36 Dr. wolf’s Account of 
The lhftory of this portrait is as follows. It was for- 
merly in the collection of Saxe Gotha, where it was al- 
ways confidered as an original, which is even faid to ap- 
pear from the archives of that court, and is the more 
probable, as the prince-bifhop of Warmia, who- obtained 
it from the late duke of Saxe Gotha, was too good a con- 
noiffeur and too cautious to be deceived in this refpect. 
That bifhop being at Gotha in the year 1735, obferved 
this portrait in the gallery of that palace; the proofs that 
were produced of its authenticity made him very defirous 
to acquire it. He at length obtained it by a kind of theft 
which it was neceffary to commit on the cathedral of 
Warmia, in which there was a very old portrait of one 
of the anceftors of the dukes of Saxe Gotha, who had 
been bilhop of that fee, and whofe picture was wanting 
in 
L’hiftoire de notre original eft la fuivante. II a ete conferve dans la collec- 
tion des dues de Saxe Gotha, dans le chateau du meni£ nom, toujours avoue 
comme un veritable original: on pretend meme prouve comme tel par les 
archives \ ce qui eft fort croyable, vu que le prince eveque de Warmie, qui l’a 
obtenu du due defunt, etoit trop circonfpe£l et trop bon connoiffeur pour s’en 
iaiiTer impoler. Enfin c^eft apres les paroles du prince eveque, que je fais cette 
alfertion. Ce fut environ l’annee 1735 qu’ etant a Gotha, il remarqua ce 
portrait dans la gallerie du due. Les preuves qu’on lui fit de fon authenticite, 
augmenterent fon envie de le poffeder. II l’obtint enfin par un vol qu’il fallut 
faire a la Cathedrale de Warmie, ou fe trouvoit un tres ancien portrait d’un des* 
ancetres du due de Saxe Gotha, qui etoit jadis eveque de Warmie, et dont le 
gortrait manquoit dans la. collection des portraits de fa famille. On fit done un 
echange 
