design drawn from those revolutions Luther writes against the Pope The Rebellion of the Peasants in Germany Page 24. CHAP. XV. The Anabaptists at Munster The Reformates in France A change of Religion in England by what means The King repudiates his wife The Queens Speech He makes himself Head of the Church Luther writes to him His miserable death Page 10. CHAP. XVI Queen Elizabeth banishes the Catholick Religion out of England again by degrees The Protestant Religion goes into Scotland under the Bastard Murrey who swayes the Scepter It is called the Congregation fortified by Queen Elizabeth and the Hughenots of France Page 29. CHAP. XVII Religion gives divers pretexts causes jealousies The Latin and Greek Religion Page 32. THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. THe Queen and the States refuse peace The Arch-Duke returns from Spain Henry polishes his Kingdom makes war upon the Duke of Savoy Page 34. CHAP. II. King Henry gives his sister in marriage to the Marquis du Pont. Marries Mary of Medicis wages war against the Duke of Savoy The Enterprise of the said Duke upon Geneva Page 35. CHAP. III. The Jubily Biron put to death The Battail of Flanders La Burlotte killed Rhinbergh yeelds Page 37. CHAP. IV. The Siege of Ostend Maurice endeavours to surprize Boisleducq besieges Grave and takes it Page 38. CHAP. V. Peace between the Spaniards and the English King Henry establishes the Jesuits Father Cotton hurt The war is carried on about the Rheyn Page 41. CHAP. VI. The difference which happened between Pope Paul the fifth and the Republick of Venice and why the peace is made The Duke of Brunswick endeavours to surprize the town The King of Denmark goes into England The continuation of the war in the Low-Countries Page 42. CHAP. VII The taking of Ringbergh The mutiny of the Spaniards The Siege of Grol raised by the promptitude of the Marquis The first overture for a Truce rejected Page 44. CHAP. VIII The defeat of the Spanish Armada The Enterprize upon Sluce failed The continuance of the Treaty Spinola arrives at the Haghe The Treaty being broaken again is renewed at Antwerp where the Truce is made for twelve yeares Page 46. CHAP. IX The State of France The King goes to Sedan Troubles in Austria and Bohemia A Conjuration discovered in Spain and the Mores banished Page 48. CHAP. X. A brief description of the Kingdomes of Spain and France Page 50. CHAP. XI The King of France arms The Spaniards do the same All is full of joy and fear He is killed His education Page 53. CHAP. XII The difference which happened about the Dutchy of Juleers or Gulick Iealousie between the Catholicks and Protestants why A tumult at Donawerdt an Imperiall town about a Procession Gulick besieged by Prince Maurice and the French yeelds The Princes will not admit of a Sequestration Page 56. CHAP. XIII A tumult in Poland and why They suddenly arme The Swedes and Muscovits serve themselves of this occasion against the Polanders who loose Smolensko Treason discovered in England The troubles at Paris appeased Rodolph dies Page 58. CHAP. XIV The war between the Danes and Swedes the reasons why Colmar taken Charles dies The Queen-Regent purchases a double marriage in Spain The town of Aix taken and Newburgh succoured by Spinola Page 60. CHAP. XV. The differences which happened in the United Provinces Barneveldt is beheaded and the Religion of Arminians condemned King Lewis humbles the Hughenots and reduces Bearn Page 62. THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. THe Prodigies which preceded the wars of Germany A description of the Kingdom of Bohemia Ancient differences about Religion The warres of Zisca compared to this Page 66. CHAP. II. The Bohemians take Arms and why All the Princes interest themselves in this war Ferdinand elected Emperour Page 69. CHAP. III. The following of the war of Bohemia The Battel of Prague Frederick flies and forsakes the town together with his people Page 71. CHAP. IV. War against the Hughenots and why A new difference betwixt the House of Austria and the Venetians Page 80. CHAP. V. The War of Austria of Lusatia of Moravia and of the Palatinat Page 76. CHAP. VI. The War of Transylvania The King of Poland treacherously wounded War between the Poles and the Turks Page 78. CHAP. VII War in the Palatinat Tilly beaten takes his revenge and defeates the Marquis of Baden The Bishop of Halberstadt makes himselfe known in Westphalia is beaten passes with Mansfeldt through Lorraine and incamps before Sedan Page 73. CHAP. VIII The continuance of the war betwen the Polanders and the Turks The Tragical end of young Osman The Death of some Lords Page 82. CHAP. IX Sadnesse in the United Provinces for the ill success of Fredericks affaires The war begins again between them and the Spaniards Gulick and Pape-mutz yeeld themselves Count Henry suspected and why Page 83. CHAP. X. Berghen is besieged Mansfeldt and his Bishop beaten by Cordua come to succour the Hollanders The Duke of Boüillous death and a summary of his life Spinola quits the siege Mansfeldt goes into Freezland The third war in France Page 85. CHAP. XI Of the Swissers and Grizous and their Government The fall of a Mountain Soubize breakes the Peace The death of the Great Priour and of the Marshal of Ornano Page 88. CHAP. XII Mansfeldt seeks succour every where puts an Army on foot again The marriage of the Prince of Wales with a Danghter of France after his returne from Spain Page 91. CHAP. XIII The siege of Bredà Enterprises upon Antwerp Page 93. THE FOURTH BOOK CHAP. I. The war of Denmark The Allyances of the Kings of England France and Denmark as also of the States of Holland against the Emperour Page 96. CHAP. II. The prosecution of the second war against the Hughenots The Peace is made by the intercession of the King of England the Venetians and the Hollanders War between the English and the French and why The beginning of the third and last war against the Hughenots Cardinal Richelieu makes himselfe known admired and feared The siege and reduction of Rochell Page 99. CHAP. III. The following of the war of Denmark unfortunate to the Danes Wallenstein besiedges Stralsund in vain The peace is made Page 103. CHAP. IV. The war of the Peasants or Country-people of Austria Page 105. CHAP. V. The death of Prince Maurice and of the King of England The siege of Groll The state of Lorraine The Jubily at Rome Bethleem Gabor makes war against the Emperour and obtaines peace Page 106. CHAP. VI. Gustave King of Sweden attacks Broussia or Prussia The Imperialists succour the Poles Truce is made for six years Page 108. CHAP. VII The siege of Boisleducq or the Bosse The Imperialists under Montecuculi joyne with the Count of Bergh who enters the Velaw The taking of Wesel Page 110. CHAP. VIII The following of the last war against the Reformates in France The Duke of Rohan makes his peace All the Townes stoop and throw down their
German Doctor Luther and Calvin whom we have so often mentioned and a French one likewise who first preached against those said superstitions and then ventured to set up their Standards against the Church her self with so universal applause that in a few years even whole kingdomes grew to separate themselves from the communion of that Body which acknowledged the Pope for the Supreme Vicar of Iesus Christ The Iesuits oppose Now at the same time as we have formerly shewed sprang the Iesuits and armed themselves to quell these valiant souldiers who skipped out of their holes so openly to attack a power which all the States of Christendom held in so much veneration They stopped the course of this Torrent which neither Fire Persecutious nor strict Prohibitions were able to effect and they have united to the Body a good part of those people which had untyed themselves from it It is not by fire but by force of Doctrine and not by words but by exemplary life that a remedy must be put to all these disorders which happens amongst Christians Now this Society could not but meet with meet with envy enough amongst the Clergy which felt it self so reprehended and pricked by such new men For Admonitions and in structions how necessary and profitable soever they be leave not to imprint some harshnesse upon the soul of the receivers An exact Captain is displeasing to lazy souldiers Violent remedies served for nothing In fine recourse was had to such violent remedies as so sharpened and stung the parts affected that there will never be meanes to introduce a reconciliation unless perhaps it fall out to be by ways full of suavity and charity For interest took this powerful occasion so fast by his fore-lock and these Divisions are grown so firmly rooted that it is probable they will not finish but with the world And this is the principall source of the evils which we have seen and yet daily see happen to the grief of all good men in this last Age. And thus we have shewed about what when for what reasons and by whom began these Reformations Nor must we wonder at the monstrous effects since they could not be more noble then their Causes If we would reflect often upon it we should find Ministers and instruments enough thereof The holy Scripture sayes that there must be scandals but cursed be they who shall give them THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I The Queen of England and the States of Holland refuse Peace King Henry of France polishes his Kingdome and makes War against the Duke of Savoy THE Peace of Vervin filled with joy not only the subjects of the Kings but also all such as acknowledged the See of Rome The Protestants invited to the said Peace by Henry the Great shut their eares to the Propositions and studied only how to make most streight Allyances for their preservation Where Diffidence gets the mastery Reason is not understood unlesse it be ushered in by strong and irrefutable assurance It was impossible for the Arch-Duke Albert to bring the States to a very advantageous Peace as the Ministers said for them since the arguments of King Henry could obtain nothing from them For his offers were as stints out of which they drew sire to kindle the warre with so much the greater animosity They sent their Embassadours into England Elizabeth and the states refuse Peace where they sound the Queen most disposed to receive theirs so that it was most facil to draw her to their opinion In the mean while the Arch-Duke receives a Procuration from the Infanta his future Spouse in vertue whereof he was generally and solemnly received and nominatively at Antwerp where the oath of sidelity was payd him by the Deputies of the obedient Provinces Albert goes into Spain 1598. And so he went into Spain but before his departure he signified to the confederated States that he went to marry the Infanta and that he had the Low-conntries for Portion with her and was already acknowledged Lord thereof Therefore he conjured them to associate themselves to the other Provinces in respect that the King had divided them from his other Demaines and that thus all distrusts being taken away he withed nothing more then to see that Body entire and in peace under his Government But all in vain For Religion and liberty were too charming subjects to be abandoned and they who are growne to be Masters abhorre to fall back into forvitude He began his journey in the moneth of September in the yeer 1598 leaving Cardinal Andrew his cosin for his Licutenant and sent his army towards the Rheyn which at his return he found full of confusion and revolt for want of pay He was received in all places where he passed together with the Princess Margaret of Austria spouse of Philip the third whom he conducted in his company with honours due to the greatnes of their quality He stayed not in Spain but as soon as he had married the Princesse Clara Eugenia The King of France repolisheth his Kingdome he brought her into the Low Countries and they made their entry into Brussels in the moneth of September 1599. He brings the Infanta 1599. King Henry of France having given his subjects a peace made it all his care to repolish his kingdom much depraved by the prolixity of the civil warrs to revive the laws strucken dumb by the licentiousness of the souldiers to place good order every where and in fine to establish two Religions in very good union aswel for his own service as for the repose of his people Whereas King Philip on the other side in his would have but one But some persons of very great experience have conceived that if he had embraced the same Maxime he might have preserved the seventeen Provinces though others have beleeved that he would rather have lost them all as being too far distant from them and consequently unable to accommodate himself to all occurrences which required a diversity of temperaments But this Prince namely Henry had been educated in the reformed Religion and so knew the humours the forces of that party not to be contemptible He was Son to Anthony of Bourbon who was slain at the siege of Roüen The Prince of Conde being slain in the battell of Jarnac and the Admiral remaining Generall of the Hughenot army he advised them to nominate for their Generall Henry of Bourbon a young Lord who had ever defended their party and so he being turned Catholick and upon that made King of France had alwayes a particular care to uphold them as a people from which he had received great services But there was very great danger of taking from them that which had been promised them by so many Proclamations or Edicts nor did they indeed forbear to cry up their services and bragg that it was they onely who put the Crown upon his head Henry the 3.
against them for the bad treatment of the Priests and Officers of the Queen they were easily brought to break as well by the arguments of Soubize as of the whole Body together The English enter the Isle of Ray 1627. and so the English Fleet made a descent or disembarkment in the Isle of Ray in the moneth of July of the year 1627 and besieged the Fort of St. Martin which was not yet quite finished This Warre which in outward appearance had no other scope at all then that of Religion with many other petty punctilios which merited not so much as an ill look from either to the other proved fatall to the English and glorious to the French Are beaten off with shame by the enterance which they made into the Island and the chase they gave their Enemies from thence but yet more glorious to Monsieur de Toir as who defended the Fort neer four moneths both against them and famine and most glorious to the Marshal of Schoenbergh who put in the succour and forced them after they were lustily beaten to retyre to their ships So that upon the matter the English went away with the shame and the Rochelers stayed with the losse And this warre helped to forward the King of Denmarks ruine in regard that these Kings gave him not the assistance they had promised him by the Contract and so he struck a ground Rochell The Confederated States after the reduction of Rochel were saine to hear as well the reproaches and calumnies of the whole Body of the Hughenots of France as the taunts and raylings of the English Where blinde Passion rules there is no roome for Reason For it was not their fault that this difference was not decided by some other meanes then that of armes But let us now note the successe of this siege Rochell is a Town situated in the Country of Asins which is grown to have great traffick and riches through the convenienie of the Haven The growth of the Towne and by consequence insolent against the Kings authority The Inhabitants mutined under Francis the first but as soon as they saw him in Arms and that he would be obeyed their audacity quickly turned into humility After they embraced the Reformed Religion they became by little and little so powerfull and so considerable that the Kings through that the necessity of their affaires were often obliged to make a shew not to see or connive at that which was not invisible to any When we cannot correct Vice we must seem to be ignorant of it For having the principall Key of the Kingdome they made themselves chief of the Party and all such as for any discontentment absented themselves from Court and bent themselves against the King and his Authority could never faile to be welcome unto Rochell It is besieged by Henry the 3. They were once besieged by Monsieur who was afterwards Henry the Third but upon request of the Embassadours of Poland the siege was drawn off just at the time when they were in hazard of being tamed But since that their strength together with their Intelligence both within and without the Kingdome is so much augmented they have relyed upon their fortifications and have subtracted themselves from the yoke nor more nor lesse then the Imperiall Towns have done from that of the Emperour Cardinall Rechelieu having gotten full possession of the Kings favour for having dissipated some tumults and found out the Mine whereof the Count of Chalais payd the whole score as a Complice for all the rest had no more left to do then to acquire also that of the Clergie and People by some remarkable service to the State whereof he could not faile by the reduction of Rochell And then by Lewis the 13. in the year 1627. Now the King being informed of the descent of the English in the Isle of Ray commanded his Troops to march and as soon as he was recovered of a dangegous sicknesse which he had at that time he made them also intrench and advance all the shipps of France to stop the Haven even the Spaniards themselves comming to take possession of the place which the Hollanders had left under a specious pretext of mending their Vessels The Damme being perfected and the shipps sunk in the deepest and hollowest place of the Channell the besieged were reduced to a famine which exceeded that of Jerusalem All their hope was in the English and Buckingham made all the haste he could to succour them who had furnished him with victualls for his Army and now with most instant and urgent supplications begged some back againe from him but he being assassinated by a certaine Englishman Buckingham killed by Felton called Felton who went expresly out of Holland to sacrifice him to the hatred of the People the Fleet was retarded This murderer committed this fact by the meer and onely impulse of zeal to the Religion and so by thinking to forward the businesse he hindered it We very often aspire to that which is against us and reject that which is for us This Duke of Buckingham had entirely disposed of King James and was no lesse in the favour of the King his Sonne though neither his good countenance nor his gracefull carriage nor his liberality nor his courtesie was ever able to winne the People who held him still for the Authour of all imaginable mischief to the Kingdom The Reason of State whereby Princes maintaine Now the King of England being in some misunderstanding with his Brother in Law the King of France sent the Lord Montalgue to the Dukes of Lorraine and Savoy to animate them to a powerfull diversion thereby to withdraw him from this siege What cannot reason of State work upon Princes who ought to have a care to preserve their interests by all rationall meanes By this same reason have the Kings of France maintained the Hollanders and the Protestants By this might it seem lawful to these two Princes to passe by the consideration of Religion By this do the Swissers and the Venetians uphold themselves And the two aforesaid knew well enough that the French having fastened this pinne would not faile to trouble their Neighbours upon the very first occasion since there wanted no pretext besides that perswasion whereby some flatterers will needs make them believe that all Europe belongs to them The Cardinall to whom all these plots and practises were not unknown as having his Pensioners in England as well as elsewhere provided himself for them The Aequinoctiall brought the Fleet which was to break the Damm and put some food into the famished Towne The Damm The Nobility posted thither to serve their King and purchase glory All was hemmed in with Artillery and Souldiers and the passage so stopped as well by the said Damm and variety of Engines as also by the Vessels that the English not seeing any meanes to penetrate retyred The Rochelers of whom there was not
Troops assured himself of the Passe or Streight of the Suze and compelled the Spaniards to raise the Siege wherein he was better obeyed then the Emperour himself But the short durance of the Peace with the Hughenots in France obliged him to returne and humiliate theâ—o It is now time to send part of our forces from the Baltick Sea to carry the Eagles thither where they first commanded Fordinand to uphold his Authority dispatched thither an Army of twenty thousand men under the conduct of the Generals Alâ—ring and Galasso who having seazed upon the Passage of the Grisons effused themselves into Italy and got into their clutches the whole Dutchy of Mantua with as much good luck The Imperialists in Italy lesiege Mantua in with as the French did that of Savoy except only the Head City which they also besieged but the jealous Venatians endeavouring to remove all such as might be able to give their State any cause of apprehension were not slack in setting their hands stoutly to work for the Duke though yet the Imperialists took Goite from them and carried away all the booty or pillage thereof to their Camp But the French coming in the nick craftily snapt two Sentinels entred into a Quarter and put a huge number of them to the Sword So that the other finding the season improper and the small apparence there was of carrying the place retyred themselves much diminished into Garrison CHAP. XI The continuation of the warre of Italy The Venetians beaten Pignarola taken Mantua taken and pillaged The Peace made with restitution on both sides The Venetians beaten by Galasso THis retreat gave the Venetians a desire to retake Goite but they were broken by Galasso Whereupon they re-assembled their forces and having recruited and ingrossed them put them selves again in a posture of fighting wherein they were the second time put to flight and above six thousand killed and taken together with all their Artillery This losse much amazed the Republick But Fortune was more favourable to the French who as we have already said after the taking of Rochel shewed themselves very hot for the defence of the Duke of Nevers True it is that the Kings dangerous sickness at Lyons had almost been the cause of slackening this generous ardour and they who looked asquint upon the Cardinals potencye seemed to prognosticate that his ruine was at hand Envy still followes the Charrior of a growing Power And the Savoyers by the French The French took Pignarola and were re-inforced by the Swissers and this loss which was most sensible to the Duke was followed by many other The Spaniards were beaten by Monsieur de Bassompiere Cambery taken and Montmclian besieged The Duke of Guise landed near Nice to go joyne with the Army The King sent the Duke of Montmorancy towards Piedmont and followed himself afterwards Prince Thomas presuming to dispure his entrance with twelve thousand men was beaten the Colours presented to the King being the honour and all Piedmont the reward of the victory In such sort as that the poor Duke of Savoy who had so often ventured to contest sometimes with one of the Crowns and sometimes with the other found himself quite spoyled of his States For having nothing lest but Turin and not daring to shut himself up there he resolved to keep the key of the Fields and let the Mountains oppose the victorious Party by seeking to preserve his liberty in desert and inaccessible places We must here take notice of the Martial generosity of the French who in the beginning of warre are invincible make all bow to their Armes break through all oppositions and as soon take whole Provinces as other Nations do Towns but by the too sudden loss of patience on the other side Their impatience they grew also to loose whole Provinces almost as soon as other Nations do Townes Now Fortune favoured the Imperialists every where which they made both the Venetians and the Duke of Nevers feel For they returned the Siege upon Mantua and took it at length by a fine Stratagem Mantua taken by atrick of warre For the besieged by their frequent Sallies being reduced to a very small number demanded the succour of five thousand men from the Venetians and Letters being intercepted gave the Besiegers occasion to serve themselves of this trick to catch besieged They secretly drew into the field the number of men demanded who by a fight with powder without shot got near to one of the Gates which being forthwith opened by some who thought them to be Venetians they made themselves Masters of the Town to the great astonishment of the Inhabitants who were sacked by their imaginary Auxiliaries and the Duke yeelding up the Castle by Composition was conducted together with his wife and children to Ferrara Spinola before Casal This victory swelled up the spirits of the Imperialists and made the Spaniards continue the Siege of Casal under the command of Marquis Spinola who had acquired so much glory in the Low-countries and Toiras who was all crowned with lawrell for the honour he atchieved by the defence of the Fort of Saint Martin against the English defended the Cittadel The French making a shew to go and attack the Dutchy of Milan wheeled suddenly about upon the Besiegers the state whereof was this The Town and Castle were already yeelded to the Marquis and the Cittadel had capitulated that in case there came not sufficient succour to beat them from thence within a certain term which was the fifteenth of October Monsieur de Toiras was to march out The French Army appeared in Battaile array neare the Trenches and the Spaniards put themselves in posture to receive it The death of Spinola and of the Duke of Savoy All seemed to laugh upon the French by the death of the Marquis who was taken out of this world by the Plague and Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy being being stripped of his States and overwhelmed with grief and warre payed also his tribute to Nature When two great Bulls are ready to rush together and shock one another the whole Heard stand still and attend with trembling the issue of the Combat In the same manner was Italy the spectatresse of this furious shock and had no cause at all to rejoyce But it pleased God that by the Popes intercession The peace was made by the addresse of Cardinal Mazarin and Cardinall Mazarin's dexterity who made himself known by this first negotiation the Peace being concluded at Vienna was brought to the Armies just when the Trumpets were going to sound to draw the sword A fair escape happy newes By vertue of this Peace the French returned into France and restored all to the Duke of Savoy except onâ—ly Piguarola which had been privately bought by the said Cardinal A politick subtilty to have the Gate into Italy alwayes open mixt with Cousenage as the Spaniards say who rendred Montferrat as the Germans likewise did
