ENGAGEMENT AND MARRIAGE AT COURT. (1661.)
It has ever been part of the German character to maintain propriety of
conduct in intercourse with others, to keep up a good appearance, to do
homage to superiors, and to require a respectful demeanour and address
from inferiors. The forms of intercourse were accurately defined, and
the number of significant turns of speech was not small, which
introduced every social arrangement, and like a boundary stone,
preserved the pathway of life. But the groundwork of all this old
precision was a sound self-respect, which gave to individuals a feeling
of certainty as to what was to be conceded or received, and therefore
civility was generally real. If there was any discord in his soul, the
German did not usually conceal it; and then he became so thoroughly
coarse, that he gained evil repute with all the western nations. It is
true, princes were accosted with much devotedness, words of submission
were used as now; but the prince and the citizen, the nobleman and the
artisan, met together as men, and a strong word or a warm feeling often
broke through the most courtly forms. This, however, changed after the
war. The old feeling of decorum was lost, the egotism of the unbridled
was harsh and wounding; the proper, but often narrow-minded pride of
citizen and nobleman was broken, and the simple patriarchal relation
between prince and subject was lost during thirty years of calamity and
distrust. Men had become more prudent, but weaker, and for the most part
worse.
But the beginning of a new state of society was visible. With all this
ruin Providence had mercifully sent a remedy. By many a roundabout way,
through French and Italian fashions, and after long wanderings in every
foreign nationality, the German mind was to be renewed. It was a
wonderful trial of durability, but it was necessary. Like Prince Tamino
in the magic play, the poor German soul passed through French water and
Italian fire; and from that period a weak flute-like tone sounds only
occasionally in our ears, telling us that the German character has not
yet sunk entirely under foreign phantasies.
It has been customary to consider the intellectual sway of Italy and
France, from Opiz to Lessing, as a great calamity. It is true, it has
given neither beauty nor strength to the German; but we are no longer in
the position of the great man who for a century struggled against French
taste. It was with him a duty to hate whatever caused a hindrance to the
wakening popular vigour. But we should at the same time remember that
this same foreign element protected the German from the extreme of
barbarism. Our imitation was very clumsy, and there was little worth in
the original; but it was to the countless bonds of international
intercourse that the Germans then clung, that they might not be utterly
lost. The moral restraints upon the wilfulness of individuals had been
broken, and the meagre externals gathered from abroad, of fashion,
respect, gallantry, and a taste for foreign refinements were the first
remedy. It was a new kind of discipline. Whoever wore a large wig, and
later, even powder in the hair, was obliged to hold his head elegantly
still, wild movements and violent running were impossible; if men were
not prevented by their own delicacy of feeling from boldly approaching
too near to women, a hoop and corset were a rampart for them; if the
courtesy of the heart was less, the duty of being gallant in
conversation was a benefit. In a circle where a coarse soldiers' song
had been preferred, a polished song from Damon to Daphne was a great
improvement, and even the fade cavalier, who cut his finger-nails in
society with a gilded knife, and threw himself down with a French
flourish, was by far more estimable in society than an unbridled
drunkard, who in his intoxication did the most unseemly things, and
could not open his mouth without an oath.
Those who assumed to be the élite in Germany soon fashioned their life
after the foreign model. Even during the war many foreign customs had
become naturalized; not only in court ceremonials and in the intercourse
with ambassadors, but also in the dress and manners of the citizens.
However great was the influence of France, that of Italy was not much
less. The service of the _cicisbeato_, and the "State" ceremonials, had
penetrated from Italy into France; the Roman court long remained the
highest model, in all questions of etiquette, to the diplomats of
Europe. Both countries took their share in holding sway over Germany. In
the south, Italy ruled till the eighteenth century, indeed in Vienna it
continued still longer to influence the aspect of the higher society;
but in the north, especially in the Protestant courts, the French model
prevailed, and this copy, like the other, was a clumsy one. But whilst
at the great courts, for example Vienna, the cavalier assumed at least
something of the impulsive versatility of the Italian; in the smaller
towns social intercourse was slow and prolix, carried on in endless
phrases, which appeared the more grotesque in proportion as the men were
coarse who endeavoured to set themselves off by the use of them.
Thus was the sunny path, along which men approached the chosen of their
hearts, charmingly strewn with the flowers of foreign manners. Whatever
of indigenous was retained, was adorned with laborious gallantry, and
became still more tedious. Before we attempt to give a specimen of
honourable German love, it will be fitting to disclose to the
sympathizing reader something of the style of courtly wooing and
marriage. Therefore the following gives the course of wooing of a
cavalier, about the year 1650:--
"When a person of condition at Vienna wishes to marry some one, he begs
of her parents to allow him to wait upon her, but he must already have
made her acquaintance, and know that she is well inclined towards him.
