B E R 



B E It 



plreJ to the cxpfnccs of the govermeiit, were derived prin- 

 cipally from the public demefnes appropriated at the time of 

 the reformation ; the tithes, fequellered at the fame period, 

 and afligiitd to the maintenance of the clergy, public ftmi- 

 .eimr" 'Kovernor* knd judirc in his own diftrid, and having a nnries, and charitable inftitutlons ; quit-rcnts, mid monopoly 

 na-nifrcent chateau for" his accommodation, not only pof- of fait and gunpowder ; produce of the polt-cfuce ; culloms 

 e'(f d irreat po'.ver, but in the courfe of his adminillration, and tolls ; duty v.n wme iT.ported into the capital ; and hnei 

 ^^ "^ — impofed for mifdemeanors ; alio a tax on the alienation or 



for criminal offences. In fome parts of the German divifion, 

 the bailiff became entitled, upon the death of every peafant, 

 to a determinate part of the inheritance, which proved in fonie 

 fituations an opprcfiive tax upon the family. The bailiff, 

 h 

 rv _ 



,.(f;.d great p' , _- - 



which lafled !•>: years, was able to live with proper magmh- 

 cence, and to lay up two or three thoufand pounds without 

 extortion or unbecoming parfimony. 



In Bern, the militia was fo well regulated, that govern- 

 ment was able to affemble a very confiderable body of men 

 an a moment's warning. To this purpofe, every male at 

 the age of 16 was enrolled, and about a third of the whole 

 imnibt-r was formed into particular regiments, compofed of 

 fiifilcLrs and electionaries ; the former being bachelors, and 

 the latter m.arried men. Every perfon thus enrolled was 

 obliged to provide, al his own expence, an uniform, a muf- 

 quet, and a certain quantity of powder and ball •, and no 

 peafant was allowed to marry, unlcfs he produced his uni- 

 form and arms. Every year a certahi number of officers, 

 called land-m.ijors, were deputed by the council of war, to 

 infpeft the arms, to complete the regiments, and to exercife 

 the militia. The regiments were, befides tliis annual review, 

 occalionally cxercifed by veteran foldiers appointed for that 

 purpofe. Befidc the arms in the arfenal of Bern, a certain 

 quantity is alfo provided in the arfenal of each bnilliage, fuf- 

 ficient for the militia of that diftricl, and likewife a lum of 

 money amoimting to three mouths' pay, which is appropri- 

 ated to the eledionarics in cafe of adual fervice. The dra- 

 goons were chofen from the fubllantial farmers, each of 

 whom provided his horfe and accoutrements. In time of 

 peace, the avoyer out of ofliee was prefident of the council 

 of war ; but during wis, a general in chief was nominated 

 for the forces of the republic. A certain number of regi- 

 ments being thus always ready, fignal; are fixed on the 

 lii'rheft part of each bailhage, for afiemhling the militia at a 

 partieidar place in each dillrift, where they receive orders 

 for marching. As the page of hillory does not exhibit a 

 greater curiofity than what was called the '• exterior Hate" 

 at Bern, we fliall here fubjoiii a brief account of it. It was 

 a model of the fovercigu council, and compofed of thofe 

 burghers who had not attained the age requihte for entering 

 into that council. It had a great council, a fcnate, two avoy- 

 trs, treafurcrs, bannerets, and feizeniers ; all of whom were 

 chofen in the ufual'manntr, and with the accullomed cere- 

 monies. The poll of avoyer in this mimic legiflative com- 

 munity was folicited with great afliduity, and fometimes ob- 

 tained at a confiderable expence, as the fuccefsfid candi- 

 date was always admitted into the great couicil without any 

 farther recommendation. This body poffcilcd 66 bailliages, 

 confilling of feveral ruined calUes difpcifed throughout the 

 country, among which Hapfburg was the principal. It had 

 alfo its common treafure, and its debts ; difFeiing in this 

 latter refpcft from the actual government of Bern, which 

 was not only free from debts, but poffeired of a very confi- 

 derable fund in referve. Great honours were paid to this 

 imgidar infti'.ution, as it was in fart a kind of pchtical fe- 

 minary for the youth of the canton, who were likely to ar- 

 rive in fome future period at the highell offices in the ilate. 

