was believed consented he was put in Prison as he came out of the Cathedral By the common consent both of the Popiâ—â— and Protestant Communities a Law was long ago made against Eâ—â—lesiastical Immunities this attempt on â—he Dean was made four years ago as soon as he was let oâ—â— he went to Rome and made great complaints oâ— the Bishop and it was thought the Popish party intended to moâ—e in the Diet while we were there â—or the repealing of thâ—â— Law but they did it not The foundation of â—he Quarâ—â— between the Bishop and Dean was the Exemptions to which the Dean and Chapter pretended and upon which the Bâ—shâ—p made some Invasion Upon which I took occasion â—o shew him the novelty of those Exemptions and that in the primitive Church it was believed that the Bishop had the Authority over his Presbyters by a divine right and if it was by a Divine Right then the Popâ— could not exempt them from his obedience but the Bishop would not carry the matter so high and contented himself with two maxims the one was That the Bishop was Christ's Vicar in his Diocess and the other was That what the Pope was in the Catholick Church the Bishop was the same in his Diocess He was a good-natured Man and did not make use oâ— the great Authority that he has over the Papists there to set them on to live uneasily with their neighbours of another Religion That Bishop was antiently a great Prince and the greatest part of the League that carries still the name of the House of God belonged to him tho I was assured that Pregallia one of those Communities was â— â—ree State above six hundred years ago and that they have Records yet extant that prove this The other Communities of this League bought their liberties from several Biâ—hops some considerable time before the Reformation of which the Deeds are yet extant so thâ—t it is an impudent â—hing to say as some have done that they shook off his Yoke at that time The Bishop hath yet reserved a Revenue of about one thousand pound Sterling a Year and every one of the Prebâ—ndaries hath near two hundred pound a Year It is not easie to imagin out of what the Riches of this Country is raised for one sees nothing but a tract of vast Mountains that seem barren Rocks and some litâ—le Vallies among them not a mile broad and the best part of these is washed away by the Rhine and some Brooks that fall into it but their wealth consists chiefly in their Hills which afford much pasture and in the hot months in which all â—he Pasture of Italy is generally parched the Cattle are driven into these Hills which brings them in a Revenue of above two hundred thousand Crowns a Year The Publick is indeed very poor but particular persons are so rich that I knew a great many there who were believed to have Estates to the value of one hundred thousand Crowns Mr. Schovestein that is accounted the richest man in the Country is believed to be worth a Million I mean of Livres The Government here is purely a Commonwealth for in the choice of their Magistrates every man that is above sixteen Years old hath his Voice which is also the constitution of some of the small Cantons The Three Leagues are the League of the Grisons that of the House of God and that of the ten Iurisdictions They believe that upon the incursions of the Goths and Vandals as some fled to the Venetian Islands out of which arose that famous Common-wealth so others came and sheltred themselves in those Valleys They told me of an ancient inscription lately found of a Stone where on the one side is graven Omitto Rhetos Indomitos and ne plus ultra is on the other which they pretend was made by Iulius Caesar the Stone on which this inscription is is upon one of their Mountains but I did not pass that way so I can make no judgment concerning it After the first â—orming of this people they were cast into little States according to the different Valleys which they inhabited and in which Justice was administred and so they fell under the power of some little Princes that became severe Masters but when they saw the Example that the Switzers had set them in shaking off the Austrian Yoke above two hundred years ago they likewise combined to shake off theirs only some few of those small Princes used their authority better and conâ—urred wiâ—h the people in shaking off the Yoke and so they are still parts of the Body only Haldenstein is an absolute Soveraignty it is about two miles from Coire to the West of the other side of the Rhine the whole Territory is about half a mile long at the foot of the Alps wheâ—â— there is scarce any breadth The authority of these Baroâ—â— was formerly more absolute that it is now for the Subjects were their Slaves but to keep together the liâ—â—lâ— Village they have granted them a power of naming a list for their Magistrates the person being to be named by the Baron who hath also the Right of Pardoning a Right of Coyning and every thing also that belongs to a Soveraign I saw this little Prince in Coire