When this has been granted by her parents, the affair is already half
agreed upon, and he gives his servant a new livery, and dresses himself
in his best. Every day he must write to her early, and inquire what she
is doing, what she has dreamt of, when she will drive out, and where she
intends to dine. Besides this, he sends her a nosegay, for which
sometimes a ducat must be paid. Then she returns him an answer, and he
makes his appearance at her door at the right time, helps her into the
carriage, and rides next it with head uncovered, on the side where his
lady sits. When they arrive, he dismounts, opens the carriage door, and
again hands her out. In Austria they generally offer themselves as
guests to the houses of others. When he has learnt where his lady is to
dine, he offers himself also as guest, and does this half an hour
beforehand. When at table, he presents a finger-glass to his love alone,
even though there may be more distinguished ladies there; he offers, it
is true, the water to others, but none accept; his lady alone does not
refuse. Then he places her chair, waits upon and converses with her;
when she desires to have something to drink, he hands it to her on a
plate, which he holds under the glass whilst she is drinking; he places
fresh plates before her and takes the old away, and he always pledges
her health to his left hand neighbour. After dinner he again hands her
the finger-glass, for which reason he sits next her; he then removes her
chair, fetches her gloves, fan, and veil which she had left, and
presents them with a profound reverence. After the repast is over, the
hostess takes his lady with her to her room. There also he begs for
admittance, which is not refused him, and waits upon her in like manner.
From thence they go to vespers, and then in summer to the Prater, or in
winter in sledges with torches. This state of things continues for at
least three months.
"Now when these three months are over, the betrothal is celebrated, and
the marriage invitations are written. Then the bridegroom makes three
presents. First a silver casket, wherein are some pairs of silk
stockings, some pieces of silk stuffs, some pairs of gloves,
handkerchiefs, twelve fans, ribands, and laces. The second present
consists of silver ornaments; the third of jewels, bracelets, earrings,
and pendants of precious stones, or pearls for the neck. He also
presents a dress to his mistress's maid. Some send every day a new
present. Then he gives his servant again a new livery, engages more
servants for himself, and at least one page and two lackeys for his
future wife. Court ladies of high distinction, who drive with six
horses, do not bestow presents on their bridegroom, unless it be from
overflowing liberality; but others present a night-dress to their
beloved, their portrait in a small casket, and on the marriage day
linen; six shirts, six collars, six pocket-handkerchiefs, six pairs of
ruffles, and to every servant a shirt. The bride pays the expenses of
the eating and drinking at the marriage, and the bridegroom the cost of
the music.
"On the wedding-day the bridegroom drives, towards evening, in his own
carriage, or that of an intimate friend, dressed entirely in silver
brocade, just as the bride is dressed; he wears a wreath of diamonds
which are put together from the jewels of friends, and afterwards
returned. Behind him drive all the male wedding guests. He waits in the
church till the bride comes. Her bridal train is three ells long, borne
either by a boy of noble birth, or a young lady. The bridegroom goes to
meet her, helps her out of the carriage and leads her in, and thus they
are united together in matrimony. The wedding ring is generally of gold
and silver mixed, and plaited in the form of a laurel wreath; it has a
precious stone in it, in order to signify that their truth and love
shall be endless. Then they betake themselves to the marriage house,
where the feast is to be celebrated. After the meal the men take
forthwith their swords and mantles, and room is made for the dance, and
then come the two bridesmen. Each has a burning torch in his hand; they
make a bow to the bridegroom and the bride, and ask them to dance. Then
they both dance alone. The nearest relations are next asked, and so on
all the rest in succession. These dances of honour are performed to the
sound of trumpets and kettledrums. The cavaliers then lay aside their
swords and mantles, and all dance together. After the dance the
relations accompany the bride and bridegroom to their bedroom, there the
mother commends the bride to her husband with impressive words. Then all
go out."
Thus did the wealthy noble woo and wed at Vienna, which after the war
rapidly filled with landed proprietors who thoroughly enjoyed life. New
families were in possession of the confiscated properties, the Imperial
generals and faithful councillors had abundantly taken care of
themselves. A residence in the desolated country was wearisome, and many
great proprietors had no old family interest in their property. Besides
the Imperial nobles, sons of German princes and many of the old nobility
of the Empire thronged to the Imperial city, to seek diversion,
acquaintances, and fortune at court or in the army.
But in proportion as the devotion of the noble servant to his mistress
was great, the hope of a happy conjugal union was insecure. And the
prospect was not more favourable in the families of the great princes of
the Empire.
The rulers of Germany attained to a comfortable condition, after the
peace, sooner than others. Whatever could be done by the people, seemed
to be for their advantage. To the old taste for drinking, hunting, and
not always very seemly intercourse with women, was now added the
pleasure of having a body-guard who were drawn up in uniform before
their castles, and rode by their carriages along the roads. After the
war every great prince maintained a standing army; the old feudal lords
of the country had become Generals. It was in this century that the
great princely families of Germany, the Wettiners, the Hohenzollerns,
the Brunswickers, and the Wittelsbachers, gained their influential
position in European politics. Three of them obtained royal thrones,
those of Poland, Prussia, and England, and the head of the
Wittelsbachers for many years wore the diadem of the Roman Empire. Each
of these houses represents a great European dynasty. But however
different their fortunes may have been, they have also met with a
retributive fate. At the time of the Reformation, the Imperial throne
with supreme dominion over Germany was offered to the house of Wettiner;
the family, divided into two lines, did not listen to the high call. At
the battle of Linien, in 1547, it lost the leadership. A hundred years
later, the possibility of founding a powerful house was offered to the
Wittelsbacher, by the union of the Palatinate with the old Bavarian
province and Bohemia, which even the Hapsburgers have never attained to.
