Name dumb-founder’d me, and I did not dare to fay a Word in the Author’s Vin- dication, for fear of being deem’d his Accomplice. The Baftile and the Holy Office are two Terms which always filenc’d me, even when I have had the ftrongeft Inclination to fpeak my Mind. As for the Comedians, they perform’d Won- ders. One du Frene adfually out-did himfelf. He is Brother to Fluiaut, an excellent Comedian in the Parts which require Humour, but excefiively out of the Way in Tragedy ; and take him off the Theatre, impertinent beyond Expreffion, as is alfo his Brother, tho’ they are both Men of Wit. The Players are much more refpeded here than they are elfewhere, which makes them infolent to the laft Degree. The Nobility are fond of their Company, and admit them to their Parties of Pleafure : And as they are Kings upon the Stage, and Equals and Companions at Table with the beft Lords in the Kingdom, no wonder that it turns their Brains. But that which muft needs ren- der them arrogant beyond Meafure, is a late In- ftance of Regard paid them by the French Aca- demy, who, by a Letter, invited the Performers in the French Comedy, to hear an Oration made in their Paris. 267 their Academy ; which the Comedians took for fuch an Honour, that the very next Day they offer’d the Members of the Academy Admjffioa to their Comedy Gratis ; which the Academicians made no Scruple to accept, to the great Amaze- ment of the whole City of Paris, which blames the Members for it not a little: The Fault is laid at the Door of certain Authors, who are in League with the Comedians, and gave the Invitation with- out confulting the reft of the Members, of whom feveral that had, no Hand in the Tranfaftion, pro- tefted againft the Conduct of thofe who had, the Confequence of which was a Quarrel in the Aca- demy. Indeed, one would imagine by that Day’s Work, that they did not really confider what they were doing ; and the Noblemen who are Members of the Academy, cry out againft it very much. ’Tis true, that the Comedians who prefume to offer Admiffion Gratis to a Marffial de Villars, a Marfhal d'Eflrees, or other Noblemen of that Rank, are not mean Fellows, and deferve the Ap- pellation of the Compatj'j of Comedians, inftead of Troop ; in order to diftinguilh them from the Strollers in the * Country. Why then fhould not they be honour’d ? The Aflors in the Opera, who, as well as they, divert the Public for Lucre, have, indeed, th^ Privilege, that a Gentleman may be admitted among them without Difparagement to his Title. This is a Favour, fays a modern Author very juftly, which had never yet been granted to thofe who perform in the public Spectacles, and who give Diverfion for Money ; becaufe in * This alludes to a Joke of the Prefident de Hartal, who when he was accofted by the Comedians, in the Name of their Troop, which that worthy Gentleman never car’d for, elpecially lince Tart$iffe, and the Comedians fiying to him. My Lord, the Com- pany of Comedians, &c. The Prefident made Anfwer, Gentle- ftm, the Trpop of the 'Sariiamint, 8cc, moft Paris. moft of the Ages of Chriftianity, they had been look’d upon as Perfons excommunicated and in- famous, by reafon of the Corruption in Morals, owing to their then too licentious Reprefentations, which, perhaps, is no longer apprehended to be the Cafe at prefent. ’Tis certain, that if a Performer in an Opera may be noble, I can’t fee why a Per- fon mayn’t be the fame in a Comedy, tho’ ’tis my Opinion, that if Stage-players may be Gentlemen, Rope-dancers and Tumblers have a Title to it ; for, befides the Honour they have of diverting the Public, they run the Risk of breaking their Necks every Day 5 and is not that the Lot of the Nobility ? As I returned Yefterday with my Engli/hmen from Verfailles, we went to St. Cloud, where we had the Honour to fee the Duke de Chartres, the only Son ot the Duke of Orleans. This Prince was in the Park, to fee a young Officer of the Train of Artillery make Proofs of fome Pieces of Ord- nance. We were furpriz’d to fee how attentively the young Prince obferved every thing, and to hear him ask the Officer fuch (^eftions as were not to be expedled from one of his Years. We had reafon alfo to applaud the gracious and polite Reception which he gave us. To be plain, I was charm’d to fee a Grandfon of the late Madame, fo worthy of herfelf, and of the illuftrious Blood from which he is defcended. St. Cloud is a Palace belonging to the Duke of Orleans, firft Prince of the Blood, and was built by Order of the late Monfieur Philip of France, (Brother of Lewis XIV.) who added very magni- ficent Gardens to it. ’Tis certain, that if the late King had chofe St. Cloud for his Refidence, in- ftead of Verfailles, he might have had a finer Building with lefs Expence. What is moft ad- mir’d at St. Cloud, are the Gallery and Salon, both Paris. 269 both pointed by the Ctifcade, snd the ereat Water- work, which throws up the Water a hundred Feet high, and which nothing exceeds of the Kind, but the Work that was made by the Dirediion of an * EngUJh Gentleman at Heren- haufen, near Hanover, in the Reign of King George I. St. Cloud has been fatal to feveral Princes of the Royal Family. Henry III. was aflaffinated there on the firft of Augujl 1589, at eight o’Clock in the Morning, by "James Clement. Henrietta of Eng- land, firft Wife to the late Philip of France, Duke of Orleans, only Brother to Lewis XIV. died there fuddenly of a Colic, on the goth of June 1670. She faid that flie was poifon’d, for which Reafon the King caus’d her Corpfe to be open’d in Prefence of the EngUJh Ambaffador. ’Tis a diffi- cult Matter, to judge whether that Princefs’s Sufpi- cions were true ; for the Phyficians and Surgeons found all her noble Parts corrupted, tho’ file was but twenty-fix Years old. Fler Husband paid his Tribute to Nature on a hidden, in the fame Pa- lace, on the 4th of June 1701. What I have mentioned to you of the unhappy Cataftrophe of the laft of the Valois, puts me in Mind of a Paflage in Hiftory, that Le Deum was forgot in the Ceremony of his Coronation ; that the Crown fell from his Head ; and that there was no Oil in the Sacred Phial, to perform the cufto- mary f UnfHon •, which were then taken for ill Omens, and Time prov’d them but too true. Since * The Author refers here to the Works direAed by Mr. Ben- son, one of the prefent Auditors of the Impreft (for which fee p. 67. of the Firft Volume of theie Memoirs). f The Bottle called the Holy Phial, is kept at Rheims, in the Tomb of St. Remy, in the Church of that Name. It has not been filled lince the Coronation of Clovis, when ’tis faid this Phial was broujht from Heaven, with the Oil with which that firft Chriftian 27© Paris. Since I am upon Tragical Events, I will mention a Thing to you that lately happen’d in England^ and which I was alTur’d by the Englijh Gentle- men, in oar Return from Verfailles. is a certain Fa6l. One Richard Smith, a Bookbinder, and his Wife Bridget, were about a Fortnight ago found hanging in their Chamber near their Bed-fide, about three or four Feet Diftance from one another •, and in the next Room, their Daughter, who was but two Years old, was found fhot thro’ the Head. There were three Letters left upon the Table, of which the following is the mod material ; and I fend you a Copy of it, becaufe it will let you into the Stoic Charafter of the EngU/h Nation. ’Tis diredted to Mr. Brindley, a Bookbinder at London, in that which is call’d New Bondjireet. Coufin Brindley, ‘ 'T'HESE Addons, confider’d in all their Cir- ‘ cumftances, being fomewhat uncommon, it ‘ may not be improper to give fome Account * of the Caufe, and that it was an inveterate Ha- ‘ tred we conceiv’d againft Poverty and Rags *, ‘ Evils, which through a Train of unlucky Acci- * dents were become inevitable •, for we appeal to ‘ all that ever knew us, whether we were either ‘ idle or extravagant *, whether or no we have not ' taken as much Pains to get our Living as our ‘ Neighbours, altho’ not attended with the fame Chrifttan King of France was confecrated ; and the Frier who fliews it at Rheimi, fays very lerioufly, That when the King is lick, it dries away j fo that when he dies, there is not a Drop left in the Bottle; but that as ibon as his Succellbr is proclaimed, it fills again of its own Accord. 1 tell you no more than what I heard with my own Ears, and tho’ I could not help fmiling at it, the Frier was not angry. The Liquefadtion of this Oil is altogether as miraculous as that of St. Jammm'% Blood at Naples. ‘ Succefs, I Paris. ^7 I ‘ Succefs. We apprehend the taking our Child’s ‘ Life away to be a Circumftance for which we ‘ fliall be generally condemn’d j but for our own * Parts, we are perfedly eafy upon that Head. « We are fatisfy’d it is lefs Cruelty to take the ‘ Child with us, even fuppofing a State of Anni- ‘ hilation, as fome dream of, than to leave her ‘ friendlefs in the World, expos’d to Ignorance * and Mifery. Now in order to obviate fome Cen- ‘ fures, which may proceed either from Ignorance ‘ or Malice, we think it proper to inlorm the ‘ World, that we firmly believe the Exiftence of ‘ Almighty God ; that this Belief of ours is not ‘ an implicit Faith, but deduced from the Nature ‘ and Reafon of Things : We believe the Exift- ‘ ence of an Almighty Being from the Confide- ‘ ration of his wonderful Works, from a Confide- 1 * •'! ‘ Harmony. We have alfo fpent fome Time in ‘ viewing thofe Wonders which are to be feen in * the minute Part of the World, and that with ‘ great Pleafure and Satisfadion ; from all which ‘ Particulars, we are fatisfied, that fuch amazing ‘ Things could not poflibly be without a firft ‘ Mover, without the Exiftence of an Almighty ‘ Being; And as we know the wonderful God to ‘ be Almighty, fo we cannot help believing but ‘ that he is ^fo good, not implacable *, not like ‘ fuch Wretches as Men are, not taking Delight * in the Miferies of his Creatures ; for which Rea- * fon we refign up our Breaths unto him, without ‘ any terrible Apprehenfions, fubmitting ourfelves * to thofe Ways, which in his Goodnefs he (hall * pleafe to appoint after Death. We alfo believe ‘ the Exiftence of unbody’d Creatures, and ‘ think we have Reafon for that Belief, altho’ i we don’t pretend to know their Way of fubfift- ‘ ing. Paris. ‘ ing. We are not ignorant of thofe Laws made ‘ in '-Terroretn •, but leave the Difpofal of our Bo- ‘ dies to the Wifdom of the Coroner and his Jury j * the Thing being indifferent to us where our Bo- ‘ dies are laid : From v/hence it will appear how ‘ little anxious we are about a Hie jacet ; we lor ‘ our Parts neither expeft, nor defire fuch Ho- * nours, but fhall content ourfelves with a bor- ‘ rowed Epitaph, viz. ‘ Without a Name, for ever filent, dumb, * DufI:, Aflies, nought elfe is within this Tomb. ‘ Where we were born or bred, it matters not, * Who were our Parents, or have us begot. * We were, but are not : think no more of us *, * For as we are, fo you’ll be turn’d to Dull. ‘ It is the Opinion of NaiuraUjls, that our Bo- ‘ dies are at certain Stages of Life compos’d of ‘ new Matter, fo that a great many poor People ‘ have new Bodies oftner than new Cloaths : Now ‘ as Divines are not able to inform us which of ‘ thofe feveral Bodies fliall rife at the Refurredtion, ‘ it is very probable, that the deceafed Body may ‘ be for ever filent as well as any other. ” Sign’d, Richard Smith. Bridget Smith. The Coroner’s Inqueft, after the ufual Forma- lities, brought in their Verdift, whereby they de- clared Richard Smith guilty of that Crime, which they call in England, Felo de fe, or Self Murder j and of Wilful Murder as to his Child. Bridget was brought in a Lunatic, tho’ fhe had fign’d the Letter w’ith her Husband, and acknowledged Paris. I73 that fhe was equally concerned in the Murder of her Child; ib that I think her Corpfe deferved hang- ing, at lead for a little while : And fure I am, that fhe would not have been found a Lunatic here. . ^ t- ^ There being commonly fome little Piece of jLi.ri- tertainment at the End of Tragedies, I am hov/ to divert you with fome fuch Parce. ’Tis the Adventure of a certain pert Coxcomb of a Coun- iellor, with the Abbe de an Author, and a Man of * Wit. Not many Days ago, as the Abbe was walking on Foot, he was overtaken with a Shower of Rain, which niade him take Shelter under a Penthoufe, at a Shop-door. At the fame Time, who fliould pdfs by in a magni- ficent Coach, driving at a mad Rate, as it He would run over every Thing in his Way, but a Counfellor, whofe furious Career was lioppM all on a fudden, by fomething that broke his Har- nefs ! This Difafter happen’d juft at the Place where the Abbe de Vayrac flood, drefs’d like othef Authors, with an old tatter’d Hat upon his Head, and a fhabby Cloak over a Coat quite thread- bare^ The Thing that mod diverted the Counfellor, was his Hat, and he orderM one of his Lacqueys to ask him, if it was not as old as the Battle of "j" Ro- croy. You muft know, the Lacqueys of this Coun- try are more brazen-fac’d and infolent than they * The Abbe de Vayrac Wa$ of a good Family in (SuUmei and had all the Vivacity natural to that Province, which flood him in the ftead of Wit ; but it was of the abufive Kind. Jf ever an Author was a Plagiary, he was. He publiflied a State of Spain, and a State of the Empire; which laft brought him un- der an ignominious Sentence of the Court of Vienna. He had alfo compofed a Hiftory of Portugal, which he couid not ob-** tain a Licence for Printing, becaule it appear'd that he had paid greater Compliments in it to the Portuguefe, than to the French, He died in the Beginning of the Year 1733, as he returned ,.Trom a Journey he had made to Holland. f In 1643. • V ^ Ik S are 274 Paris. are any-where elfe-, and the Counfdlor’s difcharo’d tT he, in a loll 1 one, my Mafier ‘wants to know in what Bat- tle ymr flat receiv'd all thofe Wounds. At the Battle \ 'A Ariend, reply’d the Abbe ; and then he laid on^five or fix heavy Blows upon the impudent Ambaliador’s Shoulders with his Cane. The Coun- fellor, feeing his Domefiic fo foundly drubb’d, 1 epp d inftantly out of his Coach, and running to the^ Abbe, faid, FAbat are you doing?' Tht Abbe reply’d very fedately, / 'am chafiifwg Infolence. Barblev, M. I' Abbe\^ faid the Counfellor, / think you art a pleajant Bellow to prefume to fl 7 ike a Ser- vant of mine I Surely you d.on't know me\ for if you eiid^ you ‘ivould have 7nore BejpeSf for 77 zy Livery. Pardosi ;;:e, reply’d the Abbe, I know ‘sopi very 'well. And who a?n I ? faid the CounfelloV! Why you are a IBol, reply’d the Abbe ; upon which the Gentleman thought fit to fneak off. This is a , very true Story ; for I had it from the Abbe de Vayrac himfelf, who told it to me with the fame ■ Gravity as he had anfv/er’d the Counfellor. Tho’ Lacqueys are not commonly the Subjedls of Converfation, yet I think that thofe of Paris deferve fome Notice. They form fo confiderable a Body, that ther§r*are many Kings who have not fo numerous an Army. Befides, thefe Fellow's make fuch extraordinary Fortunes, and often rife ■ fo quick from Valets^ to be Mailers and Gentle- men, that really they ought not to be confounded in the Lump with the European Lacqueys. Thofe of ’ em who fet up for fine Fellows, as many of ’em do, (for in the Livery of Paris, you mek with every Thing that is handfome and gay) fuch, I fay, as are in the Service of fome young No- blemen, are commonly Equals and Companions with their Mailers. There are others who are tlie Darlings of the Fair Sex j and if Satire may be Paris. be credited, and Appearances, perhaps, into the Bargain, there are Ladies even of the firft Qua- lity, who don’t always treat their Lacqueys hke Servants. ’Tis true, they mod commonly take them out of the Livery, and in order to bring them near their Perfons, they make them their Pages, or Falels de Chamhre, Notliing is thought too good for thefe Favourites of Venus \ they are rigg’d out like Princes, and were you to fee one of thefe fortunate Lacqueys, you would naturally take him for fome Peribn of Coniequence. And indeed, there are fome who a6l the Man of Qua- lity to fuch a Perfedfion, that nothing can exceed it; and they have often better Manners than their Mafters. The Airs of Importance, and of Qua- lity, are very natural to the French. There are others of the menial Clafs, that enjoy the Favour of their young Mafters, in a VvTy fo uncommon, that one knows not what to think of it; and many of thofe young Gentlemen, forgetting the Refpeft that is due to their own Perfons, and their Fa- milies, make Parties at Supper with ’em, at which Time, 1 fanfy, Converfation is the leaft Part of the Entertainment. But fuch is the Spirit of De- bauchery, that it has infe£fed the Generality of the young People at Court ; tho’ ’tis true enough, that it ever was fo. I don’t fay that excefTive Debauchery is tiie iini- verfal Gout of the Nation •, for, on the contrary, the French are virtuous from the Cradle to the Grave, if they are but fo happy as to get over the four or five Years of juvenile Fury, and to fur- mount the tumultuous Padlons which their crreaC Vivacity kindles in their Breads, and prompts them to do Things at twenty Years of Age, which ac fhii ty they deteft: and abhor ; and I affirm of tiie French in general, that they are not vicious by In- clination. 1 he Nobleman is infinitely more fo ^ 2 17 ^ Paris. than the Bulk of the People ; and whether it is bad Company, bad Counfel, or whatever elfe that mifltads him, he thinks that to be debauch’d gives him a fine Air j and many of ’em really boaft of being greater Debofliees, than in Fad they are. But this does not feem to me to be the Cafe of the Women (I mean of thofe who are not very rigidly attach’d to the Precepts of Virtue). They always preferve an Appearance of Decency, which impofes on fuch as don’t know them : Nor is their Converfation licentious *, and if they are naughty, ’tis in private, ’Tis certain that our Country- men don’t do the French Ladies Juftice. Many of our young Fellows, when they come home froin Paris, afiedling to be Coxcombs, tell Stories fo much to the Diiadvantage of the Fair Sex, that moft of the German Gentlemen, and efpecially of our Ladies, think the Reverfe of what they ought to do. Virtue and Modclly are as eminent among the Sex here as elfewhere ; and thofe Whif- ' flers, that give themfelves the Liberty of fcanda- lizing them, very often know not how to call one Woman of Quality by her right Name, and even never Lw her Antichamber. ’Tis certain, that there are Women of Quality here, who have laid afide the Mask -, but of thefe there are fo few, that the whole Sex ought not to be re- proach’d for their Mifeonduft. I give you my Word and Honour, that there are fine young l .adies here, born to charm our Sex, whom Ca- lumny itfelf is obliged to refpedl: ; and I don’t fee w'hat more can be defired. I’ll vouch the fame for the young Gentlemen, of whom indeed, the greateft Number is very much debauch’d, but there are fome that have not quitted the Reins of Mo- defty. A Fremouille, a Litxembourg, a Boufflers, and many more, may be fet up as Examples to our P A R I S. 277 our Youth, who, perhaps, would be worfe than the Youth of France, if they were enter’d as young into Company, and feated Jn the Centre of Joy and Pleafures. But I perceive, that inftead of a Letter I am drawing a Cafe. Therefore here I drop my Brief, and think my Epiftle long enough to be concluded. I am intirely Yours, Lfc. letter xliii. SIR, Farts, May 28 , 1732 . I Was puzzled fome time ago, to think what could make the French forget Father Girard and la Cadiere, and the pretended St. Paris ; for I apprehended, thofe two Articles would be the Subjedl of Converfation a great while longer ; but I was miftaken : *Tis all forgot *, and there’s fomething now upon the Tapis, of quite another Kind. The Archbifhop of Paris having thought fit to iflue his Mandate for fupprefllng a certain printed Paper, intitled Nouvelles Ecclefiaftiqiies, (a Sort of Ecclefiaftical News-Journal) the Parliament of Paris was difgufted, and made an Arret, con- demning the Archbifhop’s Mandate. The Court took the Prelate’s Part, and declar’d all that was done by the Parliament upon this Occafion, null and void. The Parliament Handing up mightily for its Privileges, which neverthelefs it holds only !oy the good Pleafure of its Kings, difcontinued its Aflemblies, and the King was obliged to iflue S 3 repeated '278 Paris repeated Orders, before the Members would re- fume their Bufmefs. Mean time the Advocates and Solicitors have thought fit to efpoufe the Caufe of the Parliament, and rcfufe to plead till the King has done Jujlicc to the Parliament, (’tis their own Term) by prcferving it in the Poflefiion of Appeals againft Incroachments •, which it has really enjoy’d for many Years, and which is the Ground ol the prefent Difputes. The Parliament fay, that they are the more juftifiable in fupporting this an-; tient Prerogative, becaufe they are obliged to it in Confcicnce, and for the Welfare of the State com- mitted to their Charge. For, fay they, what would be the Confequence, were the Archbifliop’s Mandate to be authorized ? The Pope and the Bilhops would, by Degrees, afilimc that Right: which they pretend to, of pronouncing Excommu- nications for very trivial Caufes, and even of put- ting the King himfdf under an Interdid, and con- fequently of ufurping a Temporal Defpotic Power under the Umbrage of their Spiritual Power, which, lay li:c Parliament, is abfolutely contrary to t!',e Liberties of the Gailican Church ; by Virtue wdiereof, ’tis fufHcient for the Parliament alone, in the like Cafe, to fiigmatize and condemn tliofe NoiLVt'Ues Ecdejlajiioues, as they have already done for a long Time. This is, in general, the Situation of xAffairs, and the Subfiance oi the Arguments made ufe of by the Parliament for the Maintenance of their Rights, which are fluffed with Abundance of pompous Terms, fuch as the Obligations of Conjd- aicc\ the IJberiies of the Gailican Churchy and a rhoufand fuch Expreffions, with whicli the very Haw'kers malce your Ears ring as you go aiong the Streets. Tl'.e Ladies too have for the prefync laid afide all the Jargon of Drdies, to learn liiat Lancuat^e ; and fhe 'who us’d to talk of Cornets anq Paris. 279 and Gorgets, now afllimes the Style of an Advo- cate, pleads for GaUican Liberties, overturns the Church and fends the Sacred College and the Biftiops to the Gallies. In fhort, I can’t exprefs to you, how ridiculous the French are in thefe Cafes. Be- ing fond of every Thing that’s new, be it good, or bad, they catch at it blindfold ; which is a plain Confirmation of the Inconftancy of theie People, who are fo fickle, that I verily believe, if any one fhould take a Fancy to preach' Mahometanifm to them, they would embrace it with their ullial Le- vity. The following, my dear Friend, is a Piece of Poetry, which, I think, is good, and make no Doubt will pleale you. The Subject of it is, Chrillian Tranquillity. If I can pick up any Thing new for you, before I go hence, I will not fail to fend it to you. I fupp’d lately in a Place with M. de Voltaire, and another Poet, the latter of whom rehearfed a very pretty Piece to us, of wnicn he refufed to give us a Copy, pretending ’twas im- perfect •, but however, he has promifed it to me. When I have it, I will fend it to you. T Pv A N Q_U I L L I T E CHRETIENNE. Surles Difputes du Terns. pLein d'lgnorunce et de Miferies, Tourquoi, Mortel nudmcieux, Veux-tu fur des frofonds myfleres V or ter un ceil trop curieux t Toij pour qui toute lu Nature Ne par on qu'une lEntgme obfcure, Tu fondes les Divins Decrets ? Tu croi que ton foible genie De V Intelligence infinie Vmrra devoiler les Secrets f Crains CHRISTIAN T R A N I L L I T T On the Difputes of the Times* wilt, audacious mortal Man, So wretched, and fb ignorant. On Myfteries dark and profound Prefume to caft an Eye too nice? Dofl: thou, to whom all Nature feems But an impenetrable Riddle, Pretend to fathom God’s De- crees ? Think’ll thou thy feeble Ge- nius can The mighty Secrets e’er unfold Of infinite Intelligence ? S 4 Fear ^Bo Paris. Qynim les tenebrea refpeciableSy ok Dim cache fa Majefier, De fes Defjeins impenetrable^ ^ut peut percer Vobfcurite^ 'Mefure la vafle etenclue De ces Globes, quoffre a la njue Un terns ferein et lumineux. Mais arrete id ton audace, X« ne peux voir que la furface De ce Theatre merveilleux. ' ^ V .. . Fear thou the dark, but awfiil 1 Shades, WhereGod his Majefty conceals ^ For who the Veil can penetrate Of his impenetrable Schemes? Meafure the vaft immenfe Ex- tent Of all thofe Globes that may be icen In Weather moft ferene and bright. But here thy fond Prefuroption checkj For thou nought but the Surface feeft Of this Theatre wonderful. Qu femporte Vardeur extreme t>e tout comprendre, et de tout voir Tu ne te connois pas toi-meme : VEjprit echape a Jon /avoir : Tt la Raifon impdieufe Ds la Grace viciorieufe Vent pendrer la Trojondeur ! Paul, tout rempli de [a Lumiere, ^ous apprenil quelle eji la maniere Dpnt elle agit fur notre coenr. ye fens enmol, que la Nature Veut etablir ma Libert hy Tile fe plaint, elle murmure, ^uand fon pouv&ir e(i difputj. Mais fi f interroge man Ame Comment une cclefie Jidme Ta fait agir, la fait nmivolr j Je crains aue cette Ame hautaine Ne donne d puiffance humaine, Ce qui du Dhbi Vouvok, Where will thy furious Ardor flop. All Thing'- to comprehend and fee ? And know’d not what thou art thyfelf. Thy Mind a Stranger to its Bounds; Will then imperious Reafon dare Prelume to penetrate theDepths Of all-vnfforious Grace Divine? Great Raul, in whom its Light flione full. Explains to us the Manner how Grace operates upon our Hearts^ I feel within, that Nature’s fclf To fix my Freedom makes Ef- forts ,* And when her Power is con- troli’d She murmurs inv7ard, and com- plains. But if my Soul I do but ask Which way a Fiame celeftial Induces it to a£f and move,* 1 fear this haughty fwelling Soi;l To human Power willafcnbe That which to Pow’r Divine is due. Aftonifli’d / Paris. 