would be allowed of by a King but according to event But his Majestie perceiving their intentions he resolved to abidâ— the enemies coming what ever might follow and instantly he gave all Officers and Commanders of Briggads charge to see their workes accomplished and finished for if the enemy would stay but three dayes he would be no more afraid of him than if he were in the strongest Island could be imagined being he was assured GOD would fight for him and with him and besides he knew he had as good Commanders and Souldiers of horse and foote as Tilly was able to bring against him and which was more he could get his Armie longer and better entertained than Tilly could get seeing he had the Country to enemy which was his Majesties friend This resolution being taken his Majestie went to visit the Leaguer being accompanied with the Marquesse of Hamilton come then from Britaine with an Armie of six thousand foote as complete as could be desired to be seene for personages of men in complete Armes being well araide and furnished of Artillery and of all things fitting for the adorning of an Armie his Majestie being exceeding glad of such a timely supply he did most heartily welcome the Marquesse by entertaining him with gracefull countenance and respect in giving him such entertainement as the time could affoord and in the interim his Majestie went along with his Excâ—llence to let him see the fortifications and preparations he had made against Tillies comming which being so neare made his Majestie after some considerable discourses had with the Marquesse concerning his Armie wherein his Majestie declared he was sorry the Marquesse with his Armie were arrived in such parts of the Country that was ruined and not able to entertaine his Excellence and his Armie with bread much lesse to be furnished with necessaries convenient for them or with such as his Majestie would willingly bestow on them if the Country or his power were able to furnish it Other private discourses they had together concerning the service that the Marquesse with his Armie was to be imployed on And his Excellence having received his Majesties instructions being both pressed by shortnesse of time his Excellence was graciously dismissed to returne to his Armie then being come upon the Oder being then the most ruined part within the Empire by reason both the Armies had laine there above a yeare before which caused that Summer both famine and plague the smart whereof his Excellence Armie suffered at their first coming where they died of the plague above two hundreth a weeke so that it was impossible for them to subsist long and the plague was so rife that his Excellence servants and family were not free Neverthelesse none can say but for the well and furtherance of the good cause they did arrive in a good time having diverted from his Majestie a great part of the enemies forces towards Silesia being more afraid of their coming than of an Armie twice stronger and the diversion thus made was a great furtherance to the joyning of his Majestie with the Duke of Saxon and consequently of his Majesties advancement in Dutchland and of his victory obtained against his enemies at Leipsigh for nothing doth more crosse the designes of a mightie enemy than to heare a forraigne supply of valiant men to come to his enemy which no doubt would force to alter his former Designes which once altered unadvisedly in haste might marre the happie event of his former Conclusions Likewise his Excellence being dismissed the Landgrave of Hessen and Duke Barnard of Wymar did come unto his Majestie with the offer of their service knowing his Majestie had gotten a supply to his Armie out of Britaine which did encourage them and the most part of the Townes of the foure upper Circles of the Empire to offer to joyne with his Majestie in confederacy having seene the appearance of the strong partie his Majestie could make being assured of the friendship and concurrence of great Britaine they were both graciously accepted of and so much the more that they were the first did hazard with a private Convoy to come to his Majestie through their enemies for which his Majestie did thanke them who the next day were dispatched to returne for advanceing of the cause in doing his Majestie good service by collecting of more forces as they did soone after They being gone the twenty-two of Iuly Generall Tilly with his mightie Armie did present himselfe before our Leaguer about two of the clocke in the after-noone and begun to salute us with thirty-two pieces of great Ordnance of their carriage discharging through and through our Leaguer till he made us to draw to our Armes and stand in Battaile horse and foote under the walles which did shelter us from his Cannon where we stood till night looking for his on-falling requiting and honouring him now and The thirteenth Observation HIS Majestie wisely made choice of a fit place for his Leaguer being commodious for transportation of victualls unto his Armie without being in danger of his enemies In like manner we see his Majesties wisedome in making his friends sure behinde him viz. the Duke of Brandenburg the Dukes of Pomeren and Machlenburg from whence his victualls and his supplies must needs come and as his Leaguer was commodious for furnishing the Armie so it was commodiously situated for defence against the enemy the one halfe or backe being naturally defended by the course of the water running by and on the other side it was defended by the Towne and by the helpe of the old Dike which easily was fortified His Majesties wisedome also was seene by keeping of his Souldiers still in Action never suffering them to be idle as a wise Generall ought to doe for either they were imployed on marches or lying still in working or in fighting by parties or in grosse as occasion offered For this Generall knew well that he was but the carrion of a man and not a man that did live idle having in a living body but a dead minde Here also I did remarke and observe Homo homini quid interest for we finde a great difference betwixt his Majesties welcoming of Tilly to Werben and the Felt-marshall Twifenbacke his welcome made to his Majestie before Francford on the Oder who never did present himselfe in the Fields though almost as strong as we were but here we finde the contrary that notwithstanding of Tillies strength being twenty-six thousand men Gustavus was not afraid to have invaded his fore-Troopes with a weake partie and did defeate them shewing unto us the difference betwixt Commanders by his owne valourous example incouraging his little Armie before the â—nemies coming he would not first meete his enemy with an Army but having strengthened his Leaguer with Baniers Forces and called in his weake Garrisons from danger and then taking all victualls out of his enemies way bringing it within his Leaguer he then armed with courage and resolution
we did this day rejoyces in the calme when it comes and he is said to merit the Crowne that hath fought valiantly It is also very necessary that at such service as this was if we have time that we be carefull to bring off our Camerades bodies killed on service that died honourably before their enemies to be laid in the bed of honour in burying their bodies as becomes Christians We are also tied in duety to our Camerades that were with us in danger if either they be wounded or mutilated to care for their safeties so far as lieth in our power And we must not preferre the safety of our owne bodies to the publique weale of our Camerades and countrimen dead or living but we ought with the hazard of our owne lives to bring off the dead and hurt An example of this duety we have in the person of the President of Chassangue treating of the Iewes law that did command that the bodies of their dead enemies should not lie unburied Caesar caused to be buried the head of his enemy Pompey and wept at his death as Valerius Maximus reports in his fift booke and sixt Chapter Hercules is thought to have bin the first that ordained to bury the bodies of those killed on service and David calls them blessed that were so thankefull as to have buried Saul Indas Macchabie did cause to bury the bodies of the enemy killed in battaile and Alexander restored unto the mother of Darius the dead bodie of her sonne Hanniball did burie the body of his enemy Marcellus as Valerius affirmes It is also expedient for the common-weale that the bodies of the dead be buried and Leonard Darez reports that Cyrus Alexander and Caesar did recommend their funeralls to their friends as Lievetenant Rosse did his to his Captaine and me which we performed in the best manner we could for the time If Pagans had such regard to their burialls Christians should be more carefull whose bodies sometimes were the receptacles of the holy Spirit and of the immortall soule created to Gods owne Image Here also I would report the commandement that we reade in the second chapter verse 23. of the fourth booke of Esdras Where thou findest the dead put them in the grave with a certaine marke and I will give thee the first seate in my resurrection and the wise Ancients said men should looke unto the end My exhortation then is to all my worthy countrimen and women that were interessed in our losses in this dayes service to consider that when these gentlemen and Cavaliers