espatched from Berlin, to gather up the threads cut loose by
that event, and see that the matter took no damage. On the road thither
news reached him that his own Father, old Joachim Friedrich, was dead
(18th July, 1608); that he himself was now Kurfurst; [1572, 1608-1619.]
and that numerous threads were loose at both ends of his affairs.

The "young man"--not now so young, being full thirty-five and of fair
experience--was in difficulty, under these overwhelming tidings; and
puzzled, for a little, whether to advance or to return. He decided to
advance, and settle Prussian matters, where the peril and the risk were;
Brandenburg business he could do by rescripts.

His difficulties in Preussen, and at the Polish Court, were in fact
immense. But after a space of eight or nine months, he did, by excellent
management, not sparing money judiciously laid out on individuals,
arrive at some adjustment, better or worse, and got Preussen in hand;
[29th April, 1609. Stenzel, i. 370.] legal Administrator of the imbecile
Duke, as his Father had been. After which he had to run for Brandenburg,
without loss of time: great matters being there in the wind. Nothing
wrong in Brandenburg, indeed; but the great Cleve Heritage is dropping,
has dropped; over in Cleve, an immense expectancy is now come to the
point of deciding itself.

HOW THE CLEVE HERITAGE DROPPED, AND MANY SPRANG TO PICK IT UP.

Wilhelm of Cleve, the explosive Duke, whom we saw at Berlin and
Konigsberg at the wedding of this poor Lady now deceased, had in the
marriage-contract, as he did in all subsequent contracts and deeds of
like nature, announced a Settlement of his Estates, which was now become
of the highest moment for Johann Sigismund. The Country at that
time called Duchy of Cleve, consisted, as we said above, not only of
Cleve-Proper, but of two other still better Duchies, Julich and Berg;
then of the GRAFSCHAFT (County) of Ravensburg, County of Mark, Lordship
of---In fact it was a multifarious agglomerate of many little countries,
gathered by marriage, heritage and luck, in the course of centuries, and
now united in the hand of this Duke Wilhelm. It amounted perhaps to two
Yorkshires in extent. [See Busching, _Erdbeschreibung,_ v. 642-734.]
A naturally opulent Country, of fertile meadows, shipping capabilities,
metalliferous hills; and, at this time, in consequence of the
Dutch-Spanish War, and the multitude of Protestant refugees, it was
getting filled wi