But one son of the house killed the other at the Weissen Berge. Only the
Hapsburgers and the Hohenzollerns have understood how to keep together.
The general misfortune of the German Princes was, that they found little
in their oppressed subjects to excite awe or regard. For the soul of man
is most easily fortified against encroaching passions when his worldly
position makes a strong resistance possible for those who surround him.
A firm feeling of duty is only formed under the pressure of strong law.
Whoever overrides it will find it easier to do great things, but
incomparably more difficult to do permanently what is right.
At an earlier period the life at courts was rough, often wild, now it
had become frivolous and dissolute. The combination of refined luxury
with coarse manners, and of strict etiquette with arbitrary will, makes
many of the characters of that time especially hateful.
The sons of Princes were now better educated. Latin was still the
language of diplomacy, to that was added Italian and French; and besides
all knightly arts--in so far as they still existed--military drills, and
above all, _politesse_, the new art which rendered men and women more
agreeable and obliging in society. Some knowledge of state affairs was
not rare, for there were still quarrels with neighbours to be brought
before the supreme court of judicature and the Imperial Aulic Council,
and solicitations to his Imperial Majesty, and complaints to the Diet,
without end or measure. But the person who exercised most quiet power in
the country was the lawyer, who was generally at the head of the
administration; and occasionally a power-loving court preacher.
The ladies also of the princely houses had the advantage of some degree
of instruction; many of them understood Latin, or at least were
acquainted with Virgil (from a bad translation into German
Alexandrines), and Boccaccio in the original. Quarrels about rank,
ceremonials, dress, the love affairs of their husbands, and perhaps
their own, formed the daily interest of their lives, together with
trivial intrigues and gossiping: the stronger minded conversed with the
clergy on cases of conscience, and sought for consolation in their hymn
book, and occasionally also in their cookery book. But German literature
was little adapted to ennoble the feelings of women, and such as those
times did produce, seldom reached them in their elevated position; a
tasteless court poem, an Italian strophe, and sometimes a thick
historical or theological quarto sent by a submissive author in hopes of
receiving a present of money. The marriage of a princess was concluded
upon reasons of state, and it frequently happened that she was burdened
from the very first day with a dissolute husband. Undoubtedly not a few
of them were consigned to their royal vaults with most choice and solemn
pomp, on whom the sunshine of a deep heartfelt affection had never shone
during life: the care of their own household, and even that sweetest of
all cares, the education of their children, was taken from them by the
new court arrangements. Undoubtedly in many marriages, a good heart made
up for the deficiency of the education of that time; but scandalous
occurrences were frequent in the highest families at that period.
The domestic relations of these distinguished families belong also to
history, and much is very generally known of them. A picture of one of
these will here be made use of, in order to show that our generation
have no occasion to lose heart in contemplating it.
When the Imperial party, after the year 1620, persecuted the daughter of
the King of England, Elizabeth, wife of the Palatine, with satirical
pictures, they painted the proud princess, as going along the high road
with three children hanging on by her apron, or, as on the bare ground
eating pap from an earthenware platter. The second of these children
obtained, through the Westphalian peace, the eighth Electorate of the
German Empire. After many vicissitudes of fortune, after drinking the
bitter cup of banishment, and seeking in vain to recover his territory,
the new Elector, Karl Ludwig, looked down from the royal castle at
Heidelberg on the beautiful country, of which only a portion returned
into the possession of his line. His was not a nature which bore in
itself the guarantee of peace and happiness: it is true that in his
family he was considered jovial and good-humoured, but he was also
irritable, hasty, and passionate, covetous and full of pretension,
easily influenced, and without energy, inclined to venture rashly on
deeds of violence, and yet not firm enough to effect anything great. It
appears that he had derived from the blood of the Stuarts, besides a
high feeling of his own rank, much of the obstinacy of his ill-fated
uncle Charles. In the year 1650, he had married Charlotte, Princess of
Hesse, the daughter of that strong-minded woman, who, as Regent of her
country, had shown more energy than most men, and whose powerful
matronly countenance we still contemplate with pleasure, in the portrait
by Engelhard Schäffler. The mother described her own daughter to the
Elector as difficult to rule; the Electress was indeed passionate and
without moderation, and must often have disturbed domestic peace by her
frowardness and jealousy. A young lady of her court, Marie Susanne Loysa
von Degenfeld, daughter of one of the partisans of the Thirty years'
war, a person according to all accounts of great loveliness and much
gentleness, mixed with firmness, excited a passion in the Elector which
made him regardless of all considerations. After many angry quarrels he
divorced his wife and at once married his love, on whom the title of
"Raugräfin" was bestowed by the Imperial Court. The castoff Electress
turned in vain to the Emperor Leopold, to effect a reconciliation with
her husband. This petition is here given according to Lünig, from the
rolls of the German Empire, 1714.[43]
"We, by the grace of God, Charlotte, Electress, Countess Palatine of the
Rhine, born Landgravine of Hesse, offer to the most august Prince and
Sovereign of Sovereigns, Leopold, by the grace of God, father of the
fatherland, our most dutiful, obedient, and submissive greeting and
service.
