han
Silesia!" said they. [Pauli, v. 327, 332.] Baron Freytag, their
Ambassador at Berlin, had negotiated the affair so far: "Circle of
Schwiebus," said Freytag, "and let us have done with these thorny
talks!"

But Baron Freytag had been busy, in the mean while, with the young
Prince; secretly offering Sympathy, counsel, help; of all which the poor
Prince stood in need enough. "We will help you in that dangerous matter
of the Apanages," said Freytag; "Help you in all things,"--I suppose he
would say,--"necessary pocket-money is not a thing your Highness need
want!" And thus Baron Freytag, what is very curious, had managed to
bargain beforehand with the young Prince, That directly on coming to
power, he would give up Schwiebus again, SHOULD the offer of Schwiebus
be accepted by Papa. To which effect Baron Freytag held a signed Bond,
duly executed by the young man, before Papa had concluded at all. Which
is very curious indeed!--

Poor old Papa, worn out with troubles, accepted Schwiebus in liquidation
of all claims (8th April, 1686), and a few days after set his men on
march against the Turks:--and, exactly two months beforehand, on the
8th of February last, the Prince had signed HIS secret engagement, That
Schwiebus should be a mere phantasm to Papa; that he, the Prince, would
restore it on his accession. Both these singular Parchments, signed,
sealed and done in the due legal form, lay simultaneously in Freytag's
hand; and probably enough they exist yet, in some dusty corner, among
the solemn sheepskins of the world. This is literally the plan hit upon
by an Imperial Court, to assist a young Prince in his pecuniary and
other difficulties, and get rid of Silesian claims. Plan actually
not unlike that of swindling money-lenders to a young gentleman in
difficulties, and of manageable turn, who has got into their hands.

The Great Elector died two years after; Schwiebus then in his hand. The
new Elector, once instructed as to the nature of the affair, refused to
give up Schwiebus; [19th September, 1689 Pauli, vii. 74.] declared
the transaction a swindle:--and in fact, for seven years more, retained
possession of Schwiebus. But the Austrian Court insisted, with emphasis,
at length with threats (no insuperable pressure from Louis, or the
Turks, at this time); the poor cheated Elector had, at last, to give up
Schwiebus, in terms of his promise. [31st December, 1694.] He took act
that it had been a surreptitious transaction,