Lord began to turne her backe against him and prepared a crosse for him The 10. of Iune anno 1619. shee gaue him the blowe checke and almost a mate VVe will declare the circumstances thereof in some sort for speciall cause He had Commission to leaue certaine men in the Garrisons for the Defence and keeping of them and with the rest to goe and joyne himselfe with the Army that lay before Budweis and in pursuite of that Commission he departed from Pilsen and went to Portewin an houres going from Vodnian where he attended for 500. Horsmen that the Earle was to bring vnto him there he expected them from day to day In the meane time the Generals prest him to goe forward without staying any longer for them so the Tenth of the said month he departed from thence with his Troupes being about 8. Companies of Foote but not compleat because of the Garrisons aforesaid and about 450. Horsmen among the said Garrisons there was one of 30. Souldiers in a Village called Netoliz on the right hand of the way which the Generall held The euening before his departure the Hungarians that serued the Enemy set Fire thereon and constrained the Garrison to withdraw themselues into the Church The Generall being arriued with the Army at Zablatti in Dutch Grossen Lasken a Village distant about a Germane myle and a halfe from the said Netoliz was aduertised by the Earle of Solmes who as then was at Vodnian with charge to prouide for the said Garrisons that the said Souldiers yet made resistance and desired him to ayde them to goe thither with the Army my Lord found it to be a dangerous matter to abandon them he feared a reproach Therefore he resolued vpon another course and commaunded the body of his Army to stay there while he himselfe with 150. Horsemen ranne thither causing part of them to stay by the way to ayde him in his retraict and to the same end commanded 400. Muskatiers to march to lye in Ambuscado and to stay his returne He thereupon put forward with the rest of his Horsemen and met with the Hungarians whom he valiantly charged but the first part of them being seconded by a great number of others and by some Troupes of Cuirasses he was constrained to retire by another way without hauing meanes to preuaile of the aduantage which he prouided for himselfe by the Ambuscado which neuerthelesse hee caused to be aduertised that they should slide along through the Wood and by the water side and so get to the Army which they effected in such manner that they safely arriued there but yet were narrowly pursued by the Enemy In the meane time the Earle of Bucquoy with the maine body of his Army consisting of 5000. Horse and 4000. footmen marched forward following the traces of the said Lord Generall who being come to the Village where the rest of his men stayed for him and thinking to refresh himselfe sodainly all the Earle of Bucquoyes Army shewed it selfe Whereupon the Generall mounted on Horsebacke with all his Souldiers in order of Battaile commanded them to make a Fortification or sconse of Waggons which was presently begun on the left side but by reason that the VVaggoners were put into a great feare by the running away of certaine Caroches it was not made round about as it should haue bin The length of the Village was behinde at the backe of the Generals Army his Horsemen being deuided into 3. Battalions in manner of a Triangle the better to ayde one the other The Foot-men were behinde and the Carriage in the middle being 4. Companies on the left hand and 3. on the right and one before the Carriage all in such manner disposed that the Horsmen had meanes to be defended by the Muskatiers The Enemy being very neere and all the field couered ouer with his horsemen my Lord Generall set vpon those that were formost and scattered certaine Squadrons of Hungarians but the Cuirassiers belonging to the Baron of Walstein comming forward he was repulsed and so whotly charged on all sides that he was put to flight A little before the Enemy began to giue the on-set 50. Souldiers of the Colonels company that were on the right side were commaunded to goe to the Generals lodging to defend it and the little Street betweene both but as they went the rest of the Company followed them by misunderstanding And the two other Companies did the like and were no sooner gone but the Enemies entred into their places who acknowledging and perceiuing their errour turned backe againe to place themselues as they were at the first but then it was too late in such manner that they were constrayned to looke for their owne safety There was a Wood beyond the Village whether they sought to retire but finding themselues to bee out of the Village to crosse ouer a plaine They were presently enuironed on all sides by the Hungarians and so hardly charged that few of them could saue themselues the rest were either slaine or taken prisoners In the meane time the horsemen were broken part of the footmen lost and the fiue Companies remaining in great hazard to