rYALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY llllllllll III III i A39002003580 157B YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ''fan A N ACCOUNT OF SWITZERLAND. Written in the Ye ar 1714. wM£M LONDON: Printed for Jacob Tbnfon, at Shakefpear's Head over-againft Catherine-flreet in the Strand. MDCCXIV. 1I4S ^ vV,& , THE PREFACE. I HAVE often wonder 'd, that a Country fituated almoft in the Middle of Europe, as Switzer land is, fliould be fo little known, that not only the Generality of Peo ple have fearce any Idea of it, but that even fbme Men bred up to Fo reign Affairs, hardly know the Names ofthe feveral Cantons, or of what Religion they are. I cannot impute this general Ig-' norance of the Country, to the Con tempt many People have for it, buc muft rather attribute their Contempt to their Ignorance of it j fince thofe who are acquainted with the Sivit- zers, know that they have no fmall In- A z fluence The PREFACE. fluency jan the Affairs of Europe M well by their Situation between the Empire, France and ttaly, as by their Warlike Genius ; and it is certain, that the French,whoknow thefti beft, court them moft. It feems therefore inoft reafonable to afcribe the lictle Knowledge Strati-r gers have of this Country, chiefly -ra the Want of igbod Writers, who were thoroughly acquainted with the Hi ftory and Governments of this Pecple. Simter.jm Author -of Zurich, is ihe beft of them trjat I have yet heard of v He is very particular in the Defcription of the Country, and of their Governments, as they were E- ftabliihed in his Time j but befides, that he gives fearce any Account of the State of the Cantons, before their Revolt from the Houfe of Auftria, botluhe Face of the Country, and their Forms of Government, , have undergone fuch Changes fince he writ, 7he"P RF.F ACE. wrift, that his *Book tannot give the Reader a true Notion of their Pre fent State. Plontin of Laufonne is another Author, who writ a Hiftory of Swit zerland about threefcore Years a- go -, but it may more properly be cal led an Extract of Simler and Stet tler 's Chronicle tranflated intoFrench, than a new Work j fo that "having the fame Defect as his Originals, he can give no greater Light to a Mo dern Reader, than thofe, from whom he borrowed it. Several others have alfo written on this Subject in the German Lan guage ; but befides that they are li able to the fame Objections as the former, their Works are in a Tongue which is not "generally underftood, and therefore cannot be of general Ufc. There is indeed an Account of Switzerland, written few Years ago by The PREFACE. by a Rcfident of Venice, who lived Come time in the Country. This Gentleman has without doubt Ta lents fuperior to a Work of this Na ture 5 yet, for Reafons beft known to himfelf the Remarks he hasPub- liilied, are fb general, that they will not fatisfic a curious Enquirer. Finding therefore, that there is no diftinct Account yet extant of the Modern State of this Country, I thought it might be worth while, to publifli the Obfervations I made upon it, while I lived there, both to make it better known to us, and to re move fome Prejudices, which are ta ken upon Truft from other Nati ons, and have no real Foundation. The Duty of my Employment obliged, me to be inquifitivej and a Refidence of above eight Years has afforded me fufEcient Opportunities of informing my felf fully about it -t however I am far from thinking, that nothing The PREFACE. nothing worthy Remark has efcap'd my Obfervation. I am fatisfy'd, that it is very difficult for a Stranger, to dif cover all that is remarkable in any Country, and perhaps as hard to treat of fb many different Subjects, with fuch Care, as to omit nothing that is Material ; at leaft I am not vain e- nough, to fancy this Work is brought to fo great a Degree of Perfection. All that I can fay on that Subject, is, that I have ufed my utmoft Endea vours to be exact in the Matters I treat of, and flatter my felf, that I have given a more compleat View of the Prefent State of that People, and their Governments, than any Au thor that has yet writ of them. At leaft, I hope that my Attempt will produce fo good an Effect, as to incite fome abler Pen to rectifie my Miftakes, and to give the World a more finifhed Account of this Coun try. THE THE CONTENTS o CHAP. I. F the Situation of Switzer land. Pag-e i Chap. II. Of its Former and Trefent State, as divided into Cantons, p. 13 Chap. III. Ofthe Thirteen Cantons in particular. p jj Chap. IV. Of their Government, p. 69 Chap. V. Of their Ttiets, and ofthe Helvetick Vnion. P- n ? Chap. VI. Of their Teopk and 2>i- fpojttions. p. ixR Chap. VII. Of their Religion, p 158 Chap. VIII. Of their Trade. \ p. ijz Chap. IX. Of their Revenues, p. i8r Chap. X. Of their Militia. p. 190 The Conclufion. p. xo6 APPENDIX. Containing mi Account of the Allies ofthe Switzers. p. zij A N A N ACCOUNT O F SWITZERLAND. CHAP. I. Cf the Situation of Switzerland. j]HE Country now poflef- fed by the Swit'zers, the Grifons and their other Allies, is properly fituated between the Territories of the Empire and of France, being bounded oh the Eaft by the County of Tyrol-, on the Weft by the County of Burgundy or Franche Comte1; on the North by that Part of Alfatia cal led the Suntgaw, the Black-Foreft, and part of the Circle of Suabia \ and B on Of the Situation Chap. I. on the South by the Dutchy of Sa voy, the Valley of Aojl, the Dutchy of Milan, and the Provinces of Ber gamo and Brefcia, all which make the Southern Border of that Country. It extends it felf in the greateft Breadth near two Degrees of Latitude, reach ing from forty five Degrees and three Quarters, to above forty feven and an half, and about four Degrees and an half of Longitude ; by which Calcu lation its Length will be about two hundred and feventy Englifh Miles, and its Breadth above an hundred. It was called Helvetia by the ancient Romans, and ftill retains the fame Name in Italian ; tho' Parcels of fome Provinces of Italy and of Gaul are now annex'd to it, which certainly were not included in the ancient Hel vetia, according to its Limits fet down by Cafar in his Commentary. In marking the Boundaries of this Country, I have included thofe cf the Grifons and ofthe Valefians\ How ever my prefent Obfervations fhall be confined to the Thirteen Cantons pro perly fo called, defigning to give a feparate Account of the Grifons, and of their other Allies. Switzer- Chap. I. of Switzerland. Switzerland is feparated not only from its Neighbours, but almoft eve ry Canton from each other, by Rid ges of Mountains, which ferve them equally fornatural Boundaries and For tifications ; and it is particularly divi ded from Italy by fuch a long Chain of Alps, that there is no paffing from one Country to the other without crof- fing one of them. There are but four of thefe Mountains, by which one can pafs from Switzerland into Italy, ov at leaft no more that have beaten Roads commonly ufed by Travellers. One is the Mount Cenis, by which one paffes into Tiedmont thro' Savoy. The fecond is St. Bernard, which ftands between the Country called the Lower Valais, and the Valley of Aoft. The third is the Sampion, or Samplon, fitu ate between theVpper Valais, and the Valley of Offola in the Milanefe. And the Fourth is the St. Godard, which leads from the Canton of 'Dry to Bel- linzona, and the other Swifs Ballia- ges in Italy, which were formerly part of the Milanefe. But tho' this Country be well known to be a mountainous one, they are very much miftaken, who fancy B i their Of the Situation Chap. L their Mountains are naked Rocks, like thofe of Genoa: They are fo different, that tho' the greateft Part of them be covered with Snow during the Win ter, yet there are few that are barren; moft of them afford good Pafture all the Summer, even to the Tops of them, for vaft Multitudes of Cattle ; and in fome Places one fees Corn grow, where one would think the Ground too fteep for Men to climb up, and the Air too iliarp to allow the Corn to ripen. This is the Condition of the moft Mountainous Parts of Switzerland; but there are others rather Hilly than Mountainous; and fome where one finds great Tracts of plain Cham- pain Country. The County of Ar- gaw in the Canton of Berne, is a flat Corn Country ; and that which lyes between Mouldon and Morat in the Tnis de Vaud, is equally fertile, and affords a much gayer Profpect-. I mention thefe two Plains as the moft beautiful Parts of the Canton oi Berne, tho' one may juftly fay, that more than two Thirds of that Canton in general is good' Country, and produces Corn, not only in fufficient Quantity for its In- Chap. I. of Switzerland. Inhabitants, but alfo in a great Meafure to fupply its Neighbours. The Can tons of Zurich, Soleurre and Fribourg^ produce likewife good Quantities of Corn, as well as the little ones of Ba- zil and Schajfhaufen, and may be cal led the Plains of Switzerland, if com pared with the other Cantons. How ever it muft be confefs'd, that even in thefe Cantons, generally fpeaking, the Soil is ftony and ungrateful, fo that what the Inhabitants get out of it, is owing meerly to their Labour ; and as Neceffity begets Induftry, fo, I be lieve, it has made the Switzers the a- bleft Husbandmen in Europe. In the other Cantons indeed, which are Lucerne, Vry,, Schwitz, 'Vnder- wald,Zug, Claris and Afpenzell, they have not Corn enough of their own Growth for the Ufe of their Inhabi* tants, and in fome of them none at all; however the Surplus, that the o- ther Cantons produce, would be able to fupply the Want of it in thefe, if they could always reap in Proportion to what they fow. But the Mountains that furround them, are fuch Maga zines of Rain, Hail and Tempefts,that the Fruits of the Earth are frequently B 3 Waited Of the Situation Chap, I. blafted by Storms, or chilled by cold Rains; fo that their Harvefts are of ten bad, and fometimes totally fail. For this Reafon it is, that Switzerland is every Year forc'd to buy more or lefs Corn of its Neighbours, and to erect Magazines of it in moft of their Balliages, that they may be provided againft a Dearth, and be able to fup ply the poorer fort of People with it at a moderate Price. Switzerland 'affords all Sorts of Cattle in fo great Numbers, that they are able to furnifli their Neighbours with them; and they are fo good in their Kinds, that the Vent of them makes the moft beneficial Branch of their Trade. It abounds likewife with all Sorts of tame and wild Fowl, which latter being bred in the Mountains, have a richer Tafte than thofe of the flat Countries. I may fay the fame of their Venifon, under which general Name they com prehend wild Boars, as well as Stags and Deer, befides fome others of the Wild-Goat kind, which are not known to us, fuch as Bouquetins and Cha mois, of whofe Skin is made the Lea ther which we call Shammy. This Chap. L of Switzerland. This Country produces feveral Sorts of Wine, particularly two, which are equally palatable and wholefome ; one of white, which grows in the Ta'is de Vaud upon the Banks or Coaft of the Lake of Geneva, from whence it is called Vin de la Cdte, and another of Red, which grows in the County of Neufchatel. The white is neither too fpirituous, nor too weak or acid, but when it is made in good Years, is an excellent Table-Wine, and improves by keeping. The Red has fomething of the Tafte of Burgundy, but cannot come up to the Delicacy of the choi- ceft Sorts. They make likewife Wine in the Cantons oi Zurich, Schaffhaufen and other Places, which the Inha bitants drink with Pleafure, but the .Generality of Strangers reckon them little better than Verjuice. If the Vine yards of this Country were not fo of ten blighted by diforderly Seafons, they would produce Wine enough for all the Inhabitants; but thofe Difafters are fo frequent, that great Numbers of the common People are forced to content themfelves with bad Beer. 8 Of the Situation Chap. I, It is believed, that this Country is much the higheft of any Part of Eu-r rope, and two Reafons are chiefly al leged to juftifie that Opinion. Firft, The Sharpnefs of the Air, and fecond- ly, The many Rivers that have their Source in it. As to the firft, it is cer tain in Fact, that the Air is more keen and piercing, than in other more Nor thern Countries; but whether thofe Qualities in it may not proceed from the Hoards of Snow and Ice, which lye always in Caverns of the Mounr tains out ofthe reach of the Sun, more than from the natural Height of the Country, is a Queftion I fhall not pre tend to determine. The fecond Reafon drawn from the Number of Rivers that fpring from thefe Mountains, is grounded upon an Hypothefis, that every River takes it's Source in higher Ground, than that, thro' which it afterwards flows. It can not be deny'd, that many large Rivers take their Rife in thefe Mountains, fince one finds at a fmall Diftance one from another the Sources of the Ad da, the Ticino, the Lintz, the Aar, the Rufs, the Inn, the Rhone and the 3jlh\ne, befides which one may reckon the Chap. I. of Switzerland. the Danube; for tho' in Strictnefsit rU fes without the Limits of Switzerland, yet it is but few Leagues diftant from Schaffhaufen. The 7// is another Ri- yer which has its Rife near Bazil, and tho' the Source of the Adige be pro perly in the County of Tyrol, yet it is upon the Confines of the Grifons. Thefe are the moft confiderable Ri vers oi Europe, that take their Rife in Switzerland; befides which there are a vaft Number of lefs note ; infomuch that there is fearce a Valley, that has not a Rivulet running through it. This extraordinary Number of Rivers in Proportion to what we find in other Countries of the fame Extent, is brought as a convincing Argument of the natural Height of the Country. I muft not forget to mention the many Lakes that are found here. I re member to have counted near thirty, whereof fome are fo confiderable, as to deferve the Name of Seas, as they are called in German ; the Lakes of Conjlance and Geneva being near eigh teen Leagues in Length, and four in Breadth, and thofe of Neufchatel, Zu rich and Lucerne are not much inferi- pur tq them in Length. Thefe Lakes abound io Of the Situation Chap. I. abound in Fifh, efpecially Trouts of fo prodigious a Size, that it is no ex traordinary thing to take one of fixty Pound Weight, and what is more un common, the larger they are, the more firm and fweet the Flefli of them is. Befides thefe Lakes that are in the Plains and Vallies, there is fearce a Mountain, that has not one on the Top of it well ftored with Fifh, by the Sale of which they make the Inha bitants fome amends for the Lofs of the Ground they overflow. Upon the whole, I never faw an In land Country, that abounds fo much with Water as this. Where-ever one goes, one finds an infinite Number of Springs ofthe pureft and fweeteft Kind I ever tailed ; and there is fearce a Field or Meadow, that may not be laid under Water, whenever the Huf- bandman thinks it neceffary for the good of the Ground. In every Part of this Country, both on the Mountains and Plains, there is a vaft Number of Woods, and whole Forefts of Firr-Trees and Pines, which would turn to good Account for Mafts and Shipping, if they grew in the Neighbourhood of the Sea; but that fort Chap. I. of Switzerland. 1 1 fort of Traffick is imprafticable by reafon ofthe exceffive Charge of Land- Carriage at fo great a Diftance. They have indeed fome few Woods of Oaks, and fewer of Elms, but the Wood commonly made ufe of, both for build ing and firing, is Deal ; fo that con fidering they have no other Fewelthan Wood, and that all the Peafants Houfes are entirely built with it, one would think it fliould grow fearce; but it is fo far otherwife, that one cannot perceive the leaft Diminution of the Stock. I have already taken Notice of the Sharpnefs of the Air of this Country, in Proportion to the Latitude it lies in: For the City of Berne where I lived, is a full Degree South of Orleans, tho' the Air of that Place be much milder and fofter; however I have pafs'd fome warm Summers in this Country, and have fometimes found the Heat very inconvenient. 'Tis true indeed, the Weather isfub- jeft to fudden Changes, and often paf fes from hot to cold in four and twenty Hours. The Alps fend us fre quent Rains; and as Rain in the flat Country is generally Snow upon the Mountains, the Air muft needs grow cold, i z Of the Situation, Sec. Chap. I. cold, whenever we have a lafting Shower. But tho' the Air be not ve ry dry, it is very wholefome: The People generally live to a great Age ; and one never hears of any of thofe malignant Diftempers raging in this Country, which often unpeople whole Cities in others. ^ In fhort, of the four Elements the Earth here is the worft ; ihe treats the Inhabitants like a hard Step-Mother, gives them what is neceffary for Life, but little for Luxury ; they earn hard what they get out of her, and feem rather to owe it to their own La bour and Induftry, than to her Bounty. CHAP. [ '5 ] CHAP. II. Of its Former and Prefent State, as divided into Cantons. IT is not my Defign to write the Hiftory of this Country, both be caufe it is not neceffary to my Pur pofe, and becaufe I am wholly unpro vided with Materials for fuch an Un dertaking. I am of Opinion, that no Stranger ever writ the Hiftory of a Country with Exactnefs, becaufe he cannot be well enough acquainted with the interiour part of its Govern ment, to mark out the true Springs and Caufes of its publick Actions. And as to this Country in particular, I will be bold to fay, fuch a Work is now become as hard for a Native as for a Stranger ; becaufe their Ance- ftors have left them no good Accounts of their Anions, nor any Records to have recourfe to, without which it is impoffible to write a good Hiftory of a 1 4 Of its Former Chap. II. a paft Age. They have indeed fome Chronicle-makers, who affume the Title of Hiftorians, but without any other Pretence to it, than as Chrono- logers, who mark the Epochs of ex traordinary Actions, but give no Ac counts of the Occafion of them, nor inform the Reader of the Circumftan ces and Incidents that attended them ; which alone can make their Narrations Agreeable and Profitable. Since therefore there is fo great a want of Writers, tolightone thro' the dark Ages of their Hiftory, I fliall chufe to relate fuch general Fafts on ly, as all their Authors agree in, rather than enter into more particu lar Accounts of it, which muft be ne- ceffarily grounded upon Tradition and Conjefture ; and content my felf with giving as much Information about their former State, as may ferve to difcover the Caufes of their Revolt from the Em pire, which gave Rife and Birth toThir- teen Commonwealths, or Cantons, into which this Country now ftands divided. The firft remarkable Mention we find made of thefe People, as a Nati on, is by Julius Cafar, who in the firft Book of his Commentaries relates the Chap. II. and Prefent State. 15 the War he waged with the Helveti ans, who made an Irruption into i?»r- gundy during his Government in Gaul, with a Defign to tranfplant themfelves into a more delightful Country, and more capable to contain their vaft Swarms.The better to effect thisDefign, he fays, they fet F'ire to all their Habita tions, and actually burnt Twelve great Cities, and Four hundred Villages, in order to deftroy all hopes of returning Home; after which they begun their March with their Wives and Children, amounting in all to above Three Hun dred and Sixty Thoufand Perfons, whereof near a Hundred Thoufand were able to bear Arms. They intend ed to have broke into his Govern ment through Savoy ; but not being able to pafs the Rhone in the Sight of his Army, which was encampt on the other Side of it, they changed their Route, and penetrated by Franche Cemte; but Cafar with his Army pur fuing them, feveral Skirmifhes hap pen'd with various Succefs, 'till at laft he entirely defeated them in a pitch'd Battle, forced the remainder of 'em to return home, and reduced their Coun try to the Obedience of the Romans, annex- 1 6 Of its Former Chap. Ih annexing it to that part of his Govern-5 ment, which was called Gallia Celtica; They liv'd in Subjection to the Ro* man Government, 'till that Empire it felf was broke to Pieces by the Inun dations of the Northern Nations, and new Kingdoms and Principalities were raifed out ofthe Ruins of it. Among the reft was erefted the Kingdom of Bur gundy, oi which Switzerland made a Part, about the Beginning of the fifth Century,- by a Prince call'd Gaudica-> riusi reckoned the Firft of their Kings. But this Kingdom did notSubfift long, before it was united to the Grown of France^ upon the Death of the Sixth and laft King of that Race. This hap pen'd a little above an hundred Years after its Erection ; from which time* to the beginning of the Ninth Centu ry, this Country was fubject to the Kings of France. About the Year 870 there fprung up again two New King doms of Burgundy ; one called Burgun- dia Cisjurana, which is the fame as the Kingdom of Aries, and the other Transjurana. The Firft did not laft above fifty Years ; after which it was united to the Transjurana by the vo luntary Chap. 1 1. and Prefent Stat t. 17 luntary Ceffion made to Rodolph the Second King of the Transjurana, by Hugh the laft King of the Cisjurana, about the Year 9x6. In this Kingdom of Burgundia Transjurana was com- prehendedthe Country oi Switzerland, and continued Part of it 'rill about 103Z, when Rodolph the Third the laft King of Burgundy dying without Children, left all this Kingdom to the Emperour Conrad the Second, called the Salick, whofe Succeffors enjoy'd it near two Ages; after which time, whether they were fo taken up with other Wars and Affairs, that they could not give the neceffary Attenti on to thofe of this Kingdom, or whe ther they were not able to fupprefs the many Infurreftions made in it by the too powerful Nobility,it fo happened, that about the end ofthe twelfth Century this Kingdom was again broke into ieveral petty Soveraignties under the Counts of Burgundy, of Maurienne, of Savoy, and oi Provence; the Dau phins of the Vicnnois, and the Dukes of Zeringhen. This is the general Opinion of {the greater Part of their Hiftorians con cerning the Fate of Switzerland, from C the 4 8 . Of its Former Chap. II. the time of Julius Cafar to the end of the twelfth Century, when that Country was united to the Empire; tho' there are others, who pretend, that Switzerland made part of the .Kingdom of Aujlrafia, otherwife cal led the Kingdom of Metz, 'till it was diffolved, and its States annexed to the Empire. I believe it will not be difficult to reconcile thefe feeming Contradictions : For it is very pro bable, that the Country of Switzer land in its prefent Extent, was never wholly join'd either to the Kingdom oi Burgundy, or to that of Aujlrafia ; but that one Part of it, that fpeaks the French or Roman Language, as they call it, belonged to the Kingdom of Burgundy, and the other, which fpeaks the German Tongue, to that of Au- ftrafia. This Conjecture might be fup ported by feveral Reafons befides that of the Difference of the Language, and feems to folve the Difficulties, with which their Hiftorians puzzle one, by making Switzerland part of two feve ral Kingdoms at the fame time. •Upon the Diffolutionof thefe King doms, I do not find that Switzerland was any more united under one Head, Some Chap. II. am d Prefent State. 