History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [45]
begot
Charlemagne. It lies on the Maas, in that fruitful Spa Country;
left bank of the Maas, a little to the north of Liege;
and probably began existence as a grander place than Liege
(LUTTICH), which was, at first, some Monastery dependent on
secular Herstal and its grandeurs:--think only how the race has
gone between these two entities; spiritual Liege now a big City,
black with the smoke of forges and steam-mills; Herstal an
insignificant Village, accidentally talked of for a few weeks in
1740, and no chance ever to be mentioned again by men.
Herstal, in the confused vicissitudes of a thousand years, had
passed through various fortunes, and undergone change of owners
often enough. Fifty years ago it was in the hands of the Nassau-
Orange House; Dutch William, our English Protestant King, who
probably scarce knew of his possessing it, was Lord of Herstal
till his death. Dutch William had no children to inherit Herstal:
he was of kinship to the Prussian House, as readers are aware;
and from that circumstance, not without a great deal of
discussion, and difficult "Division of the Orange Heritage," this
Herstal had, at the long last, fallen to Friedrich Wilhelm's
share; it and Neuchatel, and the Cobweb Palace, and some other
places and pertinents.
For Dutch William was of kin, we say; Friedrich I. of Prussia, by
his Mother the noble Wife of the Great Elector, was full cousin to
Dutch William: and the Marriage Contracts were express,--though
the High Mightinesses made difficulties, and the collateral Orange
branches were abundantly reluctant, when it came to the fulfilling
point. For indeed the matter was intricate. Orange itself, for
example, what was to be done with the Principality of Orange?
Clearly Prussia's; but it lies imbedded deep in the belly of
France, that will be a Caesarean-Operation for you! Had not
Neuchatel happened just then to fall home to France (or in some
measure to France) and be heirless, Prussia's Heritage of Orange
would have done little for Prussia! Principality of Orange was, by
this chance, long since, mainly in the First King's time, got
settled: [Neuchatel, 3d November, 1707, to Friedrich I., natives
preferring him to "Fifteen other Claimants;" Louis XIV. loudly
protesting: not till Treaty of Utrecht (14th March 1713, first
month of Friedrich Wilhelm's reign) would Louis XIV., on cession
of Orange, consent and sanction.] but there needed many years more
of good waiting, and of good pushing, on Friedrich Wilhelm's part;
and it was not till 1732 that Friedrich Wilhelm got the Dutch
Heritages finally brought to the square: Neuchatel and Valengin,
as aforesaid, in lieu of Orange; and now furthermore, the Old
Palace at Loo (that VIEILLE COUR and biggest cobwebs), with
pertinents, with Garden of Honslardik; and a string of items,
bigger and less, not worth enumerating. Of the items, this Herstal
was one;--and truly, so far as this went, Friedrich Wilhelm often
thought he had better never have seen it, so much trouble did it
bring him.
HOW THE HERSTALLERS HAD BEHAVED TO FRIEDRICH WILHELM.
The Herstal people, knowing the Prussian recruiting system and
other rigors, were extremely unwilling to come under Friedrich
Wilhelm's sway, could they have helped it. They refused fealty,
swore they never would swear: nor did they, till the appearance,
or indubitable foreshine, of Friedrich Wilhelm's bayonets
advancing on them from the East, brought compliance. And always
after, spite of such quasi-fealty, they showed a pig-like
obstinacy of humor; a certain insignificant, and as it were
impertinent, deep-rooted desire to thwart, irritate and contradict
the said Friedrich Wilhelm. Especially in any recruiting matter
that might arise, knowing that to be the weak side of his Prussian
Majesty. All this would have amounted to nothing, had it not been
that their neighbor, the Prince Bishop of Liege, who imagined
himself to have some obscure claims of sovereignty over Herstal,
and thought the present a good opportunity for asserting these,
was
Charlemagne. It lies on the Maas, in that fruitful Spa Country;
left bank of the Maas, a little to the north of Liege;
and probably began existence as a grander place than Liege
(LUTTICH), which was, at first, some Monastery dependent on
secular Herstal and its grandeurs:--think only how the race has
gone between these two entities; spiritual Liege now a big City,
black with the smoke of forges and steam-mills; Herstal an
insignificant Village, accidentally talked of for a few weeks in
1740, and no chance ever to be mentioned again by men.
Herstal, in the confused vicissitudes of a thousand years, had
passed through various fortunes, and undergone change of owners
often enough. Fifty years ago it was in the hands of the Nassau-
Orange House; Dutch William, our English Protestant King, who
probably scarce knew of his possessing it, was Lord of Herstal
till his death. Dutch William had no children to inherit Herstal:
he was of kinship to the Prussian House, as readers are aware;
and from that circumstance, not without a great deal of
discussion, and difficult "Division of the Orange Heritage," this
Herstal had, at the long last, fallen to Friedrich Wilhelm's
share; it and Neuchatel, and the Cobweb Palace, and some other
places and pertinents.
For Dutch William was of kin, we say; Friedrich I. of Prussia, by
his Mother the noble Wife of the Great Elector, was full cousin to
Dutch William: and the Marriage Contracts were express,--though
the High Mightinesses made difficulties, and the collateral Orange
branches were abundantly reluctant, when it came to the fulfilling
point. For indeed the matter was intricate. Orange itself, for
example, what was to be done with the Principality of Orange?
Clearly Prussia's; but it lies imbedded deep in the belly of
France, that will be a Caesarean-Operation for you! Had not
Neuchatel happened just then to fall home to France (or in some
measure to France) and be heirless, Prussia's Heritage of Orange
would have done little for Prussia! Principality of Orange was, by
this chance, long since, mainly in the First King's time, got
settled: [Neuchatel, 3d November, 1707, to Friedrich I., natives
preferring him to "Fifteen other Claimants;" Louis XIV. loudly
protesting: not till Treaty of Utrecht (14th March 1713, first
month of Friedrich Wilhelm's reign) would Louis XIV., on cession
of Orange, consent and sanction.] but there needed many years more
of good waiting, and of good pushing, on Friedrich Wilhelm's part;
and it was not till 1732 that Friedrich Wilhelm got the Dutch
Heritages finally brought to the square: Neuchatel and Valengin,
as aforesaid, in lieu of Orange; and now furthermore, the Old
Palace at Loo (that VIEILLE COUR and biggest cobwebs), with
pertinents, with Garden of Honslardik; and a string of items,
bigger and less, not worth enumerating. Of the items, this Herstal
was one;--and truly, so far as this went, Friedrich Wilhelm often
thought he had better never have seen it, so much trouble did it
bring him.
HOW THE HERSTALLERS HAD BEHAVED TO FRIEDRICH WILHELM.
The Herstal people, knowing the Prussian recruiting system and
other rigors, were extremely unwilling to come under Friedrich
Wilhelm's sway, could they have helped it. They refused fealty,
swore they never would swear: nor did they, till the appearance,
or indubitable foreshine, of Friedrich Wilhelm's bayonets
advancing on them from the East, brought compliance. And always
after, spite of such quasi-fealty, they showed a pig-like
obstinacy of humor; a certain insignificant, and as it were
impertinent, deep-rooted desire to thwart, irritate and contradict
the said Friedrich Wilhelm. Especially in any recruiting matter
that might arise, knowing that to be the weak side of his Prussian
Majesty. All this would have amounted to nothing, had it not been
that their neighbor, the Prince Bishop of Liege, who imagined
himself to have some obscure claims of sovereignty over Herstal,
and thought the present a good opportunity for asserting these,
was