281 Surpris it Vlntervdle immenfe ^H*on volt it VHomme an Crea- ■ ttUfy St je n'aimets une Puijfance ^ui concourt a>vtc {on Auteur, Ce n'efi plus pour moi qu^un vain titre, ^ue lefrancy que It libre Arbitre, ^ue ma Raifon fait tant vanter : Je nt connois plus de Juftice, ^ui recompenfe et qui punijfe, Ce qui ne pent rien meriter. Ainji mon Ame eft fufpendue Entre les Sentimens divers. Tar-tout oh je porte ma vue, Je vois lies Abimes ouverts. Tour me garantir du naufrage, Je n'ofe quitter le rivage ha crainte afftlre mon repos, Combien, dans cette Mer profonde, Elottant a la merci de Vonde, ^e per dent m milieu des fiots I De tant de difputes fameufes, oh nous embarque noire orgueil, Fuyons les Routes danger eujes : VHomme a hui-meme eft un ecueil j Dans le petit Monde (enfibUy hft un Dedale imperceptible, Dont nous ignorons les Detours, La Foi de noire fort decide : File tient le fit qui nous guide j ^ans elle, nous errons tou jours. Aftonifh^d at the Space immenfe Betwixt the Creature and Crea- tor, If I do not a Pow*r confefs Concurring with its Author Great, Free Agency, or that Free-will Of which my Reafen fo much vaunts. Is but for me an empty Plea; That Juftice I no longer own. Which doth reward and punifti too. What ftridly neither can de- ferve. Thus is my Soul held in Suf- penfe Betwixt Opinions contrary. Where-e’er myrovingEycs I turn Abyfles open to my View. For fear of being caft away, I dare not quit the Sight of Shore; And ’tis this Fear my Peace fe- cures. How many, in this Ocean deep. Floating at Mercy of the Waves, Are by thofe Waves im merged and loft! Let us the dang’rous Tracks avoid Of thofe Difputes but too well known. In which our Pride engageth us: Man’s to himfelf a fatal Rock; For in this litrlc World of ours T here is a Dears to be extremely grave, and talks little, but with Dignity •, and fhe is Miftrefs of feveral Languages. When fhe came into the Netbcrlandsy as fhe paffed thro’ Louvahiy flie re- turned an Anfwer in Latin, to die Deputies of the Univerfity, who harangued her in that Language. She is Miftrefs of Hiftory, Geography, and many other fine Sciences ; and without flattering her, file 301 Brussels. fhe may be faid ro be a Mirror of Virtue and Piety. ’Tis impoffible for any one living to be more charitable *, and flie does not know what it is to refufe Accefs to the Unfortunate. She wilhes it were in her Power to ferve all that ask Favour at her Hands, and is very much perplexed when fhe is obliged to give a Denial. That Portion of the Day, which flie does not devote to God, fhe beftows upon Bufinefs, to which fhe gives very great Application: And her moft Serene Highnefs is fo eafy of Accefs, that ’tis no manner of Diffi- culty to obtain an Audience of her. The fame Flonours are paid to her here, as are paid to the Emperor at Vienna. She always eats alone, and for moft part in Public. Her Ladies wait on her at Table. She lends a gracious Ear to thofe that fpeak to her, and returns the kindeft Anfwers. She was never known to exprefs the leaft Difguft with any of her Domeftics. Her Second in Affairs is the Count Don Julio Vijlonli, by Birth a Milanefe.^ a Perfon of Honour, and of a good Family, a Man of Integrity and Sincerity, impoffible to be byafs’d by any thing but Jutlice, a good CEconomift, and always difin- terefted. Tho’ the People of this Country are not the moft ready to fpeak well of their Governors or Superiors, they all agree, that M. de Vifconti is a Minifter not to be corrupted. He is pretty tall, and has a gr.tve ftern Countenance. He has fuch a Weight of Affairs upon his Hands, that he can- not always give the like Attention to every thing, but refers many Things to his Secretary, Henry Crumpipen, by Birth a PVeftpbalian, who was born with all the Talents for Bufinefs. He is good-na- tur’d, civil, courteous, ready to do Kindnefles, has an extraordinary Memory, and is a Man of a fin^ular Application. He is univerfally beloved here. Brussels, 305 here, and every one allows, that he is as uncor- rupt as his Mafter. M. de Vifconti is lately appointed Viceroy of Na- ples, and is to be relieved here by the Count Fre- derick de Harracb ; who is not only a Perfon of a great Family, but has a very amiable Temper, and the Carriage of a Perfon of Quality. He was at Cambray during the Congrefs, where, tho’ he had not the Charader of Ambaffador, he was let into all Affairs, the Emperor’s Plenipotentia- ries being ordered to communicate every thing to him. After that, he was fent as a Minifter to take care of the Emperor’s Affairs at the Court of Turin. From thence he was recalled, and fent Ambaf- fador from his Imperial Majefty, as King of Bo- hemia, and firft Secular Eledor, to the Diet of Ratijhon •, which Poft he is quitting, in order to come hither, to be Prime Minifter to the moft Serene Archduchefs. I make no doubt but he will be acceptable to the Flemings', for he is affa- ble and engaging, adive, laborious, generous and liberal, and loves Expence and Pleafures. As he has a Fortune of his own, and another by his Wife, who is a Princefs of Lichtenjiein, he is in a Condition to pleafe the People of * Brujfels, who exped their Minifters, to lay out a great deal of Money with ’em ; and therefore daily I'e- gret the Lofs of Maximilian Emanuel the Elcdor of Bavaria, becaufe that Prince expended feven or eight Millions with them every Year, which he drew from Bavaria. The Arch'duchefs, fay the I eople of BruJJels, fpends nothing, and her Court is rather a Convent ; yet if they confklered that this Princefs has but four hundred and fixtv, or at moft, but five hundred thoufand Fdorins Revenue, * This Minifter pleafes them toPerfedion. They all like his Behaviour, and the Diligence with which he difpatches Bufinefs. In a Word, he isbCiOvcd andadoted, the y Brussels. they would, no doubt, be more fparing in their Reflexion. With this Sum, which is a Trifle for fo great a Princefs, her moft Serene Highnefs main- tains a very large Houfhold, pays everybody well, and keeps out of every body’s Debt ; which is what can’t be faid of any Governor or Sovereign of the Netherlands, who always went away from thefe Pro- vinces in Debt. The Inhabitants have been ac- cuftomed to make Complaints Time out of Mind, and I believe, if the Queffion was put to every Angle Native of Brabant or Flanders, there would be very few that could tell what fort of Govern- ment they would have, and what Mafter would fuit thembeft; For, fince the Death of CharlesW. King of Spain, they have been under four feveral Dominions, and have had eight or nine Governors, •who have all given them Caufe to murmur. The only one that ever had their Applaufe, was the iVlarfhal Count de I) aim, now Governor of Milan, which, perhaps, was as much owing to his fucceed- ing the Marquis de Prie, whofe Recal every body d(Tired, as to the advantageous Alterations he made in the Government. The Court of Brujfels is really not the moft in- viting Court in the World. The Ceremonial at Vienna is obfe.rved here almoft in every thing. The Archduchefs is ferved like theEmprefs, and no- body has the Privilege of eating with her *, only the Duke of Lorain was indulg’d that Liberty, but’twas at one of the ITunting Seats, and then the Ladies attended him a:s they did the Archduchefs. When the Eledlor of I lavaria came hither with the Princes his Brothers, in their Return from he faid, 'Lwas very comical, that he who lay every Night with an Archduchefs at Munich, could not have the Plea- fiire of dining with an Archduchefs at BruflTels. The Ladies of this Country, who have Titles, of whom there are many whofe Husbands are Grandees Brussels. 305 Grandees of Spain, infifted, at firft, on the Privi- lege of being feated on a Stool in the Prefence of her mod Serene Highnefs ; but they were difap- pointed in their Claim ; and notwithftanding they urged, that the other Governefles of the Nether- lands had granted them this Diftindtion, they were anfwered. That thofe other Governeffes were not Sifters of the Emperor ; and that if they were fuch, they did not keep to the Ceremonial of the Court of Vienna, where all Ladies, Princefles as well as others, ftand in Prefence of the Archdu- chefles. Others claim’d the Privilege to come to the Palace in a Coach and Six, and fome have aftually prefumed to drive in with fuch Equipage : But the Guards, who are better inftrudted in the Ceremonial than fuch Ladies, fent them back again, and told them. That it was not proper for any but her moft Serene Highnefs, to come with fix Horfes. The Ladies turned back, not a little mortified; and ,for fome time took it in fuch Dudgeon, that they would not appear at Court ; but when they faw that nobody regarded their Pouting, and were apprehenfive of an Order from Vienna, they came to Court again, and now do as they ought. The Nobility and Gentry of this Country are extremely haughty. There are fome Families which are really of very great Quality, but a great many, who, tho’ they have very pompous Titles, would be very much at a Lofs to prove their noble Parentage. If you would take their Word for it, they were all heretofore Counts of Hainault, Flanders, Dukes of Brabant, Guelder^ land, and foon. Their Anceftors have performed important Services to the State, but moft of themj are now retired, or if they ferve, it is in Spain or France. To go to Vienna, to make Court to the Emperor ! oh fy ! fay they, *tis fatiguing to VoL. II. u jOeatF lo 6 Brussels. Death. The Manners of the Germans are fo diffe^ rent^ proceed they, from ours ; their Service is founpo-- litel To be confined in that Place called Hungary I do)Ht 7nention it to us. There^s not a Mortal to con^ verfe with. Thefe Gentlemen, after all, have Reafon on their Side: For many of ’em, tho^ they have never ferved the Emperor, and perhaps^ ' never feen him, have been preferred to Regiments, Governments, and the mod diftinguilhed Employ- ments in the Netherlands ; and as they have had luch good Succefs, they would be to blame to a6l otherwife. They ferve in Spain^ and come to Bruffels to receive their Reward. It mud be owned, neverthelefs, that tho’ few of the Flemings., under whom I generally include all the Subjects of the Aifirian Netherlands., go to Vienna., ’cis partly ovv^ing to the Narrownefs of their Fortunes. The Nobility, being not rich, are not able to lay out much Money *, and they live therefore with very great Qiconomy, like pri- vate People, They feldom make Invitations to Dinner, and not one of ’em keeps an open Table, Yet there are more Equipages here with the Ducal Mantle, than in Vienna icfelf. All thofe Dukes and Princes, made by the Kings of Spahty for- merly aflun:ied only the Title of Excellency^ but fince they have been under the German Govern- ment, they are called vvj Prince^ and Monfieur^ They would fain ufurp the Title of Highnejfes^ which is given them by their Domeftics, and many poor Gentlemen, who interlard it with abundance of Monfeigneurs. The Duke d^Areinberg is the only Nobleman who fupports the Expence of a Man of Quality ; and tho’ he is the Perfon to whom mod Honour is due, yet he is one that lead requires it. Bruffels is a great Sufferer by the frequent Ab- fence of the Prince of la Tour and Taxis^ Heredi- tary Brussels. 507 tary Pofl:-mafter of the Empire, and the Nether- lands. When this Nobleman is at BruJJels, he lives with very great Splendor and Magnificence. His Houfe is open to all Men of C^iality, and "cis the Afylum of Foreigners. The Princefs de la ^our^ who is a Princefs of Lobkowitz^ is wonder- fully civil ; and by her noble and gracious De- portment, and her agreeable Converfacion, attrads all Perfons of Merit; and all P^oreigners are charm- ed with her The Natives have a Regard for the Family of la but "tis attended with Envy. The Prince de la Tour^ tho* not a Sove- reign, is nobly ally VI. His Mother v/as a Btir-- jlcnberg: His Wife is a Lobkowilz: His Son is married to a Princefs of Brandenbourg-Culmbacb ; and his Daughter to the Prince Alexander of IFur-’ temberg: So that all who quefiion the Antiquity or Nobility of the Family of la ^our^ are, I think, very much in the wrong. I will not difpute that there are Families more ancient, tho’ thofe of la Tour have printed feveral Volumes in Folio, to prove the great Antiquity of their Origin, as well as their Defcent from the Torres^ who w'ere fo long at Variance with the ancient Vifcontis, And I canV help thinking, that a Family, which has been ally’d for many Generations with the greateft in the Empire, and whofe Son has been a f Canon or Count of the Cathedral of Co- logn., may be rank’d among our befl Families in Ger? 7 iany. Of ail the Ladies, the Princefs de la Tour is mod diftinguifhed by the Archduchefs ; for which the other Ladies envy her, but this is very natu- ral : For the Princefs de la Tour wa? born at ^ In November 1736, fhe Was delivered of a Son. t Prince ChrijUan II. Son of the Prince de la Tour. He rc- ligned his Canonlhip of Cologn, on purpole to lerve in the Ern- peror's Army. U 2 Vienna.^ 3o8 Brussels. Vienna^ and, as it were, brought up with the Arch- ducheis •, and Friendfliips fo early contraded are generally the mod lading. Befides, the Princefs de la 'Tour difcovers fuch an Attachment to the Archduchefs, that ’tis not furprifing that (lie Ihould honour her with her Confidence. I have told you, that the Pleafures of the Court of Bruffeh are not very gay, and Pll afilire you thofe of the City are much of the fame dull Tafte. There’s a very fine Theatre here, but the Comedy a6ted on it is horrible. The Afiemblies here are very melancholy, and will be more fo when the Countefs de Vtfconti is gone, fince, were it not for that Lady, there would be no fuch Pleafures here. Whoever faw Rruffels in the Time of the War, and fees it now, fcarce knows the Place again. Every thing falls to decay, and it has hardly any Trade dirring, but in Lace, Camblefs and Tapeftry •, the Fabric of which is, indeed, brought to very great Perfeftion. Lenir’’^ Manufafture of Taped:ry ex- cels all the red; for the Beauty of its Colours, and he furnifhes England and Italy with it. Devos, who works for Germany, made the fine Tapeftry of Prince Eugene of Savoy, and the Hiftory of Charles V. for the Emperor Charles VI. Vermil- ion fends a great many of his Works to Portugal, prance, and Mufcovy. Van dcr Borg the Son has lately made a fine Piece of Tapftry for the Arch- duchefs, reprefenting the Ifraeljtes worfliipping the Golden Calf, and Mofes receiving the Tables of the L,aw. The Father of Van der Borg, who is as good a Workman as the Son, has made magnificent Ta- peftries for the Chamber of the States, which re- prefent the joyful Entry of Philip the Fair, Duke of Brabant. They are in the Town-houfe, and worth leeing.,. Here lives the Marlhal de Zumjungen, who com- mands the Emperor’s Troops in this Country. He Brussels. 309 He is a Perfon of very great Merit, and has been raifed by his Valour and Services to the chief Mi- litary Employments *. He is defcended of an ancient Patrician Family of Francfort, and pro- feffes the Lutheran Religion. He was at firft but a common Soldier, and has gone thro’ all the De- grees of Preferment. He is a General of very great Experience, and is very well beloved by the Officers. He makes Foreigners very welcome, and lives very handfomly, without being at extra- ordinary Expence. The Governor of Brujfeh is the Marfhal de JVrangel, a venerable old Man, and much relpedted. He is a Sweed, and, like M. de Ztmjungen, has gone thro* all the Military Employments from a Dra- goon. He is not very rich, but lives handfomly upon what he has, and always keeps a very good Table. The Prince de Rubempre is of the Family of Merode^ one of the moft diftinguiffied in the Fie- therlands. He is Mafter of the Horfe to the Arch- duchefs, and Knight of the Golden Fleece, a very courteous Nobleman, and one of the richeft in the Low Countries, The Prince of Najfau is Captain of her moft Serene Highnefs’s Band of Penfioners, and Knight of the Order of St. Hubert. He is the younger Brother of the Prince of Najfau-Siegen, who, after the Death of William III. King of Great Britain., affumed the Title of Prince of Orange ; which he ftill goes by in Spain, where he is a Penfioner to the King. The Prince of Najfau, of whom I here make mention, was alfo formerly in the Ser- vice of Spain. He married the Sifter of the Marquis de Nejle in France, and went fome Years * The Marftial de Zumjungen dy’d the ayth of Augufl 1732. The Count de Wnrmhr»nd commanded till another was ap- pointed. U 3 a g,? 3^0 Ghent. ago into the Service of the Emperor, who made him one of his Lieutenant-Generals. I make no Doubt but his Birth, and the afTiduous Application he gives to the Office which he holds under the Archduchefs, will foon procure him the Honour of the Golden Fleece. I (hall fet out in a few Days to make the Tour of Flanders, a Country fo well known, and of v/hich you have heard fo often from Officers, who are continually going and coming to it, that I think, I need not confirm to you what you know of it already. Therefore, only expert afupcrficial Account of it. You fhall hear from me by the next Port. Mean time, I have the Honour to be, 1, E T T E R XLV, s I R Liege, June 1^, 1732, ROM Brujfels I v/ent to G h e n t, the Ca- pital City of the County of Flanders, and a ^ RKhoprick, fufffagan to the Archbifnop of ivLecblin. The Scbeld paffes thro’ the City, which, with its Suburbs, is divided into feveral Irtands by ihe L':S, and a great Number of Canals. ’Tis \cry large in Circumference, infomuch, that ’tis rt p.>rced, the Emperor (^basics V . us d ^ to lay, ^Ibal be could put Paris into his Gand This might be true enough then, but now Ghent might * Oamt fjgaifies G^^ent in the German, and Glene in the eafily Ghent. 311 cafily be contained in Paris, becaufe, like all the Towns in the Netherlands, it is decay’d, and not fo large, nor fo powerful, as it was formerly. The Citizens of Ghent were heretofore much dif- pofed to rebel; but the moft notable Revolt they ever made, was from Charles V. for which they • were feverely punilbed by that Emperor; who, forgetting that he was their Countryman by Birth, no fooner heard of their Revolt, but he palled through ‘France to chaftife the Rebels. Accord- ingly, he caufed tv/enty-five of the principal Bur- ghers to be put to Death, banifhed a greater Num- ber, confifcated the Eftates of the Ring-leaders, took away their Artillery, their Arms, and their Privileges ; condemned them to pay a Fine of above one Million two hundred thoufiind Crowns, and built a Citadel; by which Means Ghent be- came, as it were, a wide Defert, many of its In- habitants retiring to other Towns. The Fortifications of Ghent confift of great Outworks, a Counterfcarp, broad Ditches and good Ramparts, Its Bulk, Situation and Wealth, render it very confiderable ; but it takes up too much Ground to be a good Place : Neverthelefs, I have heard that King fViUiam of England, ufed to fay, that in a Time of War, it was much more convenient for the Allies to keep Ghent than Brujfels. I have done nothing at Ghent but fauntered about the Streets. I have been to fee all the Churches, of which there is a great Number, and fome of them very fine ; but have made no Acquaintance, except with the Baron de Stein, Colonel of a Re- giment of the Infante of Portugal, a Gentleman of good Extraftion and Merit ; who is married to Mademoifelle de IVatteville, formerly L.ady of the Bed-chamber to the Archduchefs, Governcfs of the Netherlands, She is a Lady worthy to be U 4 refpeded. 2 Bruges. refpeded, and is efteemed by all Ghent. What Amufements there are in this Town, I cannot fay ; but if I am not deceived in Appearances, there are no Pleafures here but what muft be infipid, I went in the Bark along the Canal from Ghent to Bruges., which is the moft commodious and agreeable way of Travelling in the World. I was in a good Room, and with Company very happily mix’d. At Noon we had a Dinner ferved up, as if it had been at the bell Viftualling-houfe at Bruffels ; where, by the way, there are excel- lent Inns„ ’Tis a Rule in this Bark, for the Wo- men to drink at Free-coft, the Men paying for the Wine. This cuts pretty deep into the Rec- koning ; for there is generally a good Number of Women on Board *, and the Fle?nijh Women are, for moft part, good Topers of the Juice of the Grape. Bruges in the County of Flanders ftands in a great Plain, three Leagues from the Sea, upon the Canal of Reje ; which being divided into fever ral navigable Streams, forms feveral Iflands in this City. Another Canal goes to Oftend, which is but three Leagues off,, and carries Ships to Bruges of four hundrecl Tons. ’Tis this that keeps up the Trade here, tho’ ’tis .confiderably dimi- nifhed, fince many of the Merchants we.nt to fettle at Antwerp, and in Floiland ; notwithftanding which, Bruges is ftill one of the biggeft and beft Cities in Flanders. Here are magnificent Struffures, both Lcred and profane. The Streets are broad, ftrak and open, v/ith feveral la.