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 Palat