let us leave Scotland in teares let us leave the different opinions concerning the successe of this war for those of our Continent call us speedily back and especially the difference which happened in Cleveland Wars between the Electour of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Newburgh The Electour of Brandenburgh in full peace sent four thousand men into the Duke of Newburghs Country who attacked the strong House of Angremont and performed all acts of hostility without having denounced the war This invasion much displeased the Emperour and much more him whom it more nearly concerned Religion served here for a pretext and this affront put a flea in the ear of the bordering parts which yet by the intermission of the Emperour and the States of Holland was soon taken out the Lorrainers who went to succour the Duke of Newburgh sent back the forces casheered and the Princes returned to their former good intelligence This war gave Colem much apprehension and no small distrust to the United Provinces which feared lest if the fire increased it might grow to burn their Neighbours houses according to the Latin Proverb Tum tuâ—res agitur paries cum proximus ardet When thou seest the next house burn Be sure the next will be thy turn Let us go seek out Cardinal Mazarin in his disgrace CHAP. XI Cardinal Mazarins retreat into the Province of Liedge The Princes make their entry into Paris The joy for both the Dutchesse of Longuevilles and the Marshall of Turennes repasse into France The Baptisone of the young Prince of Orange and the dispute about his tutelage The Damme broaken near Waguening Uleseldt accused of having intended to poyson the King of Denmark Berghen St. Weynock taken by the Spaniards THe Queen being very often petitioned by the Members of Parliament to set the Princes at liberty for the Kings service and the kingdoms quiet and seeing the Resolute run up and down the streets of Paris requiring their deliverance condescended to it but the Kings Counsell on the other side was not a little staggered to hear the importunate voyce of the people Live the King Live the Princes no Mazarin His eminence finding France disgusted by his Ministery retyred himself as we have have already said and the Princes made their entry into Paris the 16. of February where they were received by the Duke of Orleans and all the great ones with very strong resentments of joy The conditions upon which they were released were that the hostility of Stenay and Turenne should cease The Cardinal departs out of France and takes an order for his banishment The Cardinal not being able to prevent or hinder this return of theirs so prejudicial to his Authority and seeing the Duke of Orleans who had consented to their detention so urgent now under pretext of the kingdoms good for their releasement got the King and Queen to approve of his retreat The joy for his departure was incomprehensibly great for every one gave him a wipe and acccused him of having exhausted the Finances or Exchequer nor is there in fine that wickednesse in nature wherewith he was not branded in such sort as it was believed that his absence would bring back the golden Age. But his banishment touched him much more to the quick His enemies had now their time and he not long after had his It is better to laugh at last then at first His departure was ignominious but his return was glorious The Spaniards offered him all kindness of favour in his disgrace which he discreetly refused upon the consideration of a former obligation The Parliament of Roüen Decreed also against him All the world yea even the Pope himself hated him And yet for all this the mischiefs whereof he was held to be the Authour ended not by his retyrement The King and Queen made a Manifest wherein they declared the Princes innocent Goes to Dinant and then to Bruel and approved all that which was ordered against Mazarin who passed by Perone Sedan and Dinant where he stayd some days and then went to Liedge and in fine retyred to Bruel to the Electour who received him according to his qualities Thus was he exiled cryed down and hated by all his services were forgotten and even they themselves who shewed him some courtesie in his retreat were made guilty thereby None but great spirits make their magnanimity appear in misfortunes The Vice-Count returns into France The Dutchesse of Longueville the Marshal of Turenne and the Count of Grandpre returned into France with their Troops where they were welcom leaving the care of finishing the work to the Spaniards who could not sufficiently wonder at this change however the Princes sent to Brussels to thank the Arch-Duke for his care of their deliverance Wilhelmus Henrious Prince of Orange nassau sonn of the Princis Royall London Printed sould by P Stent The great assembly at the Haghe In the mean while the great assembly persevered in the care of making the union stronger then ever and repayting some disorders in relation to which it was judged necessary to grant an Act of oblivion to put the Militia into good method to maintaine the Reformed Religion to keep the bitt in the Roman Catholicks mouthes and exclude such as followed that Doctrine from all Publick employments Separates All being concluded the Assembly sent for a Minister to give God thanks and parted with most perfect intelligence A day of prayer was held and alms was distributed and the Firewords and Ordnance made a concert for the Simbole of the union The Bank broken The yeare of 1651 towards the end of Winter the Snowes melting by a thaw the Waters of the Rheyn swol up in such sort that the Bank between Rhene and Waguening brake and put the inhabitants about Amerssort into great perplexities Indeed Many Inundations this year deserved to be called the yeare of deluge for there were very few Rivers in Europe which did not by the continuall raines exceed their bounds and bear down their banks The Scourge of God as water fire and sword are every where felt Let us go to the septemptrion where we shall finde one of the greatest Lords yea the high Steward of the House of the King of Denmark himself suspected and accused of having intended to poyson the King A wickedness unknown heretofore in the colds of the North. Ulefeldt the high Steward of the Kings houshold accused of having intended to poyson him It was Mons. Vlefeldt a man of great experience and much renowned for the Embassayes wherein he had rendred the King and Common-Wealth great services who was accused of this treason by a lewd woman who not being able to prove the said accusation was beheaded One Colovel Walter was also suspected who having defended his innocence summoned the said Vlefeldt but he in stead of appearing before the King departed secretly with his wife into Holland afterwards into Sweden His flight was extreamly ill
