History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [47]
less able to deal with it than formerly. Being a peaceable man,
unwilling to awaken conflagrations for a small matter, Friedrich
Wilhelm had offered, through Kreutzen on this occasion, to part
with Herstal altogether; to sell it, for 100,000 thalers, say
16,000 pounds, to the high-flying Bishop, and honestly wash his
hands of it. But the high-flying Bishop did not consent, gave no
definite answer; and so the matter lay,--like an unsettled
extremely irritating paltry little matter,--at the time Friedrich
Wilhelm died.
The Gazetteers and public knew little about these particulars, or
had forgotten them again; but at the Prussian Court they were in
lively remembrance. What the young Friedrich's opinion about them
had been we gather from this succinct notice of the thing, written
seven or eight years afterwards, exact in all points, and still
carrying a breath of the old humor in it. "A miserable Bishop of
Liege thought it a proud thing to insult the late King.
Some subjects of Herstal, which belongs to Prussia, had revolted;
the Bishop gave them his protection. Colonel Kreutzen was sent to
Liege, to compose the thing by treaty; credentials with him, full
power, and all in order. Imagine it, the Bishop would not receive
him! Three days, day after day, he saw this Envoy apply at his
Palace, and always denied him entrance. These things had grown
past endurance." [Preuss,
Brandebourg), end italic> ii. 53.] And Friedrich had taken note of
Herstal along with him, on this Cleve Journey; privately intending
to put Herstal and the high-flying Bishop on a suitabler footing,
before his return from those countries.
For indeed, on Friedrich's Accession, matters had grown worse, not
better. Of course there was Fealty to be sworn; but the Herstal
people, abetted by the high-flying Bishop, have declined swearing
it. Apology for the past, prospect of amendment for the future,
there is less than ever. What is the young King to do with this
paltry little Hamlet of Herstal? He could, in theory, go into some
Reichs-Hofrath, some Reichs-Kammergericht (kind of treble and
tenfold English Court-of-Chancery, which has lawsuits 250 years
old),--if he were a theoretic German King. He can plead in the
Diets, and the Wetzlar Reichs-Kammergericht without end:
"All German Sovereigns have power to send their Ambassador
thither, who is like a mastiff chained in the back-yard [observes
Friedrich elsewhere] with privilege of barking at the Moon,"--
unrestricted privilege of barking at the Moon, if that will avail
a practical man, or King's Ambassador. Or perhaps the Bishop of
Liege will bethink him, at last, what considerable liberty he is
taking with some people's whiskers? Four months are gone;
Bishop of Liege has not in the least bethought him: we are in the
neighborhood in person, with note of the thing in our memory.
FRIEDRICH TAKES THE ROD OUT OF PICKLE.
Accordingly the Rath Rambonet, whom Voltaire found at Moyland that
Sunday night, had been over at Liege; went exactly a week before;
with this message of very peremptory tenor from his Majesty:--
TO THE PRINCE BISHOP OF LIEGE.
"WESEL, 4th September, 1740.
"MY COUSIN,--Knowing all the assaults (ATTEINTES) made by you upon
my indisputable rights over my free Barony of Herstal; and how the
seditious ringleaders there, for several years past, have been
countenanced (BESTARKET) by you in their detestable acts of
disobedience against me,--I have commanded my Privy Councillor
Rambonet to repair to your presence, and in my name to require
from you, within two days, a distinct and categorical answer to
this question: Whether you are still minded to assert your
pretended sovereignty over Herstal; and whether you will
protect the rebels at Herstal, in their disorders and
abominable disobedience?
"In case you refuse, or delay beyond the term, the Answer which I
hereby of right demand, you will render yourself alone
responsible, before the world, for the consequences which
infallibly will follow. I am, with