be spoyled Carpezo the Serieant Maior the Rhingraue The Captaines Haid Scheammerdorf and N. commaunding them had the great body of the Enemies forces before them the fire at their backes and all the Amunition except some carkes of powder with all the carriage burning whereby they were put to their shifts and if they had any blood at their fingers ends it was then time for them to shew it as it became them Assoone as the horsemen were dispierced the Enemy began to set vpon the fiue Companies on all sides where they could come at them and they defended themselues valiantly as they were in a Garden hauing the aduantage of a hedge which was a good defence and safegard vnto them The Earle of Bucquoy made certaine peeces of Cannon to be shot at them on that side thinking to beat it downe but he could not doe it that day The Sunne shone very hot and the heat that encreased by the fire that burnt in the Village was the cause that the fire which the Enemy put into the hedge easily burnt but the diligence of those that were assayled surmounting all difficulties presently quenched it In the meane time the Generall without any astonishment at that disorder had reassembled and gathered his horsemen againe together and with them forcibly past through the Hungarians squadrons and ranne too and fro in field and returned againe into the Village with an intent to mount vpon a fresh horse and to put on his Cuirasse being then vnarmed But hee found his lodging already taken vp by the Enemy and that side of the Village that was behind at the backe of his Souldiers all set on fire which notwithstanding he sought by all the meanes he could to get among his footmen but the way was stopt on all sides At the last as hee turned and lookt about
say the truth as we ought to doe it is the couetousnesse of certaine particular persons it is the great disorder that was therein touching the receiuing and distributing of the treasures which hindred them from paying the souldiers that discipline could not be established and so many mischiefes preuented The good people had made the wolfe a shepherd popel de Lobkowiz was their Lord Tresurer all men know his nature and with what wood he warmes himselfe The three Estates and the Nobilitie haue sufficiently disliked of his dealings The children went to fetch mustard And not to hold you too long with this subiect I will only say that men worthy of credit and such as had that credit to haue a sight of the bookes of account affirme That since the beginning of the direction vntill the month of Nouember anno 1620. which is not aboue two yeeres and a halfe the States of Bohemia without comprehending therein the Prouinces incorporated haue not disbursed three millions of Florins Good God what a summe of money is that in respect of the great reuennes of so rich and opulent a Realme as that is Now let men consider of the great summes of money that haue beene leuied by contribution in the plaine country and in the villages let them only set downe the contributions of the Towne of Prague and it shall be seene whether it was for want of money that the souldiers were not paid or for want of good will One of them of the first Estate for touching the two other I am perswaded they did their endeuours being asked how much he would willingly contribute to the maintenance of the warre out of 20000. dollars yeerely rent that he possessed durst offer 300. dollars a yeere And one of the principallest of them that had a great hand in managing the affaires of the Land and one that could doe much being rated at 2000. dollars a yeere was willing to giue but 2. or 3. hundred a yeere An other of the same coat in steed of 2000. florins that he ought for his part would pay but 500 because as he said he had no more money In the meane time running away from Prague after the battell he left 300000. dollars ready money behinde him which he could not saue among other things What profit did some of them make of the opening of the Emperor Rodulphus chamber what benefit of Ecclesiasticall goods I will not speake of the rest And yet they are poore they haue no meanes to pay a little entertainment to those that are strangers that haue no part of that abundant riches that daily expose their liues and bodies for the good of the Bohemian Crowne and for the maintenance of those who so richly enioy the blessings of that country Let the vnpartiall Reader that is acquainted with the affaires of the world iudge if it pleaseth him by that which I haue said and shall say hereafter what is the true cause of the disorders and insolencies committed by the souldiers and of the mischiefes and miseries hapned and fallen vpon that country To that end I haue made this digression Now we will leaue these great masters following their affaires in Prague and popel de Lobkowiz telling their money separating the old grosches from the new to melt and make his particular profit of them staying for the taking of the said Towne when Colonel