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
and caused him to be published for an Heretick He besieged Paris but was unhappily stabbed by a Monk whereof he died having already declared Henry of Bourbon for his true successour and Heyr to the Crown to whom he also left a third Dispute for the kingdome of Navarre This stab extinguished the Race of the Valois ended the life of the Prince and there with also the desire he had to inflict a rigorous chastisement upon the City of Paris CHAP. XI Disturbances in the Low-Countries and why The Peace of Vervin followes The donation of the Low-Countries to the Infanta THe King of Spain was in no lesse trouble about the Low-countries for the conservation whereof he spared not his Treasures brought him from the Indies nor followed lesse the Counsell of Cardinal Granvel then the Roman Catholicks of France did that of the Cardinal of Lorraine But the Prince of Orange assisted by the Protestants of Germany eluded their care in such sort as that neither the wise conduct of the Duchesse of Parma nor the rough proceedings of the Duke of Alva nor the very presence of King Philips Brother himself no nor the inimitable valour of that Great Italian Alexander was able to prevaile so farre but that seven Provinces untied themselves from obedience to the King and formed a potent Common-wealth amongst themselves by the change of Religion without which it is very probable that neither the situation nor the Rivers not all that which could hurt the Spaniards would have been able to secure or defend them against the potency of Spain But now from whence came all these disorders Who laid the first stone and fixed the foundation of so dismal and fatall a Warre There are many causes and divers pretexts thereof to be noted We will therefore go to the fountain since the streams are sufficiently known Under the General Title of Low-countries are comprised seventeen Provinces so rich so well peopled so full of fair Towns and big Villages together with the situation and strength of the Inhabitants that if they were united together I know not who would presume to attach them how powerful so ever he were either by Sea or Land But plenty doth not more disunite people then want and the winde of ambition raises not lesse storm then ill-taken zeal in Religion These Countries have been almost a whole Age the Theater of a most sad and dreadful Warre caused by the two aforementioned Passions which have brought them to this state wherein they are seen at present They had every one their Prince or Goâ—ernour apart but by little and little as well by Marriages and Successions as other means they grew to be devolved under the House of Burgundy and afterwards under that of Austria as we have noted already For during the Warres of the Emperour Charles the sift and Francis the first they were governed by the Queen of Hungary Sister to the aforesaid Charles In fine this good Prince having with an unparallelled example of resolution transferred all his States upon his sonne Philip and the Empyre upon his Brother Fordinand so to retire himself into a private condition the said King Philip his sonne before his departure gave the government of the aforesaid Provinces in generall to his Sister and in particular to some certain Knights of the Golden Fleece who had faithfully served both his Father and himself in the Warres against France Now the Order given to pluck up the tender plants of new opinions in Religion was by such as hunted after a Change in State interpreted for the Spanish Inquisition and the retardment of the forraine Militia for the maintaining thereof The introduction of new Bishops made a double operation by giving an Alarme as well to the Clergy as to them who had embraced the profession of a Religion which excluded both Old and New The Governesse notwithstanding the coldnesse of some prime Ministers stopped the disease with agreeable nutriment and a sleight bleeding and so rendered a superficial kind of health to this Body so much stuffed with ill humours But King Philip irritated by the contemp of his authority and commandments had recourse to the arms of Justice which by violent proceedings applies both Sword and Fire amazes the Good represses the audacity of others inexorably punishes the bad and by demanding the tenth penny reversed or overthrew all that which was no more then shaken before Thus have you the seeds of the Evills which gave birth to those long warres which have had divers qualifications and various successes under many Governours who like unskilfull Physitians either performed not their care or else prescribed all things contrary because the Disease was incurable Some make William Prince of Orange Authour of all those troubles and others impute it to the cruelty of the Duke of Alva But be it what it will this People being very intense upon the conservation of their priviledges and most prone to jealousie motion and surprise was more agitated by the passion of others then by their own so that Ambition urging them to act under the pretence of priviledges and liberty of conscience and