were borne that they were marked and ordained to die honourably fighting in the good cause and for the liberty of our Kings daughter the Queene of Bohemia and her distressed Royall Issue under the magnanimous King of Denmarke our Master who for her Majesties libertie did hazard not onely his life but his crowne let them then that are interessed as said is in this our losse consider againe that they died with great honour and reputation seeing they live eternally in their fame having laid downe their lives as servants of the publique if not for their country yet at least as cannot be denied for the liberty of their Kings Royall Issue It then became them well to have died standing Therefore those mothers friends or Sisters are to be condemned that mourne for them that live after their death in their fame and though their griefe be great let them shed no teares for feare it become of them as became of that Ancient woman called Vicia mother to Futius Geminus who was killed at Rome for having wept at the death of her sonne that had lost his life in the publique service as reporteth Tacitus in his 6 booke of his Annals and our Saviour in the Evangelist Saint Luke doth forbid the widdow to weepe for her sonne that was dead and St. Paul writing to the Thessalonians saith Brethren I would not have you ignorant of the estate of those that are asleepe to the end you do not over-mourne as those do that are without hope Therefore let us forbeare all teares for those departed and if we should mourne let us mourne with teares even those most pretious teares for sinne these are the Christian teares that should be shed from our hearts to reconcile us unto God those teares are as the bloud of the soule hurt and wounded with the sense and feeling of our sinnes before God these are the teares that drawe Gods mercy upon us as David cried unto God in the 36 Psalme Thou hast counted my wanderings and put my teares in thy bottle are they not in thy Register Therefore though we be grieved at the losse of our friends and at the losse of the day Yet ô God make us thankfull unto thee for our deliverance that we may rejoyce at our owne safety The seventh Dutie discharged of our Retreat from Owldenburg unto Assens in Denmarke by Sea HAving thus past the day at Owldenburg the night the friend of Cowards coming on what we durst not have done by day being favoured by the mooneshine when all were wearied with hot service and toyle in the day begun to take rest and refreshment by their fires in the Leager all Guards relieved and centries set out being all of us after a great storme in a quiet calme we begin to take our retreat to the water our Generall being full of feare and suspition goes before and our Colonell also we follow having the avant-Guard according to our Orders for going a ship-board which orders were willingly obeyed perceiving the danger was to follow and in consideration that long before the Lievetenant Colonell Sr. Patrick Mac-Gey and Captaine Forbesse being hurt had retired for their safeties towards the Isle of Feamor and from thence to Denmark to be cured I supplying the place of the Major our Regiment orderly retiring from the enemy Captaine Mac-Kenyee and my brother Obstell who before were companions in the day of danger in the night did march together leading off the Regiment to be secured and I bringing up the Reare accompanied with some other Officers we had no doubt of our safe retreate the whole army being behind us made us halte the oftner taking paines to bring up our hurt and sicke men we marched but softly Py a Pyano at last by ten a clocke of the night we arrived on the shore and drew up in battell attending the Colonells command for shipping who had gone himselfe unto the Roade amongst the ships to provide shipping but could get no obedience the feare was so great amongst the marriners having heard the roaring and thundring of cannon and muskets in the day feare so possest them all that they lacked hands to worke and hearts to obey and the Colonell coming a shore without bringing of ships to receive us we made use of the time our Camerades the horsemen having come before us who ever begin confusion were without orders forcing ships to take in their horses and
Colonell Musten Major Monypenney Major Sinclaire and Lievetenant Colonell Iohn Monro with divers others Cavaliers of valour experience and of conduct who thereafter were suddainely advanced unto higher charges The victory being ours we incamped over night on the place of Battaile the living merry and rejoycing though without drinke at the night-wake of their dead Camerades and friends lying then on the ground in the bed of honour being glad the Lord had prolonged their dayes for to discharge the last honourable duty in burying of their Camerades Our bone-fiers were made of the enemies Amunition waggons and Pikes left for want of good fellowes to use them and all this night our brave Camerades the Saxons were making use of their heeles in flying thinking all was lost they made booty of our waggons and goods too good a recompence for Cullions that had left their Duke betrayed their country and the good cause when as strangers were hazarding their lives for their freedomes Our losse this day with the Saxons did not exceede three thousand men which for the most part were killed by the enemies Cannon of principall Officers we lost a number and chiefely our horsemen as Colonell Collenbagh Colonell Hall and Addergest and of the foote Colonells the Barron Tivell being all of them brave and valorous gentlemen we lost also foure Lievetenant Colonells together with a number of Rutmasters Captaines Lievetenants and Ensignes Of the Saxons were lost five Colonells three Lievetenant Colonells with divers Rut-masters and Captaines and of inferiours Officers many To the enemy were lost on the field neere eight thousand besides Officers of note such as the Felt-marshall Fustenberg the Duke of Holsten the Count of Shomeberg old Generall Tillie hurt and almost taken a number of other Officers of the Field were killed and taken prisoners They lost also thirty two peeces of Cannon with three score waggons of Amunition and their Generall and Papingham were chased towards Hall and from thence were forced with a small convoy to take their flight for refuge to Hamell on the Waser The sixteenth Observation FIrst then we see here the goodnesse that followes on that laudable and Christian custome used by those that doe first begin the workes of their calling with their true humiliation to God by prayers in acknowledging their sinnes and unworthinesse and in renouncing trust or confidence in any thing but in God alone knowing their owne wisdome strength and valour to be of no moment without the speciall aide and assistance of the Almighty and powerfull God who alone can teach our fingers to fight giving victory with few as with many And therefore it was that this Magnanimous and religious warriour with his whole Army publiquely did call on the Lord praying for his assistance against his enemies and for a happy event of the day before he begun to set his Army to worke against their enemies the enemies of God and the true Catholique and Apostolique faith which they had endeavoured to subvert with the professors of the truth to hold up and maintaine the man of sinne and his erronious doctrine by the power of the house of Austria and of the Catholique League We see then this duty being religiously and piously discharged by his Majesty and his Army the fruite was answerable to their desire having obtained victory over our enemies by the good command of his Majesty and the ready obedience dexterity and valour of his Majesties supreme Officers of the field who in all charges did direct those under them to the ready discharge of their duties every one of the whole united body of the Army following the example of their head and Leader the magnifick and Magnanimous King for to abate and lay downe the pride of the house of Austria and for to teare and strip naked that old proud and Ambitious Generall Tillie of his former glory and honour for having bragged and vainely gloried he had conquered two Kings before here now the Captaine of Kings and King of Captaines doth victoriously Triumph having robbed him of glory and clipped the wings of the Empire with his little Royall Army Likewise next unto God a second helpe unto this glorious victory was the great execution made by his Majesties Cannon and though ever before Tillie did pride himselfe all his life time in the course of the warres in his dexterity of his great Cannon here from a Master he was turned againe unto a prentice being cunningly over shot with Cannon so that his Cannon and three score waggons belonging thereto were taken from him by Gustavus the first and most valiant Captaine of the world with the helpe of the nation which was never conquered by any forraine enemy the invincible Scots whose prayers to God were more effectuall through Christ then theirs through the intercession of Saints The third cause of this glorious victory was his Majesties good discipline houlden over the Army horse and foote not suffering them without great and extraordinary punishment to oppresse the poore which made them cry for a blessing to his Majesty and his Army The enemy on the contrary provoked the wrath of God against