before the Elective of Poland three moneths after his arrivall he secretly departed leaving the Polanders the repentance of having chosen him and the trouble to choose another Stephen Batorins succeeds who sell out to be Stephanus Batorins Prince of Transylvania He reigned ten yeares reduced Dantsick to her obedience kept the bordering places within their duty and rejoyned Livonia to the Crown He governed the Kingdome both happily and wisely died in the resolution he had taken to subdue Muscavy to Poland left great grief for his so sudden death amongst tho Poles and a good odour of his vertues to posterity The Polanders after the decease of King Stephen found themselves in a dangerous sicknesse by a division which threatned utter ruine to the Crown The great Chancellour Samotskie the Bishops and many other of the great Lords elected Sigismund of Sweden sonne of King John and Queen Katherine of Poland daughter to Sigismund of Jaguellonne The other party had chosen Maximilian of Anstria who entring 〈◊〉 Poland with an Army made up in haste besieged Warsaw from whence being repulsed Maximilian forces and recruting his forces in Silesia he was the second time defeated and taken prisoner by the Great Chancellour aforesaid After these two victories was crowned Sigismund in the year 1587 and called by the name of Sigismund the third He married Anne of Austria who brought him a sonne named Vladislans who afterwards was King of Poland And this is that which we thought very sit to recount and which must serve us for the present History of this Age. Let us now passe into Sweden and hear what the Swedes alledge against the Polanders with the reasons and arguments both of the one and the other CAROLVS GVS'TMVS ' King of S'wethens Goths Vandalls greate mince of Finland Duke of Esthonia Carelia Lot of Jâ—â—ria Ciou'ned An Dom 1654. CHAP. V of Sweden The discords happening between King Sigismund and his Uncle Charles and why The successe of their Arms. SIgismund King of Sweden endeavouring to put two Crowns upon his head lost the Hereditary one See how all passed This young Prince had been brought up in the Roman Catholick Religion though yet he were the sonne of King Erick who embraced the Confession of Ausbourgh and introduced it into his Kingdome This Erick was sonne to King John and Nephew to Charles Duke of Sudermanic whom he left in Sweden to govern that Kingdome in his absence in the quality of Vice-Roy Now it often chances that Princes who have more then one kingdom grow by little and little to loose the affections of their remote subjects and their authority comes also by degrees to be eclipsed in regard that their said subjects are not warmed by the heat of their favour and prudence and so others grow insensibly to take place as well because their presence winnes the affections of the said subjects as also for that reasons are never wanting to such as have no will to obey And besides every one stands in fear of forraine Rule But the most powerfull argument of the coldness of subjects towards their Soveraigne is diversity of Religions which causes a change in State and alters and shakes it so as that many Princes for the strengthening and fixing of theirs have believed that they neither could nor ought to permit any more then one Sigismund goes into Sweden King Sigismund hearing many complaints from Sweden and conceaving some jealousies of his Uncle Charles resolved with leave of the States of Poland to transport himself thither with some Polish and German forces He departed from Dantsick with a fleet of sixty Sayle and was well received by the Governour of Colmar from whom he went to see his sister at Stebourgh Duke Charles hastened towards him from Finland with an Army to defend the kingdome against the King himself Sigismund beaten who as it was published came to take the vice-Vice-King prisoner and change the State by subverting Religion So there occurred a fierce skirmish wherein the vice-Vice-King had the better and Sigismund the King was forced to retite himself towards the Confines of Denmark In fine he was beaten again near Lincopin and his Fleet taken Upon which seeing his Uncle thus courted by Fortuâ—e through the mediation of some Lords he was fain to make peace with him under certain conditions by vertue whereof his Fleet was restored to him to go by Sea to Stockholm Makes Peace and Duke Charles in whose hands were put the prime Lords of Sweden who had been to fetch the King in Poland went thither by land Sigismund instead of going to the Assembly of States at Stockholm went secretly out of the kingdom which he thereby lost He retires our of the kingdom and regained Dantsick Some Authors have written that he had been advertised of some ill design of his Uncle Charles against him and a certain person who was then at Stockholm affirms that he sighed for his having let slip the bird which he had in his hand However those Lords were beheaded and their heads set upon stakes which were since taken away upon the request of a great Wanyer Duke Charles quickly recovered those places of strength which were in the Kings possession chastised the Citizens of Lubeck who had favoured him caused the States to approve of all his actions and ranged the Finlanders who held the Kings party under obedience to himself Some months after the States deposed the King by a publick Decree declaring him fallen from the Rights he had in the kingdom and renouncing all fidelity to him though yet still they were ready to receive his sonne Vladislans for King of Sweden in case he would forthwith send him thither to be bred in the Religion and customes of the Country But these conditions not seeming receivable were not accepted by the King and the proceedings of the States of Sweden cryed down by the Poles who resolved to take an account of them with the sword This is the summe of what is known of that difference which is yet remaining between the Heires of these two Princes and which is debated by very contrary reasons according to the predominancy either of Passion or Religion and according to the knowledge also of the Right of the Parties concerned The Polanders reproach the Swedes for that without any available reason and upon some ill grounded suspicions only yea even against all Right both Divine and Humane they took the kingdom from Sigismund to give it to Charles To which the Swede answer that the King against his promise had endeavoured under hand to bring in the Jesuits so to replant the Roman Catholick Religion and strangers to check and curb them and many other arguments there are both upon the one side and the other which I let passe in silence and which are found at large elsewhere Now you have had the words take also some effects of their arms Duke Charles after the reduction of Finlande went into
That mad League of the Pope the Emperour and the Kings of France and Spain would have invaded any other State but theirs so much amazement did it strike into those Areopages who yet by their rare industry were able to untangle this fatal conjuncture and save their Common-wealth from the shipwrack wherewith she was much threatned In fine after that peace which they had made with the Turk and which followed close upon the glorious Battel but with small fruit of Lepante they finished that Age and began this present in good intelligence with their Neighbours The King of Spain enjoyes in Italy the kingdomes of Naples and Sicily and the Duchy of Milan upon which States the French have also their pretentions which often cause frequent warres between the two Crownes whereof we shall speak towards the end of this Treatise in the revolution of those last tumults The Grand Duke of Tuskany the Dukes of Mantua and Parma keep their Seates in peace and the Common-wealth of Genoa hers tyed fast for her profit to the interests of Spain Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy a Prince as subtle as inconstant but yet unlucky enough for having seized upon the Marquisat of Salluces found himself forced to put on his harnesse and to leave his rest in the first year of this age as we shall hereafter shew neither his journey to Paris nor all the politick craft he could use being able to warrant him from this check The Dukes of Savoy are very potent and often seen to make the skale hang towards that Crown to which they leane France seeks their friendship to have the gate open into Italy in the intrigues whereof she finds her self passionately concerned Lorraine was governed by Duke Charles a milde Prince who still complained of the wrong which the enemies of the League whereof the Princes of that house were the chief had made him suffer This Province which divides Germany from France is very fruitfull and takes her name from the Emperour Lotarius and her Princes their Descent from Charlemagne They have alwayes been great Warriers and Godfree of Bouillon through zeal of piety went and conquered the Holy Land The Dukes of Lorraine for interest of State keep good correspondence with their Neighbours and the last misfortune which happened in this Duchy was caused rather by the decline of the Emperours Affayres and the ambition of him who thought all lawfull to him then by the fault of the Prince who could not shelter himself from that storme which had already shivered both Masts Sayles and Helme These States aforesaid in regard they never knew any Religion but that of Rome suffer not any other so much as to bud or spring there and if peradventure there be any one found in Lorraine who hath embraced the Protestant Religion he retires himself to Metz or Geneva and they of the Country of Luxenbourgh to Sedan Diversity of Religions parts humours gives desire of motion to such as are ambitious and makes a Prince very little loved by them who are not of the same opinion We have already gone round about Europe therefore let us now enter into the middle and speak of those great Monarchies which by their motions have shaken all other States as being governed according to the influences thereof and accommodating their interests to the ballance of their greatnesse For since Warre hath been declared between Spain and France very few Princes have stood Neutrall some having joyned their forces to the party most necessary for them and some others though but spectators have not yet forborne to poise more to the one side then the other But none have been willing to have either of these Crowns suppressed by the other for the apprehension and fear wherein they all are of a Generall Monarchy CHAP. IX The jealousies between the two Crownes and why The House of Burgundy NOw to get entire knowledge of the interests of these two Crownes of the Causes which so often arm them to the great detriment of Christendom and the apprehensions which they give of aspiring to a general Monarchy though by unequall and different wayes we must goe up to the source and so come quickly down again drawing from thence a true explanation for our subject which we will follow as our guide to the end of our Course France being delivered from the warres with England and wholly restored to her self as well by the help of forren as the help of her Neighbours and even the very Spaniards themselves with whom she had a close friendship at that time Having I say shaken off the yoke of the English who were expelled from Guyenne and Normandy she became the most puissant Monarchy of Europe King Charles the 8 th went to feaze upon the kingdom of Naples which was no sooner got then lost by his departure thence Lewis the twelfth having made an Alliance with Ferdinand of Castile for the recovery of the kingdom enters Italy surprises Milan and the unjust usurper Sforce and so retakes the said kingdome of Naples But it sometimes happens that the sharing of stakes makes friends foes for these Allyes fell to oddes and Consalve having in many Encounters routed the French setled the kingdome upon the Castilians and the power and reputation of the Spaniards encreased much by the valour of the great Captain The first reason of the hatred between the Spaniards and the French Francis the first having broken the Swissers in a great Battail easily made himsel Master of the Duke dome of Milan and consequently of the kingdom of Naples But Fortune smiled upon the French only to betray them For she suddenly turned to the Spaniards who took King Francis prisoner and established themselves in the said kingdome and in the State of Milan Now from hence proceeded the hatred between the two Nations which hath since been augmented according to occurrences of State-jealousies and other considerable accidents whereof we will here give a short hint The second reason But there is a second and a more pregnant reason for which not only France but the neighbouring States also have conceived apprehensions of jealousies which is that of the Union of Spain by marriage with the houses of Austria and Burgundy and the latter of these began thus Philip de Valois none to John the sixth King of France for having well defended his Father in a Battail against the English was by marriage made Duke of Burgundy and Prince of the Low-countries and John his sonne succeeded him not onely in all the Provinces of his Parents but in the hatred also which he bore to the House of Orleans Now this young Prince going with a great force of the Nobility of France and the Low-countries into Hungary against the Turk fell into the hands of Bajazet who would have caused him to be beheaded as well as the rest of the prisoners had he not been advised to put him to a Ransom and send him home and this because it was
of the Duke of Mayenne and the rest of the League with King Henry Albert resolved to make the united Provinces also feel the stroake of his Arms And so he presented himself before Ostend an Apple not yet ripe and afterwards before Hulet which after many Assaults he at length carried But the Marshall de Rosue had his Head taken off by a Canon Bullet and more then three thousand souldiers were also slaine The year following Prince Maurice had his revenge near Turnhawt where he cut off the Troops of the Count de Varax In the month of March of the same year Hernantello Governour of Dourlens like a Fox surprised Amiens by a stratagem to the great astonishment of all France and the King retook it like a Lion after six moneths siege He passed thither with strong forces and thought to have given a just retaliation to the Spaniards by surprising Arras but he was repulsed by the young Count of Buquoy who after wards rendred great and remarkable services to the Emperour as we shall shortly shew During the time of these changes the Pope forbore not to represent to the King the misfortunes and mischiefes which this long Warre brought upon Christendome and beseeched him to hearken to a good and firm Peace with the King of Spain especially being invited thereto by the disorders of his own kingdome and the fear of a new Revolt more dangerous then the former There was none but the Queen of England and the Confederated States who endeavoured by advantageous offers to divert him and keep him on horse-back Though yet he dissembled their reproaches and answered that the Queen was a gainer by this warre but for his part that his people was exhausted and that he received many and great dammages from the Spaniards who promised by this Peace to render all they had gotten in France That he was obliged as a good King and a good Father to solace and refresh his poor subjects So that all their offers and many more the Peace of Vervin 2598. were not able to hinder this holy work which was concluded and established at Vervin in the moneth of May 1598. The King of Spain also for his part was urged to make Peace as seeing himself crazed with age and having a young Prince and a Princesse his children to marry and Fortune very often against him Besides three enemies upon his back as France and the Confederated Provinces which threatened him with the utter losse of the Low-countries and England which either destroyed or spoyled his Fleets upon the Ocean endangered thereof the Indies and put him to great charges to secure it and lastly their taking of Cales the prime key of the kingdom and other Places Now by vertue of this Peace the places were restored But the pretentions which each of these Kings hath to some certain Demaynes of the other were not taken away From whence sprang the seed of new Warres which were one day to smoother the promises of arming no more even though there should be occasion for it The Peace was received by the poor people with such showes of joy and teares of tendernesse as cannot be comprehended but by such as have suffered and almost lost all The States in the mean while let not these occasions slip by the great distance of the Cardinals forces For Prince Maurice marched into the Field took Bergh Grol Oldenseel Lingen and some other places which progress purchased him the reputation of a very great Captain and of understanding the profession of the Militia as well as any man of his time After the publication of the Peace Philip the second by his Letters Patents dated at Madrid the 6 th of May 1598. conferred all the Low-countries together with the Duchy of Burgundy upon the Infanta Isabell his Daughter to which the Prince her Brother consented and confirmed it both by oath and writing upon condition that if the said Princesse came to die without children the said Provinces should return to the Dominion of Spain besides many other Clauses too long to recite Now forasmuch as the actions of great persons are examined and either approved or disapproved according to every ones passion this which I here note was not forgotten by the contrary party All things are profitable yea Lyes themselves provided they last four and twenty hours are of utility and advantage CHAP. XII The areh-Areh-Duke goes into Spain and the Admirall into the Duchy of Cleveland The death of King Philip. His admirable Patience THe Allyes of both parties were invited to the Peace of Vervin but the Queen of England not being able to induce the States to it resolved to joyn with them in warre under conditions of more advantage to her then before This gave the Arch-Duke subject to complain of her for continuing a warre with so great stomack and grudge upon him by whom she had never been offended But he having now received the Procuration of the Infanta his Wife was acknowledged and received for Prince of the Low-countries and he wrote a Letter to the Confederated States but received no Answer The Arch-Duke goes into Spain He departed for Spain with the Prince of Orange and passed through Germany to conduct Queen Margaret of Austria nominating for Governour during his absence Cardinal Andrew and the Admirall of Arragon for Captain General who led a strong Army into Cleveland and Westphalia where he took Rinberg and many other small places and made his Winter-Quarter there notwithstanding the complaints of the Lower-Ceroles He sent La Bourlette to the Isle of Bommel took Crevecoeur laid siege to Bommel which he was forced to raise and so after he had built the Fort of St. Andrews he retreated into Brabant where his souldiers began to mutiny for want of pay The Ceroles had raised another Army which was disbanded for want of order some of them being for the Spaniards and the other for the States It is in vain to lead great forces into the Field without a good purse to maintain them and good counsell to encourage them The death of King Philip. King Philip lived not long after the conclusion of the Peace which he also wished both with the English and Hollanders as being desirous to die in Peace He was long tormented with a feaver and two impostumes and in fine his whole body was so wasted that it was pittiful to behold But more admirable was his patience to suffer all as he did without murmuring He commanded like a great Prince and died like a good Christian In the beginning of his Reign he was happy but in the decline of his age he saw the losse of one part of the Low-countries and received many other dammages from the English He was much blamed for not coming himself in person into Brabant and for proceeding too roughly with that people which had been so affectionaâ—e to the Emperour Charles and in fine for constituting two Generals over the Fleet surnamed The Invincible
