from Prudence, or from a Panic, I refolv'd to take Care of myself. I fet out from Paris in a very great Hurry, with a Defign to repair to the Palatine Court, and stay there till the Storm was quite over. I went to Germany thro' Lorrain, but had much ado to get thither, because I had no Paffport, and Orders were arriv'd from Court, to ftop all that travell'd without one; I therefore thought of the following Stratagem.

About a League from Toul, which is the laft Place in France, I feign'd myfelf fick, that I might have fome colour for halting there, and difmiffing my Poftilion. At that Village I lay all Night, and rifing very early next Morning, I told my Landlady that I would go to Toul on Foot, and defir'd her to fend my Boots according to a Direction I left with her. My Design was to go into Toul as a Townfman; for I hop❜d, that my being on Foot, and not having the Air of a Traveller, I fhould pass without Moleftation; but I was quite mistaken; for the Guard ftopp'd me, and ask'd me, Who I was, and, Whither I was bound? I faid, That I was a German, that I had been the Valet de Chambre of a German Nobleman, who dy'd at Paris, and that I was returning from thence Homewards. The Officer carry'd me before the King's Lieutenant, who, I thought, was a mere Brute; yet I think I fhould be in the Wrong to complain, for I gave myself out for a Footman, and really as fuch he treated me: He put feveral Questions to me, which I always made Anfwer to like a moft fubmiffive Lackey, in Hopes of foothing his fullen Humour ; but nothing could defend me from his Reproaches: You are not a Footman, faid he, I rather believe

you

you are fome Bankrupt; therefore tell me the Truth, or I'll inftantly throw you into a Dungeon. I ftill affirm'd, that I was a Footman; but the Lieutenant, not well pleas'd with my Anfwer, committed me to the Guard-Houfe, where he left me Five or Six Hours, and then fent me Word, that I might go to an Inn: I was conducted thither by a Soldier, who was always a Guard upon me, and next Day carry'd me again before the King's Lieutenant, who took me into his Clofet, and told me, 'Twas to no Purpose for me to think of concealing myfelf any longer from him; for that he was juft inform'd who I was, by a Perfon who knew me. I own, Madame, that I began to be afraid, yet I ftood to my Text ftill, with all the Affurance that could be. He then call'd one of his Domeftics, and bid him fetch the Man that knew me ; but 'twas well for me, that this Perfon had no Existence but in his Imagination. Mean Time he feem'd to be out of Patience that he did not come; and at laft told me, that I must return to the Guard-Houfe, and not ftir from thence till I had fully fatisfy'd him who and what I was. I happen'd to hit upon an Expedient which prov'd a lucky one; I told him, That I was very willing to remain in Cuftody till I had receiv'd an Answer from the Landlady of the Inn where my Master dy'd, who would make good what I had affirm'd. Upon this he order'd Paper to be given me; and I wrote in fhort to my Landlady at Paris, by the Name of a Valet de Chambre, whom I left there when I came away, As she was a Woman of quick Apprehenfion, and knew my Hand- Writing, I perfuaded myself that she would easily comprehend the Meaning of it. When my Letter was finish'd, I fhew'd it

Then

to

to the King's Lieutenant, who read it, and told me, That he would undertake both for its Delivery, and an Answer to it. In the mean Time he remanded me back to my Inn, and in Two Hours after, fent to tell me, that I might purfue my Journey. You will naturally imagine, that I took him at the firft Word. I accordingly walk'd out of Toul on Foot, but I hir'd a Horfe at a Village belonging to the Principality of Elbauf, and went to Nancy, where I had the Precaution to provide myself with a Paffport, which the Innkeeper, where I lay, procur'd me, by the Name of a certain Merchant of that City. I did not think fit to go to Strasbourg, where perhaps I might have been known; but went to Haguenau; from thence to Fort Louis, where I pafs'd the Rhine; and at laft arriv'd at Heide!berg in the Beginning of the Year 1719.