themselves and their Army for their cruelty used in torturing the poore and forceing their monies from them did further their punishment and his Majesties glorious victory The fourth helpe to this victory was the plottons of Musketiers his Majesty had very wisely ordained to attend the horsemen being a great safety for them and a great prejudice to the enemy the Musket ball carrying and piercing farther then the Pistolet As also the great celerity used in charging and discharging of our small cannon brought the enemies battaiâ—e in disorder to the furtherance of this victory As also the extraordinaâ—â— care and diligence that was used by his Majesty and his Officers in seeing and foreseeing of the defects and disorders amongst our selves which being suddenly remedied was also a helpe to this victory And last of all the invincible courage and resolution both of Officers and souldiers in standing firme Notwithstanding of the fury of their enemies and which was more they were no wayes dismayed or discouraged at the flight of the Saxons but thought it their greatest glory to be victorious without them standing resolutly till they saw the backe of their enemies the undoubted tokens of their glorious victory His Majesties Army on this service as at all times might be called truely valorous for those are called valorous Captaines and holden for such that when their Camerades are flying they notably with hands voice and wounds if wounded sustaine the fight doing at once the duty of Souldiers and of Captaines by those meanes bringing backe and restoring the suspected losse unto victory for their credits For as ignorance doth easily precipitate men into danger even so to a generous heart nothing can seeme difficult or fearefull being once resolved to fall on though towards the mouth of the cannon but before resolution flesh and blood have their owne disturbances
have in the person of Charles called the wise who having seene France ruin'd by the former warres under his predecessors Philip and Iohn Normandie and Piccardie possessed by the English and having Edward the third to deale with the best and happiest King ever England had who defeated the French in two Battells This Prince resolved to keepe the rest finding it to be as good to governe by counsell as by force of Armes he did nothing rashly nor unfore-seene but his designs were all well premeditated and digested making choice of men wise valiant and knowing how to command in warres Edward seeing his sword thus blunted and the course of his victories by the wisdome of Charles interrupted said who did ever see one out of his chamber to give a man so much adoe without Armes Thus Charles was so wise that his enemies did make no difficulty to praise him for he not onely freed his people from misery but also gathered afterward a great treasure for his sonne being called rich as he was wise and being respected of his subjects and of his enemies as this Magnanimous King of Denmark is for his prudence after his warres is as much to be commended as his valour was in preserving his subjects Throne from his enemies being redacted to a corner and his counsell served also well for the good of his subjects the estate of his Throne and for the recovery of his losses And therefore Cicero said that counsell availed for the good of the State as well as Captaines for it is oft seene in effect that by the good advice of the one the others have happily drawne and governed their swords And in another place he saith that Agamemnon Generall of Greece did never wish for ten such great Captaines as Ajax was but rather ten wise counsâ—llours as Nestor was which made Cicero so often to proclaime the honour due to eloquence above valour saying Cedant arma togae concedat laurea linguae but joyned together as in this Magnanimous King of Denmark they worke one to anothers hands for the establishment of his Throne which I wish so long to continue as the world Here also we may learne to eschevv vice by the punishment inflicted upon this souldier for his exorbitancy in having ravish'd a virgin of her honour he was bereft himselfe of life by Gods justice punishing man for sinne examplary to others Against this sinne of ravishing Emperours ordained punâ—shment to wiâ— to lose their heads and their goods also to be confiscate but the law of the Caâ—onists treates more meekely with ravishers suffering them to marry those whom they ravished But the Lord judgeing more severely steeping his rods in viâ—iger ordaines stricter punishmeâ—t for such malefactors To eschew therefore the committing of such villanies I will here set downe some remedies to hinder man from such vices that we may eschew the like punishment The first remedy then is to abstaine from the excesse of wine and meates not to be druâ—ke with wine wherein there is dissolution The second remedy is to eschew idlenesse and too much sleeping which is enemy to travell and diligence The third to eschew the company of unclâ—ane persons whose delight is in filthy communications for he that will ouâ—h pitch must be defiled with it Evill speeches corrupt good manners and with Wolves we learne to howle and cry Dina the daughter of Iacob desiring to see what was not convenient neither for her shamefacâ—tnesse nor for the respect she ought to have carried to her fathers house was ravished viâ—lated and was the cause of greater evill The fourth remedy is to keepe both women and maides in a convenient modesty of a chast behaviour without which there is a doore opened to all villany and filthinesse which is able of vertue to make vice The other remedies are to live soberly and vertuously in our callings eschewing evill company and filthy communications loving rather to take paines in our callings remembring our duty we owe to God in not delighting in any uncleannesse that we may eschew the malâ—diction hanging over the heads of those which continue in their filthinesse without repentance abusing the long suffering and patience of the Lord our God and Father To conclude this observation there are lawes and justice observed as well among souldiers as in other governments and the strictest justice that is with least partiality our lawes are the Kings Articles we are sworne to obey our President or Iudge he amongst us present having the command to whom his Majesty joynes as assessor to the Iudge an Auditor for doing of justice our Assisers or Iury we have not to seeke viz. a competent number of thirteene of our owne Regiment Officers Captaines Lievetenants Antients Sergeants and Corporalls till our number be full our Proforce or Gavilliger brings in the complaints and desires justice in his Majesties name to the party offended and to his Master the Kings Majesty or Generall that fuers or leades the warre and every Regiment is bound to have an executioner of their owne which if the Regiment wants the Colonell is obliged to hire another to doe the execution for paiment and sometimes as the crime and the person is respected that is to suffer he is honoured to be shot by his camerades or beheaded not suffering an executioner to come neare him Other slight punishments we enjoyne for slight faults put in execution by their Camerades as the Loupegarthe when a Souldier is stripped naked above the waste and is made to runne a furlong betwixt two hundred Souldiers ranged alike opposite to others leaving a space in the midst for the Souldier to runne through where his Camerades whip him with small rods ordained and cut for the purpose by the Gavilliger and all to keepe good order and discipline for other lesser faults there is ordained slighter punishments as Irons standing at a poast his hands bound up above his head likewise sitting on a Treen or woodden Mare in some publicke place to make him ashamed of his fault As also sometimes to stand six or seaven houres longer than ordinary at the centriâ— posture as I was once made to stand in my younger yeares at the Louver gate in Paris being then in the Kings Regiment of the Guards passing my prentiship for sleeping in the morning when I ought to have beene at my excercise for punishment I was made stand from eleven before noone to eight of the Clocke in the night Centry Armed with Corslet Head-piece Bracelets being Iron to the teeth in a hot Summers day till I was weary of my life which ever after made me the more strict in punishing those under my Command The eleventh Dutie discharged of our expedition by water unto the Isle of Feamer and of the in-taking of it THE twenty-second day of March 1627. his Majestie having come in person to Lowland with two thousand five hundred foote having appointed Randezvouz at Rubie I had orders to repaire with all diligence to the
