Dickena, of 2d June 1731 (in
pathetic
terms)i Wilhelmlna, i.
Thomas Carlyle
Let him walk warily; and in good
earnest study to become a new creature, useful for
something in the Domain Sciences and otherwise.
Carlyle, Frederic the Great, IV.
9
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? 130
[book vin. Jan. 1731.
CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED.
CHAPTER m.
WILHELMINA IS TO WED THE PRINCE OP BAIREUTH.
Crown-Prince Friedrich being settled so far, his
Majesty takes up the case of Wilhelmina, the other
ravelled skein lying on hand. Wilhelmina has been
prisoner in her Apartment at Berlin all this while: it
is proper Wilhelmina be disposed of; either in wedlock,
filially obedient to the royal mind; or in some much
sterner way, "within four walls," it is whispered, if
disobedient.
Poor Wilhelmina never thought of disobeying her
parents: only, which of them to obey? King looks
towards the Prince of Baireuth again, agreed on before
those hurly-burlies now past; Queen looks far otherwards.
Queen Sophie still desperately believes in the English
match for Wilhelmina; and has subterranean corre-
spondences with that Court; refusing to see that the
negotiation is extinct there. Grumkow himself, so
over-victorious in his late task, is now heeling towards
England; "sincere in his wish to be well with us,"
thinks Dickens: Grumkow solaces her Majesty with
delusive hopes in the English quarter. "Be firm,
"child; trust in my management; only swear to me,
"on your eternal salvation, that never, on any com-
"pulsion, will you marry another than the Prince of
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? CHAP, m. ] WILHELMINA TO WED BAIKEUTH. 131
Feb. 1731.
"Wales; -- give me that oath! "* Such was Queen
Sophie's last proposal to Wilhelmina, -- night of the
27th of January 1731, as is computable, -- her
Majesty to leave for Potsdam on the morrow. They
wept much together, that night, but Wilhelmina
dextrously evaded the oath, on a religious ground.
Prince of Baireuth, whom Papa may like or may not
like, has never yet personally made appearance: who
or what will make appearance, or how things can or
will turn, except a bad road, is terribly a mystery to
Wilhelmina.
What with chagrin and confinement, what with bad
diet (for the very diet is bad, quality and quantity
alike unspeakable), Wilhelmina sees herself "reduced
to a skeleton;" no company but her faithful Sonsfeld,
no employment but her Books and Music; -- struggles,
however, still to keep heart. One day, it is in
February 1731, as I compute, they are sitting, her
Sonsfeld and she, at their sad mess of so-called dinner,
in their remote upper story of the Berlin Schloss,
tramp of sentries the one thing audible; and were
"looking mournfully at one another, with nothing to
"eat but a soup of salt-and-water, and a ragout of old
"bones full of hairs and slopperies," -- nothing else;
that was its real quality, whatever fine name they
might give it, says the vehement Princess, -- "we
"heard a sharp tapping at the window; and started up
"in surprise, to see what it could be. It was a raven,
i
* Wilhelmina, i. 314.
9*
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? 132 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [bOOKTO.
11th May 1731.
"carrying in its beak a bit of bread, which it left on
"the window-sill, and flew away. "*
"Tears came into our eyes at this adventure. " Are
we become as Hebrew Elijahs, then; so that the wild
ravens have to bring us food? Truth is, there was
nothing miraculous, as Wilhelmina found by and by.
It was a tame raven, -- not the soul of old George I. , which lives at Isleworth on good pensions; but the pet
raven of a certain Margravine, which lost its way
among the intricate roofs here. But the incident was
touching. "Well," exclaimed Wilhelmina, "in the
"Roman Histories I am now reading, it is often said
"those creatures betoken good luck. " All Berlin, such
the appetite for gossip, and such the famine of it in
Berlin at present, talked of this minute event: and the
French Colony, -- old Protestant Colony, practical
considerate people, -- were so struck by it, they
brought baskets of comfortable things to us, and left
them daily, as if by accident, on some neutral ground,
where the maid could pick them up, sentries refusing
to see unless compelled. Which fine procedure has
attached Wilhelmina to the French Nation ever since,
as a dextrous useful people, and has given her a dis-
position to help them where she could.
The omen of the raven did not at once bring good
luck: however, it did chance to be the turning-point,
solstice of this long Greenland winter; after which,
amid storms and alarms, daylight came steadily nearer.
? Wilhelmina, 1. 316.
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? CHAP. III. ] WILHELMINA TO WED BAIREUTH. 133
lltli May 1731.
Storms and alarms: for there came rumours of quarrels
out at Potsdam, quarrels on the old score between the
Royal Spouses there: and frightful messages, through
one Eversmann, an insolent royal lackey, about
wedding Weissenfels, about imprisonment for life and
other hard things; through all which Wilhelmina
studied to keep her poor head steady, and answer with
dignity yet discreetly. On the other hand, her Sisters
are permitted to visit her, and perceptible assuage-
ments come. At length, on the 11th of May, there
came solemn Deputation, Borck, Grumkow, Thulmeyer
in it, old real friends and pretended new; which set
poor Wilhelmina wringing her hands (having had a
Letter from Mamma overnight); but did bring about
a solution. It was Friday 11th of May; a day of
crisis in Wilhelmina's history; Queen commanding one
thing, King another, and the hour of decision come.
Entering, announcing themselves, with dreadful
solemnity, these gentlemen, Grumkow the spokesman,
in soft phrase, but with strict clearness, made it ap-
parent to her, That marry she must, -- the Hereditary
Prince of Baireuth, -- and without the consent of both
her Parents, which was unattainable at present, but
peremptorily under the command of one of them,
whose vote was the supreme. Do this (or even say
that you will do it, whisper some of the well-affected),
his Majesty's paternal favour will return upon you like
pent waters; -- and the Queen will surely reconcile
herself (or perhaps turn it all her own way yet! whisper
the well affected). Refuse to do it, her Majesty, your
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? 134 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. ' [bOOK VIII.
May 1731.
Royal Brother, you yourself Royal Highness, God only
knows what the unheard-of issue will be for you all!
