A Change of this nature was so extraordinary, that the Emperor could not expect it: For this Prince had himself promoted the Elector of Saxony to the Dignity he possess'd, after having depriv'd the unfortunate Frederic of his Dominions; and for so considerable a Present he might very well hope the Elector would have made him grateful Returns. The Emperor therefore was so far from thinking himself oblig'd to be on his Guard for fear of Surprise, that he imagin'd himself in a State of perfect Security, when the Elector of Saxony had like to have surpriz'd him at Inspruck the Capital of Tirol. The Emperor knew nothing of the Plot, till he was on the point of being made Prisoner; and 'twas with much ado that he escap'd, for he was at that time ill of the Gout, and oblig'd to leave both his Equipage and Domestics behind him. He would upon this occasion have given the Prince John-Frederic his Liberty, but this Prince was loth to abandon him in this Misfortune, and accompany'd him into Carinthia, twenty-eight Leagues from Inspruck, where the Emperor made his Retreat.
The City of Magdebourg was a very great Sufferer in the War, which is commonly call'd, The War of thirty Years, because during that Term Germany was ravag'd on all sides. Tilly the Emperor's General besieg'd it in 1631, when 'twas taken by Storm, and all the Inhabitants put to the Sword. A Fire also had a part in its Destruction, and committed such Ravage that Magdebourg, which was one of the finest Cities in Germany, was intirely reduc'd to Ashes. The Burghers indeed had no body but themselves to blame for their Misfortune, for General Tilly would not have treated them so severely if they
had not refus'd an advantageous Capitulation, of which he made them an Offer some days before the Storm.
But since this Town has been in the hands of the Brandenburg Family, the Electors have taken care to fortify it so well, that it would now be a hard matter to take it. The late King caus'd a Citadel to be built here, which is separated from the City by the Elbe. The present King has added considerable Works to it, which are remarkably substantial and magnificent. His Majesty has also caus'd a very fine Arsenal to be built in the Great Square, which tho' not very large, is stor'd with a considerable number of Cannon and other Arms. On the Right hand of this Square is the Great Church, formerly the Cathedral, a Gothic Building, where meets the Chapter which is still subsisting, tho' Protestant; and according to ancient Custom, none are admitted into it but Men of Quality.
The Situation of Magdebourg is very fine, having an Outlet on all sides to spacious Plains, that are very fruitful in Corn. The Elbe, which, as I have said, separates the Citadel from the Town, renders its Commerce also very easy with Hamburg, Saxony and Bohemia, for which reason several Merchants are settled here who have noble Houses. And since the King has transferr'd the Regency of the Country hither from Hall, the Town grows every day finer, so that it may now be reckon'd one of the most beautiful Towns in the two Circles of Saxony.
From Magdebourg in my Way to Berlin I pass'd thro' Brandenburg, which is a City on the River Havel, that was built by M. Branden, a Prince of Franconia. 'Twas heretofore a Bishopric, but now the whole Country is seculariz'd,
and makes a part of the Marquisate of Brandenburg. Here is a considerable Trade, and the King keeps a Garison in it, consisting of a Battalion of the tall Grenadiers. You have so often seen the Regiment of which this Battalion is a part, that 'tis needless to commend it to you farther than to observe, that 'tis perhaps the finest Regiment in Europe.
I did not stay at Brandenburg, because I would be the sooner at Berlin. On the day that I arrived there I was so tir'd with having walk'd all Day and Night, that I kept my Bed till the Evening, when I had the Honor to wait on the Queen, the King having been gone a few days before to Potzdam, Her Majesty kept her Chamber, and had not been out of it since her last Lying-in, when she was deliver'd of the Princess Charlotta-Albertina, who died the Year following on the 10th of June. I was so coldly receiv'd by her Majesty, that I had no reason to hope for favor at Court, or at least with her Majesty. But the Margravines receiv'd me with all the Civility possible. The Margravine-Dowager especially assur'd me that she would continue that Protection with which she had always honor'd me.
As to the City of Berlin, it had not yet dry'd up its Tears for the Loss it had lately sustain'd, by the Death of Frederic. 'Tis true the King his Son gave great hopes, but the thorough Change he had made in his Court, caus'd the late King to be lamented. The new Monarch thought of nothing but keeping up a numerous Army, and that he might do this without laying a Burden upon his Subjects, he dismiss'd all his Court, and the intire Houshold of the King his Father, so that there was nobody at Court but the Ministers. Most of the Persons of Quality who
lived heretofore at Berlin, were retir'd either to their Estates or their Governments, which made the City a most melancholy Place to stay in, and all these Alterations convinc'd me that there was nothing for me to expect in this Country. I therefore resolv'd to settle all my Domestic Affairs with the utmost speed, designing to return forthwith to Paris. Before I went thither, I made a Trip to Zell, in order to examine the Accompts of a Person I had deputed as my Attorney to receive the Deeds of my Mother's Estate. But to my sorrow, my Mother had by her Will devis'd the greatest part of her Estate to the Children she had by her former Husband, so that what I could lay claim to was far short of what I promis'd my self.