rigour falling upon them to make them unseasonably stoop to the commandments of their Master urged them to fly to the Sword Insomuch as sometimes neither naked Justice nor Treaties of Reconciliation were able to soften their exasperated and irritated Hearts And such of these Provinces as are nearest the Sea shewed then another kind of countenance both to the Church and Government and being succoured by their jealous Neighbours continued this warre with much advantage The King gives the Low-countries to the Intanta his Daughter The King therefore being tired with so prolix a warre made over all the the Provinces to his Daughter Isabell but it was after he had sent Alexander twice into France to relieve the Leaguers or Confederates which much advanced their Affaires and gave them meanes to lay about them for the settlement of their Common-wealth And this was the state of things in the Low-countries towards the end of the Age. Now Cardinal Albert was sent from Spain to govern the aforesaid Provinces who brought the Prince of Orange with him and falling in his Enterprise upon Marseilles through the vigilancie of the Dake of Guise he took possession of his aforesaid Government by the resignation of the Conde de Fuentes who had not long before seised upon Cambray and Dourlens Albert hearing that La Fere was streightned by King Henry resolved to make a diversion which might either be able to raise the siege or at least to recompence the losse of the said place in case it were taken Wherefore he sent Monsieur de Rosne to besiege Calis which he quickly took together with the Town of Ardre notwithstanding the succour from England and Holland La Fere rendred it self at the end of seven months siege and that which happened afterwards of most importance for the good of the Crown of France was the Reconciliation
German Doctor Luther and Calvin whom we have so often mentioned and a French one likewise who first preached against those said superstitions and then ventured to set up their Standards against the Church her self with so universal applause that in a few years even whole kingdomes grew to separate themselves from the communion of that Body which acknowledged the Pope for the Supreme Vicar of Iesus Christ The Iesuits oppose Now at the same time as we have formerly shewed sprang the Iesuits and armed themselves to quell these valiant souldiers who skipped out of their holes so openly to attack a power which all the States of Christendom held in so much veneration They stopped the course of this Torrent which neither Fire Persecutious nor strict Prohibitions were able to effect and they have united to the Body a good part of those people which had untyed themselves from it It is not by fire but by force of Doctrine and not by words but by exemplary life that a remedy must be put to all these disorders which happens amongst Christians Now this Society could not but meet with meet with envy enough amongst the Clergy which felt it self so reprehended and pricked by such new men For Admonitions and in structions how necessary and profitable soever they be leave not to imprint some harshnesse upon the soul of the receivers An exact Captain is displeasing to lazy souldiers Violent remedies served for nothing In fine recourse was had to such violent remedies as so sharpened and stung the parts affected that there will never be meanes to introduce a reconciliation unless perhaps it fall out to be by ways full of suavity and charity For interest took this powerful occasion so fast by his fore-lock and these Divisions are grown so firmly rooted that it is probable they will not finish but with the world And this is the principall source of the evils which we have seen and yet daily see happen to the grief of all good men in this last Age. And thus we have shewed about what when for what reasons and by whom began these Reformations Nor must we wonder at the monstrous effects since they could not be more noble then their Causes If we would reflect often upon it we should find Ministers and instruments enough thereof The holy Scripture sayes that there must be scandals but cursed be they who shall give them THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I The Queen of England and the States of Holland refuse Peace King Henry of France polishes his Kingdome and makes War against the Duke of Savoy THE Peace of Vervin filled with joy not only the subjects of the Kings but also all such as acknowledged the See of Rome The Protestants invited to the said Peace by Henry the Great shut their eares to the Propositions and studied only how to make most streight Allyances for their preservation Where Diffidence gets the mastery Reason is not understood unlesse it be ushered in by strong and irrefutable assurance It was impossible for the Arch-Duke Albert to bring the States to a very advantageous Peace as the Ministers said for them since the arguments of King Henry could obtain nothing from them For his offers were as stints out of which they drew sire to kindle the warre with so much the greater animosity They sent their Embassadours into England Elizabeth and the states refuse Peace where they sound the Queen most disposed to receive theirs so that it was most facil to draw her to their opinion In the mean while the Arch-Duke receives a Procuration from the Infanta his future Spouse in vertue whereof he was generally and solemnly received and nominatively at Antwerp where the oath of sidelity was payd him by the Deputies of the obedient Provinces Albert goes into Spain 1598. And so he went into Spain but before his departure he signified to the confederated States that he went to marry the Infanta and that he had the Low-conntries for Portion with her and was already acknowledged Lord thereof Therefore he conjured them to associate themselves to the other Provinces in respect that the King had divided them from his other Demaines and that thus all distrusts being taken away he