strong salves and fresh bleedings King Charles of Sweden having crowned himself and renewed the War in Livonie made use of this intestine sedition Sigismund made a brisk opposition as well to him as to the Swedes and Muscovites also whose Empire was then full of factions The siege of Smolensko He besieged Smolensko and after two years siege carried it This was a second Ostend if we consider the length of the siege and the number of the dead which if those authors who gave us the description thereof be worthy of credit amounted to more then twenty thousand men There was another Polish Army imployed to force the head City called Mosco whilest the rest of the Troops got huge victories and took the Yown of Novogrode and the great Duke Suiskie together with his two Brothers prisoners The the great Cham of Tartarie astonished at so many high Victories offered to submit himself to the King of Poland But Sigismond returned and the confederated Muscovites to be payd their Arreares followed him and being satisfied they were a further meanes to get yet more Victories The Muscovites rejell Uladislaus upon the adverse Party In fine the Muscovites tyred and vexed by a forraigne Rule rejecting Vladeslaus whom they had formerly chosen elected a new Emperour and endeavoured to compose their difference with Sigismund but in vain for they were chased away from before Smolensko and payed for their perfidie Now the King of great Britaine being the spectatour and very often the Arbitratour of the Controversies of his Neighbours lived in peace and his subjects of the Romane Catholik Profession were reduced to some discresse upon the discovery of that abominable conspiracy The son in England discovered against him his children and the whole Parliament For it seemed not enough to extend the punishment upon the guilty who received it according to their mâ—rit but all the whole body of them also mast be made feel it It was then that the doctrine of the Iesuites was carped and reviled and their Order brought into horrour through the whole Island as it was in France upon the death of Henry the great though yet they could not be convinced of having any hand in that as they evidently were in this But what shall we say of the English Puritans whom King Iames himself accused of having attempted to stifle him in his Mothers womb I know there are also some who make the Iesuites the cause of the Tragicall death of King Charles so great an aversion hath the contrary party from this Society I neither accuse nor excuse any but onely make a plaine and simple relation of what is passed and blame the rash judgement of such as are too passionate Whilest other Kings were in extream jealousie of their interests King Iames amuses himself with playing the Philosopher and the Divine by composing books of controversies against Cardinall Perronn and Monsieur de Coeffetean Bishop of Marseilles And since he had no warr with any body else he raised one against the Puritans and the Iesuites as making declamations against them both and their Doctrine which he said was most pernicious to the Potentates of Europe Take heed my son sayes he in his Book intitled the Roy all Present of these Puritans meer Plagues both in the Church and state a race not to be obliged by any benefit nor tied by any Oath or promise breathing nothing but seditions and calumnies And a little lower You will not finde amongst any High-way Robbers more ingratitude or more lyes and perjuries then amongst these Fanatick Spirits c. The Duke of Savoy demanded his Daughter Elizabeth for his eldest Son and offered him his for the Prince of Wales but in regard of the difference of Religions it was honourably refused Fate had reserved this Princesse for Prince Frederick Palatine of the Rheyn who arriving in England Frederick Prince Palatine marries Elizabeth Princesse of England married her and carried her to the Palatinat through Holland where they were received and regaled all along their passage being accompanied by Prince Maurice as far as Colein 1614. The never sufficiently lamented death of Henry the great one of the bravest Princes that ever wore the Crown of France was like to put Paris and all France into great tumults for the prevention whereof the Queen-Mother was declared Regent of the Kingdome and Lewis the thirteenth succeeded him at the age of nine yeers being consecrated at Rheims and all this great preparation for war was dissipated either because the Kings design was not known or else to say better because it could not be executed except the reserve of ten thousand men who were sent into the Dutchy of Gulick under the command of Marshal de la Cateres as we have lately expressed Now some time after all these embroiles and perturbations both in Bohemia and Austria were past the Emperour Rodolph either through vexation and trouble or otherwise Death of the Emperour Rodolph the twentieth of January 1612. for death hath alwayes a cause departed out of this fraile life to the immortall one He was son to that good Emperour Maximilian whose steps he followed He was a lover of sciences and chiefly of the Art of Painting He passed his time much in distilling he was fearfull and by consequence little undertaking and little feared by his enemies who knowing his nature did many things to the diminution of the Imperial Authority He died at Pragut in the year 1612. upon the 20 th of Ianuary The Empire had no need of a distillator but rather of a good Operatour to act powerfully against the ill plants which cast forth strong roots both under him and his successour and which have given so much pains and troubles to the Empire CHAP. XIV The Warre between the Danes and Swedes the reasons why Colmar taken Charles dies The Queen-Regent purchases a double Marriage in Spain The Town of Aix or Aquisgrane taken and Newburgh relieved by Spinola Chules Duke of Sudermain and afterwards King of Sweden sends an Embassadour into Holland CHarles Duke of Sudermaine took the Crown away from Sigismund his Nephew and possessed his States quietly enough but there rose a huge warre between him and the King of Denmark who very much disturbed his rest and whereof in his complaint of King Christian he takes the Jesuits for the Authors They are the Atlases who must bear upon their shoulders all kinds of Calummes and Detractions They must swallow down the faults of others He had had many conflicts with the Polanders and had tried the various effects of Fortune But this of Denmark touched him so much to the quick that they two came from complaints to brawles and reproaches and thence to the lye yea and at last to desie one another A strange thing that men disapprove in others what they do themselves Charles a little before had sent an Embassadour to the States-General to beseech them to make a close Allyance
Conspiracies and in fine open seditions The Emperour being busie about the Coronation of his Cousin caused his Embassadours to rebuke the priucipall of them as namely the President Slauata Iarislae Bazite and Philip Platore who without the knowledge or consent of his Imperial Majesty had convocated such an Assembly But they having having by-like forgotten the rank and quality they held or else desiring warre fell upon these persons who were sacred by their Commissions tumbled them down from the top of a Tower through the windowes expelled the Iesuits dismissed the Kings Officers from their charges which was to attack both Church and State and took up arms against all such as should endeavour to impugne this insolent kind of proceeding The Emperour labouring both by Letters and fair Propositions to remedy these disorders was already gone very farre in it and it is likely would have accomplished it had not the despaire of some withdrawne the most moderate persons amongst them from continuing the Work But in the interim Deâ—th of the Emperour Mathias the Emperour died leaving it to Ferdinand to untangle this inrricate and troublesome bottome This Prince had worne the Imperiall Crown about six hundred yeares he had sometime governed the Low-countries though with small authority but as it were only by form and more in title then in effect He was religious and gentle and beloved by all such as loved the peace and quiet of the Empyre Ferdinand elected limperom Now the Electours met at Frankefurt and chose Ferdinand to bear the most illustrious but most painfull burthen of the whole Universe And therefore let us see him go weakly enough accompanied to finish the War of Bohemia the cause and pretexts whereof we have already demonstrated The Bohemians under the Counts de la Tour and Mansfield Natural sonne to Count Ernest so well know in the Low-countries raised very puissant Armies contemn Ferdinands Remonstrances deprive him of the Crown as a Tyrant For such are all they whom powerful factions have a mind to suppresse give out that he was not lawfully Elected and fortify themselves with Alliances and succours On the other side the Pope Italy Spain and Poland will not suffer Ferdinand to perish The beginning of the warre whereof he seemed to be in imminent danger by this tempest without speedy relief for his ship leakes on every side and the wind of this Conjuration will infallibly sink both him and the Catholick Religion with him if he be abandoned by his Allyes The Arch-Duke Albert sends him the Count de Bucquoy attended by the flower of the Walloon and Luxemburgh Gentry Of Bohemia The Bohemians though amazed to see so many potent States interest themselves in the preservation of Ferdinand lose not their courage and resolve to adde politick craft The Wectour Palâ—time chosen by the States of Bohemia to open force They draw to their party the Silesians and Moravians keep their Intelligences in Austria and all Germany present the Crown to the Duke of Saxony and then to the Duke of Bavaria though with visible dissimulation and refusable conditions and last of all to Frederick Prince Palatine who by the advice of some Lords who yet basely deserted him afterwards accepted it Since he had married the Daughter of a King he might very take a Crown which was so freely offered him and so he was Crowned with his Sonne at Prague CHAP. III. The prosecution of the War of Bohemia The battail of Prague Frederick flyes and forsakes the Towne together with his People THus we see the Match made and the Game a playing between Ferdinand and Frederick the House of Austria and the Palatin and the Christians divided For almost all the Roman Catholicks either in inclination or effect espowsed the Party of Ferdinand and all the Reformates and the most zealous Lutherans that of Frederick These after their prayers to God for the defence of the Gospel and those to the same Authour of all good and to all the Saints for that of the Church The King of France was sollicited by both parties but he contented himself with sending thither the Duke of Angoulesme to mediate a reconciliation Let us note here such as declared themselves for King Frederick The united Provinces of the Low-countries by the sollicitation of Prince Maurice who disposed the States to this Alliance contrary to the opinion of Barnavelds who wished them was not to meddle at all with it And it is held that this opposition of Barnaveldts so greatly offended the Prince that he ever afterwards looked upon him as his enemy and so at length it grew to be partly the cause of his fall It is alwayes dangerous to cheok the Grandees and to crack nuts with them Christian Duke of Anholt John Frederick Duke of Winâ—â—â—bergh Maurice Landgrave of Hassia John Ernest Marquis of Ansbach and some Imperial Towns also together with the people of England for the King could never be induced to help his Son in Law alleadging that he had no right to the Crown For Ferdinand besides the aforementioned Allyes were leagued the Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria together with the Ecclesiastical Electours Souldiers were listed every where and the Rendezvous Bohemia the Theater of this fatall warre The principall Heads were the Duke of Bavaria with Monsieur de Tilly his Lieutenant Generall the Count de Bucquoy and Generall Dampiere On the other side the Duke of Anhok the Counts de la Tour and Mansfieldt Now these latter being sooner prepared then the other and having subjugated almost all Bohemia marched into Austria and besieged the Emperour in Vienna Bucquoy hastens thither routs Mansfeldt Vienna besieged Mansfeldt beaten and forces La Tour to raise the siege Dampiere enters the City with the Horse intending to chastise the insolence of the Citizens towards the Emperour their Master who yet vouchsafed to pardon them The Count de la Tour faced about and marched towards the Capitall City of the kingdom to divert the storm which threatened it But in fine after some encounters favourable to the Emperour and the Duke of Bavaria being entered with his Army into Bohemia and having reduced such as were gone astray into the right path of obedience the two Armies met and resolved to finish the disterence by a generall Battail the price and reward whereof was the kingdom of Bohemia Anholt pitched his Camp upon the White Alountain near Prague intrenched himself and performed the charge of a great Captain The Imperialists inflamed by the Remonstrances and Exhortations of Father Dominick a Carmelit Fryer slighted the dangers and difficulties which there were to come to an Onset in regard of the situation The Poles and Wallons began the skirmish which was followed by the whole Army and the Hungarians not able to sustain Prague receives the Conquerours as also all the Kingdom or withstand their attack basely gave ground and disturbed the Orders of the Generals in such sort as that the
despicable in many places And moreover the peaceful nature of some Emperours hath made them seeke rest and neglect the Rights of Majesty The Empire is not Haereditary but Elective and when the Emperour is dead The King of the Romans is elected for great affairs the Archbishop of Mentz writes to the rest of the Electors to assemble themselves at Francfurt within three months either in person or else to send their Embassadours During the Interreign or Vacancy the Elector Palatin is the Vicar or Lieutenant and he who is elected King of the Romans is declared Heir There three Ecclesiastical Electors and four Secular The Arch-Bishops of Mentz Trevirs and Colein The King of Bohemia the Prince Palatin the Duke of Saxony and the Marquis of Brandenburg who are not Kings but may stile themselves the said Kings Companions Being assembled at Francfurt they make Oath to the Elector of Mentz they will chuse one who shall be capable of the Charge They are obliged to finish the Election within thirty dayes and may not go out of the Town till all be accomplished If the voices happen to be equal he who receives the King of Bohemia's Vote is infallibly proclaimed Emperour The King of the Romans is not chosen during the life of the Emperour but for great Affaires and he cannot any way faile of succession as soon as the Emperour is dead All is observed according to the Golden Bull of Charles the fourth The King of the Romans is obliged to take Oath that he will not seeke to make the Empire Haereditary to his House but that he will maintain all the Rights and Splendor thereof There are two Fundamental Laws namely the Golden Bull and the Imperial Capitulation to the maintaining whereof he is bound by Oath Which makes me finde their opinion very weake who praesume to sustaine that the Emperour is a Mouarch in regard that his Authority is so parted and divided between him and the Electors that it looks as if they were associated to help him beare this heavy burthen Besides since Germany hath been so distracted by the diversity of Doctrines the Protestants have inhaunced so much of the Majesty to themselves through the too timorous bounty and moderation of some Emperours since Charles the fifth that his hath been but little more acknowledged and adored both in Germany and Italy And therefore it is no wonder if the Eagles Triumphant by so many Victories have endeavoured to look back upon some Rights which are now so many years old and if a general Conspiracy of the Neighbours of the said Protestantes have been made to hinder old Praetensions though grounded upon very much equity and justice But those forreign Princes who have thrust themselves into this quarrel have stopped their eyes to justice opened them to interest of State and to the means of either praeserving or ingrandishing themselves CHAP. XIV A discription of the three States of the Empire The Hans-Towns SInce we have spoken as much as is necessary to our purpose of the Emperour and the King of the Romanes his Vicar or Successour it concerns us to say also somewhat of the States of the Empire The first State The first and prime State therefore is that of the Electours as being the nearest to the Head or Chief They are the Fathers and Senatours and the maine and firme Prop of this Edifice They assist with their prudence the Head which they have chosen and are compared with the Kings of Europe The Ecclesiasticks have the precedencie in this ranck first the Archbishop of Mentz next he of Trevirs and then he of Celein The King of Bohemia the Duke of Bavaria who was advanced to the Electoral dignity by the deposition of the Prince Palatin and then he of Saxonie and he of Brandenburgh The second State is constituted first by foure Archbishops namely of Magdeburgh Salsburgh Bremen and Besansow The second State after whom follows the great Master of the Tentonick Order And afterwards there take place one and thirty Bishops who are followed by ten or eleven Abbots with the Title of Princes as the Abbot of Fulda c. The secular Princes are placed after these Ecclesiasticks and are in number eighteen Families the first whereof is that of the Archdukes of Austria divided into two branches namely of Germany and Burgundy And this Family hath of much praeheminence above that of the other Princes as the Archbishops have above the Bishops Then follows that of Bavaria of Saxonie of Brandenburgh c. After which sit the Abbesses as there of Quedelemburgh of Esson c. Some whereof have both the effect and title of Princesses And lastly sit the Counts and Barons whereof there is a great number Reinking to whom I referre the curious calculates about eight and fifty of them The third State The third state is compleated by the Imperiall and free Towns which are sixty five in number or thereabouts and they are to be considered two wayes the former and more noble whereof is that they immediately depend upon the Emperour and have nothing at all to do with any body else and the other that these also depend upon the Emperour but yet they owe some small recognitance to the Prince Lord or Praelat in whose territories they are seated however they leave not thereby to be free and to enjoy the rights of Royalty So that these Towns possesse the ancient liberty the priviledges of Princes have their Session and Vote in the Diets and are tearmed the Noble member and Pillars of the Empire wherein they are incorporated neither more nor lesse then the Princes and Praelats They are divided into two Benches The foure first are Lubeck Metz Auxburgh and Aix or Aquisgraue The other being in the quality of Subjects to Empire are not called There is yet another companie of Towns which by vertue of the union are called Hans-Towns The Hans-Towns which are composed partly of such as are free and partly Provinciall and obnoxious This said company or Vâ—â—â—ns hath no other ayme or end then that of commerce and it was approved first by Charles the fourth It hath foure Classes or Metropolitan Cities to wit Lubeck Colem Brunswick and Dansick and they have an annuall Assembly at Lubeck where they have their Charters or Rolls But theire last warrs have much altered all the orders which were formerly kept The ten Gerclet The German Empire is distributed into ten Cercles Franconia Bavaria Austria Swevia that of the upper Rheyn and that of the four Electours towards the Ribeynâ— Wastphaliaâ— Saxanie Low-Saxonie and Burgundy Now the Emperour as he is head of the Romane Empire is bound to swear that he will defend all the priviledges of the Empire but that doth not at all derogate from his Majesty in regard that all Kings at their consecration do the same and he is also greater then all the Members of the Empire and may command them as having received homage from them
death Page 189. CHAP. XII Whether the House of Austria aspire to an universall Monarchy and whether the reasons be sufficient which accuse it of aspiring to it Why France retaines Lorraine Page 191. CHAP. XIII Piccolomini raises the Siege from before Wolfenbottel with losse Torstenson arrives from Sweden with a supply Lamboy beaten and taken prisoner The progresse of the Swedes in Silesia The Imperialists defeated before Leipsick recollect themselves after having punished the slacknesse of the souldiers and raise the Siege of Friburgh The Battail of Honcourt The Expleits in Catalunia The death of Monsieur le Grand The death of the Great Cardinal An Epitome of his life Page 194. CHAP. XIV The death of Lewis the Iust The Battail of Rocroy The Battail of Dudling The Swedes enter into Holstein Page 198. CHAP. XV. Of the war of Denmark with all the circumstances thereof Page 200. CHAP. XVI Gallasso retyres out of Holstein and is ruined by Torstenson at Magdeburgh The Battail of Lankewitz The Exploits of the French in Alsatia under the conduct of the Duke of Anguien The taking of Philipsburgh 203. CHAP. XVII The deplorable state of the obedient Low-Countries The taking of many of the strongest townes in Flanders Page 206. CHAP. XVIII The war of England The Tragical death of the King Page 208. CHAP. XIX A continuation of the Exploits in Flanders The Baâ—tail of Lenâ—â— Page 212. CHAP. XX. The Peace between the King of Spain and the Confederated States The remarkable siege of Brin Torstenson quits the Generalate Page 213. CHAP. XXI The difference which happened betwixt the two Families of the Landgraves The Battels of Mergendal and Nortlinghen Generall Mercy 's death Page 216. CHAP. XXII The Exploits of the Swedes upon the Franteers of Swisserland alarme the Cantons Gallasso's death Melander Generall of the Imperiall Armies Page 219. CHAP. XXIII The taking of Swinsfort and Eger Lamboy and Conninxmark incamped before Rene. The taking of Retschin The siege of Prague Page 222. CHAP. XXIV The breach of the Truce with the Duke of Bavaria A tempest upon the Elbe Melanders death The Peace of Germany The death of the King of Denmark and of Uladislaus of Poland Casimir succeeds him Page 223. CHAP. XXV Pope Urbans death The wars of Italy and Catalunia Page 226. THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. THe tumults at Naples begun by Thomaso Aniello and why The history of Conradin Prince of Swaveland his death the Sicilian Vespers or Even-songs The history of Catenesa and of the Tragedies which happened at Naples Page 230. CHAP. II. The war of the Turks and the Venetians and why The taking of Canea The Knights of Malta take a great Booty a great number of Gallies and the young Sultanesse with her Sonne The Venetians obtain succour but are beaten Page 234. CHAP. III. The troubles which happened at Paris The City is besieged The Arch-Duke comes to succour it The Siege and taking of Ypers Cambray besieged in vain Hennault ransacked Page 237. CHAP. IV. Tumults in the Province of Luke or Liedge The Election of a Coadjuter Tumules at Trevirs The Lorrains in the Kingdom of Aix and in the Dutchy of Gulick beat the Peasants The war is kindled again at Naples Page 239. CHAP. V. The Jubily at Rome The Princes imprisoned The Princesse of Conde the Duke of Bouillon and other Lords retyre themselves so Bourdeaux The Dutchess of Longueville and the Vice-Count of Turenne to Stenay The Allyance is made The Duke of Orleans in Flanders and a digression upon that subject Page 244. CHAP. VI. Containing what passed in the Summer of this year of 1654. The Offers of the Portugal Embassadour The Fleet in the Indies does nothing The Princes complaints The Siege of Amsterdam The Imprisonment of six Lords carried to Louvestein The Prince of Oranges death His praises Page 247. CHAP. VII The deplorable death of the valiant Earle of Montrosse The war of the Polanders against the Cossacks Page 250. CHAP. VIII Blakes Fleet in Portugal Charles Stuart in Jersey The Kings Goods sold Charies Stuart goes into Scotland The English go thither with an Army The Scots are beaten The continuance of the War in Candy The war made with the Pen. An Embassadour from Spain at London The Chineses or people of China become Christians Page 254. CHAP. IX The Coronation of the Queen of Sweden The dammage at Paris by the River The diliverance of the Princes Mazarin being banished departs out of France The Great Assembly at the Haghe The arrival of the English Embassadours at the Haghe The war against the Cossacks The King of Scots enters into England with an Army is beaten at Worcester and slyes disguised Page 256. CHAP. X. The Coronation of Charles King of the Scots His entry into England He looses the Baetiel near Worcester The miserable condition of the Scots Charles's marvellous escape He arrives in France The difference between the Electour of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Newburgh The peace made Page 258. CHAP. XI Cardinal Mazarins retreat into the Province of Liedge The Princes make their entrance into Paris The joy for the one and the other The Dutchess of Longueville and the Marshal of Turenne returne into France The Prince of Oranges Baptism and the dispute for his tutelage The Bank broken near Waghening Uiefeldt accused of having intended to poison the King Berghen St. Winock taken by the Spaniards Page 260. CHAP. XII The Cardinal returnes into France The Lords who had been prisoners restored to their Charges The Prince of Conde retires to Paris The King declared Major Prodigies seen at sea The beginning of the troubles between England and Holland and why Spirings death Page 262. CHAP. XIII The miseries at sea caused by Pirats The present state of Norway Denmark Sweden Poland Hungary Germany Italy Spain and France etc. Page 264. CHAP. XV. The Prince of Conde comes to Paris The King attacks Estampes The Duke of Lorraine being to succour the Princes receives some money of the King and returnes The Arch-Duke sends back an Army to Paris takes Graveling and Dunkerek The English beat the French Fleet. The Cardinal of Retz induces the King to come back to Paris The Prince of Conde retyres into France Cardinal Mazarins praises The Cardinal of Retz carried to the Bois de Vincennes Page 267. CHAP. XVI The English attack the Convoy of Fishermen Tromp returns to Sea findes Blake a tempest separates them and he comes back into Holland De Ruyter attacks Ascue Van Galens victory before Ligorne Tromp conducts the Fleet safely into France Divers Combats Tromps death Cromwell and his Exploits The Assembly at Ratisbone The Election and Coronation of Ferdinand the fourth King of the Romans Page 271. The Continuation Page 275. Reader The Corrector to the Presse intreats thee to amend with thy Pen these faults which have escaped his eye PAge 1. line 28. read sent p. 2. l. 27. Now. p. 6. l. 16. then p. 7. l. 1. other by p. 12. l. 4.