19 Some Cities were made Free and Im* perial, referving only their Depen dence on the Empire ; others, with the adjoining Territory, were given by the Emperor Frederick Barbarof- fa, to be held as Fiefs ofthe Empire, to the Counts of Habfpurg, from whom the Houfe of AuftrU is defeended ; and the reft, at leaft the Hereditary Government of them, was given to the Duke of Zeringhen, who was thought to have a fort of Right tothem, as being defeended from the Kings of Aujlra fia. However all their Hiftorians a- gree, that thefe Cities and People were in Poffeffion of very great Privileges, and that the Power of thefe Princes, to whom they were thus fubjefted, was fo limited, that the Country might more properly be faid to be under their Protection, than their immediate Do minion. In the Thirteenth Century the Race ofthe Dukes oi Zeringhen became ex tinct, which made way for the Counts of Habfpurg to inlarge their Authori ty in this Country, more by fntrufion, and the Neceffity of thofe diforderly Times, than by a voluntary Submiffion and Confent, For what endangered C 2. moft xo Of its Former Chap. II. moft the Liberty of this Country, was the Schifm that arofe, and divided the Empire in the Thirteenth Century, when (Ma the Fourth and Frederick the Second were both Emperors to gether, and both by Turns excommu nicated by two fucceeding Popes, be caufe neither would acknowledge their pretended Rifht of difpofing of the Imperial Crown, nor perform the Vows thofe Popes had extorted, from them, of undertaking a Croifade to the Holy Land. Otho however was forced to give up his Caufe after the Lofs of a Battle, and yield the Crown to his Antagonift Frederick. As in this Divifion of the Empire, the Swit- zers had adhered to his Party, and done him good Services, he gave them Additional Privileges, and did what lay in his Power to fecure their Liberty ; However the reft ofhis Reign was tumultuous; he quarrePd again with the Pope, by whom he was excom municated: And as both the Empire and its Dependencies in Italy were di vided into two Faftions, one for the Pope and t'other for the Emperor, 'twas in this Princes Reign, that the Names given to thofe two Parties of Guelphs Chap. II. and Prefent State. z i Guelphs and Gibellinswere firft known. The Hiftorians of thefe Times can not find Terms forcible enough to ex prefs the Diforder andConfufion, that reigned in the Empire at the latter End of this Frederick s Life, while he was under Excommunication, and du ring the Interregnum of twenty eight Years after his Death, 'till Rodolph of Habfpurg firft Emperor of the Houfe of Auftria was quietly fettled in the Imperial Throne. They tell you, that in thofe Times all Order and Govern ment were overturned, and that the Empire was fallen into a perfect State of Anarchy. The Cities of Switzer- land in particular felt the ill Effefts of this Confufion; for as that Country was full of Nobility and powerful Ec- clefiafticks,each play'd theTy rant in his Turn, and endeavour'd to fubduefome neighbouring City, under Pretence, that they were Adherents of the Em peror who was excommunicated, and the Lands of all his Partizans forfeited to any Body, that could take Poffeffi on of them by vertue of the Pope's Bull. This fort of Oppreffion gave Rife to a Cuftom, which obtain'd at C 3 that % i Of its Former Chap. II. that time among feveral Cities oiGer- many, as well as of this Country, of entring into Confederacy one with another for their mutual Defence; of which we have an Example in Simler\ Hiftory, where he recites at length the Alliance made between Zurich, IJry and Schwitz in the Year \z$i. But this Union of the Cities not pro ducing the good Effefts that were expected from it, or at leaft not be ing a fufficient Barrier againft the Power of the Nobility, they were for ced to make ufe of another Expedi ent, which was that of putting them felves under the Proteftion of fome powerful Neighbouring Prince. Ac cordingly moft of the Free Cities of Switzerland had Recourfe at this Jun cture to Rodolph of Habfpurg, the moft potent of their Neighbours, de claring him their Proteftor, for which they allowed him a yearly Salary, and permitted him to fend Bailiffs or Go vernours among them, with Power to adminifter the Haute Juftice, as it is called, or to Judge in Criminal Cau fes only, with an exprefs Refervation of their Rights and Liberties in all o- |her Matters. Particularly the three Cantons Chap. II: and Prefent State. z 5 Cantons of Ury, Schwitz and Vnder. wald, who had hitherto lived free from any Dependence, but on the Empire in general, thought it for their Intereft in this general Diforder, to do as the reft; and accordingly they fubmitted to Rodolph's Proteftion, and receiv'd Governors with the fame Reftriftions as the others. But nei ther did this Project anfwer Expecta tion : For Rodolph was fo much taken up with other Affairs, that he could not give thofe Cities the Proteftion he intended, and they expected from him. So that the Switzers being de prived of his Support, were again ex pofed to the Infults of thefe petty Ty rants, which at laft became fo grie vous to the People, that the whole Country rofe up in Arms, and in their Fury not only demoliflied the Caftles of the chief of the Nobility, but like- wife drove many of them out of the Country, in a War between them, which lafted near twelve Years. When Rodolph became Emperor, the Nobi lity accufed the Switzers of Rebel lion upon the Account of this War; but hes after having heard both Parties, pronounced Sentence in C 4 favour 24 Of its Former Chap. IL favour ofthe People, and in confide ration of their good Services to him in his Wars, fent Bailifs among them, not in the Name of the Houfe of Au ftria, but of the Empire ; and not on. ly govern'd them with Mildnefs while he lived, but increas'd their Privileges, in order to fettle their Li berty upon a lafting Foundation. Before I proceed to give an Ac count of the Tyrannical Government of the Emperor Albert Son of Ro dolph, which occafion'd the Revolt of this Country from the Empire, it would be very proper to draw a Poli- *tical Map (if I may fo fay) of its Go vernment ; and not only to diftinguifli the Cities, that were under the Do minion of the Houfe of Auflria, and of other Soveraigns, from thofe that were Free, and acknowledged their Dependence only on the Empire in general ; but alfo to fpecifie the Privi leges, which thofe that were under the Houfe of Auftria, flood poffefs'd of, as well as of the Degrees of Power, with which their Governors or Sove reigns wereinvefted. Such a View of their Political State before their Re volt, would be neceffary to form a true Judgment Chap, II. and Prefent State. z$ Judgment of the Juftice of their Caufqy and of the Means they ufed to reco ver their Liberty ; but their Hiftorians are fo obfcure and defective in thofe Particulars, that it is not poffible to fatisfie one's Curiofity about them. What can be collefted in general from them, is, that moft of their Cities were Free and Imperial, and that fuch of them as were not, enjoy'd great Pri vileges : The Cities of Berne and Fri- bourg were built by a Duke oi Zering hen, and by the laft of that Race en dowed with fo great Liberties, that he allowed them to govern themfelves, and upon his Death annexed them to the Empire. However, contrary to his Teftamentary Difpofition, Fri- bourg fell, I know not how, to the Share of the Counts of Kybourg, one whereof fold it to the Emperor Ro dolph; fo that it continued under the Dominion of the Houfe of Auftria near two hundred Years, 'till it en- tred into the Alliance of the Cantons, and became one of them. Thofe Ci ties and Countries, that were given in Fief to the Houfe of Auftria, inch as Lucerne, Zug and Glaris with deir Cantons, enjoy'd fo great Immunities, that 26 Of its Former Chap. IL that the Power of the Sovereign was very much limited. Zurich, Bazil and Schajfhaufen were Imperial Cities, and never, that I can find, were fub- jeft to any particular Prince. Bazil indeed had a Bifhop, who affumed the Title of their Sovereign, and acted fometimes as fuch, tho' more by En croachment, than lawful Authority; and as for the three Cantons of 'Dry, Schwitz and 'Dnderwald, it does not appear to me, that they ever had any Dependence on the Houfe oi Au ftria, but as they chofe Rodolph of Habfpurg for their Protector, as well as moft of the Cities of Switzerland, in the Manner, and for the Reafons I have already mentioned. It is to be obferved, that the Do minion of thefe Cities, for the moft part, extended little beyond their Walls at that time, and that they were fur rounded with Nobility, who watch ing all Opportunities of invading their Liberty, gave them more Trouble, and occafioned more Wars before they could root them our, than the whole Power of the Houfe of Auftria, and all its Attempts to reduce them to Obedience. That Chap. II. and Prefent State] That moft of thefe Cities were Free, appears very plainly from the feveral Treaties of Alliance made between them for their Mutual Defence, long before this Revolt happened, where of many are fet down at length in their Hiftorians; and it feems to me as plain, that thofe Cities and Coun tries depended only on the Empire di rectly, 'till the Diforders that happen'd in it obliged them to feek fome new Proteftion. The Counts of Habfpurg indeed held fome part of the Coun try as a Fief of the Empire, which was given to one of them by Frederick Barbaroffa, but their Power was ex- treamly limited ; which makes it high ly probable, that the Dominion they gain'd over this People, was meer U- furpation upon the Liberties of thofe they undertook to defend ; and that under the Notion of that Protection, they were furnifhed with betterMeans, and more plaufible Pretexts of bring ing about their Defigns. Having thus briefly hinted what I thought proper to be premifed, I fhall go on to relate the Oppreffions tr>at gave Occafion to their Revolt, >. s far asi can trace them in their moft Authentick Wri- 2,8 Of its Former Chap. II. Writings. I have already faid, that the Emperor Rodolph treated Switzerland with great Mildnefs, and was thought to have a particular Affection for it as his native Country; but his.,§on the Emperor Albert, inftead of treading in his Father's Steps, took oppofite* Meafures,and fo by grafpingat great er Dominion than belonged to him, loft that by Violence and Rafhnefs, which his Predeceffor had acquired by Gentlenefs and Prudence. This Prince had a numerous Offspring, and form'd the Defign of fubduing all Swit zerland to the Houfe of Auftria, in order to ereft it into a Principality for one of his younger Sons. To bring about this Project, foon after he came to the Imperial Throne, he try'd by Flattery and Careffes, to perfwade the three Cantons of Vry, Schwitz and Vnderwald, (who were the moft tena cious of their Liberty) voluntarily to fubmit to his Government, and fol low the Example of the Cantons of Lucerne, Zug and Glaris, promifing them in that Cafe all kind Treatment and a gentle Government : But find ing thefe Arts fuccefslefs, he appoint ed one Grifler to be Governor of Vry, Chap. II. and Prefent State. ^ Vry, and another call'd Landenberg, of Schwitz and Vnderwald. Thefe Governors he fet over them, with Orders to ufe their utmoft Endeavours to fubjedt them entirely to his Obedi ence, either by corrupting the lead ing Men among 'em, or in cafe that Method faii'd,to do it byForce ofArms. Accordingly the Governors at firft proceeded not only with great Mode ration, but put in Practice all the lit tle Arts made ufe of to gain the Affe ctions of the People, 'till they faw there was nothing to be done by fair Means, and then they began to ufe them roughly, and every Day to en croach upon their Privileges. Upon this the People fend Deputies to the Emperor, to complain of their Go vernors, and ofthe Violation of their Liberties. The Emperor receives them very harfhly, offers them again all kind of good Ufage, if they will fubmit to his Government, but in cafe of Refufal, threatens to purfue them with the utmoft Vengeance, and to fubdue them by the Sword. The De puties anfwer, that they are ready to pay all Obedience to him as the Head ofthe Empire, whereof they are Mem bers, jo Of its Former Chap. II, bers, but that they are otherwife a Free People, independent of any parti- cular Sovereign, and defire him to confirm them in the Liberties and Privileges, that had been granted them by feveral of his Predeceffors ; which the Emperour flatly refufes, and fo difmiffes them. With this Anfwer the Deputies return home, and the Go vernors then break out into fuch hor rid Afts of Tyranny, as can ferve on ly to provoke, and never to fubdue Mens Minds. They gave a loofe to all their Paffions at once, by ravifliing, plundering and imprifoning; and in , fliort, ran into all kinds of Excefs, that might gratifie their Luft and Avarice. For the Excufe of thefe Diforders, they had at leaft the Plea of fatisfying their Paffions; but they committed befides fuch Afts of Cruelty under Pretence of juftice, as fhock human Nature, e- fpecially upon thofe who had moft Cre dit with the People, and as fuch, were fuppofed to be the Caufe of their Re fusal to fubmit to the Emperor's Go vernment. They took away People's Eftates by arbitrary Sentences, with out hearing the Parties concerned ; im- pofed extravagant Fines for trivial Of fences, Chap. II. and Prefent State. 3 1 fences, beyond the Ability of paying, punifh'd People upon Sufpicion, with torturing their Limbs, and putting out their Eyes, and in fhort exercis'd all the refined Barbarities, that the moft induftrious Minifters of a Tyrant's Wrath could invent. It is not to be doubted, but fuch inhuman Treatment inflamed the Minds of the People a- gainft their Governors ; however the fear of Punifhment kept them in Awe, and the want of Power to throw off the Yoke, made them bear it with a fullen Silence, 'till a fair Opportunity prefented. The Violence of thefe Go vernors increas'd daily by Succefs and Impunity, and grew at laft to fuch an height, that the exafperated People finding no hopes of Safety but from their Courage, were forc'd to enter in to a "Confederacy for their Common Security, and to agree among them felves upon the proper Meafures to de liver them from their Bondage. There were three Men of thefe three Cantons, whereof each was the moft popular of his Canton, and for that Reafon were the particular Objefts of the Governor's Perfecution. Their Names are Arnold Mekhtal of Vnder- iv aid, • 2, Of its Former Chap. II. wald, Wernher Stouffacher of Schwitz, and Walter Furft of Vry. Thefe three were rather Subftantial Farmers than Gentlemen; but having been alike in humanly treated by the Governors, being bold in their Tempers, and joyn'd in along Friendfliip, which was increas'd by their commbnMisfortunes, they had private Meetings to confider of Ways of freeing their Country, and in a little time entred into a Confpi racy for that Purpofe, engaging them felves by Oath to keep it fecret, and to draw as many more into it, each in his own Canton, as they knew they might confide in, and were refolute enough to join in the Execution of what fhould be agreed on. Accord ingly, in a little time they engaged fe veral of their Friends in the fame De fign, and appointed a Meeting at a Place called Griitli in the Canton of Vry, each accompany'd by three new Affociates of his Canton, who all to gether became the Twelve Managers of the Enterprize Here their Con federacy was renew'd by Oath, and a Refolution taken of forming a Gene ral Infurreftion in each Canton, in or der to Surprize and Demolilh all the Caftles Chap. II. and Prefent State. 3 $ Caftles of any Strength, and drive the Governors and their Adherents out of the Country. At the next meeting of the Twelve, they found the Num ber of their Affociates fufficient for their purpofe; wherefore it was prefs'd to appoint the 14th of October oi the Year 1307 for the general .nfurrefti- on, leaft the Secret being trufted to fo many, might get Vent, and their Plot mifcarry. But thofe of Vnder- ¦oW^reprefentingto the Affembly, that two Caftles in their Canton, call'd Sam and Rotzberg, were too ftrong to be forced by a diforderly Multitude, de fired more time to form fome Stratagem for Surprizing them, fince if they fail* ed in their Defign upon thofe two Places, they would foon be fill'd with Soldiers by the Governors, who would be able to make a Stand there, 'till the Emperor could fend an Army to their Relief, and fo by that Means their Enterprize would be totally de feated. Thefe Confiderations prevailed with the Affembly to put off, the Infur- reftion to the Firft of January 1308, to which Day it was fix'd. After that they diiperfed, and each Member re turn'd home to prepare matters for the D Exe- 34 Of its Former Chap. II, Execution. In the mean time an Ac cident fell out, that might have ren der'd the Defign abortive, if the Go vernors had not been lull'd into Secu rity, by the appearing Submiffion of the People; or if the Confpirators had been imprudent enough, to lay hold of the Alarm this Accident caufed, by attempting their Defign before the Day appointed. The Occafion of the Alarm was this. Among the many ridiculous Pieces of Tyranny exercifed by thefe Gover nors, Grifler of Vry invented one, more like a Frolick of Claudius, Caligula ot Thalaris, than an Act of Juftice. He caufed a Pole to be erefted in the Market Place of Altorff the Capital of Vry, upon which he hung his Cap, and publifh'd an Order, commanding every body on Pain of Death to Salute it, by pulling off his, and bending his Knee as he pafs'd be fore it, with the fame Refpect, as if he were there in Perfon. The People, for fear of Punifhment, were forc'd to comply with this kind of Idolatrous Ce remony, 'till one William Tell, a ftur- dy Youth, andoneof the Confpirators pafs'd often by, without paying his Re- Chap. U. and Prefent State. 3 5 fpefts to the Cap; whereof the Gover nor being inform'd, fent for him, and asked him the Reafon of his Difobedi- ence. Tell would have excufed him felf upon his Rufticityand Ignorance of the Order, but being a fufpefted Per fon, the Governor would not admit of hisExcufes ; and fending for one of his favourite Sons, condemn'd him, by way of Punifhment, (becaufe he was a good Bow-man) to flioot at a confiderable di ftance with an Arrow at an Apple placed upon his Son's Head, declaring at the fame time, that if he mift it, he fliould be immediately Hanged. The fond Fa« ther, for fear of killing his Son, re fufed to make the Tryal, and offered rather to fubmit to Death himfelf; but the Governor would not accept his Of fer, and to force him to comply, told him, that if he did not immedi ately obey his Sentence, he would hang up the Son as well as himfelf. The Father finding he could gain no thing by his Intreaties, and more out of a Defire of faving his Son's Life than his own, fubmitted to make the Experiment in the Market-place, in the Prefence of the Governor, and of D * a Of its Former Chap. II. a multitude of People drawn together, to fee fo whimfical an Act of Juftice. The poor Man took his Arrows out of the Quiver, and with a trembling Hand drew his Bow; however, ei ther by bkill or good Luck, he fhot the Apple off his Son's Head without hurting him ; upon which the People raifed a general Shout, both for joy of his Efcape, and in applaufe of his Dexterity. The Governor vext, that Tell had fo artfully efcap'd his Ven geance, was refoved to entrap him a- nother way ; and therefore having ob ferved, that he had two Arrows ftuck in his Girdle, tho' he was to have but one Shot, ask'd him the Reafon of it, and promifed to forgive him whatever his Defign was. Upon this Affurance, Tell very frankly anfwered in the ful- nefs of hisRefentment,that he drew two Arrows out of his Quiver, with a firm Refolution of killing him with the fe cond, if he had beenfo unfortunate, as to kill his Son with the firft. The Go vernor enraged at his Anfwer, told him, he would fpare his Life for his Dexterity, according to his Promife, but that for his felonious Intention he ihould fpend it in a dark Prifon ;, and thereupon immediately ordered him to Chap. II. and Prefent State. 