History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 03Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 03
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
She partook once, by some secret opportunity, of the "communion under
both kinds;" one of her Daughters noticed and knew; told Father of it.
Father knits up his thick lips; rolls his abstruse dissatisfied eyes,
in an ominous manner: the poor Lady, probably possessed of an excitable
imagination too, trembles for herself. "It is thought, His DURCHLAUCHT
will wall you up for life, my Serene Lady; dark prison for life, which
probably may not be long!" These surmises were of no credibility: but
there and then the poor Lady, in a shiver of terror, decides that she
must run; goes off actually, one night ("Monday after the LAETARE,"
which we find is 24th March) in the year 1528, (Pauli (ii. 584); who
cites Seckendorf, and this fraction of a Letter of Luther's, to one
"LINCKUS" or Lincke, written on the Friday following (28th March,
1528):--
"The Electress [MARGRAVINE he calls her] has fled from Berlin, by help
of her Brother the King of Denmark [poor Christian II.] to our Prince
[Johann the Steadfast], because her Elector had determined to wall her
up, as is reported, on account of the Eucharist under both species. Pray
for our Prince; _the pious man and affectionate soul gets a great deal
of trouble with his kindred."_ Or thus in the Original:--
_"Marchionissa aufugit a Berlin, auxilio fratris, Regis Daniae, ad
nostrum Principem, quod Marchio statuerat eam immurare (ut dicitur)
propter Eucharistiam utriusque speciei. Ora pro nostro Principe;_ der
fromme Mann und herzliche Mensch ist doch ja wohl geplaget" (Seckendorf,
_Historia Lutheranismi,_ ii.? 62, No. 8, p. 122).) in a mean vehicle
under cloud of darkness, with only one maid and groom,--driving for
life. That is very certain: she too is on flight towards Saxony, to
shelter with her uncle Kurfurst Johann,--unless for reasons of state
he scruple? On the dark road her vehicle broke down; a spoke given
way,--"Not a bit of rope to splice it," said the improvident groom.
"Take my lace-veil here," said the poor Princess; and in this guise she
got to Torgau (I could guess, her poor Brother's lodging),--and thence,
in short time, to the fine Schloss of Lichtenberg hard by; Uncle Johann,
to whom she had zealously left an option of refusal, having as zealously
permitted and invited her to continue there. Which she did for many
years.
Nor did she get the least molestation from Husband Joachim;--who I
conjecture had intended, though a man of a certain temper, and strict
in his own house, something short of walling up for life:--poor Joachim
withal! "However, since you are gone, Madam, go!" Nor did he concern
himself with Christian II. farther, but let him lie in prison at
his leisure. As for the Lady, he even let his children visit her at
Lichtenberg; Crypto-Protestants all; and, among them, the repentant
Daughter who had peached upon her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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