withed nothing more then to see that Body entire and in peace under his Government But all in vain For Religion and liberty were too charming subjects to be abandoned and they who are growne to be Masters abhorre to fall back into forvitude He began his journey in the moneth of September in the yeer 1598 leaving Cardinal Andrew his cosin for his Licutenant and sent his army towards the Rheyn which at his return he found full of confusion and revolt for want of pay He was received in all places where he passed together with the Princess Margaret of Austria spouse of Philip the third whom he conducted in his company with honours due to the greatnes of their quality He stayed not in Spain but as soon as he had married the Princesse Clara Eugenia The King of France repolisheth his Kingdome he brought her into the Low Countries and they made their entry into Brussels in the moneth of September 1599. He brings the Infanta 1599. King Henry of France having given his subjects a peace made it all his care to repolish his kingdom much depraved by the prolixity of the civil warrs to revive the laws strucken dumb by the licentiousness of the souldiers to place good order every where and in fine to establish two Religions in very good union aswel for his own service as for the repose of his people Whereas King Philip on the other side in his would have but one But some persons of very great experience have conceived that if he had embraced the same Maxime he might have preserved the seventeen Provinces though others have beleeved that he would rather have lost them all as being too far distant from them and consequently unable to accommodate himself to all occurrences which required a diversity of temperaments But this Prince namely Henry had been educated in the reformed Religion and so knew the humours the forces of that party not to be contemptible He was Son to Anthony of Bourbon who was slain at the siege of Roüen The Prince of Conde being slain in the battell of Jarnac and the Admiral remaining Generall of the Hughenot army he advised them to nominate for their Generall Henry of Bourbon a young Lord who had ever defended their party and so he being turned Catholick and upon that made King of France had alwayes a particular care to uphold them as a people from which he had received great services But there was very great danger of taking from them that which had been promised them by so many Proclamations or Edicts nor did they indeed forbear to cry up their services and bragg that it was they onely who put the Crown upon his head Henry the 3.
and gave an Alarme to all Italy But this fine appearance being stopped by a misfortune made the Troops return as being destinated for a supply against the Duke of Soubize and obliged the King by the request of the Pope to give peace to Italy The Valteline in the hands of the Pope and sequester the Valteline into his hands save only that both the Kings were to have their passage with their forces that way About the same time there was discovered a Conspiracie against the King of France and the Duke of Vandosme his Brother the great Priour the Marshall d' Ornano and many others put in prison where the two last ended their dayes without much noise and the Count of Chulois by the hands of a Common Executioner These accidens raised much hatred upon Cardinal Richelieu and produced many Pasquils against him Envy and Harred are ever companions to the vertue of great Ministers and their actions are never free from blame CHAP. XII Mansfeldt hunts every where for relief and sets an Army on foot The Marriage of the Prince of Wales with a Daughter of France after his return out of Spain HAnnibal was no sooner out of his infancy then he vowed the ruine of the Romanes and being revoked from Italy after he had domineered there the space of seventeen yeares to save Carthage he there ran his ship a ground which had been loaden with so many victories against the great Scipio But now what did he when all the strings of his Bow were broken He made to his wits for new ones He remembred his Oath begged succour animiated the Kings of the East against the insatiable ambition of the Romanes and continued his hatred even to the very last gasp of his breath Mansfeldt and his Bishop seemed to have taken the like Oath against the House of Austria and by consequence for the continuance in action against it they must have new forces Holland could furnish them with matter conveniency money and hatred enough England with desire enough to see Frederick again in the Palatmate and France with jealousie enough in regard of the growth of the aforesaid House There wanted no bellowes to kindle this fire mens humours being already disposed that way by diversity of Religions hatred envy self-ends and Maxime of State a Cover which is never either too long or too short and stronger then even Justice it self But now as these Captains had not so much trouble to perswade as that Great Affrican so had they notwithstanding to do with people of much better understanding then those Barbarians They went into France where Mensfeldt received some affronts from some particular persons for ill treatments given the French in Freezland Mansfeldt demands succour in France However he obtained his demand namely some Force the Minister who then began to climb the Horizon of favour being now no more mindfull of the services both asked by and granted to the Imperialists before Sedan in case of necessity Maximes of State are more forcible then obligations and Ministers turn their Allyances that way which their passions carry them Now King James though by the negotiations with Spain he had disgusted many of the Reformed Religion shewed himself neverthelesse willing to have as good intelligence with the Catholick States as the King of France had with the Protestant and so he sent Prince Charles his Sonne into Spain to espouse the Infanta Mary but after the losse of much time he came back into