in an Equipage not suitable to his Quality for he was in all poinâ—â— like a very ordinary Gentleman There are three other Baronies that are Members of the Diet and subject to it the chief belonged to the Arâ—h-Duke oâ— Inch-pruck the other two belong to Mr. Schoven-stain and Mr. de Mont they are the Heads of those Communities of which their Barâ—nies are composed they name the Magistrates out of the lists that are presented to them by their Subjects they have the right of pardoning of conâ—iscations That belonging to the House of Aâ—stria is the biggest it hath five voices in the Diet and iâ— can raise twelve hundred Men. One Travâ—rs bought it oâ— the Emperor in the year 1679. he entred upon the Righâ— of the ancient Barons which were specified in an agreement that past between him and his Peasaâ—ts and waâ— confirmed by the Emperour Travers made many iâ—croachments upon the Priviledges of his Subjects who upon that made their Complaints to the League but Travers would have the Matter judged at Inchpruck and the Emperor supported him in this Pretension and sent an Agent to the Diet I was present when he had his Audience in which there was nothing but General Complements But the Diet stood firm to their Constitution and asserted that the Emperour had no Authority to judge in that Matter which belonged only to them so Travers was forced to let his Pretentions fall All the other Parts of this State are purely Democratical there are three different Bodies or Leagues and every one of these are an intire Government and the Assembly or Diet of the Three Leagues in only a Confederacy like the Vnited Provinces or the Cantâ—ns There are sixty-seven Vâ—ices in the
and he is accounted the best of all their mordern Authors The other was Memoires of the Government and History of Venice which hath never been Printed and some say it is too â—incere and too particular so that it is thought it will be reserved among their Archives It hath been a sort of Maxim now for some time not to chuse a married man to be Duke for the Coronation of a Duâ—hesâ— goes high and hath cost above a hundred thousand Dâ—â—ats Some of the ancient Families have affected the Title of Prince and have called their branches Princes of the Blood and tho the Cornaro's have done this more than any other yet oâ—hers upon the account of some Principalities that their Ancestors had in the Islands of the Archipelago have also affected those vain Titles But the Inquisitors have long ago obliged them to lay aside all those high Titles and such of them as boast too much of their blood find the dislâ—ke which that brings on them very sensibly for whensoever they pretend to any great Imployments they find themselves alwayes exâ—luded When an Election of Ambassadors was proposed or of any of the chief Oâ—â—ices it was wont to be made in those terms that the Counâ—il must chuse one of its Principal Members for such an imployment But because this lookt like a term of Distinction among the Nobility they changed it five and twenty years ago and instead of Principal they use now the term Honourable which comprehends the whole body of their Nobility without any distinction It is at Venice in the Church as well as in the State that the Head of the Body hath a great Title and particular Honours done him whereas in the mean while this is a meer Pageantry and under these big words there is lodged only a ligâ—t shadow of Authority for their Bishop has the glorious Title of Patriarch as well as the Duke is caled their Prince and his Serenity and hath his name stampt upon their Coyn so the Patriarch with all this high Title hath really no Authority For not only Saint Mark 's Church is intirely exempted from his jurisdiction and is immediately subject to the Duke but his Authority is in all other things so subject to the Senate and so regulated by them that he hath no more power than they are pleased to allow him So that the Senate is as really the supream Governour over all persons and in all causes as the Kings of England have pretended to be in their own Dominions since the Reformation But besides all this the Clergy of Venice have a very extraordinary sort of Exemption and are a sort of a body like a Presbytery independent of the Bishop The Curats are chosen by the Inhabitants of every Parish and this makes that no Noble Venetian is suffered to pretend to any Curaâ—y for they think it below that dignity to suffer one of their body to engage in a competition with one of a lower order and to run the hazard of being rejected I was told the manner of those Elections was the most scandalous thing possible for the several Candidates appear on the day of Election and set out their own Merits and defame the other Pretenders in the sowlest Language and in the most scurrilous manner imaginable the secrets of all their Lives are publisht in most reproachful terms and nothing is so abject and ridiculous that is not put in practice on those occasions There is