, "at Burley on the Hill," till Maria Eleonora was seven
years old;--who possibly enough still reads in her memory some fading
vestige of new black frocks or trimmings, and brief court-mourning, on
the death of poor Aunt Anne over seas.--Another Aunt is more honorably
distinguished; Sibylla, Wife of our noble Saxon Elector, Johann
Friedrich the Magnanimous, who lost his Electorate and almost his
Life for religion's sake, as we have seen; by whom, in his perils and
distresses, Sibylla stood always, like a very true and noble Wife.

Duke Wilhelm himself was a man of considerable mark in his day. His
Duchy of Cleve included not only Cleve-Proper, but Julich (JULIERS),
Berg, which latter pair of Duchies were a better thing than
Cleve-Proper:--Julich, Berg and various other small Principalities,
which, gradually agglomerating by marriage, heritage and the chance of
events in successive centuries, had at length come all into Wilhelm's
hands; so that he got the name of Wilhelm the Rich among his
contemporaries. He seems to have been of a headlong, blustery, uncertain
disposition; much tossed about in the controversies of his day. At one
time he was a Protestant declared; not without reasons of various kinds.
The Duchy of Geldern (what we call GUELDERS) had fallen to him, by
express bequest of the last Owner, whose Line was out; and Wilhelm
took possession. But the Kaiser Karl V. quite refused to let him keep
possession. Whereupon Wilhelm had joined with the French (it was in
the Moritz-Alcibiades time); had declared war, and taken other high
measures: but it came to nothing, or to less. The end was, Wilhelm had
to "come upon his knees" before the Kaiser, and beg forgiveness; quite
renouncing Geldern, which accordingly has gone its own different road
ever since. Wilhelm was zealously Protestant in those days; as his
people are, and as he still is, at the period we treat of. But he
went into Papistry, not long after; and made other sudden turns and
misventures: to all appearance, rather an abrupt, blustery, uncertain
Herr. It is to him that Albert Friedrich, the young Duke of Preussen,
guided by his Council, now (Year 1572) sends an Embassy, demanding his
eldest Daughter, Maria Eleonora, to wife.

Duke Wilhelm answered Yea; "sent a Counter-Embassy," with whatever else
was necessary; and in due time the young Bride, with her Father, set
out towards Preussen, such being the arrangement, there to complete the
matter. They had got