That mad League of the Pope the Emperour and the Kings of France and Spain would have invaded any other State but theirs so much amazement did it strike into those Areopages who yet by their rare industry were able to untangle this fatal conjuncture and save their Common-wealth from the shipwrack wherewith she was much threatned In fine after that peace which they had made with the Turk and which followed close upon the glorious Battel but with small fruit of Lepante they finished that Age and began this present in good intelligence with their Neighbours The King of Spain enjoyes in Italy the kingdomes of Naples and Sicily and the Duchy of Milan upon which States the French have also their pretentions which often cause frequent warres between the two Crownes whereof we shall speak towards the end of this Treatise in the revolution of those last tumults The Grand Duke of Tuskany the Dukes of Mantua and Parma keep their Seates in peace and the Common-wealth of Genoa hers tyed fast for her profit to the interests of Spain Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy a Prince as subtle as inconstant but yet unlucky enough for having seized upon the Marquisat of Salluces found himself forced to put on his harnesse and to leave his rest in the first year of this age as we shall hereafter shew neither his journey to Paris nor all the politick craft he could use being able to warrant him from this check The Dukes of Savoy are very potent and often seen to make the skale hang towards that Crown to which they leane France seeks their friendship to have the gate open into Italy in the intrigues whereof she finds her self passionately concerned Lorraine was governed by Duke Charles a milde Prince who still complained of the wrong which the enemies of the League whereof the Princes of that house were the chief had made him suffer This Province which divides Germany from France is very fruitfull and takes her name from the Emperour Lotarius and her Princes their Descent from Charlemagne They have alwayes been great Warriers and Godfree of Bouillon through zeal of piety went and conquered the Holy Land The Dukes of Lorraine for interest of State keep good correspondence with their Neighbours and the last misfortune which happened in this Duchy was caused rather by the decline of the Emperours Affayres and the ambition of him who thought all lawfull to him then by the fault of the Prince who could not shelter himself from that storme which had already shivered both Masts Sayles and Helme These States aforesaid in regard they never knew any Religion but that of Rome suffer not any other so much as to bud or spring there and if peradventure there be any one found in Lorraine who hath embraced the Protestant Religion he retires himself to Metz or Geneva and they of the Country of Luxenbourgh to Sedan Diversity of Religions parts humours gives desire of motion to such as are ambitious and makes a Prince very little loved by them who are not of the same opinion We have already gone round about Europe therefore let us now enter into the middle and speak of those great Monarchies which by their motions have shaken all other States as being governed according to the influences thereof and accommodating their interests to the ballance of their greatnesse For since Warre hath been declared between Spain and France very few Princes have stood Neutrall some having joyned their forces to the party most necessary for them and some others though but spectators have not yet forborne to poise more to the one side then the other But none have been willing to have either of these Crowns suppressed by the other for the apprehension and fear wherein they all are of a Generall Monarchy CHAP. IX The jealousies between the two Crownes and why The House of Burgundy NOw to get entire knowledge of the interests of these two Crownes of the Causes which so often arm them to the great detriment of Christendom and the apprehensions which they give of aspiring to a general Monarchy though by unequall and different wayes we must goe up to the source and so come quickly down again drawing from thence a true explanation for our subject which we will follow as our guide to the end of our Course France being delivered from the warres with England and wholly restored to her self as well by the help of forren as the help of her Neighbours and even the very Spaniards themselves with whom she had a close friendship at that time Having I say shaken off the yoke of the English who were expelled from Guyenne and Normandy she became the most puissant Monarchy of Europe King Charles the 8 th went to feaze upon the kingdom of Naples which was no sooner got then lost by his departure thence Lewis the twelfth having made an Alliance with Ferdinand of Castile for the recovery of the kingdom enters Italy surprises Milan and the unjust usurper Sforce and so retakes the said kingdome of Naples But it sometimes happens that the sharing of stakes makes friends foes for these Allyes fell to oddes and Consalve having in many Encounters routed the French setled the kingdome upon the Castilians and the power and reputation of the Spaniards encreased much by the valour of the great Captain The first reason of the hatred between the Spaniards and the French Francis the first having broken the Swissers in a great Battail easily made himsel Master of the Duke dome of Milan and consequently of the kingdom of Naples But Fortune smiled upon the French only to betray them For she suddenly turned to the Spaniards who took King Francis prisoner and established themselves in the said kingdome and in the State of Milan Now from hence proceeded the hatred between the two Nations which hath since been augmented according to occurrences of State-jealousies and other considerable accidents whereof we will here give a short hint The second reason But there is a second and a more pregnant reason for which not only France but the neighbouring States also have conceived apprehensions of jealousies which is that of the Union of Spain by marriage with the houses of Austria and Burgundy and the latter of these began thus Philip de Valois none to John the sixth King of France for having well defended his Father in a Battail against the English was by marriage made Duke of Burgundy and Prince of the Low-countries and John his sonne succeeded him not onely in all the Provinces of his Parents but in the hatred also which he bore to the House of Orleans Now this young Prince going with a great force of the Nobility of France and the Low-countries into Hungary against the Turk fell into the hands of Bajazet who would have caused him to be beheaded as well as the rest of the prisoners had he not been advised to put him to a Ransom and send him home and this because it was
departure the States were advised by the Kings of England and France with both whom they had made a most streight Allyauce for the maintaining of the Peace in case it were concluded to renew the Treaty of a Truce And to this effect it was again taken into deliberation by the said Embassadours at Antwerp in the moneth of March The Treaty renewed at Antwerp whether the States likewise sent their Deputies namely Count William of Naffaw and the Lord of Brederode the â—5 of the same moneth and they concluded a Truce for twelve yeares upon the ninth of April 1609 which caused great rejoycing every where as well amongst the Neighbours as the Parties themselves concerned Truce made and the Embassadours were regaled and honoured with great presents During this Treaty many libels were made and dispersed some with reasons to countermine this sweet Peace and others to advance it Birds of mischief seck the dark and like Owlas blame the light as hurtfull and discovering their actions And so their fluttering was despised And here we see the end of this war for a while which sprung up at the beginning of the reign of King Philip the second and that upon divers pretexts as namely that of liberty of conscience and priviledges and under various Governours of different humours fomented by ambition Religion and diffidence under the Princess of Parma the Duke of Alva Don Lewis Don Iohn of Austria on the one side and Prince William and the States-Generall on the other the latter whereof made a strong union amongst themselves at Vtrick the Articles of which namely for the free exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion have been much altered They formed their Common-Wealth under the Arch-Duke Matthias and the Duke of Alanson under the Prince of Parma they begged the assistance of the King of France and the Queen of England They continued the Warre with much success against Count Mansfeld and Cardinall Andrew They repaired what was amiss in their Republick by the factions which arose under the Earl of Leicester They valiantly defended themselves against the Arch-Duke Albert and the Brave Spinola even till the very publication of the Truce We will now stay awhile and repose our selves in the rest of the Low-countries which we so much desired as being the part where the War was so long time carried on with so much expense and no lesse industry then good discipline though it were often disturbed by the frequent mutinies of the Spaniards for want of pay from whence the Confederares knew how to draw most considerable advantages CHAP. IX The State of France The King goes to Sedan Troubles in Austria and Bohemia A Conjuration discovered in Spain and the Mores banished thence THe hast we had to see an interruption of the misfortunes wherewith the Belgick * The Low-countries Lion had been tormented above fifty years together and his roaring heard throughout the whole Universe to the astonishment of all the greatest States of the world made us slight the reasons of them who partly out of hatred to the House of Austria and partly for the Roman Catholick Faith the utter abolition whereof they passionately desired endeavoured to hinder the Truce We will therefore turn back a little towards France which flourished now as if there had never been any warres at all Courtesie the essential vertue of that Nation together with the Beauty Bounty and Fertility of this kingdome founded upon most excellent Lawes fine Sciences and laudable Exercises attracted the Nobility of all Europe thither as to a School of vertue and glory In effect there was no remarkable Commotion able to give any apprehension or disturbance to the Publick Rest For the Warre of Savoy and the conspiracy of the Marshall Biron were almost as foon smoothered as known It was a kind of Terrestrial Paradise where they who were enemies about the difference of Doctrines lived in friendship by the authority of their Master who maintained peace both abroad The death of Charles Duke of Lorraine and at home Charles Duke of Lorraine a Prince loaden with age adorned with singular vertue and piety lest his Sonne Henry his Heyre to retire himself to the Coelestiall lerusalem in the yeare 1608. The King of France goes to Sedan with an Army In brief the fruits of Peace were most delicious when the King suddenly raised a great Army and conducted it to Sedan For there were some misunderstandings between him and the Duke of Boüillon which were taken away by the intercession of the forrain Embassadours However this Cavalcada gave no small jealousie to the Spaniards who found themselves obliged thereby to put strong Garrisons through all the country of Luxemburgh and the Confederates reaped great profit from it For it made men believe that it was but a fiction or rather a prelude of that huge preparation which we shall shortly relate However much talke there was of it and great indagation into the reasons thereof by men of curiosity The Duke of Boüillon feeling the pulse of the Protestant Princes his neighbours judged it not necessary to draw blood yet and that which was differred shall be found in sit time LEWIS THE XIIII KING OF FRANCE AND NAVARR Now these divisions between Brothers and Cousin-Germans of the same House were taken by such as meddle not a little to pick out the actions thereof but for artifices or tricks and men said it was the only right way to preserve Hungary Moravia Bohemia and other Provinces depending upon the said kingdome from falling into the hazard of a new Election A conjecture grounded upon probabilities of consideration enough Spain in the mean while looked not only upon the troubles of the Low-countries and means to bring them to an end but she had likewise a particular care to steer her Indian Fleets into a good Port For as for the rest there had in some years passed nothing which could disturb the tranquility of that kingdom But in the year 1609. there was discovered a Conjuration which had it taken effect would have involved it in a totall ruin supplanted Christian Religion and reduced the King to fly for Sanctuary elsewhere But the greatest storms are those which often do least hurt and are diverted by slight causes Yea a gentle rain often allayes the most furious windes The Mores implored the assistance of the Grand Signior The Conjuration of the Mores discovered in Spain and other Mahometan Princes the Doctrine of whom they followed in effect though in apparence Christians and they had also for a long time been heaping up Arms and with the slight succour of twenty thousand men they being already at the least a hundred thousand in Spain combatants they promised themselves to bring all Spain under their subjection But being detected They are banished into Africa the King of France having refused them his ayde they were all embarked in the kingdom of Valencia and transported into Barbary by the Kings
King of Poland going into Spain to be Vice-Roy of Portugal was beaten by a tempest into a Port of Province where being stayed prisoner and conducted to Paris he was detained a very long time there and not enlarged till after many reiterated Embassyes from the King and Common-wealth of Poland Charles Prince Palatin having in England received the news of Duke Bernards deceaseâ— and conferred with the King and the Spanish Embassadour there departed secretly and passed through France to winne the favour of that Orphan-Army and take possession of Brisack but he was discovered at Moâ—â—lins in the district of Burbon and carried prisoner to the Bois de Vincennes The Duke of Lorraine fought very unhappily against Monsieur du Hallier saw himself quickly stripped of the rest of his States and his poor subjects very ill treated The distressed Burgundians had also their share of the mischiefs of war and sufficient cause to repent themselves of having refused the Troops offered them by Galasso The Spanish Fleet beaten in the Downes 1639. We will finish this year with the huge victory which the Hollanders got of the great Spanish Armada or Navie upon the Coast of England which was almost all burnt and ruined the twenty one of September 1639. and a good number of ships carried into Holland The account of the dead and wounded men was very great and Spain resented this wound a long time by the dispeopling of her Inhabitants It hath not yet been known upon what design this Navie came into the North and all the discourses which have been held thereof have been founded but upon simple conjectures A Revolt in Normandy and in Pâ—â—ou The Normans fell into Commotions and seditions which quite ruined their Province The people were so oppressed by Gabells and Taxes that they had nothing left them but their miserable lives and those full of despaire too To what purpose is it to take some Townes upon the Fronteers of their enemies if it be done with the blood and ruine of the poor people I would take Towns enow saida certain great Warrier but they would cost my subjects too dear I desire to winne them not to buy them In fine not being able to support so many exactions they took Arms under the conduct of a certain Jean Vanuds-pâ—eds in English â—ohn Goe bare-foot At first they were despised and slighted but finding favour credit and intelligence it was needfull to send forces to defeat them which was done and Generall Gassion entring into Rouen disarmed the Inhahitanâ—s and used them as if it had been a Town taken upon the Spaniards without carrying respect so much as to that Illustrions Company some whereof he ignominiously casheâ—red Oh Times Oh manners If the reverence which we ought to bear to Justice be taken away in what esteem think you can the Lawes be The Inhabitants of Caen had almost the same treatment The revolt of the Croquans in Boiâ—oâ—â— had no better issue and all such as would endeavour to check this Great Cardinals authority made ship-wrack of both body and goods It was not lawfull to complain for that blinde Goddess had perhaps taken up her lodging in the head of this great Minister who could not faile It is said of the French that they Ride and not faile In effect were their potency so great upon the one of these Elements as it is upon the other and they as prudent to preserve as they are generous to atchieve they might openly pretend to an universal Monarchy For they have manifested in these last wars that they know how to correct their defects and that they can as well defeat Navies at Sea as Hosts ashore and Monsieur de Brezè with the Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux shewed no less address and dexterity in the conduct of his Vessels then he had done in that of the Army which he led into Brabans so that work was every where cut our for the King of Spaines Subjects CHAP. X The revolt of Catalunia and Portugal The taking of Arras The Spaniards beaten beaten before Cazal The Hollanders beaten before Hulst THe House of Austria was not enough afflicted yet by so many losses and so many Plots and Treasons but she must be yet more tottered by other disasters and rebellions Spain was indeed within her singers breadth of destruction by the revolts which are yet in durance and which it was believed would make her loose the Low-Countries and her States in Italy But as a great Oak agitated by the windes resists strongly and raises it self up against them just so does this House which men labour in vain to overthrow For there are too many Allyes to maintain her It is in the deepest misfortunes that she shewes least apprehension and in the most imminent dangers that she makes her valour known This year of 1640 was almost fatall to her by the defection of Catalunia Portugal and part of the Indies the loss of Arras and the unhappy success of her Arms in Italy besides the approach of the Swedish war to the bank of the Danub Let us take notice in due order as much as brevity will permit us of the motives of these stirres King Philip the fourth who now reignes in Spain being a milde Prince and a little more addicted to his pleasures then the state of his affaires required left the administration thereof to the Count of Olivares who as changes grow not without a cause rendred himself odious to almost all his Masters Subjects yea and complaints came of him even from the Low-Countries themselves besides that the Grandies who ordinarily pry upon all occasions to get themselves rid of a potent Minister so well fomented the grievances of the people that they brought them to open revolt upon these pretexts He had great forces of Spaniards and Walloons in Catalunia ordered to guard that Province against the invasion of the French But Rule and Discipline was not so exactly kept but that the licentiousness of the souldiers made the Inhabitants murmur who suddenly rising up in Arms slew their Guests and beat such as came to revenge the sedition Yea upon Corpus Christs-day it self The revolt of the Cataluniaâ—s 1640. they cruelly murthered their Governour With a mutinous people there is nothing sacred no more then there is reason The King was not able to stop this torrent by mildness and clemency and so since the Sluce was broaken the water must be let run For the very Bishops and Priests themselves wore plain Incendiaries and Don Ioseph of Margarita with some other great persons made them subtract themselves from the obedience of their Prince to embrace the protection of France A certain great Politician of this Age discoursing one day upon this matter said that the Catalunian took Armes for their Priviledges and to be succoured by a Nation which made profession of observing none at all The Marshall of Schoonbergh desirous to advantage himselt by this occasion offered them his forces and obliged
