sufficiently appeare how that that distinction of time agreed vpon and the Transaction of Passaw hath not hitherto beene observed no not by Caesar himselfe but that of the following time hath beene observed seeing that the Credit of all proofes though never so cleare hath beene overthrowne by cavills and by subtleties Certaine it is that the Count of Furstemberg President * Iudicij Prases of the Iudgement returned no other answere vnto Caspar Vrban à Feiltsch Chancellor to the Marquesse of Brandenburg complaining of the vnjust sentence decreed against the Counts of Hohenlo than this vulgar Verse Fronte capillata est posthac occasio calva That Occasion is to be taken by the foretop because shee is bald behind Which same man in a familiar manner thus answered vnto George Muller whom you well know and to my selfe that seeing our Counts * The Masters of George Muller and of the Author had confessed themselues for the space of fourescore yeares and vpwards to haue kept the possession of the Church Goods it followed necessarily that they must with a good will leaue them for as long time vnto the Catholikes and that after that terme they might possibly returne vnto the Protestants againe These mocks were added vnto Iustice denyed vs. And yet about the latter end of the Dyet the Ambassadors of Franckenlandt Schwaben of the Saxon Princes also and the Duke of Brunswick and of certaine Cities besides delivered in writing the Forme and the Decrees of that * Of Passaw as before where Anno 1553. there had beene a former Dyet held wherein the Protestant Princes had received some confirmation or consent from the Emperour for their Appropriated church goods Against which Transaction the Emperour had since taken them away by sentences and Commissions against them Transaction vnto the Chancellor of the Bishop Elector of Mentz and he on the other side in another writing declared vnto them the Conditions vnto which the Catholike Princes seemed to haue consented And to this passe the matter at last came That for the further Compounding of all Differences the time was appointed to be in February and the place Franckford The Catholike partie treated * That the orders of Passaw might be kept and the Protestāts not be too suddenly cast out of the Church Lands the businesse in good earnest but whether the reason of it were for that intelligence being even now given them by their Spies of certaine secret levies of Souldiers at that instant made by the Elector of Saxony and some others in Franckenlandt and that they standing in feare thereupon of further troubles were desirous to maintaine the hope of a good agreement in the Protestants I cannot easily determine time will discover all Of all which as also how things now stand betwixt the Princes of the Catholike League and of the Orders taken for showe rather than for continuance about the manner of paying the Souldiery wee shall at my comming into land more commodiously speake together Farewell my noble Friend N N and loue me still Your Observant N. N. THE PROTESTANTS DYET OF LEIPSICH February 8. 1631. And what followed vpon it vntill their joyning with the King of Sweden THe Imperiall Dyet thus ending November 3 23. left matters in farre worse estate than it found them for that men perceived now their very hopes to be taken away as their liberties and goods had beene before And the Protestant Princes finding themselues startled by foure things especially perceived it high time now for them to take the Alarme The first of the foure was this that whereas the Duke of Saxony had in the time of the Dyet written advice vnto the Emperour of the King of Swedens approaching the Emperour tells him againe how he hoped that himselfe Saxony and Brandenburg would well ayde him with money munition and other necessaries By which answere Saxony perceived a new bill of Charges comming vpon the Protestants next those parts where the King of Sweden was landed The second was this the round course taken by the Emperour for the recovering of the Church Lands which neither the Elector of Saxony was able to stay by his Letters vnto the Emperour nor the Elector of Brandenburg and other Princes with their presence at the Dyet but that even before their owne faces daily Commissions were sent out against them A third was this that rigide course taken by advise of the Iesuites for Reformation of the Protestant Churches and Schooles and the forbidding of the libertie of the Augustane Confession The fourth was that Decree of the Emperours published foure dayes before the breaking vp of the Dyet though hammered vpon long before for the continuance of the Warres against the King of Sweden whereas the way had beene propounded and advised vpon before how to compound the matter rather then how to continue the troubles And that which aggravated the Decree for the warres being not onely that the Princes were to be at the charges of it but that the levies were to be layd and collected not by the consent of those who should pay them but at the pleasure of the Imperiall Commissaries for the moderating of whose power and repressing the numbers and insolencies of the Souldiers notwithstanding some slight promises were now made yet how far they would be kept was in their owne pleasures The Protestants by these arguments being not onely made suspitious but sensible too that there were not too many good intentions in the Emperour towards them their Estates or Religions begin to enter into a Consultation for their owne safetie The plot for it was layd thus That whereas there had beene a Conference betwixt them and the Catholikes at the former Dyet concerning the Church Lands the further treatie thereupon was referred vnto a Dyet procured by the Catholikes to be held at Franckford vpon Mayn in August following the Duke of Saxony should write his Letters vnto the Emperor which was seconded by the mediation of the Electors of Mentz and Bavaria The Emperour graunts the Dyet entreating libertie for the Protestants to hold a Dyet by themselues in some convenient place that so by their vnited Counsells they might be provided for an answere at the future Dyet of Franckford The Imperiall assent being thus obteyned the Protestant Princes by their Letters and Ambassadours agree vpon the Dyet the place to be Leipsich and the time the 8 th of February That the severall Princes and States therefore might know before-hand what Instructions to giue vnto the Ambassadors they were to send 〈…〉 the Duke of Saxony in his Invitatory Letters to each of them layes open the purpose of the intended Dyet fayrely communicating the mayne propositions both vnto them and to the Emperour The contents whereof were First To consult how the Church might with a good Conscience be maintained in her ancient liberties and happie estate Secondly How to keepe their due obedience to the Emperor and yet preserue the ancient Constitutions
whom at this time hee sends those 4 which some make 5 Articles of which * See Page â—â— we before told you concerning which he receiving no contentment resolues to fall into the Countrey Iune 28. I find Tilly come to Mulhausen from whence he sends his Vant-curriers before him into Hessen Colonel Cratz goes to one place Coloredo vnto Saltzurgen and Creutzberg others towards Eischweg and Vach himselfe speedily resolving to follow with the whole Armie But now is the hooke put into his nose Tilly Marches towards the King and hee is turned backe just by the way that he came For now hearing of the King of Swedens Conquests about the Elbe of Pappenheyms defeate and of Mansfelts poast hast from Magdenburgh he is faine to call off his Vant-curriers againe and about the 10 of Iuly to turne with all speed towards the King of Sweden at Werben forsaking the halfe-destroyed Countries of the Princes of the house of Saxonie How hee there sped wee haue before * told you After which hee againe betooke himselfe into Garleben Wolmerstadt and so at last into Hall And hither now haue wee brought him backe againe the same way he went for he beates over this ground as often as if he were the ordinary Post of the place Tilly counter-marches and returnes into Saxony Perceiving his forces by the 3 late defeates beginning to weaken hee sends for the Count of Furstenberg with his Italian and Bavarian Troupes who was now as wee * See Page 33 told you with 18000 men busied in the Dutchie of Wirtemburg which Countrey together with the Circles of Swaben and Franconia he having constrained to renounce the conclusions of Leipsich was at this instant ready to fall vpon the Landtgraue of Hessen also Now was the Generall Tilly throughly chafed and seing he was not strong enough of himselfe to beate the King he resolv'd to be made strong enough by Furstenberg to beat some body Furstenberg was to come to him by the way of Erdfurt to meete him about Mansfeldt whereabouts he after joyned with him Aug. 16 not that the two Armies vnited themselues into one body for victuals were now so deare that Tilly would not suffer that but for that Furstenburg was now at Tillyes devotion Having thus made vp a compleat Armie of some 45000 men of his owne Wallons and old Germane Troupes Furstenberg's Italians and Bavarians with other old Souldiers they now cald themselues The invincible Army Now was the Generall Tillyes intention with those mightie Forces first of all to haue constrained the Duke of Saxonie to haue renounced the conclusions of Leipsich and to haue made him resigne over his own Army vnto him with which being made vp aboue 60000 strong he was purposed at the Citie and Bridge of Wittenberg to haue passed the Elbe and there to haue set vpon the King of Sweden or haue fallen into Brandenburg Mecklenburg and Pomerland againe Furstenberg being thus joyned the Duke of Saxonie now about Torgau with his Armie at which Towne there is a Bridge over the Elbe is sent vnto by Tilly and invited into Mersburg where a meeting was given him by the Lords Mitternicht and Schomburg Ambassadors from the Emperor together with Bernard cheife Secretary vnto the Generall Tilly. The Ambassadors peremptorily in the Emperors name propound vnto the Duke that his Majesties great pleasure and intention was to annihilate and to breake the Conclusions of Leipsich to commaund there should no more Souldiers be levied by the Protestants but that all their Troupes should be cast and licenced and his Imperiall Mandate in all things obeyed vpon their perills There must be no nay excuse nor delay in the Duke and his finall resolution must be had within a few dayes The Duke desires to consult with his Counsell vpon it and so takes his leaue of them His returne not being speedie enough a Trumpet is sent vnto him for his answer vnto these 4 Propositions whieh we See Page 36. 〈◊〉 where by â—he way there â—a smal error â—f time the Dukes ansvver â—â—ing there â—â—d to be in â—e beginning â—f September â—hereas it was â—out the 24. 〈◊〉 August before told you of and then vpon the Dukes deniall before the Emperours Ambassador whom he then dismisses from his Court the General Tilly not regarding that the Princes of both Leagues and Religions were even now met at Franckford vpon Main for the compounding of differences concerning that which bred rhe quarrell the Reformation and the Church-Lands About Aug. 26. Tilly takes Mersburg takes hee the Episcopall Town of Mersburg aforesaid 3 leagues from Leipsich belonging vnto the said Duke fairely turning out the Garrison with bag and baggage and an oath never to serue against the Emperor and the Catholicke League againe Betwixt this Towne and Hall some 2 or 3 leagues to the North of it he now pitches his Army thence sends he some to pillage the two other Bishopprickes of the Dukes Naumburg Mersburg Naumburg Zeitz which were 3 appropriate Bishopprickes whose Temporalties the Duke held in his owne hands By this it appeares that Tilly had private commission to take the Church-lands from Saxonie also though it had not been discovered till now vpon the same River of Sala with Mersburg and Zeitz vpon Elster the River of Leipsich with other of his Townes and Mannors Aug. 28. Schomberg Generall of the Artillery with the Commissary Walmerode come to the Citie of Hall within a day or two of that time Furstenberg comes thither from Eisleben advancing forwards to get the passage if it might be betwixt Wittenberg and Saxony but that the Dukes going * Pag. 37. to Torgau and Dieben prevented Aug. 29. Count Tilly sends to the Citie of Leipsich to demaund provisions for his Army This denyed vnlesse he brought their Electors consent he the next day plunders all the Country for 3. leagues about and comming by the way of Ranstadt he on that side places his Guards before the very Ports takes possession of the Suburbs peremptorily demaunding their speedy and finall resolution Their answere is that their Duke having lately sent in six Companies of Foote and the Lieutenant-Colonel Pforten to commaund in the Towne seemd rather desirous to defend his owne then to yeeld vnto any such violent motion Hereupon Sept. 3. Tilly with full 40000. men sets downe before the Towne out-come the Deputies to demaund his reasons Leipsich besieged They are threatned with fire and sword if they yeeld not The Citizens resolue to stand to it and the enemy makes his approaches Some greater peices be mounts on that side towards Pfaffendorff vpon the hill nere the Euteritzch Sconces so to cut off all provisions from comming in On Sunday Sept. 4. the Towne sets fire on their owne faire Suburbs to prevent the enemies lodging in â—â—m killing that day with a peice of Ordnance one that stood hard besides the Generall Tilly. He thus enraged batters them
