extraordinary; to which you may give as much, or as little Credit as you please. ’Tis, that God, in order fully to answer Charlemagne’s Desire to complete the aforesaid Number of Bishops, of which there wanted two, permitted St. Monulphus, and St. Gondulphus, Bishops of Tongres, who had been both dead a long time, and buried in the Church of St. Servais, at Maestricht, to appear visibly at the Solemnity of this Coronation, and to receive the Pope’s Blessing; after which they vanish’d. But I think, without pretending to dive into this Mystery, that if these two Bishops were really Saints, they ought to have given the Pope their Blessing, as being older Saints than the Holy Father. Mean time, that there is such a Story, you are not to doubt; for in the Roof of the Church of St. Servais at Maestricht, I saw a Picture that represents it. There is an Angel holding out a Label in the Language of Brabant, signifying, Monulphus and Gondulphus, arise, and go to the Consecration of the Church of Aix: And upon their Tomb there is this Latin Distich, expressing their Departure from thence to the Church at Aix la Chapelle.
Excitus bâc arcá Monulphus, Aquisque dicato Gondulphus Templo se reddit uterque Hierarcha.
After such authentick Evidences of so extraordinary a Passage, a Man must be very incredulous not to believe it. I should never have done, were I to give you an Account of all the precious Reliques that are in our Lady’s Church, of which you know that the Emperor is by Birth a Canon. The great Reliques are only shown once every seven Years, when Pilgrims come from all Parts, and particularly from Hungary; but as they are then only exposed from the Top of a Steeple,
the poor Creatures have only the Satisfaction of seeing them at a very great Distance; and after having been regaled by the City of Aix, most of ’em return Home, without being able to say what they have seen. The first and most ancient Relique, is the Shift which the Holy Virgin had on when she was delivered of our Lord. Whenever these Reliques are exposed, a Priest makes a Proclamation to the People, what Relique he is going to shew them. The following is the Form of one of those Proclamations.
At the first Relique.
We shall shew you the Linen, the sacred Raiment, in which the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, was drest the Night of the Holy Nativity of Our Lord, when she brought forth Jesus Christ, Very God and Very Man. Therefore let us beseech God, that we may look upon this sacred Relique in such a Manner, that the Honour and Glory of God may be thereby advanced, and that we may obtain his Grace, and his sacred Benediction.
The other Proclamations are in the same Taste: But so much for Reliques.
In the Church of Aix, there is a very great Treasure, consisting of Vessels of Gold and Silver gilt, Copes embroider’d with Pearls, and other sacred Ornaments, which are very rich. There is the Royal Chair, in which Charlemaign sate in his Tomb three hundred and twenty-five Years. ’Tis of white Marble, not polished, because it was covered with Plates of Gold; but what’s become of ’em, I know not. ’Tis in this Chair that the King of the Romans goes and seats himself as soon as he is consecrated; and here the Electors, and the Chapter of the Church, go and
make their first Obeisance to him, in Quality of King of the Romans. The High Altar, and the Pulpit, are covered with Plates of Gold, adorned with Jewels of a great Value, especially an Agate of an extraordinary Size; the Whole given by St. Henry of Bavaria, the second Emperor of the Romans of that Name. Were I to give you all the other Particulars of this Church’s Treasure, my Letter would swell to a Volume.
The Citizens of Aix, being in Hopes to have that Congress there, which was held afterwards at Soissons, caused their Town-house to be repaired; so that ’tis now one of the finest in Germany. They also built new Baths, very proper and commodious, and the Structure makes a handsome Appearance. Aix, take it all together, is a very pretty Town, and there’s very good Company here, even when the Waters are not in Season; but the noisy Pleasures are not to be expected. The Houses of the Countess de Golstein, and the Baron of Dobelstein, are of great Relief. The last is a Gentleman of Merit, and of a good Family, his Father having been a General Officer in the Service of Joseph Clement, Elector of Cologne; and having served in France, the last War, with Reputation. He honoured me with his Friendship, and I revere his Memory.