When I set out from Ratisbon I took the shortest Road, which was to go thro’ Nuremberg, Wurtzbourg and Francfort: I stopp’d a few Days at Wurtzbourg[34], one of the richest and most considerable Bishopricks in the Empire: The Bishop assumes the Title of Duke of Franconia: He, who then possess’d this See, was of the Family Schonborn: This Prelate kept up a Court and Houshold as considerable as any Prince in Germany: I saw him in all his Glory upon the
Festival of the Patron of the Cathedral: He went from his House to the Church, with a Pomp truly Royal. I saw first the Bishop’s Harbinger, follow’d by all the Domestics and Gentlemen of his Court: Then came Six Coaches, drawn each by Six Horses, with the Bishop’s Arms: Afterwards there follow’d Two of the Prince’s Running-Footmen, and 24 of his other Footmen, all dress’d in his Livery, which was Purple, with Lace of green Velvet, mix’d with Silver Lace, and they had Waistcoats of green Cloth, lac’d with Silver: After the Footmen march’d 18 Pages with Cloaks of the Bishop’s Livery, lin’d with green Sattin: These were follow’d by above 50 Gentlemen, who walk’d immediately before a stately Coach, in which the Prince rode alone: His Master of the Horse, and the Captain of his Guards walk’d on Foot by the Sides of the Coach, which was guarded by Two Files of the Hundred Swiss, dress’d in the antique manner: 50 Life-Guards in Habits of purple Cloth lac’d with Silver, and with Bandoleers of green Velvet, lac’d also with Silver, follow’d the Coach: The March was, clos’d by Three fine Coaches, drawn each by Six Horses, with the Bishop’s Arms: Arriving with this Train at his Cathedral, he was receiv’d at the Gate by all the Chapter in a Body: A Domicellaire carry’d the Banner of Franconia, and the Marshal of the Bishop’s Court bore the Sword of State, to denote the Sovereignty of the Duchy of Franconia: The Prelate being conducted to the Vestry, and there array’d in his Pontificalibus, walk’d into the Choir: His Throne was rais’d Three Steps from the Floor, and plac’d under a magnificent Canopy, all of Tapistry, with a Silver Ground: As soon as he was seated the
Office began, by a very fine Piece of Music, perform’d by the Bishop’s Musicians: After a very short Anthem the Prelate took the Holy Sacrament from the Altar, and carry’d it in Procession out of the Church: He went all round the Cathedral with it, preceded by the Domicellaire, and the Marshal of his Court, bearing one the Banner of Franconia, and the other the Sword: The Streets thro’ which the Procession pass’d were lin’d with 4000 Men of the Bishop’s Troops, which he had order’d into the Town to give the greater Splendor to the Ceremony: When the Procession was return’d to the Church, Mass was sung to Music, and the Bishop officiated: The Ceremony being ended, he return’d to his Palace, with the same Train that attended him to the Church.
The City of Wurtzbourg resembles the Magnificence of its Bishop, and has Buildings both sacred and profane, which are very grand: I will give you a more particular Account of some of them, after I have added a Word or Two of the City itself: ’Tis an ancient City, and has been subject to many Revolutions: ’Twas taken in 1526 by the Peasants of Swabia and Franconia, who rebell’d against their Lords upon a Supposition that Luther, who at that time preach’d up Rebellion against the Authority of the Pope, would likewise approve of their Revolt from their Sovereigns: Luther, however, instead of approving of their Conduct, wrote strenuously against them, but there was a Necessity of employing other Methods than Remonstrances to reclaim them: George Truchses of Waldbourg, Colonel of the Swabian League, soon reduc’d them to their Duty: He fac’d them with a good Number of Soldiers, and the Peasants were so
rash as to make Head against them; for which, however, they suffer’d dearly, for they were defeated in several Engagements; and I was assur’d, that it cost the Lives of above 50,000 of them: After this Defeat Wurtzbourg remain’d quiet till William of Grumbach, who had some Complaint against the Bishop, caus’d him to be assassinated: The Chapter of Wurtzbourg prepar’d to revenge the Death of their Bishop, but Grumbach resolv’d to prevent them, and putting himself at the Head of 1200 Men, he surpriz’d the City in 1563, abandon’d it to the Pillage of his Soldiers, and by that means forc’d the Chapter to come to Terms with him: The Emperor Ferdinand II. being soon inform’d of Grumbach’s Transactions, put him under the Ban of the Empire; whereupon Grumbach retir’d to John-Frederic, Duke of Saxony, Son to that John-Frederic whom the Emperor Charles V. had degraded from the Electoral Dignity: This Misfortune of the Father ought to have been a Warning to the Son not to grant his Protection to such a Rebel as Grumbach: Nevertheless, it was no Restraint to him: The Emperor, incens’d at such Conduct, put the Duke also under the Ban of the Empire, and charg’d Augustus, Elector of Saxony, to see the Ban put in Execution: This Elector acquitted his Commission so well, that he secur’d John-Frederic, and sent him to the Emperor, who caus’d him to be committed Prisoner to Neustad, where, after 26 Years Imprisonment, the unhappy Prince dy’d: Grumbach, who was also arrested, was condemn’d to be broke alive, and his Accomplices were beheaded.