a sort of an Association among the Câ—rats for judging of their common concerns and some of the Laity of the several Parishes assist in those Courts so that here is a real Presbytery The great Libertinage that is so undecently practised by most sorts of people at Venice extends it self to the Clergy to such a degree that tho Ignorance and Vice seem the only indelible Characters that they carry generally over all Italy yet those appear here in a much more conspicuous manner than elsewhere and upon these popular elections all comes out The Nuns of Venice have been under much scandal for a great while there are some Nunnerys that are as famous for their strictness and exactness to their Rules as others are for the Liberties they take chiefly those of Saint Zachary and Saint Laurence where none but Noble Venetians are admitted and where it is not so much as pretended that they have retired for Devotion but it is owned to be done meerly that they might not be too great a Charge to their Family They are not vailed their neck and breast is bare and they receive much company but that which I saw was in a publick Room in which there were many Grills for several Parlors so that the conversation is very confused for there being a different company at every Grill and the Italians speaking generally very loud the noise of so many loud Talkers is very disagreeable The Nuns talk much and very ungracefully and allow themselves a liberty in Rallying that other places could not bear About four years ago the Patraiarch intended to bring in a Reform into those Houses hut the Nuns of S. Laurence with whom he began told him plainly they were Noble Venâ—tians who had chosen that way of life as more convenient for them but they would not subject themselves to his Regulations yet he came and would shut up their house so they went to set fire to it upon which the Senate interposed and ordered the Patriarch to desist There is no Christian State in the World that hath expressed a Jealousie of Church mens getting into the publick Councils so much as the Venetiâ—ns for as a Noble Venetian that goes into Orders loses thereby his right of going to vote in the great Council so when any of them are promoted to be Cardinals the whole kinâ—red and family must during their lives withdraw from the great Council and are also incapable of all imployments And by a clause which they added when they received the Inquâ—sition which seemed of no great consequence they have made it to become a Court absolutely subject to them for it being provided that the Inquisitors should do nothing but in the presence of such as should be Deputed by the Senate to be the Witnesses of their proceedings those Deputies either will noâ— come but when they think fit or will not stay longer than they are pleased with their proceedings so that either their absence or their withdrawing dissolves the Court for a Citation cannot be made a Witness cannot be examined nor the leaâ—â— point of Form carried on if the Deputies of the Senate aâ—â— not present and thus it is that tho there is a Court of Iâ—quisition at Vâ—nice yet there is scarce any person broughâ— into trouble by it and there are many of the Protestaâ—â— Religion that live there without any trouble and tho there is a Congregation of them there that hath their exercises of Religion very regularly yet the Senate gives them no trouble It is true the
entertaiment such as it is from Your â— POSTSCRIPT I told you that in Bern the Balliages are given by a sort of a Ballot which is so managed that no mans Vote is known but I must now add that since I was fiâ—st there they have made a considerable regulaâ—ion in the way of Voting when Offices are to be given which approaches much nearer the Venâ—tian method and which exposes the competitors more to chance and by consequence may put an end to the Intrigues that are so much in use for obtaining those Imployments There is a number of Balls put into a Box equal to the number of those that have right to vote and that are present of these the third part is guilt and two parts are only silvered so every one takes out a ball but none can vote except those who have the guilt balls so that hereafter a man may have more than two thirds sure and yet be cast in a competition There is one thing for which the Switzers in particular those of Bern cannot be enough commended they have ever since the Perseâ—ution began first in France opened a Sanctuary to such as have retired thither in so generous and so Christian a manner that it deserves all the honourable Remembrances that can be made of it such Ministers and others that were at first condemned in France for the affair of the Cevennes have not only found a kind Reception here but all â—he Support that could be expected and indeed much more than could have been in reason expected For they have assigned the French Ministers a penâ—ion of fâ—ve Crowns a month if they were unmarried and have increased it to such as had