to consist of extracts from the journal of a
certain tanner and furrier of Brieg, named
Valentinus Gierth, an occasional guest at
the ducal castle, and ardent admirer of the
duchess. As a simple, and—if internal
evidence be worth anything—truthful picture of
German Court life during the early part of
the seventeenth century, it is not to be gainsaid;
although suspicions of its authenticity
have been cast upon it, similar to those which
damaged the charms of the "Diary of Lady
Willoughby," by eventually proving it to be
a fiction.

Dorothea is described as a pattern of
goodness, common sense, virtue, and piety. In
domestic management, she was pre-eminent.
For her own immediate attendance she
appointed fourteen maids of honour; and the
first families of the land looked upon it as an
inestimable privilege to place their daughters
at the ducal Court; which was a high school
of all noble virtues and accomplishments,
"whereof the duchess herself was the chief
teacher and most perfect model."

Nothing could be more primitive than the
duchess's intercourse with the townspeople.
Occasionally she walked in the streets of
Brieg, accompanied by her maids of honour,
and chatted with such of the townspeople as
were sitting on the benches outside their
doors. The little children looked forward with
the greatest delight to these town walks of the
duchess; for, the ladies-in-waiting invariably
carried about with them in their pockets all
sorts of sweetmeats, which the duchess
distributed among the little claimants. For
this reason, the little children stood peeping
round the corners of the streets, when it got
wind that the duchess was about to walk out;
more especially when it was surmised that
the duke would not be with her. So soon,
therefore, as Dorothea Sibylla left the castle
gate, the little urchins would run through the
town like wildfire, crying out, "The darling
Dorel is coming! The darling Dorel is
coming!"

The manner in which this endearing
designation first came to her ears is related with
affecting simplicity. "It happened," says
Master Gierth, with true German particularity,
"on the 10th of September (old style)
in the year of our Lord 1613;" that being the
Feast of St. Sibylla—one of the duchess's
name-saints—and also the second birthday of
her son George. There was a great feast at
the castle; to which the towns-folks and the
children of the High and Guild Schools were
invited.

"From the terrace," quoth the chronicler,
"the whole procession moved along a wide
smooth walk before the orangery; where the
quality as well as the children, were richly
treated with strong spiced wine, orange water,
and confectionary. Her ladyship did likewise
lay certain presents before the young lord her
son; she did likewise examine the children's
school-books and the master's report, wherein
the conduct of the children was noted, and
did put apposite questions to them touching
their Christian belief, and the like; and on
receiving right proper answers, her face did
shine like an angel's.

"One little maiden, however, which was
weak and ignorant, was not able to answer
the questions aright; whereupon her ladyship
did ask:

"'My child, what is your name?' Whereunto
she did answer, 'Anna Pohlin!'

"'Well,' asked her ladyship, 'and what is
my name?'

"Straightway the little maiden did answer,
'Darling Dorel!'

"Hereupon Master Valentinus Gierth was
somewhat affrighted, but did quickly recover
himself, and stepping up to her ladyship did say:

"'Most gracious lady! I trust your ladyship
will pardon these words, and not take
them amiss; inasmuch, as it is true that the
women of this town, as well as of the
neighbouring villages, when they do speak of your
ladyship, do commonly call your ladyship the
Darling Dorel.'

"Then did the duchess fold her hands, and
raising them to heaven, did say:

"'God be praised for such a precious title;
the which, as long as I am in my senses, I
would not exchange against 'Your Majesty!'

"The duke did thereupon embrace her
ladyship, saying,

"'Away with the title 'princely consort;'
I will ever henceforth call thee by none other
save 'Darling Dorel!'"

"We by no means intend to follow the good
Tanner through his minute records; but
merely write thus much as necessary preface
to a quaint little love story. Premising
that the duchess had sent, after her usual
fashion, a marriage present to a certain lady,
by two of her maids of honour, (by name
Agnes and Mary) we shall transfer the
narrative to our pages in Master Gierth's own
manner.

After the presentation of the gifts, and
when the marriage ceremony was concluded,
the two maids of honour were preparing to
return to Brieg, when the bride's father
stopped them, saying:

"'How? Shall I suffer two such angels of
joy to depart, without tasting of my food and
my drink? Nay, noble damsels, ye must abide
here awhile beyond the marriage festivities,
and be of good cheer! I will immediately
despatch a trusty messenger on horse to her
most gracious ladyship, the duchess, and
obtain leave for your sojourn here.'

"The two damsels did therefore abide there
the space of three days, and became
acquainted with two gallants of the place; with
whom they did exchange love-tokens and
rings. But when the two damsels returned
to Brieg to render an account of their mission,
the duchess did note the rings on the fingers