3 7 to be bound, and put on Board a Boat, that was to carry him to his Prifon at at Cuffenacb a Caftle on the Lake of Lucerne, he himfelf going with him in the Boat, to fee his Sentence executed. When they had bailed about halfway up the Lake, fo violent a Sto m arofe, that they were in great danger of fplitting upon the Rocks, becaufe none of the Boatmen knew how to fteer in fj rough Warer. In this Extremity, one of the Governor 's Servants, who knew that Tell was reckoned the beft Waterman in the Country, told his Mafter, that there was no way of fav ing their Lives, unlefs he would allow them to unbind Tell, and put him at the Helm. The Governor confented to it, anditwasacco-dingly done. Tell with much ado fleer d the Boat from the middle ofthe Lake, where the Waves ran higheft, and made towards the Shore, near which there lay a Piece of a R ock . whereof the Top was above rhe W^ ter; and finding that a fit Opportunity of making his Efcape, he flyly ftep'd out upon that Rock, fliov'd the Boat with his Foot back a* gain inro the Lake, and from thence got afhore among the Mountains. The Governor in the mean time was tofs'd D 3 about 38 Of its Former Chap. II. about the Lake with great Hazard of his Life; however with much ado the Boat reached a Place call'd Brunnen, where he and his Retinue went afhore; from whence he defigned to go to Cuffenacb by Land. Tell having No tice of his Defign, lay in wait for him upon the Road, hiding himfelf among the Bufhes;and as the Governor pafs'd in a hollow Way, fhot him thro' the Heart with an Arrow, and left him dead upon the fpot. He in the mean time efcaped , and got out of Reach, be fore any of the Governor's Retinue could tell which way to purfue him. In memory of thefe two Actions, a little Chappel was built upon the Spot of Ground, where the Governour was failed, and another upon the Rock, where Fell made his Efcape out ofthe Boat; both which are ftill preferved entire. The Death ofthe Governor was immediately noifed all over the Coun try, while Tell got home again, to in form his Friends of what he had done, and prefs'd them to begin their Infur- reftion without further lofs of time, leaft the other Governor and his Ad herent?, upon this Alarm, fhould fuf- peft fome further Mifchief, and take meafutes to prevent it. But the more pru- Chap. II. and Prefent State. 3 9 prudent of the Confpira ors, finding theGovernment look'd upon this Aftion of TelPs, as the Refentment only of a Private Man, thought it more proper for the Reafons alledged by thofe of Vnderwald, to lye quiet 'till the Day appointed came ; in the mean time, the other Governor made no further Re- fleftion on this Aftion, than by mak ing Search for Tell, who lay hid 'till the Infurreftion broke out. Thus the Prudence of the Confpirators, and the Blindnefs of the Governor con- curr'd to bring about the Revolution, fince the Secret, tho' entrufted to many Perfons, was kept fo faithfully, that the Governor had not the leaft Sufpi- cion of the Plot, before it was executed. The firft of January 1308, which was the Day appointed, being come, the Confederates purfued fo well the Meafures agreed on, that at the fame time the Rifing was general in the Three Cantons. Thofe of Vn derwald furprized both the Qritles of Sam and Rot zb erg by the fame Stra tagem, of fending into them a fuffici ent Number of Refolute Men in the Habits of Peafants, with Arms hid under their Cloaths, and Prefents of D 4 Country 40 Of its Former Chap. II. Country Fare for the Governors in their Hands, which was an ufual Praftice on New- Years-Day, and therefore the Numbers that went to the Caftle, gave no tmfpicion. The Oarrifon^ of thefe Caftles being fmall, and not aware of any fuch Defigns, were foon over- power'd, and glad to efcape with their Lives. At the fame time the People of Vry feized upon the Caftle newly built nea r Altorff, called Vrfs Take while thofe of Schwitz furprized that of Louvertz. Thefe were fmall Forts with flender Garrifons; yet they were fuch as kept the whole Country in Awe; therefore the People immediately fell toDemolifhing them, as the Inftruments of their Slavery, In the mean time the Governor Landenberg and his Ad- herents,finding it impoffible to refift the Torrent of an enraged People united againft them, and fearing the Effefts of their Fuy, endeavoured to make their Efcapes, buc were purfued and overtJfken: However the People, with out comrnitting the leaft lnfult upon the Governor and his Followers, con ducted them to the Frontiers, and there difmifs'd them, after having exacted from them all an Oath never tb Chap. II. and Prefent State. 41 to return into their Country. A rare Example of Moderation in 'an incenfed Multitude, that have their Perfecutors at their Mercy! With no other Cere mony than this, were thefe Three Can - tons delivered from the Auftrian ( o- vernment, and put into a State of Liberty, which they have ever fince preferved inviolate. Thus was the Foundation of the Helvetick Liberty laid by three honeft Plain Country-men, without any of the Advantages, which high Birth and great Riches bring with them, towards the Execution of fuch Popular Enter- prizes. They were infpired with the Love of their Country, animated by Revenge againft their Tyrants, and tenacious of their Liberty. Where fuch Qualities are found, and meet with Opportunities of exerting them lelves, they make Patriots and Heroes, without the help of Birch and Fortune; and the People to this Day, in ho nour to the Memory of their Delive rers, celebrate their yearly Fefiivals with great Gratitude ; they fing bongs to their Praifes, and the Names of Ar nold Melchtal, Wemher Stoujfacher and Walter Furft found ftill as great in 4 z Of its Former Chap. II. in their Ears, as the Brutus'* soi Rome, the lloria's of Genoa, and the Naffau's of Holland. When the Emperor Albert was in formed of this Refolution, he was highly incenfed againft the Switzers, and refolved to fend an Army to fub- due them ; but all his Projects of Re venge vanifh'd by his own untimely Death, being kill'd foon after, as he was paffing the River Rufs at Konigs- feld in Switzerland by his Nephew, whofe Dutchy of Suabia he un juftly de tained from him. This Accident was very favourable to the Affairs of the Three Cantons, by giving them time to put themfelves into a better Pofture of Defence : For that Emperor's Sons were fo taken up, On one fide, in Sol licking the Imperial Crown for Fre derick the eldeft of them, and on the other, in revenging their Father's Death. that they were forc'd to leave the Can tons in peace, 'till thofe Difputes were over. However about Seven Years after, towards the end ofthe Year 1315, the Arch-Duke Leopold Sow of Albert drew together an Army of twenty Thoufand Men, in order to March in» to the Canton of Schwitz, with a De- fign Chap. II. and Prefent ¦ State. 43" fign of deftroying the Three Cantons by Fire and Sword. A new Pretence for his invading the Canton of Schwitz, was a Quarrel it had with a famous Ab bey call'd the Virgin Mary's Hermi tage Situated in that Canton, which being very rich, and having large Do minions, frequent Difputes arofe be tween them about the Limits of their Territories, which at laft came to Blows. Whereupon the Abbot employ'd the ufual Spiritual Wea pon, Excommunication ; and the Arch-Duke Leopold took upon him the Care of executing the Sentence againft thofe Enemies to the Church. With this Army therefore the Arch-Duke advanc'd towards them, while all the Force the Three Cantons could oppofe to him, confifted only in Thirteen hun dred Men; however they made up their want of Numbers by their Cou rage, and the Prudent Difpofition of their fmall Army. Having got No tice, that the Enemy was neceffarily to pafs thro' a very narrow Valley, they pofted fome Men upon the Mountains near Morgarten, who, by rolling vaft Numbers of Stones down upon the Ca valry, wounded abundance of Men and Horfes, and by that Stratagem put the whole 44 Of its Former Chap. IL whole Army into Confufion. In the midft of this Diforder, their little Bo dy attacked the Enemy with fo much Bravery, that the Auftrians were in tirely routed, great Numbers of them flain, and the reft drove quite out of the Country ; while two feparate Bo dies, that at:ack'd at the fame time the Cantons of Vry and Vnderwaldi were repulfed and treated in the fame Manner. Thus with an handful of Men did thefe three Cantons defeat a powerful Army ; and performed in the Battle fuch prodigious Afts of Brave ry in Defence of their Liberty, that there is doubtlefs no lefs Honour due to their Memories, than that which was paid to the Lacedamonians, who fought for the fame Caufe, tho' with lefs Succefs, at the Streights of Ther- mopyla. ThisViftory of Morgarten laid the Foundation of the Helvetick Union or Alliance For the League, which the ThreeCantons had formerly made for ten Years only, was upon this Oc cafion converted to a perpetual one; into which all the Thi teen Cantons have fince entred at different times, and upon different Occafions. And as they Ghap. II. and Prefent State. 4 j they all then fwore to the Obfervati on of it, they from thence had the Name of Eydgnoffen, a German Word, which fignifies Parties to the fame Oath. Upon this Occafion it may not be improper to obferve, that as this fignal Victory was gained in the Can ton of Schwitz, which is the moft con fiderable of the Three, and was chief ly owing to the Valour of that Canton, for thefe Reafons the other two Can tons have from that Time been join'd to it, by the common Name of Swit zers; which Name has fince been communicated to all the other Can tons in general, and their Allies, as they came into the Union. Having thus briefly deduced the general Hiftory of this People down to the time of their fliaking off the Au- ftrian Yoke, and laying the Foundati on of their prefent Liberty, it is not my Defign to carry it on through the feveral Wars they have maintain'd for their Defence ; my View was only to relate as much of their Affairs, as I thought neceffary to clear the way to this Epoch of their erecting themfelves into Cantons, that fo I might give a more perfect Idea of their prefent State, by 4^ Of its Former Chap. II. by tracing out the feveral Steps, that led them into the Form they are now caft.' Not but that their Hiftory af fords as great Examples of military Virtue, as any to be found among the Greeks or Romans. The Battle of Sempach for Example, where the Arch- Duke Leopold was flain, that of Ba zil againft Lewis the Eleventh of France at that time Dauphin, the two Victories of Granfon and Morat againft Charles the Bold Duke of Bur gundy, befides many others of lefs Note: Thefe Aftions, I fay, would fliine as bright in Hiftory, as any the moft celebrated of Antiquity, if they were to be related by Hiftorians of e- qual Talents. But I fliall leave that Task to Perfons of greater Abilities, and content my felf with marking out the Periods, when the Thirteen Can tons enter'd into fo ftrong a Federal Union, as to compleat the Form where in Switzerland ftill exifts, under the Notion of one Common-wealth, known by the Name ofthe Helvetick Body. After the Revolt ofthe Three Can tons, the Houfe of Auftria never cea- fed, for the bpace of near three hun dred and fifty Years, to purfue their Pre- Chap. II. and Prefent State ^j Pretenfions, and reviv'd their Attempts to reduce them by Force, as often as their other Wars would give them leave, or any fair Opportunity invited. However their Endeavours were fo fuccefslefs, that inftead of recovering the Three Cantons to their Obedience, thefe on the contrary detach'd others from the Houfe of Auftria, and the Empire, and united them to their Bo dy. Of that Number, the firft was the Canton of Lucerne, which was the proper Dominion of the Arch-Dukes of Auftria, yet entred into the Confe deracy of the Three Cantons in the Year 13 ?x, and has continued ever fince united to them The next was Zurich, which became a Canton in 1351 : And tho' it came the Fifth into the Alliance, yet was plac'd at the Head upon account of its Extent and Power, and has ever fince remained the firft Canton in Order. This City was an Imperial one, and never made Part of the Dominion of the Houfe of Auflria. However upon that Occafi on, the War broke out again between the Auftrians and the Cantons, which latter invaded the County of Glaris belonging to that Houfe, and after ha ving 48 Of its Former Chap. If. ving fubdued it, received it into theif Alliance, and erefted it into a Canton in the fame Year 1351- The War continuing, the Country of Zug, which likewile belonged to the Houfe of Auftria, followed the Example ofGla- rii, and in the Year 135-2 was added to the Number ofthe Cantons. About the latter End ofthe fame Year, Berne an Imperial City likewife came into the Alliance, and made the Eighth Can ton ; and as thefe Cantons continued about an hundred and twenty five Years without increafing their Num ber, they are diftinguifli 'd by the Name of the Eight Old Cantons. In 1481, , Fribourg and Soleurre were receiv'd into the Number of the Cantons, the later having always been an Imperial City, but the former was Part of the Demefnes of the Houfe of Auftria, which purchafed it of the laft Count of Kybourg. In 1501 Bazil and Schaffaufen, two Imperial Cities came into the Alliance, and in 151 3 the Country of Appen- zelwzs added to them, and compleat- ed the Number of the Thirteen Can tons, after having purchafed its Li berty for a Sum of Mony ofthe Ab bot Chap. II. and Prefent State. 4 j hot and Convent of Si. Gal, tti whom it belonged. Thus we fee, that from the time of the Expulfion of the Auftrian Gover nors by the Three Cantons, to that of the Country of Apfenzel's entring in to the Alliance, and thereby compleat- ing the prefent Number, above two Ages were fpent ; during which time,,* there were feveral Intervals of Peace between the Houfe of Auftria and the Switzers ; and in the Year 1474 a perpetual Peace, under the Name of The Hereditary Union, was conclu ded between them ; wherein the Arch-Duke Sigifmund, firnamed the Simple, treated with them as with a free People, which Treaty was after wards renewed and confirmed by the Emperor Maximilian % howevef the Houfe of Auftria ftill kept its Pre tenfions on Foot* and from time to time renewed its Attempts to recover them, as Opportunities prefented s wherein the Advantage that Houfe has had of rertdring the Imperial Crowri almoft Hereditary, did not a little fa vour its Defigns, fince, befides the additional Strength it brought along with it, the Emperors of that Race E were' 5 o 0/ its Former Chap. 11. were furnifhed with the moft plaufible Reafons for purfuing their private Ti tle, under Pretence of recovering to the Empire its ancient Fiefs and De pendencies, which they are obliged by their Capitulation with the Electors to endeavour. Notwithftanding all which, whether the Princes of that Houfe thought it imprafticable to reduce thefe Cantons to their Obedience, or that they have been fo taken up witji other more important Wars, that they had not time to purfue this, or elfe, that their Ambition was fo glutted by the great Acquifitions they have made lince they came to enjoy the Imperi al Throne, that they defpifed this Country: Whichfoever of thefe may be the Reafon, it is certain, that for above thefe hundred Years laft paft;, they feem to have quite abandon'd all Thoughts of recovering it, and at laft, by the Interpofition of France and other States, confented to declare them a Free People and independei| ofthe Empire, by the Treaty of Mui- fter. I have already obferved, that thefe Cantons had more long and expenfive Wars with the powerful Nobility and Clergy, Chap. II. and Prefent State. 5 1 Clergy, that inhabited Switzerland* than with the Houfe of Auftria itfelf. For as thefe Nobles on one Hand de pended on the Empire, or the Houfe of Auftria, and obey'd their Motions, fo on the other, they had private Views of fubduing them to increafe their own Dominions ; fo that when ever the Cantons had to do with the Houfe of Auftria, they were fure of having the Nobility upon their Backs at the fame time. And as the Nobi lity generally combined againft the Cities, fo the Cities had no other Means left of preferving themfelves, but by entring into clofe Alliances for their mutual Defence: By which it appears, that the erefting fo many little Republicks, was the neceffary Effect of their common Danger, ra ther than of any premeditated Scheme of Government, in Imitation of the Common-wealths of Greece,thnt com bined for their Defence againft the Kings of Terfia. And as their confede rate Arms were at firft generally fuccefs-* ful, all the other Cities fought their Safety, by entring into their Alliance; whereby they increas'd to this Num ber, and acquired fuch a Reputation, E % that $i Of its Former, Sec. Chap. II. that feveral of their Neighbours, who could not be receiv'd as Cantons, were content to be admitted as Allies, and thought themfelves fafe under their Proteftion. It would be a tedious Work to re count the feveral Wars they waged! with the Nobility of the Country, fonte whereof were very powerful, fuch as the Counts of Kybourg, of Torbergt of Ar berg, of Gruyere, Nidaw,Thun, Lentzbourg, and many others, which it is needlefs to name I fliall content my felf therefore with adding, that the Cantons, by keeping clofe united, got the better by Degrees of the great eft Part ofthe Nobility, whofe Fami lies either became extinct by natural Means, or perifhed in fo many long and bloody Wars ; fo that in the end they either bought or conquer'd moft of their Poffeffions, and by that Means increased to the Extent and Power they now are in. CHAP. [m] CHAP. III. Of the Thirteen Cantons in particular. "A VING given an Account in H the firft Chapter of the Situati on, Soil and Climate of this Country, and in the Second briefly deduced the Hiftory of the People down to their prefent State, it feems neceffary to fay fomething of each Canton in particu lar, before I come to treat of their Government, Forces and Revenues. But it is not my Defign to give a De fcription of their Cities, and of other Curiofities, which are commonly ob ferved by Travellers •> Many of 'em have already fpared me that Trouble; fo that I fhall only trace, as in a Map, fuch Outlines, as may ferve to diftin guifli one from another, for the bet ter underftanding of what I fhall here after fay about them. The -Thirteen Cantons in the Or der they now ftand, and as they take their Places at the General Diets, are thefe. E 3 Zurich^ 54 Of the Thirteen Chap. III. Zurich, Berne, Lucerne, Vry, Schwitz, Vnderwald, Zug, Glaris, Bazil, Fribourg, Soleurre, Schaff haufen and Appenzel. The Proteftant Cantons are, Zurich, Berne, Bazil and Schaffhaufen, with above two Thirds of the Canton of Glaris, and above half of that of Ap penzel. All the reft are Roman Ca tholicks-. Of all thefe Cantons, Berne is by much the moft confiderable, both in Power and Extent, making about a third Part of Switzerland, and, gene- nerally fpeaking, is the moft fruitful Part of it. It is divided into two Parts, called the German Country, and the Roman or the French, fo diftinguifh'd by Reafon of the different Languages they ufe. The latter goes commonly by the Name of the Ta'is de Vaud, which is not only the moft fertile, but the moft beautiful Part of all Swit- zerland,and was taken from the Dukes of Savoy in the Year i^tf. There are in it feveral Cities and Towns, fuch as Laufanne, Vevay, Morges, Kolle, Nyon, Mouldon, Avanches, IPayerne, Morat, Granfon and Tver- dun, with others of lefs Note. And in Chap, IIL Cantons in particular. 5 5 in the German Country there are, be fides Berne the Capital, Burgdorff, Aarbourg, Lentzbourg, Aaraw, Bruck, Thun and others, All thefe confide rable Towns are in the Canton of Berne; whereas in moft of the little Cantons, there is no Town at all, and in the others fearce above one of any Note, befides the Capital The whole Canton is divided into feventy two Bailliages, which are govern'd by as many Bailiffs, who are Members of the Council of Two hundred at Berne, and are changed every fix Years. The Canton of Zurich is the next in Extent and Riches. It is not half fo large as Berne, but lies round and compact, and, I believe, is richer than the other in Proportion to its Territo ry, becaufe the People apply them felves more to Trade, and have efta- blifh'd in their Country feveral profita ble Manufactures. The Country is divi ded into twenty four Bailliages, where of Thirteen are fo inconfiderable, that their Bailiffs ufually refide in the City of Zurich, and difpatch the little Bufinefs thofeEmployments give them, in their own Houfes. There are two other Bailliages called Stein and Win- E 4 terthur, J* Of the Thirteen Chap. IIL ferthur, which have fo great Privile ges, that the Canton of Zurich has little more than the bare Sovereignty, the People of thefe two Towns be- jng govern'd by their own Laws and Magiltrates .• So that the Government fends only an under-Officer there, to receive the Revenues paid to the So vereign. There remain therefore but rune Bailliages of any Moment, which pbhge the Bailiffs to conftant Refi dence; but thofenine are confiderable both for Extent of Jurifdiftion, and the Profits annexed to their Office. The Cantons of Bazil and Schaff- pauzen have fo narrow a Diftrift of Territory, that they can make but a fmall Figure in the World by their Arms, and therefore have applied themfelves wholly to Trade, by which they grow rich. Bazil is without Dif pute the fineft City in Switzerland, and in my Opinion Schaffhaufen the next. Bazil had formerly a Bifhop, who by Degrees had annex'd the Tem poral Dominion to the Spiritual; but upon the Reformation of Religion in that City, he was drove out of it, and has ever fince loft his Power in the Canton: However he ftill retains the «5ove- Chap. III. Cantons in particular. $j Sovereignty of a confiderable Part of that Bifhoprick, and is a Prince of the Empire; he and the Chapter ufu- ally refide at a Place called Porentru, from whence the Proteftants call him the Bifhop of Porentru, tho' the Ca tholicks continue to ftile him Bifhop of Bazil The Country he remains ftill poffefs'd of, lies to the South of Alfatia, between Franche Comte and the Canton of Soleurre, the Inhabi tants whereof enjoy fo great Privile ges, that he has little more than the bare Name of Sovereign, and the Li berty of collecting the Revenues, an nexed to it. For by Virtue of their Liberties, they are not only govern'd by their own Laws and Magistrates, but have a Right of contracting Alli ances with other States for their De fence and Proteftion: In purfuance whereof, thofe of his Subjects that are ofthe Reformed Religion, particu larly the Inhabitants of Munfterthal, are in Alliance with the Canton of Berne*, and under its immediate Pro teftion ; of which I faw an Inftance in the beginning ofthe Year 1706, when the Bifliop endeavoured to introduce fome Innovations, in order to enlarge his 58 Of the Thirteen Chap. III. his Authority beyond the Laws, whereof the People of Munfterthal complain'd to the Canton of Berne, and demanded Succour of them; up on which they immediately march'd four thoufand Men to their Relief, re- inflated them in their former Rights, in fpight of the Bifliop, and then re turn'd home. How fingular foever this Praftice may appear in other Coun tries, of allowing the Subjefts of one Prince or State to live in Alliance with, or under the Proteftion of another; yet is very common in Switzerland, and is no more than is neceffary in the prefent Cafe. For if the Subjefts of ^Porentru had been left to the Mercy of their Bifhops, there had been an End long ago of their Religion and Liberties. The Cantons of Bazil and Schaff haufen have but four or five Bailliages each, and thofe very inconfiderable ; fo that their chief Strength confifts in the Riches of their Cities. Of the Catholick Cantons, Lucerne, Fribourg and Soleurre are the moft powerful : the firft in the Extent of its Territory, and the two others in the Goodnefs of their Soil, tho that of Soleurre Chap. III. Cantons in particular. 