Wife and Children so â—hat some had above ten Crowns a month pension They dispersed them over all the Pais de Vaud but the greatest number staid at Lausaâ—ne and Vevay In order to the supporting of this charge the Charities of Zuriâ—h and the other neighbouring Protestant States were brought hither Not only the Protestanâ— Cantons but the Grisâ—ns and some small States that are under the protection of the Câ—ntonâ— such as Neufchastel S. Gall and some others haâ—e sent in their Charities to Bern who dispence them witâ— great disâ—retion and bear what further â—harge this Relief brings upon them and in this last total and deploâ—â—ble dispersion of those Churches the whole Country hâ—â— been animated with such a Spirit of Charity and Coâ—passion that every Mans house and purse has been opened to the Reâ—uâ—ies that have passed thither in sucâ— numbers that sometimes theâ—e have been above 2000. iâ— Lausanne alone and of these there were at one tiâ—â— near 200. Ministers and they all met with a Kindness and Free-heartedness that lookt more like some what oâ— the primitive Age revived than the Degeneracy of the Aâ—â— in which we live I shall Conclude this Postscrips which is already swelled to the bigness of a Letter with a sad Instance oâ— the Anger and heat that rises among Divines concerning Matters of very small consequence The midle way that Amirald Daiile and some others in Franâ—e took in the matters that were disputed iâ— Holland concerning the Divine Decrees and the extent of the Death of Christ as it came to be generally followed in France so it had some Assertors both in Gâ—neva and Switzâ—rland who denied the Imputation of Adams sin and asserted the Vniversality of Christ's death together with a sufficient Grace given to all men asserting with this a particular and free Decree of Election with an efficacious Grace for those included in it these camâ— to be called Universalists and began to grow very considerable in Geneva two of the Professors oâ— Diviniâ—y there being known to favour â—hose Opinions Upon this those who adhered strictly to the opposit Doctrine were inflamed and the Contention grew to that height that almost the whole Town came to be concerned and all were divided into parties If upon this the Magistrâ—teâ— had enjoyned silence to both parties they had certainly acted wisely for these are speculations so little certain and so little essential to Religion that a Diversity of Opinions ought not to be made the occasion of Heat or Faction But tho the party of the Vniversalists was considerable in Gâ—neva it was very small in Switzerland therefore some Divines there that adhered to the old received Doctrine drew up some Articles in which all these Doctrines were not only condemned together with some Speculations that were asserted concerning Adams Immortality and other qualities belonging to the state of Innocency but because Capâ—l and some other Criticks had not only asserted the novelty of the points but had taken the liberty to correct the reading of the Hebrew supposing that some errors had been committed by the Coppiers of the Bible both in the Vowels and Consonants in opposition to this they condemned all corrections of the Hebrew Bible and asserted the Antiquity of the Points or at least of the power and reading according to them by which tho they did not engage all to be of Buxtors's opinion as to the Antiquity of the points yet they shut the door against all Corrections of the present Punctuation If this consent of Doctrine for so they termed it had been made only the Standard against which no man might have taught without incurring censures tbe severity had been more tolerable but they obliged all such as should be admitted either to the Ministry or to a Professors Chair to sign sic sentio so â— think and this being so setled at Bern and Zurich it was also carried by their authority at Geneva but for those in office the Mâ—derator and Câ—erk signed it in all their names and thus they were not contended to make only a Regulation in those Matters but they would needs according to a maxim that hath been so often fatal to the Church enter into peoples Consâ—iences and either shut out Young Men from Imployments or impose a Test upon them which perhaâ—s some have signed not without Struglings in their Conscience Yet some that set on this Test or Consent are men of such extraordinary Worth that I am confident they have acted in this matter out of a sincere zeal for that which they believe to be the Truth only I wiâ—â— they had larger and freer Souls The only considerable Tax under which the Switzeâ— lie is that when Estates are sold the fifth part of the price belongs to the Publick and all the Abatement thâ—â— the Bâ—ilif can make is to bring it to a sixth part this theâ— call the Lod which is derived from Alodium only therâ— are some Lands that are Frank alod whiâ—h lie noâ— under this Tax but this falling only on the Sellers of Estatâ—s 〈◊〉 was thought a just Punishment and a wise Restraint oâ— ill Husbands of their Estates I was the more confirmed in the account I have giveâ— you of the derivation of Advoyer when I found that iâ— some small Towns in the Canton of