Do it, let us advise you: you must, you must! -- Wil-
helmina wrung her hands; ran distractedly to and fro;
the well-affected whispering to her, the others "con-
versing at a window. " At length she did it. Will
marry whom her all-gracious Papa appoints; never
wished or meant the least disobedience; hopes, beyond
all things, his paternal love will now return, and make
everybody blessed; -- and O, reconcile Mamma to me,
ye well-affected! adds she. -- Bravissimo! answer
they: her Majesty, for certain, will reconcile herself;
Crown-Prince get back from Ciistrin, and all will be well. *
Friedrich Wilhelm was overjoyed; Queen Sophie
Dorothee was in despair. With his Majesty, who
"wept" like a paternal bear, on reembracing Wil-
helmina the obedient some days hence, it became a
settled point, and was indicated to Wilhelmina as such,
That the Crown-Prince would, on her actual wedding,
probably get back from Ciistrin. But her Majesty's
reconcilement, -- this was very slow to follow. Her
Majesty was still in flames of ire at their next inter-
view; and poor Wilhelmina fainted, on approaching to
kiss her hand. "Disgraced, vanquished, and my
"enemies triumphing" said her Majesty; and vented her
wrath on Wilhelmina; and fell ill (so soon as there
was leisure), ill, like to die, and said, "Why pretend
"to weep, when it is you that have killed me! " --
and indeed was altogether hard, bitter, upon the poor
? Wilhelmina, i. 327-333.
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? CHAP, in. ] WILHELMTNA TO WED BAIREUTH. 135
May 1731.
Princess; a chief sorrow to her in these trying months.
Can there be such wrath in celestial minds, venting
itself so unreasonably? --
At present there is no leisure for illness; grand
visitors in quantity have come and are coming; and
the Court is brilliant exceedingly; -- his Majesty
blazing out into the due magnificence, which was very
great on this occasion, domestic matter looking up with
him again. The Serenities of Brunswick are here,
young and old; much liked by Friedrich Wilhelm;
and almost reckoned family people, -- ever since their
Eldest Son was afiianced to the Princess Charlotte
here, last visit they made. To Princess Charlotte,
Wilhelmina's second junior, -- mischievous, coquettish
creature she, though very pretty and insinuating, who
seems to think her Intended rather a phlegmatic young
gentleman, as Wilhelmina gradually discovers. Then
there is old Duke Eberhard Ludwig, of Wurtemberg,
whom we saw at Ludwigsburg last year, in an intricate
condition with his female world and otherwise, he
too announces himself, -- according to promise then
given. Old Duke Eberhard Ludwig comes, stays three
weeks in great splendour of welcome; -- poor old
gentleman, his one son is now dead; and things are
getting earnest with him. On his return home, this
time, he finds, according to order, the foul witch
Gravenitz duly cleared away; reinstates his injured
Duchess, with the due feelings, better late than never;
and dies in a year or two, still childless. --
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? 136 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [book vm.
27th May 1731.
These are among the high guests at Berlin; and
there are plenty of others whom we do not name.
Magnificent dining; with "six-and-twenty blackamoors,"
high-coloured creatures, marching up the grand stair-
case, round the table, round it, and then down again,
melodious, doing "janizary music," if you happen to
prefer that kind; -- trained creatures these blacka-
moors, all got when boys, and set to cymballing and
fifing betimes, adds my authority. * Dining, boar-
hunting (if the boar be huntable), especially reviewing,
fail not in those fine summer days.
One evening, it is Sunday 27th of May, latish,
while the high guests, with Queen and Wilhelmina, are
just passing in to supper (King's Majesty having "gone
to bed at seven," to be well astir for the review to-
morrow), a sound of wheels is heard in the court.
Modest travelling-equipage rolls up into the inner court;
to the foot of the grand staircase there, whither only
Princes come: -- who can it be? The Queen sends
to inquire. Heavens, it is the Hereditary Prince of
Baireuth! "Medusa's Head never produced such effect
"as did this bit of news: Queen sat petrified; and I,"
by reflex, was petrified too! Wilhelmina passed the
miserablest night, no wink of sleep; and felt quite ill
in the morning; -- in dread, too, of Papa's rough
jests, -- and wretched enough. She had begged much,
last night, to be excused from the review. But that
could not be: "I must go," said the Queen after re-
flection, "and you with me. " Which they did; -- and
* Fassmann, p. 726, Ac
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? CHAP. III. ] WTLHELMINA. TO WED BAIREUTH. 137
38th May 1731.
diversified the pomp and circumstance of mock-war, by
a small unexpected scene.
Queen, Princess and the proper Dames had, by his
Majesty's order, to pass before the line: Princess in
much trouble, "with three caps huddled on me, to con-
ceal myself," poor soul. Margraf of Scbvvedt, at the
head of his regiment, "looked swollen with rage,"
high hopes gone in this manner; -- and saluted us
with eyes turned away. As for his Mother, the Dessau
Margravine in high colours, she was "blue in the face"
all day. Lines passed, and salutations done, her
Majesty and Dames withdrew to the safe distance, to
look on: -- Such a show, for pomp and circumstance,
Wilhelmina owns, as could not be equalled in the
world. Such wheeling, rhythmic coalescing and un-
folding; accurate as clockwork, far and wide; swift big
column here, hitting swift big column there, at the ap-
pointed place and moment; with their volleyings and
trumpetings, bright uniforms and streamers and field-
music, -- in equipment and manoeuvre perfect all, to
the meanest drummer or black kettledrummer: --
supreme drill-sergeant playing on the thing, as on his
huge piano, several square miles in area! Comes of
the Old Dessauer, all this; of the "equal step;" of the
abstruse meditations upon tactics, in that rough head
of his. Very pretty indeed. -- But in the mean while
an Official steps up; cap in hand, approaches the
Queen's carriage; says, He is ordered to introduce his
Highness the Prince of Baireuth. Prince comes up
accordingly; a personable young fellow; intelligent-
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? 138 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [book Vin.
28th May 1731.
looking, self-possessed; makes obeisance to her Majesty,
who answers in frosty politeness; and -- and Wilhel-
mina, faint, fasting, sleepless all night, fairly falls
aswoon. Could not be helped: and the whole world
saw it; and Guy Dickens and the Diplomatists wrote
home about it, and there rose rumour and gossip
enough! * But that was the naked truth of it: hot
weather, agitation, want of sleep, want of food;
not aversion to the Hereditary Prince, nothing of
that.
Rather the contrary, indeed; and, on better ac-
quaintance, much the contrary. For he proved a very
rational, honourable and eligible young Prince: modest,
honest, with abundance of sense and spirit; kind too
and good, hot temper well kept, temper hot not harsh;
quietly holds his own in all circles; good discourse in
him too, and sharp repartee if requisite, -- though he
stammered somewhat in speaking. Submissive Wilhel-
mina feels that one might easily have had a worse hus-
band. What glories for you in England! the Queen
used to say to her in old times: "He is a Prince, that
"Frederick, who has a good heart, and whose genius
"is very small. Rather ugly than handsome; slightly
"out of shape even (un peu contrefait). But provided
"you have the complaisance to suffer his debaucheries,
"you will quite govern him; and you will be more
"King than he, when once his Father is dead. Only
"see what a part you will play! It will be you that
?
