my Estate? I confess'd to him, That I had no other Remedy left to enable me to satisfy my Creditors; and I actually entreated him to interpose his Authority to procure the Consent of Mademoiselle de Pollnitz to the Sale of it. The King said to me, That he would give his Orders to M. de C——, to engage her to hearken to Reason; and then he very graciously dismiss'd me.
I went back to Berlin, and did not fail to return Thanks to the Margravine for the good Offices she had done me with the King. The Queen returning some few days after this from Charlottenbourg to Berlin, I had the Honor to pay my Respects to her, and was kindly receiv'd. It was quickly blaz'd after what Manner I had been receiv'd by their Majesties, which was Reason enough to engage the Courtiers to shew me that Complaisance, which otherwise I durst not have expected. I took little notice, however, of those Gentlemens Compliments, but prepar'd my self for finishing the Grand Affair for which I was come. I caus'd advantagious Offers to be made to Mademoiselle de Pollnitz, to gain her Consent. The King order'd a Letter to be wrote and sent to her at Hanover, to determine her in my Favor; assuring her at the same time, That he thought my Proposals very reasonable; and that her Acceptance of them would do him a Pleasure. I also went my self to Hanover, to try if I could persuade her: But neither the Visits I made to her upon the Affair, nor those so powerful Recommendations of it, had any Effect; and she continu'd obstinate in her Refusal.
At my Return from Hanover, the King sent me an Order to wait on him. I was introduc'd
by one of his Favorites into the Closet where his Majesty us'd to smoak. The King was then playing at a Game with Tables call'd Tick-tack, the Prince of Anhalt Velt-Marshal, and several other Generals and Officers being present. The King rose up as soon as the Game was ended, came to me and talk'd with me for a while very graciously. And then sitting down, he order'd all that were in Company to take their Seats. Every one took his Place without observing any Rank. The King smoaked, as did most of the Gentlemen in the Closet; but by good Luck no body offer'd me a Pipe, which I was very glad of, because I could never smoak in all my Life. The King talk'd to me a great deal about my Affairs; and in particular about the Sale of my Estate. 'Twas not long before I perceiv'd that my Cousin had brought the King over to her Interest; for as soon as my Land came to be the Topic of Conversation, he told me in very plain Terms, That it would be very wrong for me to part with it, even tho' my Cousin were to give her Consent to it; that instead of paying my Debts with the Purchase-Money, I would be apt to squander it in my Pleasures; that 'twas high time to think of some Employment to enable me to pay my Debts, without selling my Estate. He added, That if, nevertheless, I persisted in my Resolution to sell it, he would write again to Mademoiselle de Pollnitz to perswade her to consent to it; and that this was the utmost that he could do for me, as Affairs stood; since it would be an Injustice to compel her to give a Consent to any thing that she imagin'd would be to her prejudice. After a little farther Discourse with me about my domestic Affairs, his Majesty talk'd to me of the Report current at Berlin,
That I had chang'd my Religion; and ask'd me, Whether 'twas really true, that I was turn'd Papist. I told him, That I was of the Religion of my Ancestors. Here I will acknowledge to my shame, that I had not Courage enough to make public Declaration that I was a Catholic. Besides, I hoped in so pressing a Dilemma to get off by a double Entendre; which is a Rule adopted by the Doctors themselves. The double Entendre consisted in that, when I said I was of the Religion of my Ancestors, I meant that which was formerly profess'd by my Grandfather and Great-Grandfather; and indeed all my Ancestors were Catholics. My Grandfather himself was a Catholic once, tho' he embrac'd the new Religion, to swim with the Stream. The King, who concluded from what I said, that I was still a Protestant, did not press me farther upon that Head;, but the Prince of Anhalt was not so easily satisfy'd; for he gave the King to understand that he believ'd the Reports of my having chang'd my Religion, were but too true, and he actually said to his Majesty That the only way to be sure of the Truth of what I had affirm'd, would be to give me the Sacramental Test in the Church of the Dome. The King was also of that Opinion, nevertheless it did not take effect. At our leaving the King, the Prince of Anhalt, who, 'tis like, wanted to get a real Confession from me, that I had chang'd my Religion, charg'd it home upon my Conscience, and blam'd me very much for not having own'd that I was a Catholic. But as I could not be certain what was the Drift of those Remonstrances, I was so far from declaring my Mind to that Nobleman, that I still continu'd in the Negative.
The Audience which I had of the King gain'd me his Good-will; and he one day spoke so honorably of me in presence of the Courtiers, that my Friends advis'd me to strike in with this Ray of Favor, and petition him for some Employment. I followed their Advice, and wrote accordingly to the King, who was then at Potzdam.
Two Days after I sent my Letter, I receiv'd an Answer, sign'd with his Majesty's own Hand, which was drawn up in these Terms;
I received your Letter of the 9th of January, (1718) and for Answer I assure you, that I grant you the first Pension of Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber that shall happen to be vacant.
FREDERIC-WILLIAM.