"Although the manifold and weighty business of the Empire with which
your Imperial Majesty is troubled at this time, might well frighten us
from disquieting you with our private affairs, yet we presume with
profound humility to set before your Imperial Majesty our most pressing
distress, and the mighty injuries inflicted upon us at this time without
any fault on our part, because it is well known to us that your Imperial
Majesty is at all times assiduous in helping most graciously the injured
to their rights.
"It is not, I hope, unknown to your Imperial Majesty that we have, for
nearly eleven years, been united in matrimony with his Most Serene
Highness Prince Karl Ludwig, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Elector of the
Holy Empire. At that time his Princely Highness, in frequent discourse,
both before and after marriage, promised us by the highest oaths, an
ever-enduring faith and conjugal love; and we on our part did the like.
Being then animated by such reciprocal love, we have served his Highness
in all conjugal obedience to the best of our power, so far as our
womanly weakness permitted. We have also, by the grace of God, reared
two young princes and a daughter in all love, so that his Princely
Highness ought in justice to have abstained from divorcing himself from
us.
"We submissively beg your Imperial Majesty to understand that, after
three very severe confinements, we clearly traced by many tokens, no
slight alienation in the feelings of our lord and husband, which would
justly have given rise to suspicion in our minds, if our confiding
spirit had not attributed what was good and laudable to his Princely
Highness. For when we once, according to princely custom, presented his
Princely Highness with a beautiful Neapolitan dapple-gray colt with all
its appurtenances, he said to us: 'My treasure, we henceforth desire no
such presents, which diminish our treasury;' and the very same day he
presented the horse to one of the lowest of his nobles. This insult did
so grieve us that, with weeping eyes, we lamented it to our gentlewoman,
Maria Susanna von Degenfeld, of whose secret doings we had not at that
time the slightest idea. She thereupon made answer, 'That if at any time
she should meet with the like behaviour from her future consort, she
would refuse all cohabitation with him.' By these words she intended
nothing else than to incense us against our lord and master. Not long
after, a ring was purloined from us by the said von Degenfeld out of our
drawers. This must without doubt have been a concerted plan, for our
lord and husband had required this ring of us, and when we could not
find it, his Princely Highness was greatly irritated against us, and
thus broke out: 'You make me think strange things of you as concerns
this ring; I had thought you would have taken better care of it.'
Whereupon we answered, 'Ah! my treasure, foster no evil suspicions
against me; it has been purloined by some faithless person.' But his
Princely Highness continued: 'Who may this faithless person be? Perhaps
some young cavalier, on whose finger you may yourself have placed it.'
This caused us so much pain, that we were led to speak somewhat severely
to his Princely Highness, and said, 'No honest Prince would thus
calumniate me.' Whereupon he replied, 'Who gave you the right to upbraid
me as a dishonest Prince? If I hear aught further of this kind from you,
you shall be rewarded with a box on the ear!' Thereupon we did not
answer a word, but wept bitterly. But this von Degenfeld comforted us
deceitfully, and spoke thus: 'Make yourself happy, Electoral Highness,
and be not so much afflicted, it will soon be found again.' By these
words she then tranquillized us. But not long afterwards a very
noteworthy Latin epistle was put into our hand by a trusty servant,
which he had found accidentally in the chamber of our lord and husband,
the contents of which I cannot forbear enclosing. It is to this effect--
"'To the Most Serene Highness the Elector Palatine Karl Ludwig, Duke of
Bavaria, _dilecto meo_.
"'I can no longer oppose your Electoral Highness, nor any longer deceive
you as to my inclinations. _Vicisti jamque tua sum_, I unhappy one,
"'Maria Susanna, Baronissa a Degenfeld.'
"When, by God's Providence, we got this letter, we forthwith perused the
same with great consternation; but as we are not much versed in the
Latin tongue, we despatched the aforesaid trusty servant to the Most
Noble Lord, Johann Jacob Graf von Eberstein, our dear lord and cousin,
who was accidentally stopping at Heidelberg, bidding him come to us, and
beseeching him as a friend and cousin to lend us his aid in the
interpretation of the said note. This he honestly rendered us. It cannot
be told what great sorrow took possession of our hearts, when it became
evident in how unjustifiable and unprincely a way we had been dealt
with. So distracted, therefore, were we in mind, that we ventured so far
as to break open the coffer of the afore-mentioned Degenfeld, who was
not then present, and after earnest search found three abominable
letters of his Electoral Highness, likewise written in Latin, in which
he equally assures the Degenfeld of his love.