the most probable judgement is that he was commanded not to advance unlesse the League were first concluded upon the the same terms that it was between the French and the Swedes which it was conceived that the Danes could not refuse in regard that the Emperour came to extinguish the fire amongst them whilest he left it burning at home and for that being leagued together they might restore things to the same stare wherein they were before the warre especially since the interest of that kingdom apart seemed to require it thereby to dessen and abase the Swedish potencie King Christian deceived These reasons were strong and inclined the King to the match but he was not absolute and so the Dunkerkers came not the Imperialists returned and left the business to be mannaged by the Danes themselves who were sufficiently penitent when they heard that their Fleet was beaten by the Swedes to wit six as fair and stately ships as could be made taken and two fired And then the Treaty of peace went slowly and feebly on and La Tuillerie was not so hot as before For much of that which was granted before was now taken off and the King being of a different sense from the States reproached them with the disorder of the kingdom and told them that they were the cause of the ill successe of affaires The Swedes promised themselves no lesse then the Conquest of the whole kingdom since the principal strength thereof which consisted in the ships was very much maimed But the Kings vertue overpowring all his misfortunes he reassembled his whole Fleet before Copenbaghen to preserve the Isle of Zeland made the Peasants work upon the approaches and placed a good Guard to hinder ther the Descent or Disembarkment of the Swedes there which they were every minut projecting The Hollanders who have as much care of their interest as any Prince or Common-wealth in Christendome and who could not suffer the Swedes to be so puissant without betraying them and being morcover satisfied for some affronts which they pretended to have been done them as well in the Sound The Fleet of Holland before Copenhaghen as elsewhere and moved to compassion if there be any in matter of State by the troubles which this old Prince endured sent a Fleet under the conduct of Admiral Witteson who anchored before Copenhaghen and landed the Embassadours of the said Common-wealth The King conceiving this said Fleet to be come to assist his enemies was ready to defend self but the Embassadours moved him to a Peace and resumed the heat which La Tuillerie had left But the Swedes hoping to grow Masters of the whole kingdom and thereby continue the War in Germany the better would not hearken to it till seeing the said Embassadours so much in earnest and interest they suffered themselves willingly to be induced to it The peace madâ— In fine the Peace was concluded to the advantage of the Danes who renounced some Islands gave up some good Holds and King Christian being restored to rest and quiet died like a very good Christian some time after having reigned above fifty yeares He manifested by his death that the Prophecie was false and that Astrologers are men who very often abuse themselves by abusing others There was nothing remarkable in this war by land for the Danes but the generous resistance of the Garrison of Rensburgh which constrained the Swedes to quit that long Siege and the Enterprise of Bromorfund which issued happily for them CHAP. XVI Galasso retires out of Holstein Is ruined by Torstenson neare Magdeburgh The Battell of Lankewits The exploits of the French in Alsatia under the conduct of the Duke of Anguien The taking of Philipsburgh POsterity will not be able to comprehend how the Swedes could make warre in so many parts of the world and from whence they got so many men because though the Kingdom of Sweden be very great yet it is very desert and dispeopled in such sort as that in all these warres there never came sixty thousand men from thence by the confession of one of the Grandies of that nation it self I answer that two Reasons furnished them with so many and so strong Armies The former that almost all the Protestants leagued themselves with them like the Ivie to the tree and most of them believed that in the ruine of the Swedes was included that of all the Lutherans And the latter because Fortune being favourable to them favour turned also towards them principally in regard of plunder It is most certain that in Horus Army there were many women in the habit of men who like so many Amazons performed the actions of brave souldiers so much was the courage of this generous Nation inflamed by prosperity But let us go seek the Armies again Galasso ruined near Magdeburgh Galasso pitched his Camp near Magdeburgh and Torstenson a little above him who so much ruined him by famin rather then by skirmishes that he returned with very few men into Bohemia and his Charge whereof he had very ill acquitted himself was taken from him Coninxmarck one of the most prosperous and dexterous Captains of this Age Coninxmarck in the country of Bremen and another Papenheim in the Swedish Party after having defcated General Enkefurt returned into the Bishoprick of Bremer took Staden Boxtehawdt and all the Country whilest Torstenson marched into Bohemia Who could have believed but that after so great successe as accompanied the Bavarians and the departure of Torstenson with the chief forces the Imperialists would have every where redressed affaires We must confesse what we cannot deny which is that God clearly shewes his power by the disposal of several Governments For it was in vain that they blocked up Ohnitz in Moravia took Wolow in Silesia and made Ragosky some resistance However they put their Army on foot under the Orders of the Generals Goetz Hatzfeldt and other brave Officers to whom Iohn de Werdt joyned with sour thousand men The Battel of Lankow Inbtief a Batrail was given which was a long time ambiguous victory inclining sometimes to one side and sometimes to another General Goetz was slain in the beginning and Iohn de Werdt made so close an impression that he forced the Swades to retyre in confusion The Imperialists thinking the Day was theirs cast themselves according to their custom upon the Baggage where Generall Torstensons wife was who letting them alone awhile fell upon them at length with his reserve and put them all to flight He surprized them loaden with booty charged them off their horses easily routed them and went fighting with them above four Leagues long Unhappy for the Imperialists the 6. of March 1645. This was a most sensible defeat to the Imperial Party for it lest Bohemia as a prey and opened the passage into Morayin and the Empetours Hereditary lands as far as the Danub There were about three thousand killed upon the place four thousand prisoners
fatal to the French as Casal had been to the Spaniards nor was all that great preparation both of men The Prince of Comde in Catalunia and money able to save him from it For thinking to overcome a Place which had in vaine been attacked by two so great Warriers he besieged it whilest Harcourt was at Paris in great esteem where his vertue had already so far triumphed over all such as envyed him as that nothing was wanting but the issue of this Siege The King of Sweden when he was going to give the brave Count of Tilly battel was heard to utter these words If Fortune be against me it will not have been any grent affront to me to have lost against a man who hath alwayes been victorious but if she look upon me with a propitions eye what glory will be due to me for having surmounted a Mars who hath been alwayes invincible Besieges Lerida in vaine This young Alexander swolne with Victories continued the Siege but meeting with the same impossibilities the same disbandings and the strong relief which was near at hand he was faine to with draw himselfe from a place which was so disasterous to the French God hath limited Conquests and therefore let him come back into France Leaves the Country where he was reserved for great affairs For the horrible Change which hapned at Neaples the Comedy mingled with blood and the Tragedy interlarded with ridiculous accidents will not suffer us to stay any longer in Catalunia whether the King sent the Marshal of Schoonbergh who by a remarkable felicity repaired these disasters THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I The tumu'ts at Naples begun by Thomaso Aniello and why The History of Conradine Prince of Swaveland His death The Sicilian Vespers or Even-Songs The History of Catenesa and of the Tragedies which happened at Naples PEace is an effect of Gods Grace and War another of his just Choler For since Charity is grown cold Faith almost dead and the wickednesse of man universall we must not wonder if the punishment of this present time be extended upon the whole Body of Christendom without exception of Age Sex or Condition But that which is most insupportable is the wicked have the winde in poupe and prosper and as the exhalations are ordinarily drawne from the vapours which offuscate or darken the Sun just so impunity of offences causes this disorder The Kingdom of Naples had been oft enough advertised of a scourge which was prepared for it by that Mountain near it which so often vomited up lumps of fire and sent it snowes of ashes but the Preservatives hindred not the disease The strange accidents happened in the kingdom of Naples in former ages The strange accidents which happened in this kingdom in the twelfth and thirteenth Age make us confesse that wickednesse parricides and perfidies were already known in those times but not so universally as in these For if there were found great vices amongst some great persons there were also found more vertues more piety and a quick and lively Faith in generall through all Christendom But at present Justice is trodden under foot mony does all vertue is made a laughing-stock even by them who boast to have drawn their Origin from it and vice being a la mode or in fashion is esteemed yea many sin rather by example then by inclination in this depraved Age and more to please the vicious then for that they approve of the vice By how much the more the Great ones retyre themselves from the Commons by so much the more do the Commons endeavour to withdraw themselves from their service But let us stay at Naples The infamous death to which Charles of Ainoâ—ü put Frederick Duke of Austria and his young Cousin Couradine the last Duke of the most ancient Imperial House of Swaveland for having sought his own Right which was taken from him by the Pope and given to the said Charles teaches us that this is not the first time that Soveraignes have ended their lives by the hand of an ordinary Executioner and that a good cause hath not alwayes a good issue For the three hundred French Gentlemen who were sacrificed to the spirits of these two Lords and the Torches of the Sicilian Vespers or Even-songs which were extinguished in the blood of the same nation tell us that vengeance hath alwayes been sweet and that it is most dangerous to put an irritated people into fury This Gatenesa from a mean Landress being grown the Nurse of a Prince and afterwards Governess of six Princesses one after another with such an absolute power upon their mindes and chiefly upon that of the last that she grew to dispose of the greatest Charges and Offices of the kingdom and distributed the best part thereof amongst her own children saw her self at last with all her family dragged to the execution Yea a King was hanged at the Grate of a window by consent of his wife and she some years after strangled by a just judgement of the Great Judge These were the miracles or rather the prodigies of those Ages which hapened all in the said kingdom with so many other as make us conclude that usurped possessions seldom pass to the fourth Heyr or else alwayes cause troubles Towards the end of the fourteenth Age this kingdom being revolted from Alfonso of Arragon the States thereof offered the Crown to Charles the eighth King of France who easily got it into his possession and the Neapolitans with the same facility shook off that yoke afterwards for being frustrated of their Charges and recalled the aforesaid Arragonian The French returned thither by the commandment of Lewis the twelfth who ought to share it with Ferdinand of Castill but they could not agree about the spoyles and so Gonsalvo rather by might then right drove them both our It hath been attacked since but not subdued and so remaines to the King of Spain Now the wars being grown hot both in Germany and the Low-Coumtries and the House of Austria finding her self taken to task by so many enemies the State of Neaples was oppressed by so many Imposts or Taxes that that House being strong and vigorous before became so lean and feeble that he could not longer carry so heavy a burthen This mischief began first to operate almost throughout all Sicily where the people constrained the Vice-King to take off the Imposts From thence it passed to Neaples and by that good success made the Ne politans take the same resolution and that by such meanes as you shall forthwith understand The beginning of the troubles at Neaples The tears of the poor peeople the advices and admonitions of some great ones the libells and burning of the Custome-Houses were all able to draw but faint promises of ease without any effect at all Whereupon a certain Fellow of the very dregs of the People who had dyed in the obscurity of his birth had
strong salves and fresh bleedings King Charles of Sweden having crowned himself and renewed the War in Livonie made use of this intestine sedition Sigismund made a brisk opposition as well to him as to the Swedes and Muscovites also whose Empire was then full of factions The siege of Smolensko He besieged Smolensko and after two years siege carried it This was a second Ostend if we consider the length of the siege and the number of the dead which if those authors who gave us the description thereof be worthy of credit amounted to more then twenty thousand men There was another Polish Army imployed to force the head City called Mosco whilest the rest of the Troops got huge victories and took the Yown of Novogrode and the great Duke Suiskie together with his two Brothers prisoners The the great Cham of Tartarie astonished at so many high Victories offered to submit himself to the King of Poland But Sigismond returned and the confederated Muscovites to be payd their Arreares followed him and being satisfied they were a further meanes to get yet more Victories The Muscovites rejell Uladislaus upon the adverse Party In fine the Muscovites tyred and vexed by a forraigne Rule rejecting Vladeslaus whom they had formerly chosen elected a new Emperour and endeavoured to compose their difference with Sigismund but in vain for they were chased away from before Smolensko and payed for their perfidie Now the King of great Britaine being the spectatour and very often the Arbitratour of the Controversies of his Neighbours lived in peace and his subjects of the Romane Catholik Profession were reduced to some discresse upon the discovery of that abominable conspiracy The son in England discovered against him his children and the whole Parliament For it seemed not enough to extend the punishment upon the guilty who received it according to their mâ—rit but all the whole body of them also mast be made feel it It was then that the doctrine of the Iesuites was carped and reviled and their Order brought into horrour through the whole Island as it was in France upon the death of Henry the great though yet they could not be convinced of having any hand in that as they evidently were in this But what shall we say of the English Puritans whom King Iames himself accused of having attempted to stifle him in his Mothers womb I know there are also some who make the Iesuites the cause of the Tragicall death of King Charles so great an aversion hath the contrary party from this Society I neither accuse nor excuse any but onely make a plaine and simple relation of what is passed and blame the rash judgement of such as are too passionate Whilest other Kings were in extream jealousie of their interests King Iames amuses himself with playing the Philosopher and the Divine by composing books of controversies against Cardinall Perronn and Monsieur de Coeffetean Bishop of Marseilles And since he had no warr with any body else he raised one against the Puritans and the Iesuites as making declamations against them both and their Doctrine which he said was most pernicious to the Potentates of Europe Take heed my son sayes he in his Book intitled the Roy all Present of these Puritans meer Plagues both in the Church and state a race not to be obliged by any benefit nor tied by any Oath or promise breathing nothing but seditions and calumnies And a little lower You will not finde amongst any High-way Robbers more ingratitude or more lyes and perjuries then amongst these Fanatick Spirits c. The Duke of Savoy demanded his Daughter Elizabeth for his eldest Son and offered him his for the Prince of Wales but in regard of the difference of Religions it was honourably refused Fate had reserved this Princesse for Prince Frederick Palatine of the Rheyn who arriving in England Frederick Prince Palatine marries Elizabeth Princesse of England married her and carried her to the Palatinat through Holland where they were received and regaled all along their passage being accompanied by Prince Maurice as far as Colein 1614. The never sufficiently lamented death of Henry the great one of the bravest Princes that ever wore the Crown of France was like to put Paris and all France into great tumults for the prevention whereof the Queen-Mother was declared Regent of the Kingdome and Lewis the thirteenth succeeded him at the age of nine yeers being consecrated at Rheims and all this great preparation for war was dissipated either because the Kings design was not known or else to say better because it could not be executed except the reserve of ten thousand men who were sent into the Dutchy of Gulick under the command of Marshal de la Cateres as we have lately expressed Now some time after all these embroiles and perturbations both in Bohemia and Austria were past the Emperour Rodolph either through vexation and trouble or otherwise Death of the Emperour Rodolph the twentieth of January 1612. for death hath alwayes a cause departed out of this fraile life to the immortall one He was son to that good Emperour Maximilian whose steps he followed He was a lover of sciences and chiefly of the Art of Painting He passed his time much in distilling he was fearfull and by consequence little undertaking and little feared by his enemies who knowing his nature did many things to the diminution of the Imperial Authority He died at Pragut in the year 1612. upon the 20 th of Ianuary The Empire had no need of a distillator but rather of a good Operatour to act powerfully against the ill plants which cast forth strong roots both under him and his successour and which have given so much pains and troubles to the Empire CHAP. XIV The Warre between the Danes and Swedes the reasons why Colmar taken Charles dies The Queen-Regent purchases a double Marriage in Spain The Town of Aix or Aquisgrane taken and Newburgh relieved by Spinola Chules Duke of Sudermain and afterwards King of Sweden sends an Embassadour into Holland CHarles Duke of Sudermaine took the Crown away from Sigismund his Nephew and possessed his States quietly enough but there rose a huge warre between him and the King of Denmark who very much disturbed his rest and whereof in his complaint of King Christian he takes the Jesuits for the Authors They are the Atlases who must bear upon their shoulders all kinds of Calummes and Detractions They must swallow down the faults of others He had had many conflicts with the Polanders and had tried the various effects of Fortune But this of Denmark touched him so much to the quick that they two came from complaints to brawles and reproaches and thence to the lye yea and at last to desie one another A strange thing that men disapprove in others what they do themselves Charles a little before had sent an Embassadour to the States-General to beseech them to make a close Allyance
