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 battaile in disorder to the furtherance of this victory As also the extraordinary 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 even in the most valorous and valorous men as they feare nothing after resolution so they disdaine nothing entering upon danger Here also the resolution of our horsemen on this service was praise worthy seeing they never loosed a pistoll at the enemy till first they had discharged theirs for the enemy being fierce and furious while as ours were stout and slow the enemy was made weary when ours were fresh which made the enemy being weary and charged with a fresh succour being once set on going they followed hard their victory not giving them time to breath or recollect their forces againe till they were utterly defeated that the night and darkenesse was their best safety For I did observe here that the duty of valiant Commanders is to know not onely the nature of their enemies but also their spirit and wherein they pride them most we ought to make our best use for to deceive and out-shoote them in those same things wherein they delight and trust most unto Likewise this day I did observe that as the inticement to great travell and paines is glory and honour even so courage and constant valour may be attained unto by exercise in warre and frequenting of dangers wherein Souldiers Companies or Briggads are used with and made once familiar with that cruell and vehement horrible and terrible fellow death having seene many dead bodies before and being inured to bloud such Souldiers will stand to it and desire to fight when ignorant Novices as the Saxons were are afraid of death who seeking their safety in flying they were miserably cut downe by their enemies I did likewise observe this day that it is not the multitude doth the turne but under God it is good command good conduct art and skill in handling the weapons of our warfare and in taking the occasions in time that beget victory Therefore he that would labour an Army as Gustavus did he will finde fruite yea even the best that groweth under the Empire good Rhenish and Necker wine not onely for himselfe but for the meanest Souldier and that unto excesse which hath made me sometimes complaine more of the plenty our Souldiers had after this victory through the abuse of it then ever I did before for any penury He is therefore in my opinion farre deceived that thinkes that it is the time or number of yeares that makes a good Souldier no no it is rather the continuall meditation of exercise and practise for Souldiers should be in running not in running away as horsemen ordinarily doe But on the contrary that with the greater force they may be able to invade their enemies as our Briggad did here who seeing the enemy in confusion with their Pikes charged ranne fiercely upon them till they were beaten And surely I doe thinke no man so ignorant but knowes that more come to be good Souldiers by exercise and frequency of danger and use then by nature and he is not a man that will not sweat nor couragious that eschewes danger when hee should fight as our Camerades did the painted Souldiers the Saxons with their plumed Officers which feathers served them I thinke in their flight for tokens rather to cut them downe by than for their safeties Courage should growe by frequencie of danger the onely way in my opinion to feare nothing and then he may be called stout before the maker of a quarrell at home who once drawing a sworde when he knowes of twentie Parters or Redders is there called stout but when he comes abroade to the warres at first the thundering of the
Leaguer Being thus provided to welcome our enemy his Majestie hearing of his enemies neere approach with a strong Armie his Majestie did resolve like a wise Generall to try his enemies courage in the Field before they should come neare to discourage his little Armie And therefore his Majestie commanded out a strong partie of two thousand Musketiers and a thousand horse which partie he did lead himselfe and finding by his intelligence Tillies Armie were advanced so farre as to Wolmerstat his Majestie Aâ—â—e omnia called in unto the Leaguer all the Garrisons which were without on that side of the River whereon the enemy did march and getting good intelligence of the enemies fore-Troopes being foure Regiments of horse the best of Tillies Armie viz. Colonell Harmesteans his Regimenâ— of Curassiers Mounte Cuculies Regiment Holks Regiment of Curassiers and Gerramino his Regiment which were all about fortie two Gornets of Curassters being quartered beside Tangermonde not knowing how neere they were come unto the valiant Gustavus that though a King would not stand on a Ceremony to make the first visit unto such valourous Cavaliers of their worths and to make his Majesties visit the more gracefull though lesse acceptable well I wot he did send the Rhine-grave and Colonell Collenbagh with five hundred Dragoniers and their owne two Regiments of horse to salute them at their quarter in his Majesties name honouring them first with a Salve of Muskets lest they should thinke it discourtesie to have come unto them without sending before which being mis-taken by the enemy the skirmish went on Colonell Harmestean was killed Holke and Coronell Corramine fled so that the enemies fore-Troopes were driven to confusion having lost twenty-nine Cornets the Troopes whereof were defeated and ruined so that our horsemen did make good bootie having gotten horses and a great deale of riches The