"Then we could sufficiently see that our lord and husband was minded to
renounce all truth and love towards us. This we wished at a fitting
opportunity to forestal, and give his Princely Highness to understand it
in a covert way.
"It then came to pass accidentally, that a week after, his Serene
Highness Friedrich, Lord Margrave of Baden, our dearly loved
brother-in-law and brother, together with his loving lady and wife, our
especially beloved cousin and sister, came from Durlach to Heidelberg to
visit us. Now once when we were sitting at table, his Princely Highness
the Lord Margrave, thus spoke to us: 'Wherefore, my lady sister,
wherefore so sorrowful?' To which we answered thus: 'My dear lord and
brother, perhaps there is truly reason for our sorrow.' Whereupon our
lord and husband turning quite red said, 'There is nothing new in my
lady and wife being angry without any cause.' We could not then, for our
honour's sake, leave such a speech unanswered, but replied, 'It is those
that prefer waiting women to wives who make me angry,' &c. Thereupon our
lord and husband was quite taken aback, turned pale with anger, and gave
us, in the presence of the said princely personages, such a severe box
on the ear, that on account of the vexatious nose-bleeding, brought on
by this, we were obliged to leave the table. But his Princely Highness
the Lord Margrave was mightily indignant thereat, and said to our lord
and master: '_Signore Electore, troppo è questo!_' Whereto our lord and
husband answered: '_Mio fratello, Signore Marchese, ma cosi ha voluto._'
But his Princely Highness the Lord Margrave spoke strongly to our lord
and husband, and said that if he could have supposed his inconsiderate
speech would have occasioned such discord, he would a thousand times
rather have been silent; and if our lord and husband did not become
reconciled to us before sunset, his Princely Highness was firmly
determined to leave Heidelberg at an early hour on the morrow, without
bidding him farewell. This worked so with my lord and husband that he
promised his Princely Highness to pay us a visit, in company with him
and his wife. This took place after the lapse of two hours, when our
husband thus addressed us in our chamber: 'Is my treasure still angry
with me?' We answered: 'I assure you, my treasure, that what happened at
table gave me sufficient reason to be angry; but on account of the
presence of my beloved lord and brother, and my lady and sister, to whom
our discord is displeasing, I will forgive it with all my heart.'
Thereupon our lord and master gave us his hand, and said, with a loving
kiss, 'This shall wipe out my past delinquency,' after which they
departed from our chamber. That night, however, we did not appear at
supper, but sent our bedchamber woman and lord steward to make our
excuses, as by reason of the necessary preparation of certain writings
we could not appear. But as our husband feared we might disclose to our
lord and brother what had before passed betwixt us, he came at ten
o'clock in the evening, accompanied by two pages, to my chamber, and did
there knock at the door. Now when we came to the door and found his
Princely Highness, we were not a little amazed at this unhoped-for
visit, and said: 'Why does my treasure visit us so late?' Thereupon his
Princely Highness answered kindly, and sent back both the pages. But as
at that moment those unseemly letters recurred to our memory, and as the
consideration that we were of such high princely parentage, made it
impossible to bear silently with such impropriety, we said: 'My lord and
husband, I am quite resolved to abide alone till your Princely Highness
resolves to deliver up a certain person into my hands, with full powers
to punish the same for her past wickedness.' Our lord and husband
answered: 'I should be glad at last to know who this person is; but I
imagine the offence is not so great as your Princely Highness interprets
it.' But we answered further: 'The offence is so great that the person
can only atone for it with their blood.' 'Nay, my treasure,' said our
husband, 'that verdict is too severe.' But we were minded to reveal
fully to his Princely Highness the cause of our long affliction; we
therefore took out of our pocket the letter which our servant had
brought, and began to read it in an audible voice. Hereupon our lord and
husband laughed and said: 'All a mere jest; my treasure knows right well
that the Fräulein von Degenfeld has from her youth been assiduous in
studying the Latin tongue, therefore I wished to try whether she was
sufficiently versed in it, to answer in the aforesaid language a note
prepared by me for the purpose. This she executed in the like jesting
way; and we are determined to support her on account of her innocence.'
We did not choose to wrangle with his Princely Highness, but said: 'We
have long known how to distinguish between jest and earnest. If it
please my treasure to furnish me with full proof that it was a jest I
will gladly be content.' Hereupon our lord and husband answered: 'Why is
so much proof required? Your Princely Highness is a woman, and has
better means of examining the innocence of Degenfeld than I, in whom it
would not be quite seemly. But I see well that innocent lady has lost
all grace and favour with you. As, however, it is already very late, I
wish my treasure to inform me whether it please her to be reconciled
with me here?' We answered to this: 'I feel myself bound by virtue of my
once given troth not to gainsay you in this.' But our lord and husband,
with a hearty embrace, protested by all that was noble and holy, that,
with the exception of this note, he had not trespassed against us, and
promised yet once more, never henceforth to misbehave towards us, if we,
on the other hand, would again render due obedience to his Princely
Highness. All this we promised, hoping henceforth to live in peaceful
wedlock, which perhaps might have come to pass if the devil had not sown
his tares.
