One day as the Queen made an Entertainment at Lutzelbourg for the King, I presented a Petition to him, in my Mother's Name, intreating him to remove the Seal from her Effects, and the Guard from her House; and that his Majesty would be pleas'd to appoint Commissioners to try her Husband; to the end, that if guilty, he
might be punish'd, or if innocent, that he might be set at liberty. My Youth, and the Tears which I shed at the Delivery of this Petition, melted the King's Heart, who told me, That he would do what my Mother desir'd, for her sake only; that he sympathiz'd in her Affliction; but that her Husband had so justly provok'd him, that he could not avoid making him sensible of his Indignation: That withal, he was very glad to see me so good-natur'd, as to sollicite in favor of a Man who he knew had not dealt well either by my Brother or me, notwithstanding the Injunction he laid upon him, when he match'd him to my Mother. I made him answer, that I had no reason to complain of my Father-in-law; and that tho' I had, my Mother's extreme Concern of Mind for what had happen'd, wou'd be a sufficient Motive for me to sollicite his Liberty. I commend you said the King, for these Principles. Go and tell your Mother that she shall be made easy, and be assur'd that I will take care of you. Those were the very Expressions of the King, who, when I stoop'd to embrace his Knees, encourag'd me also by clapping his Hand upon my Shoulder. As soon as he was gone, the Queen sent for me into her Closet, to give her an Account of this Conversation. I found her resting on a Couch, attended by none but Madamoiselle de Pollnitz my Cousin, who sat on the Ground at her Feet. When the Queen had enquir'd after my Mother's Health, she order'd me to assure her of her Esteem and Friendship; and when I had repeated to her what the King had said to me, she made Answer, That she was very glad the King was so well inclin'd to me. Cultivate his good Disposition, said she, make it your Study to merit his Favor. As for me, I will do
every thing in my power to preserve you in it; and you may always be sure of my Protection.
So gracious a Reception both from the King and Queen gave me great Hopes; and I return'd to Berlin, not doubting but the Promises he had made to me wou'd soon be perform'd; yet 'twas not without tedious Sollicitations from my Mother's Friends that she obtain'd her Husband's Liberty, after seven Months Confinement, besides paying a Fine for him of ten thousand Crowns. The Revenge which the Minister took upon those who had made my Father-in-law their Agent, was not so much talk'd of; for he contented himself with banishing them to their respective Estates or Governments, and disposing of their Offices among his most obsequious Creatures. One of these was the Count de Witgenstein, upon whom he confer'd the Office of the Grand Marshal. He was a Person of a good Family, but neither he nor his Ancestors had ever done any Service to the State; and all his Merit was an entire Devotion to the Prime Minister, to whom he was more a Slave than a Friend. As long as the Count de Wartemberg continu'd in Favor, he kept his ground at Court; but the Fall of that Minister was attended with his. The Disgrace of my Father-in-law did not fail likewise to create a great deal of Trouble in my Family. My Mother follow'd him to his Estate in the Duchy of Zell, and I was sent with my Brother under the Conduct of a Governor to Lunebourg, there to finish my Studies.
All Europe was at this time in motion, and had taken part in the Quarrel between the Houses of Austria and Bourbon, on account of the Succession to the Monarchy of Spain. Philip of Anjou was already in possession of it, by virtue
of Charles II's last Will and Testament; and in pursuance of the Right he had to it by his Grandmother Mary Theresa of Austria. The Emperor founded his Claim upon the Renunciation made by that Princess when she was married to Lewis XIV. The greatest part of Europe, which the exorbitant Power of France had begun to alarm, sided with the Emperor, who quitted his Rights in favor of the Archduke his Son. Besides the common Interest which it seem'd to be of all Europe to hinder two such Monarchies as France and Spain from being govern'd by one Prince, several Potentates had their particular Reasons, for laying hold of this opportunity, to make war with France.
The Court of England was alarm'd at the Proceeding of Lewis XIV. who had just recogniz'd the Son of James II. lately deceas'd at St. Germains, for King of England, by the Name of James III. in prejudice of King William, who had been recogniz'd by the Treaty of Ryswic.
The Dutch govern'd themselves by the Views of King William, who was all along their Stadtholder: And they could not forget the War in 1672, the Wounds of which were still bleeding.
The King of Prussia, besides his Interest in common with the other Electors, to hinder France from becoming too powerful, for fear lest hereafter the said Court should saddle them with whom it pleas'd for an Emperor, had Engagements subsisting with the Court of Vienna and the King of England. And in consequence of those Engagements he furnish'd the Emperor with 6000 Men, and gave Orders for a Levy in his Dominions of 20,000 Men, which King William had demanded of him, and which were