of the ruine of the City Iustice and Lawes being abolished avarice rife and pride did reigne and dominier a pleasant story to reade and make use of in the day robbing unpunished spoyling the Church in all confusion Aristotle sayes well that such changes come by them that have eaten up their owne and have no more There was also sedition moved at Lisbone in the yeare 166 by the fantasies of the multitude that was a flood that tooke away almost all the Iewes that were turned Christians whereof there were killed above a thousand and the Massacre continuing three dayes was never appeased till at night the third day Arius Silvius and Alvare of Caster gentlemen and chiefe of the Iustices came with men of warre in Armes to Lisbone and appeased the tumult The Kings Majesty hearing the newes of this horrible sedition being much grieved did presently send unto Lisbone two of the chiefest of the Court to wit Iackes Allmod and Iackes Lopes with full power to punish the Malefactors of such cruelty where publiquely there was executed a great number of the seditious popular and the Priests that moved them to the sedition were first put off their charge then hanged then burnt the Iudges and Magistrates that were â—loathfull to suppresse that popular rage and fury were some deprived of their estates and condemned to great pennance and the Towne it selfe was deprived of their priviledges and honours I pray God to keepe my country from the like Who pleaseth to reade the story it is much worth and of great observance for any good Christian. Another notable story of the like we have in the beginning of the Reigne of Charles the fift successor to Ferdinand King of Spaine and Sicil in whom did faile the race of the Kings of Aragon the people being moved by a Monke continued long in seditions one after another till God did remove it at last and since they lived peaceable To conclude then this point it is a vaine thing to be a follower of the popular sort for none is the better for their praise nor the worse for their blame And therefore Plutarch said well that one man could not be master and servant of the people otherwise perforce it behooveth him to fall into inconveniencie as we reade in the fable written of the serpent the taile whereof came one day to quarrell the head saying he would goe his day about foremost and not goe alwayes behinde which being granted unto him by the head he found it worst himselfe not knowing how or where to goe and became the cause that the head was all spoyl'd and rent being compelled against nature to follow a part without sight or hearing to leade it The same we have seene happen unto those who in the Government of the publique would do all things to please the multitude and being once tied to that yoake of slavery in all things to will and agree with the common and lower sort that oftimes are rashly moved and without reason howsoever they cannot thereafter come off and retire hinder or stay the fury and rashnesse of the people And therefore the great servant of God Moses did properly comprehend in the blessings promised unto the Israelites their obedience to Gods lawes that the Lord might establish them in the first ranke a head in briefe that they should be as Masters and should not be subject Reade Deut. 28. The twelfth Dutie discharged of our expedition by water to Aickilfourd in Holsten and of the intaking of it THe eleaventh of Aprill 1628 we got orders to ship againe and being shipped we sayl'd along the coast of Holsten till we arrived before Aickilfourd where lay a Garrison of the Emperialists being five hundred strong halfe Dragoniers and halfe foote souldiers having anchored while we were providing for our landing the Towne being no strength the Dragoniers marched away leaving the Captaine of foote to defend the place who had a Skonce without the Towne with a running line from the Skonce to the Port of the Towne and thinking us to be but a weake flying party that durst not remaine long on the land seeing the enemy lay strong of horse and foote neere by he resolved as his best to defend the Skonce without whereunto he drew his strength his Majesty commanded us to land our forces and to storme the Skonce he staying a shipboard looking on us we land in all haste being allmost two thousand foote of severall Nations English Scots Dutch and French all about equall strâ—ngth we threw dice for the Avangaâ—d who should fall on first concluding those threw most should have the leading and so successively to second one another having throwne sixes the honour of the Avangarde or leading fell on me and mine the English falling next unto us having put our selves in order and dealt out Amunition recommending the successe to the Lord by our preacher Mr. William Forbesse companion of our dangers and having directed Ensigne Allane to recognosse or spie the best advantage being retired I commanded Captaine Lievetenant Carre with fifty musketiers to a broken house that flancked on the Skonce giving him orders to give fire from thence on their backs as we marched to them in front and in case of their retreate to the Towne to cut off their passage or at least to march in with them Thus done I gave charge to my musketiers that no man should give fire till I commanded but to follow their Leaders still in good order The ground we were to advance on to the Skonce was plaine as pavement the Skonce not being high our resolution was to storme without giving fire and as we advanced those of the Skonce did give three severall salvees of musket thundring amoâ—gst us whereof some felt the smart and Captaine Mac-kenyee was favourably shot in the legge and I more favourably in the hilt of my sword which afterwards I gave to Mac-kenyee The most hurt was done to the English marching after us led then by Captaine Chamberlaine a worthy and a valorous gentleman In this time we were advanceing our musketiers commanded by Carre giving fire on their flancks many were hurt and the Captaine shot in the Arme seeing us give no fire but marching hard to storme he quit the Skonce and retired to the Towne and enters the Port before us shutting us out and leaving a few hurt men behind him we brake downe the Stacket and the Towne not walled we entred the broade side and follow the enemy to the market-place thinking he would fight us there But he retired into the Church and shutting the doores defends the Church shooting out he did us great hurt our Souldiers not having forgoâ—ten their cruelty used at Bredenberg resolved to give no quarters and with a huge great ladder and the force of men we ran-forced the doore and entred I thinking to get the Officers prisoners entred withall but could not finde them incontinent perceiving a great quantity of powder spread a thwart the Church
great ship called Reffe that fought valiantly against the Portugalls and they being entred into her there was made on the suddaine an artificiall fire that so affrighted the pursuers that they quit the Reffe retiring the farthest they could from her which fire did not burne being artificially made and the makers of it could extinguish it when they pleased To conclude then this observation and discourse of ships I did observe here before Keele fire being entred into one of our ships and the souldiers throwing salt water on it it still burnt the more till I made them throw fresh water and then it was quenched having before read the like in Plutarch treating of the naturall causes And Venice seated on the sea hath beene often in danger of burning as Sabellicus writes in his sixt booke in the story of Venice where he reports that the Temple St Marke was almost all burnt and the Dukes Palace was preserved with great difficulty which verifies that fire and water are good servants but evill masters God make us thankefull for this deliverance and from many more since having beene in danger of fire water sword famine pestilence and from the cruelty of our enemies The fourteenth Duty discharged at Grottenbrode in Holsten THis Magnanimous King yet still preferring the good of his country before his owne rest and quiet with the hazard of his person landed againe in Holsten his forces not exceeding three thousand foote without horsemen of intention there to bring his Army together he drew out himselfe a Royall Leager with a strong Forte in the middest of it having the Isle of Feamer sufficiently provided of victualls and of Ammunition to furnish his Army during that Summer and leaving the most part of his strength a shipboard he advanced himselfe with a thousand men to a Dorpe called Grottenbrode a mile from the shore naturally well situated which might be put in defence with little paines to hold up an Army His Majesty having drawne the draught of the Retrenchment the Boores set to worke I with the English and two Dutch companies were made choise of to Guard his Majestie and the workemen the enemie lying strong with horse and foote within two miles of us The first nights watch was laid on me and my souldiers by breake of day a Corporall and twelve horsemen of the enemies were sent to try our watch or rather to betray us which were holden up by our outer centry who calling to the Guard the Guard taking Armes I directed a Sergeant and a Corporall with twelve musketiers to advance and to speake with those horsemen The enemies Corporall finding himselfe wrong pretended an excuse alleaging he was come to offer his service to his Majestie and then retired whereof incontinent I did informe his Majesty who presently considered he was a spie sent from the enemy before midday he returned with fifteene hundred horse and some Dragoniers our intrenchment not ready we draw to Armes his Majesty directing the two Dutch companies to beset the passes and finding his person in danger retired with a few musketiers and leaving me and the English being of equall strength to defend the Dorpe promising to provide me of amunition and to send us reliefe his Majesty thus retired I caused a barricade of waggons