^'ge Squareq, and there’s no want of Inhabitants ; but they know no Plea- iure befides Eating and Drinking. ’Tis a hard matter for a Foreigner to get acquainted with ’em *, for thg Flemings arc naturally unfociable, and it feems as if they were afraid to converfe with a Gsrrndn, When the Count du Lalaing, formerly OsTEND.' Newport. j 1 5 the Vifcount of Audenarde, is in this City, of which he is Governor, one is fure of being wel- come at his Houfe; but, unlucky for me, he hap- pened to be at Brujfels. And, as I don’t care to be in the Spleen, I went immediately to Ostend. This City is famous for ftanding-out a Siege of three Years and three Months, again Albert Arch- duke of Auftria \ and for the India Company efta- blifhed here, by a Grant from the Emperor, which all Europe, however, agreed to get revoked. OJlend never was a Town of much Note for Pleafures. ’Tis fmall, but worth feeing. Its Port is the moft confiderable that belongs to the Emperor in Flanders. Its Situation renders it very ftrong; ’Tis encompafs’d with two very deep Canals, has eight Bulwarks, and a large Ditch, feveral Baftions, and good Outworks, kept in due Repair, If the OJlend Company had continued, this would certainly have been a powerful City. The People began to build here apace, but now pvery Thing is at a Stand, both Buildings and Commerce : For Holland and England fwallow-up all, and feem to have vowed the Ruin of the Netherlands. Newport, to which I went by the Canal, is infinitely worfe than OJlend. ’Tis a perfed Hole, but extremely well fortify’d, and can lay the Country under Water for feveral Leagues. The Air here is deteflable, to fuch a Degree, that there’s never more than a Detachment in the Ga- rifon at one time, and yet a great many Men die here. Tfie Inhabitants have a livid unwhol- fome Complexion, There is not a Soul to make a Vifit to, and the Officers, who love Company, are Tick to Death for vyant of knowing what to do with their Time. As I left Newport, I returned to Ghent, and went to Court RA y, over one of the fineft Cau- feys. 314 COURTRAY. MeNIN. feys, with Trees on both Sides, that is in all Flan- ders. This, which is a pleafant little Town, drives a great Trade in Holland, and damask’d Linen, and its Inhabitants are wealthy. Its Fortifications are good for nothing ; neverthelefs, here is a Go- vernor, a Commandant, and the whole Comple- ment of Superior Officers. The firft is M. de pevenijh., an Irijhman., one of the Emperor’s Ma- jor-Generals. The fecond is M. Dkkfon, a Scotf- man, who has a Colonel’s Commiffion, and is one of the civileft Men I know ; his only Fault being, perhaps, that he is too liberal. He was very gene- rous to me. There are five or fix Perfons of Qua- lity in this Town, who, rather than expofe them- felves too much to Spleen, will not admit of Vifits from the Towns-people. The Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary confifts of true Priefts, who rail at one another plentifully, and are never feen together but in the Chapter-houfe, where they have the Diverfion of abufing each other heartily ; fo that I dare fay, were they to embrace at High Mafs, they would hug fo loving- ly, as to fqueeze the Breath out of one another’s Bodies. I proceeded over a fine Caufey to M e n i n, one of the Barrier Towns belonging to the Emperor, with a Dutch Garifon. The Count * de Najfau La- leck, Lieutenant-General, and Colonel of a Regi- ment of Horfe in the Dutch Service, is Governor of it. To qualify himfelf for this Government, he muft (like all the Governors or Commandants of the Barrier Towns) have taken an Oath of Fi- delity to the Archduchefs, to the Emperor, and alfo to the States General his Matters. But I can’t imagine how he would be able to reconcile fuch Swearing to his Confcience, in cafe a War * He is the Great Great Grandfon of Prince Maurice, by the Lady fliould Lisle. 315 fhould break out between the Emperor and Hol- land. I think this Oath may be put upon a Par with that which is taken by the Captain of the Bucenlaur at Venice., when he carries that Veflel out to Sea, to bring her back into Port, be the Weather what it will. Menin is one of the moft regular Fortifications in Flanders. M. de Vauban^ by whom they were direfted, thought them his Mafter- piece. Yet fome will have it, that the Works are too clofe together, and too fmall. Phis Place was very ill defended in the lall War, info- much, that I heard fome Officers fay, there was no Breach made in it. The French Commandant, when he furrendered it to the Duke of Marlbo- rough, having demanded Leave to march out of the Breach, was anfwered. That ’twas not advife- able for him to do it, unlefs he had Ladders •, upon which he chofe, with his Garifon, to march out at the Gate. There’s no Company at Menin, but Mademoifelle de Laleck, and fome Officers Wives, who are Perfons of very great Merit. Lisle, the Capital of French Flanders, is as gay, populous and trading a City, as the Towns of Imperial Flanders are declining. ’Tis a large, fine, and well-fortified City. The Streets are ’ broad and well-pav’d. It has two magnificent Squares, and Edifices both facred and profane, which difeover its Riches. There’s a new Town- houfe building here, in a bad Situation *, but when finifh’d, will be grand and magnificent. The Duke de Boufflers, whofe Father acquir’d great Glory by his vigorous Defence of Lijle, is Gover- nor of this City, and of French Flanders. He is a fine handfome young Nobleman, tho’ of an un- der Size. He applies very much to the Military Science, and gives very great Hopes of his Pro- ficiency in that Calling. The Officers cry him up very much j and I heard every body fpeak well 1 L I S L E. well of him. He makes a noble Appearance, and lives generoufly. I found him extremely civil and refpeftful to every body, with a fweet and amiable Temper, far from the Prefumption to which Youth are but too liable; in a Word, fuch a one, that a Friend to France would wifh all her young Noblemen were like to him. There are feveral good Houfes in Lijle^ parti- cularly that of Madame de Mouchi, heretofore La- dy of the Bed-chamber, and Favourite of the late Duchels of Berry ; the Houfes of the Comman- dant of the Town, and the Citadel, and of the Intendant ; and in all thefe Houfes there’s abun- dance of good Company. The French Officers make a much better Appearance than ours do, and as foon as the Service is over, they all treat one an- other upon a Par, Here is a good Comedy, and a tolerable Theatre for it. In Winter there are a great many Balls, and a true Reliffi of good Living here ; fuch as eating in Company, Gaming, and other Diverfions. . / ^ You know that Lewis XIV. took Lijle from the //y\ Spaniards. The Allies retook it in 1708, after a / long Siege ; which, when one confiders the Num- ber of Princes and great Noblemen who were pre- fent at it, fuch as the King of Poland^ the Elec- toral Prince of Hanover^ now the King of Great Britain.^ and the late Landgrave of HeJJ'e CaJJel, puts one in Mind of the Siege of Froy. Lifie was reftored by the Treaty of Utrecht to France, which Crown, in Exchange for it, yielded Tpres and its Chatellany to the Emperor. Commerce flouriffies mightily in this City, and there’s a Concourfe to it from all Imperial Flan- ders, becaufe of the Profit to be made by the Mint. Since the Peace, the City has been very much augmented and embelliffied ; fo that there are few Towns that outftrip it. I was very much delighted Antwerp. 317 delighted here, and if my Affairs had not call’d me back to German-^., I Ihould have flay’d here fome time longer. I return’d again thro’ Ghent^ and from thence went to Antwerp, furnam’d the ‘Trading ; for you muft know, that all the Towns in the Low Coun- tries have Surnames: Thus, Bruffels is called the Noble, Ghent the Great, Louvain the Wife, Mech- ^ lin the Genteel, Namur the Strong •, and fo of the ' reft. Antwerp, anciently one of the fineft and richeft Cities in Europe, ftands in a pleafant fruit- ful Plain on the Right Side of the Scheld. Our Lady’s Church, which is the Cathedral, is a very great Building, that is worth feeing, for the mag- nificent Piflures with which ’tis adorned. The Town-houfe and the Jefuits Church are worthy of a Traveller’s Attention. This Church was former- ly very magnificent, but was confumed by Lighten- ing in 1718; when the Reverend Fathers the Jefuits loft a real Treafure in Pictures. They re- built it, but with more Frugality than their Prede- ceflbrs. The fine Pidures done by Rubens, and two very magnificent Chapels, are ftill to be feen. The Foundation of Antwerp, its Citadel, built by the famous Duke of Alva, and all the Calami- ties which this City fuft'ered during the Civil Wars for Religion, are Things too well known for me to mention them. Antwerp is very much fallen from what it was once. ’Twas formerly a City of the greateft Trade in Europe ; but Amjlerdam is rifen upon its Ruins ; for Towns, like all other Things, muft fubmic to Fate, Antwerp is incomparably better fituate than Amjlerdam, and the largeft Veffels came to it heretofore by the Scheld ; but this River is now choak’d up by Veflels full of Stones, and other Things, funk there on Purpofe by the Dutch, 3 1 S Mechlin. Dutch ^ thofe charitable Neighbours of the Nether- lands. Notwithftanding its Decay of Trade, there are Families here extremely rich. All its wealthy Citizens keep magnificent Equipages, wear lac’d and embroider’d Cloaths, and their Wives drefs like PrincefTes. They all go to the Affembly, which begins at an early Hour, where they play at ^adrille, and then every one goes Home to Supper, There’s a charming Walk upon the Ram- parts, but no Company, befides the Priefis, who pretend there to con their Breviary, There is one of the prettieft Theatres that is to be feen out of Ital-j, but no Play, So that, take it all together, you may perceive this is not a Place of thegreateft Entertainment. - The Marquis de Rtibi, one of the Emperor’s Major-Generals, is Governor of Antwerp. He fhould, by Right, live in the Citadel or Caftle; brut as his Houfe there is very much run to Ruin, he has one in the City, where he appears with Dignity. He is a Catalan, and was Viceroy of * Sardinia, when the Spaniards made a Conqueft of that King- dom in the Time of Cardinal Alberoni. This, Sir, is all that I have to fay to you of Antwerp-, from whence I went to Mechlin, a pretty Town, where the Metropolitan Church is worth feeing. The Cardinal de Boffti, Brother of the Prince de Chima-j, is its Archbifhop, and the only one in the Netherlands, belonging to the Houfe of Aufiria. You know, that at Mechlin is held the Sovereign Council or Parliament, which is the Reafon one fees fuch a Swarm of Attornies and Solicitors here, and hears lo many * The Emperor lately appointed him to relieve the Count ftn« and Bonn. 345 and Ofnahruck: He alfo contributed very much to his being defied Coadjutor of Cologne y for had it not been for his Reprefentations, the deceafed Elector Jofeph Clement would, perhaps, have never been prevailed on to accept of a Coadjutor, be- caufe he apprehended, that he fhould not live long after he had taken fuch a Step : But the Count de Plettenberg difpoflfeffed him of that filly Surmife ; and by that Means procured, for his Mailer, the fecond Eledorate of the Empire. You will naturally imagine. Sir, that fuch great Ser- vices, performed by this Minifter, for a Prince to whom he was not a Subjed, could not but be at- tended with great Rewards. They have pur- chafed him the Eledor’s intire Confidence, who leaves all Affairs wholly to him. The Count ufes his Authority with Moderation, and is civil and courteous. His Behaviour is noble and eafy, and his Perfonage altogether as agreeable. He has none of thofe Airs of Superiority, which they commonly aflume, who in their Grandeur are the Favourites of Fortune. Being advanced to be the Firft Minifter of a great Prince, at an Age when a Perfon would fcarce prefume to think himfelf fit to meddle with State Affairs, he makes Labour icfelf a Pleafure, and has nothing of that myfterious haughty Air, which only ferves to alienate Peoples Hearts ; for he is eafy of Ac- cefs, hears attentively thofe who fpeak to him, and gives clear Anfwers without afTeding Evafions or Delays. He is generous, liberal and beneficent, vigilant, laborious, and in Love with Bufinefs. He rifes at Five o’Clock every Day, and em- ploys the Morning in Bufinefs. After this, he keeps a magnificent Table, where, in the midft of an Abundance and Delicacy, there is that F'ruga- f He was fcarce twenty-eight Years of Age. lity 34^ Bonn. lity obferved, which is fo laudable in thole who have Places. After Dinner, he goes into his Clo- fet, where he gives Audience to the Subaltern Mi- nifters, leaving it to the Countefs his Spoule, to do the Honours of his Houfe, which is always open to Perfons of Diftindion and Merit. As he was born to one of the greateft Eftates in CeTinan'^^ 1*0 he IS One of thofe Noblemen who live with the greateft Magnificence. His Expences are confide- rable. His Ploufe is richly furnifhed, and full of excellent Pidures by the moft skilful Mafters. Yet tne Magnificence of his Houfe in Town does not come near to that of his Seat at Nordkirchen^ where every Thing is ftately, and has the Air of a Prince. Mean time, the Count ds Plettenberg adorns it^ every Day, and is adually making Gar- dens to it, which will not eafily be match’d in Germany. This Minifter has an only Son at the Univerfity of Leyden, a Youth of great Hopes, who is already adually an Aulic Counfellor of the Emperor, his Chamberlain, and Mafter of the Horfe -f to the Eledor of Cologne-, and to whom the Count de Plettenberg, befides his great Eftate, will leave his Steps to follow, and his Example to imitate. There are many other Perfons of good Birth and Merit at this Court. The Baron de Nothafft, Lieutenant-General, Chamberlain, and Captain of the Eledor’s Guard. M. de Walbot de Goudenau, Marfhal of the Court. The Baron de Schourff, and the Marquifes Caponi and Lrotti, the Eledor’s Chamberlains, are diftinguiflied for their Civility to Foreigners. The Baron de Sparr, by Birth a S-ivede, whofe Father died in the Service of France, is Almoner to the Eledor, and Dean of Bonn. His Eledoral Highnefs has lately fenc him to f The Baron de Roll has fucceeded him in bis Place. Rome^ Bonn, 347 Rome^ to defire the Holy Father’s Approbation of his Eledion, as Grand Mafter of the ‘teutonic Or- der, M. de Sparr was Page to the late Ele6tor of 'Bavaria, in which Poft he behaved with an uncommon Sobriety, applied himfelf to the Study of feveral Languages, and learnt to fpeak them with the fame Eafe as his Mother-Tongue. He made great Progrefs in Mufic, Hiftory, and Geo- graphy, and negleded no Means to render himfelf one Day or other, ufeful to the State, and to his Prince. After he had ferved as Page, he entered into the Military Service, and was made a Major in the Guards, and Chamberlain to the Eledlor of Bavaria. He propofed to make a Settlement, when God, whofe Decrees are impenetrable, in- fpired him with a Refolution to go into Holy Or-!- ders. For this End, he quitted his Employments, and retired to a Seminary, which he only left to take up Prieft’s Orders. He faid his firfl: Mafs in the fame Church, and on the fame Day, that the Duke Theodore of Bavaria, Bilbop of Ratijhon and Freifingen, faid his. He went a Year ago to Rome, where he applied himfelf ftrenuoufly to the Study of the Canon Law. I knew him there, and found that he had the Eftecm of every body. He has fuch Sentiments of Piety and Honour, that ’twere to be wifhed all our Clergy had the like *, for then they would do more Service both to God, and the World. The Eleftor’s Houlhold is very numerous, but he has no more than two Regiments of Foot in his Eledlorate. The Baron de Notbajft is Commander in chief of thofe Troops, which, tho’ but a Hand- ful, are fufficient for the Guard of Bonn, Rhinberck, and Keiferfivaeri, which were fortified heretofore, but have fince the Peace been demolifhed. In the Abfence of the Eled:or, the Dean of tjte Chapter of Cologne governs with the Title of Stadt- Ir ^4^ Lintz. Andernach. Stadtholder. He is lodged in the Eledoral Pa- lace, and is ferved by the Eleaor’s Officers. Du- ring this Xime, Bonn is a very melancholy Place. The Nobility and Gentry have their Affiemblies at the fdoule of the Countels ds where there are many more of the Fair Sex than ours, and the Canoneffies of this City make a ffiining Figure. In fuch good Company I leave you, and am, i^c. LETTER XLVIII. 5 / i?, Mentx., Attg. to, i/JJ. I Have been up the Rhine from Bonn to Mentz^ to avoid the difagreeable Paflage over the Mountains of Wetter avia. I was not fatigu’d, bur then I was pretty much chagrin’d. I landed at Lintz, a little Town in the Electorate of Co- logne, on the right Side of the Rhine ; and there I drank the excellent Wine of Bleickert, which is made near the Village of Huningen, about a League from this Town. The Liegeois, who know how to brew Wine as well as Beer, buy up a great Quantity of it, which they balderdaffi after their Manner, and fell for Burgundy. After I had fill’d my Bottles, I continued my Voyage, and arrived at A N D E R N A c H, a little Town, which is a confi- derable Gainer by the Floats of great Timber that are brought hither, and fent from hence for Holland. Here is alfo a great Vent of Stone Jugs and Pitchers, and of the Mineral Water of Duijich^ Neuwidt. Coblentz. 349 Dunchftein, which in the Summer is very much drank with Wine. A little above Andernach, on the other Side of the River, there’s an abandon’d Seat belonging to the Count de l^euwidt, who lays up his Hunting Equipage in it. The Vulgar have a Notion, that this Houfe is haunted by the Devil •, which is a fort of Superftition that is to be met with, more or lefs, in all Countries. The little Town of Neuwidt gives its Name to a County of the Empire, where the Count has a very pretty Houfe. This Nobleman, and his Subjefts too, are f Calvinifts. He married a Daughter of the late Count Alexander de Dhona, who was the King of Prujfiah Governor. She is a Lady highly to be valued for her Virtue, her Underftanding, and her Behaviour. The Rhine, which runs thro’ none but a plain Country from Neuwidt to Bonn, is, above that Place, pent up by Mountains fo high, that they give me the frightful Remembrance of the Alps. Thefe terrible Rocks are cultivated to the very Top, and produce excellent Wines. One can hardly take one’s Eyes off of them, there’s fuch a variegated Profpedl of Vineyards, Woods, Towns, Villages, Gentlemens Seats, and Cottages. The only Town of Confequence is Coblentz, in the Eledorate of Triers, at the Conflux of the Mofelle and the Rhine, in a fine Valley fur- rounded with noble Hills. The City is fenced with grand Walls and Ramparts. Its two Rivers + The Count, who is a Lover of the Sciences, intends to make a LycAutn of his Cadle, and a little jlthens of his Town. He begins by forming a numerous Library, and longs to get the Learned about him. But the main Point is to make a good Choice of them ^ and the firft Choice which the Count has made of a Man who has already engroffed his Favour, does not promiie well for the future. are 3 5iO C O B L E N f Z. are a great Advantage to its Commerce, and to them ’tis obliged for all its Wealth. In this Town there refide feveral Perfons of Quality, fuch as the Counts de la Leie, and de Metternich, the BarOns de TFalpol, and d’Oels. The Count de la Leie is a very rich Nobleman, lives high, and is very charitable 5 fo that tiie Poor look upon him as their Father^ and the Convents as their Supporter. He is a Gentleman of found Piety, very great Politenefs, and all his Behaviour is to the laft Degree noble. He has an only Son by the Countefs de Schonborn, Sifter to the Eleftor of Triersy a young Gentleman of a lovely Prefence, and whofe Merit infinitely furpaffes his Years. The Fortrefs of Ehrenbreitjlein, which is proper- ly the Citadel of CoblentZy ftands on the other Side of the Rhine. They reckon it impregnable, for this Reafon, perhaps, becaufe it was never taken^ It is fituate upon a high Mountain, or fteep Rock, which ftands in a manner by itfelf, and is on all Sides of very difficult Accefs. The Works are all of Stone, and feveral cut out in the Rock. There is a Cannon here, which, they fay, is longer than the famous Culverin, that Lewis XIV. caufed to be carried from Nancy to Dunkirk. The Palace of the Elector of Triers is at the Foot of this Fortrefs, in a Place which is very much pent up by the Rhine on one Side, and by a Rock on the other. It makes but a mean Appearance, and the Apart- ments are low, incommodious, and very much ex- pofed to the Sun. Near this Palace is a little Town called Dahl, where live moft of the Eledlor’s Do- meftics. This Quarter has a Communication with the City of Coblentz by a flying Bridge. The prefent Bifhop of Triers is Francis-George Count de Schonhorn, who is the younger Brother of the Cardinal Biihop of Spires, and of the Bilhop of Bambera and JVurtzbeurg. He is alfo Bifhop of . Worms, R H 1 N F E L D T S. 3 5 I Worms ^ and Abbat of Elwangen. He was eleded Archbifliop, whp Francis- Lewis of Newbourg was tranflated from the Eleftorate of Triers to that of Mentz. This Prince is not tall, but very flout, and has a fine Afpeft : He is affable, and very civil. His Courtiers affured me, that he was a very kind Matter, and his Subjects feemed to be pleafed with his Government. His Disburfments feem to me to be very moderate, and his Houf- hold not large. From CMentz I went to Sanckewerdt, which is the Foot of the Cattle of Rhinfeldts, belong- ing to a Catholic Branch of the Family of HeJJe. The Landgrave of Cajfel was once in Poffeffion of this Fortrefs, and claimed it as his Right, by Virtue of his being the eldefl: of the Family of Hejfe. Upon this Occafion he was engaged in a great Law-Suit, but the Aulic Council gave a Ver- di£l in Favour of the Prince of Rhinfeldts, and the Troops of Hejfe Cajfel were by an Imperial Com- miflion turn’d out. A Garifon is actually kept here for the Emperor, and the Circle of the Upper Rhine. This Place is reckoned one of the rnofl important upon the Rhine, over which River here is a Paffage by a flying Bridge. As I ttill went up the River, I came to Binger- Loch, a Name which is given to a Cafcade, that the Rhine forms here between two Rocks. This is reckoned as the moft dangerous Paffage of all the Rhine, though there’s no Danger to be appre- hended, unlefs the Watermen are drunk with Wine ; which is too commonly the Misfortune at this Place, where the Juice of the Grape cotts lit- tle or nothing. Near to this Hollow, upon a Rock, in the midft of the Rhine, there’s the fa- mous Rats-Tower built, according to Tradition, by Hatto Bifliop of Mentz, in the Year 969, to fecure him from the Rats, which gnaw’d him as a Punifl> 3 P Bingen. Punifhment for his having burnt a conficierabld Number of poor People in a Barn, that came in a great Dearth of Provifions, to beg he would give them Bread •, when this barbarous Prelate, hearing the Shrieks of thofe unfortunate Wretches in the Flames, ask’d his Courtiers if they did not hear the Rats cry ? Plow improbable foever this Story inay feem, ’tis as much believed by the Vulgar, as if it were an Article of Faith ; infomuch that when I told my Watermen I queftioned the Truth of the Fadt, they faid, that if I had any Doubt of it, I could not be a good Catholic. For my Part, I fincerely believe, that this Tower ferved heretofore as a Place of Toll, and, perhaps, for a Mainguard to a Caftle, of which the Ruins are ftill to be feen, and in which ’tis faid that Bifhop Hatto dwelt, when he was obliged to retire to the Tower, where he was, neverthelefs, gnaw’d by the Rats. The little City of Bingen is not far from thence, on the left Side of the Rhine. ’Tis the moft confiderable of all the Rhingan^ and ’tis thought to produce the beft Rhenijh Wine •, for you are to know, that the Fafhion of Wine alters, as well as of every thing elfe. F’ormerly the Wine of Bacharach was moll in Vogue, and the French have not difdained to celebrate it in their drunken Catches ; but now that Wine is no longer in requeft by the Wine-Conners, who are here ib delicate, that if they do but wet their Lips, they can prefently tell the Age and the Growth of any Wine that they tafte. They fay now, that the Wine of Bacharach is worth nothing, in comparifon with the W^ine of Ridel^jeim^ and of JohanneJherg, Vineyards .in the Rhingau : But for my Part, who have the Happinefs not to be fo nice, I thought the Wine of Bacharach very M E N T Z; 3 5 3 good, and rtiould not be forty if I was obliged to drink that, and no other. From Bingen to M e n T z, the Rhine is very broad. This capital City of the firft Eledlorate of the Empire is feated on the left Side of the Rhine, over which there’s a Bridge of Boats, that is pretended to be in the very fame Place where Charlemaign caufed one to be made of five hun- dred Paces in Length, in the Year 79 ^* tiquarians of this City, in fpite of the beft Au- thors, will have it to be built by a Son of Japhet, or at leafl; by a great Lord who efcaped out of Tro^. Be it as it will, ’tis very ancient, and has fuffered, as almoft all the Towns in the World have, great Revolutions. They fay that St. Cref- cent, who was a Difciple of St. Paul, was its firfl: Bilhop. But what I know for a greater Certainty, is, that the Eleftor oP Mentz is Archbifiiop, and Great Chancellor of the Empire. The Perfon who is now pofiTelTed of that eminent Dignity, is Pbilip-C barks, Baron of Eltz ; who was chofe unanimoufly on the Ninth of June laft. He was a Capitular of the Metropolitan Churches of Mentz and Triers, Great Chanter of Mentz in the Year 1710, Suffragan to the Bifhop of Triers, Provoft