17th of June 1696, was another Inducement to the Emperor to pursue the same Politics. The Elector of Brandenburg by having Prussia in his Neighbourhood, might be of great Weight in the Election of a new King of Poland; and the Emperor who had a Design to advance the Margrave Lewis of Baden to the Throne, pretended to enter into the Views of the Elector, that this Prince might afterwards fall in with his at the Dyet of Election. For this end the Emperor's Ministers gave Dankelman to

understand, that the first thing to be done was to clear the Difficulties which the several Powers of Europe might raise against the Elector's Project; and that the Congress of Ryswic, at which all the Ministers were to be present, was the most favourable Opportunity.

Hereupon Dankelman was recall'd from the Court of Vienna, and sent to Ryswic as Plenipotentiary from the Elector, jointly with M. de Schmettau. The Elector for his part set out for Konigsberg, the Capital of Prussia, that he might be nearer at hand to favor the Election of the Margrave Lewis of Baden. Mean time he was strenuously sollicited in favor of Alexander and Constantine Princes of Poland, who for that reason came themselves to Berlin; but the Elector was far from breaking the secret Engagements which he had made with the Emperor: Therefore he answer'd the Solicitations of those two Princes in a very ambiguous manner, by engaging himself to nothing, and only telling them that he was going into Prussia that he might be the better inform'd of every thing that pass'd at the Dyet of Election.

The Necessity which the Elector stood in of Poland to succeed in his Views, laid him under an indispensible Obligation to concern himself in that Election. He fully expected that the Right which the said Republic claim'd to Prussia wou'd induce it to oppose his Designs with Vigor; and besides, under the Pretext of interesting himself in the Election of a King, he might form a Party that hereafter would be capable to serve him; therefore, as soon as he arriv'd at Konigsberg, he dispatch'd a Messenger to the Cardinal Radziowsky Primate of Poland, to acquaint him of his Arrival, and sent M. Dorerbeck

Great Cup-bearer of Prussia as his Ambassador to the Dyet of Election, with Orders to support the Interests of the Margrave Lewis of Baden, but in the mean time to do nothing that might disoblige the Poles.

The Margrave Lewis of Baden was soon out of the Question; for the two strongest Parties oblig'd him to retire, as well as the other Competitors for the Crown. These two Parties were the one for Frederic-Augustus Elector of Saxony, and the other for the Prince of Conti. The Cardinal Primate favor'd the latter, and France seem'd to have his Election very much at heart; yet Frederic-Augustus's Party carried it, and he was proclaim'd King.

The Cardinal Primate was still obstinate for the Prince of Conti, and actually sent one of his near Relations to the Elector to sollicit him in his Favor; but the Elector, who thought the Elector of Saxony's Party the most substantial and the most powerful, did not scruple to own him for King, and return'd for Answer to the Cardinal, That he advis'd him, as the Chief Pastor of Poland, to maintain Peace in his Flock, and to submit to the Elector of Saxony. Nevertheless the Primate stood out stiffly, and form'd a Party in Poland, considerable enough to give the new King Uneasiness. The Elector still persevering in his Views to make himself necessary to Poland, return'd next year to Konigsberg, in hopes of appeasing the Disturbances rais'd there by the two different Parties. Kolbe, who was not yet Count of Wartemberg, but only Great Chamberlain, made a Journey to Warsaw for this purpose, on the part of the Elector, and complimented the King on his Accession to the Crown. The King in his Turn sent the Count de Bilinsky Great Chamberlain

of the Crown to the Elector, to compliment him on his Arrival at Konigsberg, and there to negociate an Interview betwixt them. The Elector wish'd for it too heartily to refuse it, and Fredericshoss, one of his Pleasure-houses, was chose for the place of Meeting. There every thing pass'd, as is common upon those Occasions; a great deal of Business was talk'd of, and referred to the Ministers for Conclusion. The two Princes made each other magnificent Presents, and exchang'd all the Tokens of the sincerest Friendship. This Union seem'd still increasing by the Sale which the King of Poland made this year to the Elector of the Fee for protecting the Abbey-Town of Quedlimbourg, which no Elector of Saxony would ever part with before, whatsoever Instances were made to them by the Family of Brandenburg. The Elector had less Reason than any of his Predecessors to hope for Success in this Affair. Poland, besides the Pleas of Interest, had others of Resentment; and this Prince's Conduct in the affair of Elbing bid fair to set the King and the Elector at variance. The Dispute was about a Demand of 400,000 Crowns which the Elector made upon Poland, for the Expences of the War, which his Father, Frederic-William the Great, had carry'd on in favor of the Republic against Charles XI. King of Sweden. The King of Poland in the Interview at Fredericshoff had promis'd to persuade the Republic to pay that Sum. The Elector whose Patience was worn out in Expectation of the Performance, notwithstanding the many Reasons he had to keep fair with Poland, caused the City of Elbing, which had been mortgag'd to him for that Sum, to be invested. And M. de Brantz, my Uncle, who was Lieutenant-General,

was sent upon this Expedition, at the Head of a Body of 12000 Men.

The Poles no sooner heard of it but they made a very great Clamor, and the King complain'd loudly of the Elector's Proceeding, who being, said he, his Cousin, his Friend, and Ally, ought to have had more Regard for him. 'Twas at least after this manner that he express'd himself in the Circular Letters, which he wrote to assemble the Nobility of Poland. But the Elector went on still his own way, and the City of Elbing was taken before the Poles had so much as a Thought of defending it. As soon as the King of Poland was told of it, he ordered the Elector's Resident to depart the City of Thorn in 24 Hours, and the Kingdom without Delay. M. de Reitwitz, Envoy of Poland to the Elector, fearing the same Treatment, was absent from Court for a Fortnight; but return'd then, causing his Appearance to be notify'd to the Ministers, not as Envoy from the King of Poland, but as Envoy from the Elector of Saxony. By this piece of Management 'tis plain that the King of Poland did not take the Affair of Elbing so much to heart as he seem'd to do; and some time after the Matter was accommodated; the Elector consenting to lose one fourth of the Debt, and the Poles promising to pay the rest at the Expiration of three Months, and depositing their King's Crown for Security. The Elector on his part restor'd Elbing on condition nevertheless, that he should have it again at the three Month's end, if the 300,000 Crowns were not then paid. This Affair has ever since remain'd in statu quo: The Poles are still Debtors for that Sum, and the Elector contents himself with detaining the Crown, which is still at Berlin, in the Gallery