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
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
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
it is that he is blamed and that upon very probable arguments for not having made peace at Munster for the necessary rest and tranquility of the French and for the superlative advantage of France But Wherefore he did not make Peace he hoped to come to share stakes and conceived that the United Provinces would forsake their interests to follow his passion and his designes But God had otherwise disposed of it Why the Prince retyred himself The Prince of Conde being priviledged by his birth after having performed the Crown such services as surpasse the belief of man after having spilt his blood and exposed his life to so many hazards after having gained so many Battails and forced so many Towns was not able to digest an Imprisoment grounded upon conjectures which the brightnesse of his glory had ingendred in some distrustfull soules It is a great heart-sore to a generous spirit to have any other Guard imposed upon him then that of his â—â—us honour The information which was given him of that designe and then of the attempt projected upon his person as was reported moved him to endeavour to destroy his eneme which not being able to atchieve by almost a generall Insurrection he chose rather to withdraw then to see a man at Court who overshadowed him and made his heart swell with vengeance His Father retyred himself to Brussels The Father to save his honour had retyred himself also to Brussells and depositated his wife in the hands of that most vertuous Princesse the Cardinal Infanta And the Sonne to revenge the affront which he precended to have been done him and for which he could get no satisfaction in France took the same course sound the same protection and the honour to command the Armies The issue will shew us how to judge of the intentions and of the cause by the effects In fine every one would have the superiority and no body would stoop to make place for another For the Citizens of Paris The Cardinal of Râ—tz at the Bois de Vincennes who thought to finde their own interests in those of the Princes seeing the Game in danger to be lost easily disingaged themselves from the affections which they had vowel to them And the Cardinal of Râ—tz And Beaufort with the Duke of Orleans to Blois who had mediated the Kings return to Paris and rendred him superlative service was soon after carried prisoner to the Bois de Vincennes The Duke of Beaufort who had swumme in the affections of the Parisians not finding his safety any more amongst them retyred himself with the Duke of Orleans The reduction of Retel and Bourdeaux 1653. to Blois This last Field began with the taking of Retâ—l saw the Prince of Caâ—â—e with the whole Army in Picardy and the reduction of Bourdeaux God grant that the end therof may produce a peace for which so many people long and earnestly expect It must be looked for from his band for it is only he who can give it in our dayes it is he only who fights for us and who will graciously hear the prayers of his affected people The Duke of Guise returns into France Upon the intercession of this Prince the King of Spain set the Duke of Guise at liberty who was taken in the tumults of Neaples as hath been already said He retured into France but took not his intercessours part because he had not the same interests nor had received the same affronts Before we conclude our work we must passe once more into England to see how that Common-wealth is governed which as soon as it was out of the Cradle sell into a difference with that of Holland which had fought fourscore years for her liberty and in whose preservation the bordering Countries have their interest as we shall forthwith demonstrate The situation of Holland Holland is so situated and her number of shipping is so great that there arrive merchandizes from all the Havens of the world which are transported by the Hollanders to other parts as well by Sea as by the Navigable Rivers which surround it The People are very open and plain and govern their Trade with so much industry craft and cunning I speak in generall that they surpasse all other Nations of the Universe therein Now as the Liver in mans body makes the Chylus or Concocoction and diffuses the blood through all the vaines just so Holland receives the Merchandizes into her bowels and sends them through all the vaines of this world But the Liver being corrupted the body cannot long subsist so the Traffick being spoyled not only this Country but the other also would have too much to suffer Their knowledge in order to the Sea is so perfect and their proevidence so laudable that they seldom make shipwrack The English slight the friendship of the Hollanders All things being well considered it may be asked why that new Common-wealh being yet in her infancy full of danger and in the middle of so many enemies both at home and abroad sought not the friendship of this being almost conform in doctrine with her as also Aristocratical Government To which I answer that two Common-wealths so near one another which have but one and the same scope or ayme i.e. the Traffick are lesse able to agree then Rivals who court one Mistresse or two Neighbour-Kings Religion may do much to animate a people but profit mility and gain carries it quite away There is yet somewhat more for ambition makes face of the Piramide which doth not shew it self and is stolne from the eyes of the most clear-sighted