History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Monday, 9th October, 1741, accordingly, there is meeting to be held.
Hyndford, Neipperg with his General Lentulus (a Swiss-Austrian General,
whose Son served under Friedrich afterwards), these wait for Friedrich,
on the one hand:--"to fix some cartel for exchange of prisoners," it
is said;--in these precincts of Klein-Schnellendorf; which are silent,
vacant, yet comfortably furnished, like Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
And Friedrich, on the other hand, is actually riding that way, with
Goltz;--visiting outposts, reconnoitring, so to speak. "Dine you with
Prince Leopold (the Young Dessauer), my fine Valori; I fear I shan't
be home to dinner!" he had said when going off; hoodwinking his
fine Valori, who suspects nothing. At a due distance from
Klein-Schnellendorf, the very groom is left behind; and Friedrich, with
Goltz only, pushes on to the Schloss. All ready there; salutations soon
done; business set about, perfected:--and Hyndford with pen and ink in
his hand, he, by way of Protocol, or summary of what had been agreed
on, on mutual word of honor, most brief but most clear on this occasion,
writes a State Paper, which became rather famous afterwards. This is the
Paper in condensed state; though clear, it is very dull!
KLEIN-SCHNELLENDORF, 9th OCTOBER, 1741. Britannic Excellency Hyndford
testifies, That, here and now, his Majesty of Prussia, and Neipperg on
behalf of her Hungarian Majesty do, solemnly though only verbally, agree
to the following Four Things:--
"FIRST, That General Neipperg, on the 16th of the month [this day week]
shall have liberty to retire through the Mountains, towards Moravia;
unmolested, or with nothing but sham-attacks in the rear of him. SECOND,
That, in consequence, his Prussian Majesty, on making sham-siege of
Neisse, shall have the place surrendered to him on the fifteenth day.
THIRD, That there shall be, nay in a sense, there hereby is, a Peace
made; his Majesty retaining Neisse and Silesia [according to the limits
known to us:--nothing said of Glatz]; and that a complete Treaty to that
effect shall be perfected, signed and ratified, before the Year is out.
FOURTH, That these sham-hostilities, but only sham, shall continue; and
that his Majesty, wintering in Bohemia, and carrying on sham-hostilities
[to the satisfaction of the French], shall pay his own expenses, and do
no mischief." [Given in _Helden-Geschichte,_ i. 1009; in &c.]
To these Four Things they pledge their word of honor; and Hyndford signs
and delivers each a Copy. Unwritten a Fifth Thing is settled, That the
present transaction in all parts of it shall be secret as death,--his
Majesty expressly insisting that, if the least inkling of it ooze out,
he shall have right to deny it, and refuse in any way to be bound by it.
Which likewise is assented to.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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