Dickena, of 2d June 1731 (in pathetic terms)i Wilhelmlna, i. 841
(without pathos).
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? CHAP, in. ] YrtLHELMINA TO WED BADJEUTH. 139
8dJune 1731.
"decide on the weal or woe of Europe, and give law
"to the Nation,"* -- in a manner! Which Wilhel-
mina did not think a celestial prospect even then.
Who knows but, of all the offers she had, "four" or
three "crowned heads" among them, this final modest
honest one may be intrinsically the best? Take your
portion, if inevitable, and be thankful! --
The Betrothal follows in about a week; Sunday,
3d June 1731; with great magnificence, in presence of
the high guests and all the world: and Wilhelmina is
the affianced Bride of Friedrich of Baireuth: -- and
that enormous Double-Marriage Tragicomedy, of Much
Ado about Nothing, is at last ended. Courage, friends;
all things do end! --
The high guests hereupon go their ways again;
and the Court of Berlin, one cannot but suppose, col-
lapses, as after a great effort finished. Do not Fried-
rich Wilhelm and innumerable persons, -- the readers
and the writer of this History included, -- feel a stone
rolled off their hearts? -- It is now, and not till now,
that Queen Sophie falls sick, and like to die; and
reproaches Wilhelmina with killing her. Friedrich
Wilhelm hopes confidently, not; waits out at Potsdam,
for a few days, till this killing danger pass; then de-
parts, with double impetuosity, for Preussen, and
despatch of Public Business; such a mountain of Do-
mestic Business being victoriously got under.
Poor King, his life, this long while, has been a
series of earthquakes and titanic convulsions. Narrow
Wilhelmina, i. 143.
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? 140 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [bOOKTOI
June 1731.
miss he has had, of pulling down his house about his
ears, and burying self, son, wife, family and fortunes,
under the ruin-heap, -- a monument to remote pos-
terity. Never was such an enchanted dance, of well-
intentioned Royal Bear with poetic temperament, piped
to by two black-artists, for the Kaiser's and Pragmatic
Sanction's sake! Let Tobacco-Parliament also rejoice;
for truly the play was growing dangerous, of late. King
and Parliament, we may suppose, return to Public
Business with double vigour.
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? CHAP. IV. ] CRIMINAL JUSTICE IK PREUSSEN. 141
June 1731.
CHAPTER IV.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE, IN PREUSSEN AND ELSEWHERE.
Not that his Majesty, while at the deepest in do-
mestic intricacies, ever neglects Public Business. This
very summer, he is raising Hussar Squadrons; bent to
introduce the Hussar kind of soldiery into his Army;
-- a good deal of horse-breaking and new sabre-exer-
cise, needed for that object. * The affairs of the Reich
have at no moment been out of his eye;-- glad to see
the Kaiser edging round to the Sea-Powers again, and
things coming into their old posture, in spite of that
sad Treaty of Seville.
Nay, for the last two years, while the domestic vol-
canoes were at their worst, his Majesty has been ex-
tensively dealing with a new question which has risen,
that of the Salzburg Protestants; concerning which we
shall hear more anon. Far and wide, in the Diets and
elsewhere, he has been diligently, piously and with
solid judgment, handling this question of the poor Salz-
burgers; and has even stored up moneys in intended
solace of them (for he foresees what the end will be);
-- moneys which, it appears about this time, a certain Official over in Preussen has been peculating! In the
end of June, his Majesty sets off to Preussen on the
usual Inspection Tour; which we should not mention,
? Fassmann, pp. 417-418.
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? 142 CROWN-PRISfCE RETRIEVED. [book Tin,
July 1731.
were it not in regard to that same Official, and to some-
thing very rhadamanthine and particular which befel
him; significant of what his Majesty can do in the way
of prompt justice.
Case of Schlubhut.
The Konigsberg Domain-Board (Kriegs- und Do-
manen-Kammer)\\$A fallen awry, in various points, of
late; several things known to be out at elbows in that
Country; the Kammer Raths evidently lax at their
post; for which reason they have been sharply ques-
tioned, and shaken by the collar, so to speak. Nay
there is one Rath, a so-called Nobleman of those parts,
by name Schlubhut, who has been found actually de-
faulting; peculating from that pious hoard intended for
the Salzburgers: -- he is proved, and confesses, to
have put into his own scandalous purse no less than
11,000 thalers, some say 30,000 (almost 5,0001. ),
which belonged to the Public Treasury and the Salz-
burg Protestants! These things, especially this latter
unheard-of Schlubhut thing, the Supreme Court at
Berlin (Criminal-Collegium) have been sitting on, for
some time; and, in regard to Schlubhut, they have
brought out a result, which Friedrich Wilhelm not a
little admires at. Schlubhut clearly guilty of the de-
falcation, say they; but he has moneys, landed pro-
perties: let him refund, principal and interest; and have,
say, three or four years' imprisonment, by way of me-
mento. "Years' imprisonment? Refund? Is theft in
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? cHap. it. ] criminal justice in precssen. 143
July 1781.
the highest quarters a thing to be let off for refunding? "
growls his Majesty; and will not confirm this sentence
of his Criminal-Collegium; but leaves it till he get to
the spot, and see with his own eyes. Schlubhut, in
arrest or mild confinement all this while, ought to be
bethinking himself more than he is!
Once on the spot, judge if the KOnigsberg Domain-
Kammer had not a stiff muster to pass; especially if
Schlubhut's drill-exercise was gentle! Schlubhut, sum-
moned to private interview with his Majesty, carries
his head higher than could be looked for: Is very
sorry; knows not how it happened; meant always to
refund; will refund, to the last penny, and make all
good. -- "Refund? Does He (Er) know what stealing
means, then? How the commonest convicted private
thief finds the gallows his portion; much more a public
magistrate convicted of theft? Is He aware that He,
in a very especial manner, deserves hanging, then? "
-- Schlubhut looks offended dignity; conscious of rank,
if also of quasi-theft: "Es ist nicht Manier (it is not the
"polite thing) to hang a Prussian Nobleman on those
"light terms! " answers Schlubhut, high-mannered at
the wrong time: "I can and will pay the money back! "
-- Noble-man? Money back? "I will none of His
scoundrelly money. " To strait Prison with this
Schurke! -- And thither he goes accordingly: unhap-
piest of mortals; to be conscious of rank, not at the
right place, when about to steal the money, but at the
wrong, when answering to Rhadamanthus on it!