to be made a hundred paces without the Dorpe where I placed a Lievetenant and thirty musketieres giving him charge if the enemy should advance to discover or recognize then to give fire on them and not otherwise This done the rest of our Souldiers were placed for maintaining the entry of the Dorpe and the English were appointed as our reserve to lye at Armes to be in readinesse to second us the enemy finding us provided and their foote not being come up they stand in Battell and direct two Troupes of horse to try the passes meaning to come betwixt us and our ships to cut off our retreat but finding we had the passe beset with musketiers they were forced to retire backe with the losse of three horsemen By this time his Majesty did send Colonell Holck unto me being come loose from the enemy on Parole to solicite his Ransome to desire me if the enemy forced entrance unto the Dorpe that I should retire to the Church-yard which was but cold comfort so being his Majesty had no intention to relieve us and consequently at last we should be the enemies prisoners after losing of our Colours which grieved us most But I desired the Colonell to shew his Majesty that seeing I knew of no reliefe if the enemy pursued us hard I would choose rather to set the Dorpe on fire behinde us and then commit my selfe and the rest to the hazard of fortune in making our retreate rather then to become prisoners to the enemy The Colonell gone we pressing to make a faire shew of a slight game doubling our Guards before night and making great Guard-fires in view of the enemy his foote not come up and seeing our resolution he retired before night where incontinent we imbraced the opportunity and leaving some Dragoniers behinde us we retired to our ships giving orders to the Dragoniers to follow after us so soone as they thought we were safely retired Before midnight the enemy having gotten his foote joyned with him returned to the Dorpe and the next morning advances towards us till he was holden off by the fury of our Ordinance of the ships In the meane time his Majesty had above foure thousand Boores at worke finishing the Leager and royall Fort in the midest of it whereon were placed eight pieces of Cannon the Fort being higher then the Leager did command the fields about which being complete the two Dutch companies were left to maintaine the Fort and the rest had orders to ship their men and to retire to Lowland his Majesty having understood that the enemy had beleagerd Trailesound The second night after our going away the enemy coming to pursue the Fort the Dutch retire quitting the same and their Cannon also with the losse of fourescore men so that his Majesties paines taken in Holsten was in vaine the Dutch retiring from it unfoughten The foureteenth Observation IT is much to be lamented when Kings or great men preferre their owne ease and rest to the publique weale suffering it to be overthrowne on the contrary part it is worth much commendation when a King or a Prince undertakes toyle and travell of his body for the safety of his people to keepe them in quiet from imminent ruine with the hazard of his owne life preserving his subjects Therefore men ought to call to minde often the wise counsell of Pericles who said that when the publique state was ruin'd he that lived well at his ease for his owne particular should not escape unruin'd where on the contrary the publique state being well the poore feele the lesse discommodity and is comforted in some manner Caesar was of this opinion when he said unto his Captaines and Lievetenants no
which this day makes our Soveraigne to say Nobis haec invicta miserunt centum septem proavi being left unconquered in his succession of one hundred and seven Kings for what have we to doe with gold or great riches so long as we can command our owne appetites and desires And if we thirst after gold let us valiantly bring it from a farre with credit to inrich our Countrey with and to supply the necessities of our poore at home and then having served long credibly abroad his Majestie our Soveraigne may grant unto us after our dismission from other service the liberties and priviledges which were granted by Charlemaine unto his Souldiers after he had subdued the Saxons and Lumbards which I will wish his Majestie to grant unto us saying Goe your wayes my Souldiers you shall be called valiant companions of Kings and Iudges of the wicked live henceforth free of Travell give good advice to Princes for the Common-weale be protectors of widdowes helps to the fatherlesse waite on great men with your wisdome and desire of them life cloathes and entertainement and he that refuseth you let him be detested and infamous and those that wrong you let them be accused as of treason But take heede yee spoyle not through drunkennesse pleasure or other vices the great honour and priviledge you have attained unto through your just travell in warres for feare that that which we grant unto you for honour may not redound to your dishonour and punishment which we reserve to our selves and to our Successors Romane Kings if by chance you commit any excesse It is a good thing and worth commendations to have defeated Kings assaulted Townes and Provinces Strengths and Castles But it is a thing much more worth commendations to overcome your own passions a marvaile surpassing all marvailes that he who did overcome so many at last overcomes himselfe The first and best of all Victories which cannot be attained unto without contemning of riches To conclude then this observation happie are those Cavaliers that ended their lives in the defence of their Countries credit a brave interchange where worthy Cavaliers in undergoing a temporall death for eternall fame and glory gaine life after death Miserable is the brevite and more miserable the uncertaintie of life Since then we are sure we cannot live long and uncertaine if we live at all being like leaves on trees we are the sport of every puffe that bloweth and with the least guste may be shaken from our life and nutriment we travell we study we fight that labour may pay us the losse of our ill expended time while death whiskes about us with a Pegasean speede flies unawares upon us and with the kicke of his heele or the dash of his foot we are driven downe to dust and lie there Many a stout fellow this night at Trailesound and five weekes before did expire in their oppugnations leaving their breath in the places where they laid their Siege Certainly if we could thinke of lifes casualties we would neither be carelesse nor covetous What availes then a man to exhaust his very vitals for the hoording up of fatall gold not thinking how a haire or a flie may snatch him in a moment from it Why should we then straine our selves for more than is convenient We should never care too much for that we are not sure to keepe yet we should respect somewhat more than for our owne time that we may be beneficiall to posteritie but for mine owne part I will cast this 〈◊〉 life on Gods providence and live here as a Pilgrime of one night not being sure to see the morrow The eighteenth Duty discharged of the second nights storme at Trailesound and of the successe thereof THe Lievetenant Colonell having visited me the next day at my lodging being not able to stirre out of my bed he declared unto me the losse sustained by the Regiment both of Officers and Souldiers and he suspecting the enemy would storme againe at night being battering the walles furiously the whole day having shot at Frankendore neere eight hundred shot he desired to heare my opinion how I would have the Poaste beset at night with the Regiment my advise was to cause beate a bancke by the Drummer Major and the whole Drummers of the Regiment athwart the City commanding upon paine of death that all Officers and Souldiers able to carry Armes under the Regiment should repaire at parad time to the market place there to receive further orders and that at their coming to appoint all the Officers that were not hurt to command the whole Souldiers to be all put under the Colonells company till such time as the Recreuts should come from Scotland and then every man should be suffered to serve againe under their owne companies as before and this order being followed they would be well commanded having sufficient Officers to leade them giving them orders how to behave themselves in case the enemy should storme their workes seeing they were not able to defend them long being weake of forces and the workes almost ruin'd the night before This determined the watch being drawne up they march to the former Poast getting orders from the Lievetenant Colonell if the enemy should presse them hard they should retire themselves orderly to the Ravelin and quit the outer workes seeing that from the Towne wall and Ravelin they were able with Cannon and musket to cleanse out the enemy againe So entring on their watch and the night being come on the enemy furiously did invade them and they defended the workes a long time till in the end being prest hard they retired according to their orders to the Ravelin whereupon the enemy followed them with a shout and a cry as if the Towne had beene wonne which did put the Burgars and the rest of the Souldiers that were on other Poasts in great feare thinking all was past recovery Notwithstanding of this sudden feare our Souldiers valiantly and bravely defended the Ravelin with Pikes and fire-workes the enemy having advanced bravely to the cutting of the Pallessades pressing also to undermine the Ravelin by working under it which our folkes did hinder by countermineing The enemy also had another fortell or advantage by reason of a new worke which was uncomplete betwixt the Ravelin and the outward workes where he did lodge himselfe having the new workes as a Breast-worke to defend him from our shot The night thus past furiously on both sides not without great losse being well fought both of the pursuer and defender in the morning our Souldiers some of them being Armed with Corslets head-peeces with halfe pikes Morgan sternes and swords being led with resolute Officers they fall out Pell mell amongst the enemies and chase them quite out of the workes againe and retiring with credit maintained still the Triangle or Ravelin The enemy considering his losse and how little he had gained the Towne also being not void of feare thinking the third