and his associates Mansfeild Brunswicke and the King of Denmarke That himselfe being the forwardest there had beene divers Conferences concerning an Agreement but through the stubbornnesse of the adverse partie all the Treaties had come to nothing now at length therefore high time it was seriously to bethinke themselues of a good Peace or if that could not at the best hand be obtained then to devise vpon the way of a joynt league both betweene themselues and with the Emperor against the disturbers of this so necessary a Peace be they natiues of the Empire or be they forreigners and in as much as the Palsgraue Fredericke the Causerboth of these warres and miseries after those most equall Conditions propounded to him by the Elestors in their Dyet at Mulhausen is not to this day come in nor hath ever since desisted from such Courses as haue beene troublesome both vnto his Countrey and common peace but hath stirr'd vp others heretofore and the Hollanders of latter times vnto the destruction of his owne Countrey The Emperors request therefore was that the Electors would be pleased to passe an Act of Counsell whereby the Palsgrane should continue a banished man without all hopes of returning and that they would never vouchsafe to entertaine eyther peace or amitie with him He furthermore declared how that the Hollanders having long since shaken off all due reverence vnto the Empire had with a sacrilegious boldnesse of late both besieged and taken in certaine of his good Cities and Dominions now therefore it must be lookt vnto that the Empire suffer no damage and the remedies must now be consulted vpon how the boldnesse of these robbers might best be restrained and how that which vnjustly they had taken away might be recovered The fourth poynt to be considered vpon was the warres of Italy and the French King who now invaded the rights of the Empire and made himselfe an Vmpire of such matters as belong'd not vnto his Cognizance which is not to be endured But the King of Sweden sayd otherwise in his Defence which see afâ—erwards sayth the Emperour As for the King of Sweden there be no causes of enmitie betwixt vs but if he will not condescend vnto the Imperiall Ambassador the Burgraue of Dhona and the King of Denmarke the Mediator of the Peace then verily he is to be threatned with the power of the Romane Empire and if he gaue not over then was his bold attempt to be chastised by force of Armes Last of all were the Princes advised to consult vpon the meanes of maintaining a standing Army and of the restoring of Martiall Discipline and of the manner of laying and of levying the Impositions So soone as ever these Propositions were noysed abroad The Peoples construction of the Emperours Oration they were variously descanted vpon by diverse most men admiring that whereas the first Proposition tooke care how to establish a good Peace the fiue other Articles breathed out nothing but menaces of warres and Armies That the Soveraigntie of the house of Austria and the base enduring of servitude by the other side was the thing forsooth that must be called Peace That all was now excused by the rebellion of the Bohemians the oversight of the Palsgraue and the stubborne spirits of Mansfeild and the rest That those Armes which were at first taken vp against enemies were now turnd against the Common-wealth For after the differences were compounded with the King of Denmarke there remained no enemy in the whole Empire and yet the Army and the Impositions were neverthelesse commanded to be kept on foote But now plainely was this driven at that the private quarrels of the house of Austria might be maintained by the power of the Romane Empire which must thereby make another mans quarrell her owne interest But as for * The King of Bohemia Fredericke the Hollanders the * Novv Duke of Mantua vvhose Ancestors being of a yoÌ„ger house of Mantua setled themselues in FraÌ„ce to whom for want of Issue MaÌ„tua is now falne the Investiture wherof being denied him by the Emperour and the King of Spaine set on the French King appeared with an Army in favour of him Duke de Nivers and for his sake the French King and the King of Sweden to conclude they all professe themselues injuried by the Austrians and to keepe firme amitie with the Empire And suppose that Frederick had invaded the Crowne of Bohemia vnjustly and had merited punishment in that regard yet had his Electorall dignitie beene taken from him and conferred vpon the Duke of Bavaria before ever the consent of the Princes of the Empire had beene asked the Electors gainesaying it yea the King of Spaine himselfe being vtterly against it People moreover were bold to Prophecy That never should Peace returne into the Empire vnlesse the Prince Palatine were first restored into all or into a good part of his lost dignitie and Dominions For not he in his owne person alone and his so many Children and their posteritie which soever of them were so minded would sometime or other become the subject of more troubles but the Austrians and Spaniard with the Hollander and the Protestants who by putting the Prince Palatine out of the Colledge of Electors should alwayes hereafter be too weake in number of voyces with the Catholikes would ever jarre with a perpetuated heart-burning But were that Prince re-estated in his ancient place then should that too great power of the Duke of Bavaria the heart-burning against the house of Austria and the feares which the Protestants now stood in be all taken away And now that the Duke of Bavaria might neither be afraid nor asham'd to lay aside the Electorship obtained by his valour and * Deserts to the Emperor vnderstand and not to his Cosin the Prince Palatine deserts they interposed this Counsell to leaue namely a part of the Palatinate vnto him and his heires for ever and which is sayd not to be without example to haue the Electorship goe by turnes between them from one vnto another eyther by terme of yeares or liues Moreover as for the Hollanders notwithstanding they had renounced their allegiance to the King of Spaine yet they fayrely conserved the Majestie of the Empire yea and that with their neighbouring Princes though Catholikes they did religiously maintaine the Articles and Quarter of Neutralitie True it is that by the right of Warre they had made theÌ„selues Masters of certaine places which either the Spaniard before held or they feared he would take in whereas the Emperour on the contrary not by them provoked by any injury had without any Decree of the Empire to that purpose all out of a private desire of his owne for the assisting of the King his Cosin sent the Count de Monte-Cuculi even into the very heart of * While the Prince of Orange lay before St. Hertoghenbosch Holland it selfe with an Army This was the cause of the revenge which they
tooke afterward nor did they more then enough in so doing or committed any thing contrary to the Law of Armes That for the Warres * About the Dukedome of Mantua which the Spaniard perchance could ha◠bin willing to haue seised for himselfe in the Emperors name who pretended the Dukedome to be a Fee or Forfeiture of the Empire of Italy the Rights of the Empire t is true were pretended but yet were they with the bloud and at the charges of the Germane Nation maintained in behalfe of the King of Spaine For as for the Duke de Nivers he was ever ready to haue sworne fealtie and done his homage to the Emperour but indeed it no way stood with the Spaniards designes to haue a Prince so neere a neighbour vnto his Dutchy of Millaine that were infected with a French spirit Against the King of Sweden they affirmed how that the Emperour in ayde of his Cosin the King of Poland had sent a strong Army and therefore ought not to take it ill if by the same Law of Armes that King should now assist his owne Cosins the Dukes of Mecklenburg condemned * By the Emperor to leese their Estates Whereupon Walsteyn with his Army fell vpon the Dutchy of Mecklenburg whom the Emperour having Created Duke of Freidlandt before now made him Duke of Mecklenburg before they were heard revenging withall the private injuries offered vnto himselfe These and the like Discourses passed vp and downe * The summe of the Princes Answer vnto the Emperors Propositions But the Electors in a graue and a solemne Answere insisted vpō the miseries of the present times the outrages committed in the Warres and the excessiuenesse of the Impositions laying all the fault vpon the author of all these the new Duke of Mecklenburg Generall of the Emperors great Armie through his sides thus girding even at the Emperour himselfe seeing that vnto him He had given so large a Commission and that without the consent of the Princes of the Empire as never before him any had That there had an infinite Army beene gathered to no vse vnlesse to the destruction of their Country that warre had beene commenced against such as it had never beene denounced That the Impositions which by the Law of the Empire it had beene fit to haue assessed by the joynt consent of the Princes had at the pleasure of the sayd Duke beene imposed and most rigorously exacted They at the same time also affirmed how that the Elector of Brandenburg alone in these few yeares past besides those inestimable damages which vsually accompany the Warres and the vnruly Souldiers had beene faine to contribute and that vnder the name of a Tribute to the value of twentie Millions of * A Florens is about two shillings English Florens At which time these severall complaints were also given vp The Duke of Pomerland complained himselfe for ten Millions drawne out of his Principalitie of Stetin alone and that in one onely yeare besides an vnnecessary rabble of Hang-byes Drablers and the Skullery of the Armie there had beene one and thirtie thousand foote and seaven thousand fiue hundred and fortie horse billetted vp n Pomerland William Landtgrave of Hessen for his tribute of some certaine yeares seaven Millions the Duke of Wirtemberg monethly contributed an hundred and twentie thousand Florens The Citie and State of Norimberg twentie thousand a moneth others likewise complained of some more some lesse that had beene raked from them They highly accused thereupon the prodigall luxury of the sayd Duke his Collonells Captaines for their flanting of it in such rich Cloaths and household-stuffe of gold and silver and the incredible high keeping and trappings of their horses At the same time there was a little Booke shewed vp and downe wherein the ordinary provisions of * Walsteyns his house the offices of his Court and the names of those that had principall charge about him were conteined and all these with larger allowance as it was sayd then those of the Emperours owne pallace Then was his so much envied house built at Prage out of the spoyles of the Empire and vpon the ruines of an hundred houses purposely pluckt downe for him every wherespoken of Nor could any of these things be denied But those times as the Emperour excused it and the power the enemy was then growne vnto and the victory depending vpon speedy pursuite alone nothing being safer in Civill Warres then expedition could not away with that scrupulous order of the ancient Customes Many a Dispute in writing hereupon passed too and againe on both sides in all which the Emperour pressed no new Proposition or request but the Electors mainly vrged the casheering of the new * Walsteyn Duke and his Army to haue a Peace made with the French King and the Princes of Italy yea with the King of Sweden also whose Fleete was not as yet arrived vpon the Coasts of Pomerland The * Mr. Russdorff by name Ambassador of Fredericke the Palatine they were very earnest to haue admitted to Audience vnto whom now comming to the Dyet in company of the King of great Britaines * Sir Robert Austruther Ambassador they gaue assurance for his safe comming and returning With the Hollanders last of all they all but especially the Bishop Elector of Colein who lyes nearest to the danger desired peace vpon any termes a buisinesse of which moment they all affirmed worthy to be referred vnto a Dyet of the whole Empire Many things therefore the Electors by voyces at length carried which fell heavy vpon the Emperour and his Courtiers Vnto Walensteyn therefore first of all were there sent Iohn Baptista Verdenberg and Gerard Questenberg Barons both of them and both of them enriched by him with many a mightie gift and both of them alwayes beleeved to be at Court the great advancers of his Projects But even therefore were they made choyce of before any others as the fittest men to perswade with him The taske which they vndertooke seemed to be the difficultest of all the rest it being beleeved that Walenstein being a man of a most haughtie spirit accustomed to a military command one that had beene Courted by the greatest Princes and vpheld by infinite riches would never dully endure such an affront nor by his good will ever stoope againe vnto a private life Cause to feare moreover he had lest they who never durst doe it when he was a Generall would yet require their own of him when he should become a private man And the Dutchy of Mecklenburg * They feared left he would vse it as the Devill did the Possessed all to teare it when he knew he wat to leaue it they beleevd likely hereby to be exposed to most certaine danger All mens mindes now full of expectation what would be the event of that message all men now afraid of new hurly-burlies behold now what every * Peoples guesses at the reason of