need at all to speak thereof Mary Eleonor her eldest sister was married to Albert Frederick Duke of Prussia who died without issue male and left four daughters behinde him Anne who was the eldest was given to John Sigismund Duke of Brandenbourgh and Elector of the Empire The second to the Old Elector The third to the Duke of Courland The fourth to Duke John George of Saxonie brother to the Elector The second sister of the said Duke called Anne in the year 1574. married Philip Lewis Duke of Newbourgh in which marriage she brought Wolsgang William who kept his Court at Dusseldorp and died in the moneth of April in this year of 1653. The third who was Magdalen was made wife to the Duke der Deux-Ponts And Sibill the fourth was bestowed upon Charles Duke of Austria who had no childe Difference for sâ—â—cession Now Duke Iohn William dying without children Iohn Sigismund Elector of Brandenbourgh who married Anne as we have already said eldest daughter to the eldest sister of the said last Duke presented himself to be received by the States of the said Dutchy wherein he was opposed by the Duke of Newbourgh son to the second daughter Magdalen who was then yet living The Dukes of Brandenburgh and Newburgh The Elector of Saxonie and the Duke of Neuers declared themselves also heirs so that the Emperour Rodolph summons the Parties to appear before him endeavours to sequester the Dutchies and to that end dispatches the Archduke Leopold Nâ—wburgh refuse the sequestration and demand relief from France Bishop of Straesbourgh who makes himself master of the Town and Castle of Gulick Whereupon the two first presumptive Heirs upon some articles of governing the Country made an agreement between themselves and in stead of addressing themselves to Prague before the Lord of the Fief who is the Emperour had recourse to the King of France O! How great is the strength of distrust which tyes the hands of justice and gets authority over ber They obtained a promise of strong relief The other Princes both Protestants and Catholicks yea even the Emperour himself sent their Embassadours likewise to Paris where the King sounded them all one after another In the mean time they take Arms make Excursions awaken the Neighbours The Germane Protestants receive the Alarm Germany takes the Alarm and assemble themselves at Hal and the Catholicks on the other side at Hirtsburg there to provide for their safety propose the Election of a new King of the Romanes and bring the said Protestants to a more strict observance of the accord of Passavia These are the first seeds of the divisions which being come to maturity will quickly fill all Germany with horrible disturbances as being watered by strangers for fear least they perish with moisture or humanity drawn out of the essence of Religions as we shall briefly shew in fit place The businesse of Donawerds Atumult at Donawerdt which is proscribed and foreed by the Duke of Bavaria which had already irritated the Protestants passed thus Some Religious or Conventuall men dwelling in the towne and endeavouring to make a Procession were desired by the Magistrates to desist for fear of some tumult But they answered that they would not quit their Rights which depended upon the Emperour In short they make a Procession the people falls upon them and affronts them The Emperour informed of the insolence demands an exemplary punishment wherein being disobeyed he proscribes the Towne and gives the execution thereof to the Duke of Bavaria who by a siege forced it to submit Now this proceeding very much displeased the Protestants and principally such as were grieved to see the Empire so long in a profound Peace But the enmity was not yet grown so strong for it shortly after brake out to the ruine of all this great Body But let us returne to the Country of Gulick The Princes excessively afflicted at the death of the King of France Gulick besieged and taken sollicited Prnice Maurice to besiege Gulick which he did and by the assistance of the French Army under the conduct of Marshall de la Castre constrained Leopold to render the said place into the hands of the said Princes upon an honourable composition Now it is to be observed that they would not admit of a sequestration nor the decision of the Emperour to whom it belongs by right but it looks as if they all endeavoured to weaken the Principall head of Europ And so the Princes were reproached for having ejected the Garrison of Gulick with forraine forces which was immediately to conremne the Imperiall authority and that they had thereby given cause to the Emperour to arme against them The Duke of Saxonie beares also the title of Duke of Gulick Cleveland and Montagues and draws his pretentions from Sibill Aunt to John William and Daughter to William who was given in marriage to Iohn Frederick Elector of Saxonie who lost the Electorac for having taken arms against the Emperour Charles He was admitted by the two Princes to govern the Country till the definitive decision of the difference It seems that diffidence and suspicion in affairs of State authorize the taking up of Arms without any other forme of Iustice and that it is no more lawfull to the Lord of the Fief to dispose of his Right CHAP. XIII A tumult in Poland and why They arme The Swedes and Muscovites serve themselves of this occasion against the Poles and loose Smolensko Treason discovered in England The troubles appeased at Paris Rodolph dies VVE left the King of Poland very busie about recovering his Kingdome of Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedes our of Livonia and now we finde him as busie to maintaine himself in the Elective after having lost the Hereditary Fortune never ceases to trouble Vertue and one disaster comes not without another The begining of the troubles was by a little blast or slash which kindled a fire that carried it self to the very highest loft or story of the building The scholars of the Jesuites through an impious zeale Yuâ—â—â—nlss in Poland rushed one day upon the Church of the Protestants of Posen and set it on fire Prince Radzivil and some other Ranting blades of the Party took arms for the defence as others said of their liberty and to revenge this injury under the vaile of Rakozians Fortune smiling upon them at first and they puffed up with a small victory endeavoured to expell the King and choose another unlesse he would subscribe to some certaine insupportable articles proposed by them Ill intentions grow to be discovered by good successe In a word the Warr was kindled in good earnest and the cloak of Religion not forgotten The Rakozians being beaten make Peace The Rebels or Rakozians being defeated and vanquished returned to be friends and good subjects But some space after the wound having been dressed by too milde a Chirurgion opened and gangroened and could not be shut up without
with him against his Nephew the Spaniards and the Jesuits for it was upon them that he chiefly aymed and whom he so much mistrusted who yet peradventure dreamt not at all of him and demanded a speedy succour before the Poles had quite subdued Muscovie He also mentioned the quarrell between him and the King of Denmark offering to referre it to them or any other Neutrall Princes and to acquiesce in their Decision The States also sent theirs to him but he was able to effect nothing with him The King declares a warre upon him In the moneth of April 1611. King Christian declares a Warre founded upon four points The first upon the Fishing of Lapponia or Lapland the third part whereof he pretended to appertain to himself The second a complaint formed upon Charles his having fortified Guttemburgh to the disadvantage of the Sound the third was the redemanding of the Isle of Oesel held by the Swedes And the last that Christian would not suffer him to put in his Arms the three Crownes nor the Title of Lapland and North-land Kings have never any better reason to make Warre then that which is offered them by occasion It is a Royal thing sayes a Disciple of that so much disclaimed Italian to attempt the Possessions of others Colmar taken The Danes seazed Colmar the prime key of the kingdom of Sweden and besieged the Castle both by Sea and land which unlesse it were famished was held impregnable by reason of the situation Neither was it taken now by that way but yeelded up by the levity of the Governour who went to fix his habitation in Denmark That which cannot be digged by Iron is often done by Gold The King of Sweden found work enough to do with two so potent enemies upon his skirts but that which most troubled him was that he could not bring the Danes to any Composition Fonce so that in sine having lost Colmar with above a hundred pieces of Canon six ships of Warre the Isle of Bornholm and some other The death of Charles also forced to bow to old age and afflictions caused by these losses he fell sick and coming to die made way for that great Captaine Gustavus Adolphus the very relation of whose victories makes the world tremble Charles was a Prince of great courage and lover of his Law for the only defence whereof the Swedes affirm that he accepted the Crown and not through any ambition he had to be a King He inclined a little towards the Reformates and could not endure to have prayers made in Latin He was speechlesse some time before his death and was much more prone to rigour then moderation yea even to Tyranny it self which is a vice much observed in the successours of Erick after they are past forry years old The Danes sayling with the winde in poupe took many ships near Elsburgh together with the Castle it self But the Swedes were fully revenged upon them by taking their measures well as it will appear in the continuation of this History With patience all things are effected In fine Peace made a Peace was made and Colmar upon agreement of some barrels of Gold restored to the Swedes The Kings were friends and afterwards an Enterview and an Allyance both Offensive and Defensive concluded against the King of Poland But let us go back to the South Italy produced no seed of sedition at all every one keeping himself within his own jurisdiction but the Duke of Mantua being taken out of his by death without sons his Brother succeeded him who assisted by the Spaniards waged a long warre against the Duke of Savoy who was supported by France Since the Truce in the Low-countries and the expulsion of the Mores there passed nothing in Spain worthy of memory but some Fights at Sea against Pirats who were defeated by the Spaniards and the Hollanders The match sought in Spain Queen Mary of Medicis willing to keep her subjects in Peace during her Regencie and prevent all occasions of disorder mediated a double match with Spain that is of her Son and Daughter with Prince Philip and the Infanta his Sister but the marriages were differred in regard of their too tender age though yet this good newes caused great rejoycing throughout all the Territories of the two Crowns with Tilts and Turnaments worth anmiration wherein the French Lords expressed as well the agility and fine disposition of their bodies as the gentilnesse of their mindes Let us now draw back to the Low-countries again which observe the Truce but let not their souldiers rest in favour of their Neighbours For the Dukes of Brandenburgh and Newburgh this being grown a Roman and that a Reformat renewed their old unhappy quarrel either for want of a right and mutual understanding or else for being the object of the ambitious passion of some other Princes The Arch-Duke had sent Spinola into the Field to execute the sentence given upon them of Aquisgrane Aix or Aquisgrane yeelds The Spaniards succour the Duke of Newburgh and the Hollanders the Duke of Brandenburgh who had incurred the disfavour of the Emperour by expelling the Roman Catholick Magistrates out of the Town and their sudden submission gave the Spaniards conveniency to hasten to the relief of the Duke of Newburgh by whom they were expected They took Wesel and some other small places and Prince Maurice on the other side who was sent by the States to succour the Electour took and fortified Emmerick and Rees It is most dangerous to have a Neighbour stronger then ones self for his succour is alwayes dammageable to him who accepts it These two Princes know it as well as any others But what Passion very often prevailes over Reason and the errour of the Hunters gives the Hare opportunity to escape But let us reprize this Webbe contrived of many threds of different colours and woven by divers Weavers The Emperors Authority proving inefficacious and his threats as it wore our of breath and saint as coming from so great a distance with these two Princes who proud of the assistance of two Kings and shouldered by a strong Common-Wealth equally shared the Government of the Dutchy for some time making their Residence together at Dusseldorp But by means of some small jealousies were quickly disunited and the Marriage of the Duke of Newburgh with the Duke of Bavaria's Sisters awakened as great suspicions in the Duke of Brandenburghs breast being a Reformate as the Allyance of the united Provinces in that of the Duke of Newburgh who was become Cathohok The Design upon Dusseldorp had no successe and that which was so prosperously executed upon Gulick by the Governours meanes manifested to the Arch-Duke a peacefull Prince that the Reformates in a fair occasion want no boldnesse no courage The Spaniards took the Allarme so much the more powerfully as the Treaties went on slowly and as the French seemed to favour the Duke of Brandenburgh more to put
he sent some Troops which made a shew of coming from the Camp before Breda as carrying the same Motto's and Colours which Spinola carried they arrived undiscovered to the very Mote applyed their Ladders and set all their rare Engynes on work to render themselves Masters of the Place whereof they could not have failed had not their own hearts failed them first For one Who goes there of the Sentinell followed by the discharge of a Musket made theirs fall our of their hands and left them no more courage then onely to fly It was thought that he had a mind to bestow the honour of this expeditiupon the Hollanders whom he onely employed in it and that if he had mingled any of the other nations with them the businesse would have issued to his contentment This newes struck the Marquis almost into a feaver and sent the Prince loaden with Melancholy to the Hage where towards the end of the winter he died leaving his Army to his brother Henry Frederick and Spinola before Breda who seeing no meanes to take it by force resolved to famish it A former enterprize upon the same Cittadell The aforesaid Prince had had a former enterprize upon the said Cittadell and held himself so sure of it that he told the Burgomasters of Dort at his departure that none but God could hinder it And indeed he was no sooner embarked but there arose so violent and so extreamly cold a tempest that it put both his life and his Fleet in danger and so he was forced to return God hath put limits to Victories which cannot be passed by humane wisdome Spinola having sufficiently learnt how needfull it was to be vigilant with an enemy who slept not reinforced the Garrison of the aforesaid Cittadell kept himself fast in his trenches before Breda expecting the consumpsion of the Provisions of the Town and made magazin for the Winter and being advertised besides that the Enemy was assembling some forces and that four Kings had interested themselves in this Siege He sent for some Regiments from the Emperour Uladislaus Prince of Poland before Breda Prince Vladislaus since King of Poland came to see this famous siege and was received by the whole Army with such military honours as were due to the Sonne of a King and a very great Captaine The King of Spaine having foreseen this tempest which was contrived against his Low-Countries and being unwilling to hazard the whole for one piece thereof wrote to his Aunt that it was better to leave the siege then obstinately to persist in the impossibility of taking the Towne with the losse of all her States This savoured well with the Emulators of the said Marquis as Don Lewis de Velasco c. A Magazin burnt There happened also another misfortune which was that the Hollander fired a Magazin which would have staggered any other General but such a one as he who quickly requited this losse and by his vigilancie repulsed the English who with a most martiall courage went to attack a Quarter of his Camp Breda copitulates In fine after a Siege of ten moneths Breda was yeelded and it happened the very same day that the Kings Letters arrived with his absolute command to draw off the Army We left the King of Poland with his Nobility marching against the great Turk and therefore let us now look what the Swedes in the mean while are doing Gustavus laid hold of that occasion passed an army into Livonia and after the siege of five weeks to the great trouble of the Citizens took Riga The Swedes take Riga The Polanders hereupon made loud complaints of him for beginning the Warre just when they were busied against the Common Enemy and for breaking the Truce in the articles whereof it was comprized that the one of the Kings should not enter into the Lands of the other without having denounced the War three moneths before To which the Swedes made answer that they had sent their Embassadours And mâ—â—k at the complaints of the Foles and that they were not able to dispatch their Commissions any sooner being hindered by windes and tempests which were to be accused and not they a trick of War which must be made passe for good according to the Maximes of this Age. In short this occasion was favourable to the Swedes who cared as much for their reasons as Monsieur de Montmorancy did for those of the Magistrates of Metz when he was gotten into possession of their Towne This War was finished by a Truce whereby the Swedes were obleiged to return by Sea after they had well fortifyed Riga with intention never to restore it againe Now the Electour Palatine after being spoiled of his States was deprived also of his Dignities and his Electorat transferred upon the Duke of Bavaria his Cosin 1623. which much augmented hatred against the Emperour Duke Maximilian and all the Catholicks and caused in fine many new Allyances to be made which put spurts to the War we are going to discribe in this next Book The Electour Palatin spoiled of his States and banished This Prince was crowned King of Bohemia the fourteenth of November 1619. in the moneth of January following he made his Allyances and in the same year also he lost his Kingdome and his States was proscribed by the Emperours Edict and his Coronation declared Null He who grasps much holds little and it often falls out that whilest we are in pursute of other mens good we lose our owne THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE FOURTH BOOK CHAP. I The Warre of Denmark The Allyances of the Kings of France England Denmark and the States of Holland against the Emperour GEneral Mansfeldts arguments had as much efficacy in the North as they had towards the South because the dangers which seemed to threaten that Country were grown greater and besides a Prince which becomes potent makes himself both feared and hated Tilly wintered in Hassia in despight of the Landgrave Maurice nor were the States of Low-Saxony a little troubled to see the Imperiall Eagles fluttering up and down upon their fronteers and that not without giving them great incovenience besides that they feared lest they should peradventure come to replant their old authority there The King of Denmark together with many other Princes and States thereabouts were moved to much impatience by the ruine of Frederick as apprehending lest these Guests should come and take up their lodging amongst them Wherefore being advertised by common danger and by that which themselves perhaps would have done if they had had the same power and right which the Emperour had they made a League for the defence of the Circle of the Lower Saxony into which entred the Kings of England France and Sweden together with the States Generall and the King of Denmark himself was the Head A League against the Em perour as being General of the said Circle The Dukes of Brunswick Mekelenburgh and Holstein
