All these Houses are an Embellishment to the Suburbs of Bonn, which are moreover very agreeably situate. I was infinitely more delighted here, than at Cologne; for Bonn grows every Day finer, while the latter is decaying.
After having walk’d about here a great deal, expecting the Elector’s Return, this Prince is at
length arrived, together with Duke Ferdinand his Brother. He was welcom’d with the Discharge of the Cannon, and complimented by all the Persons of Distinction in Town, upon his Return, and upon his Advancement to the Grand Mastership of the Teutonic Order. Next Day there was a Gala at Court, when the Elector was dress’d in a Lay Habit, and wore a Sword; at which every body was surprized, because the Dress which is most affected by the Electors of Cologne, is like that of the Cardinals: But the Elector declared, he appeared in that Habit, as Grand Master of a Military Order.
His Electoral Highness has a just Title to be called Clement Augustus; for he has a stately Mien, is handsome, and of easy Access, and loves Pleasures, and particularly Hunting, as much as his Condition will admit of. His regular Life, and the Soundness of his Morals, may serve for an Example to many older Prelates, that are not so powerful, nor so nobly descended. He lived in his Infancy at Gratz, together with the Princes his three elder Brothers. The Elector, his Father, sent him afterwards, with Duke Philip his Brother, to Rome. The Marquis Santini, a Native of Lucca, a Commandeur of the Order of Malta, and a Lieutenant-General in the Service of Bavaria, was appointed for their Governor. Duke Philip was chose Bishop of Paderborn and Munster. The Gentleman who was very instrumental in his Election, was the Count de Plettenberg, now the Elector’s Prime Minister, who was then purely attach’d to that Prince, from the Devotion he always had for the House of Bavaria; and Duke Philip dying not long after his Election, the Count prevailed on those two Chapters, to chuse the young Duke Clement-Augustus for their Bishop. This Prince received his Bulls from the Pope’s own
Hand, at Rome; and afterwards went and took Possession of his Bishoprick. Not long after this, the Elector of Cologne, his Uncle, caused the young Prince to be appointed his Coadjutor: And upon the Death of Joseph Clement, Clement Augustus succeeded him also in the Bishoprick of Hildesheim. After the Death of the Duke of York, Ernest-Augustus, Duke of Brunswic-Lunenbourg, and Bishop of Osnabruck, he was chose for Successor to that Prince’s Episcopal See; and he is just now elected Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, by the unanimous Choice of the Knights, who have Commanderies in that Order.
The Enemies of the House of Bavaria murmur sadly to see half a Dozen of such great Benefices in the Possession of one Prince; What! say they, one Bishop to hold so many Bishopricks! there are few Instances of the like in all our Annals; ’tis not agreeable to the Canons of the Church. I am not so well versed in the Canon Law, as to determine, whether it be so or no; but I am not ignorant, that other Princes have held as many, and even more Benefices; and that ’tis for the Welfare and Interest of the Church, that the Elector should be a powerful Prince. Albert, Cardinal of Brandenbourg, was at the same time Archbishop of Mentz and Magdebourg. The Archduke Leopold held nine great[94] Benefices; but it was not said in his Time, that this was not agreeable to the Canons of the Church. Francis of Newbourg, the last Elector of Mentz, tho’ not a Priest, held five Bishopricks and Abbies, and yet there was no Outcry against him; why then should it be thought so strange, that the Elector should have six? This Prince is not inferior either in Birth or
Merit to the Archduke Leopold, and to the Prince of Newbourg.
Tho’ I am not a Pensioner to the Elector, I cannot help saying, that the Catholics, instead of clamouring against his Grandeur, ought, on the contrary, to do every thing they can to increase it: For the several Bishopricks held by this Elector, are so surrounded, and even indented, by the Dominions of the greatest Protestant Powers, that neither of them, separately, would be able to defend itself, in case it should be the Misfortune of Germany to be exposed to a religious War; whereas, being united under one Head, they are a formidable State.
But, say the Grumblers again, Bernhard de Galen was only Bishop of Munster, and yet he made Holland tremble. This is very true; but they don’t consider, that this Prelate was supported by all the Power of Lewis XIV., or else, as turbulent and as martial as he was, he would never have entertained a Thought of attacking the Seven Provinces. But admitting that he had been able to have made War singly with the Republic, what does that signify to the Time present? The Face of Europe, and particularly of Germany, is very much chang’d since his Death. The Protestants, who were then weak, are become powerful. They are the Masters of Commerce, which is the Fountain of Wealth; and they have Provinces, the best situate that can be, for receiving Foreign Succours. The Catholics, on the contrary, are exhausted, divided in Interest, and their Dominions impoverished by the Loss of Manufactures, and the Want of Trade. Therefore, I say it again, ’tis my Opinion, that instead of opposing the Grandeur of this Elector, they are obliged by Interest, to contribute their utmost to augment it,
in order to furnish Religion and the Church with an able Protector.