and Peace of the Empire Thirdly How to maintaine correspōdency with the Catholike Princes And fourthly What to answer for themselues both in generall and particular as well concerning the maintenance of the reformed Religion as to the Emperours Edict concerning the Church-Lands when they should come to meete at the Dyet of Franckford The Princes thus invited and the time now come vpon the fourth of February 1631. the Elector of Saxony enters Lypsich in great state and the Elector of Brandenburg a little after him The Protestant partie in the Empire Thither in person came these Protestant Princes also Christianus another Marquesse of Brandenburg Iohn William and Bernard Dukes of Saxon Weymar William Landtgrave of Hessen Frederick Marquesse of Baden Augustus Prince of Anhalt Frederick Count of Solmes Iohn George and Ernest Lodowike Counts of Mansfeilt and the deposed Dukes of Mecklenburg These Princes sent their Ambassadors The Duke of Deuxponts Iohn Ernestus another Duke of Saxony Frederick Vlrick Duke of Brunswicke The Duke of Lunenburg The severall Princes of the Circles of Schwaben and Franckenlandt The Lady of the Abbey of Quedlinburg The Bishops Administrators of Mecklenburg and of Bremen The Counts of Stolberg The Barons of Reussen and Schonberg These Townes and States send their Agents also Norimberg Strasburg Franckford Lubeck Bremen Brunswick Hildesheim Mullhuisen and Northhuisen Duke Lodowick Frederick Administrator of the Dukedome of Wirtenberg was newly dead and Duke Iulius not yet setled and therefore being not able to come himselfe he sent the Vice-Chancelor of the Dukedome called Doctor Loester and some other Counsellors as Deputies for that Dutchie And these be the Protestant party in the Empire some whereof being Lutherans and some Calvinists they first of all agree to haue that distinction of names which had caused so much schisme and hatred heretofore to be vtterly taken away making a generall Decree that both Professions should from thence forth be called by one name of Evangeliacalls That is Professors of the Gospell No man was suffered to stay within the Towne whose businesse was not knowne the streets ends were chained vp and barricadoed guards set at the severall ports and the keyes of the gates every night brought into the Dukes chamber And all this was to prevent Spyes and surprisalls The Duke Elector of Saxony on whose greatnesse and countenance the Partie and Action very much depended makes a speech first of all Saxonyes Oration which had reference vnto his former Letters of Invitation vnto them protesting withall his owne firmenesse and forwardnesse for the peace of the Empire and the maintenance of the Religion and that he would be ready to adventure both life and goods in the Cause so desiring every man freely to giue his Counsell in such manner as they might be able to render a fayre accompt of it vnto the Emperour Vnto this meeting the King of Sweden also sends his Ambassador Doctor Chemnitius who in his Maisters name delivers them this assurance That his Majesties intentions were no other then to restore the Empire to her ancient peace the Princes to their liberties and to defend the Church in her Religion telling them moreover how that the French King was newly entred into a League with him for fiue yeares to come The Ambassador had both speedie Audience and honorable entertainement The Dyet to be briefe brake vp vpon Palme-Sunday the third of Aprill following The Conclusions agreed vpon themselues expresse in their Letters in humble and complaining manner enlarged in many sheetes of Paper sent by an expresse Curryer vnto the Emperour in which their joynt desires were thus signified Their humble Remonstrance vnto the Emperor Their Complaint and Remonstrance I reduce into these Propositions That the Golden Bull and Constitutions of the Empire had of late beene all abused That the Emperours late Edict for restitution of the Church Lands and his endevours to roote out the Protestant Religion were the maine Causes of these late troubles The first of these breeding jealousies and discontents betwixt the Protestants and the Papists and the second tending to the vtter ruine of the two Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg Then they complaine of injustice done vnto particular Princes and Cities some of which were injuried by the violent taking away of their Church Lands as the Dukes of Wirtenberg and Brunswick the Prince of Anhalt the Counts Hohenloe Stolberg Lippe Valdecht Verthimb Erpach c. the Towne of Ausburg and others Some hindered in the exercise of their Religion as Augustus and Frederike Princes Palatines and yonger brethren vnto Wolfgang William Palatine of Newburg now turnd Papist Others had their Estates confiscated as the Lady * The mother and brother of the King of Bohemia Lewis being Duke of Simmern Electresse Palatine and her Sonne Lewis Prince Palatine the Dukes of Mecklenburg c. for whom the whole Colledge of Electors had interceded in the late Dyet but not prevayled Others complaine of the violent altering of their Feods and Tenures of their Lands and Lordships as the last before named Princes and Iohn Casimire Elector of Saxony into whose Lands the Imperiall Commissaries haue with force and Armes intruded changing the tenures of the tenants and altering the Religion Ernestus Marquesse and Elector of Brandenburg complaines of the same wrongs offered vnto his Pupils the yong Marquesses * Which are of the house of Brandenburg their Lands lying by Nurenberg of Onspach Vlme Duke of Brunswick complaines first of the ravages of his Lands done by Tilly vpon pretence of moneyes owing to the King of Denmarke and made over by the said King vnto the Emperour who imployed Tilly thus to streyne for them Secondly of the seisure of his Bishopricke of Hildesheim and thirdly that the chiefe Towne of his owne residence Wolffenbuttle had beene forced to take an Imperiall Garrison Others complaine how they might not haue the benefit of the Law but were driven away by threatnings and discourtesies The Electors and Princes complaine of contempts and indignities offered vnto their persons some of them having beene threatned the Bastonado by some of the Emperors Souldiers The Cities and Circles of the Empire complaine that vndue and excessiue Impositions and Taxes haue beene layd vpon them not by the consent of themselues as the Imperiall Lawes command but at the pleasure of any of the Emperours Commissaries That vnder colour of protecting them they haue beene forced to afford Quarter and maintenance vnto the Imperiall Armies who when they should indeede haue defended them most cowardly ran away That when they would not endure the Souldiers insolencies they haue beene declared enemies of the Empire and forbidden to defend themselues That their Lands haue beene given to Souldiers as if they had beene Conquered That they haue beene forced to contribute to imaginary companies of Souldiers perchance to foure or fiue as if they had beene a compleat band That the Commissaries haue assigned Quarters and passages vnto the Souldiers
Italy after that the warres of Mantua were ended together with some 8. or 10000. more against those Townes aforesayd Furstenberg presses so hard vpon Memmingen that about the beginning of Iune he enforceth it to renounce the new League and to purchase the Emperors pardon at the rate of 50000. Florens readie pay and 25000. monethly Contribution The Protestants League being now noysed abroad and another meeting at the latter end of May at the same Leipsich intended thither come the Ambassadors of England Sweden Saxony and Brandenburg There is the vniting of their forces with the King of Sweden propounded but not concluded onely the passage of Wittemberg heretofore denied him by Saxony is now yeelded vnto to be open for his Army Mr. Tilly about the same time dispeedes a message vnto Saxony with overtures of a peace promising shortly to come himselfe with sufficient Commission to conclude it This being suspected to be a plot eyther to divert or stagger the resolution of the Duke or a tricke to gaine time and that Tillyes Commission might perchance be in his scabbard the message was not accepted notwithstanding that Tilly did in mid Iune following come in person indeede and at Oldsleben had treatie with the Dukes Ambassadors When this would not doe The Emperours Proclamatiō against them and the Emperour by the Dukes second Letters dated the day after the end of the late Dyet vnderstanding the resolution of the Leaguers which by their generall levies he perceived them readie to maintaine And hearing withall the King of Sweden to be victoriously already advanc't quite through Pomerland and Mecklenburg into some places of Brandenburg out-thunders He his Imperiall Bann against the Leipsich Leaguers dated at Vienna May 14. peremptorily forbidding any place of the Empire to grant either reliefe passage or place of quarter muster or rendezvous vnto any of their forces commanding every man to destroy kill and persecute them as enemies and the easier to dehort the Leaguers his Majestie offers to release them of their Oaths taken in prejudice of him at Leipsich and to grant pardon to as many as should come in vpon paine of death forbidding all their Subjects eyther to contribute to their levies or to serue vnder their Ensignes but to turne both their moneyes and persons towards the advancement of his Imperiall service promising the freedome of Conscience and Estates to all that should thus obey him Diverse people are naturally afrayd of thunder some of the Leaguers therefore and especially the grave-headed Burgers in the richer Cities began now to quake at the noyse of this so hideous a Proclamation Which feare of theirs much coold their blouds made them the lesse zealous and warme in the resolution But he that hath not courage enough to fight hath wit enough commonly to excuse his cowardice So fell it out here diverse of the backwardest palliating their owne remissenesse with the newes they pretended to haue heard of the mammering of the chiefe man in the action the Duke of Saxony And this had like to haue arrested the whole Designe Saxony hearing of all this notwithstanding he was at the instant hard layd at by Hagen Muller the Emperours Ambassadour to come over to his Maister yet to prevent jealousie would he not so much as once speake with him then at Torgau but referred him for Audience over vnto his privie Councell Hagen Mullers Prepositions were these foure 1. To consult how the businesse about the Church Lands might best be compounded 2. How the inconveniences occasioned by the Warres might be eased 3. That the agreement of Leipsich for standing vpon their owne defence might be Cancelled 4. That he would advise how a peace might honorably be concluded with the Swede and that the Duke would mediate it The answere of the Dukes Councell is too long to insert and to be briefe the Ambassadour returnes not well satisfied Immediately hereupon the Duke dispatches his Letters vnto the severall Leaguers assuring them of his owne Constancy and inviting them with all speed to hasten their preparations These Letters of Saxony brought about the matter againe and he to shew that he meant to doe more then write Letters layes sure guardes vpon his owne Frontiers some eight or ten thousand