After some other Festivals of this nature, occasion'd by the public Joy, the Court separated, when the King set out for Oranjebourg[4], and the Queen to Lutzelbourg. The Prince Royal staid at Berlin to finish his Exercises. Care had been taken to form a numerous Court for him, of all young Gentlemen of his own Age, of whom this young Prince had form'd two Companies, of which himself commanded the first, and the Duke of Courland the second. I was of this second
Company, and we went sometimes to perform our Military Exercises at Lutzelbourg before the Queen, who lov'd to see the Prince her Son display the first Fruits of his Military Genius. We also acted some Comedies before her; for the Princess aim'd to inspire the Prince her Son with a delicate Taste, even in Pleasures.
'Twas at this time that a Storm arose at Court against the Count de Wartemberg Great Chamberlain, and lately declar'd Prime Minister, which threaten'd his Ruin; but it spent itself upon those only who had rais'd it. The principal Authors of the Cabal were the Count de Lottum, M. ——, and the Grand Marshal, who had been for a long time the Great Chamberlain's sworn Enemy. The Count de Wesen, my Father-in-law, was pitch'd upon by these Gentlemen to raise the first Prejudices in the King's Mind against this Minister. I have had the Honor to acquaint you, Madame, that the Countess de Wartemberg always wish'd well to M. de Wesen of which the advantagious Match she had procur'd for him was a very convincing Proof. One would have thought therefore after such great Service, that he ought in Gratitude to have devoted himself entirely to the Fortune of the Count her Husband. But my Father-in-law puff'd up by the Choice which the Count's Enemies had made of him, forgot his Duty and his Interest, and accepted a Commission for the undertaking of which he had in truth all the necessary Temerity, but not that Judgment nor that Favor, which was absolutely requisite for conducting so ticklish an Affair.
The King had a real Love for M. de Wartemberg, yet he sometimes made him feel his ill Humors. The Prince seem'd one day to be so angry with him, and spoke of him to my Father-in-law
with so much Resentment, that the latter thought he had now a fair Opportunity to ruin the Count. He said to the King, that the whole Court was surpriz'd at his extraordinary Kindness to a Minister who every day abus'd his Name in the Oppression of the People, and in the Commission of a thousand Acts of Injustice against his faithful Servants; that his Rapines were excessive; and that his Wife's Extravagance was so great, that he could shew by the Accounts of the Comptrollers of the Kitchen, that the Great Chamberlain's Table cost more than his Majesty's. I know very well, added M. de Wesen, that if the Prime Minister should hear of what I have now had the Honor to say to your Majesty, I am undone; but if I held my peace, I thought I should be wanting in my Duty; and what I have asserted I am ready to prove.
The King heard what he said very attentively, and my Father-in-law was so vain as to think he had made Impression enough upon him to strike M. de Wartemberg quite out of his Favor; but this shallow Statesman, my Father-in-law, did not consider that a Prince who complains of his Favorite is not always dispos'd to receive the ill Impressions that others are ready to give of him. Whether the King therefore thought after this manner, or whether he was shock'd at the Ingratitude of M. de Wesen, who ow'd his Fortune to M. de Wartemberg, he told the Minister the Conversation that had pass'd, but assur'd him that he did not give Credit to the Report; and that if he pleas'd he would take a Revenge on the Man that had made it.
The crafty Minister affected at that time an Air of Moderation, which cost him the less Pains because he was an excellent Comedian. He said
to the King that he thought himself sufficiently reveng'd, by the little Heed his Majesty gave to the scandalous Tales which his Enemies gave out against him, and he desir'd his Majesty to pardon those who had offer'd to abuse his Goodness, for the sake of oppressing him. Thus did he for a while conceal the keenest Resentment under the Mask of the most forgiving Temper; being resolv'd in his Heart to ruin those who had employ'd M. de Wesen, tho' they were protected by the Queen, but especially to make their Tool feel all the Weight of his Vengeance.
A Journey which the King took to Goltz, one of his Hunting-Seats, near the Fortress of Custrin, gave him a good Opportunity for it. Being alone with the King in the same Coach, he put him so much out of conceit with M. de Wesen, that when he arriv'd at Goltz, all that came to wait on him, as he alighted out of the Coach, perceiv'd he was in an ill Humor. Contrary to his usual custom, he spoke to no body, only he order'd my Father-in-law to give his Attendance. When he had sat down, he scarce touch'd the Bread, but he found fault with it, and complained of it to M. de Wesen, as the Person who had the Direction of what came to his Table. M. de Wesen said to the King, That 'twas true the Bread was not as it us'd to be, because the Carriage of the Pantry broke down by the way, and the Baker came too late to Town to provide more. The King not well pleas'd with this Answer, said, he was weary of being ill serv'd, and that he expected every one shou'd do their Duty. At the same time he threw his Napkin on the Ground. M. de Wesen fetch'd another, and offer'd it to the King, but he would not take it, and order'd him to be gone that Moment out of
his Presence. Two Hours after, M. de Wesen was arrested by an Exempt of the Life-Guards, who conducted him in his Coach under a Guard to Custrin, the Capital of the New Marquisate, situate upon the Oder. There my Father-in-law was kept as a State-Criminal, and the Minister sent Orders to the Aulic Counsellor to go to my Mother's House, and clap a Seal upon her Husband's Effects. She was at that time in the Country, and my Brother happen'd to be at Church with our Governor, so that I was alone in the House when those Gentlemen came to execute their Order. After they had shew'd it to me, they ask'd me which was my Father-in-law's Apartment, that they might not be oblig'd to put the Seal upon every thing. I made no scruple to shew it to them, and as they withdrew they left me a Writing which was an Order to my Mother not to come to Court, nor to sollicite her Husband's Liberty. I sent immediately For my Governor, that he might go with this disagreeable News to my Mother, whose Surprize was as great as her Sorrow; for as she had an entire Love for her Husband, so she knew nothing of his Intrigues against the Minister, to whom she thought he was all along devoted. As the King's Order tied up her Hands, and hinder'd her from coming to Court, I was charg'd to do what I could there, to obtain my Father-in-law's Liberty.