laid Siege to St. Sebaftian, which held but Twenty-five Days, when both the Town and Caftle furrender'd.

As long as the War continued with Success in Spain I never left foliciting at the Royal Palace, but always in vain. I fpent moft of my Time in the Regent's Antichamber, and now and then went for Recreation to the Houfe of Madame de R-, whom I have not had the Honour of mentioning to you for a good while, but my Paffion was now grown cool, fo that all thofe Vifits were but a melancholy Relief in the Situation that I then stood in. My Friends made me reflect feriously on the small Hopes I ought to entertain of fucceeding at the Court of France. The Abbe de Asfeld perceiving the Anxiety I was under, took the Advantage of it to drive me, as I may term it, from a Place where I loft my Time, and spent the little Money I had to no Purpofe; therefore I left Paris once more, and travell'd by the Way of Metz, to avoid the troublesome Questions of the King's Lieutenant at Toul.

I pafs'd thro? St. MENEHOULT, which is a Town in Champagne, built in a Morafs, between Two Eminencies. A little after I was there, it had the Misfortune to be burnt. I was told, that the Jews of Metz offer'd to rebuild it intirely, on condition they might be permitted to have a Sy. nagogue there.

From St. Menehoult I went to VERDUN, an Epifcopal City, whofe Bifhops take the Titles of Counts of Verdun, and Princes of the Holy Empire. This Diocese makes Part of the Three Bishopricks yielded to France by Lorrain. The Cathedral is dedicated to our Lady. In this Church

Church there's a Well, which is preferv'd there for a Supply of Water in cafe of Fire, becaufe the Place being on a very high Ground, it would be difficult to bring Water to it.

From Verdun I went to METZ, where I made fome Stay. This is a very large Town, at the Conflux of the Mofelle and the Seille. It was heretofore the Capital of Auftrafia, and afterwards reckon'd as an imperial City till 1552. that the Constable of Montmorency made a Conqueft of it for Henry II. King of France. The Emperor Charles V. try'd in vain to retake it, when the Duke of Guife, who commanded in the Place, acquir'd great Reputation in the Defence of it, and oblig'd him to raise the Siege, at which the Emperor was fo mortify'd, that he refign'd his Dominions, and retir'd to a Cloyster. Metz, Toul and Verdun were confirm'd to France in 1559. by the Treaty of Chateau-Cambrefis, and this Ceffion was afterwards confirm'd by the Peace of Munster in 1648.

The Cathedral of Metz, which is dedicated to St. Stephen, is a Church of greater Note for its Antiquity than for its Beauty. The most remarkable Thing in it is its baptifmal Font, which is of one intire Piece of Porphyry about 10 Foot in Length.

There is very good Company at Metz, and I fhould have been glad to have ftay'd there longer, if my private Affairs would have permitted it. There is a Parliament, which confifts of a good Number of Men of Quality, who are all very rich. Befides, here is always a strong Garifon, and feveral Perfons of eafy Fortunes, who commonly spend the Winter here. When I was here, M. de Saillant was the commanding Offi

cer.

cer. He liv'd with Splendor, and I commonly din'd with him, and fupp'd with the Intendant of the Province, who was then M. de Celi of the Harlay Family, and was very much esteem'd.

When I fet out from Metz, I ftruck into the Road for Germany, and went to SPIRES. This Town may be confider'd as a Monument of the Ravage of War, there being a great many Ruins to be seen in it, which are the Remains of the Houses burnt by the French, in the War they made for the Deftruction of the Palatinate. It was formerly the Seat of the Imperial Chamber, which after 'twas ruin'd, was transfer'd to Wetzlar. Spires is the See of a Bifhop Suffragan to the Bishop of Mentz.

I pafs'd the Rhine at Spires, over a Bridge of Boats, and arriv'd in a few Hours at Heidelberg, from whence I went to Stutgard, and fo to ULM.