Henry was chosen but he marched so slowly that he found the Prince too strongly intrenched for his defence to be possibly forced out For he had dammed up the Rivers and brought them round about his Fortifications in such sort as it was like a broad Sea And on the other side the Summer was so faire A dry Summer and so dry that it looked as if heaven had entered into contract with the Prince to give him the fruition of the Victory For had it chanced to be moist and rainy as it is ordinary in that climate their mills of so rare workmanship would have proved uselesse and Nature would have jecred Art out of countenance The Spaniards in the Velaw The Spaniards indeavoured to succour it in vaine which made them passe the Rheyn at Wesel to joyne with the Imperialists and the passage of the Isell being open and maintained with the sword gave them a fair prize together with the defence of some Companies which followed But the Prince drew out part of his Army which so well coasted the Spaniards that they made no remarkable progresse at all Never had they Fortune so favourable and never did they loose so many men as in that field not by the sword but by other inconveniencies Whereas had they gon forward at first they had found no kinde of resistance all the Country being full of fear and consternation The Prince stood so fast before Boisleduc that he could not be parswaded by the States of Guelders Overysel and Vtrick to quit the siege though it were to save the Country bidding them by way of answer to have patience and put all in good order c. that the enemy would give them more fear then hurt All which proved true for the Hollanders having taken breath and done all which was necessary for the defence of their Country with some of the licensiated Troops of the King of Denmark put the Armies to a sudden stand without either Counsell or courage upon the dry sands of the Velaw Yet howsoever Take Amersfort they were bold enough to attack Amersfort which not being tenible was forthwith yeelded and some other small paltry places near the South-Sea were attempted and not taken in regard their design was discovered before it was fit to be executed Besides to encrease the misfortune of the Enemies upon the nineteenth of August being a very fair morning Wesel was taken Wesel being surprised makes the Spaniards draw out and the booty of the Imperialists snapt which forced them to draw out of the Velaw faster then they went in without having so much as seen Amsterdam which was alwayes in their mouthes But the grapes were sower because the Fox could not reach them Count Henry retyred not to Brussells but to his Government and could not so well clear himself but that there remained some suspicions greatly disadvantageous to his reputation in the soules of the more clear-sighted men which were verified by the open retreat he made grounded upon slight and frivolous excuses only concerning the Kings service Boisleduc yeelds for want of powder In fine Boisloduc was rendered the Imperialists returned into Germany much lighter then they came and the Spaniards into Brabant almost half of them wasted by hunger sicknesse and disbanding not without loud murmuring and plainly cursing their General Count Iohn of Nasseaw left the passage of the Isel and the Prince went into Holland where he was received by all with marvellous acclamations of joy and unparallelled applause This Place being one of the most important the King had was taken for want of powder and a sufficient Garrison and the Prince on the other side having no want of mony commanded a Bank to be raised from Holland overthwart the Fennes or Marishes which cost the United Provinces much treasure and much hastened the taking of the Town besides that to say truth the Magistrates of Amsterdam were not backward to advance money to declare the zeal they had to the preservation of the Common-wealth Never did Fortune smile more upon the Spaniards with a more unhappy issue and never frowned more upon the Confoederates to give them a more glorious victory The losse of this most important place frustrated the Spaniards the hope of regaining Holland and served for an invincible Clausure to the Common-wealth for the future if we look upon the outside of it but it is subject to corruption in regard of the abundance of ill humours wherewith it is stuffed within as rising from the fenny grounds about it which yet easily are voyded by weak and slight physick as will shortly appear But let us now go see the conclusion of the Warre in France against the Hugenots and the ruine of that Party which gave the King means afterwards to shock the House of Austria and afflict his Neighbours CHAP. VIII The prosecution of the last warre against the Reformats in France The Duke of Rohan makes his Peace All the Townes humble themselves and throw down their Fortifications The end of the Party DUring the siege of Rochell that two Brothers namely the Dukes of Rohan and Soublse did all they could to succour the Center of their State moving even Heaven and Earth with the most zealous of the Party to save the Place from the shipwrack whereof it was in danger The one made insurrections every where saying that if the Town were taken all they of the Party would be massacred but the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Montmorancy charged him so often and so closely that he had almost ever the worst The other encouraged the English and urged them to make haste before the Damme were finished about which the French wrought with great ardour â—â—â—o reâ—sons retard the succour and good successe Two reasons in my opinion retarded the succour so long the one that they could not imagine that the said Damme at which they laughed would be able to hinder their passage and that being stronger by Sea then the French they should easily break all obstacles The other is that they would not relieve the Town till it were in extremity to the end that the Townesmen being for the most part starved or debilitated with hunger they might make themselves masters thereof and place a Colony of their own nation there to be ready at all times to incommodate France and awaken their old pretensions They who ask relicfe have one designe and he who gives it another Besides that it is also very credible that the Cardinal who was not ignorant of how great his credit would be after the reduction of this Place which was judged impregnable had corrupted the chief of the Counsell of England with mony that so the succour which was hastened by zeal might be delayed Whatever it were neither the great Arsenal nor the strength of the Bastions nor the Purse at Porrette nor the desperate resolution to die and to hang him who should first speak of yeelding served to any
so many losses inviolably kept the Peace and maintained himself in amity with the Emperour till the coming in of the King of Sweden who being his Brother-in Law would easily with his arguments have perswaded him to take up Arms again had he not been prevented by a dropsie which drowned all his smoakie ambitions together with his life and deprived the aforesaid King of a man who would yet according to occasions have much tormented the Empyre and whose life deserved no more admiration then his last Will and Testament did For he bequeathed the Emperour forty thousand Ducats His Testardent and a brave horse with a saddle embrodered full of Pearles and precious stones to his sonne Ferdinand the third as much to the Emperour of Turkie as much to his wife Katherine of Brandenburgh a hundred thousand Rix-Dollars and a hundred thousand Florins besides three Provinces The Execution of the said Testament was recommended by him to the Grand Signor the widow and Transylania to the Emperour And this was the end of that Gabor who was so much renowned who so often re-incouraged them of the Party when they groaned under the Emperours forces and who was so soon beaten down by his own inconstance or rather by the unhappinesse of the said Party Ragoskie having bribed the Embassadour whom the widow sent to Constam inople was created Duke of Transylvania She opposed him and called her Tutour the Emperour to her assistance who sent her the Palatin of Costonia Ragoskie brough an Army into the Field His Successour by deceit is often beaten which was defeated and he in great trouble to raise another which had the same successe of the former as wel as which followed Thus finding the Cross too strong for him he looked towards the Mâ—on Three Bashaws came to succour him who were all beaten one after another by the aforesaid Palatine In fine since he had no better issue by Arms then his Predecessour he was fain to have recourse to the same practises and follow the same steps Wherefore he desired peace with Stephen Gabor brother to the aforesaid Bethleem and made him Governour of the Province restored the widow her Treasures and served himself of their mediation Make peace which was not infructuous to him for he obtained peace and Transylâ—ania remained under the Emperours protection Let us now go to the wedding of Ferdinand the third This Prince being destinated to wear the Crown of the Empyre as well as that of the Kingdomes of Bohemia and Hungary sent to demand the Infanta Mary Sister to the King of Spain who was granted him The King her Brother accompanied her to Barcelona where she embaiked for Italy The marriage of Fordinand the third passed by Naples and made her entry at Vienna with so great pomp and gallantry that there could nothing more be added to augment the splendour thereof Before her arrivall her husband was Crowned Emperout at Ratisbone shortly after at Posen Let us leave them with all the joyes of the Court at Vienna and return into Italy to see a warre of Catholick against Catholick CHAP. X Warre in Italy about the succession of the Dutchy of Mantua wherein the Emperour and the two Crownes took part THe difference The warre of Italy for the Dutchy of Mantua which chanced about the succession of the Dutchies of Maentua and Monferrat embarassed all Italy awakened the ambitious jealousies of those two potent nations and so much exercised them in warre that it proved partly the cause of the entyre breach and desolations which followed In the year 1627 the twenty sixth of December Duke Vincent deceasing without Children the succession fell to the Duke of Nevers who received it and praecipitated his inauguration or investure without the knowledge of the limporour who is the Lord of Fief or Supreme-Heredirary thereof The Spaniards more through jealousie then by right or title took Arms as the Duke of Savoy also did for an old pretension he seazed upon many places in Monâ—ferrat and they besieged Casal O interest of State thou Idol how powerful art thou and how many mischiefs dost thou cause The apprehension which the Spaniards had of the Dutchy of Milan made them undertake this warre and hasten the Peace in the North. The Duke of Nevers put good Garrisons into the most tenible places and joyned with the Venetians who could not endure that the House of Austria should make any further progresse in Italy and shut up the gate to the French Ferdinand commands them to lay down Arms but is not obeyed The Emperour desiring to extinguish this sire by a remedy just enough though a little too suspect sent his Embassadours to injoyn both Parties to lay down Arms and in regard that the Duke of Nevers had not first demanded his investure in due form to remit the said Dutchies by way of sequestration into his hands that so he might proceed therein according to Right But he was obeyed here just as his Predecessour was at Gulick For the Duke rejected the conditions endeavoured to succour Casal and cut in pieces the forces which opposed his generous designe The King of France in the mean while was busie at the siege of Rochell which seemed long to the poor Duke who found himself oppugned in his lawfull succession by the Spaniards Succour from France the Savoyers and the Imperialists and that without hope of any strong relief from France The King dispatched away Marshall of Crecquy in Autumne and he went into the Field two moneths after the reduction of the Town which was in the heart of Winter The Duke agrees The Duke who conceived that the said Marshall marched too slowly and that he would busie himself about the taking of the Marquisat of Saluces and make a warre in Savoy changed his maxime promised the Emperour to obey him and to receive his Garrisons into the Townes and consequently sent his son the Duke of Duke of Rhetell to Vienna to make protestation of his obedience and innocence The Spaniards however much harassed and tyred by the frequent sallies of the besieged the length of the Siege and inundations of the Po disapproved this Treaty and to their own dammage continued the said Siege The Emperour sent other Embassadours to command observance The Spaniards continue the siege at Casal But Dou Cardâ—â—â—a who during these intrigues hoped to carry the place pressed it hard lent a deaf ear to the Emperours ouder and dispatched a Envoy or Messenger-Express to Madrid Nevers being irritated beyond measure to sind himself thus treated and that that the equity of his Cause was combatted with so much injustice and animated on the other side by seeing his King slight the rigour of the season to come and ayd him turned all his thoughts to warre The King of France passes by force through Savoy and makes them rise The Duke of Savoy refused the King passage but he got it by force defeated his
give them like for like if we can Indeed when jealousie and mistrust hath once taken root in the hearts of the Germans there is no means to pluck it out The designes of the Confederats The Confoederated Strangers were almost all resolved to make a Capiratado or Minct-meat of the Imperial Eagle but they could not agree about the sawee for King Gustave would have it sower and intended to eat it himselfe alone as the Lion did the Stag which he had taken in the company of the Wolfe and the Asse The King of France would have it sweer and praetended to both the wings at the least The King of England would have a share to his Brother in Law The vnited Provinces desired not her death but onely to cut off her Tallants that so she might not scratch The Venetians were of the same opinion with the Protestants who would onely make her change her nest and render her so tame and gentle Differences that she might be no more so fierce nor able to beck them Every body endeavoured to hurt her and turmoile her every one laid gins to catch her But when the Princes saw the King Gustave tormented her too much and handled her after such a-fashion as they liked not and that the French began to pluck off her feathers they apprehended both her ruine and their own too She was not succoured by the Polanders because thy were most exact observers of the Truce between themselves and the Swedes She got but very small aide from Italy for the Pope himselfe preferring the odour of the Flower de luce before all other considerations seemed not to care for the dangers to which she was exposed together with the Church whereof he possessed the supreme Dignity And yet for all this she defended her selfe with great resolution being succoured by the Spaniards and the Obedient Provinces as also by the City of Colein which was escaped out of a most evident danger The Eagle defended and by whom The Catholick Electors shewed themselves willing to die with her and the Duke of Lorraine made no difficulty to loose his States and hazard his life for her safety and preservation But the Elector of Trevers despairing of her health and endeavouring to save his own States from shipwrack and charmed besides by the eloquence of that great Cardinal cast himself into the armes of France as we shall hereafter finde though yet he could not escape the misfortune which was prepared both for his Arch-Bishoprick and himselfe But let us return into Brabant to the Siege of Mastricht CHAP. XXV Count Henry of Bergues disgusted with the Kings service goes secretly to the Haghe The Siege of Mastricht Papenheim repulsed returns into Germany Limburgh followes Mastricht and the Deputies the Prince to the Hague The death of three Kings THis year was memorable for the death of three kings Sigismund of Poland who very piously departed the 29 th of April The King of Sweden who lost his life upon the bed of honour and King Frederick who rendred his by sicknesse at Mentz The last year the Hollanders triumphed by water and they did it this by land as we shall see The Spaniards had sent the best part of their forces to the Palatinat and left the Low-Countries without men mony and counsel and in great terrour for so many losses Count Henry of Bergues disgusted by some pretended affronts with the service of his Prince whose Armies he commanded and by whom he could not be made greater then he was seeing the huge progresse of the King of Sweden and the occasion most opportune to beate out the Spaniards went to the Prince of Orange at the Haghe with whom together with Monsieur de la Tilillerie the French Embassadour there he had a very secret Conference Count Henry of Bergues goes to the Haghe the effects whereof appeared the first Field and the Prince being at the head of his Army marched the tenth of June from Grave up the Moze presented himselfe before Venlo from whence the said Count was already departed the same day and summoned it to render Venlo and Ruremund yeild The end of the War upon such conditions as he sent it in Blanke There was a report published that this Feild would produce an end of the War and of the Spanish Government which was the onely thing aimed at with the safety of the Catholick Religion and the Infanta's authority and person The bird cannot chuse but be taken if she hearken to the fowler Venlo was forthwith yeilded none going out of the Town but the Garrison for the Priests and Monks remained and the Reformats were content with one Church Count Ernest of Nasseaw went with a part of the Army before Ruremund which defended it selfe but through despaire of succour yeilded at last upon the same conditions that Venlo had done and a shot of a Harkebuse Ernest of Nassaw killed or Gun which was the last that was shot from the Town stopped the course of the said Counts life retarded the designe for some hours and gave Count John of Nasseaw meanes to put two and twenty Coulours into Mastricht This recrute brake the neck of all great designes purchased the Count of Bergues Savoâ—sr into Mastricht and them of his Cabal much disreputation and blame put the Hollanders in danger and preserved the succession for Philip the fourth King of Spaine how bitterly soever it have been disputed since The Infanta being fully informed of the said Count Henry's intentions whom she had alwayes loved and supported against all such as envyed him was at length induced to permit that an Order might be sent to the Governour of Guelders to seize upon his person and bring him with a good Guard to Brussels since he had refused to come of his one accord But he having smelt the designe retired himselfe forthwith to Liedge The Count of Bergues goes to Liedge where he laboured to draw the Kings Army to him by promising them an end of the War but none would follow him even they who had accompanied him thither forsooke him for the Souldiers desire not an end of War because they have no other Trade to live The Count of Warfuze And the Count of Warfuze who was of the Plot got also thither but the Duke of Arschot who was suspected for it stirred not at all but remained firme in his duty As soone as the Holland Cavalrie appeared before Mastricht Count John marched out with his in such sort as that the Prince not being able to winne the Town with faire words Mistricht besieged as he had done the other was constrained to change his note and keep measure with the Canon So that he intrenched himselfe before it and gave the Spaniards leasure to put an Army into the Feild who sent for their forces out of the Palatinat which beat the French who endeavoured to hinder their passage and joyned in a Body under the conduct
de Werdt did as much in Franconie who grew by little and little to make himself so formidable that it was beleeved he was another Papenheim sprung up out of his ashes But all these were but Skermishes in comparison of the huge Victory gotten by the Hassians and Luneburgians neer Hamelen in the moneth of July 1633. They had besiedged the Town and the others would succour it Colein the Mother of Armyes The seventh of July quickly produced one But in stead of Papenheim there was nothing but discord amongst the Generals Souldiers there were enow but there wanted a good The defeate of the Imperalists neer Hamelen 1633 and perfect intelligence amongst their Leaders However they advanced and General Merode thought that in this occasion the Commanders would lay aside all partiality for the Publick good The Foot fell on but was deserted by the Horse and the poor Souldiers who were almost all Wallons found themselves shut up in a dale and cryed to them to stand and make good their ground but their cries and groanes were carried away by the wind to follow the base Cowardise of the Horsemen and the slacknesse of some of the chief Officers General Merode and Baron Quad a Souldier of merit chose rather to dye with their Swords in their hands then follow this infamy The Forraine Foot threw down their Arms hoping for quarter but they were all massacred without mercie and so above six thousand of them miserably perished Hamelen was rendred and Bonichawse took party with the Swedes The discord of the Generals appeared This Army was sacrificed to the hatred which Wallenstein already carryed to such as were able to hurt him and therefore being Generalissmo he s ent the chief command to Grondstfeldt against the opinion and advice of the Electour of Colein Had there been a good harmonic amongst them they had not only succoured Hamelen but easily brought the War also into Meckelenburgh and Pomerania But it was to beat the Dog before the Wolfe This check advanced the Swedish Party favoured Frithlands designe aflicted all the Archbishoprick of Colein and put the French in mind that it was time to go into Lorraine to catch some planks of that ship which threatned to make ship wrack The Italians succour Brisat The Duke of Feria came with an Army of Italians to succour Alsatia where he had the same vexations though a little better end for he succoured Brisac crossed Horns Progresse and made those Catholick Provinces a little respire but the poor Peasants had the worst of it and the Italians being much ransacked and wasted by diseases he was forced to returne the same way he came Wallenstein would have had him obey his Orders as Generalissmo but he made a deaf ears however the other laid so many ginns in his way that he had much adoe to escape them and so all Alsatia save only Brisac suffered the Swedish yoke But since we are upon the Fronteer of Lorraine let us look what passes there before we take our flight to any other place CHAP. XXX The Siedge Nancy Rantsaw makes himself known at the Encounter of Haguenaw and at the Siedge of Andernack GReat Princes are always obliged to maintain their Stats conserve their Subjects and by the Maxims of prudence and justice divert the storme before it fall and overwhelme them The Duke of Lorraine arms The Duke of Lorraine seeing almost all Alsatia subdued by the Swedes and knowing the danger could not be far from himself when his neighbours house was on fire judged it more then time to look about him Wherefore he made levyes whereat the King of France formalized and marched into the Field A sad condition for a Soveraigne Prince that he may not be permitted to raise men for his own defence But the weakest must to the Wall For neither were the reasons which they alledged sufficient to justify their proceedings nor his strong enough to secure him from shipwrack The Cardinal of Lorraine went to meet the King and endeavoured to divert him by acquainting him with his brothers intentions which were all good but all this was not able to stop him It was in vain to speak for words are fruitlesse to such as are already condemned All Europe belongs to the Crowne of France and by consequence Lorraine See Arroy The Siedge of Nancy The King besieged Nancy The duke protested that he had desired nothing but peace and good correspondence with his Majesty Whilest this was a doing the Princesse Margaret made her escape disguised and went into the Low-Countries to her husband who came to meet her at Namurs and conducted her to Brussels where she was received by the Infanta with honour agreeable to her quality They of Colein took the protection of France The Swedes and their Allyes having obtained so great a Victory as that whereof we have lately spoken with so little losse entred into the Archbishoprick of Colein and tormented it so much that the Magistrates induced by the arguments of their Syndick and some others together with the necessity of their assayrs concluded upon the dispatch of their Embassadours to the King of France to implore his protection They had recourse to a Catholick Prince to shelter them from the insolence of Protestants and that by consent of the Clergy but the Citizens being most affectionate to their old Master would not be satisfyed by these reasons The said Embassadours were most honourably receaved at the Camp before Nancy where the Cardinal spared none of his Compliments the holy-water of the Court nor feates of cunning and skil to accomplish so huge a Conquest as this which would be sure to draine all the Emperours resources or fresh springs about the Rheyn hinder the Communication of the Spaniards with the Empyre and serve for an infallible meanes to seize upon the Low-Countryes But it chanced that some inopinated accidents and the good successe of a Battail made them of Colein repent and this Bargain miscarry to the said Cardinals great displeasure Nancy rendred The Duke of Lorraine found himself obliged for the obtaining of peace to yeeld up Nancy upon the same conditions that he had done the three other Towns being counselled not to expect extremities lest peradventure he might thereby incur the hazard of losing all his States Wherefore he did it with much freedom and submission but it had been better for him to have sustained the siege and expected the worst for his Country was not restored to him nor ever will be till his Enemies shall not be able to keep it any longer and shall have enough to do also to keep themselves in regard of forrain revolutions They reproached him that he had given his Sister in marriage to the Duke of Orleans against the lawes of the Kingdom and that he had refused to do homage to the King for the Dutchy of Bar. The former of these was excused by the said Duke of Orleans himself upon the