men proceeding warily hitherto and all vpon the defensiue The Protestant Princes of Swaben which lye along the Danubie betweene the Dukes of Wirtenburg and Bavaria doe herevpon assemble at Essingen resolving to sticke close to the Articles of Leipsich reenforcing their levies therevpon And now the fayre City of Norenberg in the vpper Palatinate returnes to her former resolution notwithstanding the particular threatnings of the Emperour to giue the spoyle of it vnto their great neighbour the Duke of Bavaria The Citie of Strasburg armes also and the Citie of Vlme encouraged by the new Administrator of Wirtenburg Duke Iulius refuses to giue passage to the late troopes comming that way out of Italy and send three hundred Muskettiers to ayde their neighbours of Memmingen against them The Landgraue of Hessen against whose Country it was generally reported that Tilly would forthwith come and that he was already for that purpose vpon his March as farre as Saxony bestirres himselfe all this while levies men and fortifies his Frontiers Tilly sends before he comes to him and that these foure Demands 1. Tillyes quarrell to Hessen To pay the arrier of the contribution due vnto the Emperour 2. To giue sufficiently hostages or securitie for the future Directly professing him eyther a friend or a foe to the Emperour 3. Immediately to cashiere his Army 4. To lay open his passages for the Emperours forces to receiue Imperiall Garrisons into Cassell and Sichenheim and to giue quarter to fiue other Regiments Hard termes all Vnto which the Landgrave returnes though a Negatiue yet a modest answere This way not speeding it seemes the way of practise and of trechery was attempted for the Landgraue presently vpon this discovers some correspondency enterteind by two or three of his owne chiefe Lords with Tilly for the delivering vp his two chiefe Townes of Cassell and Sichenheim for which they are executed Tilly after this in a rage sends three severall troupes into his Countrey his owne intended expedition against him being diverted by newes of the King of Sweden All this while namely vntill the latter end of Iune was there no assurance of the Protestant Princes purpose to vnite with the King of Sweden but they all stood vpon termes of neutralitie kept their obedience vnto the Emperour standing onely vpon the Defensiue without once offering any Act of hostilitie where they were not first provoked Saxony had now 17000. foote and 3000. horse all in a readinesse Vpon the same termes stands the Marquesse Elector of Brandenburg who notwithstanding the neere alliance betwixt the King of Sweden and himselfe the King having married the Sister of the sayd Marquesse yet that he seemed farre enough from vniting with him appeares by an action
inclination and confidence in the Duke towards the King So that notwithstanding his shirt knew nothing yet this may we guesse to haue beene the great secret That if so be the Emperor would not come off or did so fiercely presse vpon him to take in his Country that then if the King of Sweden by his joyning with him were likely to prevaile he would rather side in with him then suffer himselfe to be over-run by the Emperour And that he carried a more private good affection vnto the King then he thought it convenient as yet to discover appeares by his desiring of some expert Commanders of the King and Colonell Teuffell by name to leade his Army But this did not the King at this present yeeld vnto because that had rather engaged the King vnto him then him vnto the King Surely it is that Teuffell was not sent vnto the Duke he being one of those that were on the Kings side slaine afterwards in the great Battle Where the Battell was after fought About the twentieth of August Saxony Musters his forces vpon that fayre plaine or heath by Leipsich namely sixtie Companies of foote ten Companies to every Regiment and 1000. Muskettiers for his owne guards Horse 4300. of which 1000. to a Regiment and 400. for his owne guards over and aboue all which were 1400. Curiassers or men at Armes These be the names of his chiefe Commanders On Foote Swalbach Generall of the Artillery Arnheim Feild-Marshall Hans-George of Solms Glitzwick Looser Star-Schedel Colonels Of the Cavallery these The Duke of Saxon Altenberg Generall Bindtorp Sergeant Major Hoftkerk Steinau Colonels Dove Lieutenant Generall All these troupes being thus Mustered they were presently furnished with 400. Wagons of Provision and Ammunition and sixe peices of Ordnance out of the Dukes Magazine While the Armie stayes thereabouts there is first a Trumpet sent from Tillyes Hoast to demaund passage of the Duke He returning with no satisfying answere Tilly sends these foure Propositions vnto him to which he must haue a sudden and a Categoricall Answere 1. Whether he would like other Princes yeeld vp his forces to the Emperour to beate Sweden out of the Countrey 2. And as a Subject furnish the Imperiall Army with provisions 3. And renounce the Conclusions of Leipsich 4. And restore the Church Lands To all which the Duke about the beginning of September returnes not onely a negatiue resolution but aggravated it also with some Circumstances of vnkindnesse offered him by the Emperour in requitall of his so many good services bemoaning himselfe of the vntrustinesse of the Catholike Princes yea even before the Emperours Ambassador then with him he protests that they should not finde a Duke of Wirtenberg of him he would not suffer himselfe to be led by the nose but bade the Ambassador tell his Lord and spare not that he would liue and dye in defence of the Conclusions of Leipsich This resolution in the Duke was quickned perchance by the French Ambassador then with him so that having discovered himselfe thus farre against the Emperor he sees no way but eyther to be vndone by Tilly or to joyne with Sweden And now while the termes of vniting might be concluded with that King to meete with whom and the Marquesse of Brandenburg himselfe the Tuesday following goes vnto Wittemberg the Duke thinkes of keeping out of Tilly. Having gotten intelligence therefore that the Count of Furstenberg now joyned with Tilly was by him sent as a Vantcurryer vnto Hall and that he made provisions of Bridges the Duke fearing that his meaning was to passe over the Rivers of Sala and Mulda and so to make for the Citie Torgau vpon the Elve which Towne lying betwixt Leipsich and Wittemberg had he once made himselfe Maister of he had quite cut off the King of Sweden from ever comming into Saxony and had gotten all the commaund of the Elve besides Saxony therefore suspecting Furstenbergs intention rises with his whole Army from about Leipsich and makes with all speed towards Torgau both to secure that and there to meete with the King of Sweden also By this time was the sayd Kings Army drawne downe as farre as Wirtemberg himselfe is now at the Consultation of Torgau Brandenburg was already joyned with him and nothing hindred Saxonyes vniting too but some termes partly of caution and partly of honour whether he were to yeeld the whole Command of his owne Army vnto the King or not Which the King absolutely desiring and the Duke making some Objections against the Vnion was the longer a concluding Well! if Saxony will not joyne Tillyes hast for he longs to be beaten shall quicken his slownesse For no sooner doth Furstenberg perceiue his designe for Torgau defeated but thitherward marches he Tilly was now come vp to him With 3000. foote and 1500. horse therefore first he takes in Mursenburg Tilly going towards Welsenfels and other places about Leipsich blocking vp by this meanes even the Towne it selfe And now there was no remedie Saxony must joyne or be lost vpon the 14. of September therefore he thoroughly condescends vnto the King of Swedens Propositions And thus haue wee brought Saxony and Brandenburg into the King of Swedens Army Turne wee backe againe vnto that King to shew by what degrees and approaches he gained thus farre into the Empire The SVVEDISH Intelligencer RELATING THE PROCEEDINGS Of that PRINCE from his first Landing in GERMANY 1630. vntill his great Victory over TILLY HISTORICALLY DIGESTED For the Readers better vnderstanding of the King of Sweden wee haue here given you his Majesties Pedigree which may serve in stead of an Introduction THE PEDIGREE Of the High and Mightie Prince Gustavus Adolphus by the Grace of God King of Swedens Goths and Vandals great Prince of Finland Duke of Esthonia and Carelia Lord of Ingria Gustavus Ericus Ericus Iohannes Sigismundus Ladislaus Carolus Gustavus Adolphus GVSTAVVS ERICVS Briefe notes vpon this Pedigree first of that name and bloud was one of those six Hostages sent vnto that scarce to be paralleld Tyrant Christiern King of Denmark Anno 1518. Which Hostages he having gotten into his power most perfidiously reteined as his prisoners carrying them away with him into Denmarke But Gustavus having found both favour and libertie one day to goe a hunting disguises himselfe and escapes after many dangers arriving in his owne Countrey Anno 1520. About which time the sayd King Christiern contrary vnto his promise made vnto the Swedes vpon their submission vpon which he promised to remit all offences beyond all examples of Christianitie within foure dayes after his Coronation causes all the Nobilitie Gentry Bishops Counsellors and prime Citizens of the Kingdome of Sweden to be eyther hang'd or beheaded the streetes of Stockholme where he was Crowned to runne with bloud the carcasses to lye three dayes vnburied and then to be burned c. Amongst the number of the massacred the Father of Gustavus was one When Gustavus had once heard of this hideous
and almost so scituate but the haven much larger Here did Duke Adolph and the Generall Toodt entrench themselues by land the Swedish fleet waiting vpon it by Sea as it did vpon Rostock also Of this siege I can adde but this vnto the former Sea-fight That about the beginning of August the Swedish Shallops boldly going into the haven brought away the Admirall and another Ship brauely towing them both away with them The Kings â—econd expeâ—â—â—ion into Mecklenburg Tilly about the 24. of Ianuary being now advanced as neere the King as Franckford on the Oder his Majestie fearing if he marcht vp into Mecklenburg he might there make fowle worke leaues Gustavus Honne with the Army about Coninxberg and writes his Letters vnto those of the New Marcke on the East side of the Oder to this purpose That seeing he haddow cleered their whole Country from their oppressors the Imperialists every man should a Gods name returne to his owne house His Letters to 〈◊〉 of the â—â—w Marcke trade and husbandry he professing to be their friend and promising to be their protector That which he desired of them was such provisions for his Army left amongst them as they could well spare and the other wanted Those that did not he would take for his and their Countries enemies Vpon which gracious Monitory divers return'd againe without molestation falling vnto their businesse This done the King calls off the most of his Army from the siege of Landtsberg and his troupes from other places appoynting their Rendezvous to be at Dam the 28. of Ianuary Stilo novo and so Feb. 4. he againe passes Stetin towards Mecklenburg where with an Army of 16000. horse and foote he vnlookt for arrived There he first of all takes in New Brandenburg within 8. leagues of Stetin Takes New Brandenburg Cononel Marezan the Governour taking composition and marching with six Companies of foote and three of horse of Monte-Cuculi his Regiment and 120. of Colonell Putlars Regiment There did the King leaue Colonell Kniphowsen for his Governour To this Towne Feb. 6. he summons the people of the Country of Stargard with whom he treates concerning the maintayning of the forces left for their guard The newes of this being brought to those of Treptow Treptow the same day another good Towne and a passage thereby away run the Imperiall Garrison of which his Majestie having speedy notice he the same day sends some troupes thither and takes it Those of Dammin a very strong Towne fearing to be taken vnfurnished with all speede send to Gripswald nere Stralesundt for more Ordnance but neyther this nor their so strong fortifications will serue their turne For Feb. 14. The strong Towne of Dammin assaulted the King sets downe to the siege after a hideous battery is the Castle first of all taken by assault and the Garrison put to the sword of whom there were seaven Companies as 't is sayd besides 150. others that had newly joyned with them Finding the Citie too strong to take by assault the 15 th day he thunders vpon that againe beates downe the workes and makes so vast a breach in the very hard walles that the Governour the Duke de Savelli an Italian finding the place not to be tenable against such