of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Monftadt, a Privy Counfellor to the late Ele£lor of Mentz, his PredeceflTor, and Prefident of his Aulic Coun- cil. His Elediion by the Chapter of Mentz has been applauded by the whole Empire ; but parti- cularly by thofe who know this Prince’s Candour, and the Purity of his Morals. He fucceeded Francis-Lewis of Neubourg, whofe PredeceflTor was Francis-Lotharius, Count de Schonborn, who was alfb Bifhop of Bamberg. This Prince, who has had this Dignity a long time, has caufed his Capi- tal City to be very much embellifhed, furnifh’d it with good Fortifications, and put it into fuch a V o L. II, Z Condi- 3 54 M E N T z. Condition, that it may be looked upon as a power- ful Bulwark of the Empire. The French had begun to fortify Mcniz in 1688; and the Mar- dial d’Jjxelles, who then commanded here for King I.cwis XIV. put it into fuch a Condition, as to fuRain a Siege of fev'en V/eeks open Trenches againff Duke Charles of Lorain^ to whom he fur- rendered it by Capitulation. Moft of the Works, caft up by the French, being only of Earth, were demolifhed, and others of Stone ereded in their dead. The Town is not airy, the Streets being narrow and crooked. There are fome fine Houfes here, particularly thofe of the Barons de Dalberg, Ingel- heini and Rolling ; but ’tis pity they are not in a better Situation. The Metropolitan Church is an ancient Struc- ture, which has nothing remarkable but its Trea- fury, one of the richeft in Germany. I remem- ber to have read in an old Chronicle of Bifiiop Conrade, that in his Time there was in this Trea- fury a Crofsof Gold of fix hundred Weight, adorn- ed with Diamonds ; and that at the Foot of the Crofs, thefe Latin Words were engraved; Auri fexcentas habet ha:c crux aurea libras. Whether there ever was fuch a Crofs here, I know nof, but I can alTure you, there is none here now. The Chapter of this Church confifts intirely of Perfons of Quality, but they don’t admit Princes to it. The Eleftor’s ■ Palace would be a magnificent Pile, if the Whole was anlwerable to the new main Body of the Building, whofe Apartments are com- modious and grand, and enjoy one of the fined Prpfpefts in the World. That M E N T Z, 35: 5 That which mofl: deferves a Traveller’s View in this City, is the Carthufians-hon^e, one of the fincft in Europe, as well for its Buildings, as its Situa- tion. The Church belonging to it is Imall, but very neat; and the Pews of the Friers are moft nicely carved in Wood. The Joiner’s Work is adorned with Sculpture, very well executed ; Vv'hich reprefents the Paffages of the New Teftament. The main Body of this Fabric fronts the Rhine ^ and there are Apartments commodious enough to lodge a Sovereign, and his Retinue. The Cloifter is very fpacious, and forms a perfed: Square, with the Cells of the Carthuftans round it, each of which confills of four or five Rooms, all upon one Floor ; plainly, but neatly furnifhed. The Carthuftans, after the Flours are over which they devote to fpi- ritual Exercifes, cultivate their own little Gardens, or employ themfelves in the Work of Joiners, Turners, and the like ufeful and induftrious Oc- cupations. It may be faid, to the Praife of the Carthuftans in general, that they always keep clear from the Intrigues of the World, the Converfe of Women, and the Ambition of afpiring to Prelacies. They live in a manner, fo as that tho’ they are not very ferviceable to the Public, they cannot do it any Prejudice ; which is what can Icarce be faid of the other Orders. At the Foot of the Carthufians-\\r)vSt, which ftands on a very high Flill, is the Palace and Garden of the Favorita, belonging to the Eledor. Francis- Lotharius de Schonborn, caufed this Floufe to be ereded ; the Gardens of which are not extraordi- nary large, and may be call’d a Labyrinth of Grot- tos, Cafcades, Summer-houfes and Statues; but the Whole are heap’d, as it were, one upon ano- ther, and ranged with very little Fancy. There’s a Salon, accompanied with fix Pavilions, detach’d 2 2 from I 35^ SCHWALBACH. from it, difpofed in foch a manner, that from each Pavilion there’s a Profpedt of the Rhine, the Main, and of ail the fine Scenes of the Country on the other Side of tliofe Rivers. For the reft, ’tis a very dull City, as are almoft: all the Cities fubjeft to the Ecclefiaftical Princes. Neverthelefs, there’s a great Number of Gentry here, but they fcarce ever vifit one another, ex- cept in Ceremony. The Men rarely vifit the Ladies, and feem, to my Mind, to be fondeft of the Bottle. One of the chief Diverfions of the Inhabitants of Mentz is to go all the Summer long to fome neighbouring Places where they ufe the Waters ; fuch as Wijbade, Schwalbach and Schlangenbadt. And while thefe Waters are in Seafon, Mentz, Francfort, Dannjiadt, and all the neighbouring Towns, look as if they were quite forfaken. I was fome Years ago at Schwalbach, and was very merry there. ’Tis a little Town, between the Hills, three Leagues from Mentz, and be- longs to the Landgrave of HeJJe Rhinfelds. The Waters which are drank there, very much refem- ble thofe of Spa inTafte; but, I think, they are ftronger. I am fure, that if Schwalbach was fo happy as to be frequented for the fake of its Wa- ters, by two or three Englijh Gentlemen of Di- ftindion, it would make a Fortune out of the Peo- ple of that Country, and bear away the Purfe from Spa. The Method of taking thofe Waters is altogether the fame as at Spa ; and they obferve the fame Regimen, but with much greater Mirth. For here is a great Room, where every body meets without Diftindlion of Perfons, and where they phiy Sorts of Games ; and it’s fur- rounded too with Shops, in which there are a thou- Cind Sorts of fine Toys. Here is commonly a Ball, and fometimes a German Comedy, which ’ really. SCHLANGENiJADT. BeNSBERG. ^ jr really, I think, is bur indifferent ; and here are often great Feafts, at which every one pays their Quota. But there are generally fome Princes here to take the Waters, who make Entertainments for the Gentry. Schlancenbadt, which is a League from Schwalbachy is a Place that confifts properly of two great Houfes, one belonging to the Eleflor of Menlz, and the other to the Landgrave of HeJJe Darmjladt. Here they ufe the Hot Baths, which are extremely wholefome for relaxing the Nerves, and for the Stone. Barren Women alfo frequent this Place ; but if they don’t take very great Care of themfelves, they generally return pregnant. This, Sir, is all the Account I can give you of Mentz, and its Neighbourhood. Having done all my Bufinefs here, I am making ready to be gone in a few Days. I propofe to go back the fame Way that I came, and as I fall down the Rbine^ I hope in two Days to be at Cologne, from whence I fhall proceed thro’ Dnjfeldorff tow^ards Cleves. There I hope to have a I.etter fronj you, than which nothing can be more welcome. I am, LETTER XLIX. ricks in Thicknefs, and the Ceilings are no- thing but Boards, fo that the People in the firft Floor have the Pleafure to know, that every Word they fay is overheard in the fecond. I don’t criticize the Manner of the Diftribution of their Rooms ; tho’, to be plain, their Architefts know no more of this Matter than they do how to carry up the Chimnies, which are almofl; all of them fmoaky. ’Tis true, that the Inhabitants are not very much incommoded by it, and that they might even do without them F’or the Women warm themfelves with a Turf all Day long, which they put into a little earthen Pan, and this into a wooden Stove, with Holes bor’d in it, which they keep under their Petticoats, and fit over it, as a Hen broodeth over her Chicken. 'I'he Men are always v.'ithin Doors, dreflfed in a Kipht-aown lined with Flannel, under which they are Twaddled in three or four thick Waifl- coats: And if the Weather be cold, they alfo make ufe of fuch a Stove as the Women do, or’ eife warm ihemfelves in the Kitchen, where there is feldom Buille enough to prevent their creeping to the Chimney-corner ; and I would venture a Wager, that there are many fubftantial People here who don’t boil the Pot above once a Week : For there’s no Nation in the World that feeds worfe than the Dulch, and particularly the Jm- flerda}n?ners. Butter, Milk, Cheefe, and Salt-filh, being their common Diet. * V/hat is faid throughout this Article, of their Manner of living, mull be undcrftood only of the common Peop!e,and not of [’d-lbus of any diltinguillied Rank, nor even of the Merchants. But A M S T E R D A M. But I have deviated from the Article I was up- on, touching their Manner of Building. I cannot conceive how ’tis pofllble forHouies that are fo flight to (land : And there are fome that perfeclly totter from Side to Side ; but I had rather fee a Woman dance, than a Houle. A greatNumber of thofe Houfes have lately been fet upright. One of thofe Pinacles, in Form of a Sugar-loaf, which is at the Top of moft of the old Hcufes, unhappily fell down and kill’d three Perfons that were palling along the Street : Whereupon the Government, out of their great Care to prevent all fuch Acci- dents for the future, ordered the Landlords of every Houfe to caufe thofe ftaggering Pyramids to be pulled down : This has had two good Effefts; for People are not fo liable to be knock’d o’the Head, and the Town looks handfomer. The principal Ornament of the Houles is their Win- dows, there being fcarce a Country that has finer Glazing, and many of the Houfes have Windows of polilh’d Plate-g'afs. But in fome Palaces of Venice or Genoa^ the Paintings and Gildings only of the Ceilings are worth more than the fineft Houfe in Jtnflerdam.- Yet I don’t deny but there are Houfes here, in the Rearing of which no Coft has been fpar’d, but in general they are fmall. There are fcarce any that have above five Windows in Front, others have four, and the grcateft Part three. The Entry is by Steps of black Marble or Stone. To the Houfes of the common Size, there’s a very narrow Entry pav’d with white Marble, with which the Walls are often fac’d, at leaft to a certain Pleight. The Apartment confifts generally of two Rooms on a Floor, a little Court behind it, and a fecond Pile ol Building, which is but one Room in Depth, and has I .ights towards the Garden. At Venice A a 3 Genoa i 374 Amsterdam. Genoa, a Merchant ( for I fet the Nobles afide) will have at leaft an Apartment of three or four Kooms. At Amflerdam the Furniture is neateft, and in Italy the richeft. Here one ihall find a curious Piece of Flemijh Tapeftry, a Clofet of Pic- tures, fine Glafs, a great deal oi China Ware, and curious Toys from the Indies •, the Floor (hall be covered with fine Peejian Carpets j but you fhan’t fee any Furniture of Velvet embroidered with Gold, no Luftres of Rock-Cryftal, no great Colledlion of Paintings, nor that Abun- dance of antique Bufts, \hifes and Statues of Mar- ble and Brafs. In fine, to conclude this long Pa- rallel, I muft tell you, that if the Palaces of Italy were as neat as the Houles of Amfierdam, there would be nothing to compare to them ; and if the Houfcs oi Atnjlerdam were as much neglecfted as thofe of Italy, they would be of no Manner of Account. Be a Floufe here ever fo fmall, there’s always fome Apartment in it uninhabited, which is the fined: Part of the Building. *Tisa Sandluary where- of the upper Servant Maid of the Houle is the grand Prieftefs. She has fo profound a Refpect for this unfrequented Place that (he never enters it without putting off her Shoes, for fear of foil-? ing the Floor, which is held in fo great Venera- tion that they pay it a Sort of Worlhip : ’Tis the Refidence of the Floufliold Gods, and one is fure of incurring the Indignation both of the Mif- trefs and the Maids, if one does not Ihew the fame Veneration to their Floor as they do. Who- ever enters the Houfe, muft firft rub their Feet upon a Mat at the Door, and be fure not to fpir, were they in Danger of being choak’d, un- lefs they find a little Bafket of Sand laid there for the Purpofe ; and if a Perfon Ihould but happen fp drop the leaft Thing capable of fpotting the Amsterdam. 375 Floor, I am not fore that the Prieftefies would not lacrifice the Delinquent to their Ido!, and that v/e fhould not fee the Revival of the Story of Orpheus and the Bacchanies. There are however fome parti- cular Days in the Year when the PriefteiTes give their Matters Leave to enter thefe Sanftuaries, and therein to receive Company ; but the very next Day, this Place, which in the Language of the Country is called Bejfe-Kamer (i. e. the bejl Room) is wattl’d and purify’d, as our Churches are after they have been profaned. I don’t make Things a jot worfe than they are in reality, and I am fare there are fome Rooms that are not opened four times in a Year, unlefs it be to air the Goods. ^Tis the fame with a thoufand fine Things in the Amjierdammers PoffefTion, which they don’t make ufe of for fear of fpoiling them ; Thus they live in the midtt of Abundance, and of Wealth, with- out the Hearts to enjoy what they have. Ne- verthelefs, w'ithin thefe few Years patt, they begin to have fomeTatte of Life: They give into Equi- page, Furniture, and Rural Entertainments, and their Women into Drefs and Splendor. The old Men exclaim againtt new Faihions, and fay the Republic is in a declining State, in which they refemble one of our Emperors, who obferving that his Matter of the Llorfe had changed the Cord-Traces, which had been the Fattiion of his Court, into Leather Traces, cry’d out. That iMxtiry would be the Ruin of his Famil-j, and his Government. The Government of Jmfterdam is in a Senate, confitting of fixty-three Perfons, wiio hold their Places for Life ; and when any one dies, ’tis the Senate that appoints his SuccefTor : In this Body there are twelve Burgomatters, of whom four pre- fide annually. They chufe three out of the twelve every T[ ear, who with one of the four of the latt: A a 4 Year, 17 ^ Amsterdam. Year, that continues in Office, have the Diredtion of Affairs. Thefe latter, before they enter into their Office, are obliged to take an Oath to the fenior Burgomafters. He who is continued from one Year to the other, has the Prefidency for three Months, after which the others take it in their Turns; and they who go out of their* Of- fice, are commonly employed as Treafurers of the City, or as Counfellor-Deputies to the States of Holland, refiding at the Hague. The Office of Burgomafter is more honourable than profitable ; for ’tis faid, their Salary is only five hundred Florins Annum: But their Au- thority is conliderable ; for they are the chief Magiilrates, and in fome Sort the Mafters of the City. They difpofe of all the public Money, and they alone judge of what is neceffary for the Safe- ty of the Town. They are the Guardians of the Bank, which can only be opened in the Prefence of one of ’em. They confer all Offices, and may therewith gratify whom they will, and if they pleafe, their own Children; fo that, as in Gerjnanj, there needs but a Biflrop in a decay’d Family to repair its Misfortunes, fo here, if there be but a Burgomafter in a Family, ’tis enough to make ’em all eafy. There is alfo in this City a Bailiff, who is called Hoofd-Schout, or Hoofd-OJficier, who is the fame that is elfewhere called the Lieutenant of the Po- lice. Fie has under him three Subftitutes, who are called the Under- Schouts, Thefe are they who * As there is no Dignity fuperior to that of the Burgomafter, they who attain to it fucceed one another in the fcvcral Fuiidti- ons, without palling to other Employments; They are the Me mbers of the Council, who are fent to the College ot Coun- fellor-Deputies, or who hll the Pods of Treafurers, fyc. But the Burgomafters are they who go to the AlTembiies of the States of the Province, with the Penfiqnary or Syndic q) the City, who is the Spokefniap. ‘ ^ ' apprehend Amsterdam. apprehend Malefadlors, which they often do in the midft of a Mob, only accompanied with a Couple of Archers who have no other Arms but Swords. Yet every one trembles at the Sight of ’em, and two Men carry another to Prifon, with more Eafe than forty Archers can do the like at Paris. The Senate meets in the Stadthoufe. This Fa- bric, fo much celebrated for its Magnificence, and becaufe it contains the richeft Bank in the Uni- verfe, is really a ftately Edifice ; and tho’ it has Defers, it may be ranked in the Number of the fineft Buildings in Europe. It fronts a Square called the Dam, in the Centre of the City. The Building is almoft a complete Quadrangle, with Pavilions at each Angle. In the middle of the principal Front there’s an advanced Building which takes up one third of the whole Front. ’Tis decorated by feven Porticos, fo fmall that they disfigure all this great Pile of Building ; which they pretend was not owing to the Igno- rance of the Architedl, but to a political Caufe : For at the Time that this Stadthoufe was built, the Republic was but in its Infancy. The Po- pulace of a turbulent Mob, ready for any Mifchief, were then far lefs fubmiffive to their Magirtrates than now ; and they fo often dif- turbed thofe Magidrates in their Deliberations, that the Architect chofc to make the Avenues fo narrow, on purpofe to prevent the Inconveniencies of coo eafy an Entrance by a Crowd of People. But if this was his true Reafon for not keeping to the Rules of Architedture, three great Porticos would have done as well asieven fmall ones : He might have given them due Proportion, and the front would have been more majeflic. But the Number Seven was the chofen Number, and it was to reprefent the Seven United Provinces, to whole ^78 Amsterdam. whofe Union the City of Amflerdam owes its En- joyment of Liberty and Commerce. Notwith- ftanding this Defed, ’tis certain that a Foreigner, tho’ he will not offer to compare this Stadthoufe to the Palace of Verfailles, to the Efcurial, or to the Procuraties at Venice ; and tho’ when he looks on it, he may only think he fees a Town-houfe, and not the Palace of a King, or of a powerful State, yet he cannot behold it without Admira- tion, efpecially if he does butconfider that every Material in this Building was brought from fo- reign Countries. The Outfide of this great Fabric is all of Free- ftone, extremely well put together; and an Order of very fubftantial Pilafters ranges quite round the whole. The Part which projefts from the prin- cipal Front, is terminated by a Pediment, which is a grand Piece of Sculpture. It reprefents the City of Amflerdam^ under the Figure of Cybele, feated in a Chair. Four Naiads^ and two Sea Nymphs, prefent her with Crowns of Palms, and Laurels, and Fruit, in token of the Power and Abundance which this City receives by Commerce. On the other Side, Neptune, accompanied by the 1‘ritons, feems approaching to pay his Homage to the Goddefs, undoubtedly to denote the Power of this City at Sea. All this magnificent Groupe is extremely well executed, and very much efteemed by the Connoiffeurs. A Dome at the Top of this Edifice has eight great open Arches all round, which fupport the Cupola ; and in this Dome there’s a Chime of Bells which the Lovers of fuch noify Mufic fay is very good Harmony. The firft Room within is the Chamber of Ju- flice, wherein the Criminals receive their Sentence. It has three Porticos which open into the great Square, from whence may be feen what pafies in that Chamber. This Room is adorned with Bas- Reliefs Amsterdam. Reliefs of white Marble, done by excellent Hands. Solovion's Judgment is there reprefented in fuch a grand Manner as is wonderful. Beyond this Chamber is the great Stair-cafe, which has no manner of Ornament, and little or no Light. It leads to the great Hall, which is really magni- ficent, but not very lightfome. It is adorned with Pilafters and Bas-Reliefs of white Marble, executed with infinite Art. The arch’d Roof, which is of Wood, and painted with Oil, is not anfwerable to the Richnefs of this Hall. Four . great Coriclors or Galleries, laid open by great Arches on both Sides, at the two Ends of the Hall, lead to the Apartments, and are adorned with white marble Pilafters two and two. Flowers in Bas-Relief, and Statues of a grand Difpofition ; and the Emblems with which the Gates are adorn- ed, are all very fuitable to the Bufinefs that is tranfacled in the Chamber to which they open. I fhall not undertake to give you the Particu- lars of all thefe Rooms, not only becaufe it would carry me too far, but becaufe I obferved iiothing in them, except fome Paintings, that is worth your Notice. The Arfenal takes up one intire Floor over thefe Chambers, but is only confiderable for the prodigious Quantity of Arms of the modern Fafhion, efpecially Mufkets, which are the Manu- fadlure of this City, and a Part of its Commerce. The ground Floor is very low, but confifts of fine great Arches. Here are contained the Offices of the Bank, and the Prifons, from which no bo- dy ever yet elcaped, and it is humanly impoffible they fhould •, for befides that the W^alls are very thick, the whole is ftrongly barricaded both with- in and without, by iron Bars, the very Appear- ance of which is frightful. But if ’tis poffible for Prifons to be agreeable, thefe would certainly be fuch, for they are all lightfome ; the Prifoners are not ^8o Amsterdam. not fo ill ufed as they are elfewhere, but are aR lowed proper Nourifhment, and not fulFcred to wallow in their Naftinefs. The Stadthoufe is the Place where all Perfons are married, who are not of the Religion that prevails in the Country. This is a Ceremony that may be feen every Sunda-j^ and is performed in the Prefence of two Echevins, and a Secretary. The People that are to be married, go into a Room where the Magiftrates are feated at a Table, and there they are entered one after the other without Diftindion of Rank, into the Re- gifter of Marriages ; after which they go Home with the Satisfadion of having been as well mar- ried as if the Ceremony had been performed by the Pope himfelf •, nor are they under the leaft Ne- cefiity of having recourfe to the Church. Never- thelefs, all the regular People go to fome Prielt or Minifter to receive the nuptial Benedidion. The Treafure of the Bank is kept in a Place under Ground, which extends, as I am afiured, a great Way under the Square of the Da?n. Every body agrees that it is immenfe, but no- body knows exadly of how many thoufand Milli- ons it confifts ; and it is a Queftion, whether its Credit be not infinitely greater than its Cafh ; it being certain that the Public has fuch a Confi- dence in it that every body puts their Money in- to it, though without any Intereft for it : On the contrary, it cofts One hundred and five Florins ready Cafh, to have One hundred Florins Bank. The largeft Payments are commonly made in Bank Notes ; A certain Sum is regiftered in the Bank Books, which is transferred, either in whole, or in Part, to the Perfon to whom the Payment is to be made. This is called The Keeping an Account at the Bank. It was a Correfpondence of this Na- ture which the famous John Law would fain have Amsterdam. 