Iuggeâ— gâ—â—es him a bastinado as a beginning of a reward for his accursed auarice To returne vnto our purpose The Generall although ill prouided of that which was necessarie for him yet weary to be enclosed within the walls of a Towne and desirous to take the aire of the fields entred into the field with his troupes and some peeces of Cannon in the moneth of Aprill and marched to Grunberge from whence he once againe gaue an other countercharge vnto the principall land officers sharper then the former but to the same end and then went forward There is a Castle that stands ten miles distant from Prague in the way to Vodnian and Prachadis neere to the riuer of Moldauia in a village called Thein which as then the enemie held and thereby much disturbed the Kings affaires which he determined to take from the enemie and to that end wrote to Colonel Franc who as then was at Tabor with six companies of Hollanders to come with his men and some troupes of horse and foot men of the country people vnto the said village of Thein vpon a day appointed and there to seize vpon the bridge that so he might ioyne with him Which he did and all the troupes meeting together at the time appointed in the said village in the morning when the Generall had giuen two or three volleys of Cannon shot at the enemie he vnderstood that some second was comming to aide them and that the vangard was already in sight Whereupon he caused his Armie to enter into the field and placing it in order of battell resolued to fight if the enemie would giue the onset Now hauing staid in that manner vntill euening and no man seene to appeare and considering the danger that might ensue to lodge so many men in a village and that the season of the yeere as then was not fit to lie in the fields as also the newes that came from the Earle de la Tour who wrote for aide he resolued to defer that matter to a more conuenient time and to retire to Bekin You must vnderstand that in the meane time the Earle of Bucquoy that was strong in Austria held our men at a bay in such manner that the Earle de la Tour who as then commanded the Armie in the absence of the Prince of Anholt and the Earle of Hohenloe was constrained to send to the King for aide Whereupon his Maiestie gaue commission to the Lord Generall of the Artillerie to goe thither with his troupes as he did but against his will sufficiently foreseeing by experience of the time past that among so many great persons and commanders iealousie might easily arise to the preiudice of the common good and of some of them as it hapned When he came to Niddreller a village two miles distant from Egenburg in the lower Austria where the other Armie was he stayed there two or three weekes with his troupes attending the comming of the Prince of Anholt Generall of all the Armie who as then was at Prague in the which time he ceased not to write againe vnto the land officers and to harpe vpon the same string that he had done before withall shewing them of the pouertie and great necessitie of his souldiers growing by the dearth that was in that country all ouer-runne and ruinated by the former warres praying and hardly pressing them to haue a regard vnto so many braue men that deserued rather to die in battell for the Kings seruice then so miserably to perish for want of food But they were so farre off from hauing any regard vnto his
the many and that there is no biting of calumnie which leaues not behinde it some scarre to the blemish of his honour that hath once beene calld in question if presently it be not washt off with the pure substance of the truth I would not let to set downe for the Reader so much as should be necessarie by the true narration of that which passed about this matter Ioachim de Carpzo Lieutenant Colonell of one of the Regiments of my Lord Marshall was yet prisoner with the enemie euer since the last summer when he was taken at Glax in Austria Him they made choise of to be an instrument of their designe to perswade the Lord Marshall to leaue the place to the Emperor in consideration of the reward promised him which was great as t is commonly in such a case in a word mountaines of gold He desirous to part from them to procure his ransome agreeth the willinger to take such a commission vpon him But as the common prouerbe saith A thin lining agreeth not with a thin outside If the Count Bucquoy be honest the Count Mansfield is iust if the one be quicke of sight the other is swift of foot He was not so foolish nor so ill a merchant to make so bad a bargaine and to sell his honour being inestimable for a thing that perisheth to loose in one houre what he had beene so long in getting with such labours and danger of his life He had too staid a iudgement and a spirit better lodged then to play such a Clerkes tricke The Count Bucquoy thought he had knowne him but knew him not This messenger then being arriued and doing what he had in commission the Lord Marshall sent him presently to his Highnesse the Prince