And there, sure enough, Schlubhut lies, in his pri-
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? 144 CROWN-PRIXCE RETRIEVED. [book VIII.
July 1731.
son on the Schlossplatz, or Castle Square, of Konigs-
berg, all night; and hears, close by the Domdnen-
Kammer, which is in the same Square, Domanen-Kammer
-where his Office used to be, a terrible sound of car-
pentering go on; -- unhappiest of Prussian Noblemen.
And in the morning, see, a high gallows built; close
in upon the Domain-Kammer, looking into the very
windows of it: -- and there, sure enough, the unfor-
tunate Schlubhut dies the thiefs death, few hours hence;
speaking or thinking what, no man reports to me.
Death was certain for him; inevitable as fate. And so
he vibrates there, admonitory to the other Paths, for
days, -- some say for weeks, -- till by humble peti-
tion they got the gallows removed. The stumps of it,
sawed close by the stones, were long after visible in
that Schlossplatz of Konigsberg. Here is prompt justice
with a witness! Did readers ever hear of such a thing?
There is no doubt about the fact,* -- though in all
Prussian Books it is loosely smeared over, without the
least precision of detail; and it was not till after long
searching that I could so much as get it dated: July
1731, while Friedrich Crown-Prince is still in eclipse
at Ciistrin, and some six weeks after Wilhelmina's be-
trothal. And here furthermore, direct from the then
Schlubhut precincts, is a stray Note, meteorological
chiefly; but worth picking up, since it is authentic.
"Wehlau," we observe, is on the road homewards
again, -- on our return from uttermost Memel, -- a
* Benekendorf (Anonymous): Karakterzllge au$ dem Leben K6nig Fried-
rich Wilhelm I. (Berlin, 1788), vii. 15-20. FBrster (ii. 268), &c. &c.
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? CHAP. IV. ] CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN PKETJSSEN. 145
July 1731.
day's journey hitherwards of that place, half a day's
thitherwards of Konigsberg:
"Tuesday 10th July 1731. King dining with General
"Dockum atWehlau," -- where he had been again reviewing,
for about forty hours, all manner of regiments brought to
rendezvous there for the purpose, poor "General Katte with
"his regiment" among them; -- King at dinner with General
Dockum after all that, "took the resolution to be off to
"Konigsberg; and arrived here at the stroke of midnight, in
"a deluge of rain. " This brings us within a day, or two
days, of Schlubhut's death. Terrible "combat of Bisons
"ft/re, or Auerochsen, with such manes, suchheads), of two
"wild Bisons against six wild Bears," then ensued; and the
Schlubhut human tragedy; I know not in what sequence,--
rather conjecture the Schlubhut had gone first. Pillau, road
to Dantzig, on the narrow strip between the Frische Haf and
Baltic, is the next stage homewards; at Pillau, General
Finckenstein (excellent old Tutor of the Crown-Prince) is
Commandant; and expects his rapid Majesty, day and hour
given, to me not known. Majesty goes in three carriages;
Old Dessauer, Grumkow, Seckendorf, Ginkel are among his
suite; weather still very electric:
"AtFischhausen, half way to Pillau, Majesty had a bout
"of elk-hunting; killed sixty elks" (Melton-Mowbray may
consider it), -- " creatures of the deer sort, nimble as roes,
"but strong as bulls, and four palms higher than the biggest
"horse, -- to the astonishment of Seckendorf, Ginkel and the
"strangers there. Half-an-hour short of Pillau, furious electri-
"city again; thunderbolt shivered an oak-tree fifteen yards
"from Majesty's carriage. And at Pillau itself, the Battalion
"in Garrison there,drawn out in arms,by Count Finckenstein,
"to receive his Majesty" (rain over by this time, we can hope),
Carlyle, Frederic the Great. IV, 10
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? 146 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [boOKTOI,
July 1731.
"had suddenly to rush forward and take new ground; Frische "Haf, on some pressure from the elements, having suddenly
"gushed out, two hundred paces beyond its old watermark
"in that place. "*
Pillau, Fischhausen, -- this is where the excellent
old Adalbert stamped the earth with his life "in the
shape of a cross" eight hundred years ago: and these
are the new phenomena there! -- The General Dockum,
Colonel of Dragoons, whom his Majesty dined with at
Wehlau, got his death not many months after. One
of Dockum's Dragoon Lieutenants felt insulted at some-
thing, and demanded his discharge: discharge given, he
challenged Dockum, duel of pistols, and shot him dead. **
Nothing more to be said of Dockum, nor of that Lieute-
nant, in military annals.
Case of the Criminal-Collegium itself.
And thus was the error of the Criminal - Collegium
rectified in re Schlubhut. For it is not in name only,
but in fact, that this Sovereign is Supreme Judge, and
bears the sword in God's stead, -- interfering now and
then, when need is, in this terrible manner. In the
same dim authentic Benekendorf (himself a member of
the Criminal-Collegium in later times), and from him
in all the Books, is recorded another interference some-
what in the comic vein; which also we may give. Un-
disputed fact, again totally without precision or details;
? See Mauvlllon, 11. 293-297; -- correcting by Fassmann, p. 422.
<<? 7th April 1782 (Militair-Lexikon, 1. 365).
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? CHAT. IV. ] CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN PREUSSEN. 147
1731.
not even dateable, except that, on study, we perceive
it may have been before this Schlubhut's execution, and
after the Criminal-Collegium had committed their error
about him, -- must have been while this of Schlubhut
was still vividly in mind. Here is the imprecise but in-
dubitable fact, as the Prussian Dryasdust has left us
his smear of it:
"One morning early" (might be before Schlubhut
was hanged, and while only sentence of imprisonment
and restitution lay on him), General Graf von Donhof,
Colonel of a Musketeer regiment, favourite old soldier,
-- who did vote on the mild side in that Court-Martial
on the Crown-Prince lately; but I hope has been for-
given by his Majesty, being much esteemed by him
these long years past; -- this Donhof, early one morn-
ing, calls upon the King, with a grimly lamenting air.
"What is wrong, Herr General? " -- "Your Majesty,
my best musketeer, an excellent soldier and of good
inches, fell into a mistake lately, -- bad company
getting round the poor fellow; they, he among them,
slipt into a House and stole something; trifle and with-
out violence: pay is but three half-pence, your Majesty,
and the Devil tempts men! Well, the Criminal-Colle-
gium have condemned him to be hanged; an excellent
soldier and of good inches, for that one fault. Noble-
man Schlubhut was 'to make restitution,' they decreed:
that was their decree on Schlubhut, one of their own
set; and this poor soldier, six feet three, your Majesty,
is to dance on the top of nothing for a three-halfpenny
matter! " -- So would Donhof represent the thing, --
10*
? ?
earnest study to become a new creature, useful for
something in the Domain Sciences and otherwise.