Ever since this Expedition Wurtzbourg has enjoy’d a profound Tranquillity; which has render’d
it so rich and powerful as it is at this Day: Its Buildings both sacred and profane, as I have already had the Honour to mention to you, are very magnificent, and its Cathedral is a vast great Building, which contains immense Wealth: All the Ornaments of the Altar, the Pulpit, and the Two great Candlesticks before the Altar, are of solid Silver, as are also several Statues of our Saviour, the Holy Virgin, and some Saints as big as the Life: Besides all this Wealth there are beautiful and magnificent Hangings in the Choir, which represent some Passages of the Old Testament History: The Choir is higher than the Nave by several Steps: The High Altar consists of Four Pillars of black Marble, which form a Semicircle, and support a Cupola of Wood gilt, and very curiously wrought, which has on the Top of all a Ducal Crown: There are Chapels in the Body of the Church, where Vessels of Gold and Silver cast a Lustre on all Sides: The Bishop was building a Chapel by the Cathedral, which, when finish’d, must be very magnificent, for the Inside was to be lin’d throughout with Marble, which that Prelate had sent for from Italy for the Purpose: He hasten’d it the more, because, said he to me upon a time, I design to have my Bones laid there. Perhaps this Prince was persuaded in his Mind that he had not long to live, for within a few Months he dy’d: He was succeeded by Christopher-Francis of Houtten de Stoltzenberg, heretofore a Member of the Chapter of Wurtzbourg.
Besides the Cathedral there are several other fine Churches to be seen here, of which that of the Jesuits is one of the most magnificent: I afterwards went to see the Castle, which stands upon a Hill that looks over all the Town and Country:
The Road that leads to it is very rough, and so incommodious for Coaches, that the late Bishop abandon’d it, and chose to dwell in a particular House in the Town, till the noble Castle which he was building was finish’d: I could not help thinking it wrong in him to leave a Structure so magnificent, and so suitable for a Sovereign, in which it may be said, that no Cost has been spar’d: ’Tis encompass’d on all Sides with Ramparts and other Works, which secure it from any Attack: The Inner Rooms of the Castle are indeed ancient, but they have lost nothing of that Air of Grandeur which denotes it to have been the Residence of a Prince: I never saw any thing look so fine as the Vaults in this Castle, which, because they can have no more Day-light than what peeps in at the Door, are illuminated by a great many Candles upon gilded Sconces: These Vaults are full of Barrels, most of which are of a monstrous Size, and they are all adorn’d with Carving, and full of Wine, of which they don’t fail to let Foreigners have a Taste.
As we go from the Court of the Castle one enters the Court of the Arsenal, which is a Building of Brick and Free-Stone: The lower Rooms are perfectly well arch’d over, and contain about 160 Brass Guns, the Generality of which are 24 Pounders, and some carry from 40 to 48 Pound Ball. The Pillars that support the Arch are garnish’d as well as the Walls with all the Instruments that are necessary for Gunners, and with every thing belonging to a Train of Artillery, even to the Harness of Horses: The Bases were adorn’d with Boxes full of Musket-Balls: Underneath there are large fine Cellars stor’d with Provisions enough to maintain 6000 Men for a