Conspiracies and in fine open seditions The Emperour being busie about the Coronation of his Cousin caused his Embassadours to rebuke the priucipall of them as namely the President Slauata Iarislae Bazite and Philip Platore who without the knowledge or consent of his Imperial Majesty had convocated such an Assembly But they having having by-like forgotten the rank and quality they held or else desiring warre fell upon these persons who were sacred by their Commissions tumbled them down from the top of a Tower through the windowes expelled the Iesuits dismissed the Kings Officers from their charges which was to attack both Church and State and took up arms against all such as should endeavour to impugne this insolent kind of proceeding The Emperour labouring both by Letters and fair Propositions to remedy these disorders was already gone very farre in it and it is likely would have accomplished it had not the despaire of some withdrawne the most moderate persons amongst them from continuing the Work But in the interim Deâ—th of the Emperour Mathias the Emperour died leaving it to Ferdinand to untangle this inrricate and troublesome bottome This Prince had worne the Imperiall Crown about six hundred yeares he had sometime governed the Low-countries though with small authority but as it were only by form and more in title then in effect He was religious and gentle and beloved by all such as loved the peace and quiet of the Empyre Ferdinand elected limperom Now the Electours met at Frankefurt and chose Ferdinand to bear the most illustrious but most painfull burthen of the whole Universe And therefore let us see him go weakly enough accompanied to finish the War of Bohemia the cause and pretexts whereof we have already demonstrated The Bohemians under the Counts de la Tour and Mansfield Natural sonne to Count Ernest so well know in the Low-countries raised very puissant Armies contemn Ferdinands Remonstrances deprive him of the Crown as a Tyrant For such are all they whom powerful factions have a mind to suppresse give out that he was not lawfully Elected and fortify themselves with Alliances and succours On the other side the Pope Italy Spain and Poland will not suffer Ferdinand to perish The beginning of the warre whereof he seemed to be in imminent danger by this tempest without speedy relief for his ship leakes on every side and the wind of this Conjuration will infallibly sink both him and the Catholick Religion with him if he be abandoned by his Allyes The Arch-Duke Albert sends him the Count de Bucquoy attended by the flower of the Walloon and Luxemburgh Gentry Of Bohemia The Bohemians though amazed to see so many potent States interest themselves in the preservation of Ferdinand lose not their courage and resolve to adde politick craft The Wectour Palâ—time chosen by the States of Bohemia to open force They draw to their party the Silesians and Moravians keep their Intelligences in Austria and all Germany present the Crown to the Duke of Saxony and then to the Duke of Bavaria though with visible dissimulation and refusable conditions and last of all to Frederick Prince Palatine who by the advice of some Lords who yet basely deserted him afterwards accepted it Since he had married the Daughter of a King he might very take a Crown which was so freely offered him and so he was Crowned with his Sonne at Prague CHAP. III. The prosecution of the War of Bohemia The battail of Prague Frederick flyes and forsakes the Towne together with his People THus we see the Match made and the Game a playing between Ferdinand and Frederick the House of Austria and the Palatin and the Christians divided For almost all the Roman Catholicks either in inclination or effect espowsed the Party of Ferdinand and all the Reformates and the most zealous Lutherans that of Frederick These after their prayers to God for the defence of the Gospel and those to the same Authour of all good and to all the Saints for that of the Church The King of France was sollicited by both parties but he contented himself with sending thither the Duke of Angoulesme to mediate a reconciliation Let us note here such as declared themselves for King Frederick The united Provinces of the Low-countries by the sollicitation of Prince Maurice who disposed the States to this Alliance contrary to the opinion of Barnavelds who wished them was not to meddle at all with it And it is held that this opposition of Barnaveldts so greatly offended the Prince that he ever afterwards looked upon him as his enemy and so at length it grew to be partly the cause of his fall It is alwayes dangerous to cheok the Grandees and to crack nuts with them Christian Duke of Anholt John Frederick Duke of Winâ—â—â—bergh Maurice Landgrave of Hassia John Ernest Marquis of Ansbach and some Imperial Towns also together with the people of England for the King could never be induced to help his Son in Law alleadging that he had no right to the Crown For Ferdinand besides the aforementioned Allyes were leagued the Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria together with the Ecclesiastical Electours Souldiers were listed every where and the Rendezvous Bohemia the Theater of this fatall warre The principall Heads were the Duke of Bavaria with Monsieur de Tilly his Lieutenant Generall the Count de Bucquoy and Generall Dampiere On the other side the Duke of Anhok the Counts de la Tour and Mansfieldt Now these latter being sooner prepared then the other and having subjugated almost all Bohemia marched into Austria and besieged the Emperour in Vienna Bucquoy hastens thither routs Mansfeldt Vienna besieged Mansfeldt beaten and forces La Tour to raise the siege Dampiere enters the City with the Horse intending to chastise the insolence of the Citizens towards the Emperour their Master who yet vouchsafed to pardon them The Count de la Tour faced about and marched towards the Capitall City of the kingdom to divert the storm which threatened it But in fine after some encounters favourable to the Emperour and the Duke of Bavaria being entered with his Army into Bohemia and having reduced such as were gone astray into the right path of obedience the two Armies met and resolved to finish the disterence by a generall Battail the price and reward whereof was the kingdom of Bohemia Anholt pitched his Camp upon the White Alountain near Prague intrenched himself and performed the charge of a great Captain The Imperialists inflamed by the Remonstrances and Exhortations of Father Dominick a Carmelit Fryer slighted the dangers and difficulties which there were to come to an Onset in regard of the situation The Poles and Wallons began the skirmish which was followed by the whole Army and the Hungarians not able to sustain Prague receives the Conquerours as also all the Kingdom or withstand their attack basely gave ground and disturbed the Orders of the Generals in such sort as that the
Camp being suddenly staggered after the resistance of some Regiments the whole Body fell into confusion and such as could save themselves got into Prague There perished more by water then by the sword and the terrour was so universall that there was no other thought left for the conquered but to flye towards Silesia King Frederick not daring to trust himself in the Places of strength which remained nor yet to his new Subjects neither retired speedily towards Breslaw where entring into conference with the States of the Countrey and finding neither forces nor safety to stay there he put himself upon the way towards Holland This Generall Decision fell out upon the eight of November 1620. the very day upon which was read the Gospel of Give Casar that which is Caesars and God that which is Gods And indeed it was manifested by the Augures or Signes from heaven to whom Godthad determined to give the victory The number of the slain and drowned was very great as being related by some of the most moderate writers to have amounted to six or seven thousand The Conquerours lost but very few of theirs but Count Godfree of Papenheinâ— was found lying amongst the dead so extremely wounded that he could hardly declare his own name But his hour was not yet come as being reserved for exploits which were to fill the whole distent of the world with his glory The number of the prisoners was not equall to that of the dead the City being near enough for the retreat of such as were timely spurred on by fear Prague being abandoned by the principall Heads of the Party remained the price of the Victory The nest was there but the Birds flowne The Duke of Bavaria after this Master-blow retired himself to Munâ—â—ken leaving the Command of his Army to Monsieur de Tilly and the rest of the Businesse to the Conquerours who quickly brought all the Places of the kingdome to the Emperours obedience One and the same cause often produces very different Effects The Bohemians being of the race of them who had defeated so many Armies not only with the sword but even with the very noyse of their names fighting now for the same Cause and upon the same pretexts obtained not the same good issue It is true that those others had to do with people who in respect they had lived long idle in peace had not any knowledge or understanding of armes and these here with men who came out of a School where Mars praesided where the best Lessons were taught and where experience had made them Captaines Let us now return into France CHAP. IV. Warres against the Hugenots and why A new difference between the House of Austria and the Venetians THe Hugenots not being able to digest the reduction of Bearne which was performed more by the venerable luster of the Kings Majesty then by that of the sword which remained unsheathed and fearing to be one day overwhelmed by his good successes through the instigation of their good friends the Jesuits discovered their distrust A second warre against the Hugenots by Assemblies in divers parts of the kingdom and last of all at Rochell where all the Churches met to consult and provide for their Businesse The King being informed that this Generall Convocation of theirs without his knowledge and permission too visibly checked his Authority that that which he had granted them at Londun proved prejudicial to him and that it was to his Grace and not to Arms that they were to have recourse gave them to understand his Royall Will which was that they should separate themselves within a few dayes under pain of the crime of High Treason But in vain They whose courages are so inflamed by the clattering of Arms as to hold it for pleasant musick are not to be terrified by threats They send their Deputies to Paris to make protestation of their fidelity and excuse the necessity of their affaires But the King required nothing but obedience and so he advanced his Troops towards Saumur which was delivered him up by Monsieur de Plessis Saint Iohn d' Angeli after having suffered some Attacks implores the Kings pardon Benjamin Duke of Soubise comes and casts himself at his Royall feet and promises him to wear his sword no more against his service though afterwards he quickly forget that promise The Walls were demolished upon which the choler of Lewis the just was stopped and his elemencie extended upon the Inhabitants This good successe made him resolve to march into Gascony nor did a whit disanimate the Gascons who had determined on the other side to sell their liberty at as dear a rate as they could Many Townes were constrained to humble themselves to the victorious Arms of their Prince The women were often seen most desperately fighting upon the Breach of the Walls and really if the chief of the Party had shewed as much stability as the Common people did zeal the prize had not been gotten so good cheap nor their Republick the foundations whereof they were suspected to have already laid so easily destroyed The prosperity of this vertuous Prince together with the promptitude he used to surprise the Hugenots before they could have meanes to put any considerable forces into the Field facilitated to him that which could not be denied to his justice and since hath declared that his will was to command his Townes and not the consciences of his People for the Hugenots who put all their confidence and security in the fortifications of theirs were at length constrained to rely only upon his Royall Word His exploits against his Subjects of the Reformed Religion are amply described by many Authours and therefore it suffices me to take notice only of the course or Current of them insert the misfortunes briefly follow my way and return with him to Paris there to hear his victories sung by the one and see the displeasure done to the other The siege of Montaubanc The liedge which was laid before Montaubanc a Town of superlative strength at the beginning of Autumne was raised by the great resistance of the Besieged seconded by continuall raine and diseases which much afflicted and diminished the Kings Army not without the losse of many brave men The Dake of Mayenne killed as the Constable de Luynes and the Duke of Mayenne who was lamented most of all Now these two Lords who had most excellently acted their parts upon the Stage or Theater of France and danced a Gig Round most different in cadency to one another as they were of a very contrary humour so had they likewise a very distinct death And in regard that all the most tragical and most memorable accidents which happened are found annexed to their lives we will succinctly passe through them The Castle of Amboise gave the beginning and the Birds laid the foundation of the fortune of Monsieur de Luynes Reletion of the life of the Constalle Luynes His credit glittered
Crosse on the side and the Half-Moone on the other CHAP. VI. The warre of Transylvama The King of Poland treacherously wounded Warre between the Poles and the Turks BEthlem Gabor having made an allyance with Frederick and seeing Ferdinands forces employed in Bohemia began to consider not onely of making a powerfull diversion but also of winning a Crown We have Ambition and we shall also quickly find Religion He raised a great Army under very abstense and farre-fetch'd pretexts thereby to puzzle and baffle such as had power to resist him This man for a fine beginning oppressed Gabriel Batorius his Lord by the assistance of the Turk and so being grown Master of Transylvania and propped by the Ottomans he possessed it in the quality of Prince thereof He made a League with the Archdukes but seeing them entangled in dangerous Wars he pricked up his ears and raised a potent Army to seize upon the Kingdom of Hungarie Convenience moves men to break ally ances as well as necessity and good successe covers the injustice of the Cause or at least urges the doubt that if Right be to be violated it ought to be onely to winne a Crown War of Transylvania In fine he secretly armed took occasion by the fore-lock and cloathed the Lyon with a foxes skin He got possession of Cassovia before the people thought themselves in danger They whose affections he enjoyed were discovered by their Religion The Romane Catholicks and such others also as had any resentment of their duty being frighted some armed Gaber takes Posen and others fled He took Posen under the title of Prince of Hungarie marched to Vienna and joyned with the Confederates to besiege the Town But the Polanders having defeated his Troops which remained in Hungarie Is declared King of Hungarie made him return and mould his businesse after another form so much did he stand in awe of the King of Poland though he went backwards onely to leap the better For he obtained a Truce which he quickly brake proclaimed himself King by them of his Caball entered again into Austria and if Fortune had not turned her back upon the Confederates in Bohemia it is very likely he might fully have accomplished all his pretentions and ruined the said House of Austria it self There is something wanting we rise either too early or too late The Emperour was shut up in the Town and constrained both to hear and suffer the insolency of some seditions Citizens which was repressed by the Count of Dampiere who departed not long after towards Posen with intention to surprize it but he was killed by a Musket bullet Dampiete killed He was by birth a Lorrain had done the Emperour many most considerable services and was much deplored by the whole Patty Bethlem finding this thorn out of his foot and having bought the amity of the Turk with money brake the Truce but his Letters by which he invited the Tartars and wherein he gave them testimonies of what services he would perform to the Grand Signior at the cost of the Empire and all Christendome by allying himself with the Turk being intercepted he disobleiged the prime Lords of Hungarie who cast themselves into the Emperours armes and fell upon Gabors forces and handled them almost as ill as the Polanders had done the year before The Count de Bucquoy in Hungarie Hereupon the Count de Bucquoy entered into Hungarie took many Townes and amongst others Posen it self and the Tartars coming to relieve Gabor were cut in pieces by the Poses under the command of that great Captain Cotqueviets The Emperour had run great hazard of loosing the Kingdome of Hungarie Is killed had not Fortune saved it by the death of the brave Count of Bucquoy who attempting to repulse the Hungarians when they sallyed out of Newhewsel was layd upon the ground with no lesse then sixteen wounds He could not more generously surrender his soul nor finde a more illustrious bed of honour to crown the greatnesse of his actions had not his souldiers so basely forgotten their duty His A my disbands it self and disbanded themselves so ignominiously For they might by carrying the body of this Mars with as much reason have expected to winne Victories as the Spaniards did by that of their Rodrigues but after the losse of their Generall they found themselves without pulse life and motion And so we may easily think how sensible a losse this was to the Emperour and all his family to whom he had rendered so potent services Thus by the death of this one brave Captaine Fortune changed and the Conquered became Conquerours They who before were reduced to a meer feeble and fearfull defensive Warre regained courage and returned to besiege the places which they had lost But Fortune lighter then the winde made Bethlem know how necessary it was for him to make Peace and Ferdinand desirous to remedy so many evils as surrounded him on every side easily suffered himself to be induced to it by his own naturall inclination And so upon the restitution of the Crown and the relinquishment of the Title of King the Peace was made and Arms laid down for a while though Gabor never cast off the desire of moving nor the hatred which he carried to his Lord the Emperour The King ' of Poland hurr Now since we are gotten so neer Poland let us deliver that which hapned there in the year 1620 The King being at Wartsawe where the Diet was held and going into the Church upon the fifteenth of November a Gentleman gave him two blows with a Pole-axe upon the head and another on his shoulder which very much endangered his life But the Parricide received his reward and the King was heard by the standers by with a faint and feeble voice to pronounce these words What said he do the Polanders learne of the French to kill their Kings Let us go hence till we shall first have related the subject for which Osman the Emperour of Turkie with an Armie of above four hundred thousand men attempted to swallow up all this puissant Kingdome which was this The Waywood of Walachia being revolted from the Grand Signior and calling in the Poles to relieve him was attacked by the Tartars and Turks who in the first fight having the worst and in the last the best of the day the Waywode was killed and the Polish Nobility defeated and this Victory so much inflamed the heart of the Great Turk that he shamefully banished the Poland Embassadour from his Court and declared a war upon the King Fortune is the Mistresse of young Princes for by good successes Osmà n attacks Poland she fills them with temerity to destroy them CHAP. VII The warre in the Palatinate Tilly beaten revenges himself and defeates the Marquis of Baden The Bishop of Halberstadt makes himself known in Westphalia and is beaten passes with Mansfeldt through Lorraine and incamps himself before Sedan THe prosperous progresse