381 cftabliHi’d z.t Paris-, and he would certainly have fucceeded, if he had had but the Fund of the Bank of Amjlerdatn, and the public Confidence. They fay that the Revenues of this City amount to fifty thoufand Livres a Day, which I am apt to believe is true ; for really the Taxes here are very confiderable, the Subjefts of this State paying more than thofe of any Crown what- foever ; All the Difference confifts in the Diftri- bution of the Taxes, and the Manner of raifing them : Here they are laid equally upon the Rich and upon the poor, upon Citizens and upon Fo- reigners. The Liberty fo much boafted of in thefe Pro- vinces, is no more than that which the good Peo- ple of other Countries enjoy ; neverthelefs, I muff; except Religion, which every one here may adapt to his own Fancy. The Liberty therefore confifts only in the Equality of Conditions : But for a Boor to prefume to be fancy to a Burgher, to de- fpife the Nobility, to cenfure his Mafters with Impunity, and to treat all Kings as Tyrants, feeins to me to be a Liberty which favours very much of Libertinifm. The Germans and ihtFrench, who are not ufed to fuch Licentioufnefs in their own Country, eafily fall into it here ; and ’tis really a Wonder to hear them in a Coftee-houfe talk- ing of Sovereigns, efpecially when, infpir’d with a Holy Zeal, they plead for the Religion, which, fay they, is every-where opprefled, except in the Dominions of the Calvinifts. They think every Government tyrannical, which does not allow in- tire Liberty of Confcience. *Tis true that in this Country every one believes as he pleafes : And here are Religions of every Kind, which never- thelefs tend to one and the fame Centre, viz, the acquiring of Riches, and the tormenting both of Body and Soul, to get an Eftate, not to enjoy Amsterdam. it, but to have the Pleafure of dying rich. Mo-* ney, the Darling and the Idol of the whole World, is fo adored in this City, that it Hands in the Head of Birth, Wit, and Merit. A Man who has but a fmall Share of the Favours of Fortune, is negle6led almoft every-where j but here he is defpifed. Next to thofe of the prevailing Religion, the Catholics, among whom I include the Janfenifts, are the moft numerous : I have been told, they are above twenty thoufand. They have fourteen Churches, ferved by different Orders of Friers, who as they die, the States have declared, Ihall be fucceeded hereafter by none but the fecular Priefts who are Natives of the Country. They fay, that this Refolution was taken, becaufe the Monks fent the Money which they received for the Poor, to their Convent. What Ground there is for this Charge, I know not ; but be it as it will, who can be fure that the Priefts will not employ the Poors Money to enrich their own Fa- milies ? The Catholics form a confiderable Body in this State, both for their Number and their Wealth. It may be faid that they are with the "Jewi ( forgive me the Parallel ) one of the chief Supports of its Commerce ; for as they cannot hold Offices, they are Merchants from Father to Son •, tho’ ’tis true, that among the Proteftants who are in Offices, there are fome who trade. What I have now faid to you of our Clergy, engages me to give you fome Account of two Calvinift Preachers here, who are very much efteemed, and mightily followed by thofe of their Communion. The one is M- Aljlein^ a German Minifter, who preaches in the Church called the Chapel^ a Man of exemplary Morals, who avoid- ing angry Difputes and bitter Inveflives, preaches truly Chriftian Morality, which reaches to the Heart. 4 Amsterdam. 385 Heart. He was Minifter of the Garifon of Potf- dam, in the Dominions of Pruffia, when he was called hither by the German Colony eftablilhed in this City. He is belov’d and efteemed for his Modefty, Good-nature and Candour. This Te- Itimony which I pay him of the Veneration and Efteem I have for him, is perfedUy agreeable with the Charadter given of him by the Voice of the Public. The fecond Preacher is M. Chdtelain a French Minifter, with whom I have no Acquaintance ; but he has a very great Charadler, and I have heard him preach. It were to be wifh’d, that all the Clergy (our Priefts will fulfer me not to forget them) had it as much at Heart as this Minifter has, to inftrudt their Audiences •, and that they would preach Morality, which is the Life of all Religions, becaufe it is founded upon Piety and Virtue. M. Chdtelain was Minifter at the Hague, when he was called to this City, where he has the Pleafure of being as much efteem’d and follow’d by his Flock, as he was by that which he left. I have many other Things to acquaint you with, but upon my Word, I can write no more at pre- fent, my Pen falling out of my Hand. I fhali refume it however againfl: next Poft, not fo much to tell you of Amjlerdam, as to aflure you that no body can be more intirely yours, than I am, letter 584 A M S T E R i) A Mi LETTER LI. S I i?, Amjierdatn, Dec.i . 1732. S INCE the Weather is fet in for Froft, I keep my Station upon the Ice, to fee the People Aide upon Skates ; a favourite Exer- cife of \htDutch, in which they acquit themfeives with marvellous Dexterity* Thefe Skates are a very little fmooth Piece of Wood, like a Wea- ver’s Shuttle, except that the Part on which the Heel and the Sole of the Shoe reft moft, is a little broader. The Remainder of it isflenderand crook- ed at the End, that the Iron which is underneath may the better cleave the Show, and that they may with the more Eafe furmount the Obftacles and little Hillocks in the Ice, over which they pafs with great Rapidity, but not without Danger of break- ing their Legs or Arrhs, and often of being drowned. The Dutch are lefs expofed to thefe Inconveriiencies than others, becaufe they are nioft expert in the Art ; for they learn to ikatc when they can fcarce go alone. This is rather the Diver- fion of the common People, and of the lufty young Fellows, than of the Gentry, or of Men full- grown. Thefe go in Sleds, after the Manner of our Country, which is what they call here Narren ; i. e. to play the Fool : And indeed, to confider it duly, I think ’tis a right Name for it. The Place where I take the Air, is upon the River of Amfiel^ without the Gate of Utrecht^ where Amsterdam. ^85 where I fee feveral Thoufands of People fcudding along upon Skates, fo faft that they fee m to fly. If one of thefe Skaters was to be feen in Swijfer^ land, I know not whether he would not fulFer the Fate of Brioche, the Puppet-fhow Man, whom the People of thofe Cantons burned for a Con- jurer. Thefe Skaters are a great Relief to me ; for to tell you a Secret, I am quite fick of this City, which really is not a Place for a Man to live in, that is not concerned in Trade ; and a Foreigner efpecially, knows not how to beftow himfelf. He can find nowhere to go but to fome forty Coffee-houfe, or melancholy Walk. In the one he is fure to be incens'd with Tobacco, and ftun- ned with wretched Commentaries upon News-Pa^ pers, or the Price of Pepper and Ginger ; in the other he is as folitary as a Hermit. Their Come- dies are but a poor Relief to fuch as don’t under- ftand Dutch, which befides is a Language that I think is not very fit for the Stage, any more than ours. I thought the Adors pitiful, and the Ha- bits trifling ; but the Decorations are fine, and the Theatre fpacious and magnificent. I can’t ima- gine why the Magiftrates will not let French Co- medies be aded in their City, where I think they would do more Good than Harm •, for they would help to polifh the Youth, and would un- doubtedly keep them from that Temptation to Debauchery, to which Idlenefs, and the Difficulty of knowing where to fpend the Evenings, natu- rally incline them. I heard d'Argenfon, the late Keeper of the Seals fay, he had obfcrved, while he was Lieutenant of the Police at Paris^ that there were more Diforders and Debaucheries com- mitted in that City, during the Fortnight at Ea^ fter , when the Theatres were fhut up, than were committed in four Months, while all Shews were VoL. II. B b kept 38^5 A M S T E R D A M. kept open. I doubt not but it would be the fame Z.I Amfterda7n^ where there is a numerous Youths for whom the Parents are blindly complaifant, and ready to kill the fatted Calf; fo that being left to their own Devices, and having in general but few Maxims of Education, they run with the Stream of their Paflions into all Extravagancies,, Thefe young Fellows, who prefer the Exercife of driving a Chaife before all others, fet up in the mean Time for fine Gentlemen ; but how well they perform their Part, I leave you to think. The Afiemblies, or Societies, as they are here called, have nothing that is engaging. You fee very fine Faces there, but not a Tongue moveSj at leaft to a Foreigner, the very Sigut of whom feems to frighten them. Here they drink Tea^ or play a Game at Ombre, or Quadnlle, and af» terwards go in quell of a Supper. Thofe Societies, or Clubs, wdnere there are no Ladies, are Hill worfe. In thefe they fmoke and drink in Abundance, talk of Trade or Politicks ; and at fuch Times, woe be. to thofe Powers that have forbid the Importation of Dutch Toys into their Dominions. The only Remedy here againfl Chagrin, is Reading, of which a Man may have his Heanful ; for Amfierdam is not only the Centre of the Bookfelling Trade, but here are Book- fellers, that are very ready to lend Books to fuch, who, like myfelf, cannot be at the Charge of a Library. I divide my Time between Reading, the Colfeedioufe, and Cfiking the Air, the latter of which I ufe very moderately, one being ob- liged to go fb far for it, that I think of it at leaft four times before 1 fet our. The Canals, fuch as the Heers-Gracht^ and the Keixen-Gracht^ are plea- fant Walks in the I'ovvr], becaufe they are planted with 'IVee-; ; but they are indilferently paved. Upon thefe two Canals, live Perlbns of the greateft Di- Amsterdam.' 1 87 Diftin6lion, or rather thofe of the greateft W ealth in the City. One of the fineft Walks in it is the Bridge, which joins the Rampart from one Side of the yifnfiel to the other. ’Tis fix hundred and fixty Feet in Length, and feventy in Breadth i and here one enjoys an admirable Profpeft, which is the only one perhaps that can be compared with the View from Pont-Royal at Paris. The Admiralty, with its Precin<5t, forms a little Town. ’Tis one of the Arfenals ot the Dutch Navy. Here one actually fees Seventy Men of War, and Materials for building a much greater Number. With the Leave of the Venetians, their Arfenal, fo much boafted, is by no means comparable to this, with regard to Naval Stores. The Admiralty Office is fo near the India Com- pany’s Warehoufe, that I am tempted to give you fome Account of a Houfe which contains fuch a Treafure. ’Tis a very great Strufture of feveral Stories, diftributed into divers Chambers, or Rooms, where there is a prodigious Quantity of all manner of Spices, of which the moft common Sorts lie in Heaps as Corn does in our Granaries. There are alfo a great many other Things of Va- lue', and in a Word, every Thing, be it ever fo precious, that comes from the Indies, After I had walked about an Hour in this Warehoufe, 1 was, as it were, embalmed with the Odour of all the different Spices, which made my Head ake exceedingly, or elfe I fhould have thought myfclf rnetamorphofed into a Mummy, but jeff- ing apart, I fancy that were a Carcafe to be de- pofited in this Houfe, it would be free from Cor- ruption. The India Company is properly a Re- publick, within the Republic itfelf. It arms, difarms, ralfc-s and disbands Officers and Soldiers, without Iieing accomptable to the State. It main- H b 2 tain'i 3^8 Amsterdam. tains a Governor in the Indies, who lives there with more Pomp and Grandeur than his Mailers do here. As a Neapolitan Lady at Madrid wilh’d Philip IV. that he inight one Day be Viceroy ^Na- })les, lb it might be laid to a Diredor of the Eafi- India Company, / wifi) you may be one Day Gover- nor of Batavia. I don’t give you an Account of the Houfes of Corredlion, nor of the Hofpitals, of which here are a great Number well founded, and well main- tained, becaufe I have an extraordinary Antipa- thy to Prifons, and dread the very Name of an Hofpital, to which however I perceive that I am making great Strid'es •, but it will be Time enough for me to give you an Account of thofe Manfions, when I have fixed my Quarters there. A De- fcription of a Synagogue would not, I believe, be material to you j therefore I lhall only acquaint you, that here are two, one for the Portugueje Jews, which is very fine, the other for the German Jews. They are both Jews alike, but ditfer in their Talle and Sentiments. The Portuguefe Jews are the handfomell of the two, for they fliave their Beards, and fome of them are very genteel. I was Ihew’d one the other Day, who was a fmarc young Fellow, and might have cut a Figure among the Petits-Maitres. I was told, that he had been educated in our Religion, and that he feemed to be fond of it ; but being at Paris, in the Retinue of M. * * *, AmbalTador of***, he ran away from that Miniller’s Service, and came to Amjierdani, where he turned as ftaunch a Jew as if he had never heard the Name of Jefus Chrill, Near the Jews Quarter there is the Garden of Simples. I am not Botanill enough to tell you vvhat Plants it contains •, but have been alTured, that ’tia one of the finell in Europe for foreign Plants, Amsterdam. 1^9 Plants, which, confidering the great Trade that is carried on by the Dutch, is not iinprobable. When I have told you, that the public Walk, which they call Dhe Plantation, is near this Gar- den, and that it confifts of ieveral fine Rows of Trees, one of which is cut out in the Shape of a Fan, I fhall think that I have not omitted giving you the minuteft of my Remarks on the Infide of Ainjlcrdam, The Suburbs of this great City, in which ’tis faid there are about five hundred thoufand Souls (as many as are in INaples) are extremely po- pulous. There are above eight hundred Wind- Mills continually at Work, in grinding Corn, or fawing of Timber. On the other Side of the Harbour, there are feveral Villages, of which Sardam is the moft confiderable, not only for its Size, in which it furpafles many Towns, but for the Wealth of its Inhabitants, who are called Pea- fants, and pretend to be nothing elfe, tho’ I can’t imagine why ; for they trade and make a Figure hereupon the Exchange, like the moll fubflantial Merchants, and don’t apply themfelves to Agri- culture. I have been told, that there are above a thoufand Windmills at Sardam, always employed in fawing of Timber ; which would have been a rare Field for Don ^lixot to have difplay’d his Va- lour. That Neatnefs of which the Dutch are fo fond, is cultivated to the greateft Nicety in this' Village ; and the Amjlerdamers themfelves cannot but own and admire it. The Peafants of Sardam drefs more like the Citizens of Amfterdam than thofe of the other Villages in thefe Parts do, whole Apparel is of a very extraordinary Fafliion. They wear mon- llrous large Trowfers, wide enough to make fome People a whole Suit. Under this Trovvfer there is another Fair of Breeches, and perhaps a third, B b 3 or 3po Amsterdam. or elfe a Pair of Drawers ; and to the two Pair of Breeches which are in Sight, they have folid Plate Buttons bigger than a Crown piece. They alfo wear four or five Waiftcoats, one over the other, which are fet fo thick with filver Buttons that they perfedtly touch one another. Over all this Cloathing they have a dark-colour’d Surtout or Doublet, which keeps them extremely tight down- ward, and therefore all their Waiftcoats ride up, lo that they feem to have Breafts like Women. Their Shoes are Seamen-like, or, with Reverence be it fpoken, fuch as are now worn by the French Petits Maitres. They have alfo filver Buckles, but fo large that they are fitter for the Harnefs of Horfes than for Shoes. I affure you, that if the Ro- mans had been dreffed like thefe Peafants, the Car- thaginians would have taken a richer Booty in filver Buttons than they did at the Battle of Cannes^ when they took that Heap of Roman Rings. The Wo- men alfo wear a fmall Equipage of Gold and Sil- ver. They have gold Ear-pendants, a Bodkin of the fame which fafiens their Caps, Chains about their Necks, in Form of Pearl Necklaces, great Rings, and in all this there’s no Expence grudged. The Sardamers are fo very much wedded to their ancient Habit, that a Father once refufed to own his Son, becaufe having been for fome Years in France, he came to wait on him upon the Ex- change of Ajnfierdam, in a Suit of Cloaths be- dawb’d with gold Lace. Young Calf,'fMch v/as the Pcafant’s Name, arriving at Amft er dam ahoMt Change-Time, went thither, fuppofing he fhould find his Father there, in which he was not miftaken, and he ran to embrace him ; but the Father pufit- ing him away, afk’d hi.m what he wanted, and f,nfd him that he did not think he had the Honour U) be known to him, and that probably he was mifiaken in his Man. The Son’s calling him Fa- ^ ■ ther. Amsterdam. %<^\ ther, fignify’d norhing. Old Calf being inexo- rable, interrupted him, faying, I ^our Father I 1 have but one Son, who is fuch a Peafant as I am, and not a Lord, as 'jou feem to be. The young Fellow perceived that his Father took Umbrage at his Drefs; therefore he went to a public Houfe, fent for Cloaths after the Sardam Mode, and hav- ing thus equipped himfelf, went upon the Ex- change next Day, where his Father received him with all the Tokens of the moft endearing Ten- dernefs. After that Day, young Calf, who went in France by the Name of de Veau ( which is the Signification of his Name tranflated into French) always continued to drefs in this Manner. This gave Occafion fome Years ago to a very plea- fant Adventure : A Frenchman who had known M. Calf at Paris by the Name of de Veau, coming to Amfterdam, inquired every-where for M. de Veau, who he faid was a very rich Nobleman, of high Rank, as he guelTed by his Train of Atten- dants. It was a long Time before he could hear any Tidings of him, becaufe few People knew that young Calf frenchified his Name in fo- reign Countries. At length a Frenchman, who was fettled at Amjlerdam, offered the Parifian to find out hisP'riend for him. For this Purpofe he carried him to the Exchange ; and pointing to yi.Calf, Stop, faid he to him, there’s the Man you are looking for. The who did not know M. de Veau in his Country Garb, thought that his Guide bantered him. Parbleu Monf faid he, / told you plain enough, that the Perfon I ‘want is a Flobleman, and not a Peafant. M. Calf hearing the Foreigner fpeak, and knowing him at firft Siglu, went up to him, and welcomed him upon his Arrival in Holland. I'hc Frenchman knew him i.nflantly by his Voice, but thought himfelf in a 7 rancCj becaufe he could not imagine how ’twas E b 4 pofTible Amsterdam. poflible for a Perfon whom he had known a No- bleman in France, to be a Peafant in Holland, M. Calf explained the Myftery of it to him how- ever, as far as was convenient, confidering the Place where they were, and defired his Company to Sardam. The Frenchman went accordingly, and when he came thither, ’twas a frefh Matter of Surprife to him to fee the Peafant had the Houfe and Furniture of a Nobleman. M. Ihew’d him, that tho’ he had laid afjde the Garb, he had not renounced the Politenefs of the French, enter- tained him with good Cheat for feveral Days, and then feni him back highly delighted to Am- ficrdam. The Village of Sardam being in North Holland, 1 cannot avoid giving you fome Account of this Nook of that Province. Here is a perfeft Mif- cellany of Meadows, Canals, Country Houfes, Gardens, great Villages, and good Towns, an Uniformity of Beauties, which is only difagree- able by being continued. He that fees one Town or Fioufe, fees all, and fp of the reft. The prin- cipal Towns of this Canton are Horne, Alcmaer, and Enckhujfen, which are all built with the fame Neatnefs, but have nothing of Magnificence be- longing to them, except it be the Walks at their Gates. All ihefe Places are fo deferred, that it would take up the Emigrants of three or four Bi- B'lopricks to people them. Their Trade decays, Amjlerdam being the Loadftone that draws all to it. This Part of the Province of Holland is very much infefted with Worms which eat into the very Stakes of the Dykes. The People are in Hopes that the Froft will kill them, and put an End to a CalamC ry which is one of the worft that can befal this Country. It is not certain how thefe Infeds breed, nor whether it be in the Sea, or in the Tirtiber itfelf: One would imagine from fome little A M S T E R D A M.' 395 little external Specks of the infefted Stakes, thefe Worms iniift breed in the Sea, and from thence make their Way into the Wood, no bigger than Needles, af er which they grow as big as the Silkworm, and gnaw the Infide of the Timber, in fuch a Manner that it looks like a Honey- comb, The Spoil they make is laid to be in thofe Parts only of the Stake which are under Water. The Damage they have done to the Dykes is very confiderable, and has fo very much alarmed the States, that they have prohibited Plays, ^c. at the Hague, and ordered public Prayers, A great many People pretend that this Province was vifited by fuch a Scourge fifty or lixty Years ago, and that it was delivered from it by a Sort of Fifh, that have never been feen fince, which devoured all thofe Worms. Others treat th's as a Fable, and fay, that fuch Infefts were never known, much Jefs the Fifh by which they were devoured. Be this as it will, feveral Treatifes will Ihortly be publifhed, to fhew the Origin, Nature and Progrefs of the prefent Spe- cies of Worms. If I am not miftaken, thefe Books will point out the Method, and the Remedies proper for deftroying them *, and if any of ’em are printed before I depart this Country, I will not fail to fend them to you. For the reft, I cannot fay that I have had any other SatisfadHon in my Tour to North Holland than the Gratification of Sight ; for Company does not feem to be the Tafte of the Country. I never ftirred out but every body took me for a very odd kind of a Man : Yet I am no Petit-Maitre ; nor is there any Thing uncommon in my Make. Fhe Sex in this out-of-the-way Country is very handfome, and here are Country Laffes who have a delicate Complexion, not inferior to the fineft Ladies, 1 hefe Sylvan Beauties are generally fair, and }ueen, “ and, 1 have too high an Opinion of the Jttftice of my “ Country, and too great a Confidence in the Equity “ of the King, to fear any fhing. The Anfwer “ which the Duke made me was, IVcll then, my Lord, / mujl take the fame parewel of you as the Prince of Orange ^fi^c/Cqunt Egrno.nt. Fare- ' “ Wet, V ^ London. 45^ “ WEL, Count without a Head. To which “ I replied, Farewel, Duke without a “ Duchy. The Event has fhewn, that I was a “ better Prophet than the Duke of Ormond: For “ I enjoy my Eftate in Peace, whereas what he had “ is taken from him.” In the fame Converfation the Earl talked a great deal to me of their Ma- jeflies, and in Terms of the profoundeft Refpeft. He exprelfed an infinite Value for the King, who when Prince of JVales, faid he, always treated him with very great Regard and Goodnefs. Never- thelels this Lord feldom appears at Court : He fpends the Summer in the Country, and the Winter at London^ where once a Week he has an Aflem* bly ; but in other refpefts he lives very retired, and at no great Expence. The Duke of Newcajlle is Secretary of State. This Nobleman is extremely civil, very rich, and lives grand. He has the Province of foreign Af- fairs, in Conjundbion with my Lord Harringtony who, when he was only Colonel Stanhope, gain’d Reputation as AmbalTador in Spain, and at the Congrefs of Soijfons. I knew this Miniller at Ma- drid in 1719, and can vouch for him, that he is one of the worthieft and fobereft Men in the World. He is good-natur’d, modeft, generous, and mighty fincere. He is ftiy of new Acquaint- ance, but when once a Man knows him, the bet- ter he will like him. I don’t think that the Minifters of this Country, or the Nobility, are fo haughty as they are re- prefented in our Country •, and have Reafon to think, that they who fay the Englijh are not civil to Foreigners, have not been very converfant with ’em. ’Tis true, they are not fo engaging as the French •, but when a Man is known among them, gives into their Ways, and courts their Favour, F f 3 in 454 L o D o N* in ftorr, they are, methinks, as courteous and civil as any other People in the World. An En- glijhman won’t be faying at every Turn, That he has the Honour to be •jcur nioji humble Servant ; that he has the Honour to fay, to hear, ‘&ndL fo of the reff. He will fay it perhaps once in a Converfation, and that’s all ; nor. on the other hand, does he want to be loaded with Compliments, Acknowledg- ments, and impertinent Bows. As he is above Trifles, he looks upon all thofe frothy Expref- fions as frivolous ; and this it is that makes our young Travellers think, that the Englijh are not polite. Such far-fetcht and bombafl: Phrafes are commonly all that thofe Sparks have learnt at a great deal of Expence in their Travels to Frijwfc, and they are perfectly aftonifhed, when they come into a Land of good Senfe, and fee fo little Notice taken of what they have paid for fo dear, and what has coft them fo much Pains to acquire. There are fome Englijh People, who upon cer- tain Occafions feem to forget the Perfons they were great with but the Day before. In my former Voyage to this Country, I was at firft furprifed at this Ibrt of Behaviour, and afcribed the Caufe of it to the Pride of the EngJJJh ; but I was convinced afterwards, that it was owing much more to a melancholy Temper, which is general to almoft the whole Nation. An EngUJhman of this Caft is not the lefs a Friend upon that Account, and if one does not take Notice of that LTnevennefs of Temper, he will naturally come to himfelf, and they readily forgive their Friend for any Abfence of Thought. In flaort, the Englijh have their Failings, becaufe they are but Men ; but I fhall always pay very great Credit to an EufiJJ'jman, when he tells me, that he is my Friend. In order to acquire the Friendlhip ot thefe People, ’tis abfolutely neceflary to fpeak their London. 