England and demanded in France through which he had passed disguised the Kings Sister who was more easily granted him Men have laboured to penetrate into the Mystery of this Treaty but all by conjecture only The Roman Catholicks of England who began already to feel some warmth of the businesse were extremely afflicted at the breach of the aforesaid Match and the misfortune which befell them was a testimony of the perpetuall Crosse which was ordained for them in the Britannick Islands A misfortune at London for being met in a private Assembly at London to hear masse the Loft overburthened by the multitude sunk down and bruised near a hundred persons together with the Priest When the aforesaid Prince had married the Daughter of Henry the fourth and sister to Lewis the thirteenth he and his Father undertook the care of re-establishing his Brother-in-Law in the Palatinate In such sort as that Mansfeldt had no great difficulty to transport ten thousand English into Holland who almost all of them perished at Gerthrudenbergh and served for bait to the Fish The French Cavalry consisting of three thousand did likewise no very long service for the Generalls marching towards the Rhein and tormenting the Arch-Bishop after their old fashion their Army diminished much by disbandings and themselves fell into a quarrel which had almost brought them to a Duell though at last they returned into Holland and went from thence to the North to warm those people against the Emperour The Spaniards passe the Isel Upon the seventeenth of February 1624. the Spaniards passed upon the Ice over the River Isel and caused a terrour as faire as Holland Whereup-the Prince was constrained again to lay about him and pass to Virick and the States to command the Country-people to break the Ice of the River of Vecht But Count Henry expected neither his enemies nor the thaw which would have made him to be caught in a Pit-fall but retyred himself much faster then he came and many of his souldiers found their graves in the River of Welaw His designe was to fright the Peasants and not to hurt the States CHAP. XIII The Siege of Breda The Enterprizes upon Antwerp SPinola was every moment devising now to wipe off by some notable enterprize the affront he had received before Berghen He marched into the field sent Count Henry towards the Rheyn who made a shew of besieging Grave and Count John of Nassaw with the Horse towards Breda who at his arrivall took a great multitude of Boats loaden with Provisions Himself followed with the Foot and in his Councell of War there was found no more then one Colonell who thought fit to begin the siege The siege of Breda and that upon the same reasons whereby Spinola himself was moved to it On the other side the Prince of Orange glad to see his Rivall engaged before a place so well provided of all necessaries as also of a strong Garrison did not so soon dispose himself to succour it but gave the Spaniards leisure to entrench themselves and they him to repent himself of it But he hoped by the successe of his designe upon Antwerp long before premeditated in his thoughts and held by him infallible The enterprize upon the Castle or Cittadell of Antwerp to unnestle them from thence and cast their state into an irremediable confusion He was well informed that there were but very few Souldiers in the Cittadell and they for the most part dismembred and cripled Wherefore
any nation which purely followestheir Doctrine When you shall see the abomination of desolation save your selves upon the Mountains The Assembly of Leip sick was convocated by the Electour of Saxony as Head of the Protestants thereby to hinder the restitution of the Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods to succour a Magdeburgh and joyn with the Swedes to resist the Emperour whose potency was too formidable to them And this was the ground of their calling King Gustave into Germany to be Captain Generall of all the forces who being fortified by the Allyances of France England and the Conforderated States of the Low-countries promised himselfe no lesse then the Empyre it self if he could winne but one Battail CHAP. XX The Protestants make an Allyance with King Gustave Magdeburgh taken by force They arm every where VVHilest the Embassadours of the Princes Imperial Towns and Protestans States were treating an Allyance and the King was growing formidable the Drummes were beating and the Trumpets sounding every where in such sort as that the two Electours in the month of July 1631 seeing themselves with an Army on foot of twenty thousand men threw off their vizard wrote to the Emperour as accusing him of having broaken his Oath overthrown the Peace and Liberty of Germany and in fine Complaints against the Emperour of having taken away the bonds of Religion And if he revoked not that Edict for Restitution of Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods and that there were not some means found out to remedy these diforders the whole Empyre would go to rack But it was now too late to talk of remedies strangers being already gotten in and Ferdinands honour too deeply ingaged Nor did their distrusts and jealousies derogate one jot from the justice of the Edict no more then their possession of so many yeares made them true and lawfull Proprietaries For That which is differed is not lost And for the praescription it served for nothing it being as lawful for the Emperour to take the said Lands and Goods from them by way of Justice as it had been for them to dispossesse the Ecclesiasticks thereof by violence or to retain them against the agreement made after they had withdrawne themselves from the ancient Church Refused by other to marry and so much the rather because he was obliged thereto by his Authority Right and Interest Besides he wanted not arguments to retort For he accused them of deceit for that under pretext of consulting they had assembled themselves to take Armes and joyn wich Gustave That