I went from Louvain to Brussels, and from thence to Ghent[50], which is the Capital of Spanish Flanders, and one of the biggest Cities in Europe. It stands four Leagues from the Sea, is water'd with three Rivers, the Scheld, the Lys, and the Lise, and adorn'd with fine Squares and noble Buildings. The great Clock is worth seeing; it weighs 11000 Pounds, and is erected upon a Dragon, which Count Baldwin brought from Constantinople. A Canal has been dug from this City to the Sea, which is of very great Service to its Trade.
'Twas at Ghent that Charles V. was born, who granted this City extraordinary Privileges; yet the Inhabitants were so ungrateful as to rebel against this Emperor, who resolv'd to punish them for it; and that he might go the nearer way to work with 'em, ventur'd upon the Parole of Francis I. to pass thro' France, in order to come at them. He chastis'd those Rebels with such Severity, that they had no reason to boast that this Emperor was their Countryman. He caus'd twenty-five of their principal Citizens to be executed by the common Hangman, banish'd a greater number of them, confiscated their Estates, and took away all their Privileges. In fine, Ghent which was one of the most considerable Cities in Europe, soon became a Desert; and Charles V. to leave a Monument
of his Wrath to Posterity, caus'd a Fortress to be built, which is still the Citadel of this Place, and is of great Consequence to the Emperor, when he happens to be at War with France; for when the French are Masters of Ghent, the Navigation of the Scheld is interrupted; and in case of a War, 'tis better to see them Masters of Brussels than of Ghent: For I remember, that in 1708, while the Allies besieg'd Lisle, the French being then Masters of Ghent, incommoded their Army very much. This City is finely recover'd since Charles the Vth's Time. The States of Flanders have their Assemblies here, and the Emperor commonly signifies his Will and Pleasure to them, by the Governor-General of the Netherlands residing at Brussels.
From Ghent I went thro' Courtray and Menin to Lisle[51], which is the Capital of French Flanders, and one of the best and most beautiful Towns of that Government. It belong'd formerly to the King of Spain, till 1667, when Lewis XIV. took it in Person. The Garison then consisting of but 6000 Men, was not strong enough to check the Progress of the French Arms, so that after nine Days open Trenches the Place was taken. Lisle was left in the Possession of France by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1668; but in 1708, the Allies after a tedious and toilsome Siege, made themselves Masters of it. At last, however, this City reverted to France by the Treaty of Utrecht. The Inhabitants were so overjoy'd at their not being left in subjection to the Dutch, which they were afraid of, that on the Day the Place was evacuated, they made Bonfires in all parts of
the Town; and not without Cause, for after they fell under the Dominion of the Dutch, their Trade stood still, those new Guests chusing rather to send for what they wanted from Holland, than to make use of the Manufactures of this City. But with the French the Case was otherwise, for they bought their Necessaries in the City, and liv'd with the Inhabitants on perfect good Terms.
Lewis XIV. made Lisle one of the finest Places in Europe. Its Streets are magnificent, and particularly the Street Royale, built in the Reign of that Monarch. 'Tis very strait, and adorn'd on both sides with very fine Houses built alike. In this City resides the Governor of Flanders. The Marshal de Boufflers was succeeded in this Government by the Duke his Son. When I was here, the Prince de Tingry, Governor of Valenciennes, officiated in this Government for the said Duke, who was then under Age.
I was so impatient to be at Paris, that I made no stay in any Place upon the Road, till I arriv'd there. I alighted at a Bagnio, and the first Sally I made abroad was to pay my Devoirs to Mademoiselle de S——. Absence had not damp'd my Flame, and I was only glad to see Paris again, in hopes of finding out her whom I ador'd. But how was I surpriz'd when the Mother of that lovely Damsel came to welcome me with a Flood of Tears, and told me, that I must think no more of her Daughter, for that she died about a Month ago in the Province of Perigord, whither she went to accompany a Lady of her Acquaintance! I was so thunder-struck at this News, that I was not able to speak. I fainted away, was carried back to my Lodgings, and was that Moment let blood;
but 'twas some time after it before I came to my self, and then I did nothing but give my self up to Sorrow. Mine was no longer an inward Grief, but vented it self in such continual Exclamations interrupted with Sighs, that every one who saw me believ'd I was going the way of all Flesh; or that, at least, I should be out of my Senses: And truly they were not much mistaken, for I was so in a great measure. In this unhappy Situation did I remain five whole Days, at the end of which the Mother of S—— came to make me a Visit; and at her entring into my Room, she told me, that her Daughter was not dead; and that she had just receiv'd a Letter from her, by which she acquainted her, that she should soon be at Paris. This sort of Resurrection was as reviving News to me, as the former was mortifying. I felt a surprizing Revolution in my Spirits; and am of Opinion, that if 'tis possible to die with an Excess of Joy or of Grief, I had share enough of both those Passions within a short Space of Time not to survive them. But I was reserv'd by Fate for other Adventures.
In Fact, I was hardly recover'd from the several Shocks which I had lately undergone, but was forc'd to bear the Brunt of another. The Occasion of this was, meeting at the House of a Lady of my Acquaintance with a Friend of S——, whose Name was Madame de R——; and who had been married for some time, by the Advice of her Parents, to a Man far advanc'd in Years. The young Lady hated her Husband more heartily than is common for Girls of sixteen that marry to Men of above sixty. I had seen her formerly, but she was then so young, that I did not much mind her: And happy
wou'd it have been for me, if I had always view'd her with the same Indifference! But when I came to see her after her Marriage, her Beauty, her fine Presence and her noble Deportment made a very sensible Impression on me. I was pitch'd upon to play at Cards with her and another Lady, and all the time she did nothing but rally me upon my Amour with S——, and hinted several times to me, that the Lady was not deserving of the Heart I had set upon her. As I could not guess to what all this Discourse tended, when the Game was over I went with the Lady to a distant Window, and there begged her for God's sake to explain her self. She stood out a long while, on pretence that she should be oblig'd to tell me what would only make me uneasy: But all these Delays rendering me still the more impatient to know what it could be, I press'd her to such a degree that at last she consented to let me into the Secret. You won't take a Denial, I see, said she: Well then, if you must know, you shall. But you must thank your self for it, if I tell you what will heartily vex you; for I know your Temper, and to what a Degree you are smitten. You think, continu'd she, that S—— is in the Country, but you are mistaken; for she is at Paris, and has never been out of it all the time. She is as much in love with the Marquis de V——, as he is with her. She keeps no Company now but him. Two Months ago she remov'd from her House in the Suburb of St. Antoine, where she then liv'd, because she heard you was coming to Town. The truth is, she did not care you should reproach her to her Face; and being in Hopes that you might forget her, she sent to let you know, that she was dead; but hearing that you was so inconsolably melancholy, it mov'd her to pity you, and she has now