From Vienne I proceeded to Valence and Pont St. Esprit: In this latter Town I saw that
noble Bridge which is the Admiration of all Foreigners; ’tis one of the finest and most stately in Europe: It has 23 Arches, the Pillars of which are very large with Overtures, in the Nature of Doors, to give a freer Passage to the Rhone when its Waters swell. They say, that in these Pillars there are Vaults, where they us’d to put the Fanatics of the Cevennes: The Passage of this Bridge is defended by a Citadel.
From Pont St. Esprit ’tis but a little way to Avignon, which is a City of Provence that belongs to the Pope. Clement VI. purchas’d it of Joan Queen of Provence for a very moderate Sum; since which time it has ever been subject to the Holy See. The Popes made it the Place of their Residence for above 70 Years; but Gregory XI. re-establish’d the Holy See at Rome about the Year 1377. Several Factions arising afterwards among the Christian Princes on account of the Election of the Popes, some of the Anti-Popes liv’d here. The Cathedral, which is magnificent tho’ very ancient, is dedicated to our Lady of Dombes. Avignon is in general a very well built City, the Streets being broad, strait and lightsome. The adjacent Country is charming and very fruitful, and I thought there was nothing wanting in it but a greater Number of Inhabitants.
I took Post at Avignon, and went to Aix, which is the Capital of Provence, and an Archbishop’s See; there are also a Parliament and an University: This is without Dispute one of the finest Towns in the Kingdom: I was charm’d with the Beauty of the Course, which is the Rendezvous of People in the Summer Evenings:
’Tis in the middle of a fine spacious Street, the Houses whereof are truly magnificent, and several beautiful Rows of Trees adorn’d with Fountains make it a very pleasant Walk. The middle Row, which is separated from the rest by a Rail, is for the Foot Passengers. From one End of the Course there’s a Prospect of the Country, and the other is limited by the City. At the End next to the Country there’s a Fountain, and a Balustrade of white Marble Breast-high. There’s another Course without the City, which is bigger than the former, and every whit as beautiful. The Metropolitan Church of St. Saviour is remarkable for its Baptismal Font, which is a Piece of admirable Structure: ’Tis all of white Marble, supported by filetted Columns, that compass it in Form of a little Dome. This Church has a very high Tower, which is a Hexagon, and much esteem’d by good Judges.
The Palace where the Parliament assembles is a noble Building, in the Rooms whereof no Cost has been spar’d for Gilding, Painting and Carving. The great Hall is adorn’d with Hangings of blue Velvet, sprinkled with Fleurs de Lys of Gold: The King’s Throne with the upper and lower Seats are cover’d with the like Tapistry: The Persons that compose the Parliament of Aix are almost all Men of Quality, which contributes very much to make a Man’s Residence here agreeable: The Nobility in this Place live with Distinction. Besides the Parties made for Gaming, and the Walks, there are Concerts of Music upon certain Days of the Week, to which Foreigners are admitted Gratis, the Musicians being paid by a certain Number of People of Quality, who hire them for the whole Season.
After Five or Six Days Stay at Aix, I set out for Marseilles: This is an Episcopal City of Provence, which by being situate on the Mediterranean is one of the most considerable Cities in France for Commerce, and engrosses almost the whole Trade of the Levant. ’Tis divided into the upper and lower Towns: The former is the Old Marseilles, the Houses of which are very dark, and the Streets narrow and very irregular. In this Part stands the Cathedral of our Lady la Major.
The Lower Town is very fine, the Streets broad, most of ’em strait, and the Houses very magnificent, especially those by the Side of the Course, which is one of the finest in the World: ’Tis very much like that at Aix. This Part of Marseilles owes its Embellishment and Aggrandizement to Lewis XIV. who caus’d Works to be erected there worthy of so great a Prince. Marseilles has a noble Harbour, it being a large Bason, almost encompass’d with Houses, and defended by Two Castles, of which that on the Right Hand is very high, and commands a great way at Sea: That on the Left contains the Arsenal, which is one of the finest that I have seen, and every thing in it is so regularly dispos’d, that it forms a charming View.
The Harbour of Marseilles is the Station for the King’s Galleys, on board of which there’s a great Number of Slaves, who do almost all the hard Work; they load and unload the Ships: Some of ’em are allow’d to walk about the Town and to trade, but are obliged to pay something to the Man that accompanies them, and to lie aboard at Night. Others, who are charg’d with enormous Crimes, are fasten’d Two, Three and Four together to great Chains, which does not