5 9 Soleurre is much the better. The Capitals of thefe three Cantons are no nnhandfome Cities, whereof So leurre is the ufual Place of Refidence of the French Ambaffadors, as Lucerne is of thofe of Spain, artfl ofthe Pope's Nuntio. Lucerne is not fo big as the Canton of Zurich, and is far from being fo fruitful, for it produces no Wine, and not Corn enough for its Inhabitants, fo that they are forced^to buy both of their Neigh bours. Soleurre and Fribourg yield Corn enough, but no Wine, tho' they firpply: rliemfelves with it at an ea fie Price from the Tdis de Vaud and Neufchatel. Lucerne has fixteen Bail liages, Fribourg Fifteen, and Soleurre Ten; which are, generally fpeaking, more profitable than thofe of the two former; however none of them come near the good Ones ofthe Canton of Berne. The other fix Cantons/lVy, Schwitz, Vnderwald, Zug, Glaris and Appen- zel, are commonly called the Little Cantons, and have nothing in them worthy Obfervation, there being not fo much as a walled Town in any of them, ants. Qf the three Cities, Mellinghenznd Bremgarten are Situated within the Circumference of the County of Ba den and the Three Bailliages, but have no Chap. III. Cantons in particular. 6$ no Dependence on them, being go vern'd by their own Laws and Magi- ftrates, tho'under the fame Sovereign, and taken at the fame time. Rapperfchwyl is a City on the Lake of Zurich, at the end of the long Bridge that croffes it, and was taken from the Houfe of Auftria by the Cantons of Vry, Schwitz, Vnder- wald and Glaris in the Year 145%. The Four ItalianBailliages, Lugano, Locarno, Mendrifio and Valmadia are fituated on the Italian fide of the Alps, and made formerly Part of the Dutchy of Milan ; but were difmember'd from it by the Duke Maximilian Sforza, and by him given to the Switzers in the Year 1513, as a Reward of the Services they had done him in his Wars; fo that they now belong to Twelve Cantons, that of Appenzel having no fhare in them, becaufe it was not received into the Alliance as a Canton 'till fome Months after. Thefe four Bailliages reach feveral Leagues in extent, and partake ofthe warm Climate of Italy, tho' the Coun try be Mountainous. The two firft are confiderable Cities, and all enjoy fo great Privileges, that they are oflit- F tie 46 Of the Thirteen Chap. III. tie Benefit to their Sovereigns, or to the Governors they fend thither. They are all Roman Catholicks, andfo rigid, that when a Proteftant Canton fends a Governor there in its turn of that Religion, he is not allowed to have the Exercife of it even in his own Houfe. There are three other Bailliages in Italy fituated near thefe, call'd Bel- linzona, Valbruna and Riviera, which are fubjeft in common to the three Cantons of Vry, Schwitz, and Vnder- wald, by whom they were taken in War from tbe Dukes oi Milan, and the Sovereignty of them yielded by Trea ty in 15*16 ; ever fince which time they have remain'd in quiet Poffeffion of them. That I may omit nothing worth men tioning, I will juft name the little Ba rony of Alt-Sax belonging to the Can ton of Zurich,and the County of Wer- denberg to that of Glaris, both fitu ated upon the Borders of the Rhine, before it falls into the Lake of Con- ftance. Befides which there is a Bail liage called Gafteren belonging to Schwitz and Glaris, lying between the Lakes Chap. III. Cantons in particular. 6y Lakes of Zurich and Wallenftat, on the Borders of the River Limat. There are alfo Four Confiderable Bailliages in the Tats de Vaud, belong ing jointly to ]Berne and Fribourg, be caufe they were taken by the United Arms of thofe Two Cantons, at the time that all that Country was con quered from the Houfe of Savoy. They are Morat, Gran fon, Echalens and Schwartzenbourg, to which Govern ments each Canton fends its Bailiffs alternately every five Years : Wherein it is obfervable, that when the Bai liff is of one Canton, he is folely under the Direction and Sovereignty of the other, during the time of his Govern ment in any of thofe Four Bailliages. It is to be obferved, that the War, which broke out in 1711, between the Cantons of Zurich and Berne on one Part, and Lucerne, Vry, Schwitz, Vn» derwald and Zug on the other, has made confiderable Changes in the Pro perty of the common Bailliages. For by the Treaty of Peace, which ended that War, the whole County of Baajnt half of the Free Bailliages, including particularly the Cities of Bremgarten and Rapptrfchwyl, were yielded to C 8 Of the Thirteen, &c. Chap. III. the two Proteftant Cantons, referv- ing to that of Gtaris its fliare in the Sovereignty of them, becaufe it had no part in the Quarrel. Befides which, the Canton of Berne was admitted to a fliare in the Sovereignty of Turgo- vy, Sargantz, Rhintal, and the other half of the Free Bailliages, of which it had no part before that War, becaufe none of their Troops affifted at the Conqueft of them. All thefe common Bailliages are go verned by fo many Bailiffs, who are chofen by the refpeftive Cantons that are Co-Soveraigns, each Canton in his turn, and are changed fome every Five, and others every Six Years ; wherein it is to be obferved, that the Bailiffs are not accountable for their Adminiftration to the Canton which chofe them, but to all the Cantons in general as Co-Sovereigns. CHAP. [ ] CHAP. IV. Of their Government. THE Thirteen Cantons are fo many Common- wealths , tho' there be a Difference in their Forms of Government. Seven of them are of the Ariftocratical Kind, and Six ofthe Democratical. The Seven A- riftpcratical are Zurich, Berne, Lu cerne, Bazil, Fribourg, Soleurre and Schaffhaufen. The other Six are De mocratical. This Difference in their Giovernment, feems to be the Effect of the State each happen'd to be in, before they were erefted into Cantons. For as the Seven Firft confifted each of One City only, or with little Ter ritory belonging to them, the whole Government was naturally lodged a- mong the Citizens, and being once confined to their Body, it of Courfe continued fo, notwithftanding the great Acquifitions of Territory they F 3 have 70 Of their Government. Chap. IV- have fince made ; whereas the Six De mocratical Cantons having no Cities, nor any Villages, that could claim any Preheminence above the others, the Country was divided into Communi ties; and each Community having an equal Right and Pretence to the So vereign Power, they could not well avoid fharing it, and confequently fall ing into a Popular Frame. But what ever may have been the Occafion of this Difference in their Forms, I fliall wave that Enquiry, and proceed to give an Account of the Government of the Seven with Cities, and after wards of the Six others. There is yet a Subdivifion to be made of thefe Seven with Cities. For tho' they be all equally Ariftocratical, in relation to the Subjefts, that are not Citizens, or Freemen of the Ca pital of each Canton, becaufe none but fuch Citizens are capable of having a- ny fliare in the Government ; yet in relation to the Citizens themfelves, there is a difference among them. For in the Cantons of Zurich, Bazil and Schaffhaufen, the meaner fort of Ci tizens, and Companies of Tradefmen, who are divided into Tribes, have their part Chap. IV. Of their Government. 71 part of the Government, and are e- lefted by their Tribes into the Sove reign Council; but in thofe oi Berne, Lucerne, Fribourg and Soleurre, the Little Council confuting of Twenty Seven, with a lefs Number of the moft confiderable Members of the Great One joyn'd to them, have the fole Right of rilling up Vacancies in the Sovereign Council, when they happen ; and as thofe Perfons always chufe their Relations and Friends, to fupply thefe Vacancies, the Common Trades-men and Citizens are by that Method, al moft excluded from having any Share in the Sovereign Power, as will be better underftood, when I come to take the Governments to Pieces. How ever, as the Difference in the Frames, between thofe Cities that are divided into Tribes, and the others, is not very effential, I fhall be very particu lar in my Account ofthe Government of Berne, and content my felf with taking Notice, as I proceed , of any Ma terial Point, wherein the others dif fer from it. The Sovereign Power of the Can ton of Berne is lodged m the Great Council, which, when it is compleat, p 4 con- yz Of their Government. Chap. IV. confifts of Two hundred and Ninety Nine ; but becaufe near the Number of Ninety Nine are generally abfent upon their Bailliages, and that by other Ac cidents, there are feldom more than Two hundred affembled at a time, it goes by the Name ofthe Council ofTwo Hundred. This Council makes Peace, War and Alliances, difpofes of the Publick Treafure, and of all Civil Em ployments of Confequence, and in fliort does all other Afts of abfolute Sovereignty. Out of this Council is drawn ano ther, that is call'd The Senate, or Lit tle Council, confifting of Twenty Se ven Perfons, including the two Chiefs call'd Avoyers, who prefide in both Councils yearly by turns. The Mem bers of this Council are properly called Senators or Counfellors, whereof the two Youngeft have the additional Ti tle of Secret Councellors : They are Guardians of the Peoples Liberty, and refemble in their Office the Tribunes of the Teople in the Commonwealth of Rome-. By virtue of which, they have a Power of convoking the GreatCouncil, whenever thej find any Matter propo fed, or Defign carried on, which they think may be prejudicial to the Rights and Chap. IV- Of their Government. y 3 and Liberties of the People or Citizens, or whenever they may think it neceffa ry for other Reafons. This Little Senate meets every Day except Sundays, and is entrufted with the Difpatch of the ordinary Affairs of the Government ; whereas the Great Council affembles but twice a Week, unlefs upon fome extraordina ry Occafions. This Senate has indeed fome peculiar Prerogatives annexed to it, independent of the Great Council ; and among the reft, the Difpofal of all Ecclefiaftical Preferments , befides fome Civil Employments. However, to diftinguifli rightly between the Fun ctions of the Two Councils, one may fay, in a limited Senfe, that the Great one has the Legiflative Power, and the Little one the Executive, except when new unprefidented Cafes fall out. I have already taken Notice, that the Senators are drawn out of the Great Council, and take their Places in it whenever it meets; of which they are alfo Members ; fo that the be- nate is loft in the Great Council, and has no Exiftence while that is affembled. As to the Right of Electing the Members ofthe Great and LittleCoun- cil, 74 Of their Government. Chap. IV, cil, it is lodged wholly among them felves, and they chufe one another: That is to fay, the Great Council chu fes out of its own Body a new Counfel lor or Senator, when a V acancy happens, with this Reftriftion, that neither Fa ther and Son, nor two Brothers can be of the Little Council at the fame time ; and on the contrary, the Senate, with the Addition of Sixteen Mem bers of the Great Council, fills up all the Vacancies of that Council. The Vacancies that happen in the Senate, are filled up as foon as the deceas'd Senator is buried, becaufe it is ne ceffary that Council fhould be always compleat ; but in the Great one they ftay, 'till there are fourfcore or an hundred empty Places, before they make a new Promotion, which ordina rily does not happen in lefs than nine or ten Years The Reafon commonly given for this Delay is, that they may have an Opportunity of contenting at the fame time, a great Number of Pre tenders ;but the true one is, that the re maining Members of the Great Coun cil may have the fewer Competitors in their Pretenfions to their Bailliages and Employments, fince none but Mem- Chap. IV- Of their Government. 75 Members of that Council are qualified for any Place of Truft. The Sixteen Members of the Great Council, that are join'd to the Senate upon a new Promotion, are called Seizeniers from their Number, and are chofen out of the old Bailiffs, that is, fuch as have pafs'd their Term of Years in fome Bailliage or Govern ment: But that I may give a clearer Idea of the Rife and Function of the Seizeniers, it will be neceffary to make a fliort Digreffion. In the City of Berne, there are Twelve Societies, or Companies of Tradefmen, which they call Abbeys, four Great ones, and eight Lefs. In one of thefe Companies, every Citi zen, be he Gentleman or Tradefman, muft enrol himfelf, fince no Body, that is not a Member of one of them, is qualify'd to be of the Council of Two Hundred, or capable of any other Employment of Truft. Every one of thefe Abbeys has its Head or Chief, which they call Seizenier; the Great Abbeys have each of them Two, and the Lefs one, which makes the Num ber Sixteen. Thefe Seizeniers muft be Members of the Abbey dfor which they 7 6 Of their Government. Chap. IV. they ferve, and, as I have already ob ferved, are chofen out of the Number of old Bailiffs, that are in the Council of Two Hundred, and that have no Em ployment. So that when new Seize niers are to be chofen, all the old Bai liffs meet at their feveral Abbeys, where the Seizeniers are Elected, not by Plurality of Voices, but by Lot; for as many Balls are put into a Bag, as there are Pretenders to thofe Pofts; one of them Gold, and the reft Silver; and he that gets the golden Ball, is the Seizenier. The fame Praftice is ufed at all the Abbeys in the Eleftions of Seizeniers, who are ufually chofen juft before the Vacancies in the GreatCoun- cil'are filled up, and continue in their Pofts 'till another Promotion is made, which, as I have already obferved, hap pens but once in nine or ten Years. Befides the Right, that thefe Seize niers have of filling. up the Vacancies in the Great Council, in Conjunction with the Members ofthe Senate, they are inverted with fome great and pe culiar Prerogatives. For they are pro perly the Reprefentatives of the "Citi zens in the Great Council ; whereof each is obliged to take care, that no thing Chap. IV. Of their Government. 77 thing pafs there to the Prejudice of his Company or Abbey; and they are not only the Reprefentatives of the City, but in fome fort the Guardians of the whole State: For they have the fole Right of making Representa tions to the Council, of any Grie vances the Citizens labour under, and of propofing fuch new Laws, as they think may be beneficial, or of abolifh- ing fuch old Ones, as they con ceive to be prejudicial to the Publick in general, or to their Abbeys in par ticular. Nay they are for a little while the fole Sovereigns in being, in Con junction with the Four Banderets ; for during three Days before Eafier every Year, all other Employments in the State ceafe, and they are then im- powered to enquire into the Behavi our of every Member of the State, and deprive him of his Employment, or Place in the Great Council or Senate, ifthey fee Caufe; but this is a Power they ufe very fparingly ; fo that each is of Courfe confirm'd in his Poft on Eafier Monday, unlefs any of them fliould be found guilty of fome very notorious Crime. It is true indeed, that the Four Banderets and Seizeni ers 7 8 Of their Government. Chap. IV. ers cannot expell a Member of the Great Council, unlefs their Sentence be confirmed by that Council; but for a Senator, they expel himj when they fee Caufe, without Appeal or Remedy. Having thus explain'd the Functions of the Seizeniers, I fliall continue to relate the manner of filling up the Va cancies in the Great Council I have already faid, that the Electors are the Members of the Senate, and the Sixteen Seizeniers, to whom all the Candidates make their Court and Application. Every one of thefe E- leftors has the Liberty of naming one Member, and the two Avoyers two a- piece. The Chancellor and the Gref- fier are likewife allowed to name one each; befides which, the Commiffary General,- with fome others, pretend to a Right of being Elected by vertue of their Offices, and generally are fo ; by which Means, there are always about fifty fure of being Elected ; the reft of thePretenders take their Chance, and are chofen by the Plurality of Voices. There are but two Conditions required to qualifie a Pretender ; one is, that he be a Citizen of Berne, of fome Abbey ; and the other, that he be Chap. IV. Of their Government. 79 be at leaft entred into his Thirtieth Year ; wherein they are fo ftrift, that a Gentleman of a good Family was excluded from the laft Promotion, becaufe he wanted Three Days of the Age required; as on the other Hand, feveral have not only fail'd in their Pretenfions to the Great Council, but even loft, for them and their Heirs for ever, the Right of Burgerfhip, for having omitted thro' Negligence, to enter themfelves of fome Abbey. The ufual Cuftom is, for every E- leftor to give his Nomination to his eldeft Son, if he be qualify'd ; if not, he is fure of marrying a Daughter, by giving it to the Perfon that marries her, which often ferves inftead of a Porti on. Upon this Occafion it is pleafant enough to fee, what Numbers of paf- fionate Lovers ftart up in three or four Days time; for there is no greater Di ftance between the Choice of the Sei zeniers, and the Election of the new Members. The firft Vifits that a new Seizenier receives, as foon as he returns home from his Election, are fure to be from Lovers, that demand his Daughter in Marriage, if there be no Son in the way; in which Cafe, the Marriage, So Of their Government. Chap, IV. Marriage, or at leaft the Promife of it, is as fudden as the Paffion of the Lo ver: For the Seizenier chufes fuch of the Lovers, as he and his Daughter like beft, and immediately engages him in a Promife of Marriage, leaft he fliould not keep his Word after his Nomination ;fo that it fometimes hap pens, that the firft Words, which a Lover and his Miftrefs ever exchange, are a Marriage Contraft. However, as there is no Fortune to be made in the Republick without being of the Great Council, and confidering that a Man makes but a poor Figure there, who is not a Member of it, the Gen tlemen, that are the richeft and ofthe beft Families, are glad to get into it by that way, when they cannot fuc- eeed by any other, and are often con tent to take that Nomination in lieu of a Portion. This is the ufual Method of filling up Vacancies in the Great Council ; whereby it appears, that the Electors not only favour their own Relations in their Nominations, but alfo agree a- mongtb/emfelves to ferve one anothers Friends, in the Choice of the others, that come in by Plurality of Voices. By Chap. IV. Of their Government. Si By which Means the whole Govern ment muft neceffarily be lodged in a few Families, and the Bulk of the or dinary Citizens be excluded from a Share in it, unlefs any of them can get in, as it fometimes happens, either by the Plurality of Voices, or by mar rying an Elector's Daughter. I fay no thing of the Inhabitants of the reft of the Canton ; for I have already takeA Notice, that they are all formally ex cluded from being ofthe Great Coun cil, and confequently from holding a-* ny Employment of Truft, as not be* ing Citizens of Berne. The fame Practice is obferved in the Eleftions of the Great and Little Council of Lucerne, Fribourg and So leurre; at leaft there is no effential Difference, that deferVes a particular Remark, except that the Great Coun cil of Lucerne confifts but of an hun dred Perfons, and the Little one or Se nate of thirty five ; but in thofe oi Zu rich, Bazil and Schaffhaufen the Me thod is fo differenr, that it feems ne ceffary to explain it. Thofe three Cities are divided each ofthem into Twelve or more Tribes, to oneof which every Citizen belongs, as G to St Of their Government. Chap. IV. to the A bbeys in Berne. And each of thefe Tribes has its Quota of the Members of ; he Great and Little Coun cil, as at Zurich; for Example, if I miftake not, ea.h Tribe has Twelve Members in the Great Council, and Four in the Little one, which Num ber is always kept Compleat, and the Vacancies are immediately filled up; but in fupplying thofe Vacancies, the Ariftocratical Genius has again pre vailed, tho' but lately, and by Abufe, not by Inftitution. For upon the Death ofa Member of any Tribe in the Great or Little Council, the Right of chu- fing his Succeffor, inftead of returning to the whole Tribe,remains in the furvi- ving Fifteen Members of it, that are in the two Councils, who are at Liberty to chufe whom they pleafe, provided he be one of their own Tribe ; by which Means they have deprived their Prin cipals of the Right of chufing their Reprefentatives in both Councils. There is another Difference like- wife in their Senate. For as that of Berne confifts but of Twenty five, be fides the two Chiefs ;thofe of thefe three Cities confift of Fifty, befides their two Chiefs, which are called Bmgher- Mafters, Chap. IV- Of their Government. %, Mafters, tho' but half ofthem are in Office at a time ; fo that each half go verns by turns, and is changed every fix Months, except in matters of ju dicature: In which cafes the whole number of Fifty is affembled, and e- very one has an equal Vote. Nay at other times, for the difpatch of ordi nary Bufinefs, the Fifty are ufually af fembled ; but thofe that are out of Of fice, affift only for Information of what paffesi, and have no Voices. Thefe two are the chief Points, wherein the Government of thefe Three Cities differs from that of Berne : So that I fliall content my felf