thunder and resolutions Taken parlyes and yeelds Vpon the surrender he receiues the King vnder the gate and the King carryes him backe towards the Market-place Here the King sitting armed vpon his horse makes a speech vnto the Townesmen assuring them of all favour and turning to the Duke wills him to depart the Towne to salute the Emperour from him and to tell him That he was no enemy vnto his person and that his endevour should onely be to restore the libertie of Religion and of the Princes Thus with six Ensignes flying bag and baggage and two peices of Ordnance the Duke marches out of the Towne leaving 36. peices of brasse Ordnance behinde him 60. barrells of powder with victualls and Ammunition proportionable The King lost about 200. men himselfe as some say receiving a light shot Letters were intercepted from the Generally Tilly desiring the Governour to hold out but foure dayes longer at which time he should vndoubtedly be relieved Some say that Savelli was afterwards questioned vpon his life for that being over-confident of his owne strength he had refused to take in some more forces that came to offer their service This Towne much stronger then Rostock is now by new fortifications doubly strengthened Whilest the King himselfe is here busied his Lieutenant Banier goes to Loczin hard by Dammin and takes in that And Malchin another good Towne is by a stratagem surprised also Freidlandt is likewise so served and all the other strong places vpon the Frontiers of Pomerland and so is Westrow by the Sea-side Yea all the strongest places to conclude in that Dutchy except the foure strong great Townes of Wismar Rostock Butrow and Dammitz which last is an exceeding strong Towne vpon the River Elve Thus betwixt Iuly the first and February the last that is in eight moneths space hath he which is scarce credible to report taken full 80. Cities Castles and Sconces in Pomerland and in Mecklenburg Tilly marches â—â—to Mecklenburg By the end of February hath Tilly heard of the Kings proceedings in Mecklenburg and from Franckford on the Oder beginnes to set forward into that Dutchy against him The King now after the taking of Dammin sets downe with his Army betwixt it and Treptow himselfe in person one of the last dayes of February going through Pomerland vnto Berwalt neere Coninxberg where the first of March he concludes the League with France as is aforesaid Within a day or two that is March the third was Colbergen taken as hath beene sayd The next day the King goes from Stetin towards New Angermund on the same side of the Oder with Mecklenburg By this time are some forces come to him out of Scotland and there being no more neede of any Garrisons in the I le of Rugen those he calls out Thus drawes he all that might well be spared out of all his other Garrisons of Pomerland taking to him the 9000. which before were in Brandenburg those that lately besieged Colbergen the States and Gentry of Pomerland he now commaunds at their owne charge to levie 10000. men for their owne defence which forces should take oath to himselfe the Duke and States of Pomeren And now hath he 13. Regiments newly come to him out of Prussia also Thus makes he himselfe as strong against Tilly as possible may be bringing his Army from Coninxbergen over the Oder and forming an Army of some 15000. men betwixt this New Angermund Frejenwald at a little Dorpe called Swedt Hither he brings some 60. peices of Ordnance The Leaguer of Swedt hither also brings he his Ship-bridge from Stetin which here he layes over the Oder over which he hath a free passage both towards
his owne charges provide the Swedish Army with powder shot and provisions 3. That the King should haue the absolute and vniversall Commaund of the whole Armie and the Dukes Souldiers to submit themselues vnto his direction 4. That the Duke should conclude no peace with the Emperour without the Kings consent but that both of them should stand as one man vntill the end of the warres The first defeate that this Vnion made was of the Papists expectation who verily beleeving that the Conclusions of Leipsich would haue made the Protestants fall out among themselues are now frustrated of that hope This done the bridge at Wittenberg over the Elve is freed for the King who Sept. 3. passes his whole Army over it into the Dukes Country Sept. 4. the Kings Army from Wittenberg and the Dukes from Torgau advanced as farre as Dieben vpon the River Multa within three leagues of Leipsich whither also the Elector of Brandenburgs troopes now came Both Armies here meeting in signe that the Duke had yeelded vnto what the King would haue namely the superioritie commaund of the Saxon Armie the Horsemen as they came by vayled and stooped their Cornets and the Foote their Ensignes towards the Kings Armie The 5th day both Armies putting themselues into fayre Battalia the King tooke a particular view of the Saxon forces and of the order and constitution of the Army resolving the next day to visite the great Generall Tilly in his trenches and to levie his siege of Leipsich but hearing that Tilly had that morning prevented them by taking of the Towne the King and Duke were both put vnto new consultations So that the 6th day was spent in providing for the great day the day of battell which fell out to be the next day following And here now leaving both the King and the Duke employed let vs goe aside a while to fetch their valiant Adversary into the field the Imperiall Generall Tilly whom wee lately left retyring this way from the Kings Leaguer of Werben Generall Tilly his proceedings from the time of his retyring from the Kings Campes in Mecklenburg and Pomerland Historically led along vnto the day of his defeate at the Battell of Leipsich THE Generall Tilly perceiving the King neither willing to adventure his Armies now like their swords already worne out with so many winter-victories into the plaine field against such fresh forces who would bee desperate because they must either fight or bee gone and that he lay too strongly entrenched in both places to bee forced and that by carrying away all provisions hee had left him no meanes there long to stay without starving Tilly retyres from the King and now hearing newes from Coloredo that there was no forcing of the Kings new Bridge layd over the Oder at Swedt bethinks himselfe therefore of an expedition against Magdenburg rises and retires with his Armie In the end of March minding wholy to leaue these Quarters vnto the King hee first of all dismantles New Brandenburg which he had so lately conquered becomming now as cruell to the Towne as hee before had beene vnto the Townsmen and their Garrison for he beates downe the walles layes all the fortifications levell with the ground and so takes his leaue of it Order is given vnto the Count of Schomberg to looke well vnto Franckford vpon Oder and for the better securing of it hee giues directions for 7000 fresh men to bee sent in and that Diepenbach should also come into the Towne to assist Schomberg as you haue heard before And whereas there were yet two Townes with Imperiall Garrisons in them neere vnto the Kings Campe at Swedt in Britsen namely and Moncheberg which to bee sure the King would fall vpon so soone as ever his backe was turn'd those Garrisons he therefore sends for and away he marches backe againe the same way almost that he came to Ferberlin first and so to Old Brandenburg Now he cleerely discovers himselfe that his purpose was to vndertake what Pappenheym had all this while beene about the taking of the Towne and Arch-bishopricke of Magdenburg Part therefore of his Cavalrie he sends to Havelberg himselfe with the rest of the horse fiue Regiments of foote passing the River Havell takes vp his head-quarter at Mockeren His magazine for the whole warre to come he appoints at Zerbst and that he might goe the roundlier to worke he sends for his Ordnance from Hall and Halberstadt which he commaunds to meete him at the Towne of Magdenburg Thus having brought the gallant Generall Tilly so farre onward on his way and entred withall in that manner into our discourse as a man should doe either into a goodly Pallace or Historie namely in the midst of it we will leaue our Generall a while taking order for his businesse and goe to fetch vp our Storie from the beginning of these latter troubles The Countrey of Magdenburg is situated vpon the West of Brandenburg from which the river Elbe parts it vpon the South it touches vpon Saxonie vpon the West joyning with Brunswicke and Halberstadt and vpon the North of it is the Elbe againe with the two Dutchies of Lunenburg and Lawenburg The Countrey hath the name from the cheife Citie Magdenburg which is one of the ancient Hanse Townes of the Empire and that honored with an Arch-bishops See and he the Primate of all Germanie The people be Lutheranes of the Augustane Confession the Arch-bishopricke in the hands of a Lay-man Christian William a Prince of the Electorall house of Brandenburg His Title is Administrator of the Bishoprickes of Magdenburgh and Hall * For of that Bishopricke is he Administrator also and Primate of Germanie This bred the quarrell for he not giving way to the Reformation of the Religion that is the bringing in of Poperie againe and the restoring of the Church-lands hee is proscribed and Bandited by the Emperor and some Forces sent into his Countrey actually to seaze vpon them His Subjects notwitstanding they were also farre out with the Emperor as having consented with other Hans-Townes not to suffer any Imperiall Souldiers to be quartered or billetted vpon them and had raised some 2000 souldiers for their owne guards yet being now terrified by the Emperor durst not assist their Prince vntill at last being encouraged by the King of Sweden they receiue him and promise to sticke close by him for which the King sends his heartie thankes vnto them This fals out about the end of Iuly 1630. The Administrator thus returned sets forth his Declaration protesting in it against the wrongs done him by the Emperor and putting himselfe vnder the protection of the King of Sweden The Duke of Saxon-Lawenburg riseth with the Administrator With this Prince had Francis Charles Duke of Saxon-Lawenburg and for the same respects now conjoyned himselfe In ayde of them had the King of Sweden sent some troupes into the Country And because the next way through Mecklenburg was full of
justice finally and his mercy his exemplary and his indefatigable industry his affabilitie and his easinesse of accesse the goodnesse of his cause and the common Libertie which his victories bring with them haue conquered more then his sword What now shall hinder this braue and princely Warriour to arriue vnto that height of reputation which Gonsalvo did in the warres of Naples whom the Historians of that age worthily stile the great Captaine yea so great a Conquerour hath the King hitherto beene that I dare challenge the skilfullest Historian to set for all particulars such another by him God blesse the King of Swedens Majestie and thoroughly enable him to be the glorious Assertor of the Germane Libertie Vale. If the Readers desire the continuance of our Relations our Intelligencer shall be much the better furnished to giue Content if they please to send vs in their owne Intelligence For that it seemes impossible for vs English to avoyde that observation of Philip de Commines That in all great actions wee are still harkning after Prophecies which the taking of some things in this kinde hath even now verified wee will therefore feede the humor of the times a little with a Prediction of a great Astronomer of our owne Nation vpon that great Conjunction of Saturne and Iupiter Iuly 18 1623. And the second a Prophecy of the famous Paulus Grebnerus his Booke now in Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge The Astronomers judgement is this That the effect of that Conjunction would be felt in the North and Northeast parts of Europe in particular and in generall over all That it would produce Famines Plagues Warres c. Places subiect to this he nameth Italy France Bohemia Silesia and Germany Of Provinces he nameth Prussia Brandenburg Stiria Hassia and Saxony Yea he descends to Cities naming Rome Prague Magdenburg Coblents betwixt Mentz and Cullen Vlmes Brunswick Ausburg c. He sayes it is likely to goe hard with the Romane Empire Clergie and Iesuites He speakes of a King of a true Religion that should doe all this and of much happinesse that should succeede it The whole Discourse will perchance shortly be imprinted PROPHETIA IN LEONEM DOMVS SAXONIAE DIV aspectavi connivi ego huic actui fidem Domui Austriacae Philippo synceram praestiti ne in victissimum Regis Philippi Belgium jamdudum ad extraneos de veniret quod mihi Hispania acceptum referre habet I am vero diutiùs sopitum quiescere quasi micare in