The great Church of Heidelberg since the Peace of Westphalia belongs half to Roman Catholics, and half to the Calvinists, of whom the former have the Choir, and the others the Body, and nothing but a thin Partition separates the two Communions. The Choir not being big enough to contain the Catholics when the Court resided at Heidelberg, the Elector propos'd to the Calvinists to yield him the Body of the Church, alledging that not only the Choir was too scanty, but that he shou'd be very glad that the Church in which the Palatine Princes lie interr'd were altogether Catholic. He promis'd at the same time that another Church should be built for them larger and finer than what they were to yield to him. The Calvinists said that the great Church had been granted to them by the Treaty of Munster; that all the Princes who were Guarantees of the Peace of Westphalia were engag'd to preserve them in the enjoyment of it; that therefore they could not give it up without violating that Treaty, which was their Security, and without rendring themselves unworthy of the Protection of the Protestant Powers. The Elector, in order to remove those Obstacles, consented that the Powers who were Guarantees of the Westphalian Treaty of Peace, in which the Church he desir'd was expressly mentioned, should be Guarantees of the Church which he promis'd should be built for them: But all these Offers how reasonable soever were not accepted by
the Calvinists. The Elector being thereby incens'd, made use of his Sovereign Authority, and took by force what they were not willing to yield to him; whereupon the Calvinists had recourse to the Protestant Princes of the Empire, the Lutherans as well as the Calvinists, who constituting but one Body and one Communion when the Catholics are to be oppos'd, united together, and engag'd in their Quarrel the Kings of Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia, and the States-General. These Powers caused the Catholic Churches in their Dominions to be shut up, sequester'd the Estates of the Convents, and made such Clamors and Menaces that the Elector was oblig'd to reinstate the Calvinists in the Nave of the Church; but he was so angry with the Inhabitants of Heidelberg for their Disrespect to him that he remov'd his Residence to Manheim. The Burghers were not very sorry at first for the Departure of the Court; for being accustom'd to its Absence, they flattered themselves that the Tribunals of the Regency, which, since the Accession of the Newbourg Family to the Electorate, had constantly been kept at Heidelberg, would remain there still. But they were soon thrown into the utmost Consternation when they saw those Tribunals follow the Elector. They went and cast themselves at the Feet of their angry Sovereign, and asking his Pardon for having affronted him, they offer'd him the Church which was the cause of his Displeasure, and conjur'd him to return to their City. But all their Supplications were fruitless; the Elector was stedfast in his Resolution to punish Heidelberg, and abandon'd it for ever. Heidelberg having no Trade, and subsisting only by the Court, or by the Tribunals of the Regency, of which it was totally depriv'd, falls now into decay, and will, no doubt, e'er 'tis long dwindle to little or nothing.
The Elector's Palace is higher than the City, and situate in such a manner that there's a Prospect from the great Apartments quite through the Opening between the Mountains, by which the Necker runs into the Plain. The Palace is built of Free-Stone, and is a magnificent Structure. The greatest part of it was burnt by the French when they destroy'd the Palatinate: The Lodging-Rooms that are subsisting are very substantial, tho' not built in the modern Taste. The Apartments are large, but want Ornament, especially since they have been stript of their Furniture. The Gardens were formerly reckon'd the finest in Germany; but there's scarce any thing left of them except the Place where they flourished. If one may judge of what they were by their Situation, they must have been very pleasant, by reason of the extensive Prospect they afforded into the Country.