with hav ing taken Notice of them, and proceed in my Account of the Government of Berne. I have already fliewn, that the So vereignty of this Canton refides in the Great Council of Two hundred, and that the Little Council or Senate is charged with the Difpatch of the ordi nary Affairs of it ; fo I fliall pafs onto the chief Officers and Magiltrates of this Common-wealth. The two Chiefs that are at the Head of the Government, are called Avoy- ers in French, and Schultheiffen in G * Ger= 84 Of their Government. Chap.IV, German. Their Employments are for Life, but they exercife them annually by turns ; whereof he, that is in Of fice, is called the Reigning Avoyer, who prefides both in the Great and Little Council, propofes the Matters that are to be Debated there, keeps the Seals that are put to all Publick Afts and Inftruments, and in fhort is the Principal Magiftrate, to whom all Perfons apply themfelves, that have any Bufinefs to pifs in either Council. The other Avoyer, tbat is out of Office, is only the firft Senator in rank, 'till the Year be expired; then he takes the Seals of the other, and is reigning Avoyer in his turn. Thefe Pofts are mightily coveted, by reafon of the Rank they give thofe that poffefs them, as well as for the Influence they have in the Management of all Pub lick Affairs, which gives them frequent Opportunities of doing good or harm to great numbers of Perfons, tho' they are otherwife fo little profitable, at leaft to Men of Integrity, that who ever fhould farm one of them at a Thou fand Crowns a Year, would lofe by the Bargain. The Chap.IV. Of their Government. $5 The Employments next in rank, are thofe of the Four Banderets, fo called from being the Standard-Bearers of the City, which is divided into Four Quarters or Wards, whereof each has its Standard-Bearer. Thefe Pofts are always given to Senators of the .firft Rank, becaufe they are very honoura ble and for Life, but fearce worth an hundred Pounds a Year. The Ban derets were formerly of much greater Authority, and had in Effect affumed to themfelves the whole Government of the Commonwealth: For they, to gether with the Sixteen Seizeniers, created all the Members of the Great Council; and as they had the Nomina tion even of the Seizeniers, one may fay the Banderets alone filled up the Great Council, and had confequently all the Members Votes at their Com mand. But the Citizens finding this exceffive Power ofthe Banderets tend ed to Oligarchy, began to clip their Wings, by taking from them firft the Nomination of the Seizeniers ; and have fince by Degrees fo retrenched their other Prerogatives, that they are now deprived of all Power, that may bs dangerous to the Publick Liberty. G 3 Next %C Of their Government. Chap.lV. Next in order come the Two Trea- furers, One called Treafurer of the German Country, and t' other of the Roman, or Tdis de Vaud. Their Bu finefs is to receive the Revenues ofthe Sovereign, each in his Diftrift. Thefe Employments laft but Six Years; but they are reckoned the beft of the State, fince thofe that have the Management of the Publick Mony, always find Ways of inriching themfelves in fpight of the beft Regulations. Thefe Eight are the chief Employ ments of the Commonwealth, and are always given to Senators, as Rewards of their long and faithful Services ; to which I may add one more of Confi deration, which muft likewife be held by a Senator, and that is the Superin tendant of the Publick Buildings. All the other Officers of the Common wealth, fuch as the Chancellor, the Greffier, the Commiflary, with many others not neceffary to be fpecify'd, are ufually enjoy'd by Members ofthe Great Council, and fome inferior Ones by Citizens that are not of it ; but it very rarely happens, that any Citizen, who is not of the Great Council, can get any Employment of great Profit. Hav- Chap. IV. Of their Government. 87 Having faid what feems neceffary of the Government, and chief Magiftrates in the Capital, I pafs on to thofe in the reft of the Country. The whole Can ton of Berne is divided into Seventy two Bailliages, which are govern'd by fo many Bailiffs, who are Members of the Great Council, and are chang ed every fix Years. Thefe Bailiffs have the chief Direction, each in his Diftrift, both of Civil and Military Affairs ; each is the General of the Mi litia of his Province, and the Supreme Judge both in Civil and Criminal Caufes. They are indeed affifted by others of the Bailliage in their Courts of Juftice, but the Bailiff has the fole Power of pronouncing Sentence, as he thinks fit ; tho' in criminal Caufes where Life is concern'd, his Sentence muft he confirmed by the Great Council, before it can be Executed ; and in ci vil Ones, there lies an Appeal in Caufes beyond a certain Value ; for which purpofe there are always refiding at Berne, Two Courts of Appeals, One for the German Country, and the o- ther for the 'Tdis de Vaud. Nay in the German Country, by a particular Privilege, there lies an Appeal from the G 4 Court Of their Government. Chap.IV* Court of Appeals it felf to the Great Council ; but thofe ofthe Tdis de Vaud have not the fameLibertyallow'd them, becaufe, as they are naturally very litigi ous, they would take up too much ofthe Council's time in hearing their Caufes. Thefe Bailliages are all of them Pro fitable, and fome ofthem fo confide rable, that the Bailiffs may live fplen- didly during the Six Years of their Government, and yet put in their Pockets Five and twenty, or Thirty Thoufand Crowns, which is a great Sum in a Country, where the Law retrenches all Superfluities in Equix page, Apparel and Furniture, and where OEconomy is fo well un derftood and praftifed. As thefe Bailliages are the chief Employments, by which Men can make their For- tunesinthis Couniry, fo all their Views and Defigns are turned that way. For merly every Man, from his firft en tring into the Great Council, began to take the Meafures he thought moft proper, to procure him the Bailliage he aimed at, and made his Court tp thofe Members of it, who had the greateft Credit and Authority, even to the Sacrificing his own Opinion to theirs Chap. IV. Of their Government. $9 theirs in theDebates on PublickMatters, that had no Relation to their particu lar Intereft. The Reafon that obliged the Competitors for Bailliages, to pay fo much Regard and Complaifance to the Leading-Men, was the manner of diftributing the Bailliages by open Votes ; by which Praftice every Body knew for whom each Member Voted, and thofe who did not Vote for fuch, as were favoured and promoted by the Men moft in Credit, were fure to fuf fer for it, and to find thofe Men a- gainft them, when they came to pre tend to any Bailliage for themfelves in their turn. This Method being found to have great Influence on the Publick Affairs, and to produce very ill Effefts, by the Dependence it impofed on Peo ple, as well as by the Enmities it raifed between Friends and Families, gaveOo- cafion to the Introduction of the Balot, which was thought a proper Expedi ent, to prevent the Inconveniencies complain'd of; fince by that means, no Body would know who another Voted for, and confequently all Re fentment, upon the Account of falfe Friends, would be at an end. This Jlemedy feem'd good in the Theory, but $o Of their Government. Chap. IV, but failed in the Practice: For upon the Vacancy of any Bailliage or Em ployment, the fame Brigues were car ried on with as much Violence as ber fore, and by a little Praftice People learnt to difcover, who voted for or againft them, as exaftly, as if they had ftill ^continued to Vote openly; falfe Friends protefted in vain, that they had given their Votes as they had pro- mifed; they were eafily found out, and the fameDependence on theGreatMen, the fame Enmities between Families ftill fubfifted. In order therefore to go to the root of the Evil, it was pro pofed, that all Employments fliould be difpofed of by Lot, and Fortune alone fliould decide between People's dif ferent Pretenfions. This Propofal met with great Oppofition from the leading Men, who by their Credit hindered its taking effeft for feveralYears. How ever in the beginning of the Year 1 710, it was eftablifh'd at Berne for Seven Years, by way of Experiment, as it had been before at Fribourg. So that now, when any Bailliage, or other Employment within the Regulation is to be difpofed of, as many Balls, as there are Competitors for it, are put into a Eags Chap. IV- Of their Government. ${ Bag, whereof One is gilt, which he that draws, has the Bailliage. I fay any Bailliage or other Employment within the Regulation, becaufe the Pofts of Avoyer, Banderet,Treafurer, and of all the Senators are ftill difpo fed of by the Balot, fince it would feem ridiculous to leave to Fortune the Choice of the chief Magiftrates, that are to have the Direction of all the Affairs of the Commonwealth. This Eftablifliment has effeftually knock'd on the Head all Brigues, and deftroy'd all Enmities; if any Man be prefer'd to one more defer ving, 'tis Fortune's doing, and no Body can be blamed ; tho' it muft be faid for her Honour, that fince flie has hadtheDifpofaloftheBailliages,itdoes not appear, that fhe has made a more unequal Diftribution of them, than the Great Council did before this E- ftablifbment was introduced. How ever, as it difarms the Men of Credit ofa great Part of their Power, ir is not to be doubted, but they will lay hold of all Opportunities of'getting it abolifhed ; tho' as the Plurality will al ways find their Advantage in main taining 5 z Of their Government. Chap. IV. taining it, I queftion whether the great Ones will ever fucceed in that Defign. In the Diftribution of Employ ments, there are Two other Regu lations, which deferve to be taken Notice of. The firft is, that no Bat chelor, tho' a Member of the Two hundred, can pretend to any Bailli age or Employment of Profit ; which Reftriftion was defigned as an En couragement to Marriage, or elfe to ferve as a Reafon for favouring thofe, that have Wives and Children, pre ferably to Batchelors, becaufe it is to be fuppofed their Wants are greater. The Second is, that when any Perfon pretends to an Employment, all his own and his Wife's Relations are obliged to withdraw, as far as the fecond Cou- fins indufive, becaufe it is to be fup pofed, they will always favour their own Relations, tho' againft Juftice or Su perior Merit. However this Regula tion is liable to great Abufes, which are frequently put in Praftice. For when Two Perfons contend for any Employment, it often happens, that a Third ftarts up, and puts in his Claim, not with a Profpect of carry ing Chap. IV. Of their Government. $ j ing it, but purely to favour one ofthe two Competitors, by obliging his own Relations to withdraw when he thinks they will not be favourable to that Perfon, whofe Intereft he himfelf pro motes. This Abufe has loft its Effect in Relation to Bailliages, and other Employments that are difpofed by Lot, fince the Introduction of that Efta blifliment ; but it ftill continues to be praftifed in the Difpofal of the Em ployments of Senators, and others without that Regulation. No Reme dy has been yet found for that Abufe, tho' there feems to be a very plain and eafie one, which is, only to put the Queftion for each Pretender feparate- ly, and one after another; in which Cafe, none but the Relations of each Competitor withdraw, while the Queftion is put upon him. The Places in the Great Council and Senate are all for Life, and fo are thofe of the Two Avoyers, and of the Four Banderets, unlefs in cafe of Crimes, orBankrupcy, upon which Ac counts they may be degraded. All the other Employments of the Common wealth are held only for fix Years, except the Secretaries of the Council, and j>4 Of their Government. Chap. IV. and fome other Pofts, wherein Expe rience is required; thofe the Poffef- fors may keep as long as they pleafe, but they always leave them, when they can get a good Bailliage; except the Chancellor alone, whofe Employment being very profitable, he is defirous of keeping it as long as he can; but the la^e Regulation by Lot has limited his Term to Twelve Years; at the Ex piration of o/hich, he muft refign that PoH, tho in lieu of it he has alfo the Choice of a Bailliage. It happen'd formerly, that Perfons of great Credir, as foon as their Term was ended in one good Bailliage, would by the fame Intereft get imme diately into another, or at leaft in fome fliort Interval of time ; by which Means it came to pafs, that a few of the lead ing Men engrofs'd all the good Bail liages, either for themfelves or their Relations. Therefore in the new Re gulation by Lot, Provifion is made a- gainft fuch partial Diftributions : For now the Bailliages are divided into Five Claffes according to their repu ted Value, and an old Bailiff is difa- bled from pretending to any Bailliage, but of the two laft Claffes; befides which, Chap. IV. Of their Government. $e which, there muft be an Interval of feven Years, between the time of his quitting one Bailliage, and pretend ing to another; and even then he muft drop his Pretenfions to the Bailliage in queftion, if any Member ofthe Great Council, who has never had a- ny, be willing to accept of it. Tho' the Places in the Great and Little Council be for Life ; yet thofe in the former are of no immediate Profit, any further, than as they lead to all the Employments of the State. Each Member has indeed fome little Allowance of Corn and Wood for the ufe of his Family, but it amounts to a Trifle not worth mentioning; and for the Salaries ofthe Senators, they do not amount to above Three hundred Crowns a Year, including fome Per- quefites annexed to them. So that I belive there is no Country in the World, where the Magiftrates ferve the Publick for fmaller Rewards than in this, and that with fo much Dili gence and Labour, that their whole Time is taken up in the Difcharge of their Offices; neverthelefs, they are not only contented with them, but follicite them with the greateft Earneft- 5 6 Of their Government; Chap. IV. Earneftnefs 5 for tho' they be of fmall Profit, yet they give Credit and Di ftinction to thofe that enjoy them. If the Fortunes to be made here are little, their Expence and Way of li ving are proportioned to them ; and every Body, fooner or later, is fure of fomething, which he enjoys in Quiet and Security ; whereas in moft other Countries, where the Fortunes are greater and more fplendid, there are but few that arrive to them, and thofe that do, are fubjeft to very fudden and violent Revolutions. I have obferved, that the Senate is charged with the Difpatch of the ordinary Affairs of the Government: However there are feveral Commiffi ons or feparate Magiftrates, appointed for the Direftion of particular Af fairs, and are all compofed of Mem bers of the Great Council, The moft important of which, is the Secret Council, confifting of the Avoyer out of Office, who prefides, the Four Banderets, the Two Trea fures and the Two Secret Counf f- lors. To this Council are referred fuch Matters of State, as require greater Secrecy than is to be expe cted Chap. IV. Of their Government. 97 fted in numerous Affemblies. They are invefted with a Power of acting in many Cafes, as they think moft for the publick Good, without con fulting the Great Council ; tho' when the Danger of divulging the Secret be over, their Decifions muft be ratified by it, before they can take Effect. They are likewife a fort of State-In- quifitors, who take Cognizance of all Matters, that may endanger the Pub lick Welfare. The next is, The Chamber of Ban derets, otherwife call'd the OEconomi- cal Chamber, by which the Accounts of the Bailiffs, and of all others, that are accountable to the Sovereign,- are examined and allowed. This Chamber is compofed of the Banderets in Office and the two Treafurers who prefide by Turns. After that is The Confiftory, which is aChamber compofed of Clergy and Lay men, tho' the latter are in greater Num ber, that the Supremacy of the Sove- reigninEcclefiafticalMatters may be the better maintain'd. This Chamber takes Cognizance of all Matrimonial Caufes of Adultery, Fornication, and of all other Offences againft good Manners: H Among «?8 Of their Government. Chap. IV. Among which, that of Adultery was for merly puniflied with Death for the firft Faft, but they have a few Years fince abated fomewhat of that Severity, and now put fuch Offenders to Death on ly upon the third Conviction; howe ver for the firft and fecond, they not onlypunifh them by Fine andlmprifon- ment, and deprive the Offenders of their Employments, if they have any, but declare them incapable of exerci- fing any for the future. There is alfo a Magiftracy appoint ed to fuperintend the Execution of the Sumptuary Laws, which they call La Chambre de Reforme. They are very exaft in fining fuch as wear any thing that is prohibited, both becaufe the Fines arifing from thence are Per quifites of their Office, and becaufe it highly concerns the State to have thofe Laws duly obferved, for Reafons that fliall be alledged in another Place. I have already mentioned the Two Courts of Appeals for Civil Caufes; befides which, there is an ordinary Court of Juftice, where both Civil and Criminal Ones are tryed at Berne in the firft Inftance, according to the common Law of the Country, which Chap. IV. Of their Government. is chiefly grounded upon the Civil or old Roman Law ; tho' they have many Cuftoms and Statutes Which differ from it, nor is the Civil Law, as fuchj received here any further, than it feems agreeable to Equity in the Cafe in Queftion, " There islikewife an Officer, call'd in German The Grofs-Weibel, and in French, The Gros Sautier, who is at the Head of this ordinary Court of Juftice, and is particularly appointee! to preferve the Publick Peace of the City, and to punifh fuch as break it, according to the Nature of the Offence. Thefe are the ftanding Magiftracies or Commiffions, that are always in being, and are all of the Great Coun cil, except the Clergymen that are in the Confiftory. Yet when any new Bufinefs arifes, they appoint an ex traordinary Commiffion or Commit tee to examine it, which fubfifts no longer than the Bufinefs referred to them requires. Thus 1 have gone through the Form of the Government of Berne, and the feveral Parts of which it is compofed; I have likewife taken Notice, as I went, of any effential Difference bc- H % tween iog Of their Government. Chap. IV. tween it, and thofe of the other fix Cantons with Cities, whether divid ed into Tribes, or not. There are indeed fome Employments in the o- ther fix of different 'Names and Fun ctions, as well as fome peculiar Cu ftoms and Ufages in each Canton ; but as they make no real Change in the Frame of the Government, I purpofely avoid entring into a nice Detail of em, which would take up a great deal of time without giving any Satisfaction to the Readers. Neither is it to my Purpofe in this Place, to fet forth the Excellency of fo well temper'd a Monarchy as Ours, beyond any other Species of Govern ment. My Bufinefs here, is only to reafon upon the different Kinds of Commonwealths in Switzerland, in order to fhew their Advantages or De ficits with Relation to one another, according to the Rules laid down by the warmeft Advocates of Popular Schemes. The ableft of them agree, that a Commonwealth ought principal ly to guard it felf by its Orders and Regulations from two Sorts of Sediti ons ; one, among the Citizens, or Go verning Part of the Commonwealth, which Chap. IV. Of their Government. i o i which often happens, when there is an unequal Diftribution of Employments among fuch as have an equal Right to pretend to them ; and the other, among the Subjefts or Governed, which Cafe falls out, when they are ruled by unequal Laws, that put fome Members in a worfe Condition, than others of the fame Commonwealth. Bvwhat I have faid of the Government of thefe feven Cantons with Cities, it appears, that its Frame is equal enough in relation to the Interiour Parts of it, or among the Governing, but is very unequal in Relation to the Subjefts or Governed, who are excluded from ha ving any Share in it. Other ftanding Maxims of Popular Governments are, That a Common wealth, framed for Prefervation, muft have a well regulated Militia, equal Agrarian Laws, and an equal Rota tion of Magiftracy. A well regula ted Militia, in Oppofition to a ftand ing Army of merceneray Troops, that may overturn a Government at Pleafure. Equal Agrarian Laws, that one or a few Families may not fo far exceed the others in Riches, and con fequently in Power, as thereby to en-. H 3 danger ioi Of their Government. Chap. IV. danger the Publick Liberty ; and an equal Rotation of Magiftracy, that each may have in his Turn his bhare^of the Power, and Profits of the Go vernment, in Proportion to his Me rits, All thefe Cafes are found in the Go vernment of thefe feven Cantons I now fpeak of. For Firft, they have a well regulated Militia, as I fhall fhew in another Place. Secondly, they have in Effect a pret ty equal Agrariau ; fince by their Laws, all their Children both Male and Fe male inherit in equal Portions; tho' the Father has a Power of difpofing by Will of a Third of his Eftate, to fuch Son or Sons as he favours moft; fo that the greateft hftates are foon divided into fmall Parcels, and confe quently an Equality of Power is in fome Meafure preferved among the People. - Thirdly, There cannot be a more £qual Rotation among the Magiftrates ; fince, except fome few, they are all changed every fix Years, and each Member is employed in his Turn. From thefe Considerations I am apt to believe, that the Sovereigns of thefe Cantons have little Caufe to apprehend any Chap. IV. Of their Government. 