Carlyle, Frederic the Great, IV.
9
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? 130
[book vin. Jan. 1731.
CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED.
CHAPTER m.
WILHELMINA IS TO WED THE PRINCE OP BAIREUTH.
Crown-Prince Friedrich being settled so far, his
Majesty takes up the case of Wilhelmina, the other
ravelled skein lying on hand. Wilhelmina has been
prisoner in her Apartment at Berlin all this while: it
is proper Wilhelmina be disposed of; either in wedlock,
filially obedient to the royal mind; or in some much
sterner way, "within four walls," it is whispered, if
disobedient.
Poor Wilhelmina never thought of disobeying her
parents: only, which of them to obey? King looks
towards the Prince of Baireuth again, agreed on before
those hurly-burlies now past; Queen looks far otherwards.
Queen Sophie still desperately believes in the English
match for Wilhelmina; and has subterranean corre-
spondences with that Court; refusing to see that the
negotiation is extinct there. Grumkow himself, so
over-victorious in his late task, is now heeling towards
England; "sincere in his wish to be well with us,"
thinks Dickens: Grumkow solaces her Majesty with
delusive hopes in the English quarter. "Be firm,
"child; trust in my management; only swear to me,
"on your eternal salvation, that never, on any com-
"pulsion, will you marry another than the Prince of
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? CHAP, m. ] WILHELMINA TO WED BAIKEUTH. 131
Feb. 1731.
"Wales; -- give me that oath! "* Such was Queen
Sophie's last proposal to Wilhelmina, -- night of the
27th of January 1731, as is computable, -- her
Majesty to leave for Potsdam on the morrow. They
wept much together, that night, but Wilhelmina
dextrously evaded the oath, on a religious ground.
Prince of Baireuth, whom Papa may like or may not
like, has never yet personally made appearance: who
or what will make appearance, or how things can or
will turn, except a bad road, is terribly a mystery to
Wilhelmina.
What with chagrin and confinement, what with bad
diet (for the very diet is bad, quality and quantity
alike unspeakable), Wilhelmina sees herself "reduced
to a skeleton;" no company but her faithful Sonsfeld,
no employment but her Books and Music; -- struggles,
however, still to keep heart. One day, it is in
February 1731, as I compute, they are sitting, her
Sonsfeld and she, at their sad mess of so-called dinner,
in their remote upper story of the Berlin Schloss,
tramp of sentries the one thing audible; and were
"looking mournfully at one another, with nothing to
"eat but a soup of salt-and-water, and a ragout of old
"bones full of hairs and slopperies," -- nothing else;
that was its real quality, whatever fine name they
might give it, says the vehement Princess, -- "we
"heard a sharp tapping at the window; and started up
"in surprise, to see what it could be. It was a raven,
i
* Wilhelmina, i. 314.
9*
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? 132 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [bOOKTO.
11th May 1731.
"carrying in its beak a bit of bread, which it left on
"the window-sill, and flew away. "*
"Tears came into our eyes at this adventure. " Are
we become as Hebrew Elijahs, then; so that the wild
ravens have to bring us food? Truth is, there was
nothing miraculous, as Wilhelmina found by and by.
It was a tame raven, -- not the soul of old George I. , which lives at Isleworth on good pensions; but the pet
raven of a certain Margravine, which lost its way
among the intricate roofs here. But the incident was
touching. "Well," exclaimed Wilhelmina, "in the
"Roman Histories I am now reading, it is often said
"those creatures betoken good luck. " All Berlin, such
the appetite for gossip, and such the famine of it in
Berlin at present, talked of this minute event: and the
French Colony, -- old Protestant Colony, practical
considerate people, -- were so struck by it, they
brought baskets of comfortable things to us, and left
them daily, as if by accident, on some neutral ground,
where the maid could pick them up, sentries refusing
to see unless compelled. Which fine procedure has
attached Wilhelmina to the French Nation ever since,
as a dextrous useful people, and has given her a dis-
position to help them where she could.
The omen of the raven did not at once bring good
luck: however, it did chance to be the turning-point,
solstice of this long Greenland winter; after which,
amid storms and alarms, daylight came steadily nearer.
? Wilhelmina, 1. 316.
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? CHAP. III. ] WILHELMINA TO WED BAIREUTH. 133
lltli May 1731.
Storms and alarms: for there came rumours of quarrels
out at Potsdam, quarrels on the old score between the
Royal Spouses there: and frightful messages, through
one Eversmann, an insolent royal lackey, about
wedding Weissenfels, about imprisonment for life and
other hard things; through all which Wilhelmina
studied to keep her poor head steady, and answer with
dignity yet discreetly. On the other hand, her Sisters
are permitted to visit her, and perceptible assuage-
ments come. At length, on the 11th of May, there
came solemn Deputation, Borck, Grumkow, Thulmeyer
in it, old real friends and pretended new; which set
poor Wilhelmina wringing her hands (having had a
Letter from Mamma overnight); but did bring about
a solution. It was Friday 11th of May; a day of
crisis in Wilhelmina's history; Queen commanding one
thing, King another, and the hour of decision come.
Entering, announcing themselves, with dreadful
solemnity, these gentlemen, Grumkow the spokesman,
in soft phrase, but with strict clearness, made it ap-
parent to her, That marry she must, -- the Hereditary
Prince of Baireuth, -- and without the consent of both
her Parents, which was unattainable at present, but
peremptorily under the command of one of them,
whose vote was the supreme. Do this (or even say
that you will do it, whisper some of the well-affected),
his Majesty's paternal favour will return upon you like
pent waters; -- and the Queen will surely reconcile
herself (or perhaps turn it all her own way yet! whisper
the well affected). Refuse to do it, her Majesty, your
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? 134 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. ' [bOOK VIII.
May 1731.
Royal Brother, you yourself Royal Highness, God only
knows what the unheard-of issue will be for you all!
