The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume IV / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

During the Course of this War Bohemia had frequent Cause to repent that it ever was the Occasion of it: The City of Prague, and in particular the Little Town, was almost intirely plunder’d and burnt in 1648 by the Swedes, who were introduced into it by one Ottowalsky, then a Captain of Horse in the Service of the Emperor Ferdinand III. This Officer having conceiv’d a Disgust at something, made a Trip to Koningsmark the Swedish General, and offer’d to introduce him to Prague, if he would follow him with

his Army: For this Purpose he told him, that the Citizens were intirely secure against any Apprehension of an Attack from the Swedes; and that they were fully persuaded, they would never venture to make the least Attempt, considering the Handful of Soldiers which their Army consisted of. Koningsmark relish’d Ottowalsky’s Project, and on the Day fix’d he follow’d him with his little Army, which did not amount to above 3000 Men: He found every thing true that his Guide had told him, and in the Night-time enter’d the Place by a Bridge, that serv’d to carry over the Materials employ’d in the new Fortifications: Koningsmark push’d on directly to the Castle, which he enter’d with the same Ease as he had enter’d the Town: But by good Luck the Emperor happen’d at that time to be gone from thence for awhile to Lintz: The Swedes plunder’d the Castle and the City for Three Days successively; and they took so considerable a Booty, that Colloredo, who commanded in the Place, lost to his own Share about 1200,000 Crowns: While the Swedes were busy in plundering that call’d the Little Town, the Alarm spread over the River to the Old Town, where the Burghers and Garison ran to their Arms, and by that means preserv’d their Quarter from the Fate which threaten’d them: Mean time the Swedes made extraordinary Efforts to get over to them, and ’tis even said, that they would probably have succeeded, had it not been for the Jesuits, who perceiving that the Garison and Burghers were in Danger of being overpower’d, arm’d their Scholars, and sent them out to their Assistance.

The City of Prague is now secure from such Insults, having good Walls and excellent Ramparts,

well furnish’d with Cannon: The Castle is likewise very well fortify’d: A Citadel has been also built for the Defence of the New Town, and as none but Catholics are suffer’d to live there, the Protestants, who are absolutely excluded out of it, would find it a difficult Task to foment another Rebellion there.

After I had spent some time at Prague, and found that the Ceremony of their Majesties Coronation would not be perform’d so soon as expected, I resolv’d to be gone: Having already laid out a good deal of Money at Prague, I reflected with myself, that if I stay’d there any longer, it might be out of my Power to answer all my Schemes: For you must know, Madame, that I set out from Berlin with a considerable Sum of Money, and with a Design, while I was so well able, to pay off all my Creditors: I began with those in Holland, and for this Purpose went to the Hague about the latter End of August, and stay’d there till February: The first Visit I paid was to my dear Madame Pyll, who had been so generous a Friend to me, that I could not avoid paying her off first: I then made several small Payments up and down, by which means the Debts I had contracted in this Country were quickly discharg’d; and being still pretty strong in Cash, I pass’d my Time at the Hague as well as I could have done at the most splendid Court; My Debts in this Country being now clear’d, and the Ease with which I had satisfy’d other Debts that were standing out farther off, gave me that Tranquillity of Mind which I had not enjoy’d for a long time; and tho’ I had yet no fix’d Establishment, I thought what a great Happiness it was for a Man to be even with the World.

My Brother came to me at the Hague, from whence we set out together for Zell, where I stay’d till the Return of the fine Weather, and then resolv’d to go a second time to Carelsbadt, not so much for the Sake of the Waters as to see the Company there, which is always numerous, and of the best Sort, when one goes earlier thither than I did the first time: There was a prodigious Concourse there this bout, and all Persons of the greatest Distinction: I had the Honour there of paying my Compliments to the Elector of Triers, and the Margravine of Anspach, who came thither for the Waters.

From Carelsbadt I cross’d the Rhine, to that Side of it where I had been offer’d a Settlement; but, upon mature Consideration, I resolv’d to preserve my Liberty, and lest my Philosophy should flag in the Sentiments of that Independency which it inspir’d me with, I set out immediately, for fear of being engag’d in a sort of Combat, wherein there’s no gaining the Victory but by Flight.

I pass’d thro’ Bareith[37], where I had the Honour of paying my Respects to the Margrave and the Margravine, who receiv’d me with all the Complaisance possible: The Margrave is a tall handsome Man, and serv’d in the last Wars with very great Distinction: This Prince is fond of Pleasure and Magnificence, for which Reason his Court is one of the most numerous and splendid in Germany; and it has an Air of Grandeur throughout, from which all manner of Constraint is intirely banish’d: The Margravine has all the Qualities that a great Princess can possibly desire;

she is one of the finest Ladies in Germany, is tall, perfectly handsome, and has a Presence, which at first Sight denotes her Dignity: ’Tis pity this Princess had not given a Male Heir to her Dominions; for she has yet but one Child, a Daughter, and if there are no Princes, the Prince of Culmbach will be Heir of the Margrave’s Dominions: The deceased King of Prussia had bought the Reversion, by which he cut off the Margraves of Culmbach; but after his Majesty’s Death those Princes entring their Protest against a Bargain that had been struck to their Prejudice, the present King has compounded the Matter with them; and by virtue of the Accommodation the Princes of Culmbach are engag’d to pay a considerable Sum to the King at different Terms, one of which elaps’d at the Death of the Margrave of Bareith, as the other will do when the young Prince of Anspach also dies, because then his Dominions revert in like manner to the Princes of Culmbach.