turn to those Councils by which his Family may make all the Hay they can during this Sun-shine And tho anciently the Cardinals were a check upon the Pope and a sort of a Council without whom he could do nothing even in Temporals yet now they have quite lost that and they have no other share in affairs than that to which the Pope thinks fit to admit them so that he is the most absolute Prince in Europe It is true as to Spirituals they reâ—ain still a large share so that in Censures and Definitions the Pope can do nothing regularly without their concurrence tho it is certain that they have not so good a Title to pretend to that as to a share in the Temporal Principality For if the Pope derives any thing from Saint Peter all that is singly in himself and it is free to him to proceed by what method he thinks best since the Infallibility according to their pâ—etensions rests singly in him yet because there was not so much to be got by acting Arbitrary in those matters and a Summary way of exercising this Authority might have tempted the World to have enquired too much into the grounds on which it is built therefore the Popes have let the Cardinals retain still a share in this Supremaâ—y over the Church tho they have no claim to it neither by any Diviâ—e nor Ecclesiastical Warrants But as for the endowments of the See of Rome to which they may justly lay claim as being in a manner the Chapter of that See there is so much to be got by this that the Popes have ingrossed it wholly to themselves and thus it is that the Government of this Prinâ—ipality is very unsteady Sometimes the Popes Fâ—mily are extreamly glorious and magnificent at others times they think of nothing but of establishing their Houâ—e Sometimes the Pope is a Man of sense himself Sometimes he is quite sunk and as the last Pope was he becomes a Child again through old age Sometimes he hath a particular Stiffness of Temper with a great Slowness of Understanding and an insatiable desire of heaping up Wealth which is the Character of him that now reigns By this diversity which appears eminently â—n every new Poâ—tificate that commonly avoids those Excesses that made the former reign odious the Councels of â—he Popedom are weak and disjoynted But if this is sensible to all Europe with relation to the general concerâ— of that Body it is much more visible in the Principality it self that is subject to so variable a Head There hath been in this Age a succession of four ravenous reigns and tho there was a short Interruption in the Reign of the Rospigliosi that coming after the Barbâ—rins the Pamphili and the Ghiâ—i's did not inrich it self and yet it disordered the Revenue by the vast Magnificence in which he reigned more in twenty nine Months time than any other had done in so many years The Altieri did in a most scandalous manner raise themselves in a very short and despised Reign and built one of the Noblest Palaces in Rome He that reigâ—â— now doth not indeed raise his Family avowedly but he doth not ease the People of their Taxes and as there is no Magnificence in his Court nor any publick Buildings now catrying on at Râ—mâ— so the many vacant Caps occasion many empty Palaces and by this means there is so little expence now made at Rome that it is not possible for the People to live and pay the Taxes which hatâ— driven as is believed almost a fourth part of the Inhabitants out of Rome during this Pontificate And as the preemption of the Corn makes that there is no profâ—â— made by the Owners out of the cultivation of the Soil all that going wholly to the Pope so there are no wayeâ— lest here of imploying ones Mony to any considerable Advantage For the publick Banks which are all in tâ—e Popes hand do not pay in effect three percent tho they pretend to give four per cent of interest The settlement is indeed four per cent and this was thought so great an advantage that Actions on the Popes Bank were bought at a hundred and sixteen the hundâ—ed But this Pope broke through all this and declared he would give all Men their Mony again unless they would pay him thirty percent for the continuing of this Interest and thus for a hundred Crowâ—s Principal one not only payd at first one hundred and sixteen but afterwards thirty in all one hundred six and forty for the hundred which is almost the half lost For whensoever the Pope will pay them back their Mony all the rest is lost And while I am here there is a report that the Pope is treating with the Genoeses for Mony at two per cent and if he gets â—t on those terms then he will pay his Debts and the Subjects that have put in Mony in this Bank will by this means lose six and forty per cent which is almost the half of their Stock A man of quality at Rome and an eminent Church-man