persons Rome and Carihage were in perpetual controversies One of these two Republicks must needs perish to open the passage to the other for the Conquest of the Universe Whe prepare themselves for the war I leave the other reasons to be picked out by acuter wits and say that the States not being able to make any profit of theirs were constrained to lay about them for their own defence and to provide all approaches or Inlets They reinforced the Garrison of the Brill and of Zeland gave order to sit a good number of ships and to raise mony upon the people to furnish the expences whilest the English continued their hostilty But a certain faction flipt in amongst the people by such authours as were enemies to the publick quiet and we will first recount some particular misfortunes The tumult at Middleburgh 1653. was soon appeased That at Dort was yet of lesse consequence The fire which happened to the Town-house at Amsâ—erdam The Town house at Amsteâ—dam burnt 1652. brought some dammage and caused the hastening of that which was already begun to be built The audacity of the Seamen who brought back the vessels which remained in Hitland was repressed by the punishment of some amongst them A small â—â—nult appeased But a rash Commandment more unfortunately executed and which cost the life of some
glory l. 30. the time l. 48. and live after p. 13. l. 35. States p. 14. l. 42. States p. 24. l. last adde But here we must note another evill which partly caused that p. 36. l. 13. apprehension p. 37. l. 16. gave any p 50. l. 40. she is p. 51. l. 9. the point p. 53. l. 35. to the. p. 58. l. 16. as they p. 77. l. 7. and so p. 73. l. 16. storm l. 17. port p. 83. l. 6. in regard p. 84. l. 25. of repast p. 86. l. 18. apprehensions p. 87. l. 17. receivable p. 93. l. 4. how p. 99. l. 38. inconsiderate p. 100. l. 11. Rebellion p. 107. l. 21. brought into p. 112. l. 6. those two l. 35. glory 36. dammageable p. 113. l. 4. Negotiator l. 18. them p. 〈◊〉 l. 50. adored in Germany then in l. 53. neighbours with p. 127. l. 37. such whose party was supplanted p. 132. l. 48. in such p. 1. 5. l. 14. ardout p. 137. l. 26. will hence p. 138. l. 5. he p. 141. marg 1631. p. 144. l. 41. Novelty p. 153. l. 44. noyse of his Arms. p. 154. l. 4. at his p. 150. l. 50. out of p. 172. l. 39. There p. 180. l. 10. winnes the lawrel near the. p. 188. l. 6. good reason yea p. 203. l. 5. unwillingly l. 7. disadvantage p. 213. l. 25. to escape p. 239. l. 3. sacked p. 240. l. 45. at Trevirs p. 245. l. 54. taken p. 247. l. 7. praises p. 255. l. 34. casual p. 265. l. 1. dele little p. 268. l. 7. well enough l. 19. or for p. 209. l. 13. of others p. 276. l. 46. excuse p. 287. l. 18. now held Directions for placing of the Figures THe Emperour of Germany Page 178 The late King of England Page 208 The King of France Page 48 The King of Spain Page 50 The Protectour of England Page 254 The King of Poland Page 251 The Queen of Sweden Page 256 The King of Sweden Page 9 Cardinel Mazarine Page 198 The Prince of Orange Page 260 The Farl of Strafford Page 210 The Arch-Duke Leopold Governour of Flanders Page 237 Pope Alexander the Seventh Page 287 THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I The state of EVROPB towards the end of the precedent Age. THE Romane Empyre enjoyed a profound Peace France Italy Spaine Lorraine and the Gallicane or French Provinces of the Low-Countries began to respire by the Peace of Vervix All the Partialities of the League grew to be smoothered by the prudence of that Gaulish Hercules The Romane Catholicks HENRY Fourth and they of the Reformed Religion with an agreeable harmony to one anothers grief testified their fidelity to their magnanimous Prince and to please him the more bestowed all their hatred upon his service and their grudges upon the glory of their Country The Germans under the government of Maximilian Nephew to the Emperour Charles and Rodolph his son both meek Princes no more remembred the calamities which they had suffored through the difference about matter of Religion Nor knew they now what belonged to war but by hear-say and report for if by accident they saw any souldiers listed they were appointed for France or the Low-Countries The Forces of the Dubos des deux Ponts of Prince William of Orange of Casimir and of the Duke of Brunsmick The Battell of Anolt were soon the one to be cut in pieces by the Duke of Guise and the other after having committed great extravagances and made shamefull compositions to return with confusion This part whereof only which came into the Bishopprick of Colein to interrupt the marriage of their Electour proved not despisable Frances married fair Agnes of Mansfeld and had almost kindled a great fire but it passed not over the Lisiere and was quenched in the waters of the Rheyn by the valour of the Duke of Parma And so by a good understanding of the Members with their Head there returned a Calme I mean of the Electours and Princes with their Emperour Fear was taken away but distrust which casts her roots every where amongst pleasures caused by abundance was not rooted out This hath smothered the good Corn as we shall hereafter shew and dried up the fat of these rich Provinces and that Germany which was so formidable to the whole world would not have since been seen so miserably torne in pieces if she had known how to keep her self in unity and concord Now this desirable Aurora had chased away the darknesse of the night this Peace had lulled asleep the better part of Europe and the War was retired towards the