Do it, let us advise you: you must, you must! -- Wil-
helmina wrung her hands; ran distractedly to and fro;
the well-affected whispering to her, the others "con-
versing at a window. " At length she did it. Will
marry whom her all-gracious Papa appoints; never
wished or meant the least disobedience; hopes, beyond
all things, his paternal love will now return, and make
everybody blessed; -- and O, reconcile Mamma to me,
ye well-affected! adds she. -- Bravissimo! answer
they: her Majesty, for certain, will reconcile herself;
Crown-Prince get back from Ciistrin, and all will be well. *
Friedrich Wilhelm was overjoyed; Queen Sophie
Dorothee was in despair. With his Majesty, who
"wept" like a paternal bear, on reembracing Wil-
helmina the obedient some days hence, it became a
settled point, and was indicated to Wilhelmina as such,
That the Crown-Prince would, on her actual wedding,
probably get back from Ciistrin. But her Majesty's
reconcilement, -- this was very slow to follow. Her
Majesty was still in flames of ire at their next inter-
view; and poor Wilhelmina fainted, on approaching to
kiss her hand. "Disgraced, vanquished, and my
"enemies triumphing" said her Majesty; and vented her
wrath on Wilhelmina; and fell ill (so soon as there
was leisure), ill, like to die, and said, "Why pretend
"to weep, when it is you that have killed me! " --
and indeed was altogether hard, bitter, upon the poor
? Wilhelmina, i. 327-333.
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? CHAP, in. ] WILHELMTNA TO WED BAIREUTH. 135
May 1731.
Princess; a chief sorrow to her in these trying months.
Can there be such wrath in celestial minds, venting
itself so unreasonably? --
At present there is no leisure for illness; grand
visitors in quantity have come and are coming; and
the Court is brilliant exceedingly; -- his Majesty
blazing out into the due magnificence, which was very
great on this occasion, domestic matter looking up with
him again. The Serenities of Brunswick are here,
young and old; much liked by Friedrich Wilhelm;
and almost reckoned family people, -- ever since their
Eldest Son was afiianced to the Princess Charlotte
here, last visit they made. To Princess Charlotte,
Wilhelmina's second junior, -- mischievous, coquettish
creature she, though very pretty and insinuating, who
seems to think her Intended rather a phlegmatic young
gentleman, as Wilhelmina gradually discovers. Then
there is old Duke Eberhard Ludwig, of Wurtemberg,
whom we saw at Ludwigsburg last year, in an intricate
condition with his female world and otherwise, he
too announces himself, -- according to promise then
given. Old Duke Eberhard Ludwig comes, stays three
weeks in great splendour of welcome; -- poor old
gentleman, his one son is now dead; and things are
getting earnest with him. On his return home, this
time, he finds, according to order, the foul witch
Gravenitz duly cleared away; reinstates his injured
Duchess, with the due feelings, better late than never;
and dies in a year or two, still childless. --
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? 136 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [book vm.
27th May 1731.
These are among the high guests at Berlin; and
there are plenty of others whom we do not name.
Magnificent dining; with "six-and-twenty blackamoors,"
high-coloured creatures, marching up the grand stair-
case, round the table, round it, and then down again,
melodious, doing "janizary music," if you happen to
prefer that kind; -- trained creatures these blacka-
moors, all got when boys, and set to cymballing and
fifing betimes, adds my authority. * Dining, boar-
hunting (if the boar be huntable), especially reviewing,
fail not in those fine summer days.
One evening, it is Sunday 27th of May, latish,
while the high guests, with Queen and Wilhelmina, are
just passing in to supper (King's Majesty having "gone
to bed at seven," to be well astir for the review to-
morrow), a sound of wheels is heard in the court.
Modest travelling-equipage rolls up into the inner court;
to the foot of the grand staircase there, whither only
Princes come: -- who can it be? The Queen sends
to inquire. Heavens, it is the Hereditary Prince of
Baireuth! "Medusa's Head never produced such effect
"as did this bit of news: Queen sat petrified; and I,"
by reflex, was petrified too! Wilhelmina passed the
miserablest night, no wink of sleep; and felt quite ill
in the morning; -- in dread, too, of Papa's rough
jests, -- and wretched enough. She had begged much,
last night, to be excused from the review. But that
could not be: "I must go," said the Queen after re-
flection, "and you with me. " Which they did; -- and
* Fassmann, p. 726, Ac
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? CHAP. III. ] WTLHELMINA. TO WED BAIREUTH. 137
38th May 1731.
diversified the pomp and circumstance of mock-war, by
a small unexpected scene.
Queen, Princess and the proper Dames had, by his
Majesty's order, to pass before the line: Princess in
much trouble, "with three caps huddled on me, to con-
ceal myself," poor soul. Margraf of Scbvvedt, at the
head of his regiment, "looked swollen with rage,"
high hopes gone in this manner; -- and saluted us
with eyes turned away. As for his Mother, the Dessau
Margravine in high colours, she was "blue in the face"
all day. Lines passed, and salutations done, her
Majesty and Dames withdrew to the safe distance, to
look on: -- Such a show, for pomp and circumstance,
Wilhelmina owns, as could not be equalled in the
world. Such wheeling, rhythmic coalescing and un-
folding; accurate as clockwork, far and wide; swift big
column here, hitting swift big column there, at the ap-
pointed place and moment; with their volleyings and
trumpetings, bright uniforms and streamers and field-
music, -- in equipment and manoeuvre perfect all, to
the meanest drummer or black kettledrummer: --
supreme drill-sergeant playing on the thing, as on his
huge piano, several square miles in area! Comes of
the Old Dessauer, all this; of the "equal step;" of the
abstruse meditations upon tactics, in that rough head
of his. Very pretty indeed. -- But in the mean while
an Official steps up; cap in hand, approaches the
Queen's carriage; says, He is ordered to introduce his
Highness the Prince of Baireuth. Prince comes up
accordingly; a personable young fellow; intelligent-
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? 138 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [book Vin.
28th May 1731.
looking, self-possessed; makes obeisance to her Majesty,
who answers in frosty politeness; and -- and Wilhel-
mina, faint, fasting, sleepless all night, fairly falls
aswoon. Could not be helped: and the whole world
saw it; and Guy Dickens and the Diplomatists wrote
home about it, and there rose rumour and gossip
enough! * But that was the naked truth of it: hot
weather, agitation, want of sleep, want of food;
not aversion to the Hereditary Prince, nothing of
that.
Rather the contrary, indeed; and, on better ac-
quaintance, much the contrary. For he proved a very
rational, honourable and eligible young Prince: modest,
honest, with abundance of sense and spirit; kind too
and good, hot temper well kept, temper hot not harsh;
quietly holds his own in all circles; good discourse in
him too, and sharp repartee if requisite, -- though he
stammered somewhat in speaking. Submissive Wilhel-
mina feels that one might easily have had a worse hus-
band. What glories for you in England! the Queen
used to say to her in old times: "He is a Prince, that
"Frederick, who has a good heart, and whose genius
"is very small. Rather ugly than handsome; slightly
"out of shape even (un peu contrefait). But provided
"you have the complaisance to suffer his debaucheries,
"you will quite govern him; and you will be more
"King than he, when once his Father is dead. Only
"see what a part you will play! It will be you that
?