455 their Language. Many of them underftand French and Italian, but they don’t care to fpeak foreign Languages ; and when they do, ’tis either from Necellity or Conftraint. Now Conftraint is w'hac the Englijh don’t at all like ; for as they enjoy the greatell Liberty of any People in the World, they have an Averfion to every Thing which cramps it. Their Manners differ extremely from ihofe of the French, which is what the latter are at a Lofs to account for ; becaufe they have been always fo much imitated by all other Nations, that they think themfelves the Diredlors of Mankind, and that the Englijh do them an Injuftice in not following their Copies. To give you my Judgment as to the Manners of thefe two Nations, is what I lhall not undertake, being reftrained from it by feveral Confiderations, efpccially the Fear of doingWrong cither to the one or the other, and that I ffiould not give a right Judgment in fo great a Caufe« They are both perhaps not exempt from very great Failings ; but it feems to me, that the Eng- lijh are not the Slaves of that Tyrant, Cuftom, and chufe to follow their Genius and good Senfe. They don’t forfeit themfelves with thofe Nothings which the French call Politenefs, and which feem to be invented only to pafs away the Time. In fine, to fpeak my Mind plainly, if I was but twenty Years of Age, I could like to be a com- plete Frenchman •, but now that I am forty, I am perfcdly reconciled to the Manners and Cuffoms of the Englijh. A Zeal for Religion feems to me to be the only Point in which there is a Conformity of Temper between the two Nations : And tho’ they differ widely in Principles, yet they both cry out loudly for the Privileges of their Church, and both have equally their Fanatics. For tho’ London has not F f 4 fuch i'*'- /V .JT ;iT I'^O" ikr /> 0^ ^w (.' :rff^ ■-• ^4" • 45 London. fuch as are Devotees to St. Paris, it has other Sec- taries, who are as lenfelefs. For the refl, the two Nations may boaft of having produced a great Number of good Men, as appears from the many good Books of Devotion and Morality, for which we are obliged to them. And as for Libertines, I think neitiier Nation has reafon to reproach the other, and chat there are as many at London as at Paris. The Englijh are run down for their Cruelty, but I know not for what Reafon, unlefs it be, that in a Battle they do not readily give Quarter, and are apt to purfue their Advantage too far. I fanfy it would be eafy to prove, that other Nations, who charge the Englijh with this Vice, are more cruel than they. For in flrorr, the Barbarities committed in theConqueft of Mexico, the burning of the Palatinate, the Malfacre of St. Bartholo- mew, the Sicilian Vefpers, the Aflaflinations of the beft of Kings, are Cruelties that are not to be matched in the Hiftory of England. We don’t hear of thofe Affaffinations in this Country, that are committed elfewhere-, and even the Ffighway- men feem to be more humane here than Abroad ; for they generally content themfelves with what is given them, without fhedding of Blood ; and fome of them are fo generous, as to give Money to People whom ocher Highwaymen had ftripped. ’Tis inconceiveable how many Stratagems thefe Rogues make ufe of to carry their Points. I have been told a great many Stories upon this Head, of which 1 give you the following, becaufe I think ’twas very w'ell contrived. As a Nobleman was travelling in his Coach, the Roads were fo extremely bad, that his Ser- vants who were on FJorleback, were forced to turn otic of the High-Road into a By-Way. His Lord- fhip came by Degrees into a Vale, where he rnec ^ with L O N D O N. 457 with a Man on Horfeback, who putting a Gun into the Coach, faid to him, M'j Lord^ this is a good Gun i *tis worth a hundred Pieces between Friends j / would advife you to buy it. The Nobleman un- derftood his Meaning, but being defencelefs, he drew a hundred Guineas out of his Purfe, which the Highwayman took, and gave him the Gun. The firft Thing that my Lord did, was to pre- lent it at the Highwayman ; but he told him, that he was not afraid of him; for, in fhort, the Gun was not charged, fo that my Lord could not re- cover his Money. As the Highwaymen are fo artful in committing Robberies, they are much more fo in efcaping Juftice. A Highwayman, who had alfo commit- ted a Murder near London., fome Years ago, rode fifty French Leagues that Day, upon the fame Horfe. When he came to the Place where he thought him- felf fafe, he took out his Watch ; and Ihewing it to the People of the Inn where he fat up, / call you to witnefs, faid he, that at fuch an Hour I caine hi- ther, and I deftre you to give me a Certificate ofi it in Writing. They gave him one accordingly, which Piece of Paper faved his Life; for when he was apprehended, his Judges being aflured that he was the Murderer, were juft going to condemn him, when he alk’d them. At what o’clock the Murder was committed? The Judges having told him the Hour, How come you to think, faid he, that 'twas poffible fior me to be guilty of the Crime of which you accufie me, when I was that very Day fifty Leagues from the Place where Hwas committed ? The Judges, thinking it out of the Power of Man to be there, and fo far off too, in that Time, fet the Culprit at Liberty. Mean time, the Prefi- dent being perfuaded that he was guilty, alk’d him privately how it was; and the Highwayman, after 45^ London. after having made him promife to keep the Secret-- confelTed the Fad. ^ I could tell you a Number of fuch Stories, not fb much to convince you, that the EtigUJh are not cruel, as to prove to you, that their Highway- men are cunning. All the Laws here are mild, and not fevere. There are no Tortures, nor are fuch made ufe of, even in Confpiracies. Nobody is condemned to die, if he be not found guilty before two Tribunals or Juries, compofed of Per- fons who are, as near as can be, Men of equal Rank with the Party accufed. The firft Tribunal muft confift of more than twelve Perfons, but twelve is the Number by whom the Bill muft be foundi The fecond Tribunal conlifts precifely of twelve Jurymen, who muft all be agreed in their Ver- di£t, and be ftiut up together, without being al- lowed Viftuals or Drink, till they are all of the fame Opinion. There are but two Sorts of Ex- ecution known here, viz. Hanging and Behead- ing, of which the laft is referved only for fuch as are Peers of the Realm. It feems to me, by what I have now told you, that the Englijh are as humane, and more fo, than we are, who refine upon Tortures and Executions 5, as if ’twere nothing to make a Man fuffer, and that ’twas not enough to take that Life from him, which no Monarch in the World can prolong one Moment, much lefs reftore to him from whom he has once taken it. The Execution of Criminals here is a perfect Shew to the People, by Reafon of the Courage with which moft of ’em go to the fatal Tree. I lately faw five carried to the Gallows, who were drefted, and feemed to be as well pleafed, as if they were going to a Feaft. The Executions here are not performed with that terrible Apparatus as ihey are elfewhere. There is not that Number of Halbar- London. 459 Halbardiers, nor all that Gravity, which fome- times ftrikes a greater Awe than the Execution itfelf. A Criminal goes to the Gallows here in a Cart. When he is direftly under it, he is fattened to the Top of it, when a Smack of a Whip makes the Horfes draw away the Cart, and the Criminal remains hanging. I am told, that his Friends or Neighbours pull him by the Feet, in order to dif- patch him the fooner. They who die without Fainting, are always extolled to the Skies by the Populace, and the leatt of their Charadters are, that they died like brave Gentlemen. ’Tis one of the dittinguifliing Charafters of an Englijhman^ to be intrepid in the Article of Death. We are forbid by Religion, to approve of that Contempt of Life ; yet we can’t help admiring ic in the Romans, from whom the EngUJh have, no doubt, derived the Pradtice of putting an End to their Days, when Life is a Burden to them. Thefe Self-Murders are but too frequent here, and are committed by Perforis of good Families, as well as by the Dregs of the People. I gave you an Inftance in one of my Letters from Paris, of a certain Book- binder and his Wife, who hang’d ihemfelves at London, for fear of that Mifery in Life which they thought unavoidable. I could give you other Inttances as tragical, if I were not apprehenfive, that fuch melancholy Catattrophcs would give you Horror. Mean time you mutt agree with me in the Impoflibility of accounting for fuch a ttrange odd Turn of Mind in thefe People; for in fhort, other Nations don’t feem by their Adlions to have any more Religion than the EngUJh, and they are all equally fenfible of Mif- fortunes ; yet one rarely hears of a Foreigner make- ing an Attempt upon himfelf. How come the En- fUP) then to be fo free with Life ? Does it pro- ceed 4<^o London. ceed from a greater Senfe of Courage,- or of Cowardice ? A great many of ’em hang themfelves purely for Love. I own to you, that if I were fo forfaken by God, as to commit fuch a foolifh Prank, it ibould be for an Englifh Woman. They have, in my Opinion, fuch an Air of Modefty and Good- nature, and withal, fuch a balhful Simplicity, as charm me, and fuch tender languilhing Eyes too, as tho’ not univerfally pleafing, yet captivate me to fuch a Degree, that if I was but twenty Years of Age, I fhould have gone very much aftray. MofI: of the EngUJh Women are handfome j they have the fineft Hair in the World, and are only obliged to pure Nature for the Beauty of their Complexions. ’Tis a Pleafure to fee them blufh. The frankeft of ’em retain an Air of Modefty, which would perfuade one, that they don’t affedl to be wicked. They are commonly very richly drefled, but not altogether in the Tafte of the French Ladies, which is the only Fault that I find with ’em. They feem to affe has here his full Swing : And the fine Gentleman, whom I place in a Medium betwixt the two Extremes, has enough to regale his Appetite, As the Species of the latter is the moft prevailing, we will fliew how he palTes his Time : He riles late, puts on a P'rock, (which is a clofe body^d Coat, without Poc- kets or Plaits, and with ftrait Sleeves) and leav- ing his Sw’ord at home, takes his Cane, and goes where he pleafes. The Park is commonly the Place he walks to, becaufe ’tis the Exchange tor Men of Quality. There he has it at his Choice to make any Engagement whatfoever. Then he goes home to clrefs, and afterwards faunters to fome Coffee - houfe, or Chocolate - houfe, fre- quented by the Perfon he would fee ; for ’ris a London. 465 fort of Rule with the Eng^ijh^ to go, once a Day at leaft, to Houfes of this Sort, where they talk of Bufinefs and News, read the Papers, and often look at one another, without opening their Lips 5 and ’tis very well they are fo mute ; for if they were as talkative as the People of many other Nations, the CotFee-houfes would be intolerable, and there would be no hearing what one Man faid, where there are fo many. The Chocolate- houfe in St. J ames^^trttt, whither I go every Morning, to pafs away the Time, is always fo full that a Man can fcarce turn about in it. Here are Dukes, and other Peers, mixed with Gentlemen', and to be ad- mitted, there needs nothing more than to drefs like a Gentleman. At one o’Clock, they go to Court, to the King’s Levee, and from thence to the Queen’s Apartment, where is commonly a great Number of Ladies, very well drefled. At three o’clock they all retire to their feveral Appoint- ments. Dinners here are very expenfive, and Parties at Taverns very much in Faihion. At private Houfes the Ladies retire as foon as Dinner is over, and the Men remain at the Table; upon which, the Cloth being taken off, the Footmen place a Bottle of Wine, or more, if all the Guefts don’t drink the fame Sort, with Glafles well rinfed, and then they withdraw, only one waits at the Beaufet. The Bottle now goes round ; every one fills his Glafs as he pleafes, and drinks as much, or as little as he will ; but they always drink too much, becaufe they fit too long at it. When the Company breaks up from Table, if it be fine Weather, they go out again for the Air, either in a Coach to Hide Park, where the Ring is, or elfe on Foot to St. Jatnesh Park. In the Win- ter they make Vifits till the Plays begin ; but thefe Reprefentations really deferve a feparate Article, and you fiiall have it by-and-by at large. After the 4^4 London. the Opera’s or Plays arc over, the Company goes to the Afiemblies, which are alternative, Vo^ne- times at one Lord’s Houfe, and fometimes at another s, or clTe they repair to the Drowi^/^- room. At Midnight they go to Supper. The Companies formed at the Taverns are the merrieft, and Bacchus is commonly feconded by Venus. Ac Day light the jolly Caroufers retire home. Judoe, after what I have now faid, whether a young Gen- tleman has not as much to amufe himfelf at Loti- don., as at Paris and Rome. Believe me, that they who fay that this City is too melancholy for ’em, only fay fo to give themfelves an Air. At private Houfes the Tables are ferved with as much Neatnefs and Delicacy as in any Coun- try in the World. There are three Dilhes com- monly at each Courfe, and Plates are often laid two or three deep, which is the Reafon that Peo- ple always eat more than they would otherwife, and that Abundance of Time is fpent at Table. There is excellent Beef here ; and I am in Love with their Puddings, which are made of Flour, Eggs, Crumbs of Bread, and in fhort, a thou- fand Ingredients that I know nothing of, Ijut all to- gether make very good Fare. There’s one Cu- ftom eftablifhed in thefe Houfes, which to be fure you would not didike, t/iz. That at the firflTime of a Man’s Introdudfion to a Family, he falutes the Miftrefs of the Houfe with a Kifs, which tho’ but a very modeft one, ’tis a Pleafure to fee a Colour come into the Lady’s Cheeks, as if they had committed a Fault. A fecond Cuftom, which is not fo agreeable as the former, is, that after a Man has been entertained, fomething muft be oiven to the Servants of the Houfe : And this Gift muft be proportioned to the Rank of the Mafter of the Floufe at whofe Table you have fat ; fo that if a Duke gives me a Dinner four times a Week, London. 46 ^ Week, his Footmen would pocket as much of my Money, as would ferve my Expences at the Ta- vern fora Week. I wonder why the Engl'tjh keep up this Cuftom, thofe efpecially who live fo magni- ficently, and pay their Domeitics fo handfomely^ that I believe they are as happy as any of their Clafs in the World. The Tavern Reckonings run excelTive high^ but then there’s the beft of Attendance and Ac- commodation ; in which rcfpeft I prefer them to the Cabarets of Paris^ where the Table Linen is generally very courfe and dirty. The Aflemblies here are fo throng’d, that there’s hardly any ftirring. Neverthelefs, there are feldom more than three or four Gaming Tables. Almoil every body is Handing. They are in perpetual Motion, like a Swarm of Ants ; they joftle and fqueeze by one another, then afk Pardon, pafs mutual Compliments, and juft inquire after one another’s Health; but ’cis in a manner impoffible to hold a Converfation, The gayeft and moft numerous Aftembly in Europe is upon the Ball-Days at the Grand Thea- tre in the Hay Market. I can fafely fay, that I never faw a finer Sight in my Life. Sometimes there are no lefs than three thoufand in Company. Every Perfon pays a Guinea, for which they are accommodated with all manner of Refrefliments, and all the Sorts of Wines imaginable, befides a ftately Defert of Fruit and Sweet-meats. All this numerous Aftembly parades in feveral Rooms richly adorned, and completely illuminated. In feveral of thefe they dance, and in others there’s Play. The Entertainment opens with a Concert perform’d by theableft Muficians in London. Then the Ball begins, and holds till next Morning. At thefe Balls the Company are often maflc’d, and then the King and the Prince of Wales ho- ^ G g nour 4^6 London. nour them with their Prefence i but the Qiieen and the Princenes are never there. At all thefe Entertainments, every body appears very well drefi'ed, and the Ladies efpecially are ftuck all over with Jewels; for theie is no Country in the World where there are finer Diamonds. The EngliJJj Dances are Country-dances, which require feveral Couples at a time ; and all that perform in them, clofe in by Turns, which gives Oppor- tunities of making an Acquaintance. The Tunes to which they dance are fo brifk, that I fanfy they would be more agreeable to the Vivacity of the French, than the Sedatenefs of the EngU/h. As to Plays, the Englijh are fond of them, and have more of ’em than any other Nation. They have an Italian Opera, which is the belt and moll inagnificent in Europe. They pay a Guinea for the Boxes, half a Guinea for the Pit, and a Crown for the Gallery. But though ’tis always crouded, yet it won’t defray the Expences of Afting ; fo that feveral of the Nobility contribute to the Sala- ries of the A(ftors, which are extravagant ; but then they have the bell Voices of Italy. An Adlor, whofe Name is Senefino, has one thoufand five hun- dred Pounds a Year, befides Prefents in Abun- dance. The Mufic of thefe Operas is generally compofed by one Handel, who is efteemed by a g!-eat many People beyond all Exprelfion, but others reckon him no extraordinary Man ; and for my own parr, I think his Mufic not fo aft'edling as his elegant. The Decorations are very fine, and the Room is very large, and much more beau- tiful than that at Paris. The Company fit for moll part in the Pit, where the Ladies form Semi-Circles, fo that all their Faces are feen, which makes a very good ElTebt. I forgot to tell you, that the whole IS well illuminated with Wax-cand-les. There’s Dancing London. 467 Dancing betvvcen the Ails, when there is no bur- Idque Interlude. Befides the Italian Opera, there’s an EngliJI? one, where they ling only the Tunes, the rell being re- cited. This, I think, is more juft, than when the whole is fung at lead a Man does not fing when he is killing or beating himfelf. The EngliJJj Comedy is no lefs efteemed by the Englifh^ than it has been feverely criticiz’d by the French^ who flty, ’tis not comparable to theirs. The Wits of both Nations have treated this im- portant Subje6l very gravely, and have alike flicwn their Prefumption. I am far from giving my Judgment betwixt them *, but I muft lay, that it feemsto me, that ihtFraich are too much cramp’d by their Rules, and the EngUjh not enough. Thus do the two Nations difeover the Diiierence of their Tafte, the one for Obedience, the other for Liberty. Tho’ the EngHJfj are not fuch nice Ob- fervers of the Simplicity of the Suhje6f, and the Unity of Place, yet they feem to me to abound in happy Sentiments: And how much prejudiced foever they may be faid to be in Favour of their own Productions, yet they do not want an Efteem for fuch French Pieces, where they meet with Sen- timents that are agreeable. The Tragedy of Bru- tus by Voltaire is jaft trannated here, which is a Piece that has had a better Run even at London^ than at Paris •, and as it was compofed by the Author in England, he was lb intirely captivated with the. Freedom of Thinking among the Eng^ lijh, that he had in fome meafu re forgot he vvas a Frenchman, and fpeaks in it of Kings as if they were but Men. The Plays lead me to give you an Account of the reft of thofe Pleafures in which the EnglijJj feem to take Delight. 1 hey hunt much, but in a Manner very dift'erent from us. They ride ex- U g 2 ceeding Lon d o n. ceeding hard, and hunt a poor Hare with as much Eagernefs as they purfue a routed Enemy. Their Hounds, and their Horfcs too, encourage their Keennels for the Sport, there being not the like in the World for Speedy fo that England furni/hes almoft all the Nobility in Europe with Horfes and Dogs, as the King of Denmark does with Falcons. The Swiftnefs of the Engltfb Horfes is the Reafon that there are Horfe-Raccs every Year at a Place called ISlevomarket ; and this really is what Travellers may fay is worth feeing. Thefe Races continue for feveral Days fucceffively, and infi- nitely furpafs thofe which are feen in They are run round a large Plain. Two Florfes mounted by Jockeys contend wdaich fliall run fafteft. The Riders are weighed, and to the lighteft of them they give that Weight which he wants of the other. They ride without a Saddle, and with fiich Velocity, that the Eye can fcarce keep Pace with Tm. Upon thefe Occafions, Wagers are laid of feveral thoufand Pounds Sterling : Andie feems to be a Feftival celebrated to the Honour cf PlutiiSj the God of Riches , for the Jockey that wins the Prize is lure to be refrelhed with a Shov/er of Guineas, every one crouding to re- ward him. Such is the Cuftom of the Englifo^ who not only pay thofe handfomely who contri- bute to their Pleafures, but load them with Pre- fents. This is to be feen at all the Prize-fightings, Rope-dancings, Tumblings, and fuch Diverfions, where every one throws down Money upon the Stage to them that play their Part beft. The Aftors at the Opera and the Play-houfes have alfo Gratuities, befides their Salaries ; for once a Year, every Performer has a Benefit-Night, as they call it, which is the Surplus Money then ta- ken, over and above the Charges of the Houfe; and if the Perfon be a Favourite of the Town, as Notice L O N D O N. 4<5p Notice is given by Play-Bills palled up, for whofe Benefit the Play is to be aCled, People fend for more Tickets than they lhall make ufe of, for the Party’s Encouragement. This Generofity of the Englijh towards thofe who give them Pleafure, extends in a particular Manner towards their Mil- treffes, for whom they think nothing too fine, nor too dear. Thus, ’tis not to AlTiduity that they are willing to be obliged for the Favours which they receive, but to their Money, and their Prefents ; wherein they differ widely from certain Abbes of Rome, of whom no lefs than five or fix club for the keeping of one Miftrefs, Thefe Abbes put me in mind of a numerous Tribe here, called Chaplains, whofe bonny Coun- tenances are a pretty evident Proof, that at the Reformation of the Church of England, their Re- venues were not very much impaired. Whether thefe Gentlemen are more fober than our Clergy, I know not ; but by Appearances I am almoft tempted to think, that they have the fameThirfl; for Honour and Wealth, the fame Cares and Uneafinefs ; in fine, that they are Men alike. The Difference is, that the Englijlo are fubjedl to the Laws, that their Paffions are kept within Bounds, and that the Laity are not fo fjperffitious as to take them for Oracles. ’Tis faid that they make ad- mirable Sermons, the conffant Tenor of which is to reform Mankind, and to guide them in the Path ofVirtue. They read them inflead of pro- nouncing them by Heart, which prevents them from falling into that extravagant Gefticulation, and thofe mad Rants and Enthufiafm, which com- monly irritate more than edify. But I think I have faid enough to you of the Clergy, when I had undertaken to give you a farther Account of the EngUJh Diverfions. d hofe of the Vulgar are, the Battles of Animals, Prize-fighters, Wreftlcrs, 470 L O N D O N. and in a Word, allManner of Diverfions that contri- bute to the iliedding of Blood •, for here, Wounds go for nothing, and Death itfelf is but little dreaded. I faniy the EngliJJj are defcended from Mutlm Sctzvola, becaufe, like that Roman, they defpife Pain. Among ihe Pleafures of the Po- pulace there are fome too that are mixed with Infolence •, of which I faw an Inftance a few Days ago in Sr. James’’^ Park. A Man had laid a Wager, that he would run round the Park in fo many Miniue.s-, and that he might be the lefs in- cunibered in hio Race, he flripped himielf ftark naked, lo Lhac his Hand lerved him for a Fig-leaf, In this Stare of Nature he travers’d alono; the Mall, thro’ an infinite Concourfe of People. The Ladies, aftonudi’d at fuch a Sight, knew not how to keep their Countenances: Some turned their Heads afide, others hid their Faces with their Fans, but they all m;ide a Row, as well as the Men, to let him pafs by. After he had finifhed his Race, he gravely put on his Cloaths, near fVhltehaU, where he left ’em ; and as he had won the Wager, abundance of People, inftead of checking him for his Inlolence, threw/ him Money. Judge by this, if any People are fo good-natur’d and happy as the E/igliJJo. Among the Pleafures of this Nation, I muft not for aet to mention the Parties they make for the Country. This the EnghJJo fet a great Value upon, and really well they may; for indeed their Coun- try is very beautiful. It produces them every thing but Wine. Their Fields have always a frefirVerdure, the Gentlemens Country Seats are fuperb, and in the Country the EngliJJo live with the Grandeur of Noblemen, whereas at London they live for moft part like mere private Men. Nothing can be more agreeable to the Eye, than the Suburbs of London, particularly along the London. 