Some Days after this, the Ambassador of Poland went again in Ceremony, but with his own Coaches, to the Palace la Favorita, where, in the Presence of all the Imperial Family, all the Ministers and Privy Counsellors, and the Knights of the Golden Fleece, he solemnly renounc’d the Right of Succession in the Name of the King his Master, and of the Electoral Prince of Saxony, in case it pleas’d God that the Emperor should dye without Male Issue. The Count de Sinzendorf, Chancellor of the Court, read the Act of Renunciation to all present, after which the Emperor demanded the Consent of the Archduchess, and the Princess giving her said Consent, the Emperor order’d an Oath thereupon to
be administer’d to her, which she took accordingly before the Archbishop of Valencia. This Prelate being dress’d in his Pontificalibus before an Altar that had been erected in the Chamber, gave the Book of the Gospels to the Princess, who laying her Hands thereon, solemnly renounc’d the Rights of Succession. The Ambassador swore the same Thing in the Name of the King his Master, and the Electoral Prince of Saxony.
In a few Days after this was done, the Electoral Prince set out from Dresden, and came to a House made ready for him Two Leagues from Vienna. Having sent Notice of his Arrival to the Emperor, the Empresses and the Archduchess, the Emperor dispatch’d the Count de Molard the chief Steward of his Kitchen to him, as the Empresses and the Archduchesses did the Gentlemen of their Housholds, to compliment him thereupon: Next Day the Prince came incognito to the Convent of Nuns founded by the Empress Amelia, who also repair’d thither with the Two Archduchesses her Daughters. After an Interview of about Half an Hour, the Archduchess, that was to be marry’d, and the Electoral Prince of Saxony, went to the Church, and there confess’d; which done, the Prince return’d to his House, which, as I have had the Honour to observe to you, was Two Leagues from Vienna. He came again from thence next Day at Six in the Evening, and alighted at the Palace la Favorita, where being conducted into the great Chamberlain’s Apartment, he there chang’d his Cloaths, and was then introduc’d by the great Chamberlain to the Emperor, and his Imperial Majesty led him to the Empress’s Apartment, where were the Two Empress Dowagers and all
the Archduchesses. The Emperor presented the Prince to them, and then they went to the Chapel in the following Order: The March was begun by all the Lords and Ladies of the Court; then came the Electoral Prince, with one of his Gentlemen, bearing a Wax Candlestick before him. The Emperor immediately follow’d the Prince, and then came the Three Empresses and the Archduchess, who was supported by the Two Empress Dowagers, the Empress Regent walking foremost, as she always did where-ever they went: The latter had on a Straw-colour’d Gown of Silver Tissue, adorn’d with Diamonds, and her Head Dress was adorn’d all over with Pearls like Pears. The Archduchess, whom I shall hereafter call the Electoral Princess, was also very richly dress’d; she wore a Fardingale, and her Gown was of Silver Brocade adorn’d with Diamonds: Next to the Princess the Three Archduchesses walk’d one after another, led each by their Equerries: These Princesses were follow’d by their Ladies, whose Dresses were of extraordinary Magnificence. As soon as the Electoral Prince and Princess were arriv’d in the Chapel, they received the nuptial Benediction from the Archbishop of Vienna. When the Ceremony was ended, the Imperial Family return’d to the Empress’s Closet, where they stay’d near Two Hours, and then repair’d to the Table, in the same Order as they observ’d when they went to the Church. The Hall of the Festival was set off in an extraordinary manner; the Table was plac’d upon a Floor rais’d Three Steps, which form’d an oblong Square. The Emperor and the Three Empresses sate at one End; the Electoral Princess sate on the Right Side of the Table, and at the Right Hand of the Empress Mother;
the Electoral Prince, who had the second Place on the Right Hand of the Princess, had a Chair with only a Back to it, and was serv’d by one of his own Chamberlains; whereas the Princess and the Archduchesses sate in Arm-chairs, and were attended by the Emperor’s Chamberlains: Over-against the Princess, on the Left Hand of the Empress Amelia, sate the Archduchess her Daughter, and the Two Archduchesses the Emperor’s Sisters: The Court Ladies stood all round the Table till their Imperial Majesties had each drank once, and then they went to sit down at Tables serv’d in different Rooms, but return’d to the Desart: There was such a Number of Services, that the Supper held a long time, during which it was animated by excellent Music: In the same Room a Sort of Gallery was erected for the Turkish Ambassador, who saw all the Supper, and was attended by 30 of his Domestics. Care was taken to serve him with Sweetmeats and other Refreshments; and the Interpreter having ask’d him what he thought of the Magnificence of the Court of Vienna; he answer’d very gallantly, That noble as this Appearance was, there was nothing so grand in the whole Entertainment as the Person of the Empress.
