change of owners often enough.
Fifty years ago it was in the hands of the Nassau-Orange House; Dutch
William, our English Protestant King, who probably scarce knew of his
possessing it, was Lord of Herstal till his death. Dutch William had no
children to inherit Herstal: he was of kinship to the Prussian House, as
readers are aware; and from that circumstance, not without a great deal
of discussion, and difficult "Division of the Orange Heritage," this
Herstal had, at the long last, fallen to Friedrich Wilhelm's share;
it and Neuchatel, and the Cobweb Palace, and some other places and
pertinents.

For Dutch William was of kin, we say; Friedrich I. of Prussia, by his
Mother the noble Wife of the Great Elector, was full cousin to Dutch
William: and the Marriage Contracts were express,--though the High
Mightinesses made difficulties, and the collateral Orange branches were
abundantly reluctant, when it came to the fulfilling point. For indeed
the matter was intricate. Orange itself, for example, what was to be
done with the Principality of Orange? Clearly Prussia's; but it lies
imbedded deep in the belly of France, that will be a Caesarean-Operation
for you! Had not Neuchatel happened just then to fall home to France (or
in some measure to France) and be heirless, Prussia's Heritage of Orange
would have done little for Prussia! Principality of Orange was, by
this chance, long since, mainly in the First King's time, got settled:
[Neuchatel, 3d November, 1707, to Friedrich I., natives preferring him
to "Fifteen other Claimants;" Louis XIV. loudly protesting: not till
Treaty of Utrecht (14th March 1713, first month of Friedrich Wilhelm's
reign) would Louis XIV., on cession of Orange, consent and sanction.]
but there needed many years more of good waiting, and of good pushing,
on Friedrich Wilhelm's part; and it was not till 1732 that Friedrich
Wilhelm got the Dutch Heritages finally brought to the square: Neuchatel
and Valengin, as aforesaid, in lieu of Orange; and now furthermore,
the Old Palace at Loo (that VIEILLE COUR and biggest cobwebs), with
pertinents, with Garden of Honslardik; and a string of items, bigger and
less, not worth enumerating. Of the items, this Herstal was one;--and
truly, so far as this went, Friedrich Wilhelm often thought he had
better never have seen it, so much trouble did it bring him.

HOW THE HERSTALLERS HAD BEHAVED TO FRIEDRICH WILHELM.

The Herstal people, knowing the Prussian recruiti