471 the Thames. I cannot conceive how a Native of England.) and one too that has a Fortune to de- pend on, can refolve to leave thefe Regions, as a great many EngU/Jj nevertheleis do, who prefer Countries to which Nature has not been fo kind, before their own. I confeis, that if I had one thouftnd Pounds Sterling a Year in England, I would renounce the molt H'lining Offers of For- tune elfevvhere for the Climate here is mild, with- out that exceffive Heat or Cold which is fo trou- blefome in other Parts of the World : And indeed, ’cis for this Caufe that the Fruits here are not fo kindly as elfewhere, and that the Grape does not grow here for the Production of Wine ; but then, this Defect is fupplied by the Grapes of Spain and Portugal, which are imported here in Abun- dance. One of the mofl agreeable ProfpeCts in the Country here, is to fee the happy Condition of the Peafants, who are all well lodged, well clad, and well fed. Their Lot is happier than that of many Gentlemen in certain Provinces that I know. Here is nothing of that exceffive Subordination which is demanded by the Grandees of other Countries. A Gentleman who makes a Vifit to a lyOrd, is receiv’d by him as h:s Equal, without being made fenfible of the Difference that has hap- pened betwixt them on the Score of Birth. Ne- verthelefs, the great Men are very much honoured here ; for while they are civil, every body ftrives to pay them all Sorts of Deference, but nobody thinks he is born to be infulted by them. The Great Men here, as well as in France, don’t fcruple to marry Women of inferior Families. In- deed there ought to be a great Diftinclion made between the Englijh Merchant and the Merchants of other Countries. The Englifa are o.ken de- feended from the greatefl Families in the Kingdom, G g 4 and 471 London. and we have fcen fome of them go from behind their Compter to a Peerage, when by Right of Succeffion they rife from Cadets to be the eldeft of their Families. Thus, when a Nobleman mar- ries a Merchant’s Daughter, fhe fometimes proves his Coufin, or a Lady of a diftinguifh’d Family ; whereas in France, fhe is always the Daughter of a Plebeian. Thefe, Sir, are the few Remarks that I have made upon this Country, and I wifh they may entertain you. As I propofe to make fome longer Stay here, I may hereafter fend you farther Obfervations on what occurs. In the mean time, ' continue me in the Honour of your Remembrance, and be thoroughly perfuaded, that no Perfon in the World is more particularly than I am, £5?c. An An Alphabetical INDEX T O T H E SECOND VOLUME. A A BbeSy Jtaliany 69, 70. Five or fix club for one Miftrefs, 469. Abbejfes that preach’d, blefs’d and confefs’d, 195-. Academy^ French, Its Invita- tion to the Stage-Players, and their Return of the Favour, 266, 267, Acquaviua, Cardinal, 4,44, fy. '■ -'Charles, Pr. of, 136. Acunha, Lewis de, 406. Agafieis the Efhejian, 49. Agnus Dei’s, their Fabrication and Diftribution, Origin and Confecration, 99, Agrippa, Emperor, 7 . Agrippina, the Mother of Nero, Aign^n,{St.) Duke^/e, Sj-, 123. Aix LA Chapelle, /. 327 . Re- liques expoled there, 329. Aix Parliament. The Jan^enifls wifli the Members hang’d, 194. An Epigram, making them greater Sinners than Pi- late, ibid. Alacoque Maria, made a Saint by a Bifliop, 202. Alais, Count de, 217. Cardinal, ic, 16, 27,78, 88 . ' — Painter, 35*9. Albernarle, Earl and Countefs, 407, 40S, Alberoni's Propofal to the Car- dinals, to take away the Fran- chifes of Churches, 75*. Cle- ment Xlth’s Dcfign to de- prive him of the Hat, 88. Albert, Archduke of Auftria, 313- Albert the Great, Bifliop of Ra- tisbon, 527. Albert, Cardinal of Branden- bourg, 336, 342. Albin,St, of, 291. Alcmaer, t. 392. Alegre, Marfhal, 339, Alexander Far nefe, 39. Alexander VI, Pope, 97. Alexandria de la Faille, t. ly 1 , Aliberti, Count, his Theatre, 6y. Alincourt, Marquis de, i 74, i 7 y. Remarkable Preferment of his Son to the See of Lyons, 175-, 176. Ahnanza Vi£lory, to what af- crib’d, 2^9. Alftein, o^German Miniftcr, 382. Altelli, General of the Corjl- cans, tyo. Alva, Duke of, 317. Ambiorix,\C\ng, 321. Ambriin, Council of, 240. Amelia, Princefs, 448. Amende honorable, Punifiimcnt, what, 433. Amerongen, Brigadier de. The Token he gave of his Love for An Alphabetical INDEX for a Lady, at the Hazard of his Life, ^20. Amsterdam, t. 517, 371. Anabaplfi, Dtitch^ his Zeal for Ccmedy, 410, 41 1 . Andernach, t, 348. Angdo, Michaely 33, 37. St. Angelo, Caftle, 31. Angervilliersy M. de, 238, 239. Anne of Aujlritty 198. -of Bavdritiy the Pala- tine, 2 1 8. ■ Queen of England. Re- flrcn:ion on her Statue at Sc. Taul'sy 433. — Princcfs Royal of E?ig- landy 448. Anna M^ria Trances of Saxe- Lawenburgy Duchefs of Tt^f- cany, 1 3 y. Duke of, 188,199. His Son, 226. Ant cnin e T\\\'^ry 3. Antoninus Caracalla, Emperor, Antoninus and Taujtinas Tem- ple at 5y. Antwerp, t. 317. Ara IJbicYum of the Ancients, Archduchefsy Governefs of the Netherlands,!^^, to 302, 304. Ardicinio, C2rd\m\, 87. Are?nbergy Duke de, (juft made Generalifl'irnoof the Imperial Forces in ihc Auflrian tsether- lands) 297, 298, 299, 306. Argenfon, M. de. Keeper of the Seals, 21 c, 236, 245*, 38)-. Armagnac, M. de, 2y i . Armandy his extraordinary Ad- ventures, 414, &c. Avtnenoyi'villey M. 230. ArnOy P-. 1 41. Afeanioy the S^aniJJ) MiniUcr, I 3 2. Asfeidty Baron de, 339. Afperen, Count dcy 403. Ajfajjinsy Sanduary yy, Ajjetnblies, ztKome, 69, 70, 77, Ajiallty Cardinal, his Elopement when the Pope went to de- prive him of his Hat, 93 to 95 *- Asti, t. lyi.. Afirologer, TurkifJjy his Prophe- cy relating to himfclf. Fa- ther, Grandfather, and Great- Grandfather, 140. Athlone, Earl of, '^66, Aubignjy Theodore doy Admiral, the famous Proceftant and Author, z6d^. — Trances de, his Grand- daughter, who was Marchi- onels de Maintenon, 262 to 267. Her Family, 264. Atidenarde, Battle, to what the Fr^»r/? aferibe the Lofs of it, Audiences, the Ceremony of thofe given by the Pope, Atigufly Snow in that Month, 1 3, AuguflusyTm^trox', 7. —King of Poland, The Countefs of U'^ar tern berg's At- tack upon him, 410. Auricular Co7ifeJJion, Vvhy abo- lifh’d throughout the Eafi, 197. Author, the, his Amour with an old Coquet of the pious Sort, 286, At what Ap^c he could O like to be a Trcnchtnan, and at what an EngliJJnnan, 477. — — — His Father’s Death, 321. Auverquerque, Maurice, Count de, 412, 413. Auxerre, t, 183. Ayrolles, M. de, 407. B '^^Acharachy Wine, 35 *^* Baden, Princels, marry’d to the Duke of Orleans, 106, Treaty there, 177. How Prince Lewis was furpriz’d by M. ViClars, if 6, Bagno! et to the Second Volume, H^gnoletViilOigQ, 206. Baker caftrated by his jealous Wife, 183. Balbij Jamesy a Genoefe Noble- man, 14.6. Balls at the Hay market, mag- nificent, 465*. Banchieri, Cardinal, 16, i S, 44, y4> 1^21. Bank Bills, Trench, 245- to 248. — Oi Amjierdam, 380. Barberini Family, more barba- rous than the Barbarians, 7. ——Cardinal, if, 78,^6. — ^Palace, 40, 64. Barcelona reduc'd, 2f7. Bareith, Prince of, 404. Baren, a Trench Comedian and Coxcomb, 200. Barre, John, his extraordinary Adventures, 414, Barricades of Baris ere(fl:ed, 283. Bavaria, Eiedfor of, 214, 303. Beaufort^ Count 323. Beaujolois, Mademoifelle de, 208. Becker, Nl.de, Chancellor, 363. Beli/arius's Statue, 48. Belle- Jjlcy Count de, 210, 217, 227. Benedici XIII. Pope, 26. His Credulity abus'd by the Car- dinals, particularly Cofeia j and his great Humility and Sanc- tity, 26 to 30. A Reflec- tion on his Minifters, 1 14. Benefices, Inftances of Pluralities, 34 ^- Benefit-Nights at the Theatre, 468. Bensberg, t. 3f7. Bentivoglio, Cardinal, 4, 13, 14, 8f. His Diflatisfadlion with the Emperor about Barma, 1 20. Death and SuccefTor, 1 30. Marquis, 14. Berg, Country, 361. Bernini Lorenzo, Architedl, 6, 8. The Sculptor, p, 34, 48, 101 . Berry, Duke of, io6. Berwic, James, ( late ) Duke. His Parentage and Preferments, 2f7 to 2f9. His too great Oblequiouibefs to the Regent and Court of Trance, lyS, 279. His Death and Suc- cdFor, 2fp. His great Aver- flon to the Englifi}, and In^ gratitude to the King of Spain, 2f8, 2f9. Beverwert, M. de, 401. Bichi, Cardinal, 116, 1 1 7, 118, Bingen, t. 3f2. Binger Loch, a Cafeade upon the Rhine, 3 f i . Bifii, Cardinal, 14. Blanc, M. le. Secretary, 210, 227, 238. Blafpiel, Baron and Baronefs de, 363, 364. Bleickert Wine, 348. Blood Divine, fuck’d by the Pope, 21. Bodies Hu?nan, a Thought con- cerning them, 272. Boerhaave, Proteflor, 397. Boetfelaars, 4 1 2. Bois, Cardinal 2 3 o, 2 9 1 , 2 9 2 . Story of his Marriage, 293, Hisbrutifli Converfition, and Habit of Swearing, 294, 29 f. His Tomb, and Remark up- on it, 29f. Bologna, t. 129, (Jc, Bologneiti, Cardinal, 57. Countefs, 69, Boniface V\U. Pope. His Order about the Cardinals Robes, 86 . Bonn, 337. Bonnet, {St») an Officer, 358. j B^rade, the Centre of it, 386. Bookbinder and hisWife, Suicides, 270 to 273. Bork, M. de, 363 . Bor^hefe, Prince, his Palace, 46, 48,49. Hi, Family the Fa- vouriccs of St. I'eter, 47. Bor^hefe, An Alphabetical INDEX Borghefe, Scipio, Cardinal, 47,48, 49. Borgia^ Cardinal, his Religna- tion of the Hat, 87. ——C&far, Duke de Valenti- noisy his Contrivance to poi- Ion a Cardinal, like to have been fatal to himfelf, 97, 98. Bor go y Marquis del, i j*7, 1 61 . BoJJiiy Cardinal de, 518. Bot, General, 562. BoUjJiers,^a\{\M.\, 25*3, 51^. BoHgiV^ Houle at Aix la Cha- pelle, 551. Bourbon, Duke of, 182, 186, 207,290,291. Howheloft an Eye, 208. Made Superin- tendant of the King’s Educa- tion,and Prime Minifter, 209, 210, 221. Difplac’d, 211, 226, 230. His Marriage, 2 1 2. Ducheis of, 216, 217. Brandenburg Aujpach, Margrave, 44 ^' Brcteiiil, M. 210, 238, 293. Brignolc, Mcffieurs, of Genoa, 147. Buonarota, Mich. Angelo, 6, 24„ Buoncompagno , Cirdinal, his Comparifon of the Pope to the Holy Sepulchre, 29. His Funeral, 107, Burgomaflers, Dutch, ^-jG. Burgundians , their Character, I 82. Burgundy, Wine, counterfeited* 348. Burgun ly, Duke, his Honour vindicated, 1J4. How much he is ftili venerated in Brance^ 204. Bujfy, Rabutin's Letters, 182, 443 • C C Adiere, Mademoifelle la^ her Affair with Girard\\tv bather ConfefTor, 193. Her Recantation of the Charge againft him, t94. Cadogan, Earl and Countefs,409. Calf, M. di Towns his Son by rcafon of his Drefs, 390. Cambray, t. 291. Congrels, P)RILLE, t. 427. Brioche, Swifs, burnt for a Con- jurer, 385-. Broffe, M. de, 405-. Broujfel arreiled by Anne of Au~ firia, 283. 295*, 296. Ca?npag7ia di Roma, infefted by Locufts, 41. Ca?npo VaccinOy Square, at Rome, 34 * Canals, Canards, and Canaille, Bruges, 3 i 2. BrnhL Seat of the Eledlor of Co- logne, 340. Brunette, Fort de la, 169. Bru'nfwic, Du chefs of, 218. — — Lunenburg, Antony Ulric, Duke, 361. Brussels, t. 298. Its Trade, and the Pleafures of the Court and the City, 308, 317. Brutus’s Tragedy by Voltaire, 265*, 166, 467. Bucentaur or Venice, the Oath taken by her Captain, Bu 'kmgham H ou fc, 437. — Duchefs Dov/ager, ib. Bullen, Anne, Queen, 438. 428. Cantons, where they have the Title of Counts, 180. Capitol, of Rome, 33. Caponiy Marquis dcy 346. earache, Annibal, Painter, 39, 3f9- Carajfa, John Veter, Cardinal, 1 26. Cardinals in Vetto, what, 82. The flavifli Life of the Car- dinals, with all their Dignity, 83, Their Manner of going Abroad, 83, 84. Their Drefs, and a Vindication of ’em from Luxury, 84. The Va- nity of their Pretenfion to aa Equality to the Second Volume. Equality with crown’d Heads, Sf. Their Manner ofVilit- ing, and their feveral Orders, 86, Why their Hats are Red, and their Robes and Bonnets Scarlet, How they caine to the Title of Eminency, Who the grcateft Pufhers for the Hat, and who have re- fign’dir, 87. Their Confine- ment to the Dominions of the Holy See, 90, 93, Why they always take their own Liquor with them, 97. Carigmnt Prince of, 10 r. Carlos, Don, his Journey to Taf cmy, 139, 232, 318. A Pro- phecy Nojlradamus apply’d to him, 1 39. Carnival, at Rome, 64. Caroline, Princefs, 448. Carolis, Cardinal, 37. Carpentier, a French Refugee in Holland, 429. Carpinetti, Duke, 42. Cajimir, John of Poland, Cardi- nal, his Rcfignation of the Hat, 87. King, 336. CaJJhis, Vloms, 340. Cajlor and Rolliix, reprefented by two great Horfes, 3 3 . Catharine, Qncen, Wife to Hen, VIII. 438. Wife to II. threatened by a Lady never to be vifited again, till fhe could be fcen for 6 d. 444. Catinat, Marfhal de, 25*2. Cellamare, Prince of, 180, 222. Mountain, 168, 169, 170, Cevennois Rebellion fupprefied, how, 25*3. Chalons, upon the Saone,t. 1 80. Chamber of Juflice in France, 249. Chamberry, ^ 171, Chantilly, Seat, 290. chaplains, EngHJlj, 469. char lemagne,Emipcr or ,-^1 , Charles Emanuel II. of Savoy, his finifli-ng a Road on the Alpes, which the Romans be- gan, 171. Charles V. Emperor, 3 i 1,400. His Declaration about the Dutch, 428. VI. Emperor, 328. His AddrefTes to the Princefs fthe late Queen of Great Britain) 446. Charlesl, King of England, the Window from which he walk’d to the Scaffold, 43^. His Statue. 438. II. King of England, his Statue, 434. His Menace of the City ot London, 431. His Defign to improve Si.James's Park, 436. King of Sardinia, his dutiful Conduct towards his Father, at and after his Abdi- cation, I yy. His Queen, 1 6 y. Charni, Marquis de, General, » 37 - 212 to Charolois, Count de, 217. Madem. de, 217, 218. char oft, Duke^/e, 226, 227. Chartres, Duke de, 206, 209, 268. — -Madem. de, 207. Chatelain, M.de, 383. Chauvelin, de. Keeper of the Seals, (juft re mov’d 3 236. Chelles, Abbefs of, 207. Che(lerfield, Earl of, 403. Children, 365- born at once, 42^, Chimay, Prince de, 318. Chocolate-houfe, in St. Janus's ftreet, 463. CiioiSY, t. 188, 189. Chriftina, Queen of Sweden, i r, 2y. A cruel Ad^ion of hers, 184. Church, built by a Lottery, 201. Churchil, Arabella, 2^7. C/^e,Card nal, 143. Alaric,W\\* Cicero's, \n Italy, v/hat, 261. Cicisbei, the Name of rhofe who gallant i\i^Genoefe Ladies, 148. Cien^ An Alphabetical INDEX Cardinal, 1 f, i6, 17, 4 )'. 7^^. His DifTatisfac- tion with the Emperor in the AtFair oi Parma, i io. The Theft he committed in mlnflcr Abbey, 440. Clcttide, of Lorain, Duchcfs of Ttifcany, 135*. Clement Augufius, Eleffor of Cologne, 332, 336, 342. His Revenue, 337. His Brothers, 341. His AggrandiEmcnt alFerted to be for the Intereft of Popery, 342, 345. Clement XL (Pope) his Defign againfl Cardinal Alberoni, 88. ——XII. Pope, 6. His Elec- tion, 13. Adoration of the Cardinals to him, 17, 18. His Coronation, 19. Our Author's Audience, yy. His Promotion of Cardinals, 77, 78, iiy. His great Age and Ailments, 88. His Severity, 91, 167. General Charadlcr, 1 14. Con- cern for lofmg the Duchy of Parma, 1 14. James,\.\\(t. AflafTin, 269. Clermont, Count cle, 212, 216. Mademoifclle 2 1 7, 218. Cleves, t, 363. i'r. Duke of, 192. Palace of, 268. Clovis, King of Trance, 269. COBLENTZ, t. 349. Coffee-Houfes, much frequented by the Engliflj, 4^3. Colifdtum,at P^ome, 3y. Cologne, Eledfor of, 213. City, 33 ^> 334 Colonna, Cardinal, i y, 42. Signior, a Prelate, 122. — — Conllable, and Family, 42, 82. Comedies, Trench and Dutch, 38 y. Comptroller General’s OfHce in Trance, compar’d to the Poll of the Grand Vltder, 239. Conclave, for the Choice of a Pope, I 3, 70. ‘ Concord, Temple of, at P^ome, 3y. Conde, Family, 182, 208. Hen, Julius of Bourbon, Prin. 218, Louifa Benediciina, Princ. iio. Confiftories of Rome, 8 1 . Conjiantine, Arch, at Rome, 34. Conti, Cardinal, 91. Family of, 218. -Princefs Dowager of, 1 88, 2 1 7 220. Lems of Bourbon, Prince, his Marriage, 208, 217. — Mademoifelle, 209. Cornet to, Adrian, Cardinal, a De- fign to poifbn him, 97. Cornicchini, Auguflin, the Sta- tuary, 9. Coronation Chair, of the TngUJJy Sovereigns, 441. Corpus Chrijli, Ceremonies on that Day at Ro?ne, 1 24. and at St. Siilpice, 202. Correggio, Painter, 3y9- Corjica, I Hand, more Coft than Worlhip to the Genoefe, lyo. Corficans, call’d the Devils of Italy, 143. Their War with X\\(t Genoefe, 149, angeau,y\. de, 216. Daphne's Metamorphofis, 48. Davia, Cardinal, 14. David with his Sling, a Statue, 4B. Daim, Marfhal, iy2, 304. Dauphin, France, whence that Title, 173. Dauphine, 172, 173; Delft, t. 400, 425*. Denain, Battle, 25-1, 404. Denys, Saint, 192. DeveniJJj, M. 3 1 4. Devils of Italy, who, 143. Devos' 308, Dickfon, Colonel, 3 1 4. Dijon, t. 181 . Dirce, her Fable, 38. Dobelftein, Baron de, 331. Dohna, Alexander de. Count, 3 49. -FeraJJier de, Count, 404. Dombes, Prince of, 221,224. “——Principality, 179, iSo, Doria, Cardinal, yy, 91, i id, General, 147. Ducks, in abundance, 418. Duisbourg, r. 362. Dulls, a Jew, 411. Dunbar, Lord, his Station at the Pretender s Court, yS. His Marriage of Princefs Sobieski by Proxy, 62. Duncan, M. de, 405*. Mineral Water, 349. Dusseldorf, t 35*8. vindicated from Treache- ry, 368, 428. Their com- mon Food, 372. Their Cof- fce-houres,andComcdics, 58 y. ABemblies, 386. Dreis, 390. LalTes, 393. Dyck, Van, Painter, 35*9. E Chelles, t. T72. Edwa rd\. K t n g 0 f Engla nd, the Trophy he brought from Scotland, of his Conquefl, 44 1 , Egmont, Count, the Prince of Orange's Farewell of hi 01,45- 3. Palace mBruJfels, 299. Elbeue, ^e,Commandeur,the Tuf- MiniBcr, 132, 134. Eleanor, of Toledo, Gr. Duchefs of Tufeany, \ 35-. of Provence, Wife to K. Hen. III. 435*. Eminency, how that Title came to the Cardinals, 86. Emperor s,German,the\v Manner of giving Audience, 215-. Enckhuisen, t. 392. England's Kings, their Power and Court, 442, 443, 444. Its Soil and Climate, 470, 47 i . EngUJhmen, faid to be better Abroad than at Home, 326, Their Manners, 453, 463. The Dreis of the Cour- tier and the Cinzen, 436, 437, 460. Genius of the Nation, 442, 462. Vindica- ted 220. An Alphabetical INDEX ted from DilafFediion to their Kings, 442. Applauded for defending their Rights, 445. Their friendly, tho* melan- choly Tempers, and their Av'erlion to Conftraint, 45-4, 45 'f* Their Diverlions, 467, 469, 470. Their Manners compared with the French ^ 45'f. Vindicated from Cru- clty, 4^7, 45-8. Their too great Freedom with Life, 45*9. Their Womens Beauty, 460, 461. Their Behaviour in Public, 461. Why the Fnglifl} are fuppofed to be defeended from Mutim Sc&- 'vold, 470. An Inftance of their Good-nature and Hap- pinefs, ibid. Blam’d for pre- ferring other Countries to their own, 471. Their dif- ferent Living in the Country from the City, 470. 'E^ernon^ Duke de, 226. Efuaph upon Epitaphs, 414. Erajfnus's Statue, 426. EfJeXy Earl of his Head ex- pos’d, 432. Eflrades^ Count de, AmbafTador, 401. Ejlrees, Marflaal de, Victor Ma- ria, his Condudt, Charader, Dignities, Family, Efcate, and his fine Diamonds, 260. — GabrielU de, Midrefs to Henry IV. ot France, 16,0. Ell, Count de, 221, 225*. Eugene, of Savoy, Prince, 143, 2 )- 9 . 5Y. Evremont, M. his Monu- ment, 440. Fyfenach,Saxe, Princefs of, 446. F. F Agel, Greffier, 406. Farnefe, Francis, Duke of Parma, 1 1 4 . Farnefe Palace, at Rome, 37. Faujiina, Signora, 66 . Fauflus, John, of Mentz., 395*. Feet, Ceremony of wafhing them on Holy Thurfday, 980 Feldt brack, Mademoifelle de, the fevere Ted fhe requir’d of her Lover’s Affedion, 320. Fenelon, Archbifliop oiCambray, 29T, 403. Brigadier and AmbafTa- dor, 403. Ferdinand de Medicis, Duke of Tufeany, Ferrayo, Cardinal, 1 16, 1 1 7, 1 18. Ferrero, Cardinal, 167. Filippticci, Cardinal, his Rcfig- nation of the Hat, 87, Fine Gentleman, his Character, 462. Fiochi, of the Cardinals, what it means, 83. Fireworks of Germany, expenfive, 187. Flax, why burnt at the Pope's Coronation, 20. Flemings, unfociable, 312. Fle?nif!) Women, good Toper Sj ibid. Fleury, Cardinal de, made Prime Minider, 21 1. His Charac- ter, 228 to 23y, 283. Florence, t . 130, Florentin, Count de 5 /. 2 3 7 , 2 3 8. Flowers, beautiful, where, 39y. Fontainebleau, Palace and Town, 184, 188. Fontana, the Archited, 8^ 9. Force, Ouk&dela, 243. France, whether ’twas her In- tered to enter into the lad War, 232 to 2 3y. Francis L Ring France, 184. Francis de Medicis, Great Duke of Tufeany, 135 '.^ Frangipani, Marquis, 5*2. Frederic, K.\ng of Bohe?nia, 366 . Eledor of Brandenburgs 338, 3(52,446. -Atigufttis, King of Vo- land) 360, 361. Frederic, to the Second Volume. TrederJc, King of 361, 362, 367, 399.^ lErejus, Bifhop of, 228, 229, 230. Irenchy how they accounted for theLofs of fo many Battles in the laft War, ly^. Not 10 modeft as the Allies, 295*. Their Levity, 196, 197,279 Their good Qualities, 197, 27y, 276. Their Fafliions. by whom to be followed, and by whom avoided, 460, 461 . Irene, M. du, a famous French Comedian, 266. Fribourg, t. 2y4, Iridlingen Battle, 25*2. Iroulay, Count de, Ambaflador, 202 , lugger, Countefs de, 348. lurius Camillus, the Didfator, his Vow, 35'. lurfienberg, Princefs, 307. G G Alen, Bernard de, Bifhop, the Terror of the Dutch. 343 - Galloway, Lord, 440. Camarre, the SpantJJ? AmbafTa- dor’s Difpute with M. de Thou, a French Ambafllidor, about Precedency, 400. Gameflers, order'd to the Gaf lies, 30. prohibited by the Pope, 70. 'One of the Plagues of ^ the Frewr/? Nation, 198. What their Ladies call a Man who does not play, and what the Men fay of Gaming in gene- ral, 199, 200. How Game- flers are carefs’d at many Womens Houfes, and the great Emoluments of Game- ing, 201, Who have a Grant for licenfing it, ibul Gardening, in Italy, declin’d, 33 » 47 - , Gajfe, Count de, 212. Gafton, John. See Tufeanfs Great Duke. Gaydon, Major, in the Preten- der’s Service, 61 , 62, Gendre, Veter le, 1 7 5*. Genoa, t. 144. Its Neighbour- hood, ij-i. Its Bombard- ment by the French, 144. Charadler of the Genoefe, 148. Their War with the Corfu ms, 149. Gentili, Car inal, \i6. Gentlemen, whether that Title be more due to Stage-Play- ers, than to Rope-Dancers or Tumblers, 268. Georgel. King 436. His Sta- tue, 438. Compar'd to Ati- guflus, 442. George II. King, 434, 447. His Queen, 445*, 446, 447. Their Manner ot Dining in Public^ 449. Drawing Room, 45-0. Gerard, Balthafar, the Afialhn, 42y. Gergy, Parfon of St. Sulpice, 202. His Brother, Bifliop of Soijfons, ibid. Another, AmbafTador at Venice, ibid. Germain, (St,) Abbat and Friers, ibid. German Princes, wifer than the Italian, 128. Germany, the Strength of the Proteflants and Papifls there, 343 • Gevres, Duke, 201. Ghent, t. 310, 317. Giajferi, Leader of the Corficarh Rebels, lyo. Girard, Father, his Affair with a Lady at Confefllon, 193, Giudici, Cardinal, 37, 90. H h Gladiators^ An Alphabetical INDEX ^ *y j Gladlatorsy Statue, 49. Golojskin, Count de, 404. Golflein, Coante fs de, Gondrin^ Marquis de^ 226, Condtilphus, Bifliop, his Ghoft, 3 ^ 9 ' Gondy, brands de, Archbifliop of Paris, 192. Gonz^ague, Cardinals, their Re- lignation of the Hat, 87. Goitdenau, Marflial 346. Grafton, Duke, 449. Grammont, Duke de, 199. Grana, Marquis de, Grantham, Earl of, 449. s'Gravefande, Proldlor, 397. Great Duke of Tufeany, by whom the Title was in- vented, I 3 5*. Greenwich Hoipital. 