the Administratour of Magdeburgh and the Bishop of Bremen subscribed also to it The Emperours forces in the mean while grew strong and Tilly began to smell that under the mask of amity there were some new designes a brewing however they protested that they were doing nothing against the Emperour But he answered that the Embassadours of the States of Holland were not there Tilly in Hastis to thred pearles and that he was sure that nothing was treated to his Masters advantage where they had any credit and consequently for a greater testimony of his diffidence he sent for Wallâ—stain with an Army to come and succour him Causes lye hidden under pretexts drawn from necessity and justice but they are easily discovered by people of the same profession Many Prodigies preceded the fatall warres as Armies fighting in the Ayre raining of Blood great Tempests bearing down Trees Houses and Dammes But that which was by all interpreted for an ill Augure or Token was that the King going one evening to walk upon the Rampars The Prodigies or Walls of the Town of Hamelen to visit the Sentinels his horse stumbled at a plank and threw him into the Mote or Ditch out of which he was drawne two houres after and conceived to be dead for more then three dayes together In the mean while they who laid most to heart the love of their Country and Rest employed all diligence to find a means to reconcile this Difference thereby to divert the misfortune wherein all Lower Saxony was likely to be involved To which effect a Treaty of Peace was held at Brunswick and it was already agreed that the Armies should be licensiated They treat of peace in vain by Regiments to wit that the King should casheer the first Tilly the next and so consecutively by turnes to the end But this Treaty was broken off by ambition and so such advantages as could not be reaped thereby were sought by way of Arms. The Gamester is more willing to hazard another mans money then his own I will note only the principal actions of the warre and content my selfe with saying that it is very probable that the Emperour had a design to make his Authority and Religion flourish afresh in those Countries where there was no more left then a faint and languishing knowledge thereof and The ayne of the League that mingled with coldness contempt and hatred But as for the contrary Party they endeavoured not onely to repell the aforesaid Guest but also by vertue of the Allyance to restore the Prince to his States by force of Arms since it could not be done by intercessions and so in fine deliver all the Princes from the jealousie which was given them by this House puffed up with so many victories The King retyred with his Army as farre as the Bishopprick of Werden and thereby gave the Imperialists opportunity to seaze upon many places But Fortune varied at Niemburgh from which Town after the losse of a very great number of their men they were constrained to retreat though yet the said losse were repayred shortly after by the taking of Calembergh and the defeating of some companies of Dragoons Tilly followes the River of Weser and Wallenstein that of the Elbe Wallenstein followed the River of Elbe and Tilly that of Weser who having occupated the Bishopprick of Hall entred the Dutchy of Anholt and fortified the Bridge of Dassaw Mansfeldt attacked this Fort and being repulsed joyned with the Administratour of Hall to besiege that Town Wallenstein hastened thither so they fell to work and the Fight as well through the valour of the souldiers as the experience of the Generals was long time dubious enough but at last the Horse giving ground the Foot found themselves reduced to the necessity of doing the same and such as could not save themselves by flight were either killed or taken Mansfeldt beaten near the bridge of Dassaw In this memorable Battell at the Bridge of Dassaw all Mansfeldts glory was buried howsoever he lost not his courage by so furious an overthrow but having gotten on foot a fresh Army of sixteen thousand men for Germany and the Septemtrion were yet full of brave Souldiers he drew towards Silesia took in some places passed thence into Transylvania where he gave up his Army to the Duke of Wimar and accompanied by some of his principall Officers put himself in the way towards Venice but a Dysentery or Bloody Flux or rather according to the opinion of some a Potion stopped the course of his journey His death designes and life altogether and delivered the Emperour from a troublesome Enemy and the Duke of Wimar also a short space after followed him not to Venice but to the other world Thus ended the life of this famous General who had been fortunate enough in raising Armies but not in fighting Battels Wallenstine having stifled the War of Transylvania marched back into Silesia dissipated Wimars Troops and retook the occupated places And Baudis and Holck being sent to joyne with the said Duke were cut off by Merode and Beckman So that Wallenstein having put an end to all their disorders returned towards Brunswick Tilly being intent upon the occasions of hurting his enemies went and unexpectedly attacked a Quarter commanded by that Valiant Souldier Obertrawt who together with one of the Dukes of Anholt and some hundreds of Souldiers Obertrawt killed was slaine in this encounter and when Tilly went to visit and comfort him he answered him Monsieur de Tilly in such waters are taken such fish Now the King finding himself in great danger by the losse of Mansfeldt and the Bishop of Halberstadt who died at the same time at Wolfenbottel after he had vomited up a Worm of about four ells long did not yet lose his courage The death of the Bishop of Halbersiadt Nature shews her strength in despair and Vertue hers in extremity He saw two Armies upon his skirts to be opposed by him and therefore he resolved to attack the one of them being more inflamed to vengeance by the losse of Munden which he slighted and the furious blow which was given his Cavalrie by Count Furstembergh But he was a little too tardy in going to drive Tilly from the siege of Gothing Besides that he stayed at Luther against the advice of his Lieutenant Generall Fucks and Tilly thereby to make himself as glorious as Wallenstein desired nothing more earnestly then to slight I fine the Battell was given with so much obstinacie that the old Bands which had been accustomed to vanquish Battell of Luther the twenty seventh of August 1626. began almost to stagger towards flight but their time was not yet come and the puissant Gemus of their Generall had a great advantage upon that of the King who perceiving his Horse fly and not being able either by his presence or exhortations to detaine them was compelled to abandon his Foot to the mercy of
above the tenth part left so much were they wasted with hunger rendered themselves into the hands of their King Rochell being starved yields who took them into his mercy and granted them the free exercise of their Religion but he discharged his just choler upon the Bastions and Works which he caused to be thrown down Never had the Hughenots a more sensible losse then this nor ever had the Catholicks a more gratefull Victorie Nor was the Cardinall without his share thereof the French every where singing his praises raising him to Heaven making him their Angel Guardian and even a God upon earth But this love was quickly changed and this second Tiberius made them feel that he was a Fox and governed himself meerly by the Maxims of Machiavell CHAP. III. The prosecution of the Warre of Denmark unfortunate to the Danes Wallenstein in vain besieges Stralsund The Peace made Tilly passes the Elbe SInce we have left Tilly near the Elbe let us march on with him and see what resistance he findes The terrour was so universal that every body fled yea the souldiers themselves forsook their Canon Forts Arms and Baggage at the very name of this great General Only the Marquis of Dourlac presumed to face about but the Count of Slick quickly made him turn his back and stick to his heels The number of the Gunnes and Colours much illustrated this victory There were no more left Dourlac Calembergh and Nell are beaten then the Generals Calembergh and Nell who being found intrenched were invested by the said Slick and having no hope at all of succour yeelded themselves to him Three thousand horse and two Regiments of Foot took part with the Conquerors But the Generals having gotten possession of Holstein and Iutland there remained yet some Townes to be subdued so that it was necessary to divide the forces to accomplish the work Papenheim was before Wolfenbottel which after it been long blocked up opened him the Gates Nerbrot defeated by Anholt There chanced yer another misfortune in the Countrey of Bremen which drove the Allyes quite out of the Field and it was that General Nerbrot was attacked and without scarce having fought for it utterly routed by Anholt so great power had fear upon such as were staggered by the puissant Genius of victorious Tilly and the souldiers being deserted by their General forgot their duty and embraced that party to which Fortune most inclined What strange felicity had this man yea even higher then that of Iulius Caesar himself since he could more clearly and truly say I came I saw and I overcame Townes besieged by the Imperialists The Armies finding now no more Armies to combat were employed about the taking of Towns by the resistance whereof many souldiers and much time was lost and leasure given the King to fortify himself in the Isles of Funds and Zeland Stade after a huge opposition yeelded to Tilly and Newburgh to the Duke of Brunswick The Imperialists attempted severall times to passe to the Islands but were repulsed with losse God had put bounds to their victories and would not suffer this generous Prince to be quite dispoyled of his kingdom The Conquerors in Meckelenburgh The Dukes of Meckelenburgh took part with the King for Fate it seems would needs involve them in the same disasters But at the arrivall of the Imperial Troops all gave way all stooped the Towns opened their Gates to receive Garrisons and their purses to sweeten the insolencies of the victorious souldiers A hard condition for that poor people who had so long enjoyed the sweet fruits of Peace But who can resist against the cruel lot of Destiny Having recovered some ships they tryed for the last time to passe and re-invest the poor King but were soundly cudgelled and compelled to make towards Pomerama which was already conquered except Stralsund and Steene the former whereof being a Maritime Town was besieged by Arnhem upon the command of his Generall And here it was that Fortune made the Imperialists confesse that if they could domineer by land Wallenstein besieges Stralsund in vain their enemies could do as much upon the water For Wallenstein thought to terrify the besieged by frequent Assaults but not being able to hinder the entrance of the ships he lost an infinity of good souldiers his own labour and some part also of his glory There was a rumour scattered as if he had vanted that he would take Stralsund The King haâ—cen again even though it were hung in the ayer and tyed with Iron chaines The King regained courage and footing in Pomerania but found still that Fortune was yet but his Step-mother as suffering him again to be benten near Wolgast so that he could do no more then re-inforce the besieged who were ready to yeeld and retyre himself into Denmark Canipo was forced by famin and there it was that the French who came to succour the King manifested their valour Gelucstat a strong place upon the River below Hamburgh was long time beleaguered in vain by Tilly who lost both his time and his labour about that as Wallenstein did his before Stralsund In fine a Peace was treated and a Warre finished in five moneths which had lasted five yeares Peace made 1629. The King abandoned by almost all his Allyes who had work enough at home with a Royall and indemptable heart employed all his abilities and industry not only to defend his Islands but also to expell his enemies out of Holstein But the peace concluded at Lubec put a period to all his troubles dislodged the Imperialists since they had lost the hope of conquering the whole Kingdom out of his Territories and freed all the North from the danger whereby it was threatned of a change both in Church and State By this Peace which a certain French Writer terms shameful for the Conquerours as being with intention to dispossess a Catholick Prince of his lawfull succession the King renounced the Provinces of Saxony and so the amity between the two Princes was renewed The Emperour writing to the King told him formally that their quarrel proceeded from nothing but the craft and practises of some certain Merchants The States Generall being fearfull left by so many losses heaped together and the felicity which accompanied this valorous Count the Imperialists should gain Zeland The Hollanders will defend the Sound and make themselves Masters of that famous Streight which is of so much consequence offered to defend it with their ships But the most desired newes of the Peace and Retreat stifled all these apprehensions Whatsoever was past was sunk into the gulph of oblivion all setled is it had been before the Warre and the Emperour gave sufficient testimony that he knew as well how to restore and pardon as to vanquish and that he had taken armes to defend the Majesty of the Empyre and his own Authority not to strip the King of his kingdoms This Peace was
received by all the Subjects of the King as a speciall grace sent them from God but that which was deplorable in it was that he was forced to abandon the cause of his Cousins the Dukes of Meckelenbergh who for having embraced his and followed his Party or rather for having conjoyned their armes with all the members of the Circle were proclaimed Out-lawes The Dukes of Meckelâ—nbergh excluded from Peace Their Dutchy given to Wallenstein and their Dutchy ingaged to Wallenstein who was afterward put in possession thereof as true Duke by the Emperour This proceeding as being very rigorous against Princes of so ancient and so illustrious a Family and totally contrary to Ferdinands clemency made the House of Austria suspected not only of intending to establish her Authority in the North but of making also the very Empire it self Hereditary and to go yet farther too if occasion were offered And this upon the matter was partly the cause of the Swedish warre as we shall shortly demonstrate But let us go into Austria where we shall find very fine house-keeping CHAP. IV The Warre of the Peasants in Austria VVHilest all the North trembled at the Imperial Eagles and that nothing but the salt ayer of the Ocean was able to stop either their flight or their victories behold a little spark in Austria both contemptible and contemned raised within a few moneths such an embarasment as frighted that invincible Monarch at the same time that all the Princes began with good reason to apprehend him through the constant felicity of his Generalls These disorders were caused by diversity of Religion and the Politicians together with such as aspired to change moved them on to that point which we are now going to describe The cause of the Revolt of the Peasants Ferdinand being a very zealous Prince thought it his duty to draw either by fair meanes or foul all his Subjects to the Roman Catholick Religion and his Councell alledged that his Authority would still be wavering as long as there should be any Hereticks in his States And so it was facil to perswade him to a thing which hè conceived to depend upon his conscience Whereupon he commanded all his Subjects either forthwith to embrace the Catholick Religion or depart out of Austria within a certain term prescribed them A bold resolution and found strange opposition He declared in his Letters Pattents that Heresie under the pretext of Liberty of Conscience and Priviledges hatched nothing in her bosome but Revolts Sedition and Devices to shake off the yoke of Soveraigns and lawfull Magistrates Princes look upon the interest of State and the People that of Religion which once lost farewell all respect with it The Peasants must therefore be stirred up to try if luck would turn and whether Fortune would be alwayes fixed with a Diamant-Nayle Complaints were rejected Count Hebersdorf the inexorable executor of this importunate and unseasonable Command was first chased away with stones and afterwards fury affoarded other weapons For the said Peasants to the number of ten thousand cut off his forces seazed upon many Castles and small Places and being at lenth re-inforced by forty thousand men and forty Peeces of Ordnance pillaged all Austria sparing neither Priest Monk nor Gentleman The Clergy hath ever served as Fee or prey to the seditious The Emperour wrote to them but they endeavouring to obtain by force what was denied to their supplication disdained to answer him Upon which he dispatched other Embassadours to endeavour to reduce them gently to their duty but they retained them and sent some from themselves to Vienna to demand free exercise of their Religion dismission of the souldiers and a generall pardon for what was past All which they had obtained had not their prosperity by the defeat of some of the Duke of Bavaria's Troops made them undertake more If any grow blind by happinesse it is chiefly the abject sort of the vulgar which waxes temerarily bold when it thinks it self feared But the Town of Lintz which they besieged cowed their courage and speeded the punishment which they had deserved by their rash Rebellion They assaulted it often but were still repulsed with huge losse so that Papenheim who was appointed to chastise them effected it not with so great facility as Trucses and some other Generals had done that of the like seditious Rabble above a hundred years before For he was fain to combat them at least seven times before he could vanquish them so chearfully and stoutly would they rally and defy their victorious enemies even in the fight The Romans found themselves once in great trouble by the revolt of their slaves and yet they more easily quenched that fire though it were even within the Walls of Rome then the Imperialists were able to do this because here was more combustible matter But under what Heads or Leaders Their Generals a Schollar a Shoomaker and a Smith did this desperate Crew fight A Schollar a Shoomaker and a Smith With what weapons Sticks Stoones Whips Forks and Muskets And what more Potion and Enchantments To what end If we must judge Effects by their Causes it was for the exercise of Religion and to beat out their Soveraign Magistrate Who were those Aeoluses who letting loose the windes disturbed the Calm and raised their storms It is more easie to conjecture and believe then to prove They are at last defeated in many Encounters by Papenheim After the last defeat the most mutinous of them ran away and the rest pent up at home like slocks of sheep Thus ended this dangerous warre which teaches us how perilous a a thing it is to endeavour to command mens consciences We must contend with the word of God and not with the sword or to say better we must pray with charity for one another and not persecute our selves with arms unlesse we be commanded by Politick necessity The holy Scripture sayes Let the rares grow fear lest you root out the good corne Papenheim acquired no lesse glory nor merited lesse to Triumph then the two other Generals And thus was the Emperour delivered from a most apparent danger by the remotenesse of his Armies Let us now make a leap to the Low-Countries and see what passed there at the beginning of the year 1625. CHAP. V The death of Prince Maurice and of the King of England The Siege of Groll The State of Lorraine The Jubily at Rome Bethleeem makes warre upon the Emperour and obtains peace The death of Maurice 1625. PRince Maurice being returned to the Hague expressed no more then a certain pensiveness and melancholy proceeding from age and as it was believed from the errour committed in that memorable Enterprise upon Antwerp which grew to augment his feaver and brought him at length to his grave His reputation is too much known to speak much of him and the United Provinces would have had cause to be infinitely afflicted at such a loss had he