tenebris mihi filio meo Christiano intoleranda irrecuperabilis jactura et damnum videtur Ideo arcum intendo meum jacula mitto sagittae meae ac tela fortunae filij mei Christiani etiam directè collimant metam invadentes feriunt ac disijciunt Burgundicum illum ac Austriacum Leonem vnde meum ac filij mei regnum ac dominatio amplè dilatatur Quod ego Haerésque meus faeliciter consummavimus A Prophecy of Paulus Grebnerus vpon the Lyon of the House of Saxony I Haue long lookt on and winked at the businesse and still haue I kept my faith vntainted vnto the house of Austria and to Philip that so the vnconquered * The Low-Countries and the Wallon Countries Belgium might not long agoe haue falne into the hands of Strangers and thus much Spaine owes me But for me to lye still asleepe and to be hoodwinkt as it were any longer seemes an intollerable and an irrecoverable losse and detriment vnto my selfe and my son Christianus Now therefore bend I my bow and shoot abroad my darts whereupon the arrowes and darts of mine owne fortune and Christianus my Sonne doe directly hitte the marke and smite those that invade me yea they cast downe that Burgundian and Austrian Lyon wherupon is the Kingdome and Dominion of my selfe and Sonne very amply enlarged Thus much haue I and mine heyre most happily atchieved OF THE MEETING Given by the Emperor vnto cercertaine Electors of the Empire at the Dyet of Ratisbone 1630. Acurately and truely described in a Letter by one that very well vnderstood how matters were there carryed Faithfully translated out of the Latine Printed Copie with some Marginall Notes added for cleering of the Story The Letter COncerning the passages of the Electorall Dyet truely my noble friend N N I had according to my promise dispatcht a more early advice vnto you but that vpon my returne to Ratisbone there were more dayes spent in mutuall visits and Entertainments of friends then indeed I was willing withall But having now gotten loose of this troublesome kinde of Courtesie and that the dispatch of my businesse together with the retyrednesse of the place where I now reside had afforded me some leysure I would no longer delay the discharge of that obligatiō in which I stood engaged vnto you Now after twelue yeares of most bloudy warres and almost vtter desolation brought vpon a goodly Countrey very probable surely it was that a peace would be desired on all hands and that for the full concluding thereof this very Dyet had principally beene Convoked As for the Protestants they verily had even vnto this day vndergone the hardest of all hardship being still overlaid with most heavy impositions and with the billettings of the Souldiers of the Catholike * The Catholike Princes of the Empire who haue entred into a League for the recovery of the Church lands and for the rooting out of the Protestant Religion Leaguers Yea the Catholickes themselues having had often tryall of the insolencies of the Imperiall Souldiers and of the chargeablenesse of the warre beganne now also mightily to distast the Covetousnesse of their owne partner the Duke of Bavaria Vpon this discontentment was the Palatine of * The Duke of Newburgh a yonger house of the Palsgrave who put in for the Electorate lately before turnd Papist Newburg reported to haue fallen off from the League as for the Archbishop of Saltsburg he as having no share among the other Princes in what should be conquered or recovered by the warre had for many yeares past withdrawne his Contribution The Bishop Elector of Triers also very earnestly complained of the damages received by the Spanish namely of the pillaging of his Country and the plundering of his Subjects houses yea and the Bishop * Brother to the Duke of Bavaria Elector of Colein also gaue off among the rest In this one point notwithstanding did the counsels and desires of the Protestant party differ from the Catholickes for that They out of a well meaning simplicitie desired an vtter forgetfulnesse of things passed and a right downe peace whereas These t is true seemed to be contented to lay downe Armes but not except the Church goods withheld by the Protestants might first be restored Furthermore that the Emperour was for his part heartily desirous both of the Peace and this Dyet we are in courtesie bound to beleeue it For when it was talkt on in every mans
Egenbergs they all returned answere magnificent enough for words but emptie for realitie highly thanking the Emperour for his Care of the Common-wealth but that the Lawes of the Empire forbad them to condescend at this time vnto his desires Non nisi causa cognita seeing that by that Law the Electors without particular knowledge of the Cause could not appoint a Dyet for the Creating of the King of the Romanes and that the full knowledge of the Cause conteined many particulars which require both time and serious consultation Then that Franckford was by the same Law the place appointed for the Election That it were wisely done to take away all matter of rumors that people might haue no cause to say how all things in that Dyet were in the middle now of Caesars Armies frighting them on every side not passed by the free voyces of the Electors but by force and feare rather Thus by a wise dilatory answere were those requests turn'd off which in right-downe termes the Electors would not willingly haue denied But whither it were their Care of the publick good and to keepe their owne liberties or that the ambitious counsell of the Duke of Bavaria stept in betweene I know not but very certaine it is that great offence was taken at it that King Ferdinand in his Caroach in all meetings and wheresoever still ambitiously affected the vpper hand which was denied to belong vnto him whilest his Father was living And the report was that the Bishop Elector of Mentz gaue Stralendorff Vice-chancellor of the Empire a privie Item to that purpose The Law of Soveraigntie eagerly raged in the meane time and diverse of the Gentry of Franckenlandt Schwabenland and the Palatinate were there accused to haue borne Armes vnder Mansfeild * The Marquesse of Baden Lieutenant of the Army of the Princes of the Vnion for the keeping of the Palatinate and the Protestant Countryes After the dissolving of the Vnion in the yeare 1621. he the next yeare fought with his owne forces about Sinsin betwixt the Palatinate and Wirtemberg where the good old man was defeated by Tilly and Don Cordova Durlack and Brunswick against the Emperour Some affirmed them to be guiltie themselues sayd they onely found themselues guiltie by suffering their punishment The execution of this businesse did the Emperour now commit vnto Wolfgang Rudolph Ossa a man accounted rather great then good taken to'ther day out of the service of the Counts of Hanaw into the number of the Court Flyes or Instruments Commanding the goods of the condemned persons to be confiscated into his owne Exchequer the Electors and other Princes earnestly protesting against the proceedings claiming those Gentlemen to be within their Dominions and that these Fees which Caesar now Confiscated into his owne Coffers the Gentlemen did hold of them and of their Ancestors and that all such Forfeitures and Atteinders were by the favour of former Emperours and long Custome due vnto them Caesar continued resolute notwithstanding and dispatcht away Ossa with a most ample Commission then which action of Caesars none was generally taken in worse part Because even bad Princes though sometimes they punished such as were actually proov'd traytors yet they alwayes too narrowly searcht not into every man that was to himselfe guiltie that they husht vp many a fowle thing by a wise dissimulation rather then by bringing it to open punishments That he that takes away one enemy makes way for many That he especially who hath any thoughts of Peace-making in him is not to take notice of every thing for feare lest the whirlewindes after much adoe being now scarce layd should bluster out againe into a vehementer tempest That bodies weakned by a sicknesse are not presently againe to be tampered withall by Physicke but to be recovered with quiet That scarcely can the actions of the best Princes be defended much lesse theirs which are alwayes suspected of avarice That vpon these grounds Cosimo de Medicis a most wise * Duke of Floâ—â—nce in Italy Prince alwayes left the Estates of such as were attaynted vnto their Children and next kindred Finally the businesse which of its owne nature was grievous enough would be made much heavier by the sharking of the Officers But these Court-Harpyes forsooth now after that vnder the pretence of treasons against the Emperour and exercise of forbidden Religions they had with their vncleanely talons foully gryped Bohemia Moravia and both the Austria's and wrung the Nobilitie and Gentry whose case was rather to be pittied out of their inheritances their insatiable mawes being not yet full cramb'd they now whetted their Clawes and infamous beakes againe to devoure the wealth of the Empire That their yawning gullets were yet set wider vpon the tenterhookes by the easinesse of the Emperour in whose service he being a Prince too much governed by his Officers men might offend with lesse feare and greater reward One thing there was that added more matter to these speeches a word namely that scaping from Werdenberg was presently taken vp by the people how that the goods of the Gentry of Franckenlandt were already granted away vnto the Lords of the Emperours privy Councell both for the payment of their Pensions now many yeares behinde and also for the reward of their paines and faithfulnesse yet for all this the names of the * I beleeue that these 3. having thus gotten estates had also new titles given them by the Emperour for the first of which they were hated and for the last scorned by the Germane Nation that stand much vpon their ancient Nobilitie This Abbot of Cremsmunster was preferred to the Bishopricke of Vienna in August following Counts of Meggau and Trautmanstorff and of the Abbot of Cremsmunster which three personages by what title I know not had out of the Exchequer received some of the escheated goods they much scorned and despised as new and strange preferments for a disposition there is bred in the bone of vs mortalls with ill eyes to looke asquint at other mens newly acquired happinesse and with an equall repining to measure other mens good and our owne injuries But Caesar shall I say or these that beare all the sway at Court remained resolute and peremptory in the matter all loath to loose so plentifull a Fishing You haue long expected my noble Friend to heare what hath beene moved argued and decreed in this Dyet concerning the restitution of the Church goods That shall I briefly tell you of It stood not with the Emperours honor againe to submit a case already decided by himselfe and wherein he had by his Proclamation declared his pleasure vnto the Censure of others Nor any whit of favour was there all this while shewed vnto the Duke of Wirtemberg the Marquesse of Brandenburg the Counts of Hohenloe and Waldeck the Cities of Strasburg and Norimberg who by sentences every day passed against them were commanded to quit the goods of the Church And thus may it hereby
