Riches and Honour, not content with having banish’d her out of the Kingdom, abandon’d her to the Want of every thing; and while himself liv’d in the Luxury of the most splendid Fortune, he made the Queen suffer the Martyrdom of Misery and Sorrow. Cardinal Mazarin, his Successor in the Ministry, retir’d likewise to this Town, while the whole Kingdom of France was in a Conspiracy against him; but he had the Glory to defeat it.
I shall say nothing to you of the Revenues of this City, because I have seen nobody that could give me the least Insight into that Matter. It maintains some Companies of very sorry Soldiers, who keep Guard at the Gates, at the Town-house, and very insolently search the Luggage of all Comers; which is, certainly, of all Inconveniencies the greatest; because when one is not above two hundred Steps from our Quarters, we are obliged to unloose our Portmanteaus, which are then search’d, and every thing turn’d topsy-turvy; after which, one is obliged to be at the Trouble of putting every thing to rights again, while the very Fellows, that have put all in Confusion, have also the Impudence to ask for a Spill of Money to drink. In other Towns, an Officer goes with you to your Quarters, and you shew him what you have. But the Imperial Cities always affect to differ from others in certain Particularities, which are generally in direct Opposition to their own Interest, and constantly so to the Convenience of the Public.
There are Protestants settled here, who are not the poorest People in the City. They go to Church at Mulheim, a Village in the Country of Berg, about half a League off.
I set out To-morrow for Bonn, where the Elector is expected every Hour. He comes from Mergendahl, where he has been elected Grand Master of the Teutonic[92] Order, tho’ the Pope thought he
had Benefices enough before. This is actually the Sixth which the Elector holds at this Time, and I believe the Seventh will not escape him. The least of all brings him in a hundred thousand Crowns a Year. I don’t think there’s any Harm in the Plurality of Benefices, but in the Abuse of ’em; which is a Thing that cannot be charged to the Score of the Elector. I shall let you know in my next, what I think of this Prince’s Court. In the mean time, and always, I am with the most perfect Esteem, &c.
LETTER XLVII.
SIR,Bonn, July 30, 1732.