Troops assured himself of the Passe or Streight of the Suze and compelled the Spaniards to raise the Siege wherein he was better obeyed then the Emperour himself But the short durance of the Peace with the Hughenots in France obliged him to returne and humiliate theâ—o It is now time to send part of our forces from the Baltick Sea to carry the Eagles thither where they first commanded Fordinand to uphold his Authority dispatched thither an Army of twenty thousand men under the conduct of the Generals Alâ—ring and Galasso who having seazed upon the Passage of the Grisons effused themselves into Italy and got into their clutches the whole Dutchy of Mantua with as much good luck The Imperialists in Italy lesiege Mantua in with as the French did that of Savoy except only the Head City which they also besieged but the jealous Venatians endeavouring to remove all such as might be able to give their State any cause of apprehension were not slack in setting their hands stoutly to work for the Duke though yet the Imperialists took Goite from them and carried away all the booty or pillage thereof to their Camp But the French coming in the nick craftily snapt two Sentinels entred into a Quarter and put a huge number of them to the Sword So that the other finding the season improper and the small apparence there was of carrying the place retyred themselves much diminished into Garrison CHAP. XI The continuation of the warre of Italy The Venetians beaten Pignarola taken Mantua taken and pillaged The Peace made with restitution on both sides The Venetians beaten by Galasso THis retreat gave the Venetians a desire to retake Goite but they were broken by Galasso Whereupon they re-assembled their forces and having recruited and ingrossed them put them selves again in a posture of fighting wherein they were the second time put to flight and above six thousand killed and taken together with all their Artillery This losse much amazed the Republick But Fortune was more favourable to the French who as we have already said after the taking of Rochel shewed themselves very hot for the defence of the Duke of Nevers True it is that the Kings dangerous sickness at Lyons had almost been the cause of slackening this generous ardour and they who looked asquint upon the Cardinals potencye seemed to prognosticate that his ruine was at hand Envy still followes the Charrior of a growing Power And the Savoyers by the French The French took Pignarola and were re-inforced by the Swissers and this loss which was most sensible to the Duke was followed by many other The Spaniards were beaten by Monsieur de Bassompiere Cambery taken and Montmclian besieged The Duke of Guise landed near Nice to go joyne with the Army The King sent the Duke of Montmorancy towards Piedmont and followed himself afterwards Prince Thomas presuming to dispure his entrance with twelve thousand men was beaten the Colours presented to the King being the honour and all Piedmont the reward of the victory In such sort as that the poor Duke of Savoy who had so often ventured to contest sometimes with one of the Crowns and sometimes with the other found himself quite spoyled of his States For having nothing lest but Turin and not daring to shut himself up there he resolved to keep the key of the Fields and let the Mountains oppose the victorious Party by seeking to preserve his liberty in desert and inaccessible places We must here take notice of the Martial generosity of the French who in the beginning of warre are invincible make all bow to their Armes break through all oppositions and as soon take whole Provinces as other Nations do Towns but by the too sudden loss of patience on the other side Their impatience they grew also to loose whole Provinces almost as soon as other Nations do Townes Now Fortune favoured the Imperialists every where which they made both the Venetians and the Duke of Nevers feel For they returned the Siege upon Mantua and took it at length by a fine Stratagem Mantua taken by atrick of warre For the besieged by their frequent Sallies being reduced to a very small number demanded the succour of five thousand men from the Venetians and Letters being intercepted gave the Besiegers occasion to serve themselves of this trick to catch besieged They secretly drew into the field the number of men demanded who by a fight with powder without shot got near to one of the Gates which being forthwith opened by some who thought them to be Venetians they made themselves Masters of the Town to the great astonishment of the Inhabitants who were sacked by their imaginary Auxiliaries and the Duke yeelding up the Castle by Composition was conducted together with his wife and children to Ferrara Spinola before Casal This victory swelled up the spirits of the Imperialists and made the Spaniards continue the Siege of Casal under the command of Marquis Spinola who had acquired so much glory in the Low-countries and Toiras who was all crowned with lawrell for the honour he atchieved by the defence of the Fort of Saint Martin against the English defended the Cittadel The French making a shew to go and attack the Dutchy of Milan wheeled suddenly about upon the Besiegers the state whereof was this The Town and Castle were already yeelded to the Marquis and the Cittadel had capitulated that in case there came not sufficient succour to beat them from thence within a certain term which was the fifteenth of October Monsieur de Toiras was to march out The French Army appeared in Battaile array neare the Trenches and the Spaniards put themselves in posture to receive it The death of Spinola and of the Duke of Savoy All seemed to laugh upon the French by the death of the Marquis who was taken out of this world by the Plague and Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy being being stripped of his States and overwhelmed with grief and warre payed also his tribute to Nature When two great Bulls are ready to rush together and shock one another the whole Heard stand still and attend with trembling the issue of the Combat In the same manner was Italy the spectatresse of this furious shock and had no cause at all to rejoyce But it pleased God that by the Popes intercession The peace was made by the addresse of Cardinal Mazarin and Cardinall Mazarin's dexterity who made himself known by this first negotiation the Peace being concluded at Vienna was brought to the Armies just when the Trumpets were going to sound to draw the sword A fair escape happy newes By vertue of this Peace the French returned into France and restored all to the Duke of Savoy except onâ—ly Piguarola which had been privately bought by the said Cardinal A politick subtilty to have the Gate into Italy alwayes open mixt with Cousenage as the Spaniards say who rendred Montferrat as the Germans likewise did
with four thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse and he wrought so much by his frequent suites and instances with the Emperour induced thereto by Cardinal Richellen that he procured the Dignity of Generall to be taken away from the Duke of Frithland Frithland disâ— missed from his charge who had alwayes so well served him though by his behaviour he were growne insupportable chiefly to such as loved not the House of Austria Those powers which are trayled by so many puissant Aemulators together run post to destruction This councell proved dammageable to the Emperour and yet more to him who gave it and he who invented it was very likely to overthrow the whole Empyre The King of Sweden invited to come into Germany The King of Sweden being advertised of all which passed in Germany invited by the Germans themselves incited by France England Venice the Vnited Provinces and by occasion which he took up by the Forelock as also by his own peculiar interests began to make his preparatives There wanted nothing for a potent League but Causes and Pretexts whereof there would be found enough though it were no more then every one 's own advantage apart which is so strong that it ordinarily carries the ballance how full soever it be of reason and justice Men of this Age adore it neither is it without ground that a certain learned person calls it the Idoll of these times Towards the beginning of the year 1630. Europe was in a kind of Crisis war in Italy Germany full of old souldiers who struck terrour wheresoever they passed France apprehending lest this storm should fall upon her and that the Eagles should come and nestle again in those three Townes which were taken from them as I have noted already hindied a Treaty of Truce by hindring the acceptation of the Propositions and sent to the very bottom of the North to awaken Gustavus Adolphus to a League Nor needed there much eloquence to pers wade him who looked asquint already upon those puissant Troops upon the Baltick Sea which draw near him But knowing how he had been caught by his Neighbour he would not be content with promises but required a surety at Amsterdani before he would passe any further England besides the generall interest had that of the Prince Palatine which she conuld not handsomely abandon in such a conjuncture and yet was she also fain to give assurance for moneys before she could enter the League of this great Captain The States Generall were much concerned therein since by the growth of the House of Austria they foresaw their certain ruin in regard of the succour which she would be able to give the Spaniards And moreover they might well fear lest all the States of Germany humiliated or joyned to those of the Emperour he might come to redemand some Townes amongst them which are yet noted at the corner of the Eagle or Empyre The Venetians not warmed with the zeal of Religion as the Protestants were as being of the same with this House found for the interest of their State that it was necessary to put the said House into such termes as might not give so much jealousie And so the Protestants being inflamed and incouraged by the Catholicks which were interessed and desirous to see some disorder spring up in this powerful Body undertook the same designe And then it was that the Empire was to be torne in pieces since the Germans themselves conspired her ruine with her Enemies and subtracted themselves from her obedience because they could not endure her Majesty The House cannot faile to be burnt when the very owners themselves as well as the enemies help to set it on fire This unhappinesse was reserved for the latter times Let us see the King of Sweden come in for he will dance better then all who came before him CHAP. XVIII The entry of the King of Sweden into Germany His reasons why Those of the Emperour Allyances with Bogistaus He blocks up the Sea Towns Tilly takes the Generalate against his will VVHere shall I be able to finde tearmes and Inke black enough to expresse and write tragically enough the cruel and dismal effects of this sanguinary and horrible War Where shall I chuse words of energy or force enough to curse the inhuman actions and unnatural Tragedies which have been acted in wretched Europ and which are not yet ended and that onely by the immense ambition of some few persons It is lawful openly to blame Vice but not such as commit it It is God onely who must judge and we poor Subjects must bend our shoulders and expect our deliverance from above About Mid-Summer in the year 1630. the King of Sweden entred Germany with an Army having first cleansed the Isle of Rugia and the borders of Stralsund from the Imperial Garrisons The reasons which he published for his coming as an Enemy were First because his Embassadours had not been admitted to the Treaty of Lubeck Secondly in regard the Imperialists came against him in Prussia And thirdly for that some Letters of his which he sent to Bethleem Gabor had been intercepted in full peace But these were but pretexts for the true and moving grounds were these His reasons First because the Emperour had deprived his kinsmen the Princes of Meckelemburgh of their Dutchyes Secondly for that he had built Forts in all the Havens and made Ships to render himselfe potent upon the Baltick Sea with designe to passe one day further into Sweden then he was to expect that the Eagles would be suffered to coast And lastly in respect there was some apperance of extending his domination in Germany and in a word it is alwayes profitable to fish in troubled waters The answer to the aforesaid reasons The Emperour answered that he himselfe had begun by putting a Garrison into Stralsund and that there could be no treating with him without drawing it from thence As for his Letters besides that all the plots and practices both of himself and his Allyes were already discovered it was impossible but they must tend to his disadvantage being directed to a man who had as often revolted as opportunity was offered him to do it and who never kept his faith but when he wanted occasion to break it In relation to the Baltick Sea he had at least being Chief and Emperour as much to do with it as Gustavus had That the succour which he sent the King of Poland was sounded upon the same Maxims upon which himselfe had succoured the King of Denmark and Stralsund In order to the Dukes of Meckelemburgh he objected that he had nothing to do to controwl him in Germany and that himselfe would not take it well that he should medle with any of his kingdom That his cares were open to Intercessions but not to Commands But all these arguments served for nothing there must be blowes For the King was sure of his Allyes and of the inclination of all the
though yet indeed when souldiers are once gotten into a place by force they make no account at all of command But really had they been able to enjoy this victory by an honourable composition they would have been able by the conveniencie of the passage and the Bridge to keep the warre alwayes in Meckclemburgh succour the places besieged and have Westphalia behind them for a little before the taking of this Town they had forsaken the Bridge of Dassaw upon information that the King was coming thither and for fear least he should serve himself of the said passage But however these sparkles incompassed all Germany with a fire which lasted till the year 1649. Change of Religion Commodityes Allyances Situation and Traffick had made this Town very insolent with impunity but the pot goes so often to the water that at length it returns crackt As long as the Relicks of St. Norbert rested there they saved according to the opinion of many the Town from the thunderbolt but after they were secretly stolne way the wrath of heaven fell upon it and crushed it Had not Vlyffes stolne the Image of Minerva Troy had not perished Magdeburgh being lost in her ruins and the poor inhabitants buryed or burnt in their houses nothing was left to the conquerours but a just displeasure to see the desolation thereof Tilly marched with his army entred into Saxonie Tilly goer into Saxonie took many Towns wrote to the Duke and assured him that if he renounced not the League he would compell the Emperour to call strangers into Germany as well as the Protestants had done by inviting the Swedes and all the Princes by choosing Gustave for head of the union and Protectour of the Interests of the said League The Electour was extremly afflicted to see his countrey was become the Theater where all the Armyes were to begin the tragaedie But he was reproached that it was the recompence of the so many and so great services as he had done his Imperiall majesty and that as being a Lutheran he ought to be chased our as well as the rest Wherefore he beseeched the King to make haste but he temporizing and demanding Wittembergh for his retreat he offered him all his Country by which franknesse he gave him so much contentment that he resolved to succour him without any condition at all Before this Gustave worsted Tilly before the Fort of Werben for he suffered him to draw neer him Tilly beaten near Werben under praetext that his Canon was nayled and Tilly having sent spies to his Camp for this effect and understanding that all was quiet conceaved that his enterprize would not faile to succed and so was repulsed with much losse and a little after he lost yet three Regiments more whereby he was taught that he had to do with a man who was neither Novice nor Apprentice and that he must dispute lustily to get any advantage upon him But he was not aware that his mifortune followed him to closely and that his thirteen years Victorie was to be shortly contaminated by the losse of one only Battail a Battail I say which overthrew the house of Austria destroyed so much and so great progresse and exposed the Catholicks to great afflictions Lansbergins foretold There shall come a King from the North who shall cause troubles in Germany Oh Bishops said he how much will you have to suffer c. CHAP. XXI The Battail of Leipsick The flight of the Imperialists The battail of Leipsick the 17 of September 8631 KING Gustave being joyned to the forces of the Electours a resolution was taken to goe and face General Tylly who having the wind favourable and taken the Town of Leipsick incamped himself hard by and stood fast to expect the Armyes of the confederates This Battail wherein were hazarded the Capps of two Electours the liberty of the Princes of Germany the conquests of so many years and the whole hope of the Roman Catholicks was very bloudy and the old bands which had never been scensly gave ground here The Saxons began the Shock or Onser whilest the king enlarged his Camp to get the winde But they withstood it not long before they ran and their very flight made the King winne the Victorie We are taught by hurt and misfortune it selfe is good for something There needed nothing to cause disorder for the Imperialists pursued the Saxons so far that they gave the Swedes occasion to gain with little trouble their Camp their Canon and the Winde and Generall Horne flanking them in their pursuite put them into such confusion that they knew not one another and hindred them from returning to their own Body from whence they had more hotly then wifely unfastened them selves Tilly seeing this rowte gave order for the Canon to be regained whereupon Papenheim with his Horse gave the Swedes two such furious Charges as that had it not been for the presence of brave King Gustave it was likely that they who had alwayes been accustomed to vanquish would also have triumphed now But he exhorting his men both by his Majesty actions and eloquence and a terrible execution being done upon the Imperialists as well by their own Canon as by that of their Enemies their Cavalrie began to fly Tilly followed though he were wounded and thereby gave the lye to such as had impudently published that he was invulnerable by vertue of some certain Characters or Charms If the Imperiall Horse had done their duty as well as the foot theirs the confederates had runne hazard to loose all But the Foot being abandoned The valour of the Imperial Foot fought so valliantly that they were faine to turne the ordnance upon five Regiments which were rallyed and fortifyed a part before they could break them All the Baggage Artillery Munition and sixscore Coulers fel into the Conquerours hands Now who will have forward trust to his own strength and power Who will presume to rely upon the number of his Victories Who will beleeve that fortune can be stopped with a Nayle of Diamant You see that an Army of foure and twenty thousand Caprains that is all old Souldiers were broaken in the plaine and open Field Was iâ— for want of courage or experience By no meanes By whom By Souldiers who understood it better then they Neither shall we finde the cause in the Justice of the Party Least of all for every one thinks he hath equity on his side and besides we must not judge of Right and Valour by ambiguous and underraine events Moreover we are taught by practice that Fortune ranges her self ordinarily with usurpers because they are full of courage and the Countreys they hold of ill humours factions and partialities This bloody battail which was the seventh of September 1631 which was called a Day of blood by the famous Astrologer Horlicins and which changed the countenance of the Affaires of Germany And the news of this victorie which got strength by going unspeakably rejoyced
