ove. In the year 1660
her lady mother also died in Bremen, and was laid beside her honoured
father in the church of St. Stephen, after which Mistress Elizabeth had
lived for a while with the widow of Herr Doctor Schnellen. Meanwhile
she became acquainted with the _Frau_ Schlepusch, who lived at her
property Schoenbeck, near Bremen, and when soon after, the General
Schlepusch and his wife departed for Silesia, they took her with them
as a playfellow for their young daughter, to Klein-Polewitz, where she
was always held in good esteem.

"This report and intelligence increased the ardour of my love for her,
especially as I now knew that she was indeed of distinguished family,
but not of noble extraction, and also because Herr Pirner had highly
commended the maiden on account of her godly behaviour, piety,
prudence, and many domestic qualities; and the _Frau Generalin_ had no
hesitation in trusting her with the whole conduct of the household,
during her many journeys to and fro. Now my whole heart being filled to
overflowing with a stream of chaste love, I poured it out for the first
time to this honourable man, and revealed to his discretion what else I
would not have disclosed to any man in the whole world, namely, that if
it were possible, and provided it were the will of God, I desired to
make Mistress Mercer my wife, and I begged of him to lend me his
faithful aid in this important affair, and help to promote my good
purpose.

"The good man was willing to esteem it the greatest honour to perform
this service for me; he devoted his heart to the work, and gave
expression to my intentions, first to the _Frau Generalin_. Meanwhile I
exchanged letters with him, and soon entertained good hopes. _In
summa_, the affair advanced in a short time in the most satisfactory
manner, so that nothing remained but for me to visit her in person. One
Monday morning, having first sought aid of the Lord, I proceeded on
horseback to Nickelstadt, called for the Herr Pirner there, and went
with him to Klein-Polewitz, which lay about a quarter of a mile from
thence. The son-in-law of the _Frau Generalin_, Herr Heinrich von
Poser, the royal receiver-general of taxes in the principality of Jauer
and Schweidnitz, received us in the baronial mansion, conducted us with
great politeness to the dining-room, where he entertained us with
various discourse, like a highly-talented and well-educated cavalier.
Soon afterwards the _Frau Generalin_ sent for