I do not intend to detain you with an Account of the famous Tun, Misson having given a more exact Description of that than of many Towns which he treats of. You will in his Travels find a Cut of this Vessel, which will give you a more perfect Idea of it than any Narrative whatsoever. The Elector John-William, the Predecessor of the present Elector, gave a Companion to this Tun, which is not altogether so large, but much more adorn'd. They are both full of Wine. I remember that in 1719, when I was at the Palatine Court, the Elector ask'd me at Table whether I had seen the Great Tun; and upon my saying that I had not, that Prince, than whom there was not a more gracious Sovereign in the whole World, told me he would carry me to it. He made a Proposal to the Princess his Daughter, who was marry'd to the hereditary Prince of Sullzbach, to go thither after Dinner was over; which she accepted. The Trumpets led the way, and the Court followed in
great Ceremony. When we had mounted the Platform which is over the Tun, the Elector did me the honour to drink to me out of the Wilkom, which was a Silver gilt Cup, of a large dimension. He took it off clean at one Draught, and having caused it to be replenished, sent it to me by a Page. Good Manners, and the Respect I ow'd to the Elector's Commands, not permitting me to refuse the Chalice, I begg'd heartily that he would suffer me to drink it off at several Draughts; which was indulg'd me; and the Elector talking in the mean time with the Ladies, I took the opportunity of his Absence, and made no scruple to deceive him, for I return'd great part of the Wine to the bottom of the Tun, threw a part of it on the ground, and the rest, which was the least part of it, I drank. I thought my self well off that he did not perceive in what manner I bubbled him; for I saw he was very well pleased with me. Then several other great Glasses went round, and the very Ladies wet their Lips, which was the thing that effectually contributed to demolish us. I was one of the first that was overpower'd. I perceived those convulsive Motions that threaten'd me if I drank any more, therefore I sneak'd off and made the best of my way down from the Platform. I was endeavouring to get out of the Vault, but was stop'd at the Door by two Life-Guard Men, who with their Carabines crossing each other, cry'd, Stand, there's no coming this way. I conjur'd them to let me pass, and told them that I had very important Reasons for my departure; but I might as well have talk'd to the Wind. I found my self in a terrible Quandary: To get up again to the head of the Tun was Death: What would become of me I could not tell. In short I crept under the Tun, and there hoped to hide my self; but it was a fruitless Precaution: There's no avoiding a Man's Destiny. It was my
Fate to be carry'd out of the Vault, and to know nothing of the matter. For the Elector perceiv'd I was a Deserter, and I heard him say, Where is he? What's become of him? Let him be look'd after, and brought up to me dead or alive. The Guards at the Door being examin'd said that I came that way in order to get out, but that they sent me back again. All these Inquiries, which I heard from my Hole, made me burrow my self the more. I crept under the Covert of a couple of Boards I met with by chance, where nothing but a Cat, Devil, or Page could possibly find me out. But a little Page, who was indeed both Devil and Page too, ferreted me, and baul'd out like one that was mad, Here he is! Here he is! and then I was taken out of my Covert. You may imagine what a silly Figure I made. I was carry'd before my Judge, who was the Elector himself. But I took the liberty to challenge both him and all the Gentlemen in his Retinue, as being Parties in the Cause. Alas! my little Gentleman, said the Prince to me, You refuse us for your Judges; I will appoint you others then, and we shall see whether you come off any better. He nominated the Princess his Daughter, and her Ladies to try me, and the Elector was my Accuser. After pleading my own Cause they put it to the Vote, and I was condemn'd unanimously to drink as long as I could swallow. The Elector said, that as he was the Sovereign he would mitigate my Sentence; that I should that day drink four Pint Glasses of Wine, and that for a Fortnight running I should tip off the like Glass to his Health immediately after Dinner. Every body admir'd the Elector's Clemency, and whether I did or not, I was fain to do as they did, and to return him Thanks. Then I underwent the heaviest part of my Sentence; I did not lose my Life indeed, but for some Hours I lost both my Speech and my
Reason. I was carry'd to a Bed, where when I came to my self I was told that my Accusers were in the same pickle as I was; and that none of them went out of the Vault in the same manner as they enter'd it. Next day the Elector was so good as to mitigate the remaining part of my Sentence, and excus'd me from the Penance to which I was condemn'd, upon my promising him that I wou'd make one at his Table for a Month to come.
I am, &c.