of Anhalt who caused him to be examined by three persons set on to sound the depth of this plot The Lord Marshall for his part made this occasion of worth to doe his Master seruice by whose consent he gaue care to the Count Bucquoy that he might in the while gaine time and to make his out-workes defenceable offers to treat with him but vpon this condition that first of all he should see right done to the Rittmeister Linstau whose troupes being gone from Heiden in fauour of the capitulation of Taux were spoiled by the souldiers of the said Count Bucquoy who now the more to further this treatie endeuoured by all means to giue satisfaction to the said Captaine Linstau Diuers ranne vp and downe about this satisfaction but so much time was imployed about the accessarie that they had no leisure to come to the principall While these things were on foot the Prince of Anholt sent for Colonel Pobliz to come to Pilsen vnder pretext to view the fortifications but his meaning was as a man may easily discerne to get a more exact insight into this negotiation who being returned and hauing made report of his commission to his Maiestie his Highnesse wrote to the Lord Marshall in these termes My Lord the Lord Pobliz hath well satisfied the King who you may assure your selfe reposes great confidence in you and holds you in his good grace c. From Rockelzan the 18. of October 1620. The next day hee wrote to him againe and amongst other passages one clause to this effect Furthermore I am aduertised when the enemie shall vnderstand that the treatie of Pilsen takes no effect he will make his approch to the place and entrench himselfe about it This is to shew that the Lord Marshall did nothing in a thing of such consequence without the aduise and consent of his Maiestie and his Generall The same day of the said month about 9. of the clocke at night he wrote another which I will adioyne to the same end My Lord although I am of the same opinion with you to gaine time yet so it is that his Maiestie after he had deliberately considered that of all that can happen this is the most expedient that you breake off the action and when it be performed that you will be pleased to send it leauing to your discretion and will the disposing of the two Companies whereof you wrote vnto me c. This is for substance the true discourse of this treatie that hath cast such mists ouer the ignorant and giuen such hopes to the enemie In this time were presented some faire occasions to the enemie to doe vs hurt because of our want of horse which were all at Rokelzan in the Campe whither the Lord Marshall was gone to finde the King to kisse his hand and to take leaue of his Maiestie following the Articles of Bechin as it came to passe The Count Bucquoy perceiuing at length that golden nets would not take this Lion and that it was more necessarie to vse his iron and steele resolued to try his force for which purpose he caused great store of faggots to be made entending without question to giue a generall assault But changing his minde he rose with his whole Armie the twentie one of the said month to passe the water aboue Pilsen and draw towards Sozergrais and so towards Prague When he had passed the water his reareward was lodged halfe an houres march from Pilsen The next day the Count Hollach came with all the Kings horse as well Germans as Hungarians and with 3000. musketeers within one houres march of Pilsen where the Lord Marshall meeting with him amongst other discourses propounded to him a meanes how to cut off the Reare of the enemie That is if he would please to aduance his troupes himselfe would ioyne with him with the best that he had in Pilsen and charging thus ioyntly the enemie who had also some disaduantages they should certainly beat the Reareward or at least greatly distresse them But the Count thought it the better way to turne backe and take the passage to cut off the enemies way to Prague His Highnesse being possest for that purpose of Raconiz the two Armies houered some time thereabouts with various successe according to the course of the warres At the last comming so neere that it was thought the Count Bucquoy would hazard a battell his Highnesse aduised the Lord Marshall inuited him to come and attend his pleasure who thanked him heartily and assured him that as this was an occasion he had alwayes sought so would he not now slack to put himselfe forward with all readinesse for that he should now be assured there to be entertained in the qualitie of a Marshall of the field to command according to his charge desiring his Highnesse that hee would send him word with all speed and to rest assured that in such a cause he would faile him in nothing Therefore to lose no more time and withall to know the short and the long presently after this letter he dispatcht Sir Thomas Ferenz with charge to sollicite his Highnesse in his behalfe and to draw him to a speedy resolution The said Lieutenant Ferenz went thence post but because