seeking the end of their evills in a happy peace but there was a wind which hindred the sprowting forth of this good seed During the time of their negotiation the Infanta went to enjoy everlasting beatitude with her husband The death of the Infanta with whom she had so religiously lived Her subjects expressed very great grief for the departure of so good a Mother by whom they had been so gently governed and that which most afflicted them was to foresee that these Treaties would produce no good effect as it was easie to judge for the States stood fast upon impossibilities and these could not by any means exclude their Master besides the Prince going to besiege Rhinbergh which he took in three weeks made them conceive that they treated with them almost no other wise then Conquerors use to do with such as they have vanquished For they offered them conditions of advantage enough to testifie that their thoughts were very much inclined to peace but the wind of France quickly cooled that pious heat Charnasse made use of the two most potent wayes in the world to make this Treaty infructuous that is of Eloquence and of that divine Mettall which Inpiter knew to be the strongest In fine he effected so much by his diligent pursuits The Treaty of Peace vanishes and sollicitations that he brake off the whole match and brought the States to take Arms again with his Master The Marquis of Aitona not having force enough to face the Prince before Rhinbergh was content to fortify the Isle of Saint Stephen upon the Moze whereby to have the passage free And the Prince agitating in his mind a greater exploit then that of a Siege went The siege of Rheynbergh and incamped himself beyond Boisleduc or the Bosse and having sent for eighteen or Twenty Troops of Swedish Horse departed with a multitude of Waggons of Victualls and marched directly towards Aitona who though he had also received some Horse from the Imperialists for his defence kept himself upon his advantages as judging it beyond the maximes of a souldier to put the Country into a general joy by hazarding the Battail offered him For if the Prince had gained it he had found no resistance but if he had lost it he had left the Conquerours nothing but the glory of having wonne it without any other profit at all save only peradventure of a Town or two as Wenlo and Ruremund The Prince sent a supply to Mastricht and retyred himself faster then he came which caused the disbanding of many of his men And the Marquis hastened with three thousand horse to defend the Isle of Saint Stephen and thus ended the Field of this year of 1633 upon which the Swedes who had committed unknown insolencies in this Militia and some dissolutions which spoyled the Holland discipline repassed the Rheyn as the Imperialists on the other side also did But let us see the Field following before we repasse with them Some Lords prisoners Aitona having received money from Spain and ranged his Militia in a good state of obedience took some Lords prisoners who were suspected of having complotted with Count Henry of Bergues The Prince d'Espinoy was already fled into France and the Duke of Arscot gone into Spain and so this thick fogge being dissipated and Count Henry's Cause tryed he marched with his Army towards the Moze whether he had already sent the Marquis de Lede who took the strong House of Argenteau and retook the Dutchy of Limburgh and so made a shew of besieging Mastricht to have the passage open into Germany The Prince to divert him from this design went and planted himself before Breda but having received notice that the Spanish Army drew towards him to dislodge him from thence he retyred five dayes after Thus ended this Field in the Low-Countries let us go see other sport in the Empyre much more bloody then this CHAP. XXXIII The Siege of Ratisbon the taking of the Town The death of Aldringer The Cardinall Infanto joynes with the King of Hungary The Protestants draw all their forces together again The Businesse of Norlinghen The victory of the Imperialists The Cardinal Infanto passes into the Low-Countries THe chief of the Protestant Party had so great cause to mistrust Generall Wallenstein whose plots and practises they knew that it was no wonder if Duke Bernard gave no credit to the promises he made to hasten a Conjunction the retardment whereof was fatall to him and all his friends Duke Francis-Albert of Saxony Lailemburgh who was the instrument chosen to tye these two mettals of a different nature together proved not his Crafts-master and so was carried prisoner for his apprentisage to Vienna Ratish me taken by the Sweden Duke Bernard having taken Ratisbone by the good will of the Inhabitants and being assured too late of the intentions of the Duke of Fruhland was advancing already towards Bohemia when he received the newes of the just disaster which was befallen him whereupon he changed course Inpiter is patient but when his goodnesse is too much abused he darts his Thunderbolt and crushes all It is alwayes dangerous to meddle with ones Master and to crack nuts with him This great Symptome was advantageous to the Swedes as giving them opportunity to take Towns in Swaveland and towards the Lake of Bregants in such sort as that the terrour which King Gustave had cast into Italy was now renewed more strongly then ever The King of Hungary having cured the Army with a sweet shower of Gold and taken a new Oath from the souldiers made them march towards Ratisbone For since the servant had betrayed the Father of the Family it was necessary to sond the childe who was received by all of them with incredible joy and alacrity I will not stay upon the particulars of this famous siege which cost very much blood but content my self with only saying that newes being come to the Camp of a notable victory gotten by Arnem upon the Imperialists in Silesia and of his moving towards Prague the King sent so strong a supply And retaken by the Imperialists that the said Armens was constrained to raise the Siege and retyre himself into Saxony Aldringer 〈◊〉 at the very same time that Ratisbone began to parly and capitulate which was near the end of July and some dayes before the famous General Aldringer was slain near Lanshut He was born in the Country of Lâ—xenburgh and his vertue had drawn him out of the obscurity of his birth to raise him to so eminent a Charge He had fought happily with John de Werdr and his death was much regretted by the principal of his party Donawerds followed Rarisbone and the Cardinal Infanto who had now staid long enough at Milan passed with the old Spanish Italian and Burgundian Bands through Swisserland into Germany where they quickly taught the Swedes what it was exactly to observe Military Discipline The Armyes joyned and marched into
not condescend to it for feare of offending the Emperour and Empire nor did they ever render him any other answer at all to all his replyes which gave him excessive rancour and disgust however he thought fit to make but little shew thereof For it was not indeed the feare of offending Ferdinand which kept them from it for they had done that enough already by many oblique wayes and especially by sending Coronel Pinsen with a strong Brigade into Westphalia But it was because they had rather have for their Neighbour a weak Bishop of Colein then a strong King of France It is Maxime of State which carries it above all obligations and Allyances how strong soever they be are easily broken in these times if Interest command it They sent General Bandits word that if he did not retire himselfe from thence they would drive him away by force So that these former circumstances and the utter route of the Swedes being motives to make the Cardinal differ his designe upon Colein for a sitter season for vengeance waits occasion made him he fixed his thoughts upon things of neerer concernment as thus He had already almost ruined or quite depressed the branches of the House of Lorraine in France and persecuted the Duke of Guise The House of Lorraine afflicted even till his death and therefore he resolved to unroot the maine Stock and destroy the whole Family The Duke of Lorraine after being stripped of all his Places of strength and of Nancy it selfe to get a peace found that France sought nothing but his destruction and that when he resented any of the astronts which were done him by the Cardinal the King who was often ignorant of the cause was forth with made beleeve that he had broken his faith and so his lawful excuses had no accesse where his enemies were stronger then he We very often judge ill because we know not the principal Causes Wherefore haveing no other rolyance then upon God and his Sword and not being able any longer to dissemble his just resentment The Duke of Lorraines Manifesto he published a Manifest wherein he declared that being a Soveraigne Prince borne and seeing that his Enemies whom he could not content sought after his Country and his life he transferred all his Rights upon his brother absolved his Subjects from their Oath of fidelity to himselfe and commanded them to obey him Which done he returned into Germany to serve the Emperour whom the Cardinal studied to ruine with him from whom he received the quality of General of the Catholick Army and passed towards the Danub with the Cardinal Infanto And three or four moneths after the Princesse Nicoll his wife The Princesse Nicoll at Paris made her entrance into Paris where she was well received by their Majesties and entertained according to her condition Richelieu being well informed of all and imagining that this Transport or Deed of Gift was but conditional and for a time and knowing also Prince Francis marrie his Cousin is imprisoned retiers to Vienna that the Cardinal brother to the said Duke had sent to Rome for a Dispensation to marry his Cousin German and render the Cap into the hands of his Holinesse judded it expedient to crosse this match and so sought to surprize the Post but in vaine for he passed through the Guards and the same evening the marriage was consummated But both he and his Princesse were carried prisoners to the Cittadel out of which they both secretly escaped as also out of the Town disguised in the habit of Country people and passing through Savoy Florence and Venice arrived at length at the Imperial Court in Vienna It was indeed in vaine for him to attempt the extinction of this most illustrious and most ancient Race issued from Charlemagne and so many other Kings who have performed so considerable services to Christendome yea and even to France it selfe in the Battel of Crecy and during all the Wars with the English For God raised a young Maid of this Family like a second Judith The Maid Jane of Orleans to save the Kingdom from the oppression of Strangers and the Cardinal after having deprived it of the lawful Prince called in the Gothick Nations to ruine it This noble House I say hath afforded Princes which have defended and maintained the Catholick Religion throughout the whole Kingdom and the Cardinal made the Lutherans flock to subdue it Indeed there are none but the Hughenot Party who have any ground to complain of it since it hath furnished many noble Lords who have alwayes shewed themselves enemies to that Doctrine We must confesse that this Dutchy merited better treatment since it had never offended France That it is a poor maxime of State to oppresse a Prince who desires nothing but Peace and upholds himselfe in the justice of his Cause This proceeding will produce much misfortune for they who accuse him of having so often falsyfied his faith silence the cause thereof either through malice or ignorance CHAP. III. The Imperialist's wast in the Dutchy of Wirtembergh The French come to succour the Swedes Philipsburgh taken by a prank of War The Cardinal enters Brussels and the Duke of Orleans departs FRance hitherto waged War against the House of Austria obliquely and indirectly enough though yet with advantage and seized upon Lorraine more like a Fox then a Lion as more by craft then open force But it was time to throw off the Vizard and lay hold of all Europe since it appertaines to it according to the opinion of that famous Impostour who is so learnedly refuted by Jansenius a Professour of Lonain and a certain Spaniard who argues thus If the Empire belong to France because it was governed by Charlemagne with much more reason doth Languedoc and some other Provinces in France occupated by the Goths belong to the King of Spain as he is Successour of the said Goths who established their Monarchy in Spain and preceded the said Charlemagne in time But let us leave these old trifles and fond Commentations and stay in our corrupt Age where Might amongst many is more esteemed then Right and where the most crafty Cheats are held the best Politicians Duke Bernard being escaped with many other Officers had recourse to the favour of France where being a German he was judged capable and fit to beare the burthen of the War together with Marshal de la Force The French in Germany Such as are least suspected and most interessed as well in matter of Religion as otherwise are alwayes chosen for the expedition of any great Enterprize Make a huge Magazine at Philipsburgh There passed nothing worthy of memory between the two Partyes the Imperialists being grown slack and lazie by the abundance and fertility of the Dutchy of Wirtembergh and the French making a Magazine at Philipsburgh the like whereof was never heard as being sufficient to pay and feed whole Armies together for the entire Conquest
of that learned writer the Imperial Crown upon his brothers head because he would rather have had it upon his Sonnes and the Germans will not see it upon that of a Spaniard How then shall these instruments be tuned I conclude that she hath been moved to act by Interest only to uphold her self and not to hunt aster this chimericall Monarchy The Emperours which have been since have manifested no excess of ambition and Philip the third made no stir at all So that it must be either Fâ—rdinand the second or Philip the Fourth Let us examin the grounds which may give these jealousies and authorize these opinions The said Ferdinand the second had War with the Bohemians and the Prince Palatine every one knows for what He would have the three Episcopal Townes had he not right to them The Victories he got in Low-Saxonie moved him to restore and re-established his Authority there was he out of reason Here-demanded as Soveraign Judge the Ecelesiasticall Lands and Goods according to the tenour of the contract at Passavia was he ill-grounded The Lutherans themselves will not say so Shall we therefore suffer this House to swallow up all Now it is that we must have recourse to the interest which every body ought to have in commendation and not stray from the path of Justice As for Hypocrisiy whereof he accuses them of this Family by comparing their piety to the colours of the Rain-bow which are but deceipts and illusions it is acalumnie which confutes it self and a malice convinced by the testimonies of the Lutherans who have frequented the Imperiall Court A calumny convinced and have wished that all the Courts of the Protestant Princes were regulated like that Indeed the words which he uses to cure as he sayes the mindes of such as are praeoccupated by errour are not strong enough to make them passe for good even in his own opinion For a may be cannot form a determinate truth of future things Yet it is not my intention to approve all the actions of this House and defend her ends and much lesse to deliver the Bordering Princes from the fear which they may have of her greatnesse by the refutation of those arguments but only freely and plainly to lay open the justice of her Arms and the strong necessity of her interests to maintain her self against so many enemies I combat no Soveraign Family but reverence them all without exception and praeoccupation I only demonstrate the practices cheateries and effects of ambition together with those of self-advantage which render whole Provinces desert and breed general calamities In the Treaty of peace at Manster we shall discover the intentions of all the Princes without amusing our selves any more with the words of interested Clarks But we must first consider why France which hath always restored to the Dukes of Savoy such of their States Why France wi keep Lorrain as she hath seazed upon by arms doth now yet so obstinatly retaine Lorrain as she also did the three Bishopricks I answer that she hath done the former to avoide giving jealousie to the Princes of Italy whole good correspondence she holds necessary for her so to maintain her interests there But she will not let Lorrain go in regard of her conquests made in Germany and because the Princes of that Country being divided into Parties are not sourgent for the restitution of the losses of their Neighbours as those others are France calls the Princes of the House of Austria and all such as are tyed to her interests her Enemies and in regard that this irreconcitiable-hatred is not very ancient we shall quickly finde out the source thereof During the English Warrs in France the Spaniards being then great friends and Allyes with France always succoured her and there were some Lords of that Nation who possested great Charges in the said Warrs Yea in that memorable assembly of Arras where to the confusion of the English the Peace was made between the King and the Duke of Burgundy a certain Spanish Knight in a contention of honour took the White Cross without giving any other reason for it then that it was a sign of Amity But now The causes of the hatreds between France and Spain the said House being annexed to Spain the first spark of division sprung up in Italy the second and the greatest was about the Imperial â—â—â—â—n and jealousie of State which lasted til the death of Henry the second a 〈◊〉 as a wakened again under Henry the third by the counsell of the Hughenots and his brother the Duke of Alencon sudddenly made Duke of Brabaâ—t Philip the second of Spain did the like for him by favouring the Heads o the League to the deminution of his Authoritie and the Hughenot Party Henry the fourth took his revenge advanced the hatred always contraried opposed and laboured to weaken this power which gave him jealousy And then it was that not only the Hughenots but the Catholicks also began to hate that Nation Not did the Spaniards remain their debtors therem In such sort as the hatred of the people is formed by that of State But this kings death stopped the currnet of those partialities that double marriage seemed quite to stifle them out in vain for these two proud Nations the most potent of Christendom have many pretensions upon each other and cannot endure any praeeminence at all In so much as that when the one makes any progresse the other endeavours to stop it besides sides the same Ministers of State spurred on by ambition and desire to raise their Families have from time to time kindled these suspitions which have hatched these fatall wars to the destruction of all Europe The one of these Houses styles her selfe most Christian and yet meddles not much with the businesse of Religion for she ordinarily attracts the Reformates to her interests who are enemies to the Pope and by consequence to the other House which suffers not their Doctrine in her Dominions The other is tearmed Catholick and abandons not the interests of Religion no more then she doth her own unlesse it be by force proceeding from the necessity of State-affaires through some new conjuncture as we shall see in the sequell of this work Lewis the thirteenth shocked this House with so much authority and power and procured her so many Enemies that she had very much adoe to keep her self up in such sort as that great Cardinal the Angel-Gardian of France by his puissant Allyances begat an opinion in the Soules of many Politicians that he sought the Universal Monarchy In effect by this great Conquerours means he hoped to overthrow the Emperour and had already devoured the possession of the Low-Countries by the help of the Hollanders But man purposes and God disposes But let us withdraw our selves out of this Labyrinth since we have already gon round about it and if we enter into it we have not a sufficient thred of