This is one of the most confiderable Cities in Germany, and has magnificent Structures both facred and prophane, and great Squares adorn'd with Fountains. Our Lady's, which is the most confiderable of all the Churches, belongs to the Lutherans, who are the Magiftrates of the City but the Roman Catholics are allow'd the free Exercife of their Religion here. This City was formerly but a Village, which Charlemain granted to the Abbey of Reichenau. The Inhabitants of Ulm redeem'd their Liberty on the Payment of a confiderable Sum, after which they got their Town made an Imperial City, and at laft it became the Capital of Swabia.

Ulm is very well fortify'd; it maintains a ftout Garifon, and its Ramparts are furnish'd with + See Vol. I. p. 276.

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good Cannon; nevertheless, the Elector of Bavaria took it with Eafe in the Beginning of the late War, when that Prince declar'd for his Nephew the King of Spain, tho' 'tis faid, his Electoral Highness had a Correfpondence at the fame time in the Town. But the Battle of Hochftet help'd to restore it to its Liberty, and notwithftanding the Menaces of the Marfbal de Villars, it receiv'd an Imperial Garison,

From Ulm I went to AUGSBOURG†, a very ancient City, where a Roman Colony was planted by the Emperor Auguftus, from whom it had the Latin Name Augufta. It has from time to time undergone feveral Revolutions: In 1518 Luther came hither to give a public Account of his Doctrine and in 1530, Charles V. fummon'd the Dyet of the Empire hither, which Dyet was famous for the noted Confeffion of Augsbourg, that the Proteftants prefented to the Emperor. In another Dyet held in 1548, the fame Charles V. propos'd that Formulary call'd the Interim, with regard to the Communion in both Kinds, and the Marriage of Priefts: This Formulary has done irreparable Injury to the Catholic Religion.

Augsbourg had a very great Share in the Civil Wars between our Ancestors, on account of Religion. During that Period, the Proteftants feiz'd the City, and turn'd out the Bishop and Clergy; but Charles V. having retaken it, reestablish'd the Romifb Religion in it, and alter'd the whole Government, which continued in that State till the Beginning of April 1552. when the Proteftants took it again, and reftor'd what the Emperor had deftroy'd; and at length a Peace was concluded at Augsbourg; but the City did See Vol. I. p. 273.

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not long enjoy the Sweets of it, and Violences were foon committed on both Sides. The famous Guftavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, came to the Aid of the Proteftants. He arriv'd at Augsbourg in 1632. The Inhabitants paid him extraordinary Honours, which was very provoking to the Catholic Princes, and to the Duke of Bavaria, who Two Years after punish'd them for it. This Prince having declar'd himself the Protector of the ancient Religion, befieg'd Augfbourg, and reduc'd the Citizens to fuch Extremity, that they eat Rats, Cats, and even human Flefh. It was fettled at the Peace of Weftphalia, that the Catholics and Lutherans fhould tolerate one another, which was afterwards punctu ally obferv'd. Nevertheless, this City was again molested by the Elector of Bavaria in the laft War, when he made himfelf Mafter of it, but his Troops abandon'd it immediately after the Battle of Hochftet. After the Peace of Weftphalia, the Emperor Leopold fummon'd the Dyet of the Empire to Augsbourg in 1690, and there he caus'd himself to be crown'd, and his Son Jofeph to be elected King of the Romans.

The affembling of the Dyets, and the flourishing Trade at Augsbourg, have render'd it one of the most magnificent Cities in Germany. Its Squares are large, its Streets fpacious, and its Fountains very beautiful. The Town-Houfe is one of the finest Buildings that I have feen. 'Tis a vaft fquare Edifice, well-built of Free-ftone, The Porch is all of Marble. Almost all the Rooms are wainscotted and ceil'd with very fine Timber. There's a Hall 110 Feet long, 58 broad, and 52 Feet in Height, the Pavement of which is Marble, and its Walls adorn'd with Paintings, intermix'd with Emblems and Devices

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