then halted againe till his Majestie had commanded out some commanded Horsemen on the wings of the Armie a large distance from the body to scoure the fields of the Crabbats we marched againe in order of Battaile with Trumpets sounding Drummes beating and Colours advanced and flying till we came within reach of Cannon to our enemies Armie then the magnifick and magnanimous Gustavus the Invincible leads up the Briggads of horse one after another to their ground with their Plottons of shot to attend them As also he led up the Briggads of foote one after another to their ground during which time we were drawne up according to our former plot the enemy was thundering amongst us with the noise and roaring whisling and flying of Cannon-Bullets where you may imagine the hurt was great the sound of such musick being scarce worth the hearing though martiall I confesse yet if you can have so much patience with farre lesse danger to reade this dutie to an end you shall finde the musicke well paide but with such Coyne that the players would not stay for a world to receive the last of it being over-joyed in their flying By twelve of the Clock on wednesday the seventh of September in despight of the fury of the enemies Cannon and of his advantages taken they were drawne up in even front with the enemy and then our Cannon begun to roare great and small paying the enemy with the like coyne which thundering continued alike on both sides for two houres and an halfe during which time our Battailes of horse and foote stood firme like a wall the Cannon now and then making great breaches amongst us which was diligently looked unto on all hands by the diligence of Officers in filling up the voide parts and in setting aside of the wounded towards Chirurgians every Officer standing firme over-seeing their Commands in their owne stations succeeding one another as occasion offered By halfe three our Cannon a little ceasing the Horsemen on both wings charged furiously one another our Horsemen with a resolution abiding unloosing a Pistoll till the enemy had discharged first and then at a neere distance our Musketiers meeting them with a Salve then our horsemen discharged their Pistolls and then charged through them with swords and at their returne the Musketiers were ready againe to give the second Salve of Musket amongst them the enemy thus valiantly resisted by our Horsemen and cruelly plagued by our Plottons of Musketiers you may imagine how soone he would be discouraged after charging twice in this manner and repulsed Our Horsemen of the right wing of Finnes and Haggapells led by the valourous Feltmarshall Horne finding the enemies Horsemen out of Order with resolution he charged the enemies left wing forcing them to retire disorderly on their battailes of foote which caused disorder among the foote who were forced then to fall to the right hand our Horsemen retiring his Majestie seeing the enemy in disorder played with Ordnance amongst them during which time the force of the enemies Battailes falls on the Duke of Saxon charging with Horse first in the middest of the Battailes and then the foote giving two Salves of Musket amongst them they were put to the Rout horse and foote and the enemy following them cryed Victoria as if the day had beene wonne triumphing before the victory But our Horsemen charging the remnant of their horse and foote where their Generall stood they were made to retire in disorder to the other hand towards Leipsigh our Armie of foote standing firme not having loosed one Musket the smoake being great by the rising of the dust for a long time we were not able to see about us but being cleared up we did see on the left hand of our reserve two great Battailes of foote which we imagined to have beene Saxons that were forced to give ground having heard the service though not seene it we found they were enemies being a great deale neerer than the Saxons were His Majestie having sent Baron Tyvell to know the certaintie coming before our Briggad I certified him they were enemies and he returning towards his Majestie was shot dead his Majestie coming by gave direction to Colonell Hepburne to cause the Briggads on his right and left wing to wheele and then to charge the enemy the Orders given his Majestie retired promising to bring succours unto us The enemies Battaile standing firme looking on us at a neere distance and seeing the other Briggads and ours wheeleing about making front unto them they were prepared with a firme resolution to receive us with a salve of Cannon and Muskets but our small Ordinance being twice discharged amongst them and before we stirred we charged them with a salve of muskets which was repaied and incontinent our Briggad advancing unto them with push of pike putting one of their battailes in disorder fell on the execution so that they were put to the route I having commanded the right wing of our musketiers being my Lord of Rhees and Lumsdells we advanced on the other body of the enemies which defended their Cannon and beating them from their Cannon we were masters of their Cannon and consequently of the field but the smoake being great the dust being raised we were as in a darke cloude not seeing the halfe of our actions much lesse discerning either the way of our enemies or yet the rest of our Briggads whereupon having a drummer by me I caused him beate the Scots march till it cleered up which recollected our friends unto us and dispersed our enemies being overcome so that the Briggad coming together such as were alive missed their dead and hurt Camerades Colonell Lumsdell was hurt at the first and Lievetenant Colonell Musten also with divers oâ—her Ensignes were hurt and killed and sundry Colours were missing for that night which were found the next day The enemy thus fled our horsemen were pursuing hard till it was darke and the blew Briggad and the commanded musketiers were sent by his Majesty to helpe us but before their coming the victory and the credit of the day as being last ingaged was ascribed to our Briggad being the reserve were thanked by his Majesty for their service in publique audience and in view of the whole Army we were promised to be rewarded The Battaile thus happily wonne his Majesty did principally under God ascribe the glory of the victory to the Sweds and Fynnes horsemen who were led by the valorous Felt-marshall Gustavus Horne For though the Dutch horsemen did behave themselves valorously divers times that day yet it was not their fortune to have done the charge which did put the enemy to flight and though there were brave Briggads of Sweds and Dutch in the field yet it was the Scots Briggads fortune to have gotten the praise for the foote service and not without cause having behaved themselves well being led and conducted by an expert Cavalier and fortunat the valiant Hepburne being followed by Colonell Lumsdell Lievetenant
his Officers on Hasford and Swineford These newes coming unto his Majesty he prepared for a march unto Franconia bringing the rest of his Majesties forces together that were with the Felt-marshall and he did send unto During to the Duke of Wymar and to Generall Banier to bring their forces together to meete betwixt Nurenberg and Donavert to search out Generall Tilly and about the middest of March 1632. we brake up from Mentz having left the Rex-chancellor Oxensterne and Duke Bernard of Wymar with eight thousand men in the Paltz to attend the Spaniards further intentions on the Rhine The twenty-sixth Observation THE Catholique League seeing the Spaniard terrified in the Paltz and almost beaten away they begun being members of that head to quake and tremble for feare of the Swedens neighbourhood and therefore the Bishops of Mentz Triere Cullen Wurtzburg and of Bambrick presently resolved out of their policy to treat for a neutrality pressing so farre as lay in them to bring the King of France and his Majesty of Sweden to pull at each others beards alleadging the Swedens intentions were only to subvert the Catholique Religion and the professours of Popery as he had already as they alleadged persecuted and banished the Churchmen out of Erford Wurtzburg Francford Hickst and out of all other parts where they were whereupon his Majesty of France notwithstanding of his confederacy with the King of Sweden