Folio 85. To Trumbull. The elector left Karlsbad on June 8/18 for a short stay at...

Folio 85. To Trumbull. The elector left Karlsbad on June 8/18 for a short stay at Prague before going to Vienna. Friesen, who obtained his 'employment' with margrave Louis on his, Stepney's, recommendation, has now gone to the landgrave of Hessen[-Cassel], a mission which had been promised to Stepney. Is very disappointed at finding, on his arrival at Leipzig, nothing relating to his own future in the service. Acknowledges letters from recipient of May 21/31, May 28/June 7, and June 4/14. Describes his audience of the elector on the morning the latter left Karlsbad. His attempts to persuade the elector to 'give up' Friesen to the King and his entreaties that Friesen should 'at a seasonable time and place ... pay a due submission to his ... master', were answered with the elector's insistence that Friesen should first give an account of his behaviour '& en attendant il experoit que Sa Majesté ne se serviroit pas de luy avant qu'il ne se fust rangé à son devoir' [Underlined, Ms], which he takes for 'as flatt a refusall as any cou'd be given me', though the elector spoke at the same time of highest respect and veneration for the King's person, giving assurances of 'inviolable adherence to his interest'. Fears for the future of Friesen from whom he 'this minute' had received a letter from Frankfurt to the effect that he had been with the landgrave of Hessen[-Cassel] and was now going to margrave Louis. Schöning's instigations pose a real threat to Friesen. Refers to the country ball at Karlsbad held on June 6/16 [for descriptive report by Harrach see List SP 105/85, ff.69v-70v], adding: 'The elector was dressed like a moor and had diamonds about him to the value of above 500,000 dollars (he took occasion to shew me them distinctly), he takes them all with them to Hungary for he thinks himself under no obligation to lay up for a successor, being the last of his branch'. Schöning, unable to go to Hungary in person, has 'put the elector into the hands of two of his creatures, Lieut-gen [Kuno Christoph von] Birckholtz and Lieut-gen [...] Rose. Remainder [reinforcing garrison of Dresden] similar to f.79, ante.

Date and Place: 1695 June 15/25 Leipzig