The Palatine Court refided at + Heidelberg †, but 'twas not the fame Elector that I had the Honour to mention to you before, for he was dead, and was fucceeded by his Brother Prince Charles, who kept a numerous and magnificent Court, and was the Darling of all his Family. He was fo good to his Domeftics, that there are few fuch to be found among Princes; and yet without debafing his Rank, of which he undertood every Part of its Dignity, and perfectly knew how to have the Refpect paid that was due to him: Being withal generous, good-natur'd, affable and charitable; he lov'd People fhould fpeak to him with Freedom. He was very regular in his Conduct, even to a Degree of Deyotion, yet in no refpect an Enemy to Pleasures;

on the contrary, he often procur'd them for his Court; and he was especially fond of Dancing, which he perform'd indeed too well for a Prince,

The Elector has had Two Wives, but he has had only one Child, a Daughter, marry'd to the Hereditary Prince of Sultzbach, who is the Elector's prefumptive Heir. She is a very lovely Princess, tho' fomewhat pitted with the Small Pox; fhe is not tall, but perfectly well fhap'd; fhe is complete Mistress of every Thing which young Princeffes are ufually taught; fhe dances and fings with a very good Grace, and efpecially the Italian Airs, which the plays at the fame time to Perfection upon the Harpfichord. The Prince her Husband was a clever handfome Man, and his Outfide was a fufficient Indication of his Endowments: He had fo grave an Air, that one would be apt to fufpect him of a little Aufterity, yet this did not render him a whit the lefs polite; and, above all Things, he was very civil to Foreigners. He fhew'd an extraordinary Refpect to the Elector, who, on his Part, gave him all the poffible Marks of a Tenderness for him. This young Prince had a Son by this Marriage, who dwelt at Neubourg, where he had been brought up; it being apprehended that the Fatigues of Travelling would be hurtful to his Health, but, notwithstanding this Precaution, the young Prince dy'd in 1724.

The Elector was a very early Rifer; as foon as he was up, he spent fome Time in Prayer; then the Great Chamberlain or Grand Mafter of the Wardrobe talk'd to him about Affairs of State, or fuch as were Domeftic; when thofe Gentlemen were retir'd, the Prince employ'd himself in reading Difpatches, or in Writing; after which he drefs'd himfelf: About 110'Clock

be

he went to Mafs, accompany'd by the Prince his Son-in-Law, and the Princefs his Daughter: When he held a Council there, 'twas after Mass was over: Upon other Days he play'd at Billiards till Dinner-time, which held a long while, and fometimes a little too much was drank at it; which indeed they could not well help, the Wine there was fo delicious. After Dinner was over, his Electoral Highnefs went with the Princefs his Daughter to her Apartment, where he ftay'd a little while, and then retir'd to his own, where he caus'd himself to be undrefs'd, and went to Bed for a few Hours. About 5 or 6 o'Clock in the Evening he was drefs'd, after which he gave public Audiences, or elfe apply'd himfelf to fomething in his Study. At 7 o'Clock he went into the Affembly Room, where he found the Princefs and the whole Court; and after having chatted fome Time, he fate down to Picquet, or to a Pair of Tables; but when the Game was over, he retired, and the Princess went to Supper.

In the Afternoon, when the Elector was withdrawn, the Princess went into her Lady of Honour's Apartment, where there was always a great Affembly, and often a Concert, in which the Princefs fung fome Italian Song or other, together with Signora Claudia, one of her WaitingWomen. This little Concert was made up alfo of fome Muficians felected out of the Elector's Band, and is one of the completeft that I ever heard. The Prince of Sultzbach affifted at it fometimes; but he moft commonly retir' to his Apartment at the fame Time that the Elector did to his.

As thefe Two Princes fhew'd me great Marks of their Goodnefs, the Courtiers too, in Imitation of their Masters, were mighty civil to me: I

was