"For, three days after, when his Serene Highness the Lord Margrave of
Baden had departed, a patent came to Heidelberg from your Imperial
Majesty's illustrious Lord Father, Ferdinand of ever-blessed memory,
whereby our lord and husband was summoned to the Imperial Diet at
Ratisbon, whereto we with our lord and husband betook ourselves at the
appointed time.
"We deem it unnecessary to relate what great contumely we there suffered
from our lord and husband, as your Imperial Majesty beheld it for the
most part with your own eyes. This caused us to tarry yet a long time at
Ratisbon after the departure of his Princely Highness. But when, after
the lapse of a few weeks, we returned again to Heidelberg, we signified
in a friendly way through one of the nobles to our lord and husband,
that we were minded to greet his Princely Highness. But our lord and
husband said with great displeasure to the said nobleman: 'Tell the bold
Landgravine,' thus it pleased his Princely Highness to call us, 'I will
have nothing to do with any one so pernicious to the country.'
"Now when this was notified to us we did not venture to accost his
Princely Highness, but straightway went through the adjoining saloon to
our chamber. But scarcely had we entered therein, when forty of the
Swiss guard had already established themselves in our antechamber, who
were commanded to keep guard over us, and not let us go out till they
received farther orders from his Princely Highness.
"Then did we learn with great anguish of heart that we, a freeborn
princess, had been made a prisoner. We knew not what to do, for we could
not write to our lord brother the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel, because we
had no confidential person left to us whom we could despatch. We had
thus no opportunity of effecting anything, for whenever our servants
came to or went from us, they were always searched by the guard. On this
account we resolved to write ourselves to our lord and husband, and to
entreat his Princely Highness to release us from this most intolerable
durance. We drew up therefore the following petition to his Princely
Highness, and sent the same by a noble youth to his Princely Highness
while at table.
"'Most Serene Highness, and dear Lord.
"'How great annoyance I have suffered during the time which it has
pleased your Princely Highness to place a prodigious garrison before my
chamber, is not to be described. It moves me to remind your Princely
Highness, that if you so behave to me, a poor princess, you will have to
answer for it before God and the whole world. It would be well moreover
to bethink you, whether it is praiseworthy to keep guard over one single
weak woman, with forty well-armed halberdiers, which might be
sufficiently accomplished by two or three. I cannot imagine what offence
I have committed to deserve such harsh procedure. I therefore entreat
your Princely Highness, for God's sake to set me at liberty. For during
this time I have not been able to sleep three hours by reason of the
noisy blustering and clatter of these indiscreet Swiss.
"'Your Princely Highness's faithful unto death,
"'Charlotta Palatine of the Rhine.'
"After our husband had read this writing, he commanded that all the
Swiss saving four should be withdrawn, which was done forthwith, to our
great content. But his Princely Highness sent us a letter, to the
following tenour.
"'To Charlotta, born Landgravine of Hesse.
"'It surprises me much that you should venture to ask why I have put you
under surveillance. You cannot deny that on my return from Ratisbon to
Heidelberg, I urgently commanded you to follow me without fail the next
day. But you did not do so till some weeks later, and during this period
you spent so much money, that our subjects, who were sufficiently
ruined without this, will for a long time have much, to endure. You also
know well how you disgraced me at Ratisbon by your hunting parties, and
how--because I in my just indignation, on account of your past frivolity
of conduct and wanton indecorum of dress in the presence of the
assembled Diet, have put you only under slight restraint--you have for
the past half-year refused to live with me as a wife. This culpable
conduct has entirely released me from all bonds of wedlock; and I am
fully resolved to separate myself completely from you by a public act.
This, my purpose, has moved me to assure myself of your person, that you
may not as a fugitive, by exasperating your brother and other friends,
bring evil on my country. Finally, if you will keep quiet and retired,
and will consent to the divorce, I promise you on my Electoral faith,
that I will not only entirely free you from restraint, but will assign
you an income which will enable you to maintain yourself right royally.
Thus saying, and expecting a decisive declaration from you,
"'I remain your loving cousin,
"'The Elector.'
"When this writing was put into our hands, we were in such great
affliction we did not know how to decide. At last we sent a noble
bedchamber woman to our lord and husband, commanding her to signify to
his Princely Highness that we were disposed to consent willingly to all
his desires, except as concerning the divorce. For this, being an affair
of conscience, must be well considered. I begged him therefore for a
little time for deliberation. Undoubtedly if his Princely Highness
should please to accomplish a divorce by his own power, we were much too
weak to hinder him. But we thought we had never given his Princely
Highness any sufficient reason for repudiating us.