the Dutchy of Wirtembergh after which they sighed and longed as the Children of Israel did after the Land of Promise but they must first passe the Red Sea and winne a Town whole Garrison was strong and required a Siege before they could arrive to the bank The Swedes sent for all their own forces and those of their Allyes Horne joyned with Duke Barnard and argued against him that it was better to let go one Town then hazard the Publick Cause and that an occasion for fighting would be found in time with more advantage The Duke disputed the contrary alleadging that the winning of this Bartail The Siege of Northinghen Austria would be open Bavaria a prey and their Party our of all danger That they must venter it before the Spaniards came In fine it was concluded that it should be the next day being the sixth of September and the proceeding of that Imperiall Colonel who asked to speak with a Kinsman of his of the same Charge in the Swedish Army upon the word of a Cavalleer to whom he proposed an overture of Peace in his Masters name which was rejected by the Party was taken by the Swedes for a good augure It would require a volume to recount the particulars of the most bloody fight that ever happened amongst Christians The forces of the Duke of Wirtembergh the Landgrave of Hassia and Count Cratz who left the Bavarians when he saw that his Treason was discovered which was to deliver Ingolstadt to the Enemy were already arrived so that there wanted none but the Rhingrave who was beyond the Rheyn with four or five thousand men But they would not expect him for fear lest the Imperialists who had gotten to them the Armyes of the Duke of Bavaria and Cardinal Infanto might chance to escape them The Battail of Nordinghen 1634. the sixth of September The Fight began in the morning the most furious shock was given for the getting and keeping of a Hillock and the Swedish Infantry received great losse about the storming of a mined Fort. The Canon it self being hidden behinde some thick bushes did terrible execution by piercing quite through all the squadrons and the Swedes upon the other side amazed to see the grave motion of the Spaniards who did not recoyle or start back but gently retreat and advance with a sure discharge were constrained to fly and the Cavalry being pursued by the Duke of Lorrain John de Werdt The absolute victory of the Imperialists who gave a brave account of themselves that day was almost utterly defeated and the quarter given at Hamelen was exactly observed till the the King of Hungary ceased the slaughter All the Canon to the number of eighty Pieces and three hundred Colours were the irreproachable marks of an entyre victory which crowned the heads of both the Ferdinands It is held that there were above twelve thousand men killed upon the place and near six thousand prisoners amongst whom was that brave Generall Gustave Horne who was received by the King with such testimonies of benevolence as were suitable to the merit of so courteous and valorous a Captain The pillage was for the souldiers and the fruit of the victory a peace which poor Germany enjoyed not long for she was not yet enough drained Whereof the first was a peace and she had still some ill humours left within her which were not suffered to settle by her Neighbours But if the Protestants and they who had mixed their interest with them received much joy by the first Battail of Leipsick no lesse were the hearts of all the Catholicks both in and out of Germany accumulated with alacrity and gladnesse by this The joy of the Catholicks And the Generalls divided this great Army into many small Bodies as the Swedes had done theirs after the Battail of Lutzen to carry an offensive war up and down into many places whereof we will speak as briefly as out matter will permit us Nortlinghen forthwith surrendred the Dutchy of Wirtembergh quicky in her Enemies power and the Duke unwilling to be spectator of so pitifulla State got himself together with the most prompt of his party to Strasburgh The luster of the Eagles Majesty and of the glory acquired by her as well in Germany as Denmark had been much discoloured and obscured by the happinesse of that great Septemtrional Mars But now she sufficiently recovered it The Swedes will have war in their victory and the Imperialists peace in theirs by this memorable victory of Nortlinghen and to shew that she durst follow her enemies she contraried their proceedings For they would have war in the continuation of their Conquests and she declares her desire of Peace in hers They would carry away all with violence and extremity and she would restore all to the first order and state by a moderate accommodation In effect the King of Hungary offered it to the Duke of Saxony and the rest of the Princes by whom it was accepted but it lasted not long no more then the deceitfull favours of that variable Goddesse did by the puissant odour of the Flower de luce as the drift of this History will shew The Cardinal Infanto after having embraced and taken leave of his Brother-in-Law departed towards the Low-Countries whether we will let him go and stay yet a while in Germany to note the carreer of Ferdinands victories in the disorder of the Protestants THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE BOOK I. PART II. CHAP. I The Peace made at Prague after the reduction of many places and small States The complaints of the Swedes ALL the Towns of Swaveland and the Lake of Bregants returned to the Emperour their Lord. The Imperialists divide themselves Auxburgh was taken by famine and pardoned Rain and Newburgh followed Vlme and Neuremburgh were invested but this Prince who fought for nothing but Peace and won it for no other end then to give it such as would have it received them into favour take many places The Castle of Wurtzburgh held out a long time for fear of not being forgiven Gonnixhof after a long Siege was taken by Hatsfelt Piccolommi plaied Rex in Turing and Coloredo in Saxony in such sort as that he compelled the Elector to hearken to a Peace from which indeed as also from the Emperour he had no aversion at all but onely his own interest and that of Religion Which the King of Sweden very well observing in the midst of his prosperity and knowing the amity which was between these two Princes was fearful least it should come to be renewed I know there were some who beleeved that he was the first who discovered to his friend and Master the Emperour the Treason which the Duke of Frithlund had brewed against him However it were the Peace was made at Pragne The Peace made at Prague 1635. in the moneth of May 1635. with advantage enough to the Ghospellers for their Religion was setled
with great ceremonie and many complements from whence after a while he repassed into Italy and the French and Savoyers into the Dutchy of Milan where they were beaten and the said Duke being almost spoyled of all his States by the Spaniards and seeing no succour come from France nor any effects of the promises made him chose rather to reconcile himself with them then lose all the rest Reconciles himself with the House of Aust 〈◊〉 wherefore he subtilly dismissed the French out of Parma and Placentia and as soon as he had renounced the Kings Protection all his said States were restored to him 1636. Yet for all this the Warre departed not out Italy for the Spaniards besieged and took the Fort of Brema Brema taken The death of the Marshals of Crecqui and soiras and the Marshall of Crecqui coming to spy by what meanes it might to be succoured was taken out of that trouble by a bullet and sent to eternal repose from all his labours The same end had the Marshall of Toiras the yeare before and in the like occasion who was regretted by all for his incomparable dexterity and valour Verseil fell also into the hands of the Spaniards after the defence of about two moneths and so Cardinal de la Valettes succour proved fruitlesse And the Dukes of Mantua and Savoy In the moneths of September and October the Dukes of Mantua and Savoy passed to a better life but let us go into Poland to see if that King will draw his sword any more There was a Truce for six yeares which expired in that of 1635. Vladislaus raised a puissant Army with intention to drive the Swedes who were much ingaged in the German warre out of all Prussia and Livonia and reconquer the Kingdom of Sweden The House of Austria animated him in this fair occasion both for her own interest and his France and Holland for theirs counselled a peace which not being to be found amongst so many difficulties The Truce prolonged for six and twenty yeares between the Pole and Swedes 1635. there was concluded a prolongation of the Truce for six and twenty yeares and that by the perswasion of the Count of Avaux who had gotten a great influence upon the Senatours of the Kingdom of Poland By vertue of which composition Prussia was restored to the Poles Livonia remained to the Swedes and the interest of the two Houses neglected by the address of these fortunate and able Ministers though it were not indeed without regret that Vladislans being a great Captain re-sheathed his sword and suffered his magnanimous courage to coole in Royall and pompous vacancy CHAP. VII Ferdinand two dayes after the Diet of Ratisbone where his Sonnes had been Elected King of the Romanes dies The Relation of his life Bannier makes new progresse Many Princes take newtrality and afterwards the Swedish Party The Arthduke Leopold Generalissimo or Chief General THE Emperour Ferdinand the second feeling himself debilitated in body by the burthen of so many years and so many Warrs as whereby he had been tormented took nothing more to heart then the meanes how to provide for the establishment of that Empire which Domestick partialities seconded by the ambition of Strangers had much shaken Holy thoughts and worthy of such a Pilot as merited to govern such a ship in a storme which threatened this great world with destruction But it had passed the bounds of all Justice the great Sun-dyal of the Sea had no more strength recourse must be made to the Stars to implore their assistance and direction for fear of making Shipwrack by the extraordinary violence of the windes Wherein he was gratiously heard against the expectation of his enemies whose practises were faine to give way to the incomprehensible decrees of the divine providence He called a Diet at Ratisbone and sent for the Electour of Trevirs who was prisoner in the Low-countries The assembly at Ratisbone 1636. Ferdinand the third King of the Romanes In this assembly the Poland Embassadours speech had more weight for Ferdinand the third already King of Hungary then the under-hand dealings of the French for the Duke of Bavaria so that the voice fell upon him and the affection of the Protestants was declared with so great harmony that the General Showt was Live Ferdin and the third King of the Komans The ceremonies being accomplished the 22. of December 1636. the Emperour in most Christian manner rendred up his Soule to God the 15 th of February following The death of Ferdinand the second the 15 th of February 1637. His life Here we may admire the stupendious and supernaturall effects of the Divine goodness in this Prince who by the good successe and prosperity of his Lieutenants maintained his Scepter directly and indirectly at several times and all together against almost all the world For he was no sooner Crowned King of Bohemia then that people revolted and chose another When he was Emperour he had the seditions of the Hungarians and of his own subjects in Austria Mansfedt and the Bishop of Halberstadt never lelt to hate him nor ceased to hurt him till they ceased to live The Danes provoked his Arms and felt the effects thereof The English Scots and Hollanders conspired against him In fine the Swedes with an Army of six thousand English under the conduct of Marquis Hamilton and the whole Protestant body and the French by the profusion of their Treasures and the effusion of so much bood openly manifested the desire they had to pul the Crown from his head or at least to take it away from his House nor was it enough to excite the Peasans but they must also corrupt the faith of that impertinent General In a word this poor Prince was no sooner got out of one War then there sprung up two other and the weapons whereof he served himselfe in these extremities were the prayers he daily addressed to God which King Gustave seemed more to apprehend then he did all his Armies He experimented the Arms of the Tuks Catholicks Lutherans and Reformates over all which he triumphed saw his Sonne Crowned King of the Romans in despight of all his enemies the Swedes shut up in Pomeranta and the French beaten out of Germany yea and his own Army together with that of the Spaniards almost at the Gates of Paris a year before his death He was a so mild a Prince that the Lutherans themselves found nothing to blame in him but that he hearkened too much to the Jesuits and that he was too zealous for the Reformation Strong reasons for them to revolt Very zealous for the Reformation and call in the Swedes but they had cause to repent afterwards Let us now drive the Swedes out of Pomerania and hear the complaints of the Imperalists upon the disorder of their Army for want of bread The Swedes had formerly taken the Town of Luneburgh and put the Table or Altar of Gold to Ransom Duke
King of Poland going into Spain to be Vice-Roy of Portugal was beaten by a tempest into a Port of Province where being stayed prisoner and conducted to Paris he was detained a very long time there and not enlarged till after many reiterated Embassyes from the King and Common-wealth of Poland Charles Prince Palatin having in England received the news of Duke Bernards deceaseâ— and conferred with the King and the Spanish Embassadour there departed secretly and passed through France to winne the favour of that Orphan-Army and take possession of Brisack but he was discovered at Moâ—â—lins in the district of Burbon and carried prisoner to the Bois de Vincennes The Duke of Lorraine fought very unhappily against Monsieur du Hallier saw himself quickly stripped of the rest of his States and his poor subjects very ill treated The distressed Burgundians had also their share of the mischiefs of war and sufficient cause to repent themselves of having refused the Troops offered them by Galasso The Spanish Fleet beaten in the Downes 1639. We will finish this year with the huge victory which the Hollanders got of the great Spanish Armada or Navie upon the Coast of England which was almost all burnt and ruined the twenty one of September 1639. and a good number of ships carried into Holland The account of the dead and wounded men was very great and Spain resented this wound a long time by the dispeopling of her Inhabitants It hath not yet been known upon what design this Navie came into the North and all the discourses which have been held thereof have been founded but upon simple conjectures A Revolt in Normandy and in Pâ—â—ou The Normans fell into Commotions and seditions which quite ruined their Province The people were so oppressed by Gabells and Taxes that they had nothing left them but their miserable lives and those full of despaire too To what purpose is it to take some Townes upon the Fronteers of their enemies if it be done with the blood and ruine of the poor people I would take Towns enow saida certain great Warrier but they would cost my subjects too dear I desire to winne them not to buy them In fine not being able to support so many exactions they took Arms under the conduct of a certain Jean Vanuds-pâ—eds in English â—ohn Goe bare-foot At first they were despised and slighted but finding favour credit and intelligence it was needfull to send forces to defeat them which was done and Generall Gassion entring into Rouen disarmed the Inhahitanâ—s and used them as if it had been a Town taken upon the Spaniards without carrying respect so much as to that Illustrions Company some whereof he ignominiously casheâ—red Oh Times Oh manners If the reverence which we ought to bear to Justice be taken away in what esteem think you can the Lawes be The Inhabitants of Caen had almost the same treatment The revolt of the Croquans in Boiâ—oâ—â— had no better issue and all such as would endeavour to check this Great Cardinals authority made ship-wrack of both body and goods It was not lawfull to complain for that blinde Goddess had perhaps taken up her lodging in the head of this great Minister who could not faile It is said of the French that they Ride and not faile In effect were their potency so great upon the one of these Elements as it is upon the other and they as prudent to preserve as they are generous to atchieve they might openly pretend to an universal Monarchy For they have manifested in these last wars that they know how to correct their defects and that they can as well defeat Navies at Sea as Hosts ashore and Monsieur de Brezè with the Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux shewed no less address and dexterity in the conduct of his Vessels then he had done in that of the Army which he led into Brabans so that work was every where cut our for the King of Spaines Subjects CHAP. X The revolt of Catalunia and Portugal The taking of Arras The Spaniards beaten beaten before Cazal The Hollanders beaten before Hulst THe House of Austria was not enough afflicted yet by so many losses and so many Plots and Treasons but she must be yet more tottered by other disasters and rebellions Spain was indeed within her singers breadth of destruction by the revolts which are yet in durance and which it was believed would make her loose the Low-Countries and her States in Italy But as a great Oak agitated by the windes resists strongly and raises it self up against them just so does this House which men labour in vain to overthrow For there are too many Allyes to maintain her It is in the deepest misfortunes that she shewes least apprehension and in the most imminent dangers that she makes her valour known This year of 1640 was almost fatall to her by the defection of Catalunia Portugal and part of the Indies the loss of Arras and the unhappy success of her Arms in Italy besides the approach of the Swedish war to the bank of the Danub Let us take notice in due order as much as brevity will permit us of the motives of these stirres King Philip the fourth who now reignes in Spain being a milde Prince and a little more addicted to his pleasures then the state of his affaires required left the administration thereof to the Count of Olivares who as changes grow not without a cause rendred himself odious to almost all his Masters Subjects yea and complaints came of him even from the Low-Countries themselves besides that the Grandies who ordinarily pry upon all occasions to get themselves rid of a potent Minister so well fomented the grievances of the people that they brought them to open revolt upon these pretexts He had great forces of Spaniards and Walloons in Catalunia ordered to guard that Province against the invasion of the French But Rule and Discipline was not so exactly kept but that the licentiousness of the souldiers made the Inhabitants murmur who suddenly rising up in Arms slew their Guests and beat such as came to revenge the sedition Yea upon Corpus Christs-day it self The revolt of the Cataluniaâ—s 1640. they cruelly murthered their Governour With a mutinous people there is nothing sacred no more then there is reason The King was not able to stop this torrent by mildness and clemency and so since the Sluce was broaken the water must be let run For the very Bishops and Priests themselves wore plain Incendiaries and Don Ioseph of Margarita with some other great persons made them subtract themselves from the obedience of their Prince to embrace the protection of France A certain great Politician of this Age discoursing one day upon this matter said that the Catalunian took Armes for their Priviledges and to be succoured by a Nation which made profession of observing none at all The Marshall of Schoonbergh desirous to advantage himselt by this occasion offered them his forces and obliged