without ever asking leaue of the Princes or Countries That people haue beene tortured for their money had their Cattell driven away their houses fired and all Commerce driven out of their Country That the Souldiers neither observed martiall discipline nor morall honestie neither keeping the Lawes nor fearing God That virgins and women haue beene ravished vpon the high Altars That if the weekely Contributions were not payd at the Commissaries absolute pleasure the souldiers then spoyled the Country The Marquesse of Brandenburg complaines that notwithstanding the King of Sweden had two parts of his Country the old and the new Mark yet was he forced to pay a full Contribution for the whole Marquisate That himselfe by the Souldiers so long lying in his Country was left so poore that he was not able to entertaine a Garrison for the defence of his owne Palace and was faine to abridge even the necessary provisions of his owne Table and family That the Souldiers enterteyn'd by the Protestants for their owne defence haue beene turn'd against them to take away the Church Lands That treble more Contributions haue beene raysed against no enemy then ever were when the Turke was in Germany That when the Princes of the house of Saxony as namely Altemberg Weymar and Colburg had excused themselues of disabilitie to pay each of them 1454. Dollars a moneth which the Commissary Ossa had required of them then Tilly threatned to fetch 10000. Dollars a moneth out of them That considering all this they could perceiue nothing else but that the Emperour had intended their vtter ruine whereas he had dealt more gently with those of his owne hereditary Dominions That all this is most contrary vnto the Oath of the Emperour and vnto the Lawes of the Empire and for such hath beene complained vpon by the severall Electors and Princes and by them protested against in the late Dyet of Ratisbone Wherefore they now humbly petition to be relieved protesting otherwise that they are no longer able to endure it but shall be enforced to defend their persons their Consciences their Estates and Subjects Resolving notwithstanding to continue their due loyaltie and obedience vnto the Emperour humbly now desiring a faire and a gracious Answere from him Lypsich March 18. 1631. Their Conclusions published Their Conclusions were answerable vnto their Propositions 1. That considering it was their sinnes which deserved these punishments they command publike prayers to be made vnto Almightie God for the averting of these miseries 2. That meanes might be thought vpon and a friendly Treatie appointed with the Catholike Princes for removing of all jealousies and restoring of good termes and concord betwixt them as for seaventie yeares before it had beene 3. That when the time and place for this Treatie were once appointed the Protestants should there appeare a little before to prepare themselues what to say in it 4. And the fayrelier to dispose both Caesar and the Catholikes vnto their intentions that their grievances should in humble manner be before-hand by Letter presented both vnto the Emperour and the three Catholike Electors 5. That these grievances should in those Letters be pressed to be contrary vnto the Emperors Oath the Imperiall Lawes the priviledges of the Princes the honour and safetie of the Empire That the warres would vndoe all the insolencies of Commissaries and Souldiers were so insufferable as that it stood neither with their Consciences their safeties nor their honours to suffer themselues and Subjects to be any longer thus abused and that they would herevpon desire the benefit of the Emperours so often promised protection 6. That seeing these greater and fuller Assemblies were both chargeable and tedious they agreed that certaine Deputies should as necessitie required be in the names of all the rest appointed both to treate and determine of what should seeme convenient for the Common cause 7. They decree of levies of Souldiers both of horse and foote to be made in their severall Dominions and Divisions without crossing the Constitutions of the Empire or offence of any and onely in their owne defence 8. That whereas in a Dyet of the Empire held 1555. it had beene Decreed how that neighbouring Princes should liue neighbourly and if any oppressed others the rest should relieue them this reliefe they now promise one another desiring that if in these troublesome times the levies and other carriages could not possibly be every way agreeable to the Constitutions of the Empire that it might not be interpreted to be done of purpose 9. They decree the continuance of their loyaltie and obedience vnto his Imperiall Majestie 10. They agree also vpon the proportion of the Levies Thus the Elector of Saxony engages himselfe to rayse six Regiments Brandenburg three The severall Circles of Swaben the Rhine and Franckenlandt three Regiments a peece and the Circle of the Lower Saxony agreed to furnish moneyes for the raysing and paying of one Regiment Each Regiment of foote was to be 3000. strong and of horse 1000. And thus the Dyet being ended vpon Palme Sunday with a Sermon Saxony displayes his Defensiue Banner beates vp his Drummes begins his Levies and so at their comming home doe the rest of the Princes These Conclusions and Resolutions of the Protestants were not a little boggled at at Court did not slightly displease the Emperour and startle the Catholike Leaguers with their Adherents The Protestants heare of it on both eares For this are they both by words and writings both threatned and reviled yea their new League and strength were by some Confidents not a little scoffed and scorned at But they that had beene vsed to hard deeds before were sufficiently hardned against fowle words now they were not to be discouraged this way they did their businesse and let the others talke their talkes Things going thus on it was by the middle of May every where perceived How that these Leaguers of Leipsich were now in very good earnest For now vpon the taking of Magdenburg the Protestants strongly suspecting by the inhumane crueltie there vsed by the Imperialists that it was not a heate of warre alone but that there was a Coare of malice discovered in it not an Imperiall but a Popish spite vnto that Citie aboue others for having beene one of the first that harboured Luther and his Religion they beginne to make it their owne case and that for their Religions sake all they were likely not to be much better vsed Some therefore of the neighbour Princes those namely of Saxony and Swaben demaund of the Cities of Vlmes and Memmingen c. Scituate in Swaben by the River of Danubius which were of the Protestant League with them to enterteyne for Garrisons some of these new levyed Forces Memmingen consents but Vlme being a greater Citie relyes vpon her owne strength These things being done Command is given by the Emperour vnto Eggon Count of Furstenberg appointed Generall for the Circle of Swaben to imploy those 8000. lately come out of
of his which had like to haue cost him dearely The Elector denies a request of the Kings for provision for his Army now in the Brandenburghers Country and especially for that the Marquesse now desired his Towne of Spandau againe which vpon some termes had at the first bin lent vnto the King Which the King taking very vnkindly divers Circumstances perchance occurring all of a sudden besieges the Electors Towne of Berlin Vnkindnesse betwixt Sweden and Brandenburg Of which see more in the Actions of the King of Sweden bending his Canon vpon the very Pallace threatning to pillage it The difference is at length appeased by the Electresse together with the promise of 30000. Ryx Dollars a moneth and to haue the Towne of Spandau Custrine he also now againe desired as before he had done as some say againe consigned over vnto him as before as a Depositum of assurance for preventing of such like vnkindnesses in time to come This done the King about the middle of Iune returnes from his Campe vnto Stetin there to giue Audience vnto the Russian Ambassadour who brought him an offer from his Emperour of a great power of money towards the maintenance of his Warres requesting on the other side some Commanders of the King to guide his Army against the Pole for which Army he also desired passage through the Kings Country About the beginning of Iuly the Crabats it seemes being the fore-runners of those 18000. that had some while layn about Vlme and Memmingen passe over the Danuby into the Duke of Wirtenburgs Country where they plunder and spoyle 11. Townes and Villages whom Duke Iulius newly chosen Administrator meeting withall what with his owne forces and what with three Companies of foote and two Cornets of horse now sent vnto him from Vlm vtterly defeates three troopes of their horse Thus farre this new Administrator did brauely But the rest of the Emperours Army vnder Furstenberg having now brought Memmingen vnder Contribution passing the Danuby after their Crabats first take in Reitling an Imperiall Towne Duke Iulius looking on who no sooner perceiues them to make towards his Army now lying at Tubing The Protestant partie weakned by the revolt of Wirtenburg but his heart presently fayles him and vpon the second day of Iuly being Friday shamefully yeelds to the signing of these Articles which Furstenberg presents vnto him 1. To disclaime the Dyet of Leipsich to yeeld obedience vnto the Emperour and as Hostages thereof to resigne vp his brothers widow and Children into the Emperours protection 2. To dismisse his Army giving leaue to those that would to serue the Emperour the rest to sweare never to beare Armes against the Emperour 3. To giue Billet and Provisions vnto the Imperiall Armie Tubing is hereupon yeelded vnto the Emperour the fortune and example whereof is followed by other Cities both in that Dukedome and throughout Swaben by Vlme among the rest The terror strikes one way as farre as Heilbrâ—â— in the same Dutchy within halfe a dayes journey of the lower Palatinate who thereupon dismisse their forces and on the other side the Citie of Norimberg quakes in the vpper Palatinate In so much as in a manner all Swaben and Franckenland fall off from the League and come vnder the Emperours devotion Hessen stands firme The Landtgraue of Hessen remaines firme for all this and Duke Bernard of Saxon-Weymar now peicing in with him Hessen reyses a new Fort here Isenach and some of Tillyes Vant-curriers having now pressed vpon him as farre as the River Warra yea and assaulted his new Fort though with some losse he withdrawes his troupes dispersed before vpon his Frontiers and formes a standing Campe betwixt Cassell and Eschwegen Wee are by this time come into the middle of Iuly About which season the Duke of Saxony now much moved with the revolt of Wirtenburg Schwaben Saxony calls a Parliament cals his Parliament together to Dresden and propounds these seaven Articles vnto them 1. Whether he were best to send any body to appeare for him at the approaching Dyet of Franckford 2. What to answere the Emperour now pressing him to renounce the Conclusions of Leipsich 3. How to behaue himselfe towards Tilly who now began to vse hostilitie towards those in Duringen 4. How to answere the Duke of Bavaria demanding him to lay downe Armes 5. How to pay and where to quarter their owne Souldiers 6. Whether they were best to joyne with a certaine great Prince They meane the King of SwedeÌ„ though they thinke not good to name him or not 7. What were best to be done for the relieving of the Bishopricke of Magdenburg What their resolution was appeares by the successe for within ten dayes after this that is vpon August the second the Duke with his Feild-Marshall Arnheym Musters 13000. foote and 5000. horse provides his Pioners and Carriages Commands all to be readie to March at an houres warning fortifies Leipsich goes to visite his Frontiers and to the Towne of Torgaw especially which being a frontier towne next vnto the Emperours Countrey of Lusatia and scituate also vpon the River Elve lay very fit therefore both to cleare that Streame and to hinder Tillyes further intrusions that way who lay all along vpon it betwixt Magdenburg Saxony The Landtgrave of Hessen againe about mid August Of Hessen againe flyes out vpon his vnfriendly neighbours in the Bishopricke of Hiersfelt brings that vnder contribution but meddles not with the Clergie Tilly now writes vnto the Landtgraves people complaining of their Maisters purposes to joyne with the enemy The Landtgrave goes on for all this and Marches vp into the Bishopricke of Fulda To oppose him is Fugger first sent vp with an Army Fuggar and Altringer sent against him sayd to be some 16. or 18000. men which for the service of the Catholike Leaguers had beene before times raysed in the lower Saxony and the Palatinate Within a while after whom Altringer followes with some two Regiments more which had heretofore layn about Strasburg Hagenaw Some of Tillyes also lye vpon him about the River Werra and thus hath Hessen his hands full Privately therefore goes he over vnto the King of Swedens Camp at Werben Some overtures of vniting are perchance there made and he returnes home from the King with three Regiments of horse and one of foote with an able Commander over them all lent vnto him for his assistance Brandenburg about August 22. sends Ambassadors vnto Saxony and Saxony about the same time sends privately vnto the King of Sweden And now perchance were the overtures to the future vnion first agreed vnto on the Dukes part in which vntill then he not declared himselfe And thus appeares by a word of his spoken about this time at Torgau namely That if he thought his owne shirt knew his intention he would teare it Which reservednesse of his notwithstanding there appeared ever since the late Parliament of Dresden a good
