Then the Princess of Hesse was propos'd, and the Princess of Culmbach. The former had the Negative put upon her the very Moment that she was mention'd, and that by the King himself. The latter was known to the King, who had seen her at Hall, as he return'd from Carelsbadt. His Majesty thought very well of her, and had even seem'd inclinable to determine in her favor, when, opposite Cabals were set at work, which quite frustrated the Proposal.
The Duchess of Zeitz, the King's Sister, who married a Duke of Meckelbourg to her first Husband, proposed the Princess of Meckelbourg to the King. His Majesty, who had still perhaps the Princess of Culmbach in his Thoughts, did not seem at first to relish this Proposal; nevertheless upon the Instances made to him by the Duchess his Sister, he promised her to see the Princess of Meckelbourg before he determin'd in favor of any other Person. This he did accordingly, some time after he return'd to Berlin, when he went to Schwerin, the Capital City of Meckelbourg,
on pretence of endeavoring to accommodate the Differences between the Duke and the Nobility. There it was that the King saw the Princess; she pleas'd him, and besides he had heard so much in her Praise, that at length he determin'd to have her; and as soon as he return'd to Oranienbourg, he declared his Marriage.
This News did not create so much Joy at our Court as I imagin'd it wou'd; and the Courtiers began to reflect seriously, upon what they had seem'd to wish for with Impatience. They call'd to mind the Time of the late Queen. Moreover, the Age and Health of the Prince and Princess Royal gave them ground enough to hope, that the Brandenburg Family would not want Heirs. In fine, the Character of Mother-in-law, ever hated, gave Apprehension that there wou'd soon be a Division in the Royal Family. For my own part, I verily believe, Madame, that what most of all disgusted the Courtiers, in the Choice which the King had now made, was, that the Queen was a devout Lady, a Quality not very likely to make that Air of Gallantry prevail at Court, which captivates the Heart of the Courtier.
The King had no sooner declar'd his Intention to marry again, but there was a Multitude of Sollicitors to be of the Queen's Houshold. One Bassompierre put himself upon the List, and he desir'd the King wou'd make him the Queen's Chamberlain. The King made him answer, that he would put no Officers about the Queen, except such as should be agreeable to her; but that he would favor him so far, as to put him in the number of those that shou'd be propos'd to the Queen as soon as she arriv'd. Bassompierre
thought that by making previous Application to the Queen, he should not fail of being admitted, and therefore he set out Post to meet her. He told her Majesty that the King had sent him to be her Chamberlain. The Queen believ'd him, admitted him in that quality, and also gave him a Letter to carry to the King, with which he return'd to Berlin. He told the King, that the Queen had appointed him her Chamberlain. His Majesty easily imagin'd that the Queen had been surpriz'd; and being justly angry with Bassompierre, forbad him the Court. This Bassompierre had a Brother who came to Berlin the same time as he did: These two Gentlemen said they were of that honest Family of Bassompierre, of which there are some still in Lorrain: And by that Name they went, Anno 1707, in the Army in Flanders. The eldest said he had been a Colonel in France, and that his Brother was a Captain in the same Regiment. They pretended that they left their Country, the eldest for having fought a Duel, and the youngest for being his Second. The King had receiv'd them kindly, and given them Pensions, with a Promise to prefer them to the Army the first Opportunity that should offer. These two Brothers were at Court in a very agreeable Situation, and wou'd, no doubt, have long enjoy'd it, when the eldest attempted to be the Queen's Chamberlain; in which perhaps too he would have succeeded, if his Eagerness for it had not made him take that Step, by which he incurr'd his Majesty's Indignation. He was very much astonish'd at the Order which was signify'd to him, not to be seen any more at Court; and at length fearing he shou'd be found out to be what he really was, he retir'd, and went with his Brother to Saxony, where they were both admitted
into the King of Poland's Horse-Guards; but they did not enjoy that Shelter long: for the Electoress of Hanover having heard of their Intrigue at Berlin, wrote to a great Lady in France, and desir'd her to inform her who those Bassompierres were. The Lady, who knew nothing at all of 'em, naturally mistrusted that they were Fortune-Hunters; but for better Information she enquir'd of M. d'Argenson, Lieutenant of the Police, who upon the Description given him of those Gentlemen, discover'd they were a couple of Sparks, whose Duel of Honor wou'd have been rewarded with the Brand of the Flower de Lis and the Galleys, if they could have been apprehended in France. Upon this Discovery Messieurs de Bassompierre were banish'd out of Poland, and what became of them afterwards I cannot tell.
Mean time all the necessary Preparations were making at Berlin for the Reception of the Queen, who was preparing on her part for her public Entry. The Duke of Meckelbourg married the Princess his Sister by Proxy from the King. Next day the new Queen set out from Schwerin, in company with the Duchess her Mother, the Duke her Brother, and the Duchess of Meckelbourg her Sister-in law. This Train went with her to the very Frontier of Meckelbourg, which borders upon the Electorate of Brandenburg, and there the Queen found M. d'Erlach, Marshal of the Court, who receiv'd her in the King's Name, and offer'd her his House. This Princess, after having taken leave of her Family, took Coach and arriv'd at Oranienburg the 24th of November. The King went and met her about half a League from that House. As soon as she perceiv'd his Majesty, she alighted out of
her Coach and fell on her Knees. The King took her up and embrac'd her, and after presenting the whole Royal Family to her they went to the Castle. The King conducted the Queen to her Apartment, where she always eat alone, to the very Day of the Celebration of the Marriage. The 27th she made her Entry at Berlin, where she was receiv'd with all possible Magnificence, and next Day their Majesties were married in the Church of the Dome. The 29th, the King and Queen receiv'd the Compliments of all the Deputies, Courts of Justice and Foreign Ministers; and on the same day there was a great Entertainment which their Majesties honor'd with their Presence. I was not willing, Madame, to tire you with a tedious Detail of all the Ceremonies: I have already had the Honor to acquaint you, that the King spar'd for nothing that might contribute to the Magnificence of the Feast, which lasted several days, and was more sumptuous every day than other. What I thought remarkable, was a Battle of wild Beasts, at which their Majesties were present on the 17th of December, when the Queen kill'd a Bear from her Gallery, with a shot from a Hand-Gun.
The Arrival of the new Queen created no great Change at Court, and except the first Rank which she had of the Ladies every thing continued in the same state. The Princess-Royal kept her Court at her own Lodgings twice a Week, that is to say, on those Days when there was no Circle at the Queen's; for upon the Drawing-Room Days she went to her Majesty's Apartment, as did most of the Princesses, and they stay'd there to sup. Her Majesty likewise granted the same Honor to several other Ladies,