Halberstadt and his Body was carried to Stockholm His Elogies He was a valiant souldier and more happy after the death of his King then before Bohemia and chiefly Saxony felt the effects of his cruelty which was covered with the title of vengeance He redressed the Swedish affaires in Germany after the Peace and Forstenton his Successour made them glorious The Swedish and Weymarian Armies being joyned together and fearing lest the Imperielists should succour Wolfenbottle which was besieged by the Dukes of Brunswick they all marched and incamped themselves before the said Town where we will leave them wasting and consuming in expectation of the success of the Siege CHAP. XI The prudence of the Cardinal Duke The Duke of Lorraine â—goes to Paris and why The Count of Soissons the Duke of Guise and Bouillon retire to Sedan The fight with Lamboy The Marshal of Chatillon The taking of Aire The Cardinal Infanto retires to Brussels his death GOod Mariners very often foresee a great Storme in a great Calme In high prosperity we must apprehend some misfortunes which being prevised will be lesse able to hurt by meanes of the preventive remedies which may be procured This potent Minister during the time of good successe had his eyes upon the Poupe of that vast Vessel the government whereof he had in his hands thereby to observe which way the Tempest might chance to come He easily discovered by the discontentment of some certaine Princes a kinde of fog which by condensing might cause a furious blast It is not sufficient to know what passes but to foresee also what is to come Wherefore he secretly caused the Duke of Lorraines pulse to be felt and laboured to untie him from the interest of Spain by rendring him his States The Duke who had so often experimented his pranks and who never had any other then good thoughts for France and never changed them till he saw that they endeavoured to deprive him of his Dutchy listened to the overtures made him received the Promises which were sent him signed to Brussels for his entire re-establishment and thereupon departed towards Paris where he was received with much honour more then a hundred and fifty Coaches going to meet him and the King expressed great kindnesse The Duke of Lorraine goes into France and benevolence to him They would make him sweare to the Treaty and yet they would keep Nancy for a pledge of his promise So that the poor Prince perceiving the Cardinals jugglings and the aversion of the Courtiers dissembled some affronts and endeavoured to withdraw himselfe thence to returne into Lorraine For they would needs ingage him against the Spaniards which he neither could nor would do The Cardinal conceiving that he would not be able to do any harme nor finde any credit in the Council of Spain suffered him to go A piece of cunning whereby he had couzened many In the mean time the discontented Princes contracted forces at Sedan with whom the Duke of Lorraine The discontented Princes at Sedan having already gotten a small body of an Army on foot refused to joyne but kept his word with the King But seeing that La Motte and some other small Places were not restored him and that he was but scoffed at by them at length full of generous resentment and zeal of revenge he cast himselfe again into the interest of Spain with intention to remaine therein till a General Peace Why would they needs retaine Nancy What assurance could he have of the restitution And what hope or apparence of constraining so great a Monarch to render it to him if he were untyed from the Spaniards If when he was re-established he should not keep his word whereof yet there was no doubt at all the King had but too much means with the forces in Germany and France to make him repent himselfe of any such light Change No no had it not been for the full restitution of his Country he would not have gone from Brussels and had they performed what they promised him he would have lived in pence and quiet with his Subjects But such as penetrated into this Ministers designes saw well enough that they would never render it him because they intended to adde to France such other Conquests as they had already made and hoped to make in Germany Those Writers who flattered the Cardinal and accused the Duke of levity either did not or would not know the bottome of the businesse and had a minde to make men believe that a Prince ought to want resentment and interest when they break their word with him in order whereunto I could produce the example of some others if it might be done without offence As soon as the season permitted the King of France put a strong Army into the Field Ayre besieged and taken under the command of Marshal de la Meillieraye who took some small places as the Islers and laid Siege to Ayre a strong Town in the Province of Artoise but the strength thereof served for nothing but to kindle the generous courage of the French who notwithstanding all the desences both within and without took it in leste then two moneths 1641. The Princes disemtented and why He sent also another Army under the conduct of Monsieur de Chatillon to watch the designes of the Princes of whose discontentments and the grounds thereof it is necessay to speak The Count of Soissons a Prince of the Blood having received au affront at the Siege of Corbie and many other at the Court too sensible to be endured removed himselfe and retired to Sedan where the Duke of Guise came to him and all complaining of the Cardinals unjust Ministery and of the oppression of the Kingdom they published a Manifest containing their complaints and the subject for which they took Arms which was for the peace of Europe and the expulsion of him who fomented the War They make Alliance with the House of Austria Beat the Duke of Chatillon and the Count of Soissons They made an Allyance with the Emperour and the Cardinal Infante and joyned their forces with those of General Lamboy In fine there grew a Battle wherein the brave Count of Soissons against the advice of all the Great ones would needs ingage and the Duke of Chatillon lost it and was pursued as farre as Resol This Victory was bought by the death of this brave Lord brought small profit to the Vanquishers but much more to him who was vanquished For if he had lived he would have raised more then halfe France The King left the Frontier of Flanders but the Cardinal would not leave him and so being followed by a gallant Army which shouldered that which was before Ayre they marched towards Sedan The Infanto lost no time for whilest the King was setting his Minister on work to make the Duke of Bouillon abandon the Party by promising him mountaines of Gold he besieged the Besiegers who not having
of that learned writer the Imperial Crown upon his brothers head because he would rather have had it upon his Sonnes and the Germans will not see it upon that of a Spaniard How then shall these instruments be tuned I conclude that she hath been moved to act by Interest only to uphold her self and not to hunt aster this chimericall Monarchy The Emperours which have been since have manifested no excess of ambition and Philip the third made no stir at all So that it must be either Fâ—rdinand the second or Philip the Fourth Let us examin the grounds which may give these jealousies and authorize these opinions The said Ferdinand the second had War with the Bohemians and the Prince Palatine every one knows for what He would have the three Episcopal Townes had he not right to them The Victories he got in Low-Saxonie moved him to restore and re-established his Authority there was he out of reason Here-demanded as Soveraign Judge the Ecelesiasticall Lands and Goods according to the tenour of the contract at Passavia was he ill-grounded The Lutherans themselves will not say so Shall we therefore suffer this House to swallow up all Now it is that we must have recourse to the interest which every body ought to have in commendation and not stray from the path of Justice As for Hypocrisiy whereof he accuses them of this Family by comparing their piety to the colours of the Rain-bow which are but deceipts and illusions it is acalumnie which confutes it self and a malice convinced by the testimonies of the Lutherans who have frequented the Imperiall Court A calumny convinced and have wished that all the Courts of the Protestant Princes were regulated like that Indeed the words which he uses to cure as he sayes the mindes of such as are praeoccupated by errour are not strong enough to make them passe for good even in his own opinion For a may be cannot form a determinate truth of future things Yet it is not my intention to approve all the actions of this House and defend her ends and much lesse to deliver the Bordering Princes from the fear which they may have of her greatnesse by the refutation of those arguments but only freely and plainly to lay open the justice of her Arms and the strong necessity of her interests to maintain her self against so many enemies I combat no Soveraign Family but reverence them all without exception and praeoccupation I only demonstrate the practices cheateries and effects of ambition together with those of self-advantage which render whole Provinces desert and breed general calamities In the Treaty of peace at Manster we shall discover the intentions of all the Princes without amusing our selves any more with the words of interested Clarks But we must first consider why France which hath always restored to the Dukes of Savoy such of their States Why France wi keep Lorrain as she hath seazed upon by arms doth now yet so obstinatly retaine Lorrain as she also did the three Bishopricks I answer that she hath done the former to avoide giving jealousie to the Princes of Italy whole good correspondence she holds necessary for her so to maintain her interests there But she will not let Lorrain go in regard of her conquests made in Germany and because the Princes of that Country being divided into Parties are not sourgent for the restitution of the losses of their Neighbours as those others are France calls the Princes of the House of Austria and all such as are tyed to her interests her Enemies and in regard that this irreconcitiable-hatred is not very ancient we shall quickly finde out the source thereof During the English Warrs in France the Spaniards being then great friends and Allyes with France always succoured her and there were some Lords of that Nation who possested great Charges in the said Warrs Yea in that memorable assembly of Arras where to the confusion of the English the Peace was made between the King and the Duke of Burgundy a certain Spanish Knight in a contention of honour took the White Cross without giving any other reason for it then that it was a sign of Amity But now The causes of the hatreds between France and Spain the said House being annexed to Spain the first spark of division sprung up in Italy the second and the greatest was about the Imperial â—â—â—â—n and jealousie of State which lasted til the death of Henry the second a 〈◊〉 as a wakened again under Henry the third by the counsell of the Hughenots and his brother the Duke of Alencon sudddenly made Duke of Brabaâ—t Philip the second of Spain did the like for him by favouring the Heads o the League to the deminution of his Authoritie and the Hughenot Party Henry the fourth took his revenge advanced the hatred always contraried opposed and laboured to weaken this power which gave him jealousy And then it was that not only the Hughenots but the Catholicks also began to hate that Nation Not did the Spaniards remain their debtors therem In such sort as the hatred of the people is formed by that of State But this kings death stopped the currnet of those partialities that double marriage seemed quite to stifle them out in vain for these two proud Nations the most potent of Christendom have many pretensions upon each other and cannot endure any praeeminence at all In so much as that when the one makes any progresse the other endeavours to stop it besides sides the same Ministers of State spurred on by ambition and desire to raise their Families have from time to time kindled these suspitions which have hatched these fatall wars to the destruction of all Europe The one of these Houses styles her selfe most Christian and yet meddles not much with the businesse of Religion for she ordinarily attracts the Reformates to her interests who are enemies to the Pope and by consequence to the other House which suffers not their Doctrine in her Dominions The other is tearmed Catholick and abandons not the interests of Religion no more then she doth her own unlesse it be by force proceeding from the necessity of State-affaires through some new conjuncture as we shall see in the sequell of this work Lewis the thirteenth shocked this House with so much authority and power and procured her so many Enemies that she had very much adoe to keep her self up in such sort as that great Cardinal the Angel-Gardian of France by his puissant Allyances begat an opinion in the Soules of many Politicians that he sought the Universal Monarchy In effect by this great Conquerours means he hoped to overthrow the Emperour and had already devoured the possession of the Low-Countries by the help of the Hollanders But man purposes and God disposes But let us withdraw our selves out of this Labyrinth since we have already gon round about it and if we enter into it we have not a sufficient thred of
Emperours consent who alone together with the Duke of Bavaria entertained the Minstrills of the Revel but his Companion danced better then he For had he abandoned the Party at the perswasion of the French he would not have danced much longer and had he been willing to hazard any more neither the Swedes nor the French had danced so well but he chose rather to dance sure for feare of tripping Let us now withdraw our selves from the Labyrinth of Germany and see in what condition the affairs of Flanders are for as for those of the Emperour they are sufficiently afflicted and have almost no other support then that of the justice of their Cause besides that so many fine actions as are performed in those parts away from hence CHAP. XVII The deplorable state of the Low-Countries under obedience The taking of a great number of strong Towns in Flanders AFter so remarkable a Victory as that of Rocroy which hapned after the death of Lewis the thirteenth and so many losses in Germany which had so peeled the Eagle that there was no more apparence or possibility left of herflying farre after the defection of Portugal and so many Battels lost in Catalonia it was conceived that the King of Spain would have neither power nor will to succour the Obedient Provinces as having work enough at home and that the first Field following the French and Hollanders would carry all yea that the people being abandoned would revolt and to hinder a total ruine joyne themselves with the Conquering Party In effect the Ecclesiasticks and the Nobility cast their eyes already upon France in regard of the Religion and the people turned their heads to wards Holland for love of the Traffick but the onely deprivation of the exercise of their Faith made them as it were weeping follow the Spaniards Peace was necessary for them and for that they held up their hands but the Treaties walked too slowly on Nothing but the rigour of the Placarts of these Provinces and the preaching of their Priests made them resolve to endure all the extremities of war rather then submit themselves to the Reformates For if we must needs change our Master said they let us range our selves under the French so to have and retaine our Religion rather then under the Hereticks who destroy Souls The Plenipotentiary Embassadours of France passed by the Haghe renewed the Offensive Allyance for three years more The League renewed for three yeares spake in the behalfe of the Catholicks of Holland but obtained nothing it being too ticklish a matter For where the Reformates are Masters they give no liberty to them of that Profession and will not have them amongst them not being able to suffer Idolatry and the Papistical Ceremonies shook their over-tender Conseiences Let us leave them going to Munster to begin a work which they will not perfect and let us go see the bloody fruits of this Field The Duke of Orleans being declared Lieutennant-General of all the King his Brothers Armies sent La Meillieraye Gassion and Rantzow towards Flanders who made a shew of going to Dunkerke but sate down before the strong Town of Graveling and seized upon all the Forts about it and Admiral Tromp came and ranged himselfe before the Haven The French take many places in Flanders 1645. to shut up the passage This Town was taken in lesse then two moneths and thereby made the Spaniards avow that there is nothing impregnable when mens lives are not spared For the French lost above six thousand before it and all the industry of the Spaniards could not save this Bulwark of their State Don Francisco de Melo who hindred the Prince from passing the River into Flanders hastened with all the best of his Forces gave the Hollanders meanes come over The Sass of Gaunt taken 1945. and take the Sass of Gaunt with many other Forts and the losse of the said Sass and Graveling the two maine defences of the Country laid it open to an entire Conquest The Duke of Orleans followed his Carriere and all stooped to him he took Bourburgh the Fort of Linck Lens Bethune St. Venant Lillers Armentiers and Mening and put all the rest into Contribution besides that Mardyke was also surrendred after a Siege and so this Field of 1645. ended The Victories of the French were little lesse splended in Italy by the taking of Piombino and Portolongòno 1646 to wipe away the affront of Orbitello where they were beaten and constrained to discamp and many other places were also taken besides the defeate of the Spaniards at the passage of Mora. Count Harcourts Victory in Catalunia 1645. The Count of Harcourt who was not wont to be idle when any thing was to be done got a glorious reputation by winning a Battel and taking some Towns in Catalunia 1645. Notwithstanding that Flanders was almost quite conquered the Subjects remained firme in their fidelity amongst so many troubles Mardyke surprized by the Spaniards and the surprizing of the Fort of Mardyke in the Winter made them take fresh courage This Place cost but ten or twelve mens lives to retake it and had cost above five thousand to teare it out of the Spaniards clutches Let us see the begin-of this Field of 1646. The Duke of Orleans being entred into Flanders with a tertible Army resolved to compel the Enemy to a General and final Decision or to take some Towns of importance in the heart of the Country which might give the State a mortal blow And though the Spaniards were too wise to hazard the former yet could they not hinder the latter Courtrack taken which was the taking of Courtrack in the middle of Flanders seven leagues from Gaunt But the enemy making a Defensive war onely forced them for want of victualls to draw back towards the Sea side where they took Berghen St. Wynock and besieged Mardyke which they hoped to carry by many assaults before the Holland Fleet arrived but their temerity was so well chastised by the supply which entred every Tyde into the said Fort that Monsieur de la Trisllerie who was newly come out of Denmarke was constrained to complain to the States of the delay of their Fleet. And they who walked a slow pace and observed the falling back of the French with their bravado of saying that this Field would make them Masters of Flanders and the next after of all Holland judged by the rash discourse of the Souldiers of the intention of their Master and shewed themselves very cold in the pursuance of the designe to come to the concluded Stake sharing for in this knot it is that the best friends become foes and this was the stumbling-block as it shall shortly appeare However at length they sent Admiral Tromp who was no sooner come then they lowed their colours to signifie that they would render themselves up and so the Garrison of three thousand men marched out Mardyke retaken by the French and
