Minifters apply'd to the Proteftant Body at the Dyet of the Empire. The Affair made a great Noise; and the Elector threaten'd the Inhabitants to abandon them; but they did not seem to be much concern'd at it, because they imagin'd, that if the Court went, the Regency and the Courts of Juftice would remain with them, as they did in the Time of the late Elector. Nevertheless they were out in their Calculation, and the Elector, juftly incens'd at the Disrespect of his Subjects, abandon'd them, and transfer'd his Court and all the Tribunals to Manheim; fo that the Citizens, whofe fole Dependance was on the Court, or the Officers of thofe Tribunals, are now very poor. They were quickly fenfible of the Error they had committed, and went and threw themselves at the Elector's Feet; but the Prince gave no Ear to them, and has caus❜d the City and Castle of Manheim to be rebuilt.

The Caftle of Heidelberg to this Day fhews the Marks of the Disorder committed there by the French; for there's a great Part of it in Ruins ; and out of Four confiderable Manfions, of which it confifted, there was only one that was not damag'd. That which remains of the Palace is in a Stile of Architecture, which I fhould be at a Lofs to explain; 'tis neither Gothic nor Modern, but a Rhapsody of all the Orders heap'd one upon another, without Fancy or Judgment; as if the Architect who conducted the Work, had only defign'd a Building of great Expence, without troubling himself whether it was done well or ill. This Palace ftands upon a very high Hill, with a magnificent Terrafs towards the Town, from whence there's a Profpect of the Plain and of the Country too for feveral Leagues. The Infide of the Palace is scarce more regular than the OutC fide,

fide. The Elector's Apartment confifts of a long Suite of Rooms, without Beauty or Proportion. Nor is there any thing agreeable in the whole but its Situation, which is owing to the Profpect that it commands. The other Apartments are very fmall, and of pretty difficult Accefs, because of a great many little Steps that lead up and down

to them.

In the Vaults of this Palace there's the Tun, fo famous for its enormous Size; 'tis faid to contain 26,250 Gallons Paris Measure. The Electors have had frequent Caroufals on the Platform which is over it. I own to you, that I can't comprehend what Pleasure there can be in Tippling-Bouts of this Kind, at a Place where one cannot be at Eafe; fince a Man need not be very tall, for his Head to touch the Roof of the Vault, which befides is very dark.

As I was preparing to fet out for Vienna, where I intended, as I faid, to follicit Employment, I receiv'd a Letter from Paris, with Advice that the Storm I fo much dreaded was difpers'd, and that all my Fears were ill grounded, the Regent having no manner of Sufpicion of me, but on the contrary, more inclin'd than ever to fhew me the Effects of his Protection; whereupon I was earneftly exhorted to return to Paris, which Advice coming from a good Hand, I made no Scruple to comply with it.

At my Arrival there I went to the Royal Palace as before: The Regent gave me a very good Reception, and Madame made me fo welcome, that it confirm'd my Hopes, that I fhould at length obtain fomething at the Court of France. I found People very much divided about the War which had been juft declar'd against

against Spain The French were indeed for a War, but they were forry to make it against a. Prince who was born among them, and for whose Establishment they had expended fo many Millions, and fo much Blood. The Regent was even at a Lofs to find any one to command the Army, because feveral had excus'd themselves. Only the Marshal de Berwic, the Natural Son of James II. King of England, prefer'd the Service of the Regency to the old Obligations he had to the King of Spain. His Catholic Majesty, whose Forces this Duke had commanded, had heap'd Favours upon him; he had not only made him and his Son Grandees of Spain, but had moreover granted to both of 'em the Golden Fleece, and the Duchy of Liria for his Son and his Pofterity. Nevertheless, he accepted of the Command with Pleasure, and fet out for Spain.

The Regent having engag'd the Prince of Conti to take upon him the Command of the Cavalry, order'd him 100,000 Crowns for his Equipage, and granted him 60,000 Livres a Month to keep an open Table; befides which, his Horfes were to be kept at the King's Expence. When his Royal Highness had appointed thefe Two Generals, he was not very much at a Lofs for fubaltern Officers: To encourage them to serve with the more Zeal, there was a great Promotion, confifting of 6 LieutenantGenerals, 72 Major-Generals, and 196 Brigadiers. The Regent also gave Pensions to above Threefcore Officers, who repair'd to the Marshal de Berwic in Navarre, where the Campaign was open'd by the Siege of Fontarabia. At the fame Time the Regent caus'd a Manifefto to be publifh'd, which was couch'd in Terms full of Regard to the King of Spain, Cardinal Alberoni C 2 being

being reproach'd for every Thing that was blameworthy in that Prince's Conduct; and accus'd of being the Author of the War between the Two Crowns, and of having hinder'd the King his Master from accepting the Treaty of the Quadruple Alliance, a Treaty which had not been concluded, faid the Regent, but for the Welfare of Europe, and particularly of France and Spain. His Royal Highness protefted, that the War was only made to induce the King of Spain to a Peace; and affirm'd, That France did not mean to make any Conqueft upon his Dominions; and that if fhe was compell'd to do it, fhe fhould be always ready to restore fuch Conquefts at the Peace.

Cardinal Alberoni difpers'd feveral Pieces in the Name of his Master, by which he invited the French Soldiers to take the Part of his Catholic Majefty; and to fucceed the better in this Design, he engag'd the King of Spain to head his Army; hoping, that upon his very firft Appearance, one Half of the Army of France would defert to his Standard. The Cardinal being full of Notions fo chimerical and fo injurious to Officers and Troops, as incapable of Cowardice as of Treachery; he oblig'd the Chevalier de S

who had been a Colonel in France, but by Miffortunes was forc'd to go to Spain, to write to fome of the chief Commanders, and folicit them to come over with their Regiments to the Spanish Service. The Chevalier, who built Hopes of a confiderable Fortune upon the Success of this Project, wrote to the Lieutenant-Colonel of Normandy, and fent the Letter to him by an Officer, who was indeed a Gentleman, but at that Time committed an Action unworthy of that Character. This Officer came to the French Army, and gave the Letter to the Perfon it was

directed

directed to, who carrying it to the Marfhal de Berwic, he caus'd the unfortunate Courier to be arrefted, and hang'd up in Two Hours after. The Cardinal was very much mortify'd by having mifcarry'd in this Attempt, not confidering that the fame was impracticable, by reason the Fidelity of the French Officers was never to be corrupted; but it was not fo at that Time with the Soldiers, of whom a great Number deferted to the Spanish Army. Perfons of Credit, who at that Time faw Cardinal Alberoni in private, affur'd me, that Minifter was fo fully perfuaded that whole Regiments at a Time would come over to the Spanish Service; that when he was told 50 or 100 Deferters, more or lefs, were newly come; What fignifies t'at, faid he? His Majefty wants to fee Colours and Standards arrive, and not a Handful of Men. The Cardinal had a great many Fortune - hunters about him, who were continually telling him, that intire Battalions were juft coming over; and by the Favour of fuch Predictions, which never came to any. Thing, they got out of him what they wanted, for no other Confideration but a forry improbable Scheme, and which tended even fometimes to deceive the Minifter and betray him. One may guefs at the Character of thofe Gentlemen by one F- , who had been a Reformado-Colonel in France, but being prefs'd hard by merciless Creditors, could find no other Means to escape from their ill Humour, than by taking Shelter under Cardinal Alberoni. This F was a terrible Rattle, and could rodomontade better than any body. The Minister made him a Brigadier, and withal gave him a Gratuity of 100 Pistoles; but our Spark not thinking this fufficient, wanted forfooth to be a Major-General, and teiz'd the Cardinal

C 3