As I came to Bonn, two Days before the Return of the Court, I had all that time to walk about. This City stands upon the Rhine, five Leagues from Cologne; from whence one travels to it thro’ one of the finest Roads in the World, well-pav’d and planted with Trees, over a large fruitful Plain, encompassed with Hills laden with Vines and Woods. This is a City so very ancient, that Florus tells us ’twas founded by Drusus. The Learned say, ’tis

the Ara Ubiorum of the Ancients, mention’d by Tacitus. Be this as it will, Bonn has not the least Monument that favours of the Roman Magnificence; is now but a little City, and of no Consequence at all, when the Court is not there. ’Twas heretofore very well fortify’d, and has sustained several Sieges, particularly one in 1689, by Frederic Elector of Brandenbourg, afterwards King of Prussia, who besieged it at the Head of his own Troops, and those of Munster and Holland; and lost a great many Men before it. His tall Musqueteers, all French Gentlemen and Protestants, distinguished themselves in an extraordinary manner; for, being just come out of France, with a Spirit of Hatred and Revenge against Lewis XIV. who, by repealing the Edict of Nantes, had forced them to abandon their Country, they performed such valiant Feats as were surprising, and were never weary of Fighting; every Frenchman that was a Catholic, being odious to them. St. Bonnet, their commanding Officer, a Man of Birth and Bravery, was killed as he was storming the Breach in Quality of Volunteer. This Officer thought it was an Injustice to him, that he was not appointed to command the Storm, and complained of it to the Elector; who told him, That he knew very well ’twas his Due, but that he thought it best to spare an Officer for whom he had a very great Esteem. St. Bonnet said, He did not think it would be for his Reputation to stay behind; and therefore he begged his Electoral Highness, by all Means, not to let him lose an Opportunity, which would undoubtedly procure him the Honour of convincing him of his Zeal. The Elector, by way of Reply, laid his absolute Commands on him, not to think of Fighting, but to continue always near his Person. St. Bonnet, ambitious of Glory, and, perhaps, hurry’d by his Fate, did not pay Obedience to the Elector’s

Commands, and was wounded by a Musquet Ball, of which he died two Days after, very much regretted by his Master, and the whole Army.

During this Siege, Bonn was reduced to a Heap of Rubbish, so that scarce a House was left standing; for the Baron d’Asfeldt, who commanded in the Place for Lewis XIV. made a very stout Defence; having sustained a Blockade of two Months, and twenty-seven Days open Trenches.

This City was again besieg’d in 1703, by my Lord Duke of Marlborough, who obliged the Marquis[93] d’Alegre, now Marshal of France, to capitulate at the End of eleven Days. It had been agreed by the Treaty of Utrecht, that the Dutch should keep Garison in Bonn; but the Elector Joseph Clement, not long after his Re-establishment, found Means to turn them out, and to be Master, as it was but reasonable, in his own Territories.

This same Prince, at his Return from France, found his capital City in a sorry Condition; a great many Houses destroy’d in the last Siege, were not yet rebuilt, and his own Palace lay in Ruins. But he set about the Repair of every thing; and in short, in a few Years, not only caused the old Houses to be rebuilt, but likewise erected a great many new ones, and built a Palace, which makes a grand Appearance, and would have been one of the most considerable Structures in Germany, if it had been brought to Perfection. The main Body of it, which is quite finish’d, has spacious Apartments, laid out with Art, richly adorn’d, and nobly furnish’d. The Tapestry with which the Chapel is hung upon grand Festivals, is worth seeing. It represents, in twelve great Pieces, the History of our Lord’s Nativity; which is wonderfully

well designed; and they may be reckon’d the Master-pieces of the Gobelins, where the Elector Joseph Clement, caused them to be made.

The principal Church of this City is a large Pile. They say it was founded by St. Helena, the Mother of the Emperor Constantine, to the Honour of the Holy Martyrs Cassius Florus, and Malusius, Soldiers of a Roman Legion. The Statue of that Princess, in yellow Copper, is placed at the Extremity of the Nave. The Saint is represented on her Knees, adoring the Cross, which she holds in her Left-hand. The Attitude of this Statue is so very noble, that it would certainly be esteemed, if it were in any Church of Rome.

Tho’ the Elector has all the Pleasures that can be desired at Bonn, yet he spends most of his Time at Bruhl, a House he caused to be built three Leagues out of Town; which, tho’ not very large, has very fine Apartments, adorned with every thing that is completely elegant and magnificent. The Elector is making some Gardens to it, which are like to be exceeding fine when finish’d.

The late Elector caused a Castle to be erected, about one Quarter of a League from Bonn, near a Village called Popelsdorff, which was built in Form of a Circus, and the Architecture of it was very singular; but the present Elector has been pleased to pull down a Part of it, and to employ the Materials in the Works at Bruhl. Near Popelsdorff, there’s a Nursery very well laid out, and kept in neat Order.