The Town-House has nothing very remarkable, every thing being very plain. In the great Hall I observ’d the Figures of Queen Anne of England, Frederic I. King of Prussia, Frederic William the Great Elector of Brandenbourg, and the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel; which are all so many Proofs of those Princes Communion with the Genevese. You know that they are all of the Calvinist Religion, and very careful not to suffer any other Sect to herd with them. The Lutherans have a little Chamber there, which serves for their Church, they being expresly forbid to build one. As for the Roman Catholics, they are look’d upon at Geneva to be all Idolaters; insomuch that the late King of France had much ado to get Leave for Mass to be said at his Resident’s House: The Genevese Ministers at the Time that Lewis XIV. caus’d this Demand to be made of the Republic, employ’d all their Engines to hinder its being granted; but all their Measures were in vain: and they were given to understand, that it would be imprudent to disoblige so great a Prince.
The Reverend Gentlemen their Ministers make so considerable a Figure in the State, that I must just mention them. They are reverenc’d as so many Bishops; every one of them in his respective Pulpit issues his Mandate, and decides Matters of Faith in the Dernier Resort: But tho’ they are all of the same Religion, they are some times very different from one another in Opinion. Nevertheless, be they ever so divided one among another, they join hand in hand when they have a Mind to inveigh against the Pope, the Court of Rome, the Bishops, and especially the Jesuits; for they can’t endure the latter: And ’tis rare for a Minister to be so much
Master of his Temper, as to keep strictly to his Text, without rambling from it to lash those Fryars.
As to the Gentlemen of the Government, it must be confess’d they are very charitable. They have caus’d a magnificent Hospital to be built, on which they have settled great Revenues, and where the Poor are very well maintain’d. Here poor Passengers are admitted for one Day, and, after having been entertain’d with Lodging and Food, are dismiss’d the next Day, with some Money in their Pockets to proceed in their journey. This same Hospital serves also for a House of Correction for loose young Fellows and Women, over whom the Police at Geneva carries a very strict Hand. I wish I could say as much of the Trading Part of this City, who it may be are very civil People; but the Dispute I had with one of the most eminent of them, makes me very much suspect their Honesty; and this was what gave me an Opportunity to know a little of the Character of the Tradesmen of Geneva. ’Tis true, that I had nothing to do but with one of them; but as I was recommended to him alone, as a Man of the greatest Integrity in Geneva, I think I do not judge rashly of all the rest, by laying no more Dishonesty to their Charge than what I met with in this so much applauded Banker.
When I was preparing to quit Geneva, I had about the Value of 400 Pistoles, Part old Species and Part Spanish Pistoles; but I heard at the same time, that such Pieces were prohibited to pass in France, and therefore I was advis’d to get rid of them, and to take Bills of Exchange for them upon Lyons. I made no Hesitation to comply with this Advice, and went to find out
the Man that was recommended to me for the honestest Banker in all Geneva. As Bills began at that time to sink very much in Credit, I bargain’d with him, that I should not be put off at Lyons, upon any Pretence whatever, with any thing less than ready Money. As all this was only verbal, the Banker made me the most solemn Promise, and back’d it with an Oath, that it should be as I would have it. Relying on Promises, which were in Appearance so authentic, I told down my Money, and when he took it, he added, That if the Banker at Lyons should happen to refuse me Specie, I need only send him back his Bill of Exchange, and I might depend on being paid in ready Money. Not doubting of this honest Man’s Sincerity, I set out from Geneva with his Bill of Exchange, and a small matter of Money that I had reserv’d, just to bear my Expences on the Road. As soon as I came to Lyons, I went to the Banker to whom the Genevese directed me, and presented my Bill of Exchange, for which I saw he was going to give me Paper; but I immediately refus’d to be paid in that sort of Coin, and told him the Agreement I had made at Geneva. He said to me, that he was not oblig’d to stand to an Agreement which he was no ways privy to, and advis’d me to send back my Bill to Geneva. I took his Advice, and wrote to my Banker, that what we had agreed upon would not be comply’d with; but he was so tedious in returning me an Answer, that I thought once I should have had neither Money nor Bills, and that by consequence my Case would have been very melancholy, the little Sum I had reserv’d for my Journey to Lyons being soon spent. However, at Three Weeks End the Genevese Banker sent
back my Bill of Exchange, and stiffly deny’d that he had made any other Bargain with me, than that I should be paid in the Current Money, which was Bills. I plainly perceiv’d that there was no Remedy but Submission, therefore I took the Bills and set out Post from Lyons for Paris.
I found great Alterations in this City since I was here last. The Peace with Spain was establish’d: Most of the Prisoners that had been concern’d in the Prince of Cellamare’s Affair, were then at Liberty: Some, indeed, that were the most guilty, or the most useless to the State, had been banish’d the Kingdom; and the greatest Part were retir’d to Spain, where I saw some of them in such a poor Plight, that they wish’d themselves again in the Bastille, where they were at least well fed.
The Duke Regent, for his Part, after having thus pacify’d some Persons to whom his Authority gave Umbrage, had made Provision also for the Establishment of some of his Daughters. For the One he had provided the Abbey of Chelles, upon the Resignation of Madame de Villars, who was the Abbess. The Second, who was call’d Madamoiselle de Valois, had been just marry’d to the Hereditary Prince of Modena, and set out with a Paraphernalia more grand than what is given to the Daughters of France. The same Honours were paid to her upon the Road, as are commonly paid to the Daughters of the King; and that there might be Substance answerable to all this Splendor, the Duke of Modena had bargain’d for a very considerable Portion, payable in the Species of Italy, rather than be expos’d to all the Revolutions of the French Coin; in which that Prince made a