103 any inteftine Divifions among them felves; But as the Sovereign Councils have by degrees deprived the reft ofthe Citizens of many Privileges, and that the Principal Families endeavour ftill more and more to engrofsthe Govern ment to themfelves, there have been feditious Infurreftions in fome Cities againft the Magiftrates, and more are to be feared, unlefs Care be taken to content the Bulk of the Citizens, by chufing a greater Number of them in to the Adminiftration. But in relation to the Subjefts, the Government is very unequal. The Sovereign Power is for ever lodged a- mong the Citizens of the Capital of eachCanton,out of theBody of which all the Members of the Great Council muft be chofen, and all the good Employ ments exercifed by Members of that Council ; fo that the Inhabitants ofthe reft of the Canton are totally excluded, from having any fhare in the Govern ment. This Eftablifliment was very reafonable in the Infancy of their Com monwealths, when their Territory reached but little beyond the Walls of their Cities, and for that reafon makes no great Disproportion at prefent in H 4 the 1 04 Of their Government. Chap. IV. the Cantons of Bazil and Schaffhaufen, becaufe they are of very fmall Extent ; but in the other Five, who have very much enlarged their Territory fince the firft Inftitution,there is fo great aDifpro- portion, as may one Day endanger the Subversion ofthe Af iftocraticalGovern- ment among them. To Inftance in that of Berne, where the Inequality is the moft vifible, becaufe it is the largeft Canton, it is certain, that there are not above Eighty, Families, that have any Share in the Government at prefent, tho' there be above Three hundred and Sixty Families of Citizens in Berne, and that their Canton makes at leaft a third Part of Switzerland. The different Frames of Popular Go vernment, have been compared to fe veral forts of Columns or Pillars ; and the moft perfeft of them to that of a Pyramid, which being largeft at the Bottom, leffens by Degrees, as it rifes, 'till it ends in a Point And as the Foun dation of it is broader than any other Part, it cannot fink under its own Weight,and is much harder to overturn, than a Pillar of any other Form. So the Politicians fay, that a Government, which takes ir^to its frame the wh le Mai's Chap. IV. Of their Government. 105 Mafs of the People, and upon that Ba-i fis raifes its Structure, muft needs be more ftrong and durable, than any o- ther, where the Foundation is narrow ed, by leaving out good Numbers of the People, who are not only not in- terefted in its Prefervation, but per haps on the contrary have Reafon to wifh its Overthrow. On the other Hand an Ariftocratical Government is com pared to a Pyramid inverted, or fet on the little end, which muft foon be crufli'd by its own Weight, or elfe o- verturn'd by a fmall Force from with out; fo that as there are but few con cern'd in its Prefervation, and many in its Overthrow, in hopes of Govern ing in their turn, it feems fearce pof fible, that the Few fliould be long able to maintain their Ground againft the Strength of the Many. I know this form of Government has fubfifted for feveral Ages in thefe Cantons, and may probably do fo longer, while they live in Peace ; but upon any violent Con- cuflion of thefe States, whether the Blow come from within or without, it is much to be feared, the Pyramid will be flioved down, and the Government Overturned. In the fpace of Eight Years, 106 Of their Government. Chap. IV. Years, I have feen Civil Commotions in Geneva, Lucerne and Zurich, oc casioned by the Difcontents of the Citizens with their Governors, for retrenching their Privileges, and en- groffing ftill more Power to themfelves; which have generally ended in fatisfy ing them in their Grievances. For it is obferved of late Years, that the Citi zens gain Ground upon the Gover nors, and force them to re-inftatethem in feveral Privileges, which they had by degrees taken from them. But all thefe Reformations end only in the greater or lefs Number of Privileges granted to the Citizens of the Capi tal, and no way concern the Bulk of the People, that live in the reft of the Canton. The Inference I would draw from this Obfervation, is, that if Difcontents and Civil Commotions a- rife in theCapitals of thefe L ittleStates, how much more juftly may they be apprehended in the Great Ones, where the Inequality of the Government is fo much the greater, as the Extent of Territory is fo? Lis true indeed, there are two Con siderations, which feem to promife Peace Chap. IV. Of their Government. 107 Peace and Security to the Government of thefe Cantons. One is, that they lay fearce any Taxes upon their Sub jefts, who are certainly the moft free and eafie of any in the World; fothat they have no reafon to fear Infurreftions from that great Source of Popular Dif content. And the other is, that all the Cantons are, by their mutual Al liances, obliged to fuccour one ano ther in the Support of that form of Government,which each has embraced. But I doubt neither of thefe Securi ties are much to be relied on: For by what I can obferve, the Subjefts think noMildnefs in the Government, can make them Amends for the Hard- fliip of being excluded from their fliare in it; And as to the Security grounded on their mutual Affiftance, befides, that it is a dangerous Experiment, to call in Strangers to pacifieDomeftick Broils, the Proteftants and Catholicks have fo little Affeftion one for another, that there is no Reafon to believe, one would do any thing for the Preferva tion of another ofa different Religion, And as to the Canton oi Berne in par ticular, all the other are fo jealous of its io8 Of their Government. Chap. IV. its overgrown Power, that there is no one of the Twelve, which would not be glad to fee its Strength and Ter ritory leffened. It were therefore heartily to be wiftied, that thefe Arifto- cratical Cantons, and efpecially that of Berne, could find out fome way of en larging their Foundation, by letting greater Numbers of the People into the Adminiftration; which would Inter eft them more in the Defence of it. It is true indeed, that fome few Fami lies in the Pais de Vaud, have at dif ferent times been made Citizens of Berne, and that at every Promotion, Two Citizens of that Province are cho fen into the Great Council ; but that is fo fmall a Number in proportion to the Gentry, of it, that the Benefit is not felt by the Bulk of the People. As to the Government of the Six other Cantons, Vry, Schwitz, Vnder- wald, Zug, Glaris and Appenzel, it is wholly Democratical, and is fo plain and artlefs, that it will be eafie to give an Idea of it in iew Words. Each of thefe Cantons is divided in to more or lefs Communities or Di ftrifts, according to its Extent, the largeft Chap. IV. Of their Government. 1ro> largeft whereof, I think, has Twelve, fome Six and others Four. Every Community forms in fome Refpeftsan independent Sovereignty, judging its own Members, without Appeal, both in Civil and Criminal Matters, where in the reft of the Canton is not con cerned. But as to the Management of Publick Affairs, each Community chufes one Deputy, all which Deputies meet at the Place appointed, and form the ftanding Council of the Canton. And if there beany Matter to be treat ed of more than ordinary Importance, they fend two and fometimes three Deputies apiece. This Council has the Management of the ordinary Af fairs of the State, but with a limited Power; for the Sovereignty refides ab folutely in the univerfal Mafs and Bo dy of the People, Every Male in the Country, from Sixteen Years of Age upwards, has his Voice, and the Gen tleman and his Servant have an equal Share in the Sovereignty. But thefe Affemblies of the People are not very frequent, by reafon of the Inconveni ences that attend them : They gene rally meet once or twice a Year, to chuff 1 1 o Of their Government. Chap. IV. chufe their Publick Magiftrates or De puties, to be fent to the Diets, tho' they are called together oftner, as there happens to be Occafion for their Con- fenc or Approbation of any Publick Aft. The chief Officer of the Can- ton is called Land- Aman : He is cho fen by the Affembly of the whole Peo ple, who in all Queftions give their Affirmative Votes, by holdingup their Hands. His Poft refembles in its Funftions, thofe of Avoyer or Burgo- mafter ; but inftead of being continu ed, as they are, for Life, he is changed in fome of thefe Cantons every Year, and in others, every two Years. He presides conftantly both in their ftand ing Council, and in the Affemblies of the People, and in general is the chief Director ofthe Affairs of the Country, with the Affiftance ofthe Council At the fame time that rhey chufe a Land* Aman, they chufe his Deputy, which they call Stadthalter, who offi:iates during his Abfence or Indifpofition. They have likewife their Treafurers, Secretaries, and other Publick Offi cers, who are chofen by the Affembly of the People, and are from time to time confirmed or changed, accord ing Chap. IV. Of their Government. ing to the different Cuftoms in the fe veral Cantons. This is all that is neceffary to be faid of the Government of thefe petty Cantons; which, by allowing each Member an equal Share in it, feems to intereft every Part in the Prefervation of the Whole It is true indeed, that the common People here are generally rul'd in their Opinions by the Gentry, whom they fuppofe to bewifer than themfelves; but then they make them anfwerable in a manner for the Succefs, and often punifli fevere ly fuch as have given them Advice, that has proved pernicious. As Ariftocratical Governments fail by the Narrownefs of their Foundati on, fo do the Democratical Ones for want of good Rules and Orders: The former, fay the Politicians, degenerate ufually into Oligarchy, and the lat ter fall into Anarchy. So much is certain, that where the whole Body of the People are allowed to debate Mat ters of State, in publick Affemblies, Confufion cannot be avoided; as on the other Side, where the People are never confulted by themfelves, or their i 1 1 Il z Of their Government. Chap. IV. their Reprefentatives, they will have little Concern for the Welfare of a Government they have no part in, and perhaps will be glad to fee an Old one deftroyed, in hopes of mending their Condition in a New. And as to the different Commonwealths eftablifhed in thefe Cantons, I will venture to fay, what I know will feem a Paradox in the Ariftocratical ones ; which is, that the Government of the Popular Can tons comes nearer to, or at leaft may more eafily be made a perfect Com monwealth, than the other. To make the Popular Governments fo, there wants nothing, but to fend a Deputy from each Community of the Cantons ; all which fhould form a Petty Council or College, whofe Bufinefs fliould be only to prepare and digeft Matters. Af terwards, Four or Five Deputies more fliould be elected out of each Com munity, to form a Senate, in imitation of the Tregadi at Venice-, in order to Examine and Debate what the Petty Council fhall think fit to offer for the Publick Good; and then, what this Senate has approved, fliould be pro pofed to the Publick Affembly of the People, not to Debate upon, but only to Chap. IV. Of their Government. i 1 3 tti approve or reject. Thus the Petty Council propofing, the Senate debiting, and the People chufing, do, in the O- pinion of the moft famous Republi cans, forth a perfect Commonwealth ; provided the Deputies, that compofe thefe Two Councils, be regularly Changed by a fettled Rotation. This Eftablifliment feems to me very eafie to be introduced in the Popular Cantons ; whereas in the Ariftdcratical Ones, the whole Frame of the Govern ment muftbe broken to Pieces to bring it about, which is a Change not to be hoped for, while it is the Intereft of thofe that govern, to keep the Power always in their Hands. Nay, upon the Foot thefe Two forms of Govern ment now ftand, I will venture to af firm, The Popular one will in all Pro bability laft the longer: For though through want of good Rules, and by reafon ofthe Debates allowed in the Af femblies of thePeople,there will happen Confufion and Diforders, which muft needs Giake it, yet,as it refts upon theBa- fis of the whole Body of the People, it will very hardly be overthrown ; where as I have already fliewn, why the A- i rifto- 114 Of their Government. Chap. IV. riftocratical Governments are eafily fubverted. , Upon the whole, I know there is nothing fo eafie, as to find Faults in e- veryForm of Government, and nothing fo hard, as to fhew a perfect One re duced to Practice ; whereof the Chief Reafon perhaps may be, that fearce a- ny Legiflator has been at Liberty to caft his Frame at once, and purfue one entire compact Scheme. Moft of the Plans of Government fettled in the World, feem to have been formed like Houfes built at feveral times ; for as the old Parts of them always deface the new, and render them irregular, fo upon the Eftablifliment of any new Frame of Government, fomething of the Old is ftill preferved, and enters in to theFrame ofthe New, which is not of a Piece with it, and confequently fpoils its Symmetry. CHAP. r»n CHAP. V. Of their Diets, and of the Helverick Union. HAVING given an Account of the Form of Government eftablifh- ed in each Particular Canton, it feems neceffary in the next place, to fay fome thing of their publick Government in their Diets, wherein the Majefty of the Helvetick Body is reprefented, by Deputies from all the Cantons in ge neral. A General Diet of the Cantons u- fually meets once a Year, at the Feaft of St. JohttBaptift, and lafts not above a Month, unlefs fome extraordinary Affairs intervene. The Occafion of its Meeting, is chiefly to examine the Ac counts of the Governors of their com mon Bailliages ; to hear and determine any Appeals from the Sentences of thofe Governors, both in Civil and Cri minal Matters ; to inquire into their I % Con- 1 2 £ Of their Diets, and Chap.V. Conduct, and punifli their Misbehavi our; to redrefs any Grievances the Subjects of thofe Bailliages may labour under; to compofe any Differences, that may arife among the Cantons or their Allies; and in fhort, to confider of the Meafures moft proper to be taken, for the common Good and Safe ty of the whole Helvetick Body, with Reluion to the prefent Junfture of Affairs both at home and abroad, Thefe are the o- dinary Occupations of this Midfummer-Diet, befides which, fome Extraordinary ones generally arife. For the Minifters of Foreign Princes and States refidingamong them, common ly make ufe of that Opportunity, to apply themfelves to the Helvetick Bo dy, either by an Audience or Memo rial, when they have any thing to pro pofe to them for the Service of their Mafters : And the French Ambaffador in particular, goes regularly to theDier to make his Compliments, tho' he have nothing to Negotiate with them. Befides this A.nnualDiet,which meets of Courfe at the time appointed, each Canton has the Liberty of Summon ing one Extraordinarily, whenever ic finds Occafion; and the Minifter ofa- ny Chap.V. ofthe Helvetick Union. ny Foreign Prince may convoke one, as often as he thinks his Matter's Ser vice requires it, provided it be call'd at his Charge, that is, upon his de fraying the Expences of the Deputies. So that there feldom paffes a Year, wherein one extraordinary Diet at leaft is not called, upon fome of thefe Occa fions. The Diet confifts of two Deputies from each Canton, who take their Places according to*the Rank of the Cantons they reprefent: befides which, the Abbot of St. Gal, and the Cities of St. Gal and of Bienne fend their Deputies to it, as Allies. Zurich be ing the firft Canton, its firft Deputy always presides at the Diets, propofes the Matters to be debated, collects the Votes, forms the Resolutions, and does all the other Functions of a Prefident of an Affembly. This Can ton, properly fpeaking, not only pre sides' in the Diets, but in all other Times and Places ; for it is its Office to convoke the Diets, by writing Circu lar Letters to the Cantons, to acquaint them with the Reafons of calling them together, and defire them to fend their Deputies inftrufted upon the Points ¦ I 3 there- 117 1 1 8 Of their Diets, and Chap.V^ therein mentioned. The ZurichDc- puties likewife form the Abfcheid, as they call it, at the breaking up ofthe Diet, which is fent to all the Cantons, and contains the Results of their De liberations; fo that they are the Se cretaries as well as Prefidents of thefe Affemblies, and always are the Spokef- men, when the Deputies of the Can tons are fent to Compliment, or treat with the Minifter of any Foreign Prince. Before the Change of Religion, which happen'd in Switzerland about the fame time as in Germany, none but General Diets were known, and the Common Intereft of their Country was promoted with great Zeal and Una nimity: But fince one Part of the Can tons embraced theReform'd Religion, and the other ftuck to the Roman- Catholick, their State, as well as their Church, has been divided. From that time the Mutual Confidence has been loft, the Zeal of each Party for its Re ligion has produced Enmities, and Jea lousies of one another's Defigns ; fo that one may fay, the Reformation gave a Blow, which has fplit the Helvetick Body in two ; For as the Intereft of Reli- Chap. V. ofthe Helvetick Union. 1 1 9 Religion enters more or lefs into all their Publick Actions, the General Diets are now only kept up, to regu late the Affairs of their common Bail liages, and to maintain an outward Ap pearance of Union among them; where as indeed all Publick x\ffairs of Con fequence, are treated at the particular Diets of the two Religions, whereof thofe of the Proteftants are held at Arraw, and thofe of the Roman Ca tholicks at Lucerne ; which being the moft powerful Canton among them, afts as their Head, as Zurich is at the Head of the Proteftants. There are no fixed times for convoking thefe Particular Diets ; fo they are fummon- ed extraordinarily, whenever either Party thinks it neceffary. The clofe Alliances, by which the Thirteen Cantons are linked to one ano ther, their manner of afting, as fyienv bers of one Body, in their Diets, and the many Treaties they have jointly entered into with feveral Foreign Princes and States, have given Ground for an Opinion, which is generally re ceived in the World, that thefe Thir teen Cantons make but One Common wealth, like the States of the United I 4 Tro- ,1 z$ Of their Diets, and Chap.V* Provincesi yet whoever will take; thp Pains to enquire into the Foundation of their Union, will find them fo many independent Commonwealths, jpyned indeed by very ftrift Alliances for their mutual Defence, but fo far from makr ing but one Sovereignty, or one Bqdy, that there is not fo much as any one Publick Aft or Inftrument, by which they are bound together, or wherein the Thirteen Cantons af e reciprocally engaged each to the other. £0 that if they are fuppofed to make but oneBo- dy, it muft' be .a Body without a Head, pr elfe with as many Heads as they are Cantons ; either of which Suppofitions forms as monftrous a Production .'in Artificial Bodies, as in Natural. . , ; The firft League among them* that was put down in writing, was framed 'between the Three Cantons of 'Dry, Schwitz and Vnderwald, immedtate- ;}y "after their Viftory at Moregarten in the Year 1315-, about Eight Years after they had (hake n off the Yoke of the Houfe of Auftria, and were yet uncertain, whether they fhould be able to preferve their Liberty, againft the Attempts of thofe Princes to rer fluce them to Obedience, *The Con- Chap.V. of the Helvetick Union. tents of it are " That each Canton ** fhall aflift and fuccour the others with " their .utmoft Force, and at their ** own Expence, againft all Perfons " or States, that fhould. affault or mo- '* left any of them ; that neither of ^ the Cantons fliall fubmit to receive 4- '* ny new Sovereign without cheKnow- ** ledge and Confent of the others; ** That none fliall enter into any En- «* gagement or Alliance with any o- " ther Prince or State, without the ** faid ' Confent; and that, if any Dif- *« ference fliould arife between any f,s Two of thefe confederated Can- ** tons, the Third fliall be the Arbitra- *« tor, and fliall be obliged to aflift " that Canton, which fubmits to its *< Arbitration, againft the other that "fliall. refufe it. Afterwards, as the Cantons inereas'd in Number, another Alliance was for med between the Eight Old Ones, which was ratified in the Year 148 r, whereof the Tenour is, <* That the «« Alliance be only defenfive, and that *l noneof the Cantons fliall be obli- «f ged to affift any other in an offen se five War; that, leaft any War «« might l %l \zz Of their Diets, and Chap.V. "might be rafhly undertaken, the « Caufe of Complaint given to any " one Canton, fhall be communicated " to all the others, who fliall judge of " the Reafonablenefs of it; which if " they find well grounded, and that " there be fufficient Caufe to make " War, then they fhall aflift the com- " plaining or injured Canton, but not " otherwife : However they fhall firft " fend Deputies to the offending Par- " ty,to endeavour to make up the Dif- " ference, if poffible; that fo the Can- " tons may not proceed to a War, but " when all Hopes of Accommodation " are loft. That, when the War is " broke out, all the Cantons, without "any further Summons or Delay, " fhall fend their utmoft Force to the " Succour and Relief of the Canton " that is attack'd, or elfe employ their Troops in making a Diverfi on of the Enemy's Forces, as may be thought moft expedient. That as long as the War lafts, the Aux iliary Troops fliall be maintain'd by the refpeftive Cantons that fend them; that if any Siege is tobeun- " dertaken, for the particular Service " of tt tt be- fides the Field and Staff-Officers. The Companies ofthe firft Sort are of an hundred and ten Men, including eighteen Officers High and Low; and thofe of the latter are of two hundred and eighteen, including thirty Officers of all Sorts. E.very Man that is lifted, provides himfelf with Arms at his own Expence ; and the Regiments are all armed in an uniform manner, after the newest Fa fliion; for which Purpofe, there is an Officer called a Commiffioner of Arms, whofe Bufinefs it is, to infpeft their Arms and Mounting, to take Care they be conformable to the Standard, and to punifli fuch as fail in thofe Par ticulars. Since Chap. X. Of their Militia. 15*5 Since the Late War in Switzerland, they have likewife introduced an Uni formity in the Cloathing, and all their Troops are now Cloath'd with grey Cloth, tho' with Facings of different Colours, to diftinguifli the Regiments. The Canton of Berne found, by the Experience of the laft War, that Ca valry was of very little Ufe to them in aCountry fo Mountainous and inclofed ; therefore they have fince converted all their Light-Horfe into Dragoons, except One Regiment of Cuirafliers, which the Vaffals are obliged to main tain at their own Expence, by way of Homage to their Sovereign. EachRegiment of Dragoons confifts of Ten Troops ; and each Troop of Sixty Men, every Regiment making Five Squadrons. As to their Arms and Accoutrements, they are according to thene weft Faflii on, and uniform like the Infantry .