enemy in this Conflict did lose above a thousand men and his Majesties losse was great also having lost his owne sisters sonne the young Rhinegrave being killed on his first exployt being the seventeenth of Iuly the Cavaliers death was much regrated by his Majestie and the whole Armie but the exployt ended his Majestie did retire towards the Leaguer having left some Officers and Horsemen that had followed in the flight Generall Tilly and Colonell Holke dogging them to their Quarters where both hardly escaped untaken The Swedens disappointed of their onslaught retired after his Majestie to their Leaguer and having put a terror in the enemies Armie by this defeat he did get foure dayes longer continuation to put all things in good Order against their coming during which time the enemy was busied in recollecting of his scattered Troopes and in putting his Armie in good Order forgetting of his revenge His Majestie as soone as he came backe did send incontinent Orders to all the chiefe Officers of the Armie to come instantly to his Tent where being come he asked their advice whether it were best the enemy being strong timely to retire over the Elve or that he should bide their coming before the Leaguer and finding no man to answer him all turning it over upon himselfe being wise knowing that Counsell would be allowed of by a King but according to event But his Majestie perceiving their intentions he resolved to abide 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 Excellence 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
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 counsellours as Nester 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 punishment to wit to lose their heads and their goods also to be confiscate but the law of the Canonists treates more meekely with ravishers suffering them to marry those whom they ravished But the Lord judgeing more severely steeping his rods in viniger ordaines stricter punishment 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 drunke 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 uncleane persons whose delight is in filthy communications for he that will touch 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 shamefac'tnesse nor for the respect she ought to have carried to her fathers house was ravished violated 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 ourcallings eschewing evill company and filthy communitations 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 malediction 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 fix or seaven houres longer than ordinary at the centrie 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 Randezvouz with the foure Companies commanded by me of our Regiment his Majesties intention being to ship at Rubie to fall on the Enemy upon the Isle of Feamer as being too neere in neighbourhood unto Denmarke for preventing of their evill his Majestie resolved to visit them before they should visit his Country and in the extremitie of a bitter frost we were all shipped in open Skouts or Boats where we lay three dayes with contrary winds in the Road very much perplext and troubled with the extremitie of cold weather being hard frost and snow the
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 man could so well establish his condition as that it could not perish if the publique state were hurt But if the publique state did florish he might helpe and mitigate all the misery of all particular persons And the Emperour Antony called the Debonnaire was of that minde when he tooke away the pensions of some pensioners of the publique that did no service saying there was no people more cruell or more villanous then those that did eate up the publique Would to God this magnanimous King had done so with a number of his Commissaries
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 hearing 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 Mentz 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 impionsly 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 unsetied peace contrary to their mindes in prejudice of the publique lofing 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 profperity 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 more and rare to be seene his Majesty of Bohemia in person came unto him to offer him assistance Royall in leavying of an Army for himselfe and was refused as unwilling other Armies should be in Dutchland to be participant of his glory but his owne Where we see Fortunes Favourit laught on by the world but how soone againe Fortune begun to frowne on his successour who having got but one Buffer all men would kill him his friends nomine tenâ—â— aswell as his enemies Where we see cleerely that there is no friend in adversity except it be a friend in Christ who will never forsake or leave us This then is the friendship we should make to league and confederate with our brethren in Christ with whom we have unity in Faith if that we would have our friendship durable and constant others will change as the winde blowes plenty or penury upon us being but temporary friends as many of the Dutch are but our brethren in Christ will never totally leave us no not in our greatest wants and extremity of Fortune Which should make us choose such and to live and dye with such fighting for them and their liberties who will never leave us though death sever us but after death they will prove constant friends to our successours as the Germans did not to the Chancellor of Sweden if they succeede unto