who took me likewise for one of their Clergy because I wore the Habit of a Church-man said that it was a horrible Scandal to the whole Christian World and made one doubt of the Truth of the Christian Religion to see more Oppression and Cruelty in their Territory than was to be found even in Turky tho it being in the Hands of Christ's Vicar one should expect to find there the pattern of a mild and gentle Government and how said he can a Man expect to find his Religion here where the common Maxims of Justice and Mercy were not so much as known And I can never forget the lively reflection that a Roman Prinâ—e made to me upon the folly of all those severe Oppressions whiâ—h as they drive away the Inhabitants so they reduce those that are left to such a degeneracy of Spirit by their Necessities that the Spaniards whose Dominions look so big in the Map are now brought so low and if they had kept still the possession they once had of the Vnited Netherlands they would signifie no more towards their preservation than their other Provinces did which by their unskilful conduct they have both dispeopled and exhausted Whereas by their losing those Seven Provinâ—es those States havâ— fallen upon such wise Notions of Government and have drawn so much Wâ—alth and such numbers of People together that Spain it self was now preserved by them and was saved in this Age by the loss it made of those Provinces in the last and those States that if they had remained subject to Spain would have signified little to its support did that now much more considerably by being Aliâ—â—s than they could have done if they had not shaken off their Yoke Indeed if Spain had been so happy as to have such Viceroys and Governoâ—rs as it has now in Naples their affairs could not have declined so fast as they have done The
Rocks must have been a very visible thing by the Mountains of Rubbish that must have been brought out and by the vast number of Hands that must have been imployed in it so it is absurd to think that they could hold their Assemblies amidst the annoyance of so much corruption I found the Steams so strong that tho I am as little subject to Vapours as most men yet I had all the day long after I was in them which was not near an hour a Confusion and as it were a boyling in my Head that disordered me extreamly and if there is now so much stagnating Air there this must have been sensible in a more eminent and insufferable manner while there were vast numbers of bodies rotting in those Niches But besides this improbability that presents it self from the nature of the thing I called to mind a passage of a Letter of Cornelius that was Bishop of Rome after the middle of the third Century which is preserved by Eusebiâ—s in his sixth Book Chapter 43. in which we have the State of the Church of Rome at that time set forth There were forty six Presbyters seven Deacons as many Subdeacons and ninety four of the Inferior Orders of the Clergy among them there were also fifteen hundred Widows and other poor maintained out of the publick Charities It may be reasonably supposed that the numbers of the Christians were as great when this Epistle was writ as they were at any time before Constantine's dayes for as this was writ at the end of that long Peace of which both S. Cyprian and Lactantius speak that had continued above a hundred years so after this time there was such a succession of Persecutions that came so thick one upon another after short intervals of quiet that we cannot think the numberâ— of the Christians increased much beyond what they were at this time Now there are two particulars in this State of the Clergy upon which one may make a probable estimate of the numbers of the Christians the one is their Poor which were but fifteen hundred now upon an exact survey it will be found that where the poor are well looked to their number rises generally to be the thirtieth or fortieth part of mankind and this may be well believed to be the proportion of the Poor among the Christians of that Age For as their Charity was vigorous and tender so we find Celsus Iulian Lucian Prophiry and others Object this to the Christians of that time that their Charities to the Poor drew vaâ—â— numbers of the lower sort among them who made themselves Christians that they might be supplied by their Brethren So that this being the State of the Christiaâ—s then we may reckon the Poor the thirtieth part and so fifteen hundred multiplied by thirty produce five and forty thousand And I am the more inclined to think that this rises up near to the full sum of their numbers by the other Character of the numbers of the Clergy for as there were forty six Presbyters so there were ninety four of the inferior Orders who were two more than double the number of the Priests and this was in a time in which the Care of Souls was more exactly looked after than it has been in the more corrupted Ages the Clergy having then really more work on their hands the instructing