extremities or uttermost ends thereof as that at Sea between the Spaniards and the English The Low-countries the Academy of the Wars the Poles and the Swedes the Hungarians and the Turks But it was principally in the Low-Countries where it had fixed its Seate and Schoole It was I say in this little corner near the Sea amongst great Rivers and inaccessible Fennes and Marishes where it set up its Academy so to render the Discipline thereof immortall In effect great spirits not being able to live at home in sloth and idlenesse and inflamed with a laudable desire of making themselves famous in Arms for the acquisition of glory hastened thither from all parts there to make their Apprentisage and some following the humour of their Prince and others the interest of Religion ranged themselves on that side to which their zeal addicted them How because from the knowledge of the Revolutions of the precedent Age are drawne the truest causes and motives of the bloody and terrible Tiagedies which are yet a playing in this of ours we will reprize our Discourse from the head and having reached the source follow the brooks and rivers till we come into that Sea of calamities and miseries wherein we see poor Christians ingulfed at this day who cannot truly call themselves any more the Disciples of their Master Jesus Christ since they have exterminated Peace and brought confusion dissentions and disorders upon themselves It is therefore this abominable Age whereof the Scripture so clearely speaks This is that Kingdome of Iron which shivers and subdues all things The seven Angels have powred down their Vials upon the earth which is filled with blasphemy massacres injustices disloyalties and infinite other evills almost able to draw even the very Elect to murmuration We have seen and yet see Kingdome against Kingdome Nation against Nation Plagues Famines Earthquakes horrible Inundations signes in the Sun Moon and Starres anguishes afflictions of whole Nations through the tempests and noise of the Sea And whereas the Trees by thrusting forth their buds give us assurance of the approach of Summer in like manner will I be bold to say that since those things are come to passe which have been foretold us we ought not to make any difficulty to believe that the End is at hand and that the Son of man is coming in a Cloud with
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
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
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
so many losses inviolably kept the Peace and maintained himself in amity with the Emperour till the coming in of the King of Sweden who being his Brother-in Law would easily with his arguments have perswaded him to take up Arms again had he not been prevented by a dropsie which drowned all his smoakie ambitions together with his life and deprived the aforesaid King of a man who would yet according to occasions have much tormented the Empyre and whose life deserved no more admiration then his last Will and Testament did For he bequeathed the Emperour forty thousand Ducats His Testardent and a brave horse with a saddle embrodered full of Pearles and precious stones to his sonne Ferdinand the third as much to the Emperour of Turkie as much to his wife Katherine of Brandenburgh a hundred thousand Rix-Dollars and a hundred thousand Florins besides three Provinces The Execution of the said Testament was recommended by him to the Grand Signor the widow and Transylania to the Emperour And this was the end of that Gabor who was so much renowned who so often re-incouraged them of the Party when they groaned under the Emperours forces and who was so soon beaten down by his own inconstance or rather by the unhappinesse of the said Party Ragoskie having bribed the Embassadour whom the widow sent to Constam inople was created Duke of Transylvania She opposed him and called her Tutour the Emperour to her assistance who sent her the Palatin of Costonia Ragoskie brough an Army into the Field His Successour by deceit is often beaten which was defeated and he in great trouble to raise another which had the same successe of the former as wel as which followed Thus finding the Cross too strong for him he looked towards the Mâ—on Three Bashaws came to succour him who were all beaten one after another by the aforesaid Palatine In fine since he had no better issue by Arms then his Predecessour he was fain to have recourse to the same practises and follow the same steps Wherefore he desired peace with Stephen Gabor brother to the aforesaid Bethleem and made him Governour of the Province restored the widow her Treasures and served himself of their mediation Make peace which was not infructuous to him for he obtained peace and Transylâ—ania remained under the Emperours protection Let us now go to the wedding of Ferdinand the third This Prince being destinated to wear the Crown of the Empyre as well as that of the Kingdomes of Bohemia and Hungary sent to demand the Infanta Mary Sister to the King of Spain who was granted him The King her Brother accompanied her to Barcelona where she embaiked for Italy The marriage of Fordinand the third passed by Naples and made her entry at Vienna with so great pomp and gallantry that there could nothing more be added to augment the splendour thereof Before her arrivall her husband was Crowned Emperout at Ratisbone shortly after at Posen Let us leave them with all the joyes of the Court at Vienna and return into Italy to see a warre of Catholick against Catholick CHAP. X Warre in