452. St. Gregory the Great, Pope, 3 1 . Gregory ^\\l. Pope, 32. Gregory y^V» Pope, 192. Grenoble, 173. Greys, M. 405*. Grilli (Locufts) apply’d to a Family of that Name, 41. Grimani, Cardinal Legate, 129, 1 30. Grofvenor^s Square, 438. Guadag?jo, Cardinal, 1 15-. Guiccardi, Count, 149. Guido, Painter, 35*9. H Ackney, the Ceremony of j j|[ prefenting it to the See of Rome for Naples, 42 to 46. Hague, Village, 398, Halle, t * 298. Handel, the Compofer, ^ 66 . Handkerchief of our Saviour, a Reiique to be feen in three Places, 15*4. Hanover Family, the Temper with which they received the News of their Acccllion to the Britijh Throne, 446. Hapsbourg, Count, 328. Harlai, Prelident, his Repartee to the French Comedians, 267, Harlem, t. 394. Harrach, Frederic, Count 3 o 3 « Harrington, Lord, 4^3. Harwich, t. 430. Hafs, M. the Saxon, 66, Hats, Cardinals, why red, 86. Hatto, Bifliop, purfued and gnawed by Rats, 3)'2, Hawitz,, Grand Marfhal, 149. Haxhaufen, General, 332. Hayes, Mr. and Mrs. ftyl’d Lord and Lady Invernejs, 5*8, 5-9. Hazard, Play, prohibited by the Pope, 70. Heidelberg Library, 2y, Helvoetsluys, 427 to429. Henneberg, Countefs of. See Holland. Henry III. King of France, his A llafii nation, 269. Ill Omens oblerv'd at his Confecration, ibid. King of England, his Wife, 43y. •VlltlPs Chapel, 440. Henrry of Portugal, Cardinal, his Refignation of the Hat, 8 7 > St. Henry of Bavaria, Empe- ror, 331. Herenhaufen Water-Works, 2690 Hermaphrodite Statue, 49. Herod, whither banifh’d, 173. Heffe Rhhifels, Princefs of, (late) Queen of Sardinia, 1 6y, 212. Eleonora, Duchefs of Bourbon, her Marriage, 212. Heffe Cajfel, Prince IVilliams 320. Landgrave, 3yi. Landgrave, 361 Highwayman's remarkable El- cape, 4)- 7. Hildebold, Archbifliop of Co- logn, j. L-Iochflet, Battle, to what the French aferibe the Lofs of it» Hegendorp^ to the Second Volume. Hagendorpy M.415. Hohenzollern, Count de, 344. HolUndy Florence IV. Count of, 425*. HolUndyCountt(s of, his Daugh- ter, deliver’d of three hun- dred lixty-five Children at a Birth, 42y, Holy Ghofly Pi(ffure of a Cardi- nal taking Aim at him with a Fufee, 17. Holy IVeeky how oblerved at RomCy 96. Hompefchy General, 599. Honjlderdycky Palace, 42 y. Hoornbecky Penhonary, 406. Horne, t. 392. Horfesy Dogs , and Falcons, where they abound moll, 46S. Hoiifoy in the Wood, 42y, Howardy Family of, 438, I j ^Acob\ Pillov/, 440. I Jagellony K.of Polandy 336. St. James % Palace and Park, 43 y, 436. Square, 438. Church, 439, James IT. King, cenfurM for neglecting a very precious Relique, 440. JeWy Dutchy his Zeal for the Opera, in Oppolition to an Anabaptift, who was as hot for Comedy, 410, 411. Jerosy at Amflerdamy 388,411. Imperially Cardinal, 13, 14, 93. NB. He dy’d in Januaryy 1736-7. India y Com pany, Dutchy 388. InjantUyOk Spain, Pent back from France, 210, 2 1 1 . grcgation of the Holy Office, 1 26. Invalids, Flofpital, at Farts, 198, Invcrncfsy Lord and Lady, y8, S9- Joan, of Aufiria, Duchels of Tufcany, 135-. JoanninOy the Duke of Tufcany's Favotfrite, 132 , 133 - Johannes berg Wine, 3y2. John St. de Maurienne, f. 170. John William, Elector Palatine, 3fS^ 35'9- John II. King of France, why compar’d to Regulus, 43>. John III. King Portugal, 87. Jofeph Clement, Eie£lor ot Co- logne, 347. Ifisy Goadefs, and her Temple, 190. Italians, their revengeful Tem- per, 14. Jealoufy and Nig- gardlinefs, 73, 74. Their Dil- policion towards the French and Germans, id. Their Be- haviour at Executions, iio, III, 1 12. Their Hatred to one another, 127. The For- mality of fettling the Inter- views of their petty Pnnees, 128, Why they arc the jell of Foreigners, Who the mod polite, 139. Italians, of the Netherlands, who, 324. Italy, Devils of, who fo called, 143. Judgment, Day of, a remarkable Painting, 24. JuLiERS, 332, 361, K Jngelhcvn, Baron de, 35*4. Innocent TV, Pope, his Order! about Cardinals Hats, 86. j Innocent X. Pope, 90,93. Inquijaion, at Rome, not fo bad as reprefented, 125*. Gon- K Eiserswaert, t, 347, 36C Keppely iVl de, 407, 408. Ketuers Family, Dukes or Cour- land, i3f. Their Parallel with the Medicis of Tufcany, 136, H h 2 Keys An Alphabetical INDEX of St. VeteryVjh^it they de- note, 23. Kings of Cologne, 533- Kroon, TheoilorCyVan der, 369. L L .Acqueys, 2it Paris, the Favou- rites of their Ladies and young Mafters, 275*. A Con- verfation between thofe of two Cardinals, about their Pre-eminence, 294,. Lalalng, Count ile, 312. Laleck, Naffau, Count de, 314, 315-, 412, 413. Landau, t. 25-4. Laneboukg, r. 170. Lanfquenet, the French King’s Party at that Game, 199. Lateran Church, the Ceremony of the Pope's taking Poflef- hoa of it, 49. Kauz^un, M. de, 1 79. Law, John, the Projector, 2 1 o, 239. King of Sardinia's Ad- vice to him, 239. His Death, and his Widow and Son, 240. A Copy of Verfes on him, 241. His Coat of Arms, 243. The Homage paid to him in his ProfperTty, 244 Defeription of his Perfon, and Remarks on his Syftem, i4)*j 3 So. Leghorn, t, the grand Appear- ance there on the Arrival of the SpaniJJ) Fleet, in which they expected Don Carlos, 139. Defeription of the Ci- ty, 140, Leie, Count de la, 35*0, Lenoir s Tapilfry Manufadture, 308. Leo HI. Pope, his Prefent to Charlemain, 99. Leopold, Archduke, 342. Lepanto, Viflory, 43. L 143* Lewid'ors, worn in a Lady's Ears for Pendants, 218. Lewis, the Pious, 327. Duke of Burgundy, 363- Lewis XIV. his Statue, * M'.jfec, M. 61, 62. MiJJij ppz Scheme, and its Pro- jeOtor,Veries thereupon, 241 , ^c. Its Fate compaCd to that ot the liOHth-Sea Scheme, 244. A curious Account oF it, 2q<5 to 270. Mijfon, Mr« his Account of the Pope’s Coronation rcfle6ted on, 22. Hs bejng always furnifh’d with Mathematical Inflrumcnts, 141. lAiJfreJfes, Generofity of the En- gUp) to theirs, 469. • —Kept in Partncrfltip, ib, Modena, Princefs of, 148. MoHand, Palace, 363. Mondragone Seat, near Rome,t^S. Money, the Scarcity of it in France, 217. Worfhip paid to it at Az/zfierda??}, 381, 382, Mons, t * 297. Montague Houfe, 439. Montcallier Calfle, 172. Monte Cavallo Palace, 3 2. Montej^an, Marchionefs, 188, 207, aid, 226, 264. Montefqziiou, Mar dial, 2 do. Monti, xVtarquis, the Pretender’s Lanoiord, Menfijo, Ceunt de, 439* Montj^enfier, Madcmoifelle de, iitr Fame in the Glvnl Wars of Fra?2ce, 1 79. Her Ueflraint from marrying, ibid. Mvntrevel, Marfiial de, 273. Monnlf-hus, Bifliop of Tongves, his GhoH:, 329. MnrvHle, M-. de, 2 2?. I N D E X MoHchi, Madame de, 3 1 d. Mouths of the Cardinals, the Ceremony of Opening and Shutting them by the Pope, 80. Muley Ifmael of Morocco, his pretended Demand of the Princefs of Conti in Marriage, 219. Mulheim, t, 337. Murder, how punifh’d at Rome, 74. Mutius ScsLvola, a Conceit that the P;i!^/?7^aredefcended from him, 470. N N Amur, t. 317, 319. _ N/5?/?/ei,theTribute paid for it to the See ot Rome,\'^ to 46, NaJJau, Princes of 309. Zeifi, Count de, l 6 j, Orange, Prince of, 41 2. Navona, Square, 7. The Cere- mony or watering it, dd. Neautre, M. le, 43d. Neclarius, Patriarch, 197. Nephews of the Popes, their ge- neral Charadler, 40. Nejle, Marquis de 309. Netherlands, Aufirian, Pride and Poverty of tne Nobility and Gentry, 307, 306. Newbourgh, Lewis Antony de, 536. Francis, Eledlor of Mentz,, Neuhojf, Theodore , Baron de, pro- claim’d ¥i.o\ Corfica, 170. Neville Camillus, Nicolas 2nd Chades, de la, 177. Neuwidt, t. and Count de, 30 9, NewcajUe, Duke of, 473, Newmarket Races, 468. Newport, t. 313. Nimeguen, t, 3 6f, 370. Noailles,Le't»is Antony, Cardinals J 92, 294. ;«««— Duke de, 207, 2d4« Ncaljles, to the Second Volume. Noaiilesy Marta V'u^oria cle, ii6. ■Duchcf<^ d'Ejtrees, 160. Nocera, a Canon, 92. Nordkirchen^S^dXf 34 ^. Norfolk, Duke of", 438. Nojiradamus, a Prophecy of his 10 Don Carlos, 139. Nothaft, Baron r/(?r 34<^, 547. Novalaise, la, t, 169. Nouvelles Ecclejtaftiques, prohi- bited by the Archbifliops of Earn, 277. Differences about it, betwixt the Court and Par- liament, 277, 278. Nuncios, of the Pope, 77. O O Bdam, Count de, 412. Odyck, M. de, 367. Oels, Baron 3po. Olivieri, Cardinal, 44, 5-4. Openord, Giles Maria, Architc6i:, 20 1 . Operas, in France, the Diftinc- tion paid to the A6lors, 267. Orange, Palace in Bmjfels, 299, 300. at the Hague, 42 y. —Princes of, 309, 401, 402, 41 2, 41 3, 42j*. Orbano, R. 1 7 1. Orleans, Dukes of, 173, 174, 179, 206, 207, 209, 212, 221, 229, 230, 236, 268, 269, 283, 292, 293, 295-. — Duchefs, 1 8y, Dowager, 2oy, 206. Henrietta, Duchefs of, her Death, 269, His Si- fters, 207, 208. Fhilippa, her Death, 208. Louifa Diana, her Marriage and IfTue, 208, 217. Orleans, t, taken, 179. P. Tmpertinences,revivM m the Chriflian Religion, 203. Vain, defpis’d by our Nation, 470. Palatine, Ele( 9 ^refs Dowager,' 130. John William, Eltdiox, Pallas, a French Officer, who married both Mother and Daughter, acquitted by the Inquilition, 116. Palmquifl, AmbafTador, 4oy. Pamphili, Princes, 6, 41, 42. Palace, 41. Camillus, Cardinal, his Refignation of the Hat, 87. Pantheon, at Rome, 7. Paris, Abbe, his pretended Mira- cles, 195-, ^i/7, 145-. Thilips, Mr. Preceptor to the Duke, 448. Thilipsburg, Siege of, 25-9. Picus, de Mirandcla, Cardinal, f 3 - p ie dm untcfe,t\ic\r Court and Cha- radl'er, 165-, 1 66, .1 68. PiETRA Santa, t 142. Pi^nateLli, Cardinal, 86. Pilate, whither banififd, 173 Pilgrims,P{oPtp\tz\ at Rome, 76. pin, jcfeph, Painter, 579. Pisa, 141. Pride oi the Peo- ple, ibid, Pius V. Pope, 80, 1 26. Piz^zighitone, taken, 2 5- 5*. Platen, Count de, Pofunafter of Hanover, 238. His Daughter’s Marriage and Penlion from King George I and II. 238. Plettenberg,Countde,i^i^ 344, 347 , 34 ^* PoUgnac, Cardinal, 8j”. PcNT DE BoNVOISJN, t. I 7 2. Pontchartrain, M. de. Chancel- lor, 237, 237. fonthievre, Duke de, 226. Popelfdorf, Village, 340. Popes, the Days on which hs Cardinals kifs their Feet, 17. Charadfer of their Nephews, 40. Reception of Ambafla- dors, 1 21. Pope, v/ho was the firft that was crown’d, 22. Compar’d to tlje Holy Sepulchre, 29. P or tail, M, de, Prelident, 249. Portland, Earl of, 408. Portugal, Henry, Cardinal of, his Refignation of the Hat, 87. Its Broils with the Court of Rome, 1 1 6 to 1 1 9. Poultier, M. Intend ant at Lyons, 1 76. p y^ William, 45'!. Poyntz, Stephen, E(q; 448. Pragmatic Sanciion, 403. Prebendi, bought anc lo'd, 369. Precedence, Dilputes about it be- tw,xt AmbafiTadors, 400 to 403. Pretender, his Penfion and Ho- nours from the Pope, yj, yS. His Landlord, Courtiers, and Domefiics, Style, and Stature, and his Sons, y8, 5*9. His Treatment from the Imperial and Prench Cardinals, y8. His Afpedt and Chara(^er, His Mifireis, ibid. His Pre- tefrant Chapel, and Table, . His Wife, 60, 61. Pro- phecy of his coming to the Brttiflj Throne, 63. Preys, M. 407. Vrie, Marchionefs, 166, 227, 304- Priefes, Italian, a heavy Charge againfi: them, 112. — Plemifi, always railing at one another, 314. Printing, where invented, 397. Procej]ionChVi\',Q\ the Popes, i 7, Prujfia, Ducal or Brandenburg, 336. Frederic, ¥i. of, 338. Fucelage, its Meaning, 284. Pucelle, a Counicllor, banifli’d from the Parliament at Parh, 2S2, ile, 284. Tnjfenl^erg) Baron de^ 296. J^Hppet-flayer, burnt for a Con- jurer, 38/. Turpora, the Singer, 66, Tyrrhuss Sayings after he had defeated xhtKomems^ 25*3. a ^ Duke of, his Be- haviour on the DuchelVs being forbid the Court, 444. Quieri, t ij*'* the famous Comedian, 266. R R Ahutyn, Bujffs, Letters, 182, 443, K^ioy, Lord, his Amour, 410. B^ce, run round St. s Park, by a naked Man, 470. Kamillies, Battle, to what the French afcribe the Lofs of it, if 3 - Raphael, Painter, 24, 35-9. Raftctdt, Treaty, 15-4. Ratishon, Theodore, Bifhop of, 349 * Rats, Tower in the 3^2. Ratto, Signior, 4. Bilhop of Cordoua, 8f- Regulus, John II. K. of France compar’d to him, 43 5*. Reimhrants, Painter, 35-9. Relic[ues, at Aix, the Time and Manner of expofing them, Remi,(S.) a noted Better at the French Court, 199, 200. Rejiitution, by the Popes, what, 88 . Retirement, Verfes in Praife of it, 223. Retz,, Duke of, 174. Rhebinder, Mardial, lyS, 15*9, 1 66. Rheims, t, 269. Rhen, t, 366. R/?^?2iy7; Wine, where the beft,3/^ Ruinbeck, t, 347. Rhine, R. 349, Rhinfields C 2 i‘k\G, 3j'i. Richardi, Marquis, and his Son Don Vincenzo, 1 34. Richelieu, Cardinal's Ingratitude to Q^Mary de Medicis, 334 , Richmond, Duchefs, 409. RidelJljeim, Wine, 35*2. Rinuccini, Marquis, 132, 134, 137- Ripperda, Duke de, 296. Rivoli Caftle, 168. Robbery, on the Highway, re-^ markable, 4^7. (the Pious) K. of France, 98. Rochebone, M. Archbifliop of Lyons, 174, 176. Roche, Sur-yon, Mademoifelle de la, 2 1 8 • Rodolph I. Emperor, a miraculous Appearance at his Coronation, ?^ 7 > 3 ^ 8 . Roer, River, 332, Rohan, Cardinal, 186. Prince, 2oy. Roll, Baron 346. Rolling, Baron 35-4. Romain, Julius, Painter, 3^9. Roman Princes, their high Pre- tenfions, 102, 104. PrincefTesand Popes Nieces more humble than formerly, 103, How they are lighted to the Plays, loy. Their un- wieldy Coaches, and Icrub Li- veries, 106. Why they never wear Mourning, 108. Rome, t. Manners of the Peo- ple, 67, 72, 73, 406. Its Squares, 2, Churches, 6, Palaces, 24, 36, Theatres, 6y. Their D.ver- fionsand RepaRs, 68,69. Author’s Dillikc of this City, 68,72. Why youngGentle- mcn to the Second Volume. aSi, 183 . Verfes on his Ex- y An Alphabetical INDEX r\' 1 '^'*^"-^’ Princes of, 4.^^. Hofpitals, 76. Condltor les, 81. The Time when all Ce- remonies are laid alide, lo)-. Their Funerals, 107, 108. Mourning, 108. Their Fire- works, I op. Its Governor, 109, 1 10. Senator, 1 10. Exe- cutions, III, 11;^. Their Ha- tred of other Italians, 127. ^ota. Tribunal of, 109. Kotonda Church, 7. Rotterdam, t . 42^). Rtibemfre, Prince and Princefs de, 300, 309. Rubens, Painter, 3 17, 35-8, 35*9. Rubi, Marquis de, 3 18. Rufpanti, Pcnlioners, why fb call'd, 133. Rufpoli, Signior, his Promotion to be a Cardinal, 7 7 to 80. ■Prince’s, Funeral, 108. Ryfvpic, 37^5 4'^jT* \fl:rament. Holy, the Gran- deur and Solemnfty of the Pope’s ProcelTion with it, i 24, and of theParifliof St.Sulpice in France, 202. Saltzu, Herman de, 336. Salvia ti. Painter, 39. Santa Croce, Prince of, 42. Santen, t. 362. Santini, Marquis, 341, SantoSiiono, Duke, 69. Sardam, Village, 389. Sardini, Prelate, his Imprilbn- ment, 92. Sardinia, K.. the Pope’s Grant to him, ibid. Sardinia, Victor A.imdeus late K.of, his Abdication and Im- prironment,iy6to 164. Son’s Duty to him, r 5-7 to 1 64. Sarno, Duke of, 136. Sarzana, t, 143. Saji ago. Count de, 318. Duchefs of, iy6. Palace lathe Stra 4 3 y . { Savoyards, Charadler, 171. Saurin, M. 414. Saxony, JohnGeorgelV , Eledor of, 446. Scaliger s Character of Lyons^ » 73 - Scarlet, why the Cardinals Robes and Caps are of that Colour, 86 . Scarron, Taujthc Poet, who was Madame de Maintenon’s Huf- band, 264. S chas berg, Ccimt de, 361. Scheld Kwct, 3. ScHEVELINC, r.400. Schlangenbadt, ^.3^7. Schourjf, Baron de, 346. Schouts, Dutch, 376. Schwalbach, t, and Waters, Sekwartzo, a Jertr, 41 1. Sculpture, not the bell in Lon- don, 434. Seaux, the Duke of Maine’s Scat, 223. Schonborn, Countefs de, 3^0. Francis George, Count de. Biihop ot Triers, 35*0. ■Bifhops of Spires, and Bamberg, 3^0, 3 5-3, Sebaftian, St. Marchionefs de, If6, lyj, ^c. 160, 162, I 64. — K. of Vortugal, 87. St, t. taken, 2y8. Seignelay, Marquis of, his Bom- bardment Genoa, 144, Senator, o{ Ro 7 ne, iio. Seneca’s Statue, 49. Senejino, the Singer, 466. Senez., Bifliop of, 240. Sens, t. 183. Mademoifellc de, 217, 218. Sersara, t, 143. Servants, theCuilom of treating ’em in England, ridiculed, 46/. Sestri, t. 143. Ships, the Dilference betwixt the Englifh and Spaijiards, and thole to the Second Volume. thofe of three Decks, and two, 138. Sinzemlorf, Count, 232,403. ——Counters, her Conver- fion to Popery by a Flafli of Lightning, 149. Sixt^is IV. his Power as to Hell and Purgatory, 2y. V. Pope, 8, 9, 2 y, 31. Skates, Butch, deferib’d, 384. Slingelaml, the ( late) Grand Pen- fionary of Holland, 406. Smith, Richard, Bookbinder, and his Wife, their tragical Cata- ftrophe, 270, Their Apo- logy fot killing themfelves and their Child, and the Con- felTion of their Faith, 271, 272, Snorp, in Augufi, 13. Prince and Princefs, 61, 63. Her Arreft, as fhe went to be marry’d to the Preten- der, 61. Her Elcape, 61, 62. Her Reception at Rome by Lady Marr, 6cc. and the Car- dinals, 63, Her Death, ibid. Sodomite, the pert Anfwer of one to a Cardinal, 1 1 2. Soijfons, Congrefs, 295*, 296. Solar e, Chevalier de, i 6 i, 164. Spa, t. and Waters, 32^. Great Refort to it, 326. Spain, Q. Dov/ager of Lewis I. her Marriage, and her filent Vifit from Lewis XV. 207. Her Retirement to a Convent, 208. Spaniards Arrival at Leghorn, X34, 136, 137. Comparifon between their Officers and Ships, and the LngHJJ), 138. Sparr, Baron de, 346, 347. Speik, Madame 361. Marquifate, and Marchio- nefs, lyy, lyS, I 60. Spinola, John Baptifi, Cardinal, i;o. Spork, M. de, 40 y. Stadthoufe, at Amjlerdam, 377 to 380. Stage Players, the extravagant Refpedipaid to ’em 'mFrancej 266, ^c. A Joke put upon them by Prelident HarUi^ 267. Stampa,Gtntv^y 120. Stein, Baron, 311. Stilletto, the frequent Ufe of it . at Rome, 73, 74. Stoves, Butch, dtferib’d, 372. Strajford, Eai 1 of, 43 8, 4y 1 , 4yz. His prophetical Converlation with the D. of Ormond, Strappa Corda, what, iii, Strickland, Bilhop, 319. Strox^zA, Duke, yz. Suarez., Madame, i3y. Sudarini, Marquis, his Prelent of a fine Coach to his DdUghter- in-law, 106. Sulpice, St, the Paribn’s, Lottery, 201. His Parfbnage a fat one, 202. Its Seminary, ibid. Surnames, the Moderns blamed for not giving them to their Heroes as well as the Ancients, 2yi. Susa, t. 168. T Allard, Duchefs, 2oy, 21 1. Tancin, Archbiffiop of Ambrun, 240. Tapiftry Manufa(Stures, 308. Targa, Bp. Cardinal Cofeia's Bror ther, 91. Tavannes, Count 182. Taverns, Lnglijh, better than the French, 46y. TenebrA, a fine Piece of Mufic, 9 < 5 . Terajfon, Abbe, 243. Teutonic Order, Mailers of it, 336. Texeria, a Jew, 411. Thames River, 431, 432, Theatres at Paris, better open*d than fhut, 38y. Theodore, Baron de Neuhojf, pro- claim’d K. of Corjica, 1 yo. Tholoufe, An Alphabetical INDEX Tholoufcy Count snd Coun- tefs, 199, 220, 221, 226. Her Sifter, 260. ThoHy M. de, AmbalTador, his Difpure with Spaniard 2iho\i\: Precedency, 400. Tingry,?nnct de, ip6. Tintority Painter, 35-9, Tirlemont, t, 319. Titian, Painter, 3^9. yitus^s Arch at Rome, 34. Tongres, r. 323. Torcy.M.de, 237. 3^our and Taxisy Prince and Princefs, 306, 307, 308. His Mother and Children, 307. Tour, Humbert de la y 172, 173, Tourlanoy la, 216. Tranquillity , Chriftian, a Poem, on the Dilputes of the Times, 279. Treaties of Peace, three con- cluded iucceflively in the Do- minions of the 370. Tremouille, Cardinal de, 2iy. Trevoux, t. I 79, I 80. Triers, Francis-George, Count de Schonborn, the prelent Bifhop, Triple Crown, by what Pope firft worn, 22. Trotti, Marquis de, 346. Tuilltries, in France, Garden, 43 ^* of great Value, 397. Turin, t. 172. ItsUniverlity, 1 67 Its Siege, 1 72, 173. Tufcansy the great Hopes they entertained of Do?i Carlos, 139. Tufcanfs Great Duke, his Man- ner of giv'ing Audience in Bed, with his Lap-Dogs, and his hearty Reception of our Author, 1 3 I, i 3 2, I 34. His Indolence in his Bed-cham- ber, and Defhahillc, I 3 3. His KmdneL to Pilgrims, and Fondnefs for the Germans, ibid. His Pendoners and I Paymafter, ibid. Who in-^ fluenced him to recognife Don Carlos for his Succeftbr, 134. Twickedy Wajfenaer de, 412 . Tyburn Executions, 478, 479. V y Ahal River, 367. Val de Grace Church, 1 98. Valenciennes, t. 295, Valero, Mademoifelle de, 18S, 219. Valois, Philip de, 172, Vander Borg's Tapiftry, 308. Vander Duin, Meftieurs, 408. Vandyke, 379, Varengeville, Joanna de. Wife of the Marfhai Villars, 277, Palace, 24, 31, — -r-' Library, 27. Vauban, M. Engineer, 317. Vayrac, Aobe, the Author, 273. His pleafant Rencounter with a pert Coxcomb of a Coun- feilor, 273, 274. His Pla- giarlfm, 274. Vendofme, Duke de, 273. Why he has not left his Fellow, 274. Venerie Cafile, 177. Venice and Amjierdam compar’d, 371- Ventadour, Duke and Duchefs de, roy, 334. Vermilions Tapiftry, 308. Veronefe, Paul, Painter, 379. VerfaiLles Park, 43d. Ve/pajian's Amphitheatre, 37. Uhlefeldt, Count de, 403. Uhlefeldt, Mademoifeile de, her unhappy Fate in the Fire at Erujjels, 301, 403. ViAREGGio Foreft and Village, 141, 142. Vicior, King of Sardinia, his Ab- dication and Imprifonment, 177 to 164. His Advice to the famous John Law, 239. His Treaty with France and Spain, If 2, Vienna to the Second Volume. Vimnix Treaty, 296. Vienne, i 73* Vilhrs, Marfhal He^or, lyo to 25-6. Our Author’s fmart Aniwer to him, when he boafted of his Clemency at Denam^ ifi, His Inven- tion of a Surname for the Marntal, which put him in good Humour, 2^2. His Creation as Marfhal of France, ib, HisCondu6l \nthtCeven- nols and in Fla?iders, 25*3 . His Preferment to the Govern- ment of Frovenccy and his Compliment to the Memory of his dcceafed PredecelTor, 2y4. His remarkable Ex- prelTions to the French King, v/hen he went to the-Com- mand in Ger?nany, and when he had purchas’d an Eftate, ibid. His Command, Sick- neis and Death, \n Italy, lyy, H is Family and Charaffer, ibid. 2yo. His nimble Trip from a Ball to a Battle, ibid. A Sonnet made on him when he fet out lafl for Italy, ibid. His Scruple to accept of a Commiflicn to a6f aaainft O the King of Spain, 25-8. Villeroy, M. 174, 1785 229. The Family, ibid. lyy. Vinci, Leonard, 66 . Vinfmnlle, N.N. Archbifliop of Faris, 192. His Concern for the Goodnefs of his Mutton, greater than for that of the Pafture of his Sheep, 193. His equal Refpe6i: to different Orders, and an Epigram up- on his Man late, in favour of the ConfiitHtion Unigenitus, 193. viol, holy, at St. Rhelms, the Story of it, 269, 270. Vifeonti, Count de, and Countefs, 300, 302, 307, 308. Vitriariusi Profeffbr, 397. Voifin, M. Secretary at War, 235*. Voltaire, the Poet, his Tragedy of admir’d, 2 6y. Cri- ticis’d, 266, 467. Urban V. Pope, 2 2 . Urban VIII. Pope, bis 'Order about the Cardinals Title, 86. Vrilliere, M. Secretary of StatCj 209, 237, 238. Madame de, 238. Urjini, Cardinal, his Eledbion to be Pope, 26, 27, UJJjers of the Pope, their Pri- vilege, 81. Utrecht, t. 367, 368, <^-c. — its Wails rcfembling ihoFc J-ericho, 368. Lewis XIV. afraid of its Cellars, ibid. Uxelles, Marfhal de, 35*4. W W Ager, Admiral’s Arrival at Leghorn, whither he convoy’d the 13(5. Waldech, Prince, 21, ^7. M'^ales, Frederic, Pr. of, 447. Wallingford, Ld. his Marriage, 240. Walpole, Sir Robert, 45-0, 45-1. Walpot, Baron de, 3^0. Walrave, Colonel, 362. Wartemberg, Countefs de, 409, 410. Her innumerable Ad- ventures of Gallantry, 409. Wajfienaurs, Holla fid, Waterworks, finer than thofe of St, Cloud, 269. Watteville , Mademoifelle de, 311. Helderen, Count de, 407, 408, 409. Werf, Vander, a Painter, 3^9. I Wesel, t. 362. Weflminjhr Abbey and Palace, Wetz.ler Chamber, 3 '‘4. U hitehalf An Alphabetical Whitel uill. Palace, 45 f. lVl)i^Tvorth, Lady, her fmart Re- buke of Cardinal Corfini, for pretending to meddle with Houfhold Affctirs at Cambmy Congrefs, i Willi ci 7 n 1 . Pr. Aflaf- iination, 42 f. William III. Prince of Orange's Difpute for Precedency with the Count iVEjiradeSy 40 1 . Difputes adjufled relate- ing to his SuccelTion, 40J, 406. Charles-HenryyVxincc of, 4*2., 413. Windm ills Holland, 389. Windsor Palace, by whom built, 4 yo. Wirtemberg, Lewis, Pr. ol, his faying to the Genoefe, about Corjica, I yo. Alexander, V T. G^, 307. Wogan, Mr. in the Pretender’s Service, 61, 62. I N D E X, Wolfgang de Neaboargh, Duke, ^ 35 ' 9 - Wolfey, Cardinal, 45*0. Women Lying-in, a Protedlion to their Husbands, 396. Worms, fatal to the Dykes of Holland, 392, 393. Wr angel, Marfhal de, 309. M^urmbrandy Count de, ibid. Wuy tiers Barkman,^^.of Utrecht i 369. Wynendale Battle, to what the French aferibe the Lofs of it, ^i-3* Z Z Eist, t, 367. Count de, 412, 413. Zucaro, Painter, 39. Zumjangen, Marfhal de, 308, 309. f 1 N J S, / V. y V P:’ ■ Jch ^ * * • ^ ’ , ' ^ t t tig k* - . '» ■ ■ , , *, ’ i> >v » ■ i * . .'■tf . * » * ' . -i *•- . • '•V ■ > * ♦ ^ V 1 f ' V • / L V • -* •. > . . ^ * -• » i V y-': :/‘- r * ^ ;- •; . - i ^ '■■• A "nr • , , A. „•: 'I-' ^ jf I i 4 J » >1 t . ■ i«. * ' K j J*. • : :- -• 'V ' 'A w ■ .A% '!.'■• ’ ^ .. r" I 'fi • t i' 4 * ' ' V . :-r t. '* •, ' ' . ' ‘ '• ‘ *■ f • '.a- , '■. ■■■'■ -y '-V ■' ■ ,.V'/V-, ■ V' ;. .>• • .V . . ■ ' '• * s * ■ • ••. -t‘ ’. ot •., ' ••* y . ' ■ s "’ , L.i ‘’V.v . • -V r ^ • -'. •• ■. .W,-* ^ ,, > . , i;v'i ,■'■ », -<■ '/■*.. ^ . V - i-. iu.y . . . ,, V ’Z- . JBf -A •;;.«!• . i . . . r'\'M « « f