by which they thought to swimme over vnto the Castle were all miserably drowned Those within the Sconce thus perceiving their fellowes misfortune in great hast retyred into their boates where being hardly charged by the Kings men the most of them were also drowned Their confusion was so great that three hundred of them then perished by the sword or in the water The whole night following the Canon from the Castle playd very hard vpon the Kings folke but with little or no losse vnto his Majestie Vpon the 8 th of Iuly his Majestie leaving Sir Iohn Bannier to keepe the Sconce that was taken marched from thence vnto a Cloyster called Pudegla which was a strong passage vpon the I le of Vsedome But the enemy before the Kings comming had spoyled and pillaged all that there was and then ranne away Here the King lodged all night The I le of â—ellin taken Vpon the 9 th of Iuly the King marched to the Swing on the East-side of the Iland where the other mouth of the Oder disemboketh into the Baltick Sea There found he a Sconce strongly builded indeede yet but weakly defended the Garrison vpon the first sight of the Kings troopes abandoning the place and shifting themselues over the River into the neighbour I le of Wollin This place which the Oder the Frischhaff the Sea and a little Fret of water make into an Iland lyes on the East-side of Vsedome and here the King having found Boates immediately followes the Imperialists Here had the Duke of Saxonyes Sister a Castle which the enemy fleeing out of miserably deface with fire And now those that lately fled into the I le as also the rest that were there in severall Garrisons before did not onely abandon their strong Sconces and Fortifications but left not their Canon onely for hast but their very Horses also together with a great deale of their baggage with two Leopards in a Cage left there by the Duke of Freidlandt who had thought to haue presented them vnto the Emperour In these two Ilands of Vsedome and Wollin the King remained some twelue dayes vntill he had made sufficient provision of Gallyes and other Vessells for the transporting of his Army through that great Frisch haff and from thence vp the River of Oder vnto Stetin which was done the 26. of Iuly This Towne of Stetin is the Seate and Title of the Duke of Pomeren and Stetin Scituate within Land it is Stetin taken South of the Frisch haff being the chiefe Towne of the Countrey and the onely good Towne of the Countrey in sole possession of the Duke that was free from Imperiall Garrisons And now the King landing his men at a Castle within an English mile of the Towne about ten a clocke in the forenoone presently puts them into Battalia Grave Neeles and the Lord of Reay commaunding foure hundred Muskettiers that day had the Vantguard and were both commanded to march towards the North Port of the Citie called the Mill-doore the King in the meane time with three hundred Muskettiers making towards a Horn-worke that was then a building within a Musket-shot of the Dukes Palace While this was a doing all the Ladies and Gentlewomen were in the windowes and vpon the Leades looking vpon the King and his folkes All this while there appeared not any one man out of the Towne to make any defence which the King now observing at last sends a Trumpet towards the Ports to demaund entrance This message made knowne vnto the Duke a Colonel who had the Commaund of some 1200. Muskettiers within the Towne is sent to parlie with the King His message was an Assurance from the Duke his Maister that he had resolved to stand Neuter His Majestie nothing contented with this message sends the Colonel backe againe vnto the Duke commaunding him to tell his Maister from him That he was not come into Germany for any private ends of his owne but sent for by him especially and other distressed Princes that by the force of his Armes they might be free from the yoke which lay so heavie vpon their necks and therefore great reason had the Duke to open his Ports and to receiue him into his Towne And this if the Duke refused to doe he bad the Messenger assure him that he would enter it by a breach made through his Castle giving present order thereupon to haue the Canon mounted The Duke vpon the receipt of this round message advises with his Counsell a while who having concluded what was on the sudden to be done the Port is opened and the draw bridge let downe and the Duke in his Coach issues out waited vpon by some Gentlemen on Horsebacke addressing himselfe directly towards the King Vpon the meeting much conference passes about surrendring of the Towne the King pressing and the Duke excusing altogether desirous to stand Neuter Of this would not the King heare at any hand making vse of that which in Dutch is a Proverbiall saying They that are not with me are against me And now the King taking notice of the Ladies and Gentlewomen on the Leades and Windowes Cosin sayes he to the Duke if you meane to keepe me out of the Towne you must set other manner of people to guard it then these Ladies for I le assure you they will never be able to hold out against any one company of my Souldiers The Duke perceiving his Majestie though pleasant yet earnest desires leave to goe againe into the Towne The King consents vnto the motion but sent order withall vnto the Lord Reay to guard the Dukes person thitherward and that when the draw-bridge was let downe and the Ports set open for the Dukes Coach to enter the Towne together with it and if it were possible to make good the Port. The Lord Rcay having enough of his instructions so disposes his Muskettiers which were Scottish that two hundred of them marcht before the Coach and must needs therefore enter before the Dukes Coach could so that this peice of service was done even as the King would haue it Thus the Lord Reay being entred within the outter Port the Towne Garrison retyred from thence within the inner Port and the Scots entring pell-mell with them that Port was also taken By this did the King presently enter the Towne with his whole Army The Duke seeing this dismisses his owne forces which he had till then there kept in Garrison who thereupon tooke present oath and pay for the Kings service The next morning the King commaunds Sir Iohn Bannier Generall of his Infantery to take with him 600. Swedish Muskettiers vnder the commaund of Grave Ioachim and 600. Scottish Muskettiers vnder the commaund of the Lord Reay to make an assault vpon the Towne of Damme lying a mile to the South-East of Stetin The Towne had on that side but one approach vnto it and that was a narrow causey leading thorough the marish vpon which the Towne stood Those 12000. men now advanc't
some 18. Regiments of Foote and 86. Cornets of Horse and now by mid Ianuary was Generall Tilly come vp to Franckford Tillyes comming there to succour and take on those troupes which the King had before scattered which as we sayd began now to gather head againe about this Franckford Of his comming the King now hearing sends Gustavus Horne with a reasonable Army towards the Frontiers of Silesia to staue off Tilly from comming downe that way vnto any of the new conquered places himselfe instantly marching into the Land of Mecklenburg The whole story of which and his Majesties proceedings in that Country we will now present you with altogether beginning with his former expedition thither This Country of Mecklenburg lyes Westward of Pomerland along the coast betwixt Brandenburg and the Sea Two Dukedomes it hath Schwerin and Gustrow lately possessed by two brothers Iohn Albert the elder brother and Adolph Frederike the younger both the right heires and both stiled Dukes of Mecklenburg These Princes had the Emperour of late very injuriously devested of their Estates and given them vnto Walensteyn his great Generall with the Title of Duke of Mecklenburg The disseized Dukes complaine vnto thâ—ir Cosin the King of Sweden their reliefe was another mayne cause of his comming in Germany His Majestie therefore having made so victorious an entrance into Pomeren and cleered all those parts vpon the confines of Pomerland except Gripswald next vnto Mecklenburg resolues vpon an expedition thither in person About August 6. 1630. he prepares his owne way by taking the passage of Stolp neere Ancklam some fiue leagues below Stetin towards the Sea whereby he hath a full passage into Mecklenburg The Kings first expedition into Mecklenburg Towards the end of September his Majesty makes stay of all great boats and ships vpon the Oder and the mouth of it wherein having shipt some 12000 men and their Ammunition he sayles by Wolgast taken some moneth before and Stralesundt He takes Bart Damgarden Rubenitz passing vnto Bart a Towne in Mecklenburg standing vpon an arme of the Sea a little within the shoare That takes he in first Then hasts he to Damgarden the next Towne on the East side of that arme of the Sea which Towne the Sconce to it he presently takes in by assault many of the Souldiers being flung out at the windowes and some others by mischance burnt Three dayes after this to Rubenitz he comes a Towne in the very bottome of that Indraught or arme of the Sea and that he by force takes also Mescord the Governour is taken prisoner and his Lieutenant Iers slaine with a Musket shot Here pitches he his Camp giving order for the fortifying of this and Damgarden and Trubbesees another late taken passage towards Pomeren Being here setled He summons the Country he first of all by a Proclamation dated from Rubenitz Sept. 28. summons the Gentry and people of the Country to remember their oath once taken to their naturall Princes to forsake Walensteyns title and service to come armed into his Camp or other his troupes to prosecute and kill all the Walsteyners and to fight with him for the libertie of their Countrey Those which doe not he threatens to pursue as traytors and enemies those which did to affoord his royall protection vnto A second mandate he then sends to the Towne of Rostock of which more when we come to speake of that City Sir Iohn Bannier his Majesties Lieutenant for those parts being about that time also vpon the frontiers of Mecklenburg towards Pomeren directs his Letters vnto these borderers to this purpose That seeing the Imperialists thereabouts did nothing but pillage and plunder them of their Cattell and goods and that the King his Maisters intention was onely to defend them therefore they should send their Corne and Cattle towards Rubenitz or Stralesundt Which if they refused the King would thinke those pillages wilfully endured by them to relieue his enemies and that they meant to fall away from their owne Princes and must therefore take their goods where ever he found them persecuting them as traytors and enemies Whilest here at Rubenitz the King lyes encamped and his forces in the meane time busie about the Country there arriues an Imperiall Curryer in his Camp The Emperours Letters vnto him His Letters contained an admiration of the Emperours why the King should come armed into the Empire offering him a treatie of peace if so be he would first lay downe Armes These seeme written from Ratisbone The Kings answere To this he answers That his Imperiall Majestie would cease to wonder if he pleased to remember the two Armies sent against him into Prussia the wronging of his Friends and the endangering of his owne Sweden As for the offer of peace he desires pardon if he thinkes it not sincerely meant seeing it had beene before scorned and that now the Emperour while he spake of peace did still continue his Levies As for laying downe of Armes he vtterly refuses that or to trust any more vnto verball promises and for treatie of peace he would be most glad to entertaine it which vpon these termes he will agree vnto namely That all Germany be so setled and re-estated as it was before the beginning of these warres This was written after the Kings returne to Stralesundt the same moneth of October in which it was received The Emperour perceiving that words and papers would not beate Swedens sword out of his hand at the breaking vp of the Dyet of Ratisbone in the beginning of November sets out his Imperiall mandate for the continuing of the warres and against the King of Sweden by name procuring the Electors also to decree the same and to agree to ayde him in it And by this time was the King come from Stralesundt againe vnto his Army at Rubenitz where he for a while held the head quarter of his Camp the rest of the Army being partly neerer advanc't vnto Rostock and part employed with Bannier in other places And now it seemes some of his * These I suppose were some of those forces which the King had sent towardes Magdenburg which had landed at Dassow within a leaâ—ue or two of Lubeck about Sept. 25. having beene as farre as Lubeck one of the Hanse Townes vpon the Frontiers of Mecklenburg and Holsatia and there imprisoned and vncourteously vsed the King writes his Letters vnto the Towne to this purpose That seeing such discourtesie had beene offered he could not but admonish them to forbeare as they would looke for the like vsage where he had to doe And now had not the King an Army alone hereabouts but a navy too vpon those coasts to confront the Imperiall Navy gathered amongst the Hanse Townes thereabouts For in the beginning of December I finde a Sea-fight betwixt Gabriel de Roy the Emperous Admirall with 15. shippes and 9. Swedish men of warre neere vnto Wismar another Hanse Towne betwixt Rostâ—ck and