The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume III / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

humbled it in 1661, and since that time it has always been subject to the Bishops its Sovereigns. 'Twas at Munster that was held the famous Assembly of Westphalia, which establish'd the Fortune of many Sovereigns, and the Religion of their Subjects. The Peace which was there sign'd serves also as a Basis for all the Treaties that are made at this time. The Treaty of Munster imported in substance, "That Maximilian Duke of Bavaria should remain in Possession of the Electorate of the Counts Palatine, which had been given him by the Emperor Ferdinand II: That Charles Lewis Count Palatine should be restor'd to his Principality, and be created an eighth Elector for himself and his Descendants. That the Protestants should have their Churches and the free Exercise of their Religion, on the Footing as it was in 1624; and that they should retain the Church-Revenues, of which they had been possess'd ever since the first of January, that Year: That Sweden should have Hither-Pomerania, a Part of the other Pomerania, the Island and Principality of Rugen, the Town and Port of Wismar, Archbishopric of Bremen, and the Bishopric of Verden, with the Title of a Duchy: That the Elector of Brandenburg should have the Bishoprics of Halberstadt, Minden and Camin, with the Farther-Pomerania: That France should have the intire Sovereignty of Metz, Toul, and Verdun, and the Dependencies thereof, that of Pignerol and Brisac, the Landgraviate of Upper and Lower Alsace, &c. That the Confederates should restore the Towns they had taken, and disband their Troops; and that the seven Circles of the Empire should

furnish five Millions of Rixdollars for the Pay of the Swedish Soldiers." Such were the Conditions of this Peace, which was not very advantageous to the Catholic Religion.

The Bishop who had the See of Munster while I was there, was of the Family of Metternich, and at the same time Bishop of Paderborn. I did not stay long in that City, but proceeded thro' Dusseldorff, where I found the whole Court return'd from Francfort.

From thence I set out for Cologne[35], where M. Happe who was appointed by the King to levy the Contributions which Luxembourg and other neighbouring Countries were oblig'd to pay, entertain'd me very civilly, gave me an Apartment at his House, and made me exceeding welcome.

I stay'd some time in this City, which is a very flourishing Town by reason of its convenient Situation for the Trade of their Merchants, who have great Vessels constantly going up and down the Rhine, to Francfort and Holland. 'Tis a pretty large City, but always very dirty and ill pav'd, and the Houses are for most part very old, and consequently dark and incommodious. The City is governed by a Senate, which does not depend on the Elector, whose Power is very much limited, he having no Authority but in Criminal Affairs; yet he is allow'd Sovereign Command for three Days, after which if he stays at Cologne he is no more regarded than a private Gentleman. This is the reason that the Prince commonly resides at Bonn, and that he only goes to Cologne on the Eves of the Grand Festivals, to officiate there. Nevertheless the City is oblig'd

to pay Homage to the Elector, and to swear Fidelity to him, on Condition that he preserve them in the Enjoyment of their Privileges; which is a Condition that the Elector can scarce violate were he ever so much inclin'd to it, because 'tis the City that maintains the Garison, and is Mistress of the Arsenal.

The Catholic is the only Religion that is allow'd to be exercised at Cologne. Nor are Protestants admitted into the Senate, or any Employment in the City, but go to preach at Mulheim, a little Town in the Country of Berg, which belongs to the Elector-Palatine.

I had not the Honor of seeing the Elector, who by reason of the Misfortunes he had suffer'd in the late Wars, was oblig'd at that time to live in France. His Name was Joseph-Clement of Bavaria. He possess'd the Bishoprics of Hildesheim and Liege, together with the Archbishopric of Cologne. He died the 12th of November 1723, after having caus'd his Nephew the Duke Clement of Bavaria, Bishop of Munster and Paderborn to be chose Co-adjutor of Cologne.

The Archbishops of Cologne are Great Chancellors of the Empire in Italy, but don't officiate as such; for most of the Princes of Italy pretend to be independent of the Empire, or call themselves perpetual Vicars thereof; and in this Quality they perform what the Emperor might do within the Extent of their Jurisdictions. This however extends only to common Cases, for in extraordinary ones they are oblig'd to have recourse to the Imperial Court. Then 'tis the Elector of Mentz alone who officiates in quality of Chancellor of Germany; and 'tis he that has the Custody of the Archives and Titles which relate to Italy.