us in the true and undoubted Faith And to verifie this I can beare witnesse that though the enemy did keepe our brethren in Christ that were in the Paltz under ten yeares bondage Neverthelesse that bondage nor the tyranny used unto them by their enemies made them never forget their fidelity and love to their King and Prince neither yet could their tyranny make them forsake or renounce their faith in Christ but as they continued true to God so were they faithfull in their love to their King and Master not only to his Majesty but also shewed their love and kindnesse unto us being his Majesties friends whom they knew to be one in faith with themselves And therefore they were ever ready and willing to undergoe alike danger with us against our common enemies as doth witnesse their assistance given to the Scots of Sir Iames Ramseys Regiment having Conjunctis viribus beaten their enemies on divers occasions The Kings Majesty of Sweden though before this time none of the greatest Kings yet in this warre having begun with a little Army of ten thousand strong in three yeares time he grew so great that he was carelesse of the threatning of the great King of France having entertained then in readinesse foure Armies at once his owne which he led himselfe under which I was still The Felt-marshall Gustavus Hornes Armie Generall Totts Army on the Wazer and the Marquesse of Hamiltons Army with whom Banier was joyned on the Elve These foure Armies his Majesty commanded alike and at one time having the Emperour the King of Spaine the Catholique League and the Duke of Bavier his enemies And though the Duke of Saxon had an Army apart yet his Majestie would not suffer the King of Bohemia the Duke of Lunenburg the Landgrave of Hessen nor the Dukes of Wymar to lead Armies in Dutchland but as Subalternes to his Command And I thinke he had reason for if his Majestie of Bohemia had had an Armie in the fields it behooved the Swedens to have beene subalterne to the Dutch and Scots who were then strong in the fields in commanding strangers as they did their owne Country-men Notwithstanding of all these forces led and commanded by his Majestie of Sweden we see that the Empire is like a depth without a bottome that cannot be sounded For
an immortall Crowne after death for fighting well the Battells of the Lord As his Majesty went about his enemies with wisdome and courage so Walesline went about his with craft and policy casting a ditch before our forces to fall in which was made the buriall place of his owne Souldiers being fallen in the ditch they had prepared for others I confesse there is nothing more commodious in warre then to deceive an enemy and oftimes through deceit men obtaine victory yet the wisdome of Gustavus seasoned with infinite courage could not be trapped with a Fowlers grinne but brake through it with the assistance of God till he was victorious over his crafty enemies This Magnanimous King for his valour might have bin well called the Magnifique King and holden for such who while as he once saw appearance of the losse of the day seeing some forces beaten backe and some flying he valorously did charge in the middest of his enemies with hand and voice though thrice shot sustained the fight doing alike the duty of a Souldier and of a King till with the losse of his owne life he did restore the victory to his eternall credit he died standing serving the publique Pro Deo et Religionetuenda and receiving three Bullets one in the body one in the Arme and the third in the head he most willingly gave up the Ghost being all his life time a King that feared God and walked uprightly in his calling and as he lived Christianly so he died most happily in the defence of the truth and to witnesse all this was true I could take Heaven and Earth Sun and Moone mineralls c. to witnesse that his Colours ever florished and spred in the name of the Lord and that his confidence was not set on the Arme of man though he was a warriour from his youth up he was the Captaine over Iraell whose fingers the Lord taught to fight and to leade his people He had the heart of a Lyon that by Gods helpe had done such things that those that had seene and heard it as I did must needs have faid that it was the Lord that did it and not he being it was the Lords worke But our adversaries and their damned crew of Iesuits and Monkes will say that it was their power and might and the goodnesse of their cause that made his Royall Maiesty to fall But we may say with Salomon in the twenty-eighth of the Proverbs and twenty-one verse It was for the sinnes of the Land and our sinnes that he was taken from amongst us and from those poor Cavaliers that did follow him for his Maiestics love and the love of the cause He was shot with three Bullets dead with the last for our sinnes and the sinnes of the Land And what he did before his death for the liberty of Dutch-land and freedome of the Gospell none but knowes it he left his owne Kingdome to bring strangers to freedome in theirs he set light by his owne life for Dutch-land that they might keepe theirs he waked and cared day and night for them as a father for his children that at last he might bring peace for them to sleepe sound he brought the keyes and opened their Church doores that were closed up by the Antichristian Idolaters that the Devills doctrine was banished againe out of 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 Ichoida 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 seared 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