Briefwisseling. Deel 4: 1644-1649

3814. Aan kol. Ferd. Knightly⁴⁾. (K.A.)

When you selfe did take it for a desperate case to bee made a coronel at Berghen, ambition and affection made me to undertake the businesse with so much more zeale. With what success, this paper will shew you. Lett my example teach you, that we ought not to dispaire of the favour of princes no more then of ladys for a denyall or two, and that if the deare and lovely countesse⁵⁾ undertaketh to play the cruell maide for a time, even time itself concurring with your worth, with your constancie, with your fidelitie and, lett me say, with your new degree of quality, will mollify the white marble into warme wax, so that being apt to receave any figure by your impression, in one happie night you will be able to transforme it from a growing old widdowe into a new wife ..... Berghen, 19 Octob. 44.

4) Zie II, blz. 455.

5) Nl. de gravin van Loewenstein.