of their Catechumens the visiting their Sick and the supporting and comforting the Weak being Tasks that required so much application that in so vast a City as Rome was in those dayes in which it is probable the Christians were scattered over the City and mixed in all the parts of it we make a conjecture that is not ill grounded when we reckon that every Presbyter had perhaps about a thousand Souls committed to his Care so this riâ—es to six and forty thousand which comes very near the sum that may be gathered from the other hint taken from the number of their Poor So that about fifty thousand is the highest account to which we can reasonably raise the numbers of the Christians of Rome in that time And of so many persons the Old the Young and the Women make more than three fourth paâ—ts so that men that were in condition to work were not above twelve thousand and by consequence they were in no condition to undertake and carry on so vast a Work. If Cornelius in in that Letter speaks of the numbers of the Christians in excessive terms and if Tertullian in his Apology hath also set out the numbers of the Christians of his time in a very high strain that is only to be ascribed to a pomâ—ous Eloquence which disposeth people to magnifie their own Party and we must allow a good deal to a hyperbole that is very natural to all that set forth their Forces in general terms It is true it is not so clear when those vast Cavities were dug out of the Rocks We know that when the Laws of the twelve Tables were made Sepulture was then in use and Rome being then grown to a vast bigness no doubt they had Repositâ—ries for their Dead so that since none of the Roman Authors mention any such work it may not be unreasonable to Imagine that these Vaults had been wrought and cut out from the first beginnings of the City and so the later Authors had no occasion â—o take notice of it It is also certain that tho Burning came to be in use among the Romans yet they returned back to their first Custom of Burying Bodies long before Constantines time so that is was not the Christian Religion that produced this change All our modern Writers take it for granted that the change was made in the times of the Antonius yet there being no Law made concerning it and no mention being made in an Age full of writers of any orders that were given for Burying-places Velseruâ—'â— opinion seems more probable that the Custom of Burning wore out by degrees and since we are sure that they once buried it is more natural to think that the Slaves and the meaner sort of people were still Buried that being a less expenceful and a more simple way of bestowing their Bodies than Burning which was both pompous and chargeable and if there were already Burying places prepared it is much easier to imagin how the Custom of Burying grew universal without any Law made concerning it I could not for some time find out upon what grounds the Modern Criticks take it for granted that Burying began in the times of the Antonins till I had the happiness to talk of this maâ—ter with the learned Gronovius who seems to be such a Master of all the Antient Learning 〈◊〉 if he had the Authors lying alwayes open before him he told me that it was certain the change from Burniâ—g to Burying was not made by the Christian Emperours for Maâ—robius lib. 7. chap. 7. sayes in plain terms that the Custom of Burning the â—odies of the Dead was quite
ever I saw in private hands together with a Noble Library in which there are Manusâ—ripts of good antiquity that belongs to the Family of Fesch and that goeth from one learned man of the Family to another for this Inheritanâ—e can only pass to a man of Learning and when the Family produceth none then it is to go to the publick In Basil as the several Cempaâ—ies have been more or less strict in admitting some to a Freedom in the Company that have not been of the Trade so they retain â—heir Privilâ—dges to â—his day For in such Compaâ—ies that have once received such a number that have not been of the Trade â—s grew to be the majority the Trade hath never been able â—o recoveâ— their Interest But some Companies have been more cautions and have never admitted any but those that were of the Trade so that they retain their Interesâ— still in Government Of these the Butchers were named for one so that there are alwayes four Butcâ—ers in the Council The great Council consisteth of two hundred and forty but they have no power left them and they are only assembled upon some extraordinary occasions when the little Council thinketh fit to communicate any important matter to them There are but six Bailiages that belong to Basil which are not imployments of great advantage for the best of them doth afford to the Bailiâ— only a thousand Livres a Year They reâ—kon that there are in Basil three thousand Men that can bear Arms anâ— that they could raise four thousand more out of the Canton so that the Town is almost the half of this State and