it was they who had long agoe ruined the supports of Religion and divided Germany by factions and distrusts to the detriment of the publick quiet and that himself as being the Head was bound to restore all to the former splendour and good intelligence So every one pretended to have right on his side and the sword was to do the office Now Tilly who by the strength of * Gold Ducats had opened the conscience had purchased the Pen of a Secretary knew all that was treated in the said Assembly and effectively saw that there was neither Burgh nor Village under the jurisdiction of the Protestants where souldiers were not listed Tilly passes into Hastia Wherefore he passed into Hassia where he found the Landgrave William much changed as being far more mindfull of what he had concluded at Leipsick then of what he had promised the Emperour at Vienna For he refused both Garrison and Pension as also the casheering of his forces and shewed himself resolute in fine by the most manifest signs of aversion he gave to defend himself if he were attacked Upon which Tilly preparing himself to make him sing another tune Returns to the Siege was informed that the King advanced towards the Elbe and so his menaces were but Chimera's for he was forced to return to the Siege Count Turstembergh in Swave and Wittemberg The Count of Turstembergh an old Souldier stood not with his Arms acrosse for there was work enough cut out already without expecting any more Wherefore he was sent into Swaveland and Vlme both which he quickly ranged and from thence into the Dutchy of Wirtembergh where the eleven thousand men newly raysed were not strong enough to keep the Duke within the League in such sort as that those Provinces were constrained to renounce the Protestant allyance almost as soon as it was known that they had sworne to it All these commandments were prosperous enough in High Germany but the face of all things was changed in Low Saxonie and the Maritine Towns the principal subject of the distructs which had long been blocked up and put themselves again into King Gustaves hands Tilly and Papenheim being resolved rather to dye then abandon the Siege dissembled their losses received and continued it with so much order that they quickly made themselves masters All the Forts taken of all the Forts and Out-works so that there remained nothing but the Town which perished more out of hatred and by the industrie of wise Falkembergh then by her own strength The Inhabitants were summoned to render the Mines were ready and the hand listed up to strike and yet through their obstinacie and blindnesse they would needs expect extremityes which at length they found For Papenheim irritated as well by their flowts as by their contumatious resistance entred first by force and was repulsed by the Valour of the Marshal who being killed by a bullet And the Town by force which is all burnt the Inhabitants quickly retreated into their houses the neerest whereof he commanded to be fired and almost at the very same instant the fire was seen very far from thence neer the Elbe and so in lesse then four hours this fine Town was reduced into ashes whilest the Souldiers were fighting with the Citizens for plunder without taking any care at all to extinguish the devouring flames This was the end of that deplorable Town the ashes whereof produced such animosities amongst the Lutherans and Reformates against the Imperialists that they cannot be highly enough expressed and principally against Tilly whose actions they carped and said that he had stained all his gallant Victories with the smoaky ruines of Megdeburgh What ever were in the matter true it is that Tilly after this ransack found fortune alwayes against him and the Protestants reproached him with the indignation and vengeance of God for the shedding of so much innocent blood The Catholicks on the other side retort the fault upon the insolencie of the Burghers or Townsmen who refused honorable conditions when there was time for them and whilest the gate was yet open to favour and pardon and say besides that the Swedes seeing the place lost lest it on fire for feare least it should fall entyre together with the Magazin into the hands of their enemies alledging for proof thereof that the fire was kindled in many parts of the Town from which the imperialists were very far off
created Generalissimo or chief Generall arrived from Sweden with five or six thousand men and having encreased his Army by some Regiments drawn out of Pomerania Prince Charls-Gustave goes to Prague and the Archbishoprick of Bremen he advanced towards Prague where we will let him do a great work and make a turn back into Bavaria CHAP. XXIV The breach of the Truce with the Duke of Bavaria A Tempest upon the Elbe Melanders death The Peace of Germany The death of the King of Denmark and Uladislaus of Poland Cassimir succeeds him THe Truce which was made between the French the Swedes and the Bavarians 1648. lasted not long for it was broaken about the beginning of this Field not without great complaints on both sides the one party being accused of perfidy and the other of cheatery Indeed if we would seek in the success of this last action him who deserved the blame through the unhappiness of chance we should finde it to be the good old Duke of Bavaria who was little beloved by the Conqueting Patty because he was too wise and well advised But if we will hearken to his reasons we shall be quickly of another opinion though when there is question of Conquest words are rejected as weak and idle and such as wear the sword to make themselves masters of other mens goods without any other form of proceeding then that of occasion very often pass the bounds of newtrality and tocomplain of them is to offend them He saw all the conjurated Nations crosse the Danub again and fall upon Bavaria and ruine it except only one part thereof guarded by a River which they could not passe and by his Troops which were mad to