the French Fleet. The Cardinal of Retz induces the King to come back to Paris The Prince of Conde retires into France Cardinal Mazarins praises The Cardinal of Retz carried to the Bois de Vincennes THis young Mars this invincible Courage judging his person to be more necessary at Paris then at Bourdeans left his Lieutenants the direction of his own Forces shewed himself quickly amongst those of the Duke of Orleans and the Strangers and made the Marshal D'hoquincour feel that he was no more in Guyenne for after having lost his Troops Marshal D'hoquincour beaten he was constrained to sly The King made his Army march under Turenns orders who went to attack Estampes but finding the Duke of Lorraine to draw near he retired and confessed that the Strangers who were in the Town defended themselves bravely It looked as if the Princes would have a good bargaine of all such as made head against them when upon a suddain the Duke of Lorraine by the interposition of the King of Englands Eldest Son made a contract apart received mony and retired himself out of the Kingdom but he sent back his Army shortly after with the Spaniards because the restitution of the three places promised was not performed The Prince being irritated and the Parisians extreamly amazed began to revile the said Duke and all in fine discoursed of him according to their passion Some accused him of inconstance and others of avarice but such as had a straine above the vulgar judged that there was some vengeance hidden under this action and that the levity both of the one and the other so often manifested to them whose assistance they had both implored and felt ought to be recompensed by a just retaliation Be it what it will the Princes Troops being tired by frequent Skermishes and by that furious and bloody shock given in the Faubourgs or Suburbs of St. Anthony wherein the Mazarinists or Royalists had the worst being very much diminished the Arch-dukes succour was sent for again which being conducted by the Baron of Clinchant advanced quite to Paris But let us come back into Flanders Graveling besieged Mardyke abandoned yeelds and Dunkeâ—k afterwards The Arch-Duke finding that the fire was too great in France to be so soon extinguished made a shew of besieging Dunkerk but his design was upon Graveling one of the most important places of the Low-Countries which defended it self enough but for want of sufficient Garrison was yeelded upon the same Conditions that it had been formerly taken Mardyke was abandoned and Dunkerk expecting the relief by Sea which was dofeated by the English was retaken without either losse or bloodshed Thus were three places reduced to obedience with a hand-full of men which had cost the French mountains of Gold and Seas of blood Who would have said so much six years before when there seemed to be no doubt at all made of the utter expulsion of the Spaniards Times change men change victories are alternative and nothing is constant but the immutable Order of the Decree of the Everlasting This reduction deservedly rejoyced all Flanders which saw her Traffick and Inhabitants slourish again The Town of Dunkerk had been offered to the States of Holland for Mastricht for a summe of money but the bargain was not made The City of Paris seeing it self in violent and murtherous factions the Parliament in confusion the Country People frighted away strangers in the Kingdome the Princes in a very difficult passage to be cleared and the Clergy afflicted by these unhappy disorders resolved to dispatch the Cardinal de Retx to the King who was with a new Parliament at Pontoise to beseech him The King returns to Paris to return to Paris This Embassie was well received by his Majesty who having published an Act of Oblivion was so much better at Paris The Prince of Conde retyred himself with the forrain Troops took Retel and St. Menhout and his winter quarters at the beginning of the spring 1653. And the Duke of Odeans departs The Duke of Orleans having received order either to come to the King or to retyre himself rather chose the latter then to suffer Cardinal Mazarins presence who quickly caused the order to be annulled that was made against him because there was no body found who had a mind to earn a hundred and fifty thousand Crowns by killing him Thus we see the figure turned up-side down the Cardinal above the wheel and the Princes under it so that Conde chose rather to cast himself into the King of Spaines arms then to trust his own Masters Act of Oblivion and Conty was received at Bourdeaux together with the Dutchesse of Longueville his Sister whilest her husband stayed amongst the waves of this raging Sea in his Government Reader be not amazed at these Metamorphoses or changes for the causes thereof are not so hard to be comprehended as that of the Tyde of the Sea was to the Prince of the Philosophers What do you hope to see but monsters prodiges and miracles The Province of Gasconie being fertill in subtill wits and brave souldiers was no sooner got out of one danger then she fell into a precipice yet more perilous through blind temerity and as well to serve the passion of others as for not receiving the satisfaction promised them or rather for seeing their Complaints despised and that which had been promised them very ill performed The puissant Armies which were to ruine Mazarin returned without having done any memorable action at all The Parliament being in division knew not where to sinde it self the Citizens changed like the wind and wedded sometimes the one Party and sometimes the other Yea the Princes themselves were in discord for the Duke of Neâ—oâ—â—s was killed in a Duel by his Brother-in Law the Duke of Beaufort and the Count of Riâ—â—â— carriâ—d prisoner to the Bastill by the Duke of Orlâ—aâ—â—'s order for having resisted Goâ—de In such sort as all issued to the Kings advantage by the Great Cardâ—nals wise Counsell who like an experienced Pilot saved the vessel from ship-wrack and brought her over so many Rocks amongst so many Quick-sands in the darknesse of a cloudy night and amongst â—o many contrary winds to the Port. For he knew how to sow the tares of distention amongst them who would take the Helm from him and threw them out of that ship which he never abandoned in the very height of the storm Indeed to say the truth the King had need of such a man though he be more usefull to him then to the poor subjects and some have reviled him by following the passion others or for resentment rather then by the knowledge of affaires and therefore are as incapable to judge of him Cardinal Mazuins praise as a blind man is of Colours The rash judgements of the ignorant people cause tumults and seditions and kindle a fire which invirons a whole State for which there there must be a speedy remedy True
usually happen about that season of the year withdrew themselves likewise into Harwich and Yarmouth Roades Let us leave them both labouring to repayre their ships without examining the number of the dead and wounded or lending eare to the cries and groanes of Widows and Orphanes which ring even to heaven it selfe in all parts of Europe to see what passed at that time in Guyenne and we shall meet by the way some Vessels richly loaden The French â—â—bes some ships of the Spaniands which Mons. de la Mâ—ilheraye carried in triumph from Spain to Nantes We have told you already that Bourdeaux had recourse to the Kings clemencie The reasons why Bourdeaux yealds the cause of which change was this The length of the siege the Plague Famin and more then all secret Intelligence and the Act of Oblivion prevayled for the King The â—pâ—nish Fleet â—â—rives too late In such sort as the Spanish Fleet which arrived two dayes after the accommodation returned into Spain to see the Admiral thereof beheaded and the Princesse of Condè retyred into the Low-Countries to her husband who after this reduction had no body lest in those parts who sides with him Indeed the tardity of the Spaniards and the proceeding of the Prince of Conty gave France glory and such as knew the affayres of the world matter to examine the reasons thereof All these successes were attributed to the Cardinals prudence who by destroying the Princes Party fortifyed his own and prepared himself to have the King annointed The tumult in Languedock passes like a flash for that tumult of Languedock between the Count of Rieux and them of the Religion which looked as if it would have caused an embarassement proved but a flash and forthwith disappeared so that the troubles were allayed in those two great Provinces and they in condition to see thenceforth no other forces there then they that are usually raysed for Catalunia The heat of the English recalls us speedily towards the North besides there passed nothing worthy of memory in the County of Rossillion After that bloody Navall Battail which makes the haire stand on the heads of such as hear it related and which looked as if it must needs have cooled the courage of these Champions for entring the lists any more which all Christendome beheld with terrour the English were the first who endeavoured to resume the Dance A tempest indâ—â—â—ages the English Fleet. but a horrible tempest arising made them repent their temerity and sent them back to their ports many of their ships being much incommodated In fine these most valorous Sea-souldiers gave the Belgick Lyon so many jerks and â—hogs that almost all the States of Europe foreseeing and apprehending this terrible Power desired to gain their amity amongst which the Swedes were not the last The Swedes make Amity with England to evidence that interest of State was not less near their hearts now then the pretext of Religion was formerly from which they drew so great advantage The Hollanders fearing lest the prosperity of their enemies should make them enterprize somewhat upon them by land as well as by water made the Country people take Arms and keep good Guard every where without neglecting what belonged to the Sea and the furnishing of Ships The Country people take Arms in Holland about which they laboured incessantly But this was not sufficient for they must chuse an Admirall who fell out to be Opdam of the most ancient House of Wassenaer who forthwith transported himself to Amsterdam Opdim Admirall and thence to Texel at the mouth of the North Sea to put all things in good order Eukhayse drawn out of the hands of the Rabble At the same time the Town of Enkâ—sen seated upon the South-Sea seven Leagues from Amsterdam was drawn out of the hands of the Rabble by means of some souldiers who entred very craftily whilest they were all running to the Town-house to heat a Proclamation This tumult was of so dangerous a consequence that it had dismounted the Magistrates but that of the Haghe about the young Prince A tumult at the Haghe and was begun by Children and augmented by some malicious persons who brake the glass-windowes of many houses made the Burghers or Townsmen run to their Arms and the Nobility get on horse-back to stop these petulances which deserved somewhat more then the rod. at Alckmaer That of Alckmaer had the same issue and was refrenated by the prudence of the Magistrates All which seditions had but one and the same Cause and their Pretexts were also very little different Indeed the Red-Lyon had very much to do both at home and abroad by the strength of his enemies Murmur against the States and by disunion of wills amongst his friends and such as were bound to the Helme were not a little exposed to the venimous traducements of evill tongues A tumult in England England felt also some Commotion for want of pay but that was smothered and no body stirred but some certain Seamen some whereof payd the score for all In the moueth of November the Holland Fleet having conducted another towards the Sownd and being fallen too near the Coasts was surprised by a suddain storme which cast many of the Ships so a ground A tempest afflicts the Holland Fleet. that they could not ger off into the Main and many poor Seamen miserably perished about a Musket-shot from the Mountains of Sand so that Fortune treated both parties alike in sight of the Coast laughed at their Enterprises but the more judicious sort of men foreseeing that at long running the Traffick would be utterly annihilated and the ruine of Holland advanced which was so much envied for her riches considered that a Peace though little glorious was better then a thousand triumphs The Embassadours of Holand return into England to begin the treaty of peace again Wherefore the States sent their Embassadours again to London to begin the Treaty for the last time and in case of refusal to tell the English that they would enter into a Confederation against them with some other Princes thereby to bring them to reason The confusion which was made by the plurality of voyces and the roaring of the Red Lyon rung so loud that the most considerate Lord Protector and his Parliament who regorged with booty taken from the Hollanders opened their ears to the Propositions of Peace But whilest these things were in agitation who would have believed but that many should needs be well disposed for the Kings eldest Son For the High-landers in Scotland had taken Arms and had received some from Holland the French spighted at the taking of their Fleet without a denunciation of war arrested all the English Merchants goods in Normandy the Hollanders made a shew of preparing themselves in good earnest for the war which yet notwithstanding they endeavored to shun as most pernicious to them Some beleeved
command Now this expulsion of them together with so many Colonies as the Spaniards have in the Indies and an infinite number of other Islands hath much dispeopled the Continent of Spain and greatly retarded the progresse The cause of dispeopling Spain which this Warlike Nation might otherwise peradventure have made upon her enemies And this was very well foreseen by a certain Spanish Don who told King Philip the second that the transportation of the Natives would one day be the ruine of Spain But before we passe any further let us speak a word of this kingdom the power whereof is so great that it gives jealousie to all the States of the Universe CHAP. X A brief discription of the Kingdoms of Spain and France SPaine is separated from France by the Pirenaan hills and from Affrica by the Levant or Eastern Sea which communicates it self with the Ocean by that considerable passage called the streights of Gibelatrar The Romans made two Provinces of Spaine and in those two desperate sieges of Segungum and Numantia as well they as the Affricans tryed the constancy and courage of the Spaniards from whom they received great services in their armies So that it is not now onely that they are valiant souldiers The Goths enter into Spaine 168. The Goths Sweves and Vandals after they had ransacked the Empire made choice of Spaine for the seat of their domination as being very proper to command both Europe and Affrica They entered about the yeer 168. and remained in possession thereof more then four hundred that is till Rodrigues with almost all his nobility was defeated by the Saracons who were brought in by a certain Earl in revenge of the honour of his daughter whom the King had ravished Vengeance is against Christian Religion and yet this young Lady made her own native Country a prey to the Barbarians They maintained themselves there above seven hundred yeers as well against the French as the Spaniards themselves who endeavoured to expell them In precedent ages there were numbered about twelve Crowns or Kingdoms which were all reduced to one by Ferdinand and Isabell in the yeer 1474. except that of Portugal which being subjugated by Philip the second both by armes and right of succession hath been peacefully possessed by him and his heirs till the yeer 1640. when the Portugezes withdrew themselves from obedience to Philip the fourth and chose for their King the Duke of Bragaâ—sa under the name of John the jourth It was in the reign of the aforesaid Ferdinand The Indies found our under Ferdinand of Castill that the Indies and many other Islands were found out the riches whereof hath much augmented the potency of Spaine and made her aspire as her enemies say to the Monarchie of the whole world Philip the iv King of Spaine Now besides tho reasons aforementioned why there are so few inhabitants in a Country of large extent there is yet another which is this Ferdinand and Isabell having finished the Warr with the Moors resolved to expell the Jews also out of the territories under their obedience who transported themselves into Affrion Italy the Levant and Portugal The Jewes vanished out of Spaine and Portugall from whence they were likewise chased some yeers after And besides the women are sterill enough especially towards the south and again the warrs which their Kings have so long had in Germany Italy France and the Low-Countries not forgetting the infinity of Garrisons which they are obliged to keep to containe their people in their duty have so much exhausted Spaine that the King hath given great freedoms and immunities to such as have five or six male Children Yea moreover strangers are invited to come and dwell there under profitable conditions provided still that they be Romane Catholicks for the Inquisition suffers no other Religion then that Now this Inquisition so much cried down and reviled by other Nations was instituted at the first for the rooting out of the Mahometisme The Inquisition and Judâ—â—sme though it now extend it self upon all such as give but the least suspicion of not adhering totally to the definition of the Church of Rome If the said Kingdom were as well peopled as France the King would have made farre greater conquests then he hath and would not have been forced to expose his money and his armies to the infidelity of some strangers In fine the King of Spaine hath so many Kingdoms so many Provinces and so many Islands in all parts of the Universe that it was with good reason that a certaine great person in the yeer 1624 refuted Sleidan concerning the four Monarchies in these tearms Philip the fourth who now reigns saith he upon whose lands the sunne never sets is more potent then was any one of those Monarchs for the continuance of neer four score yeers together This nation walks slowly to conquest but she keeps well what she hath gotten She is tardy to resolve but she stoutly pursues what is resolved She is not frighted at the encounter of any difficulties and accomplishes her ends for the most part by pertinacy and obstinacy She foresees afar off and never looses either patience or hope howbeit that length of expectation makes her often loose good occasions She doth marvels under an Italian Generall which was observable in the Prince of Parma Marquis Spiâ—ola and others The Spaniards constant and haughty This proud Nation better understands the art of governing then all other and she hath in her some witts so subtle and acute that her very enemies themselves who hate her are fain to praise her And now let us come back againe over the hills to take notice of the complexion of that brisk Nation her rivall which hath often stopped her victories in the heigth of their course both in the Low-Conntries Germany and Italy France most populous France is a most large most rich and most populous Kingdome divided from Italy by Savoy and the Alps from High-Germany by Lorraine from England by the Sea and from Low-Germany by Luxemburgh Hennanlt Artoise and French-Flanders The Romans who subjugated the Gawles and distributed them into Belgick Câ—ltick and Aquitanick were beaten out by the opinion of some Authors by Cloâ—â—â—s the first Christian King about the year 500. The Francks passed the Rhein under Pharamond the first King Clodion went not beyond Cambray and was forced to return by Stilicon Aetins cut off his Army made him repass the Rhein und hurried him back in Francony-Meroâ—e laying hold of the advantage of the confusions of the Empyre took Trevers passed into Campagne from thence to Paris and then to Orleans and so then and there began to establish the French Monarchy giving to Gawl which he had conquered Gawl takes the name of France the name of France This kingdom by succession of time hath been been very much augmented and hath soon raised to the Throne Royall two and twenty Kings of the