Dickena, of 2d June 1731 (in pathetic terms)i Wilhelmlna, i. 841
(without pathos).
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? CHAP, in. ] YrtLHELMINA TO WED BADJEUTH. 139
8dJune 1731.
"decide on the weal or woe of Europe, and give law
"to the Nation,"* -- in a manner! Which Wilhel-
mina did not think a celestial prospect even then.
Who knows but, of all the offers she had, "four" or
three "crowned heads" among them, this final modest
honest one may be intrinsically the best? Take your
portion, if inevitable, and be thankful! --
The Betrothal follows in about a week; Sunday,
3d June 1731; with great magnificence, in presence of
the high guests and all the world: and Wilhelmina is
the affianced Bride of Friedrich of Baireuth: -- and
that enormous Double-Marriage Tragicomedy, of Much
Ado about Nothing, is at last ended. Courage, friends;
all things do end! --
The high guests hereupon go their ways again;
and the Court of Berlin, one cannot but suppose, col-
lapses, as after a great effort finished. Do not Fried-
rich Wilhelm and innumerable persons, -- the readers
and the writer of this History included, -- feel a stone
rolled off their hearts? -- It is now, and not till now,
that Queen Sophie falls sick, and like to die; and
reproaches Wilhelmina with killing her. Friedrich
Wilhelm hopes confidently, not; waits out at Potsdam,
for a few days, till this killing danger pass; then de-
parts, with double impetuosity, for Preussen, and
despatch of Public Business; such a mountain of Do-
mestic Business being victoriously got under.
Poor King, his life, this long while, has been a
series of earthquakes and titanic convulsions. Narrow
Wilhelmina, i. 143.
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? 140 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [bOOKTOI
June 1731.
miss he has had, of pulling down his house about his
ears, and burying self, son, wife, family and fortunes,
under the ruin-heap, -- a monument to remote pos-
terity. Never was such an enchanted dance, of well-
intentioned Royal Bear with poetic temperament, piped
to by two black-artists, for the Kaiser's and Pragmatic
Sanction's sake! Let Tobacco-Parliament also rejoice;
for truly the play was growing dangerous, of late. King
and Parliament, we may suppose, return to Public
Business with double vigour.
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? CHAP. IV. ] CRIMINAL JUSTICE IK PREUSSEN. 141
June 1731.
CHAPTER IV.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE, IN PREUSSEN AND ELSEWHERE.
Not that his Majesty, while at the deepest in do-
mestic intricacies, ever neglects Public Business. This
very summer, he is raising Hussar Squadrons; bent to
introduce the Hussar kind of soldiery into his Army;
-- a good deal of horse-breaking and new sabre-exer-
cise, needed for that object. * The affairs of the Reich
have at no moment been out of his eye;-- glad to see
the Kaiser edging round to the Sea-Powers again, and
things coming into their old posture, in spite of that
sad Treaty of Seville.
Nay, for the last two years, while the domestic vol-
canoes were at their worst, his Majesty has been ex-
tensively dealing with a new question which has risen,
that of the Salzburg Protestants; concerning which we
shall hear more anon. Far and wide, in the Diets and
elsewhere, he has been diligently, piously and with
solid judgment, handling this question of the poor Salz-
burgers; and has even stored up moneys in intended
solace of them (for he foresees what the end will be);
-- moneys which, it appears about this time, a certain Official over in Preussen has been peculating! In the
end of June, his Majesty sets off to Preussen on the
usual Inspection Tour; which we should not mention,
? Fassmann, pp. 417-418.
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? 142 CROWN-PRISfCE RETRIEVED. [book Tin,
July 1731.
were it not in regard to that same Official, and to some-
thing very rhadamanthine and particular which befel
him; significant of what his Majesty can do in the way
of prompt justice.
Case of Schlubhut.
The Konigsberg Domain-Board (Kriegs- und Do-
manen-Kammer)\\$A fallen awry, in various points, of
late; several things known to be out at elbows in that
Country; the Kammer Raths evidently lax at their
post; for which reason they have been sharply ques-
tioned, and shaken by the collar, so to speak. Nay
there is one Rath, a so-called Nobleman of those parts,
by name Schlubhut, who has been found actually de-
faulting; peculating from that pious hoard intended for
the Salzburgers: -- he is proved, and confesses, to
have put into his own scandalous purse no less than
11,000 thalers, some say 30,000 (almost 5,0001. ),
which belonged to the Public Treasury and the Salz-
burg Protestants! These things, especially this latter
unheard-of Schlubhut thing, the Supreme Court at
Berlin (Criminal-Collegium) have been sitting on, for
some time; and, in regard to Schlubhut, they have
brought out a result, which Friedrich Wilhelm not a
little admires at. Schlubhut clearly guilty of the de-
falcation, say they; but he has moneys, landed pro-
perties: let him refund, principal and interest; and have,
say, three or four years' imprisonment, by way of me-
mento. "Years' imprisonment? Refund? Is theft in
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? cHap. it. ] criminal justice in precssen. 143
July 1781.
the highest quarters a thing to be let off for refunding? "
growls his Majesty; and will not confirm this sentence
of his Criminal-Collegium; but leaves it till he get to
the spot, and see with his own eyes. Schlubhut, in
arrest or mild confinement all this while, ought to be
bethinking himself more than he is!
Once on the spot, judge if the KOnigsberg Domain-
Kammer had not a stiff muster to pass; especially if
Schlubhut's drill-exercise was gentle! Schlubhut, sum-
moned to private interview with his Majesty, carries
his head higher than could be looked for: Is very
sorry; knows not how it happened; meant always to
refund; will refund, to the last penny, and make all
good. -- "Refund? Does He (Er) know what stealing
means, then? How the commonest convicted private
thief finds the gallows his portion; much more a public
magistrate convicted of theft? Is He aware that He,
in a very especial manner, deserves hanging, then? "
-- Schlubhut looks offended dignity; conscious of rank,
if also of quasi-theft: "Es ist nicht Manier (it is not the
"polite thing) to hang a Prussian Nobleman on those
"light terms! " answers Schlubhut, high-mannered at
the wrong time: "I can and will pay the money back! "
-- Noble-man? Money back? "I will none of His
scoundrelly money. " To strait Prison with this
Schurke! -- And thither he goes accordingly: unhap-
piest of mortals; to be conscious of rank, not at the
right place, when about to steal the money, but at the
wrong, when answering to Rhadamanthus on it!
And there, sure enough, Schlubhut lies, in his pri-
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? 144 CROWN-PRIXCE RETRIEVED. [book VIII.