see their hands tyed up They who have made any observations upon the Tragedies of Germany have reported that the greatest losses incurred by the Imperialists proceeded either from casting themselves too soon upon pillage in the advantage of some Battail or else from jealousies I will not touch upon the inevitable Rule of Fate nor Treason by which the bravest men lare sometimes attrapped nor many other accidents from which the most considerate and vigilant are not able to defend themselves in such sort as if we weigh the forces by Politick Prudence we shall finde that it would not have been possible in humane apparence any way to hurt this most August House Upon the 24. of November there rose so surious a tempest in Holstein A storme at Hamburgh 1648. and especially at Hamburgh and upon the Elbe with such an Earthquake that it was imagined that Dooms-day was come and that both Heaven and Earth sled before the face of the Judge irritated by the effusion of so much innocent bloud The death of the Kings in Dâ—nmark and Poland but the end is not yet arrived Good King Christian survived not this storme which seemed to have Prognosticated his departure he was followed by King Vladislans a Prince of much happinesse however he met with some repugnance and much jealousie amongst the Nobility about the design which he had to make a new order of Knighthood as also about that great Army which he had newly raised with the Duke of Valachia and some other Allyes against the Turks in apparence and with the money of the Venetians For the Swedes having smelt the businesse and the Polanders yet more it was remonstrated to him that these Leavies ought not to be made without the consent of the Senatours In fine being tyred and almost transported by these importunities and distrusts he condescended to the licentiating or disbanding of the forces and so that fire was excinguished without noise But this dismission was advantagious to the Swedish General Wirtembergh and to the French also who got three thousand of the Souldiers to their service Indeed all other Kings acquired by their great prosperity and successe more authority and respect from their subjects and more liberty to undertake but this The Polanders jealous of their Priviledges by his famous and remarkable Victories made the Poles more studious of the preservation of their priviledges which they wilnever loose by flattery for which they are rather to be praised then imitated This warlike Prince was much troubled after having so well danced in the round against the Turke and Muscovits to sit still whilest the said dance was hottest almost every where For his generous Spirit was bound by the plots of his enemies who feared the effects thereof for that they might peradventure have redowned to the profit of the House of Anstria His Brother Casiâ—â—ir succeeds him His Brother succeeded him by election and by a dispensation married the Princesse of Nevors his Widow Melander the â—â—â—perours Generali Melander having for many strong reasons been elevated to the dignity of commanding all the Imperial Armies promised no lesse then the redresse or restauration of the Emperours credit through all Germany but that foolish and dammageable passion had more praevalencie upon the mindes of some certa in persons then their Masters service For they murmured that this charge was given to a Calvinist and that a man of mean condition was preferred before so many great Lords of merit and illustrious extraction whereof he not being ignorant laboured upon the first occasion to render so great proofs of his vertue and zeal as that every one might be moved by his example to prefer their Princes occasions before their own particular interests one whereof you shall forthwith see The Swedes passed the Danub at Lawing and he faced them magnanimously neer Auxburgh but not being seconded by Greensfeldt a fault like that which he committed at the Battail of Hamelen he chose rather to dye Is killed 1648. then flinch and so sacrificed his life and that of two thousand men besides to the passion of his Emulatours By this Combat Bavaria was laid open and the Inhabitants ruined by both Armies for however the Imperialists and Bavarians were stronger then the Conquerours they were faine nevertheless to content themselves with tormenting them onely by surprises and Encounters whilest the old Town of Prague defended it selfe stourly and so repulsed the Chief General that he could not take it and lost above four thousand of his men before it Now whereas there be some Seasons so rainy now and then that though the Sun do shew himself by fits and thereby give hope of some change the weather neverthelesse returns to rain and continues so long that it makes folks despaire of ever seeing it fair again Just so this dismall war which began in the year 1618 looked as it would last always however there were many fair intervalls For mens hearts were so pufted up with ambition that it was beleived that it would never be ended but with the end of the world But what seems impossible to man is not to God Moreover the most zealous Protestants fancyed to themselves that the Catholick Religion being divided by the Arms of France might be
