History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 3 | Page 8

in altogether speckless Sunday
pumps, or much clear-starched into consciousness of the moral sublime;
but in rugged practical boots, and by such roads as there were.
Concerning their moralities, and conformities to the Laws of the Road
and of the Universe, there will much remain to be argued by
pamphleteers and others. Men will have their opinion, Men of more
wisdom and of less; Apes by the Dead-Sea also will have theirs. But
what man that believed in such a Universe as that of this Dead-Sea
Pamphleteer could consent to live in it at all? Who that believed in such

a Universe, and did not design to live like a Papin's-Digester, or
PORCUS EPICURI, in an extremely ugly manner in it, could avoid one
of two things: Going rapidly into Bedlam, or else blowing his brains
out? "It will not do for me at any rate, this infinite Dog-house; not for
me, ye Dryasdusts, and omnipotent Dog-monsters and Mud-gods,
whoever you are. One honorable thing I can do: take leave of you and
your Dog-establishment. Enough!"--

Chapter III.
KURFURST FRIEDRICH II.
The First Friedrich's successor was a younger son, Friedrich II.; who
lasted till 1471, above thirty years; and proved likewise a notable
manager and governor. Very capable to assert himself, and his just
rights, in this world. He was but Twenty-seven at his accession; but the
Berlin Burghers, attempting to take some liberties with him, found he
was old enough. He got the name IRONTEETH. Friedrich FERRATIS
DENTIBUS, from his decisive ways then and afterwards. He had his
share of brabbling with intricate litigant neighbors; quarrels now and
then not to be settled without strokes. His worst war was with
Pommern,--just claims disputed there, and much confused bickering,
sieging and harassing in consequence: of which quarrel we must speak
anon. It was he who first built the conspicuous Schloss or Palace at
Berlin, having got the ground for it (same ground still covered by the
actual fine Edifice, which is a second edition of Friedrich's) from the
repentant Burghers; and took up his chief residence there. [1442-1431
(Nicolari, i. 81).]
But his principal achievement in Brandenburg History is his recovery
of the Province called the Neumark to that Electorate. In the thriftless
Sigismund times, the Neumark had been pledged, had been sold;
Teutsch Ritterdom, to whose dominions it lay contiguous, had
purchased it with money down. The Teutsch Ritters were fallen
moneyless enough since then; they offered to pledge the Neumark to
Friedrich, who accepted, and advanced the sum: after a while the

Teutsch Ritters, for a small farther sum, agreed to sell Neumark.
[Michaelis, i. 301.] Into which Transaction, with its dates and
circumstances, let us cast one glance, for our behoof afterwards. The
Teutsch Ritters were an opulent domineering Body in Sigismund's
early time; but they are now come well down in Friedrich II.'s! And are
coming ever lower. Sinking steadily, or with desperate attempts to rise,
which only increase the speed downwards, ever since that fatal
Tannenberg Business, 15th July, 1410. Here is the sad progress of their
descent to the bottom; divided into three stages or periods:--
"PERIOD FIRST is of Thirty years: 1410-1440. A peace with Poland
soon followed that Defeat of Tannenberg; humiliating peace, with
mulct in money, and slightly in territory, attached to it. Which again
was soon followed by war, and ever again; each new peace more
humiliating than its foregoer. Teutsch Order is steadily sinking,--into
debt, among other things; driven to severe finance-measures (ultimately
even to 'debase its coin'), which produce irritation enough. Poland is
gradually edging itself into the territories and the interior troubles of
Preussen; prefatory to greater operations that lie ahead there.
"SECOND PERIOD, of Fourteen years. So it had gone on, from bad to
worse, till 1440; when the general population, through its Heads, the
Landed Gentry and the Towns, wearied out with fiscal and other
oppressions from its domineering Ritterdom brought now to such a
pinch, began everywhere to stir themselves into vocal complaint.
Complaint emphatic enough: 'Where will you find a man that has not
suffered injury in his rights, perhaps in his person? Our friends they
have invited as guests, and under show of hospitality have murdered
them. Men, for the sake of their beautiful wives, have been thrown into
the river like dogs,'--and enough of the like sort. [Voigt, vii. 747;
quoting evidently, not an express manifesto, but one manufactured by
the old Chroniclers.] No want of complaint, nor of complainants: Town
of Thorn, Town of Dantzig, Kulm, all manner of Towns and Baronages,
proceeded now to form a BUND, or general Covenant for complaining;
to repugn, in hotter and hotter form, against a domineering Ritterdom
with back so broken; in fine, to colleague with Poland,--what was most
ominous of all. Baronage, Burgherage,