"The bedchamber woman delivered this in the best way she could. But our
lord and husband thus answered: 'Fair lady, tell your mistress we are
now minded to give her henceforth more freedom, and to withdraw the four
Swiss entirely from her apartment. It shall also be permitted to her to
walk below in the garden if agreeable to her; and she may rest assured
that I will find means to content her, but she must not think of writing
to her lord brother concerning our purposes. She must also agree to the
divorce, for I am minded to marry another.'
"The noble maiden had scarcely given us this answer, when the four Swiss
were with all speed withdrawn from our apartment, and we went the same
evening to breathe the fresh air in the garden. The day following our
lord and husband journeyed to the castle at Ladenburg. In the evening,
about five o'clock, the noble Count von Eberstein, our loving lord and
cousin, came to us. He told us that the von Degenfeld had been
sojourning already three months at the Castle of Ladenburg, and that our
lord and husband had betaken himself thither every week during our
absence; nay he had caused a special road to be made that he might the
sooner reach it. Then we first discovered what had been the aim of our
lord and husband, and we lamented our misfortune with many tears.
"A week after, our lord and husband sent us a note, the contents of
which ran literally thus:--
"'Most Serene Highness,
"'I wish to inform your Highness in a few words, that in consequence of
our afore-mentioned divorce, I have again engaged myself in marriage
with the noble Lady, Marie Susanna von Degenfeld. I therefore hope that
your Highness will be therewith content, as it cannot now be altered.
For I have already sent for our dear and trusty Samuel Heyland, preacher
of the Lutheran community of our city of Heidelberg, to unite us in
Christian wedlock. But as I know well that your Highness has begotten me
three royal children, it becomes me to furnish your Highness with a
princely allowance for the rest of your life. Therefore we grant unto
your Highness the power to make use at your good pleasure of the half of
the castle of Heidelberg, and you may receive from our lord treasurer
sufficient money for your maintenance; only you must reconcile yourself
to my present wife, and inflict no injury upon her, that I may not have
occasion to withdraw my favour from your Highness.
"'I remain your Highness's graciously until death,
"'Your Highness's Elector.
"'Ladenburg, April 15, 1652.'
"My answer was as follows:--
"'Most august Prince and high-born Lord,
"'From your Princely Highness's letter I have learnt with the greatest
consternation that your Princely Highness is minded now to cast me off
entirely, and never more to recognize me as your wife. I will commend my
cause, woeful as it is, to God, the righteous judge. I will henceforth
consider myself as a widow; whose husband still lives, led astray by a
wanton worthless person, and drawn away from his lawful wife.
"'For the ample maintenance which your Princely Highness has ordered for
me, I render you hearty thanks. I will also be careful so to behave
myself to your Princely Highness's concubine that she shall have no
cause to complain. Further, a nobleman from Stuttgart is here, who
reports that in ten days his Serene Highness Prince Eberhard von
Würtemberg, our dearly beloved lord cousin and brother, together with
the lady his wife, are coming to visit us at Heidelberg. So your
Princely Highness will undoubtedly come here, and arrange that they
shall have right princely accommodation.
"'Datum Heidelberg, the 16th of April, 1657.
"'Your Princely Highness's until death, but now deeply afflicted
lawful Electress of the Rhine.'
"After three days our lord and husband returned, bringing with him the
von Degenfeld, under the escort of a hundred newly enlisted dragoons.
Then indeed were we cut to the heart when we saw our former
waiting-woman usurping our place and presented to every one as
Electress, yet could not venture to say the least word against her. We
kept a separate table, and had our own servants, and a body-guard of
twenty cuirassiers appointed for our own selves.
"At last we bethought us we would once more endeavour to mollify our
lord and husband. We sent for the two Princes our sons, and the Princess
our daughter, dressed ourselves and the children in our best, and waited
near the hall-door till our lord and husband rose from dinner and came
out. Then we, together with our beloved children, prostrated ourselves
before his Princely Highness, hoping thereby to mollify him. For if his
Princely Highness would not recognize us as his lawful wife, our dearly
beloved children after his death might be considered as bastards.
"Our children wept aloud, as did also the whole surrounding court, for
it would have melted a heart of stone. Our lord and husband let us thus
kneel, and stood in deep thought, not knowing at the moment what to say.
His Princely Highness's eyes were filled with tears. Meanwhile the
mistress von Degenfeld came from within, saw us thus kneeling, and spoke
audaciously to our lord and husband. '_Signore Elettore, servate la
parola di promessa._' At these words our lord and husband clasped his
hands over his head, and went away sighing. We however could no longer
look over such iniquity, but ran into our chamber and seized a loaded
pistol, determined to send a ball through the heart of this wanton,
godless disturber of conjugal rights, this von Degenfeld. But when we
came to her, and were on the point of discharging the pistol, it was
taken away from us by the noble Count and Lord Wolf Julius von
Hohenlohe, and discharged out of a window. But when our lord and husband
heard this shot, he ran hastily out of his apartment, and asked who had
fired. We said: 'Ah, dear treasure, I did it, with the intention of
revenging your Princely Highness's honour on this monster.' But our lord
and husband replied: 'Charlotta, Charlotta, cease these doings, if you
would not be sent away forthwith from hence.' But we went off without
making reply.