all for they made an attack upon the Citizens and exercised such cruelties as are sutable to the conditions of this cursed Age as pilladging houses ravishing women and maids massacring Fathers and Husbands and committing certain other prime pranks and exercises which were wont to be done there and which are ordinarily practiced in one Times besides cutting the throats of Infants murthering the sick in the Hospitals through reciprocal hatred and demolishing Churches to serve them for defenses Albis prophaned all Society broken Oh God! O Great Judge I may say with the great St. Jerome that when I consider these slaughters me thinks I already heare thy trumpet which bids us march Ah! how dangerous a thing it is to break promise with a people which have newly laid down Arms For if you once bring them to despair there will be no means to appease them by any promise The Duke of Guise goes to Neaples The Neapolitans armed again breathed nothing but vengeance desired the protection of France and the Duke of Guise for their Commander-General All which being promised them they stopped their eares to a Reconciliation and strangled their Governour Foralto after having barbarously dismembred and mangled him for having advised them to peace yea there were no cruelties so enormous and unnatural but they put them in practice Gennaro Annese caused the Streets which led towards the Cittadels to be stopped up and the Spaniards seeing the fire too great to be extinguished by their Arms endeavoured to restore the said Cittadels into the Popes hands who refused them The Adiacent Parts succoured the City with victuals the Bandites took and sacked other Towns and the Duke of Metelona who kept the Field with some forces gave the Neapolitans no quarter but they rendred him quid for quo The Duke of Guise arrived ordered all things and besiedged Capisa in vaine In short all was full of plunder blood and fire Oh! Austria where art thou Faith Hope and Charity where are you Where are the Commandments of God Let us go out of this Labyrinth for these particulars make ones hair rise on ones head let us see the end I say of these abominations here to go and seek them elsewhere The Count of Oneate newly made Vice-King and a second Prince of Parma in prudence allayed all these disorders by an enterprise the good successe whereof made him renowned and glorious For upon a fair opportunity he rendred himselfe Master of the Gates and all the people also with small resistance some will needs say by treason In so much as all the said people began suddainly to cry Live the King of Spain which some dayes before had cryed Live the King of France All was pardoned and the Imposts taken off by favour without constraint The Duke of Guise was pursued taken prisoner and carried into Spain Is made prisoner and carried into Spain together with some other French Lords All was re-established as it was before the troubles Te Deum sung and the Count of Oneates merits elevated to the Skies Oh the inconstance of things of this world For this Sedition was appeased The Peace made when it was conceived that it would have made the Flower de Luces flourish again throughout the whole Kingdom Thus was the blood stenched which by the continual streames thereof was to stifle the Authority of the House of Austria These were the effects of the Divine goodness which by a special grace would save a City when human prudence saw it tending towards utter desolation without being able to recover it Now after the description of so many calamities suffered and after the publication of the Peace amongst all the Towns of this great Body which was fatigated and exhausted both of blood and strength we will rest a little and take breath with it and then prepare our selves to go to the Jubily CHAP. V A Jubily at Rome The Princes imprisoned The Princesse of Condè the Duke of Boüillon and other Lords retire themselves to Bourdeaux and the Dutches of Longueville and the Vice-Count of Turenne to Stenay The Allyance is made The Duke of Orleans in Flanders and a digression upon that Subject I Was thinking to make a full stop in the middle of this Age as hoping that the Great God being moved by so much blood-shed would stop his scourge and cast his rod into the fire but alas It is not yet done for it seems that they who contributed to the desolation of the Empire must now feel the effects of his indignation in their own States They danced in Germany and now the Revel is amongst them at home to the end that all may be accomplished If they have made some Conquests they will pay deare enough for them Whosoever takes a firy coale in his hand shakes and stirs it gently and shuts not his hand for feare of burning it My designe in the remnant of this matter is to do the like and to handle it so tenderly as not to burne my selfe in a season when the World is so easily toucht and when truth is hardly able to finde a lodging The great Jubily Whilest the City of Rome was full of Strangers who came thither either out of curiossity or for devotion to the great Jubily and whilest Pope Innocent was addressing his prayers to God for a General Peace the war marched still on as before The Imprisonment of the Princes of Conde and Conty and of their Brother in Law the Duke of Longueville The Imprisonment of the Princes 1550. was likely to bring Paris againt into trouble in order to the Duke of Beaufort who was reported to be of the number and gave such as were curiours desire to finde out the ground of so great a Change The Princesse of Condè retired her selfe to Bourdeaux where the Duke of Boüillon and many other great Lords came to her who for the hatred they bore Cardinal Mazarin and the Duke Espernon were all most welcome to her and found both safety and authority there and the Marshal of Turenne found favour also at Brussels The Dutchesse of Longueville got abord a Vessel which lay off before the Haven of Deep and passed into Holland and thence to the Province of Luxemburgh to make a streight Allyance with the Arch-Duke Leopold A Manifest published concerning their detention The King published a Manifest concerning the detention of the Princes the chiefe points whereof were the Prince of Conde's too great power and insatiable ambition which too visibly checked the Soveraigne Prerogative This proceeding caused a great alteration in the Court and burthened the Cardinal with too much hatred to let him sleep so securely as to forget the care of his own preservation The Queen her selfe was not spared and such Officers of the Court as were the said Cardinals Creatures wanted not their full measure The Allyance with the Arch-Duke The Viz-Count of Turenne having raised a great summe of money in Stenay caused the