was commoved at his crossing the Rhine fearing he might bring the Catholique League on his side and then turnâ— his Armes against France which suspitions wrought an Ambassage from his Majesty of France towards his Majesty of Sweden for treaty of neutrality betwixt the King of Sweden and the Catholique League which in th' end turned to nothing Where we see that all Potentates and great Kings doe keepe no Confederacy nor League but only so farre as they are helpfull for their owne aimes and designes preferring their benefit before the keeping of their covenants where we see that Kings hand-writings or seales in pactions making tye them no more then as nothing when they finde them prejudiciall to their owne greatnesse and cannot be made to keepe their covenants but with stronger power Then we see here his Majesty of Sweden was nothing moved with the King of France his threatning except he would retire over the Rhine againe seeing he knew his owne ability at that time that being once over the Rhine he could march unto France The consideration whereof made them agree better on secondary conditions having past from the first covenant so that we see there is no dealing with Kings but on equall termes and then are they most reasonable but the example of Kings in this point of their covenants is not to be imitated by any other inferiours for in respect of them though not in respect of God they are privileged persons who cannot be punished for their faults but by God alone And therefore amongst inferiours nothing is to be kept more strict next unto faith unviolated then mens word and promise especially promises betwixt old friends But alas no friendship is permanent seeing many things come betwixt turning it unto hatred and hostility for where love doth not grow the friendship is not durable Likewise here we see his Majesty of France made haste to interpose his request for the weale of the Catholique League shewing himselfe discontented with their usage to make them the more ready to thinke on him before they should any wayes leane in their necessity to the King of Sweden As also we see the policy of the League though in their necessity they seemed to make use of the King of France his friendship yet they would not cast off the house of Austria and King of Spaine their ould friends for the hope they had in their new friend the King of France lest their new friend might disappoint them of their expectations as he did in th' end missing his owne aimes We see also here the Frenches policy in making haste to intercede for the Leagueistes lest the danger might come on himselfe for the King of France hâ—aring the King of Sweden had crossed the Rhine he did not stay to bring his Army together till the League should call for his helpe lest it should be too late but incontinent brought his Army to the Mosell and then sent his Ambassador to Mentâ— to his Majesty of Sweden to treat having his Army at hand which was the only sure way then to get the better conditions knowing the King of Sweden had already too many Irons in the fire Those we see are the best friends that in necessity keepe their paction as the Catholique League did at all times unto the Emperour who otherwise had bin no Emperour neither yet had he bin Emperour had the Evangelists kept together and hazarded their meanes and bloud in defence of the publique cause as the Catholiques did in their greatest necessity once every yeere setting up ever new Armies as one was beaten unto them their wisdome and constancy were so great that presently the next Spring through their power and diligence they had ever another new Army afoote which in th' end made their enemies the Evangelists weary sparing their meanes they suffered in a manner the cause and the publique to be neere lost being since beaten by their owne Armes and meanes seeing they neglected time while as they might employ their meanes to the finall overthrow of their enemies and yet to my knowledge in Germany if they would conjoyne their strengths together constantly against the Papists they are powerfull enough to free all Germany of Popery banishing them over the Alpes from whence they came And I perswade my selfe none that knowes Germany but in his conscience he must confesse this to be truth But when our fellowes in friendship faile us as the Evangelists one after another for a skurvy losse quit the Crowne of Sweden the great Duke of Saxon having left them first breaking his oath and promise in prejudice of the publique peace excluding the Protestants impiously for his owne aimes he did prejudice the Gospell his country and confederates and by his evill example for plaine necessity while a storme should blow over the townes of the upper Circles of the Empire as Strasburg Vlme Nurenberg Francford did accept of an unsetled peace contrary to their mindes in prejudice of the publique losing themselves and the publique for the losse of one day being without their head which first brought them together Here then we see the great difference of friendship in prosperity and in adversity for his Majesty of Sweden being at Francford as a victorious King he had then in his prosperity the conflux of friendship some seeking his protection others his friendship and confederacy others for feare of the dint of his Armes seeking to be Neutrall who before were enemies other Kings and Potentats Republiques and Cities sending their Ambassadours congratulating his successe yea and which was
Lyon of the North the invincible Gustavus who in glory and dignity did farre surpasse all his enemies as is cleered by his former wisdome in Governing his victories and hereby his great care and diligence in preserving his friends from the fury of their enemies exercising his Army within a close Leaguer to handle their Armes well after his owne new discipline being taught to keepe their faces to their enemies in retiring as in advancing never turning backs on their enemies as of old It is also to be admired the great provision this City was provided with being no Sea-towne as of victualls and Amunition where it was reported that they had oates which was distributed to the Army that had bin kept above a hundred yeares and this City was ever from the beginning renowned for their wisdome and policy in counsell more then for their force in Armes from whence did come the Dutch Proverbe that he who had the wit of Nurenberg the money of Vlme the pride of Ausburg with the power of Venice might doe much in this world Here then at Nurenberg as at a safe bay his Majesty like unto a wise Master of a ship perceiving the storme coming on casts out his best Anckers riding out the storme till it blowes over and then finding the Gale to favour him he lanches forth to looke for his enemies For his Majesty knew well when it was time to give a blow as he did know the surest way to ward and hold off a blow and we see here his Majesties counsell was of much worth to the good of the City as his power in Armes so that his very enemies did not only praise his wisdome but oftimes did admire it and as the enemy did strive to starve us his Majesty knew well that such a strong Army as they were in the dogge-dayes lying in the Leaguer in time of so great infection betime would become neere as weake as we were As also his Majesty knowing the evill that is incident to all Armies through idlenesse he pressed to keepe us still in handling and exercising our Armes for he knew well mans nature was like Iron that did rust when it was not used and on the contrary he knew that well exercised Souldiers as he had would desire to fight when Novices as his enemies had would be afraid to stirre out of their Leaguers for oftimes it is not the multitude doth the turne but it is Art begets victory Having spoken in the discharge of this duty of the actions of some worthy personages I minde here to observe somewhat in commemoration of the persons worths that did leade them First then we see that the Spaniard divers times was forced with little credit to retire out of the Paltz and that in respect he never 〈◊〉 faces about in making use of ground Cannon Pike or Musket which proves his retreates to have bin dishonourable and the Leaders to have bin no Souldiers For we presuppose in foure dayes retreat the defender could once have made choise of ground where making use of his Cannon his enemies would be glad they had not advanced so 〈◊〉 but rather that they had suffered them to passe but an enemy once feared never fights well except extremity make him desperate and then it is not safe to deale with him Likewise we see here as they were not all Spaniards that â—â—ed so they were not all Swedens that followed so that we finde there are some good of all Nations but it is certaine that at such times the worth and valour of a Leader is best knowne not only in fighting examplary to others but specially in directing others We see here that the turbulent insurrection of the Boores in Schwabland is soone stilled when they want a head to leade them where we see the giddy-headed multitude doth ever wagge like the bush for though sometimes they grow pale for feare they are so impudent that they never blush at their faults though oftimes they are well corrected for their errors Here also we see the valour and policy of Duke Barnard much to be commended as a prudent Commander in