Italy about the succession of the Dutchy of Mantua wherein the Emperour and the two Crownes took part THe difference The warre of Italy for the Dutchy of Mantua which chanced about the succession of the Dutchies of Maentua and Monferrat embarassed all Italy awakened the ambitious jealousies of those two potent nations and so much exercised them in warre that it proved partly the cause of the entyre breach and desolations which followed In the year 1627 the twenty sixth of December Duke Vincent deceasing without Children the succession fell to the Duke of Nevers who received it and praecipitated his inauguration or investure without the knowledge of the limporour who is the Lord of Fief or Supreme-Heredirary thereof The Spaniards more through jealousie then by right or title took Arms as the Duke of Savoy also did for an old pretension he seazed upon many places in Monâ—ferrat and they besieged Casal O interest of State thou Idol how powerful art thou and how many mischiefs dost thou cause The apprehension which the Spaniards had of the Dutchy of Milan made them undertake this warre and hasten the Peace in the North. The Duke of Nevers put good Garrisons into the most tenible places and joyned with the Venetians who could not endure that the House of Austria should make any further progresse in Italy and shut up the gate to the French Ferdinand commands them to lay down Arms but is not obeyed The Emperour desiring to extinguish this sire by a remedy just enough though a little too suspect sent his Embassadours to injoyn both Parties to lay down Arms and in regard that the Duke of Nevers had not first demanded his investure in due form to remit the said Dutchies by way of sequestration into his hands that so he might proceed therein according to Right But he was obeyed here just as his Predecessour was at Gulick For the Duke rejected the conditions endeavoured to succour Casal and cut in pieces the forces which opposed his generous designe The King of France in the mean while was busie at the siege of Rochell which seemed long to the poor Duke who found himself oppugned in his lawfull succession by the Spaniards Succour from France the Savoyers and the Imperialists and that without hope of any strong relief from France The King dispatched away Marshall of Crecquy in Autumne and he went into the Field two moneths after the reduction of the Town which was in the heart of Winter The Duke agrees The Duke who conceived that the said Marshall marched too slowly and that he would busie himself about the taking of the Marquisat of Saluces and make a warre in Savoy changed his maxime promised the Emperour to obey him and to receive his Garrisons into the Townes and consequently sent his son the Duke of Duke of Rhetell to Vienna to make protestation of his obedience and innocence The Spaniards however much harassed and tyred by the frequent sallies of the besieged the length of the Siege and inundations of the Po disapproved this Treaty and to their own dammage continued the said Siege The Emperour sent other Embassadours to command observance The Spaniards continue the siege at Casal But Dou Cardâ—â—â—a who during these intrigues hoped to carry the place pressed it hard lent a deaf ear to the Emperours ouder and dispatched a Envoy or Messenger-Express to Madrid Nevers being irritated beyond measure to sind himself thus treated and that that the equity of his Cause was combatted with so much injustice and animated on the other side by seeing his King slight the rigour of the season to come and ayd him turned all his thoughts to warre The King of France passes by force through Savoy and makes them rise The Duke of Savoy refused the King passage but he got it by force defeated his
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
and if when they be cited or condemned they â—esose to appear he publishes and proscribes them by commanding some Prince neet hand to execute his order by arms from whence it follows that as he is obliged to defend and protect both them and their priviledges so are they also bound to obey him by Oath and by vertue of the Fief he possesses A happy Goverment and a happy Germany when the Members agree with the Head CHAP. XV The Principall motives of the Decline of the Empire The motives of the Declime of the Engire BEfore we speak of the causes of this last warre which put Germany into that condition wherein we see her yet and from which she begins by little and little to be repayred our Subject requires us to give a brief hint of those which have so weakened this Empire which all history both prophane and sacred tell us is to be the last The Pojes The Popes were the first who weakened it in Italy and gave matter thereby to the most ambitious of that Nation to appropiate some States to themselves as being either vacant or desecred by the troubles or care lesness of the Emperours wherein they served themselves of divers pretexts as either through zeal of devotion and respect or for the punishment of some faults which they imputed to the said Emperous or through the immensity of their own ambition or else by favouring the factions of the Ghilphes against the Gibellins or Imperialists in such sort as the Papal Authoritie obumbrating or overshaddowing the Imperiall hath both now quite away the heat thereof as I have already said The Translation of the States The Barbarians Secondly by the translation of the Seate of the Empire to Constantinople and by the inundation of the Barbarians which have come at certain times from beyond