After Supper was ended, the Empress Dowagers led the Princess into her own Apartment, and did not retire till she was in Bed: Next Day the Prince and Princess receiv’d the Compliments of the whole Court; they din’d afterwards with the Emperor and the Empresses, and at Night went and saw a new Opera, that was compos’d upon account of their Nuptials. The Emperor sate there as usual, with the Empress on his Left Hand, and the Archduchesses one after another
in the same Row; the Electoral Princess preserv’d the Precedence due to her Birth; the Electoral Prince sate in the same Line as the Emperor, but after all the Archduchesses. The Opera was most magnificent, yet I thought it very tedious, for really ’twas too long; and besides, the Heat was intolerable: When the Opera was over, the Imperial Family supp’d together, as they did next Day at Dinner, which was the last Meal that the Prince and Princess made at Vienna; for as soon as they rose from Table, they took Leave of the Emperor and the Empresses, and set out for Dresden. There arose some Difficulty touching the Ceremonial that was to be observ’d as they pass’d thro’ Prague, to avoid which the Electoral Prince went before, and pass’d round the Town; but the Princess made her Entry there.
As soon as the Princess was gone, I began to think what a tedious Journey I should have before I could join my Regiment, which, as I have had the Honour to tell you, was in Sicily. As this Journey would naturally keep me a long time out of my own Country, I was willing first of all to settle my Affairs. For this Reason I desir’d a Month’s Furlough, and went to Dresden, from whence I sent for my Steward to come and meet me. I chose to stay at Dresden rather than Berlin, not only on account of the Solemnity of the Princess’s Entry, of which I was fond to be a Spectator, but because of the Enemies I had at the Court of Prussia, who would perhaps have done me some ill Office with the King. Having set out from Vienna a few Days after the Electoral Princess, I arrived at Dresden the same Day that her Highness made her Entry there. The
Preparations made for receiving the Princess were of the utmost Magnificence, so that one could hardly imagine any thing more rich and gay. In order to give you some Idea of the Polish Magnificence, I will resume my Narrative from the Time of the Princess’s Departure from Prague.
As soon as the King had Notice that the Princess was gone from Prague, he sent the Count de Wackerbarth, Grand Master of the Artillery, at the Head of several Gentlemen, to meet her: The Count, who met the Princess on the Frontiers of Bohemia, complimented her in the King’s Name, and presented those Officers to her which his Majesty sent to attend her; for till then she had been waited on by the Officers of the Emperor, who had all along defray’d her Expences. Her Highness proceeded in her Journey to Pirna, the first Town in Saxony, where she was receiv’d by the Electoral Prince, and saluted by the Cannon of the Castle of Sonnenstein. Next Day, at 7 o’Clock in the Morning, the Prince and Princess went on board the Bucentaure, which was a Galley finely rigg’d, and call’d by that Name, because ’twas built after the Model of the Bucentaure of Venice: Their Galley was accompany’d by 100 Gondolas, painted and richly gilded, and by 12 Fregates, from 6 to 12 Guns each: All the Gondoliers and Sailors had Jackets of Sky-blue Sattin, and Breeches of yellow Sattin, lac’d with Silver. With this gallant Fleet, worthy to carry Thetis and Amphitrite, the Prince and Princess arriv’d within Half a League of Dresden.