July 1731.
son on the Schlossplatz, or Castle Square, of Konigs-
berg, all night; and hears, close by the Domdnen-
Kammer, which is in the same Square, Domanen-Kammer
-where his Office used to be, a terrible sound of car-
pentering go on; -- unhappiest of Prussian Noblemen.
And in the morning, see, a high gallows built; close
in upon the Domain-Kammer, looking into the very
windows of it: -- and there, sure enough, the unfor-
tunate Schlubhut dies the thiefs death, few hours hence;
speaking or thinking what, no man reports to me.
Death was certain for him; inevitable as fate. And so
he vibrates there, admonitory to the other Paths, for
days, -- some say for weeks, -- till by humble peti-
tion they got the gallows removed. The stumps of it,
sawed close by the stones, were long after visible in
that Schlossplatz of Konigsberg. Here is prompt justice
with a witness! Did readers ever hear of such a thing?
There is no doubt about the fact,* -- though in all
Prussian Books it is loosely smeared over, without the
least precision of detail; and it was not till after long
searching that I could so much as get it dated: July
1731, while Friedrich Crown-Prince is still in eclipse
at Ciistrin, and some six weeks after Wilhelmina's be-
trothal. And here furthermore, direct from the then
Schlubhut precincts, is a stray Note, meteorological
chiefly; but worth picking up, since it is authentic.
"Wehlau," we observe, is on the road homewards
again, -- on our return from uttermost Memel, -- a
* Benekendorf (Anonymous): Karakterzllge au$ dem Leben K6nig Fried-
rich Wilhelm I. (Berlin, 1788), vii. 15-20. FBrster (ii. 268), &c. &c.
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? CHAP. IV. ] CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN PKETJSSEN. 145
July 1731.
day's journey hitherwards of that place, half a day's
thitherwards of Konigsberg:
"Tuesday 10th July 1731. King dining with General
"Dockum atWehlau," -- where he had been again reviewing,
for about forty hours, all manner of regiments brought to
rendezvous there for the purpose, poor "General Katte with
"his regiment" among them; -- King at dinner with General
Dockum after all that, "took the resolution to be off to
"Konigsberg; and arrived here at the stroke of midnight, in
"a deluge of rain. " This brings us within a day, or two
days, of Schlubhut's death. Terrible "combat of Bisons
"ft/re, or Auerochsen, with such manes, suchheads), of two
"wild Bisons against six wild Bears," then ensued; and the
Schlubhut human tragedy; I know not in what sequence,--
rather conjecture the Schlubhut had gone first. Pillau, road
to Dantzig, on the narrow strip between the Frische Haf and
Baltic, is the next stage homewards; at Pillau, General
Finckenstein (excellent old Tutor of the Crown-Prince) is
Commandant; and expects his rapid Majesty, day and hour
given, to me not known. Majesty goes in three carriages;
Old Dessauer, Grumkow, Seckendorf, Ginkel are among his
suite; weather still very electric:
"AtFischhausen, half way to Pillau, Majesty had a bout
"of elk-hunting; killed sixty elks" (Melton-Mowbray may
consider it), -- " creatures of the deer sort, nimble as roes,
"but strong as bulls, and four palms higher than the biggest
"horse, -- to the astonishment of Seckendorf, Ginkel and the
"strangers there. Half-an-hour short of Pillau, furious electri-
"city again; thunderbolt shivered an oak-tree fifteen yards
"from Majesty's carriage. And at Pillau itself, the Battalion
"in Garrison there,drawn out in arms,by Count Finckenstein,
"to receive his Majesty" (rain over by this time, we can hope),
Carlyle, Frederic the Great. IV, 10
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? 146 CROWN-PRINCE RETRIEVED. [boOKTOI,
July 1731.
"had suddenly to rush forward and take new ground; Frische "Haf, on some pressure from the elements, having suddenly
"gushed out, two hundred paces beyond its old watermark
"in that place. "*
Pillau, Fischhausen, -- this is where the excellent
old Adalbert stamped the earth with his life "in the
shape of a cross" eight hundred years ago: and these
are the new phenomena there! -- The General Dockum,
Colonel of Dragoons, whom his Majesty dined with at
Wehlau, got his death not many months after. One
of Dockum's Dragoon Lieutenants felt insulted at some-
thing, and demanded his discharge: discharge given, he
challenged Dockum, duel of pistols, and shot him dead. **
Nothing more to be said of Dockum, nor of that Lieute-
nant, in military annals.
Case of the Criminal-Collegium itself.
And thus was the error of the Criminal - Collegium
rectified in re Schlubhut. For it is not in name only,
but in fact, that this Sovereign is Supreme Judge, and
bears the sword in God's stead, -- interfering now and
then, when need is, in this terrible manner. In the
same dim authentic Benekendorf (himself a member of
the Criminal-Collegium in later times), and from him
in all the Books, is recorded another interference some-
what in the comic vein; which also we may give. Un-
disputed fact, again totally without precision or details;
? See Mauvlllon, 11. 293-297; -- correcting by Fassmann, p. 422.
<<? 7th April 1782 (Militair-Lexikon, 1. 365).
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? CHAT. IV. ] CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN PREUSSEN. 147
1731.
not even dateable, except that, on study, we perceive
it may have been before this Schlubhut's execution, and
after the Criminal-Collegium had committed their error
about him, -- must have been while this of Schlubhut
was still vividly in mind. Here is the imprecise but in-
dubitable fact, as the Prussian Dryasdust has left us
his smear of it:
"One morning early" (might be before Schlubhut
was hanged, and while only sentence of imprisonment
and restitution lay on him), General Graf von Donhof,
Colonel of a Musketeer regiment, favourite old soldier,
-- who did vote on the mild side in that Court-Martial
on the Crown-Prince lately; but I hope has been for-
given by his Majesty, being much esteemed by him
these long years past; -- this Donhof, early one morn-
ing, calls upon the King, with a grimly lamenting air.
"What is wrong, Herr General? " -- "Your Majesty,
my best musketeer, an excellent soldier and of good
inches, fell into a mistake lately, -- bad company
getting round the poor fellow; they, he among them,
slipt into a House and stole something; trifle and with-
out violence: pay is but three half-pence, your Majesty,
and the Devil tempts men! Well, the Criminal-Colle-
gium have condemned him to be hanged; an excellent
soldier and of good inches, for that one fault. Noble-
man Schlubhut was 'to make restitution,' they decreed:
that was their decree on Schlubhut, one of their own
set; and this poor soldier, six feet three, your Majesty,
is to dance on the top of nothing for a three-halfpenny
matter! " -- So would Donhof represent the thing, --
10*
? ?