 Its badge, or coat of arms, which was an ape fitting on a 

 lobfter, and viewing itfelf in a mirror, was no bad emblem 

 of its mock confequence. 



The revenues of Bern, out of which were paid the fala- 

 ries of the principal magillrates, which were extremely mo- 

 derate, the reigning avoyer being allowed 400I., each of the 

 fenators 150I., and the banneret z.jol., and which were ap- 



landcd property in the French diftridt ; the interell of mo- 

 ney accumulated from a regular progreffiou (;f favings, of 

 which nearly 500,000!. were lodged in the Englifli funds. 

 The whole revenue has been ilated by the bed authorities as 

 not exceeding 300,000 crowns, which were always more 

 than fuflicicnt to fupply the expenditure, and to conflrudl 

 and fuppott the magnificent public works. A large treafure 

 was always referved in a vault of the capital for fudden 

 emergencies, and the care of this vault cntrulled to the prin- 

 cipal magillrates, each of whom had a feparate key, and 

 without their concurrence, and a fpecial order from the fo- 

 vereign council, the door could not be opened. 'I'he amount 

 of this treafure could not be accurately afcertained, but it 

 mull have been very confiderable, as not lefs than i6o,oool. 

 flerling was depofited in the mountains of Hadi and Ober- 

 land. The pillage of this treafure was one of the principal 

 objeftsof the French direttory, to defray the expenccs of their 

 armament againll Egypt. In the plunder of Bern, it is faid 

 that the French did not acquire lels than 400,0001. in fpecie. 

 When the dirtftory of France determined to revolutionize 

 Swifferland, it direfted its whole force againll the canton of 

 Bern, on the conquefl or fubmiffion of which the reduflion 

 of the country at large depended. Its hollihties were pre- 

 ceded, in 1797, by requiring Bern, and the other Hclvetie 

 cantons, to difmifs the Britifh miniiler, who withdrew, and 

 voluntarily announced the termination of his embaffy in a 

 dignified note addrefl'ed to the rulers of Bern. France, 

 having accompliihed the firll part cf its plan, which was that 

 of dividing the confederate Hates, proceeded to the attain- 

 ment of their fecond object, which was the fubjcdtion cf 

 Bern. With this view they fecured the pades vvliich f?r 

 cilitated the invafion of the Bernefe territory, by feizlng 

 the Ergucl and the town of Bienne. The fubfequent atr 

 ttr.ipt to detach the Pays de Vaud from Berne, and to ere£l 

 it into a republic, under the aufpices of France, was equally 

 fuceefsful, from the pufiUanimity and infatuation of the 

 Bernefe government. Bern, after fome feeble and inefFeftual 

 remonltrances, relinquilhed its claims on the Pays de Vaud, 

 and made overtures of conciliation to the French direftory, 

 and to Mengaud, their agent, in Swiiililand. But thefe 

 degrading meafures ferved only to haften the fall of the re- 

 public. At length, after foine fruitlefs negotiations, they 

 had recourfe to arms ; and the forces of Soleure and Friburgbi, 

 ranged themfelvts under the (landard of Bern ; and the chief 

 C(nnmand was entrufted to general d'Erlach, a member cf 

 the fovereign council, who was a veteran difiinguifhed for 

 military Hiill and undaunted courage. The combined forces 

 of Bern, Solcure, and Friburgh, amounted at this time to 

 25,000 men, and extended from the northern frontierc of the 

 ciuton of Soleure beyond Friburgh; occupied the llrong poli- 

 t'on of Vailly, between the lakes of Morat and Neufchatcl, 

 and pulhed their advanced corps as far as the vallies of Or.- 

 mond, towards the fouth-eailern extremity of the lake of 

 Geneva. By this pofition they covered the towns of Sor 

 leure, Bern, and Friburg, and prevented all communication 

 between the two French armies, in the Pays de Vaud, and 

 the bifiiopric of Bade. Erlach, having arranged his plan 

 of olftnfive operations in a maflerly manner, was confident 

 of fuccefs, and bis troops were eager for the combat. In 

 i- this- 