the whole maketh thirty Parishes There are eighteen Professors in this University and there is a Spirit of â— more free and generous Learning stirring there than I saâ— in all those parts Theâ—e is a great decency of Habit iâ— Basil and the Garb both of the Councellors Ministerâ— and Professors their stiff Rufs and their long Beards have an Air that is August The appointments are but smalâ— for Councellors Ministers and Professors have but â— hundred Crowns a piece It is true many Ministerâ— are Professors so this mendeth the matter a little Bâ—â— perhaps it would go better with the State of Learninâ— there if they had but half the number of Proâ—â—ssors and if those were a little better incouraged No wherâ— is the rule of St. Paul of Womens having on theiâ— heads the Badge of the Authority under which they arâ— brought which by a phraâ—e that is not extraordinarâ— he calleth Power better observed than at Basil foâ— all the Marriâ—d Women go to Church with a Coiâ— oâ— their Heads that is so â—olded that as it cometh dowâ— so far as to cover their Eyes so another folding covereth also their Mâ—uth and Chin so that nothing 〈◊〉 the Nose appears and then all turns backward in a â—oling that hangeth down to their midleg This is alwâ—â—â— White so that there is there such a sight of White Heads in their Churches as cannot be found any where else The Unmarried Women wear Hats turned up in the brims before and behind and the brims of the sides being about a foot broad stand out far on both hands This fashion is also at Strasburg and is worn there also by the Married Women I mentioned formerly the constant danger to which this Place is exposed from the neighbourhood of Hunâ—ingen I was told that at first it was pretended that the French King intended to build only a small Fort there and it was believed that one of the Burgomasters of Basil who was thought not only the wisest man of that Canton but of all Switzerland was gained to lay all men asleep and to asâ—ure them that the suffering this Fort to be built so near them was of no importance to them but now they see too late their fatal Error For the place is great and will hold a Garrison of three or four thousand Men it is a Pentagone only the side to the Rhine is so large that if it went round on that side I believe it must have been a Hexagone the Bastions have all Orillons and in â—he middle of them there is a void space not filled up with earth where there is a Magazine built so thick in the Vault that it is proof against Bombs The Râ—mparts are strongly faced There is a large Ditch and before the Cortine in the middle of the Ditch there runs all along a Horn work which is but ten or twelve foot high and from the bottom of the Rampart there goeth a Vaulâ— to this Horn-wâ—rk that is for conveying of men for its defence before this Horn-work there is a half Moon with this that is peculiar to those new Forâ—ifications that there is a Ditâ—â— that cuts the halâ— Moon in an Angle and maketh one half Moon within another beyond that there is a Counterscarp about twelâ—e foot high aboâ—e the Water with a covered Way and a Glaâ—y designed tho not executed theâ—e is also a great Hâ—rn-work besides all this which runs out a huge way with its Out-works towards Bâ—sil there is also a Bridge laid over the Rhine and there being an Islanâ— in the River where the Bridge is laid there is a Horn-work that filleth and fortifieth it The Buildings in thâ—s Forâ— are beautiful and the Square can hold above four thousand Men the Works are not yet quite finished but when all is compleated this will be one of the strongest placeâ— in Europe There is a Cavelier on one or two of the Bastions and there are halâ— Moons before the Bastions so that the Switzers see their danger now when it is not easy to redress it This place is scituated in a great Plain so that it is commanded by no rising ground on any side oâ— it I made a little Tour into Alsace as far as Mountbelliard the Soil is extream rich but it hath been so long a Frontier Country and is by consequence so ill peopled that it is in many places over-grown with Woodâ— In one respecâ— it is fit to be the seat of War for it is full of Iron-works which bring a great deal of Money into the Country I saw nothing peculiar in the Iron-Works there except that the sides of the great Bellows were not of Leather but of Wood which saves much mony so I will not stand to describe them The River of the Rhinâ— all from Basil to Spire is so low and is on both sides so covered with Woods that one that cometh down in a Boaâ— hath no sight of the Country The River runneth sometimes with such a force that nothing but such woods could preserve its Banks and even these are not able to save them quite for the Trees are often washed away by the very Roots so that in many places those Trees ly along in the Channel of the River It hath been also thought a sort of a Fortification to both sides of the River to have it thus faced with Woods