Mean time the Pestilence, which had discover'd it self in some of our Provinces, frighten'd us very much. The King upon this occasion acted like a true Father of his People, by sending Money and Provisions to those that were afflicted with it, and by causing a Day of solemn Fasting and Prayers to be celebrated in all the Churches of his Dominions to beg of God that he wou'd please to avert this Scourge from our Country. Moreover he caused Lazarets or Pest-Houses to be erected at the Gates of all the Towns where those who came from any suspected Place were to perform Quarantain. As the whole time was now spent in Sermons and Prayers for removing the Pestilence, the detail of which would not be very pleasing, I think it will not be amiss here to tell you how the Service was perform'd before the King and Queen. I will begin by giving you some Account of[11]_Berlin_, and of his Majesty's[12]Palace.
The City of _Berlin_[13] wou'd not have been what it is at this day, had it not been for the _French_ Protestants. They had been kindly receiv'd by the Elector _Frederic-William_: And the King, every whit as generous as his Father, prolong'd and even augmented the Franchises granted to the _French_, and in order to convince those Exiles that he was dispos'd to be a Father to them, he had a mind that they should be no longer distinguish'd from his natural-born Subjects; but caus'd Churches to be built for them of which he maintain'd the Ministers, gave them a very fine College for the Education of their Children, and also chose a Company of Musketeers out of them in which none but _French_ were admitted.
These Refugees were so sensible of the King's Goodness to them, that they had an Emulation to shew their Gratitude to him by making Trade to flourish. They were equally zealous for the embellishing and aggrandizing of the City, and caus'd a great many Houses to be built there which were both neat and commodious. They added to the City all that Quarter call'd the _New Town_, which is certainly the most beautiful part of _Berlin_. Of the Streets which run in a strait Line, the principal is adorn'd with six Rows of Lime-Trees that form as many Walks, the middlemost of which is lin'd with a Balustrade to keep off Coaches and Carriages. These Walks terminate in a Wood, thro' which there's an Avenue of a League, which leads to _Charlottenbourg_, a Royal Palace.