• And their Horfes are alfo of the Men's own Providing, none being receiv'd into the Dragoons, but Substantial Far mers, who always keep Horfes for their other Occafions. Tho' the Militia, both Dragoons and Infantry, provide their Horfes, O 2 Arms i $6 Of their Militia. Chap. X. Arms and Accoutrements at their own Expence,and receive no Allowance frorii the State, while they ftay at horrie;yet when they are in Service, their Pay is fettled upon the following Foot, dou ble Pay being allowed to the Officers the Firft Month, to enable them to put themfelves in Equipage. Tay ofthe Field and Staff Officers. trench Livres. A Colonel per Month z+o Lieutenant-Colonel 180 Major 165 10 Aide Major 75- Adjutant 48 Chaplain 77 Chirurgeon. > 48 Clerk 14 '¦ Prevot 1 8 Total 873 10 Toy of a Company. Captain per Month 120 Captain-LieUtehant 90 Lieutenant 75- Second Lieutenant 60 Ensign 48 Each Serjeant 15- Each Chap. X. Of their Militia. 157 Each Under Officer 12 Each Corporal 8 Each Drum and Fife 7 Each Appointee 7 Each Soldier 6 The Pay of the Fuzfleers, Eleftio naries and Dragoons is the fame, with this Uttle Difference, that the Dragoon Officers are fupplied with Forrage gra tis, which the Foot-Officers pay for ; and the Priyate Dragoon has Six pence a Day, and Ammunition-Bread; where as the Foot Soldier receives but Four Pence per Day, the other Two Pence being deducted for his Bread. The Officers in both have this fur ther Advantage, that every Field-Of- ficer is allow'd Two Servants paid by the State, upon the Foot of Common Soldiers, and each Captain and Subal tern, One. The State likewife fupplies the Sol diers with Hatchets, fettles andTents, reckoning five Men to a Tent ; all which are returned into the Ar- fenal at Berne, when the Service is over. Tho' the Militia be always armed, as I have already faid ; yet there is kept O 3 ir> i$8 Of their Militia. Chap. X. in the Arfenal at Berne, an entire new Set of Arms for the whole Militia of the Canton, ready to be delivered out in cafe of Accident. And as a fur ther Provifion, there is a third Set of Arms for the Militia of each particu lar Bailliage of the Canton, kept in 4 tittle Arfenal made for that Pqrpbfe, in every Cattle, where the respective Bailiffs reside. ' In each Bailliage is likewife kept a Sum, amounting to Three Months Pay for the whole Militia of that Bail liage; which Mony was raifed upon the feveral Communities for that ufe many Years ago, and is referved for any pr'efling Occafion: Infomuch that the State did not think fit to touch a- ny of thofe Slims during the laft War, but rather to fupply the Expences of it out of their Publick Treafury at Butch above Two hun dred and fifty Years. The latter were indeed The Conclufion. indeed acknowledged to be Free and Independent, by the Truce of twelve Years, concluded between them and the Arch-Duke Albert in 1609; and the former were, in effect, declared fo by the Hereditary Union, made first between Sigifmund Arch-Duke of Auftria, and the Switzers in 1477; and afterwards more formally renewed with the Emperor Maximilian in ij-ii. However Spain reviv'd its Pretenfions to the Seven Trovinces at the End of the Truce, when the War began a- gain, and the Emperors ftill kept on Foot their Title to Switzerland, 'till the Treaty of Munfter, when they were both more folemnly declared by their ancient Sovereigns, Free and In dependent for ever. In thefe common Circumftances, the Fortune oi Switzerland, and that of the Vnited Trovinces agree ; tho' their Frame of Government, and the Figure they now make in the World, are too different to admit of any Comparifon, unlefs it be by way of Op pofition. But tho' there be no prefent Form of Government like that of the Hel vetick Body ; yet among the Ancients, the io- io 8 The Conclufion. the Commonwealths of Greece bear fq great an Analogy to thofe of Switzeft land, that if one did not know the Frame, into Which the latter is cast, to be the Work of meer Chance, one could not help thinking, that fome LegifiatOr had prdpofe4 ancient Greece for his Model. Of which two Forms, if may not perhaps be amifs to fhew the Refemblance in feveral Inftances. As the Cantons oi Switzerland were formerly fubjeft to Princes, whofe Yoke they fhook off on Account of . their Tyranny, and erected themfelves into Common-wealths; fo were the Cities of Greece firft fubjeft to Kings* whofe Oppreffion obliged them all by Degrees to expel them, and change the Forms of their Government. The Commonwealths of Greece were fituated between the two powerful Monarchies of Terfia and MacedoHi whereof eachendanger'd their Liberty in its turn. The Princes of the for mer were called the Great Kings by way of Eminence, and were fo dan gerous Enemies to the Grecians, that they not only invaded at Pleafure their Colonies on the Goaits of Afia, but more than once march'd prodigious Armies The Conclufion. 205? Armies into the Heart of their Country; particularly the two Kings Darius Hy- dafpe j,andhis Son Xerxes. The Kings of Macedon indeed, for a long Traft of time,were not powerful enough to do them any Harm, but byDegrees'came, through the Advantage of their Neigh bourhood,! o be no lefs dangerous than the Perftan ; efpecially in the time of Thilip the Father of Alexander the Great, who first turn'd his Views to wards the Conqueft of all Greece. The Cantons of Switzerland are likewife fituated between two great Princes, the Emperor and the King of France ; whereof the former has made feveral fruitlefs Attempts to reduce them to Obedience, fince the time of their Revolt ; but either defparing of Suc cefs, or being diverted from thofe At tempts by greater, the Houfe of Au ftria has liv'd in Peace with the Swit zers for above two Ages; as the Kings of Terfia never form'd any confider able Enterprize againft the Grecians, after the Death ofthe above-mention ed Xerxes. Since the time that the Terfian Kings quitted their Designs upon Greece, no Enemy arofe fo for midable to thofe Commonwealths, as P the z i o The Conclufion. the Kings of Macedon ; among which, both Thilip and his Son Alexander1 made feveral Conquests upon them; the latter particularly, Overturned the State of Thebes, and deftroy'd their City : So the Kings of France are now become the moft dangerous Neigh bours of the Cantons of Switzerland, It does not appear as yet indeed, that they aim at the Conqueft of it, as Thi lip and his Succeffors did at that of Greece, becaufe the Temptations are not the fame. Greeceis a fertile Coun try, and thofe Commonwealths were rich ; whereas Switzer -landis poor and barren, and the People are fo fond of Liberty, that tho' it fliould be con quer'd, it would coft more to keep it in Subjection, than its Revenues can amount to. But the King of France will always have his Views of keeping the Switzers in an indirect Depen dence, by influencing their Counfels, and engaging them to fupply him with a good Body of their Troops; which is all the Advantage he could reap from* that Country, if it were his own. In order to which, the Catholick Can tons are crowded with his Penfioners, juft as "Demofthenes complains, that A-- thens, The Conclufion. thens, and the other Grecian States were with thofe oi Thilip. Thus the Situation ol the Grecian Republicks, in relation to their Pow erful Neighbours, engaged them to enter into a mutual Confederacy for their common Defence; arid, as often as Occafion required, to hold Diets, compofed of Deputies from the moft confiderable of1 them, where the pro per Meafuresto betaken for the Good and Safety oi Greece, were debated, and Orders given for putting in Exe cution the Refolutions they took, Thefe Deputies were called the Am- phicJyones , or States- General o f Greece, which firft ufually affembled at Ther- mopyla, and afterwards at T>elphi. So it is well known, that the Switzers have their Diets or States-General, compofed of Deputies from each Can ton, whofe Bufinefs is the' fame, as' that pf the AmphicJyones Was ; and that the Motive of joining them in thisFce- deral Union, was the fame mutual Defence againft their Powerful Neigh bours. Notwithftanding which, each Canton remains an Independent Sove reignty, juft as the Grecian Common wealths did, P % The 2 I I £1 Z The Conclufion. The Parallel between the Repubr licks of Greece and of Switzerlandho\ds, not only in Relation to their Politi cal Conftitution, and Situation, but alfo in the Succefs of their Arms. The furprizing Afts of Valour performed by the Grecians againft the Armies of 'JDarius and Xerxes, have been at leaft equalled by thofe of the Switzers a- gainft the Houfe of Auftria. The Bat tle of Morgarten, where Thirteen hun dred Switzers routed the Arch-Duke Leopolds Army of Twenty thoufand Men, and kill'd above twice their own Number of the Enemy, may be put in Competition with the Battle of Mard*- thon ; and that of Sempach, wherein the fame Arch- Duke loft his Life, and his Army of near Twenty thoufand Men, was beaten by Sixteen hundred Switzers, if confidered in all its Cirr cumftances, was a more furprizing Victory, than that of Tlataa. And to crown all, the Battle fought near IF e fen in the Canton of Glaris, may not only be compared to that of Ther mopylae, but feems to be a Copy of it, that exceeded the Original. For as Three hundred Spartans attack'd the Ptrftans, in that narrow Pafs, and all perifh'd The Conclufion. 2. 1 5 perifh'din thewild Attempt ; fo Three hundred and fifty Switzers not Pnly attack'd, in fuch another Pafs, an Ar my of Eight Thoufand Auftrians, (ac cording to the loweft Accounts, for fome Authors fay, they were Sixteen Thoufand) but gain'd the Field of Bat tle. This Victory is celebrated eve ry Year with great Solemnity, by a Publick Proceffion in the Canton of Glaris,and eleven Pillars are erefted in the Field of Battle, to mark the Pla ces where the Switzers rallied: For their Hiftory fays, that they were re- fmlfed ten tinned ; but rallying the E- eventh, broke the Enemy's Army, and put them to Flight with great Slaughter. Thefe Pillars ftill fubfift as Monuments of their Bravery; and the People on the Day of Proceffion, re turn Thanks to God at each ofthem for fo fignal a Victory. When they come to the laft Pillar, one of their beft Orators is chofen to make the Pa^ negyrick of thefe Three hundred and fifty Men ; who, when he has finilh'd his Oration, reads over a Lift of their Names, juft as Hiftory fays, the Spar tans caufed the Names of their Three Hundred Citizens, who fell at the P 3 Battle 1 1 4 The Conclufion. Battle of Thermopylae, to be cut in Brafs, to tranfmit their Memories to •Pofterity. *• To carry on the Parallel, the Com monwealths of Greece had their In- teftine Divifions and Civil Wars, as well as Foreign Ones. The two mpft powerful, Athens and Sparta, waged ^ War of Twenty Severt Years, which had no better Foundation, than ajea- loufie between them for Precedence. The two moft Powerful Common wealths of Switzerland, which are Zurich and Berne, have not yet been fo unadvifed, as tp make War one a- gainft another upon that Account : However it is well known, that their common Enemies ufe all their Arts to raife Jealousies between them, and to encourage Berne to claim the Prece dence of Zurich in Rank, as it al ready has it in Power. But as Berne has been hitherto wife enough to re ject fuch Infinuations ; fo it is hoped, it will always be too cautious to give into a Snare, which muft end in the Ruin of both States, and in the Tri umph of their Common Enemies. Nay the Commonwealths of Greece had their Religious Wars too, as well as The Conclufion. 11.5 as thofe of Switzerland^The'Thocmfis were declared Sacrilegious, for having plowed up fome Lands belonging to the Temple of 'Delphi-, and appro priated to their Divine Worfhip: Up on which, a fort of Sentence of Excom munication was iffued out againft them, and Thilip of Macedon undertook to put it in Execution. Accordingly he made War upon them, wherein he was fo Successful, as to Conquer them, and then demanded Seffion in the Coun cil of the AmphiElyones, as a Mem ber of their Body, in the Room of the Thotenfes, whom he had fubdued. The Grecians were fo imprudent, or fd tame, as to give him Place among them; frorn which time, he became Arbitrator of all their Differences ; and by that means Macedon would probably have foon given Law to all Greece, if he had lived long after, Or if his Son^T- lexander had not been, taken off from thofe Views by purfuing greater i n Afia, It is likewife well known, that the Com monwealths of Switzerland have had rio other Wars among themfelves, but Religious ones ; and that one of that kind broke out in 171Z, which ended ina Peace fo adyantagipus to the Pro- P 4 teftants, % i 6 The Conclufion. teftants, that there is yet no Reconci liation between the Parties. During thefe Divifions, the view of the King oi Franc e,\\\iex\\at oi. Philip, feems to have been, to get himfelf declared Sole Arbitrator of their Differences: And if one may judge by Appearances, he ftill endeavours to be acknowledged as fuch, in a new Alliance, which, it is thought, he will take the firft good Opportunity of proposing to them ; but it is prefumed, the Cantons are too wife, to fuffer any Foreign Prince to inter fere in their Domeftick Affairs ; and that theExamples of allTimes will teach them, that a Powerful Neighbouring Prince, erefted as Judge among little Commonwealths, will foon find means to prefcribe 'em Laws, and fhew them, there is no Difference, in that Cafe, between their Judge and their Mafter. Ifthey continue fo prudent, as to avoid this Snare, 'tis probable the Switzers may preferve their Liberty, as the Grecians did, between two Great Princes, 'till fuch a Refiftlefs Power,. as that of the Romans, arife again, and over-run all Europe with its Con quests. A P- APPENDIX. CONTAINING AnAccountofthe Allies OFTHE SWITZERS. I "9 1 APPENDIX. Containing an Account of the Allies of the Switzers. TH E Allies of the Switzers are, the Grifons^ the County and Town of Neufchatel, the Abbot and City of St. Gal, the Valefians, the Republick of Geneva, and the Towns of Mulhattfen and Bienne. But it is to be obferved, that there are few, if any, of thefe diftinct Governments, that are allied equally td all the Thir teen Cantons : They are fo refpective- ly but to part ofthem, and generally to fuch, as are of the fame Religion with themfelves, tho' the Allies of each distinct Canton be acknowledg ed as fuch, by the whole Helvetick Body. What I have faid of the Soil and Climate, of the Manners and Difpofi- tions of the Switzers, is fo applicable to their Allies, that they are to be con fidered no Appendix. fidered as Part of the fame People. Therefore 1 fliall only add fuch a fur ther Account of their feveral Districts and Governments, as may ferve to di ftinguifli one from another, and give the Reader a general Idea of each. Of the Grifons. THE moft powerful of their Al lies, both for Extent of Coun try, and Number of Inhabitants, is the Republick of the Grifons. Their Country was called Rhgtia by the Ro mans; and now confifts of three Pro vinces, joyn'd for their common De fence in a Fcederal Union, like that of theVnited Trovinces, and forming one State, under the Title oi The Re publick of the Three Leagues of the Grifons; their Leagues or Alliances one with another, having given the Name of League to each Province. The Firft bears the Name of the Grey-, League both in German and French x or the Grifon-League properly fo call ed ; which being the moft confidera ble of the Three, has communicated its Name to the whole Country. The Second is called the League of God's Houfe, Appendix. i 1 1 Houfe, becaufe the Bifhop of Coire lives in it. And the Third, the League of the Ten JurifdicTions, as confifting of fo many Communities. The Country is bounded on the North, by the Province of Suabia in the Empire; on the South, (including their conquered Countries of Valtel- lina, Chiavenna and Bormio) by the States of Milan and Venice; on the Eaft, by the County of Tirol; and on the Weft, by the Cantons of Vry, Gla ris and Appenzel. The People were formerly fubjeft to feveral Princes; fome to Petty So vereigns, fome to the Bifliop oi Coire, and others to the Houfe of Auftria. Thofe that were under the Firft, either bought their Liberty, or became Free by the Extinction of the Families of their Lords. The Bifhops of Coire by degrees loft all their Power, chiefly at the time of the Reformation; fo that at prefent, they have no Share or Influence in the Affairs of theGovern- ment ; and the Houfe of Auftria has at feveral times fold fo many of its Rights, that it has nothing now left in that Country, but the little Lord- fliip of Ret&uns, of which the Gri fons 2. it Appendix. fins, are the direct Sovereigns, &y thefe degrees t\ieGri/b%s became Free arid In dependent, and erected themfelves into a Democratical Commonwealth, whofe Sovereign Power is lodged intirely in the People ; every Man in the Country, from Sixteen Years of Age, having an e- Oual Vote, as in the Petty Cantons; tho' triey have a better Method of collecting their Voices, than that of drawing to gether the whole Body ofthe People. Each League is divided into Com munities, which have fo many Votes. The Grey or Grifbn-League has Twen ty Seven ; that of Gods Houfe Two and Twenty; and that of The Ten Ju- rifdibHions Fourteen ; Which makes in all Sixty Three. Thus all Resolutions about their Publick Affairs, are deter mined by the Plurality of Voices; that is, the moft Voices in each Community from the Opinion of that Commu nity, as the Votes of the Plurality of the Communities form the Refoluti on of the Republick, upon the mat ter in Queftion. Each of thefe Communities is go verned by its own Municipal Laws aftd. Cuftoms, chufes its own Magi ftrates, andts a fort 'of Petty Sove reignty, like the Cities in Holland. The feveral Appendix. 2, 1 3 feveral Communities of each- League have their Provincial Diets, formed by a Deputy from each Community ; where they annually chufe their Head or Chief, with other Officers of that Particular League, and d° not iU re femble the Provincial States of the Vnited Trovinces. Befides the Particular Diets, which confider only of the Affairs of their < own League, there are four Sorts of Diets or Congreffes in ufe among them, compofed of Deputies from all the Three Leagues, which meet a- bout the Affairs of the Republick,as often as Occafion requires. The Chief Affembly called, a Gene ral Diet, is compofed of a Deputy from every Community, that has a Vote, befides the three Chiefs; and is held once a Year in each of the Three Leagues by turns, the Chief of the League, where the Diet is held, always presiding. The fixed time of the Meeting of this Diet, is towards the end of Auguft. Its chief Bufinefs, befides any Extraordinary Affairs that may happen, is, to hear Law Suits, and examine the Publick Accounts; which Matters ufually take up about Three Weeks time. The X24 Appendix. The Second is a Half- Diet, as it is called, confifting of half the Number of Deputies ; fo that two Communi ties fend but one Deputy between them, which they agree to chufe by Turns. This Half-Diet has no fix'd Times of mee\ting, being convened only when it is thought neceffary. The Third is called a Congrefs, confifting only of Three Deputies for each League, befides the Chiefs. It ufually meets once a Year, about the Beginning of March, for the ordina ry Affairs ofthe Government, and is always held at Coire, as well as the other publick Meetings, except the General Diet, but more for Conveni- ency, than from any Right annexed to that City. The Fourth is a Meeting only of the Three Chiefs of the Leagues, who affemble fome little time before the General Diet, to prepare Matters for their Deliberation. But it is to be noted, that befides the ftated Times of Meeting, any of thefe Affemblies are fummoned ex traordinarily, as often as the Dome- ftick Affairs of the Government re quire it ; or any foreign Minifter, who has Appendix. 