"Four days after a postilion came with a report that his Serene Highness
of Würtemberg would arrive within two hours. Thereupon our lord and
husband sent to notify to us that his Princely Highness, with Mistress
von Degenfeld, would go to meet the said Lord Duke. But we were to
receive his Princely Highness at the castle. And thus it was. Three days
were spent in all kinds of pastimes, in honour of the said Lord Duke,
but we lived neglected, and were not once asked to dinner,
notwithstanding the urgent entreaties of our much-loved lord and brother
Duke Eberhard and his wife.
"At last we caused a repast to be prepared in our apartment, and invited
thereto both these princely personages, as also our lord and husband,
and our eldest son Prince Karolus. All these came except our lord and
husband, who indeed at the intercession of the Duke would have been
willing to come. But his Princely Highness was prevented by Mistress von
Degenfeld, who, as we afterwards learnt, urged his Princely Highness
with hard words, saying, she would no longer allow his Princely Highness
to live with her, if he went to us.
"Our lord and husband said also to our Prince Karolus: 'Go thither and
help your mother to entertain the guests, and tell her from me, that at
this present I am prevented from visiting her by ill health, but by
God's providence might be enabled to do so another time.'
"We discoursed during the repast with both the Princely personages on
the best way of dealing with our affairs, but their Princely Highnesses
advised us not to undertake anything against the life of this von
Degenfeld, since we might thereby make our evil fate worse. Our lord
brother, Duke Eberhard, took our hand, and promised that his Princely
Highness would exert himself to the utmost to unite us again, but his
Princely Highness would especially, immediately on his return home,
write urgently to his vassal, Gustavus von Degenfeld, brother of the
said Archmistress, to require the return of his sister home. If he did
not do this, he would take his feoff from him, and bestow it on another.
Meanwhile I was to supplicate your Imperial Majesty, most humbly, to
move in this matter, and unite us again by your most gracious mediation.
"We cannot refrain also from adding that our lord and husband has not in
any other way injured us by word or deed these three years, and we hope
his Princely Highness will favourably receive such Imperial
intercession, and again be gracious to us, a much oppressed and
afflicted Princess, and not prostrate us entirely under this heavy
cross.
"Therefore we most humbly submit ourselves, praying fervently to God
Almighty that He may grant your Imperial Majesty continual health, long
life, a happy reign, victory over your enemies, and all prosperity.
"Datum Heidelberg, July 26, 1661. Your Imperial Majesty's most humble
and obedient servant, Charlotta Countess Palatine of the Rhine, born
Landgravine of Hesse."
Here the letter closes. We can scarcely feel any warm sympathy with
either of the contending parties. The husband appears thoroughly
unworthy: we find vulgar threats, violence, and ill-usage, a perfidious
attempt to deceive his wife, abject baseness in the evening visit, and
intimidation by the clash of arms, and worse than all, was the manner of
his divorce and re-marriage. The Church constitution of the Protestants
remained an unfinished edifice, the rulers were but too much inclined to
give themselves dispensations and licences as superior bishops. And of
the Electress also! What can we say? How gladly would we sympathize with
the deeply wounded wife and mother; but she appears at best not very
lovable; she also was violent, insolent, strong in pouting, complaining,
and weak at the moment when everything depended on her defence of her
just rights. To say nothing of the remarkable scene at the Diet, her
disobedience in remaining behind, gave the Elector, at all events
according to the ideas of that time, a right to think of divorce. Not
all that is most repugnant in this miserable history should be laid to
the charge of the individuals; much of what offends us was then usual.
The respect for women was small, the familiar intercourse of the camp
was a jealously guarded right of royal ladies, the evening visit of the
husband, an honour which was not concealed from the court. But however
much may be laid to the account of the manners of the times, there still
remains so much individual imperfection as to leave a painful impression
on the reader.
The Electress outlived both her husband and her rival. Soon after this
letter, by the mediation of the Brandenburg court a contract of
separation was concluded by the married couple, which assured to the
Electress a yearly income of eight thousand thalers, with the right of
spending it where she pleased. She resided afterwards at Cassel, and
lived to see her rival give birth to fourteen children. Later she took
the most benevolent interest in these children; and her own daughter,
the celebrated Charlotte Elizabeth Duchess of Orleans, mother of the
Regent of France, was bound by ties of the most intimate friendship with
one of the young Raugravines. We may thank this female friendship for
the beautiful letters of the Princess Charlotte Elizabeth, which are not
only important for the history of that period, but also valuable, as
showing how a prudent, intellectual and honourable German lady remained
uncorrupted in the impure atmosphere of a Parisian court. The mother of
the profligate Regent of France was all her life long a true German.
She speaks with warm affection of her father, and with filial respect of
her mother.