the Rheynt and from the North. Besides the Empire is much diminished by some Provinces and Towns yea The Kingdoms and whole Kingdoms also which upon divers praetexts have loosened themselves from this great Body which are mentioned in history and not for our purpose heer And moreover since the Germans have reduced the Empire within the praecincts of their nation and chosen the Emperours anoughst themselves by the exclusion of all strangers it is no wonder if others have separated themselves from them and erected particular Governments according to the hunour of theirs But let us now come to the principall subject of all drawne from the Germans themselves which makes the Empire so weak that any neighbouring Prince very often dares brave and affront it The diversity of Doctrines and ambition and this is the diversity of Religions the over great porencie of the Princes and States and distrust in side or dissidence mingled with ambition For remedie whereof the Emperoun and Princes have had many conserences and it hath been agreed resolved that there should be but two Religions tolerated in Germany as namely the Roman Catholick the confession of Auxburgh which is the Lutheran But the disease being too great to be cured by so gentle physick and the house of Austria too powerfull both in Spain and the Low-Conntreys not to give jealousie distrust and ambition sicknesses of State have alwayes peeped out their heads in the Diets after much time lost in disputing for place and praecedeucie So that these being gotten into the interiour of the first and making little account of the languishing authoritie of the Emperous have produced the hatred seditions and warrs which we have relared already and those also which are now going to describe From this diversity of Religions sprang the warre between Charles the fifth John Frederick Electour of Saxonie Philip Landgrave of Hassia and some other Protestants which rendred the said Emperours luster more glonous and begat such a hatred in all the Protestant States as is now grown almost irreconciliable There was a temperament or kinde of agreement in Religion concluded afterwards which was called The contract of Passavia The contract of Passavia which yet being taken again into deliberation hath since made a marveilous operation as we are about to shew In this aforesaid Treaty it was ordered and setled that the Protestants should enjoy all such ecclesiasticall goods and revenues as they had formerly possessed and that the rest should remaine in perpetuity to the Catholicks For example the Catholick Bishops coming to embrace the Luheran Religion should forthwith religne the place to be occupated by another who should make open not feigned profession of the Catholick and so consecutively of all the Cloisters Abbies and other dignities which yet the Lutherans cannot deny but they have conterveened and contradicted and that they retaine all such aforesaid goods and revenues against the will of the Testatonrs and against all Rights Justice and Equity Complaints against the House of Austria But we must not also let passe in silence the complaints which have been made by many of the States of Germany against the house of Austrin which hath uphold her self about two hundred years in the Imperiall dignity as if it were haereditary a suspicion ful of efficacie which shocks after a manner the elective right and strongly opposes the justest maxime of State To which it hath been answered that the elections have alwayes been lawfull and that at present This house by means of her two Kingdoms serves for a Bulwark to Germany against the Turk Besides that their is hardly any one to be found in the whole body of the Empire who is able with the reveneues of one Family to sustain or uphold the greatnesse of the Majesty wherewith Charles the fifth reproached those Princes which were revolted from him Were is is not said hee for my Low-Countryes I could not maintain my Table What profit have I of your Empire but a great charge and porpetual troubles Inferting thereby that the glory of this weighty burthen was deat enough bought without addition of disobedience After the decease of this invincible and most vigilant Emperour his successours either through too much timidity durst not make shew of seeing the sults and errours which were committed or cast them off to the following Diets which were often extinguished in the very dispute of precedencie only as I have said already And so the impunity of Vice enccuradging men to sin not only the Bishops married and kept their Bishopricks but the saecular Princes also seazed upon other ecclesiasticall Lands and Goods as it were for decencies sake and every one in fine would have his share thereof The long possession of a thing ill gotten warrants not the propriety therein nor excludes the true Owner from his lawful Right But they who can defend it with armes either mock or defy the strength of the Lawes CHAP. XVI The Emperour redemands the Ecclesiasticall Goods taken after the composition of Passavia The alteration amongst the Protestants AFter so many Victories gotten by the Emperours Lieutenants after having humbled
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
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 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
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
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
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
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