115' has any Matter to propofe to them, demands it. However, in all thefe Meetings, the Deputies are fo ty'd up by their In- ftruftions, that they cannot by them felves take a final Refolution upon a- ny Matter in Debate: They can only deliberate upon it, and report their Opinions to their Principals, who de bate the Matter anew in their feveral Communities, and decide the Que ftion by the Plurality of Voices, each Community fending up its Opinion in Writing to the next Congrefs, when the Refolution of the State is form'd by the Votes of the Plurality of the Communities. Thus it appears, that the Sovereign ty refides intirely in the Body of the People: However, as the Communi ties generally chufe the ableft Men for their Deputies, it feldom happens, that any Community, upon the Report of its Deputy, gives its Vote contrary ro his Opinion; fo that in Effect, this Republick is govern'd by a few Lead ing Men. Yet fuch of them, as have engaged the People in bad, or (which is all one with the Mul itude) in un- fuecefsful Meafures, have often paid Q for iz6 Appendix. for it with their Heads, as well as in the Petty Cantons. Both the Reformed and the Roman Catholick Religions are tolerated in the Three Leagues ; But as the Pro teftants make at leaft two Thirds of the People, and that all their RefolU- tions are decided by the Plurality of Voices, this Republick may be dee med a Protestant State; and of all the Cantons, is only allied to Zurich and Berne. They have but two Bailliages within the Compafs of the Three Leagues, Which are Meyenfeld and Malantz; to which they fend new Governors every two Years. But they have eight or nine more Governments in the Valteline, and the Counties of Bormio and Chiavenna; which three Provinces formerly made part of the Dutchy of Milan ; but were difmem- bered, and yielded to the Grifons by the Sforzdfs, when they were Dukes of it, in confideration of their Military Services, much about the fame time* that the Four Italian Bailliages were given to the Switzers for the fame Reafon. Thefe Appendix. Thefe three Provinces are proper ly Subjefts of the Grifons, and have no Share in their Government. The Inhabitants are all of the Catholick Religion ; and fuch Care is taken to prevent any Mixture of Proteftants, that by the Treaties between the Kings of Spain as Dukes oi Milan, and the Grifons, it has been always ftipulated, " That no Proteftant fhall inhabit *' there above Six Weeks in theYear ; " during which Time he fhall have " no Exercife of his Religion, nor the " Governors themfelves be permit- " ted fo much as to keep a Chap- " lain in their Houfes. But as this Treaty expired with King Charles the Second, late King of .5^/0, it is fearce believed, 'the Grifons will renew it upon fo hard a Condition, The Valteline confifts but of One large Valley of about Ten Leagues long, tho' it is one of the moft fruit ful in the World, It produces Corn, Wine, Oil and Fruits, all moft delici ous in their Kinds. The two other Counties oiChiavenna and Bormio are likewife very fertile, but not in fo great a Degree. The Valteline is a Country as valuable, for its Q 2, being 217 228 Appendix. being a Paffage between Germany and Italy, as for its Fertility ; and is of great Conveniency, for prefervingthe Emperors Communication between Germany and Milan. Whether the Houfe of Auftria, or King of France fhould have the Key of thofe Paffes, was a Queftion, which armed a great Part of Europe in the laft Age, and occafion'd the War of the Valteline, which lafted near twenty Years, from i6zo, to about 1640: Wherein at laft the Houfe of Auftria got the better ; and the Liberty of ufing thofe Paffes, was granted to the King of Spain by the Treaty or Capitulate of Milan, made in 1639. It is to be obferved, that both the two Bailliages in the three Leagues, and thofe of the Valteline, and of Chia . en- na and Bormio, a-e difpofed of by eve ry Community in its turn, and by them fold to the highest Bidder : So that they are not very profitable to the Governors, who can raife but little n ore out of them, during the two Years of their Government, than what they give to purchafe them. The Publick Revenues of this State are very fmall, tho' there be many pri- Appendix. iip private Perfons in it that are rich : However in cafe of any extraordinary Emergency, they tax themfelves in Proportion to the Neceffity of the Ser vice, and to People's Abilities. Of the Counties of Neufchatel and Valanein. D '"pHESE two Counties, tho' in -*- fome manner independent one of another, as to their Government ; yet are otherways fo united, that they are always fubjeft to the fame Prince, and together form a little Sovereign ty of about Twelve Leagues in Length from North to South, and of about Sixth in Breadth,1 and is fitua ted between the County of Burgundy and the Canton of Berne, the City of Neufchatel ftanding upon the Lake of that Name. The Soil of the Country is generally ftony, but produces the beft Wines of Switzerland; from the Sale whereof proceed the fureft Reve nues of its Inhabitants. Not only the natural Tongue ofthe People is French, but their Humours and Manners par take much more of that, than of the German Nation : So that having gene- Q 3 "lly 2 3 o Appendix. rally more Vivacity than the reft ofthe Switzers, and not being wholly ex empt from Vanity, they are ufually called in Raillery, The Gafcons of Swit zerland. This Country has always been fub jeft to Princes ; but the People have conftantly enjoy'd under them fo great Privileges, that they may justly be called Free. Upon the Death of the Dutchefs of Nemours in 1707, who was the laft Countefs of Neufchatel, as Heirefs of the Houfe of Longue- ville, the States of the Country ad judged the Sovereignty of it to the late King of Pruffia, as Heir by his Mother to the Houfe oi Orange,which\ derived its Title to Neufchatel from the Marriage of one of its Princes with the Heirefs of the Houfe of Cha- jfllons, the direct Sovereign of thofe Two Counties. There were at that time feveral Competitors to this. So vereignty, defeended from the Houfe of Longueville; upon which Title they grounded their Pretenfions, and cal led themfelves Heirs by Blood : But the States, upon full Examination, found, that the Houfe of Longuevil le had no Legal one to it, as having never Appendix. i y i never been called to fucceed by the Inveftitures granted by the Houfe of Chaalons, whereof Neufchatel was an undouted Fief; and therefore declar ed, it reverted totheHeirsofthatHoufe. The Venetian Author, of whom I formerly made Mention, fpeak ing of this Matter, fays, that the Country of Neufchatel, having been once a Fief of the Empire, gran ted to the Houfe of Chaalons, muft neceffarily be fo ftill, otherwife the King of Pruffids Title falls to the Ground; and that, if it be acknow ledged to be a Fief of the Empire, it ber longs to the Emperor to give the Inve- ftiture to whom he pleafe ; which Right he capnot renounce without the Con fent of the whole Empire. But in Anfwer to that Objedtion, I need on ly fay, that Neufchatelis part of Swiu zerland; and that Switzerland has not only been actually independent oi the Empire for feveral Ages, but former ly declared fo by the Empire it felf at the Treaty of Weftphalia. Tho' if his Doftrine be generally true, that Fiefs ofthe Empire cannot be legally alie nated without the Confent of the Em pire, I doubt he will be extreamly Q_4 puzzled, 2 $ 2 Appendix. puzzled to prove the Title of the Re- publick oi Venice to the greateft Part of their Territories in the Terra Fir- ma of Italy The former Counts of Neufchatel had always a Governor refiding there, affifted by a Council of State; but the King of Truffta has yet fent none, leaving hitherto the Management of Affairs to that Council; tho' its pro bable he will think it proper, e'er it be long, to employ one with that Character. The City of Neufchatel is governed by a Council of Sixty Burghers, and, as I faid before, enjoy fo great Pri vileges, that they are almoft In dependent. One of which is, that they are Corn-Burghers or Fellow-Ci* tizens with the Canton of Berne; which is not only their particular Protector, but the declared Arbitra tor of all Differences arifing between their Prince and Them. So that, as it is the Intereft of that Canton to maintain them in their Freedom, and more efpecially was fo, while they were under Catholick Princes, Berne generally fupports them in all Difputes with their Prince. The Appendix. 2 3 3 The People are all of the Reform ed Religion, except two fmall Villages, called Crefler and Landeron, where they are Catholicks. The Counts of Neufchatel were formerly Allied to the Cantons of Berne, Lucerne, Soleurre and Fribourg; but fince the States have given the inveftiture to the King of Pruffia, that Alliance feems to be dropt with all but Berne; and'tis a Queftion, whether it will ever be renewed with the other Three. Of the Abbot and City of St. Gal. HP HE Abbot of St. Galls Head of ¦¦- a Convent of Benedictine Monks, which from a fmall Beginning is in- creas'd to Great Power and Riches, infomuch that the Abbot is now Sove reign ofa confiderable Diftrift of Coun try, called, The 'Patrimony of St. Gal, lying between the Canton of Zurich and the Lake of ' Conftance, befides the County of Toe kenbourg, which is con tiguous to it, and was purchafed by one of his P •edeceffors for a trivial Sum. He affumes likewife the Title of Prince of the Empire; but having neither Vote nor Seffion in their Diets, ' his i j 4 Appendix. his Rank there is meerly Titular. The Abbots of St. Gal were formerly So vereigns of the City of that Name, and of good Part 'of the Canton of Appen zel; but both the one and the other bought their Freedom ; fo that they have at prefent no manner of Depen dence upon him ; the City of St. Gal now forming a* little Commonwealth without any Territory. The Sove reignty refides in a Great and Little Council, as in all the Cities of Swit zerland, but leaning to the Aristocra tical Kind, lit is one of the moft trad ing Towns of the whole Country, and and is particularly Famous for Linnen Cloth. Both the Abbot and the City of St, Gal have the Privilege of fend ing Deputies to the General Diets of the Thirteen Cantons, who have Seffion there, but no Vote; the Ab bot being United by his Religion to the Catholicks, as the City of St. Gal is to the Proteftants, aU its Inha bitants being of the Reformed Reli gion. The Four Cantons, that are particularly allied to the Abbot, are Zurich, Lucerne, Schwitz andGlarif, whoare in fome Manner theProteftors of the Convent ; and the City of St. Gal is Appendix. is flriftly allied to the Protestant Can tons. The Ahbot of St. Gal has made a great Noifein the World of late Years, by the differences that have arifen a- bout the Privileges ofhis Subjefts of the County of Tockenbourg; and be caufe few People are well informed of that Difpute, I think it may not be a- mifs, to give the Reader fome Account .pi the State of that Matter. The laft Count af Tockenbourg hav ing no Heir ofhis Family, out of Love to his Subjefts, granted them fo great Privileges before his Death, that he made them in a manner a Free Peo ple. Among the reft, he gave them the Liberty of making Municipal Laws for their own Government, of chufing their Magiftrates and Officers, of entring into anAffociation for their Defence, which every Body in the Country took an Oath to maintain ; and for the further Security and Cor roboration of thefe Privileges, he gave them leave to enter into a Treaty of Comburgerfhip with the Canton of Glaris, in order to engage that Can ton to fupport them in their Rights, as their Fellow-Burghers. According to thefe M5 2 j 6 Appendix. thefe Regulations, the Sovereignty was fo clipped, that there was little more.left for his Succeffor, than the Right of collecting the Revenues, that made pare ofthe Regalia, together with the Power of obliging the Subjefts to ferve him in his Wars.This was theState of theCountry,when theCount oi'Tock- enbourgdyed'm 1 436, and wasfucceedj- edbythe Counts of Raren,h\s Heirs at Law. Soon after his Death, all thefe Regulations were put in Execution ; and particularly the Treaty of Combur- gerfhip was made with the Canton pf Glaris, with the Knowledge and Con fent of the Counts of Raren, who ra tified it, and after having kept this Country above Thirty Years, fold it to the Abbot of St. Gal in 1469, but with an exprefs Refervation of all the Rights andPrivileges of thelnhabitants: To which the Abbot not only confent ed, but ratified them anew himfelf. However, he had n 1 fooner made this Purchafe, but he endeavoured, contra ry to his Engagements, to abolifh thefe new Privileges. The greateft Di- ficulty he found in his way, was the Treaty of Comburgerfhip with Glaris, which engaged that Canton to fupport them Appendix. 1 3 7 them in their Rights : Wherefore all his Arts and Skill were employed in detaching Glaris from their Intereft, concluding, he could eafily get the better ofthem, ifthey were left to themfelves. The firft Step he made towards it, was,tooppofe the Renewal oftheTreatyofComburgerfliip,which, by the Tenour ofthe Treaty it felf, ought to be- renewed every Ten Years ; but not being able to hinder it, he got the Canton of Schwitz to be admitted into a Sort of Partnerfhip, and thofe two Cantons declared Joint-Arbitra tors of all Differences, that "fhould a- rife between him and the People of Tockenbourg about their Privileges. It would be endlefs to enumerate all the Arts, that have been fince ufed by him and his Succeffors, to render this Trea ty of Comburgerfhip ineffectual: Not withftanding which, Glaris continued conftantly to fupport the Tockenburgh- ers; infomuch that of late Years, the Abbot brought his Complaints againft that Canton before the General Diet, and accufedthem of abetting the Tock* enburghers in Rebellion againft their Sovereign. The Deputies of Glaris alledg'd in their Defence, that they had done 2 1 8 Appendix. done nothing, but what was agreeable to the Tenour of the Treaty of Com- burgerfhip, allowed and approved of by the Abbots themfelves; and fet forth fo plainly the Juftice of their Caufe, that all indifferent Perfons ap proved their Proceedings. However, for the Prefervation of Peace in the HelvetickBody, many Endeavours were ufedatfeveralfucceedingDiets,tocom- pofe this Difference, but without Suc cefs. In the mean time, the Abbot found ways of gaining over to his In tereft, the Leading Men of the Canton of Schwitz, and fome of the Catho licks of Glaris; by which means, the Tockenburghers were not only depri ved of their ufual Protection, but con demned in all their Difputes with him by thofe two Cantons; fothat the Ab bot having cut off that Remedy from them, began to Exercife a Sort of Ar bitrary Power in the Country, and openly violated all their Privileges. The People fly to their ufual Protect ors for Relief, but finding them quite changed, they have recourfe to the Two Protestant Cantoris of Zurich and Berne. Thefe Two Cantons, as well for Reafons of State, as of Reli gion, Appendix. 1 2 9 gion, efpoufe their Caufe, and fend a Solemn Deputation to the Abbot, to exhort him to redrefs what had been done irregularly, and to maintain them for the future in their Religious and Ci vil' Rights, contained in a Particular Memorial, which they delivered to him at the fame time. The Abbot refufes positively, to restore their Privileges upon the Foot contained in the Me morial: Whereupon the Deputies of the two Cantons go into the Country themfelves, put all things again upon the old Foot, promife the People their Proteftion, in cafe of any newViolence, and fo return home. Upon this, the Abbot complains again to the Diet of the two Cantons: And as Religion is in fome Meafure concerned in the Difpute, it foon became a Party-Caufe in the Diet, the Catholicks maintain ing the Abbot, and the Proteftants the Tockenburghers. However, finding the two Cantons of Zurich and Berne would not withdraw their Proteftion from thofe People, the Abbot, to take all further, Cognizance of the Matter from the Diet, bethinks himfelf, as his laft Shift, of declaring to them, that the Country of Tockenbourg was 240 Appendix. a Fief of the Empire ; that the Emperpr had the fole Right of deciding any Di- fputes,that might arife about it ;and par ticularly, that the Two Cantons oi Zu- rich and Berne had no Right to concern themfelves in that Matter. Upon this Declaration, the Diet broke up, that was convened in 1708; and tho' fe veral fucceeding Ones have endea-j vour'd to compofe the Difference by divers Expedients propofed, yet the Abbot would kearken to none, ftill infifting, that it was a Fief of the Em pire, whereof he had lately taken the Inveftiture from the Emperor, to whom alone theCognizance of this Difference did belong. This Difpute continued in the fame uncertain State 'till April 1711; at which time, the Abbot fent fome Troops, which he had hired, into the County of Tockenbourg, to fubdue thofe People. They apply themfelves again to Zurich and Berne; who immediately march Troops to their Succour, and fo the War began between them and the Abbot of St. Gal, with his Confedera-es the Five Cantons of Lucerne, Vry, Schwitz, Vnderwald and Zug: Wherein the Proteftants beat the Catholicks in two pitch'd Appendix. pitch'd Battles, took from them the County of Baden, and feveral other Places, which were yielded to them by the Treaty of Peace made in Au guft following. As for the Abbot him felf, the two Cantons at the fame time feized all his Country, whereof they ftill remain in Poffeffion : Nor is it like ly they will restore it, till the Abbot ratifies the Treaty of Peace signed by hisPlenipotentiaries at Rofchach in April 1714; by which Treaty the People of Tockenbourg are confirmed, more fo- lemnly than ever, in their Privileges, and the two Cantons of Zurich and Berne declared Guarantees of them. All I fhall fay further about the Con vent of St. Gal, is, that tho' it be a very rich One, yet the Abbot of it can make but a very poor Figure, as a Sovereign Prince; and is wholly un able to maintain any War with his Neighbours, without the Aftiftanceof good Allies. Of the Republic k of Valais. HP HE Vale ftans, or People of Va- -*• lais, inhabit a Country, that takes its Name from one Great Valley, where- R of 24 242. Appendix. of it confifts. It reaches from the Mpun> tain called LaFourche, where the Rhone takes its Source, to the Lake of Geneva, and is divided by that River, which runs thro' the middle of it, and often o\ verflows a great Part of the Country. This Valley is fituated between the Canton of Berne and Savoy, but is dir vided from them by vaft high Moun tains, whereof the Tops are always co vered with Snow; however they af ford Pafture for great Num bers of Cat tle in Summer, and the Valley pro duces Corn, Wine, and DeliciousFruits. The Capital of it is Syon, the Seat ofa Bifliop, who is a Prince of the Empire,, and was formerly the Sovereign of a good Part of the Country ; but his Pow er dwindled away by Degrees, and' a Commonwealth rofe out of the Ruins of it. However, he is ftill in much greater Authority than the Bifhop of Coire, presides in their Councils as their Head, and has a great Influence in the Management of their Affairs. The Country is divided into the Vpper Valais and Lower; whereof the former is fubdivided into Seven Inde pendent Communities, like thofe of the Grifons, and rhe latter into Six Upon the Destruction ofthe Bifliop of Syons Appendix. 245 Sypn^s Power, the Inhabitants of the Upper and Lower Va ais fell out among themfelves about the Sovereignty of (he Country; in which Contest, the Vpper Valais got fhe better by their Arms, and have ever fince remain'd the Mafters; tho' the People of the X-ower Valais enjoy great Privileges under them. The Seven Communi ties of the Vpper Valais fend Depu ties to their Diets, as the Grifons; and their Commonwealth is governed in the fame manner. The Valefians are the moft ancient Allies of the Canton of Berne; but the latter having embraced the Refor mation, and the former continuing Catholicks, the Difference of Religion has broke the bands of their Friend fliip: So that, fho' the Alliance be ftill in force, the Valefians have fince made a new One with the Catholick Can tons ; to whom they are more clofely United by their Zeal for Religion. Of the City of Geneva. THIS City is fo well known, and has been fo often defcribed by Travellers, that it would be a need- R % lefs 2.44 Appendix. lefs Work for me to give a particular Account of it. Every Body knows, that it is a little Republick, with a fmall Territory, fituated between France and Savoy, at the Head of the Lake that bears its Name ; and that it is the largeft, as well as the moft flourifhingCityin Switzerland, whofe Inhabitants are no lefs Ingenious than Industrious, and equally cultivate both Trade and Letters. The Bifhop of Geneva had former ly great Power, if not the Sovereign ty of the City; but upon the Refor mation he loft that, and his Bifhop rick together. The Pope indeed ftill continues to nominate a Bifhop of Ge neva, as well as of Laufanne, and o- rher Places in the Hands of the Pro- reftants ; but they are Bifhopricks that yield no more Revenue, than thofe he difpofes of in T art i bus Infidelium. Their prefent Government is much thefame, asin the other Cities of Swit zerland, confifting of a Great and Lit tle Council, the Firft of Two hundred, and the Secondof Twenty five, befides a ThirdCoun ;il of Sixty Members, which are drawn out ofthe Great One. They feem'd to lean too much to the A- rifto- Appendix, 245 riftocratical kind, which occafioned fome late Diforders in their Govern ment, that were pacified by the Inter- 11 pofition ofthe Cantons of Zurich and. 1 Berne. By that Pacification, the Bo dy ofthe Citizens was admitted to a greater Share in the Government, than it had enjoyed for fome Years laft paft; which they pretend, has only restored it to its Original Form, by retrench ing the Power, which the leading Men had ufurped in a long Courfe of Time. This little Republick was formerly allied to fome Catholick, as well as Proteftant Cantons ; but fince the Re formation, the Catholicks have tacitly at leaft renounced their Alliance ; fo that at prefent they are ftrictly allied only to Zurich and Berne. Of the City of Bienne. HP HIS little Town is fituated at '¦*¦ the Head of the Lake of that Name, between the Cantons oi Berne and Soleurre, the County oi Neufcha tel, and the Bifhop of Torentru's Coun try. That Bifliop has a fort of Sove reignty over them, butfo limited, that they *4tf Appendix. they may be reckoned a Free People* being govern'd by their own Laws and Magiftrates, independent of the Bifliop. His Rights confift only in fome fmall Revenues, andthe Obligation the Peo ple -are under, Offerving him for his J^efence, provided it be not againft the Canton of Berne : For in that Cafe, they are obhged to ftand'Neuter. The Rea- ion of this Exceptionis, becaufe the In habitants of Bienne are Fellow-Citi zens -and Comburghers of fhe Canton or Berne; and as they are of the Re formed Religion, one may juftly fay,- they are maintain'd, both in their Ci vil and Religions Rights, by the Pro tection of that Canton. Of the City of Mulhaufen. HTHIS City, witha very fmall Di- ¦*• ftrrft of Country round it, is a Petty Commonwealth, which makes Pant of the Helvetick Body; tho' it lye out of the Limits of Switzerland, be ing fituated upon the River ///in the Upper Alfatia, near Bazil. Its inhabitants embraced the Refor mation at the fame time as Bazil; upon which Account, the two Cities en tered 247 tered intoaTreaty of Comburgerfhip, and by that Means Mulhaufen became a Member of the Helvetick Body, tho' more ftrictly united to the Pro teftants. Upon which Occafion, itmay not be improper to make this general Obfervation, that whatever Treaties or Alliances may fubfift between Pro testant and Catholick States in SwiU zerland, one may furely reckon, they will not be executed in cafe of a Rup ture : Then each Member will certain ly adhere to thofe of his own Religi on, whatever be the Ground of the Quarrel ; and Switzerland will know no other Divifion, than that of Pro- teftant and Catholick. FINIS, YALE UNIVERSITY