all his enterprizes overcoming more by wit and policy then by dint of Armes For though resolution never failes yet by stratagems he overcomes more then by killing and being victorious he did shew his clemency that another time his enemies might yeeld the sooner unto him seeing he had used these well whom formerly he had subdued and this Cavalier being noble according to his birth he knew that the strength of victory consisteth in the using of it well which made hime ever give the better quarters for as he was noble to make him the more noble he was indued with reason so that he conjoined Nobility with Vertue which made his worth much esteemed of and though he was descended of noble Progenitors yet his minde raised him above his condition he being fit to command Armies and his birth did beget the greatest obedience next unto his Majesty over the whole Army being resolute noble and prudent withall In the former discourse had of the acts of that noble and worthy Cavalier though our enemy Papenhaim his name merits to be inregistred for his valorous courage extraordinary diligence in his expeditions and the fortunate successe that did accompany his valorous conduct at divers times even unto his death This noble Cavalier was so generous that nothing seemed difficult unto him fearing nothing not death it selfe once resolved and as he was valiant so he was most diligent in all his expeditions for while he lived those Armies next unto him were never suffered to sleepe sound which made his Majesty of Sweden esteeme more of him alone then of all the Generalls that served the Emperour wishing one day he might rancounter with him to try his valour whom he honoured so much though his enemy This valorous Captaine after the Battaile of Leipsigh was the first that adventured with a single Convoy to passe through his Majesâ—ies Armies unto the neather Saxon Creitz to put life in the cause being come againe betwixt his Majesty of Sweden and home desirous to gaine credit he delaied no time but on the contrary used all diligence till he got an Army of old Souldiers together out of the Garrisons and then began to take advantage of his enemies catching them unawares like a valiant Captaine and Chieftaine he suffered no grasse to grow where his Army did tread but traversed from one place to another adding and augmenting still to his owne credit but diminishing and substracting from the reputation of other Generalls till he obtained the name and fame of the most valiant and most vigilant Generall that served the Emperour being in effect more furious sometimes in his conduct then requisit for a Generall fearing nothing but the indignation of his Superiour whom he served valianty and truely This kinde of bouldnesse though haply it doth prosper for a time yet sometimes in others it may overwhelme all the
Paltz and Christs Gospell preached and the Sacraments duely administred which I saw and was partaker of singing thankes unto God for their deliverance He it was and none other under God who helped them to their liberties He it was and none other releeved Israell Notwithstanding whereof the unthankfulnesse of the people was so great that with my eares divers times I did heare some of them say he might as wel have stayed in his own country till they had sent for him so great was their unthankfulnesse Likewise they said if he had had much at home he had not come unto them over seas such a farre Iourney Was not this to recompence good with evill Was not this right the chiefe Butlers part that did not remember Ioseph but forgot him Was not this Ioas his part to Iehoida his Father O then this was the poisonable bullet of ingratitude of the people for which our King and Master was taken away Oh would to God the people had never bin so unthankfull that our King Captaine and Master had yet lived Moreover as these people were unthankfull so they were Godlesse many of them in the time of their troubles as I did behould oftimes with mine eyes a carelesse security amongst them thinking their victories were so frequent and their owne power so great they needed not the assistance of the Swedens nor of strangers and their pride was so great that disesteeming of strangers in their pride they led a life very insolent and deboist being given to the workes of the flesh adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse idolatry c. In a word it was even amongst them as it was in the dayes before the flood as if the Lord had forgotten them or could not see their villany so it behooved God to have punished them by his Majesties death For in their hearts they said there was no God so that their mischiefe came on them unawares and this the peoples carriage caused his Majesties untimely death being shot the second time O would to God they had done otherwise and served God more truely that we might have had the presence and conduct of our Magnanimous King longer till the pride of Austria had bin more humbled and the whore of Babylon brought unto repentance of her Idolatries O would to God I could enough lament his death As also lament my owne sinnes and the wickednesse of the people that was the cause of this untimely death through their sinnes And his Majesties selfe also being a sinner as he himselfe oftimes confessed wishing that God would not lay to his charge the greate respect and reverence the best sort of the people did give unto him being but a sinfull man as they were for which he feared the Lord was angry with him shewing by his cōfession he did glory in nothing but in the Lord ascribing ever all his victories unto God and nothing presuming of himselfe For I dare be bould to say he was a man according to Gods minde if there was one on earth Such was our Master Captaine and King As was Abraham the Father of many so was our Master Captaine and King Was Noah in his time unreproveable So was our Master Captaine and King Was Iob in his sufferings patient So was our Master Captaine and King Was Ionathan true and upright in keeping his word So was our Master Captaine and King Was Iehosaphat in his warres penitent and busie craving the helpe of the Lord So was our Master Captaine and King Was Simeon good and full of the spirit So was our Master Captaine and King Was young Tobias mindfull all his dayes of the Lord in his heart and his will not set to sinne So was our Master Captaine and King like unto a stone most precious even like a Iasper cleere as Christall ever and ever And truely if Apelles with his skill in painting and Cicero with his tongue in speaking were both alive and pressed to adde any thing to the perfection of our Master Captaine and King truely the ones best Colours and the others best Words were not able to adde one shaddow to the brightnesse of his Royall Minde and Spirit So that while the world stands our King Captaine and Master cannot be enough praised Alas then it was our sinnes and the sinnes of the Army and the Land was the cause of our punishment in losing of him with that unhappy last bullet of the three shot through his head who was the head of us all under God our Father in Christ that did undoe us it was we I say that sinned against the Lord and his Anointed It was our misdeedes did thus grow over our heads that made us lose our Head and Leader Woe woe then to us that left the Lord till we made the Lord take him from us that was our guard and comforter under God in all our troubles What then ought we to doe that one day we may raigne with him in glory While it is to day we must cast off the workes of darknesse and embrace the light in newnesse of life repenting of the evill and turning away from our wickednesse by repentance not like unto Cain not like unto Saul not like unto Achitophell not like to Iudas Iscariot who all doubted but like those of Nineve in dust and ashes to fast and pray beleeving in the Lord and with David to say We have sinned against thee and against the Heavens be mercifull unto us o Lord like unto Peter let us ô Lord Weepe bitterly let us then repent and beleeve the Gospell beleeve yea and turne to the Lord with all our hearts with fasting and praying and mourning with Saul that said Thou art more righteous then I in shewing me good for evill much more ought we to lift up our voices and with teares of repentance mourne for the losse of our Master Captaine and King through our sinnes and unthankfulnesse Therefore to day while we have time let us acknowledge our sinnes before the Lord and repent lest a worse come unto us and that then we be cast into prison till that we pay the last farthing for if the Lord spared not his owne Sonne who was blamelesse and without sinne while he tooke on him our sinnes what shall then become of us No otherwise but except we turne from our sinnes we must also die the death Let us not then close our eares as at Meriba and at Massa in the wildernesse but with the forlorne Child cry Father we have sinned against thee and against heaven and are not more worthy to be called thy Sonnes Lord therefore be mercifull unto us and enter not into judgment with us Then let us all weare mourning and lament the death of the valiant King Gustavus Adolphus while we breath Yet what helpe Res est irrevocabilis et quod factum est infectum fieri nequit what is done cannot be recalled and should we mourne like unto those who have no hope Farre be it from us seing it