Italy to go against the King of Sweden The Duke of Nevers was fain to ask pardon and Investure which accordingly was performed and peace and rest restored to Italy How many combats how much blood-shed was here for a sume of ambition For Religion had nothing to do in the matter But it is credible that the Spaniards would not suffer so potent a French Prince at the entry into Italy and so near the Dutchy of Milan which they keep as tenderly as the ample of their eyes and that the French on the other side would establish him and uphold him without acknowledging the Emperour God makes justice appear when men will throw it under foot with Arms. Prodigies in Italy This warre had been praemonstrated by many Prodigies and Portents which praeceded it as namely by Earthquakes in Apalia whereby more then sixteen thousand persons were overwhelmed by dreadfull floods streams of blood and the like And really these two Nations after having stoutly wrangled and by sword famin and contagious sicknesses lost above a million of mortals came neither of them to the principal but secret end which they had proposed to themselves and reaped no other salarie then that of vain-glory drawn out of jealousie of State The Countries were destroyed the Neighbours oppressed Christian Religion contemned and altered and in the one of the aforesaid nations by many persons quite annihilated The Ministers who love to fish in troubled waters and blow the bellowes of their Masters ambition so to carry them rashly on to warres which might be diverted by one single conference will one day have much to answer before the fountain of all Equity and Justice The enemies of Cardinal Richelieu But let us leave this point to be picked out by the Casuists and return to France where we shall discover how the Cardinal falls as deep into the hatred of the Grandies as he is strong in the possession of the Kings favour The Queen-Mother repented her self of having promoted a Minister who was to destroy her Gastion was vexed to see the management of all the affaires of France in his hands without participating therein That devout Prelate the Chardinall of Berulles laboured to stop him from forging some designes as pernicious to the Catholicks abroad as they had been to the Hughenots in France But Parca cut off the thred of his life and deprived Richelieu of a most Religious Enemy who survived him to accomplish his end in other yea in all such as gave any jealousie and the Hughenots themselves were grown to sing his prayses when many Catholicks had him in horrour and execration CHAP. XII Cardinal Richelieu makes peace with the English and devises new Allyances to attack the House of Austria WHEN the Cardinal by his great prudence had broaken that puissant Party which in some measure both divided and shocked the Soveraign Power re-established every where the Catholick Religion and a fresh springing Amity amongst the people he perceived himself in danger to be cast out of the Saddle But he had acquired so great an influence upon the mind both of King and People by the good successe of his Counsels that he was not a jot moved at the puissant factions which he saw growing against himself at the Court all which he surmounted afterwards by a certain felicity which alwayes accompanied him and which after the Peace of Italy shined with more force and luster His designes seemed to be carried to a breach between the two Crownes The King makes peace with the English for the more eafie atchievement whereof and to involve the Church in this pernicious warre from which some Grandies were averse by the intermission or mediation of the Venetians he made peace with the English whom he could not attack by land and thought of finding another enemy whom he might lay aboard when he would His Master had deserved and possessed the name of Just by humbling with great moderation the Hughenot Party and there was no better meanes left to obtain it also amongst the Reformates who were yet very hot then by poasting to the succour of the Protestant against the Emperour The King of England after the fall of the Hughenots in whose defence he had lost both many men and much money finding the lot of arms unfavourable which was to be also fatall to him afterwards chose to sit still in Royall vacancie and repose The first war of the King against the Spiniards the second against the French and the third against his Subjects He was unfortunate in the first Expedition he made when he sent that Fleer with the Admirall of Holland who joyned with a great number of ships to surprise Cales For after having suffered many inconveniences and losses it was fain at length to return and the King of Spain remitted many prisoners into England to be punished like Pyrats because their King had not denounced the War One affront was paid by another In his second undertaking against France Fortune favoured him yet lesse and his third and lasi was the ruine of his Family as we will shew towards the end of this Epitome Suddenly after the reduction of Rochel the Cardinal pressed hard for the succour of the Duke of Nevers against the opinion of such as could not endure so glittering a Purple and who apprehended a breach But he began it and ended it as we even now said in the yeare 1633. The said Duke sold his homage and duty to the Emperour which gave contentment to the Duke of Savoy and the Marquis de Guastala in regard of their pretensions to the aforementioned Dutchies Now having already dissipated the smallest and weakest enemies of his Greatnesse he crushed that Party which had been so formidable to the precedent Kings and being confirmed by the assurances which his Master had given him of covering him with his Crown against all such as endeavoured his mine he resolved upon this great designe against the house of Austria A designe I say of huge danger and which could not be undertaken and set on worke The Cardinal disposes the Protestants to War against the Emperour but by means of potent Allyes for fear of incurring the hazard of destroying the State Therefore he thought it fir to awaken the Protestants all the North and all such as hated the Roman Catholick Religion nor were the Hollanders the last though the Spaniards courted them in vaine to a Truce The King of England was easily disposed to it in regard of his Son in Law and so great a Family as wherewith both himself and the Hollanders were burthened in a strange Country however the Communion of Religion and compassion made this charge seem supportable and gentle In briefe for the common interest of upholding themselves and for the apprehension which every one in particular had of this puissant House they were all resolved A powerful Oratour cannot faile to perswade when he pleads the Common cause But now there wanted both
a Captain and Cause sufficient to cover both this apprehension and the ambition also of some certaine people the former whereof they were resolved to finde quickly out though they were forced to goe seek him in the Ice and amongst the Deserts of the North and as for pretexts as well false as true they could not be wanting for since they were about to play their last Game they would hazard all and if they lost the consequence would be an universal Monarchie In the Treaty of Peace at Vienna the Embassadours of France promised that the French should not meddle with the affairs of Germany and yet there was another Treaty at Stockholne at the same time about an Allyance for the quiet of the Empire and a War against the Emperour But for the better understanding of what I shall say of that cruell fatality which hath made both Germany and all the Provinces neer it a kinde of a Church-yard it will very much import to make some short mention First of the quarrells and pretensions of the Emperours against France and then of the state of the Empire it selfe the Theater of the most destructive and deplorable War that ever was But there was a necessity in it to the end that the Prophesies might be accomplished nor is there any end even yet Henry the second seeing Germany in great combustion by jealousies drawn from the difference of Religion and being invited into Germany by the Protestants in armes against Charles and offered the protection of that Party and invited also on the other side by interest of State sent thither the Duke of Montmorancy with a puissant Army who seized upon those three Bishopricks by way of correspondence and would have done the same to Strasburgh if he had been able to get leave to march with his Troops through the Town as he had done at Metz. But the conclusion of a Peace between the Emperour and the Princes stopped the progresse of the French and made them return as Metz did that of the Emperour and forbide the Eagles any further flight Ferdinand the second having triumphed over all his Enemies whom the French by vertue of their Allyances The affront of the Bishop of Verdun had succoured with Councel Men and Mony and being irritated besides by the affront newly done to the Bishop of Verdun seemed willing to require satisfaction so to give exercise to his triumphant Forces and make War with better conveniencie and more advantage in Lorraine then in Italy At least the Cardinal was fearful least he should take old quarrels into deliberation again and send his Troops to replace the Eagle at Verdun which was beaten down to set ut the Flower de luce Wherefore for the diversion of this tempest and to make it burst upon Germany it self he complotted and projected with all his Allyances hoping the luck would turne and take away that Party The utility of those Allyances through France puffed up with so many Victories redoubted for greatnesse hated for the contributions by which it exhausted Germany and execrated for the redemanding of the Eeclesiastical Possessions which was executed about that time If this Dam were broken but by one single Victory of what a vast profit would it be to France The people would fall upon the Imperialists as they formerly did upon the Lutherans and so all that Party would be in confusion Lorraine and Alsatia would be but a Breakfast the three Ecclesiastical Electors would infallibly cast themselves into the King of France's armes thereby to shelter themselves from the fulminating fury of the Protestants and by consequence the Imperial Crown could not escape the head of his most Christian Majesty The Spaniards being shut up and deprived of succour from Germany would be easily droven out of the Low-Countries The secret Allyance and thus a certain secret Allyance which was discovered and miscarryed since that time would one day be a plank or foundation to the universal Monarchy This great Cardinal so admired and glorious after having broken the Hughenot Party succoured the Duke of Nevers in Italy and trodden upon the belly of the Savoyers prepared himselfe I say for this most dangerous designe disposed the Protestants to it by Father Ioseph in the Assembly at Leipsick Father Joseph at Leipsick and laboured earnestly for the destruction of the House of Austria as well knowing that it was better to prevent then be prevented and in what credit he should be amongst all such as sought the ruine of the Roman Catholick Faith and that of the aforesaid Victorious House But let us speak of the State of the Empire before this horrible tempest began to bruise it CHAP. XIII A Discription of the state of the Empire The election of the King of the Romans VVE finde in history that Charlemagne King of France Son to Pepin and Grand-child to Charles Mared going to Rome to defend Pope Leo was saluted by him to crown his merits and recompence his services Emperour of the West I will not here enter into the dispute between the two Nations of whether he were a German or no But sure it is that he was King of France before he was Emperour and the Germans themselves affirme that he transferred the Empire upon their Nation yea and that none can be elevated to that dignity unlesse he be born a German And so Maximilian of Austria being dead Charles was preferred before Francis the first King of France for that he was born at Gaunt a City of Low-Germany and the arguments of the Elector of Trevirs in the behalf of Francis were refuted and rejected Others alleadge that to save the West which was exposed to the excursions of the Barbarians by that remorenesse or slacknesse of the Emperours of the East it was transferred by the Pope upon the Gawles or French and that the race or Charlemagne coming to saile Pope Gregory the fifth transferred the Right of Election upon the Germans abolished the Hereditary and gave hope to Princes of vertue to be able to ascend to this charge which is the most glorious in the World The Emperours have been more absolute then they are at present and in the contentions with the Popes from whom they receive their Crown or at least their Confirmation they have been much disadvantaged Henry the seventh coming to die in Italy every several Town assumed to itselfe a peculiar principal in such sort as that the Emperours have had little there since save onely the bare Title Besides the same Popes have caused troubles in Germany on purpose to leave the domination to them there and cut off the opportunity of coming to rub up old quarrels in Italy Our Saviour indeed said that his Kingdom was not of this world and that his Apostles should not reign The Primitive Supreme Bishops declared it by the Crown of Martyrdom but some others spurred on by ambition have wrangled for another which both made them odious and their Authority
Protestants whose Cause and Religion he vanted that he came to defend Moreover this generous Prince being brought up in arms was sure that could he but once come to beate that old Captain Tilly. that victorious Rock against which all his Enemies had made shipwrack all the Lutherans would lend him their hands from the one end of the Empire to the other and then what honour and what glory should he obtain And if it hapned otherwise he might consolate himselfe with all such other Warriers as had suffered the like disgrace though yet still with this advantage beyond them that his Enemies could not follow him into his kingdom In brief he wanted but the getting of one General Battel to put into his hands the two thirds of the Empire and one more for all and Italy in to the bargaine King Gustave leagues with the Dake of Pomerania Whilest he was treating the League with Duke Bogislaus who received him in Stetin and driving the Imperialists out of Pomerania and Meckelenbargh being fortunate in many Encounters and chiefly in that which was offered for the succour of Colbergh where the Imperialists were knocked and Torquaro Conty forced to incamp himselfo at Gartz the Protestants assembled themselves secretly at Leipsick from whence they communicated with him and amongst themselves about the means of retaining the Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods in question of maintaining their Religion and reducing and restraining the Empire to the same state wherein it had been before the troubles All kindes of defence are authorized when there is fear of the diminution of estate and State together with that of Religion It seems that in these times men may dispense with their faith or word given even upon meer doubts and that it is lawful upon meer apprehensions onely though without any ground to withdraw ones selfe from obedience But dissidence and power to hurt upon occasion have more weight in State-interest then in Right and they who have not Peace and Justice for the scope of their armes do not make War but commit robberies for the end of War ought to be Peace He blocks the sea Towns Now the King spent all the Summer in blocking up the maritine Places raising new Troops exciting the Inhabitants to expell their Guests and receive their old Masters wherein they shewed themselves so good Servants that their fear effectively appeared in all parts Bogistans wrote complaints and excuses to the Emperour but they brought nothing back but reproaches and condemnations In the mean time the Imperial Army and that of the League were without a Head because the Duke of Frithland had obeyed the Emperours Order and General Tilly had a minde to submit to some pious inspirations which commanded him to leave this Trade and passe the rest of his dayes in the service of his Heavenly Master In such sort as there was much a doe yea and many great Divines were faint to display their eloquence to make him re-admit this Burthen upon his shoulders For he considered that he had alwayes had Fortune as his Handmaid that he had acquired as much glory as any one Captain in the World and that all this might change that in a great Calme a great Storme is to be feared and that it often happens that the soundest and best disposed bodies are those which most easily fall into grevous sicknesses No no said he let another younger then I am untangle this Web It is a faire Field to winne the Lawrel since the dispute is about Religion and the Authority of the Prime man of the World the Cause is just and the more difficulty it hath in it the more glory will it also have Sweat and Dust mingled with blood will alwayes revive and quicken the Palmes and Bayes wherewith his head shall be crowned Mine begin to way old with me and I will now consecrate them to the foot of a Crucifix O how happy had he been had he followed this connsel and put himself into a Monastery as he had projected But his delights were to be mingled with bitternesse his glory was to be obscured and he was to taste the condition of a Conquered as well as that of a Conquerour The Crosse which he had a minde to embrace in a Cloister The praise of Tilly who retakes the Generalate was but exteriour and voluntary but this was to be active and essential There were published of him these three things That be let no day slip without hearing Masse That he had never touched a woman And that he never lost Battel Let us leave him taking the charge and care of ranging the Souldiers again into good order and discipline and see what passed at Magdeburgh since the year 1628. CHAP. XIX The Siege of Magdeburgh The Duke of Lauemburgh beaten and taken neer the Elbe King Gustave takes Francfurt upon the Oder and beats the Imperialists MAgdeburgh is an Imperial Town in the Country of Saxonie situated upon the River of Elbe grown very rich and puissant and by consequence insolent by the conveniency of Trade It put Charles the fisth to much vexation and trouble and he proclaimed an Outlawrie against it and gave Maurice Duke of Saxonie the execution thereof who either through collusion or otherwise forbore to take it and from thence came the German Proverb Magdeburgh the first disturbance thereof Metz and Magd refused to dance with the Empetour After Luthers Doctrine was planted there the Arch-Bishops authority began to be much vilifyed and consequently that of the Emperour But let us now come to the state of the controversie This Town chose Augustus Son to the Elector of Saxonie for her Administratour Ferdinand consented not to this Election and the Pope desirous to restore his credit in that Country together with that of the Emperour established the Arch-Duke Leopold who is at present Governour of the Low-Countries for the King of Spain The Imperialists seized upon some places neer it and extorted a summe of money from it for their Solde or Pay and by continuing to demand a greater provoked the aversions of the Cirtizens and encouraged them to take arms and chase them away They seized also upon some Barkes which went to the Country of Meckelenburgh so that Wallenstein at length was faine to come and revenge that Commotion Appeased by Wallenstem Brief the Town was invested temerity turned into repentance and arms into supplications in conclusion all was pardoned they dispensed with for a Garrison and the Forfeit of a hundred and fifty thousand Riv. -Dollars which was liberally remitted out of respect to some certain Princes though yet all this made them not a whit better Servants to Ferdinand Thus was the first bout past but there followed a second which brought an utter ruine and that the most miserable one that ever fell upon any Town I will be bold to say then that of Troy even though all were true which hath been written thereof by the Greeks and then that