the Germans divided themselves from him and sent Complaints to the King In a word they would not goe out of Germany but ranged themselves under General Conninâ—inarck which had almost brought some disorder betwixt the two conquering Crownes But a small rain makes not the Rivers overflow their banks and they who thought in this alteration to attract them to their party advantaged nothing at all for the Tower which they attacked was not yet fallen Upon the other side Iohn de Werdt and Sporck were like to have debawched or corrupted seven or eight Regiments of the Bavarian Cavalry to conduct them into the Imperiall Army in Bohemia but they issued not so well as Spar upon Warendorf in the Province of Munster and so they betook themselves ill accompanied to the said Army there to possesse great Offices But this action stirred up jealousie and the Electour had much adoe to quench it They who possesse Goods by force are all alwayes mistrustfull CHAP. XXIII The taking of Swinsfort and Eger Lamboy and Conninxmarck camped before Rene. The taking of the Retschin The Siege of Prague GEnerall Wranghel having taken Swinsfort at discretion and refreshed his forces in the Bishopricks of Franconie marched into Bohemia and sent for Generall Wittembergh who was in Silesia and so with a very gallant Army ingrosted or augmented by many Troops Eger besieged he besieged Eger a strong Town in Bohemia Melander with the Imperial Army hastened all he could to succour a place of so great importance but either the Eagles appeared too late or else the Governour yeelded too soon and indeed the Swedes so much exercised the Garrison with continual Aslaults Yeelds upon dis cretion notwithstanding the losse of men that he surrendred at discretion and that at the same time when the Van-guard approached to give notice of the succour but he paid dearly for it for he was beheaded It is true that Ladron who had rendred Swinsfort upon the same terms for Wranghel gave no other was acquitted for a forfeit of mony a chastisement little proportionable to the crime committed For what cannot Gold and favour do But this proceeding of a for rain Generall in the middle of the Empyre and in Towns which enjoyed many Priviledges was abhorred for it diminished the Soveraign who chastised the Rebels for having taken Arms against him Was not this to remove himself from the pretext of the Liberty of Germany The Army encamped neer Eger a league beyond that of the Swedes where there happened many sharp skermishes and Ferdinand being once surprized in the midst of his Troops The Swedes beaten found himself in some danger But there grews fierce encounter wherein his enemies were worsted and Helm Wranghel killed with more then thirteen hundred of his men and so the Swedes after the loss of sorne Standards retreated into Turingh Go into Brunswick and the Imperialists into Hassia and Brunswick and Melander being still at their heels and not able to draw them to a General Battail and unsatisfied besides with the Landgravinne of Hassia fell upon that Country where he played Rex retook the Town not the Castle of Marpurgh and so returned into Franconic But General Wranghâ— found no less freindship in the Dutchy of Brunswick then his Predecessors had done for he recruted his Army and put it in good order one part of his Cavalry mounted and the souldiers in the Field to drive the Imperialists out of Hassia who melted like snow before the Sun whilest the Swedâ—â— recollected themselves and grew stronger Oh strange Metamorphosis Upon the other side Conninxmarck that brave Captain was in the Bishoprick of Bremen where he stood not still but in a very short space took the Fortress of Wecht and many more with almost as much success as Papenheim had done Conninxmarck in Westphalia but by drawing so near Munster he went so far beyond his duty and promise made that he had almost disturbed and broaken that most illustrious Assembly in so holy and necessary a work for all Christendome Insomuch as Lamboy reinforced with some of the Duke of Lorraines Troops was sain to go into Westphalia and East-Freezland to make a notable diversion Lamboy makes head against him But this Inroad was displeasing to the States who in favour of their Allies made him depart and Conninxmarck hasted thither to beat him They were almost the whole Summer incamped near Rene a little Town of the aforesaid Bishoprick which was set on fire by the said Conninxmarks Bombs and not taken for not being able to draw his Antagonist to a Combat nor cut off his victualls he forsook that Country and left the Inhabitants as little sorry for his departue as the Saxons had been before It is said that his hat falling once from his head when he was on horse-back was found and brought to him full of water and he being wholly amazed at this mystery shewed it to his Minister who not moved at all thereat presumed to tell him that it was the teares of the poor people whose houses he had caused to be fired I know not whether this be a story made on purpose to render him odious and the better to paint out his rigorous proceedings and to deface so many gallant actions as he had performed but howsoever it is also true that he was very cruell Be it what it will he did the Crown of Sweden many most remarkable services the last whereof which was the most admirable most profitable and most important was that memorable enterprize upon the great City of Prague which hastened the Peace as you shall forth with see in few words A certain Colonell of the Imperial Army being disgusted with the service and having conceived some disdain against his Master shewed him this trick whereby Ferdinand found himself necessitated to conclude the Treaty of Munster and surrender his enemies many of his Rights Poor Prince The wicked rise up against thy vertue and Traitours endeavour to dispatch that which thy open enemies cannot destroy or subdue Connixmark being advanced to the Fronteer of the Kingdom he addressed himself to him shewed him the facility of surprizing the Retschin or Small side as they called it for by reason of the River there are many Townes within Prague offered himself to lead on his Troops and be the first to scale the wall in the Assault Conninxmarck being confirmed by some Horsemen which he had taken The enter prize upon the Reischin succeeded that the condition of the place was just as he told him marched speedily entered easily and surprized many Officers in their beds amongst whom was old Coloredo and found so much booty as was more troublesome to be carried away then the place had been to be taken This Cross of Fortune must also needs fall upon this pious Prince which had been enough to stagger him had he not fixed the anchor of his hopes upon an immovable foundation The Prince Palatine Charles-Gustave being
The Duke of Bouillon goes to Rome The Duke of Bouillon being forced to make a change of Sedan for another piece of Land went secretly with his wife out of France and so to Rome to Command Pope Vrbans Army but he arrived there after the Peace was signed In this quarrel of State the Treasures of the Church were consumed and scandals took also their place Cardinal Pamphilio being seventy two years old was elected to the Holy Chaire and the Faction of the Barbarins mistically overthrown Cardinal Pâ—mphilio chosen Pope For the succour demanded of the King of Spain being refused and a Victory gained upon them near Pâ—tigliano Te deum was sung at Florence and other places The loss of Tortona by the French a strong place which opened the passage from Milan to Genna 1643. was recompenced by the taking of Trino and Pontestura and the same year Piccolomini extorted Mouzon from them also which much incommodated the Arragonians notwithstanding the dammage which the Portuguezes put upon the Castillians by a puissant diversion This great General after having given markes of valour as well in Spain as in the Empire repassed with much danger into Flanders where Affaires required his presence In this conjuncture the Mores were desired to fall upon the King of Spain who as it seems had not Enemies enow yet They did it The Mores besiege Oran and are beaten and besieged Oran but twelve Gallyes made them repent of thrusting themselves into the Dance and abandon the Siege together with the desire also of dancing any more But the Portugnezes had better luck then these Barbaâ—ans in a certain Encounter wherein being routed and the Conquerours upon pilladge they raylled defeated them and killed above fifteen hundred of them upon the place Te Deum sung at Madrid and at Paris The great Victory gotten upon the French before Terragona and Lerida which were retaken by famine caused Te deum to be sung at Madrid at the same time that it was also sung at Paris for the taking of Graveling But very shortly after both Courts put on Mourning for the death of the Queen of Spam Sister to Lewis the Just and the Count of Harcourt went to take the Place of Monsieur de la Morte who was fallen by these losses so farre into disgrace that all his former gallant actions were not able to maintain him as if forsooth it were possible to be alwayes a Conquerour and keep Fortune in a chaine But he who governs all things disposes also of Victories as he pleases For this brave Count before he came thence experimented the same disgrace and the same lot and had enough to do to save himselfe from the Conspiracy of the Catalunians and such others as envyed his glory The French who had won so many Battels taken so many Towns subdued so many Provinces and refused so advantagious a Peace had the same luck which their Generals had and saw their Enemies again in the heart of their Kingdom When a worke is done it is easie to finds out faults Harcourt having by his presence and a strong succour put thing in security besieged and took Rosa after such a defence as made him in doubt of a good issue Harcourt victorious in Catalunia passed the River of Segra beat the Enemy almost as oft as he durst shew himselfe and made Te Deum be sung as often at Paris as the other Generals did who were in Flanders He took Balagüer by an admirable chance repulsed his enemies who endeavoured to relieve it and sent the fright even to the very Gates of Madrid The Spaniards hands were benummed with blowes and their eyes dazled by the glory of so great a Captaine and some Towns in such confusion as is ordinarily brought by tumult But let us see how they do in Italy Prince Thomas having seized upon Pontestura made St. Ja and Vinguevano also submit Prince Thomas in Italy the Spaniards not being able to exceed the terms of a Defensive War But this prevident Nation defended the blowes by retyring and craftily gave way to the heat of the French expecting in the coole thereof an occasion to hurt and take revenge The Barbarins being hated by the Pope and necessitated to give account of the Treasures of the Church The Barbarins disgraced besought the favour of France from which they were not fallen but to return with more splendor and obtain her protection But Cardinal Anthonies flying away with vast Summs of money so much kindled the choler of his Highnesse that he stopped his eares to all such as interceded for their reconciliation slighted the menaces which came from beyond the Mountaines and the reports which would needs make him passe for a Spaniard In effect he disapproved the Allyance made with the Enemies of the Catholick Church whose interests he embraced with more zeal then his Predecessour This mist troubled the serenity of Italy and made the French arme and lay a Siege both by Sea and Land before Orbitello But they were beaten upon both Elements Cebitello besieged 1645. Monsieur de Breze's head taken off by a Canon-ball and Prince Thomas compelled to raise the Siege in confusion They complained of the Pope for his having permitted the Neaples Forces to passe through his Countries to which he answered that he had done them the same favour This losse was repaired in the year 1646 by that happy Captain La Meilleraye who having fitted the Fleet went and seized upon Piombino and Portolongòno which he fortified Lerida besieged The Count of Harcourts eyes being dazled by the charmes of smiling Fortune went and laid Siege before the strong Town of Lerida and assaulted it violently but the great resistance of the Garrison and the difficulty he found to mine made him resolve to take it by Famine The Governour to spare his provisions sent all the women and children out of the Place who almost all died with hunger in the ditches A great cruelty though it passed for a feat of war for a necessity of State and for acquisition of honour But behold the inconstance of this imaginary Goddess They who had been so often knock't by this great General recollected themselves and ventured to affront him in his Trenches out of which they beat him after the third assault and made him leave Camp Canon and Baggage with a great number of dead men and prisoners behinde him This Attack was made the twentieth of October by the Marquis of Leganes Is suçcoured by Leganes the French beaten who had express Command either to succour the Town or to die in the attempt This mischance was followed by another at Sea where twenty French Gallyes were beaten by seventeen Spanish and near two thousand French perished in the Combat In fine Harcourt obtained leave to return into France and the Prince of Condè succeeded to make Shipwrack of so many Victories as well as he against that inchanted Rock which was as
faire Medea was gained at the point of the Sword with the losse of many brave Knights and carried to Malta And this newes I say did so much inflame his choler that he swore he would revenâ—e himselfe upon all the Christians and to this effect he contracted the principal Forces of all the Provinces and fitted a Fleet of near four hundred saile and lulled the Venetians asleep in the meane while by assuring them that it was not against them but to draw satisfation from the aforesaid Knights who put themselves into a posture to undergoe the storme by sending for all the Knights demanding the succour of Princes and fortifying all the approaches The said Venetians and other States of Italy thought also of their defence but a little too late and so they tryed to their cost and losse the Great Turks perfidy who having made a shew of attacking Malta returned towards Candy and took Canea by composition after he had battered it by a Siege and many assaults Some States shewed their zeal for the Common Good but the reliefe came too late like physick to the dead and the cause thereof was jealousie But this inopinated Invasion much astonnished the Illustrious Republick of Venice which asked assistance every where and in Holland Ships for their mony but was not able to restore Christendom to peace When the Wolves attack a flock of Sheep the courage of the doggs is cooled from falling upon the Common Enemy The ambition of Christians was too great the opinions in Religion too different and various their charity too much chilled and the ruin of the House of Austria which was judged infallible too much in their hearts This punishment seemed to have been drawn upon them by their not having well administred justice in the said Island upon the Governours Son who had committed a rape and violated a woman 1646. which crime made the Mores invade Spain and hath caused many afflictions in the world besides One misfortune followes another Fire got into the Arsenal at Venice for the fire got into the Arsenal at Venice and indangered the blowing up of that brave City which so much frighted the noble Senators thereof that as well for this mishap as also for many other advertisements they resolved to provide it well to the end that the Traitours might have no power to hurt it In this conjuncture the French were in danger to be ill treated being accosed of intelligence with the Turks and of having kindled this fatal war But that which is without ground is also without existency and what is not proved ought not to be believed The Turke caused his General to be beheaded for having lost too many men before Canea and failed to seize upon the Haven of Suda in the same Island and not with standing so many prodigies as appeared at Constantinople for many dayes together Prodigies at Constantinople he resolved to continue the war with all extremity for the space of seven years For the year before one part of the said City was consumed by fire and this year the contrary Element threatned to drown it and made the Inhabitants go up to the tops of their houses to save their lives In brief these supernatural signes make us hope that heaven being angry with these Barbarians will dissipate their Monarchy together with the impiety of their Alcoran but the incredulity of Christians together with their ill lives will quickly involue Mortals in the vengeance of the Almighty The Venetians blocked up Canea and the Turks being ill Neighbours to the Hungarians laboured to enter into Frioll and caused the Tartars to march into the Field but the Cossacks made a powerful diversion towards the Black-Sea which divided the said Turks Troops The Muscovits joyned themselves to the said Cossacks and the Basshaw of Aleppo revolted so that the Grand Signor found worke enough to do The Pope and Cardinals furnished thirty thousand Crowns a moneth towards the expenses of the war with many Gallyes The Popes succour and the Duke of Parma some Forces The State of Venice being mennaced by three Armies implored the reliefe of Christian Princes The defeat of the Venetions and beat the Turks in Dalmaria but received a furious overthrow in the Kingdom of Candy General Moresini took a good number of vessels appointed to re-victual Canea but he could not hinder the Fleet and so the Army was defeated there six thousand men with two Generals killed Retimo taken and all the Christians massacred This misfortune so much startled the Common-wealth that however Grimani had very happily taken a great many Gallyes Which implores the help of Princes she made it highly known at Vienna Paris Madrid and throughout all Italy that she was not able alone to sustaine the weight of the Half-Moon and that having already consumed about two and thirty millious of Crowns she should at last be constrained to enter into such unequal conditions with this devouring Wolfe as would be shameful to all Christendom Though Fortune had been unkinde in the Kingdom of Candy she yet shewed so gay and chearful a countenance in Dalmatia and in many Encounters at Sea that she made the Republick break off all Treaty of Peace and resolve to continue the war There arrived forty vessels from Holland and some from Denmark without counting the succour of Genna and that of the Pope who took the said Republicks Cause to heart as also the repose and quiet of Christendom Grinnani got many Victories and so much tormented the Turks that famin thrust it selfe amongst them in Canea The Common-wealths Victories where we will leave them scuffling for that fair Island without entertaining our selves to pick out the circumstances of Combats and Cruelties where with the Barbarians stuste their actions since Christians being become Barbarians do yet worse theâ— they LEOPOLD WILLIAM Arch Duke of Austra and Goâ—ueruour of y e Low Countries 〈…〉 P. Stuat Excuâ—it CHAP. III. The troubles at Paris It is besieged The Archduke comes to succour it The besieging and taking of Ipers Cambray besieged in vaine Hennawlt ransacked THe newes which came to Paris of the Victory obtained against the Arch-Duke before Lens in Artâ—ise upon the twentieth of August 1648. would have filled all France with perfect joy had not an unexpected accident disturbed the feast and almost put that great City into confusion mingled with blood and slaughter For whilest they were giving God thanks for this said Victory A tumult at Paris and why the people hearing of the imprisonment of Messiours de Brussels de Charton and de Blancmesnil President of the Parliament whom they acknowledged for their Fathers and Protectors began to cry Alarme and run in flocks to the Pallace Royall to require their liberty The Shops were shut up the Chaines made fast and all the approaches barricaded So that Paris was in greater disorder now or else the danger was greater then that which chanced in Henry the thirds
time till the Queen being supplicated to release them was content to grant it And thus Appeased was the first bout which was but precursory to greater evils past and a calme restored to that little world for three or four moneths It is very reasonable say the Strangers that the Shop where the Counsells of so many wars had been forged should feel a part of the Calamities by which Europe hath been so miserably tottered but the mischiefe falls upon the heads of the innocent Strange effects of the Divine Providence which leaves nothing firme and stable in this detestable Age and nothing unpunnished though deferred Let us passe to the second much more dangerous then the first The Queen together with the King and Princes went out of Paris upon the fifth or sixth of January at night 1649 which clandestine retreat The King goes out of Paris which causes a tumult gave the Inhabitants such an Alarme as imagining that she would revenge her selfe of the former Commotion that they took arms again with as much heate as they had done before and raised forces to conserve themselves under the command of the Duke of Beaufort Elbouf and Bouillon as also the Marshal de la Motte and their chief General was the Prince of Conty The King raised some also and there came many to him from all parts to reduce this great City to reason he had already seized upon some approaches and some hot Skermishes were made in one whereof The pretended Duke of Rohan killed His education that pretended Duke of Rohan was killed of whose education the Reader will be pleased to hear a word or two as I have been able to learne it Being yet an Infant he was carried into Holland by a certain Captain and put to nurse to a Country-woman in North-Holland where together with his milk he sucked in the love of the Roman Catholick Religion When he was grown pretty big he was sent to the Latin Schooles at Leyden but with so little care that he was as it were quite abandoned and almost reduced to the extremity of betaking himselfe to learne some Trade During this small state and low condition he told his School-fellowes and namely my sonne that he remembred well that he was come of a good House and that he well knew that he was the sonne of a French Gentleman He went publickly to the Sermons and privatly when he could to Masse which being come to the knowledge of some to whom he was recommended without knowing who he was they forbid him to go to the secret Assemblies of the Papists But in fine the vizard was taken off and the Dutchesse of Rohan acknowledged him by Letters for her sonne sent him men and mony to set up his Traine and bring him into France where he soone sound his grave for a Pistoll bullet decided the sure and the doubt of whether he were the true sonne of the deceased Duke of Rohan or no. Paris was in a more dangerous State then it had been in a long time before for the King held S. Dennis Mewdon Corbeil and Lagny so that to get out of one extremity recourse must be had to another and that to the uttermost parts of the Kingdom I mean they were faine to implore assistance of their Enemies which being favourably offered they received it The Arch-duke goes to sucour Paris 1649. The Arch-duke Leopold promised to succour the Parliament against the Perturbatour of the Peace and quiet of Christendom for so they tearmed Cardinal Mazarin with whom he refused to joyn in Arms to his own great advantage and the ruin of the Partsians Wherefore he departed in March 1649. with very good order in all parts where he passed but with discontentment to his Army which marched in the Enemies Countrey with their hands tyed without receaving mony or daring to take any thing from the Peasants Goodnesse is sometimes dammageabe and to spare ones Enemies is to give them will to hurt him and deminish his strength Cardmal Mazarin seeing the Arch-dukes approach and Parliaments care for the remedy of the disorders which threatned the Kingdome with a great breach gave way to this sterme which being once joyned might come to destroy him So that the Peace was made all those insurrections were pardoned and Leopold found at the bottom of this businesse what the Duke of Lorrain had told him before For he was advised to retyre with all speed for fear least his passage were stopt A considerable favour indeed for having saved Paris from ruin with the losse of almost two thousand Horses which dyed for want of sorrage This deceipt was imputed to the necessity of the rime which when it hath any ground passes for craft for otherwise The peace made it is but meer malice Parisians it will be payd you and your inconstance will be chastized for the busines will not be forgotten The Arch-duke being amazed at this piece of levity speedily retreated towards his borders Ypers besieged and gave the Marquis of Sfondrato order to invest Ypers which he did the 11 th of April with incredible diligence having taken some Forts which facilitated the succour of the Town from Dunkerk but he found more to doe then was imagined for they of the Garrison being in number three thousand having thrust out some fifteen hundred inhabitants such as were most suspected and shut up the Magistrates the Clergy and some of the Nobility in a Cloister til the Tragedie were finished made their Artillery sound lowde and their blowes fall heavy in many sallies and especially in that of the 24. of April when they went and beat up the quarters of the Spaniards which was a most glorious action for had the succour been ready the Town had been infallibly delivered from the Siege In fine after having well defended the Countersearpe and a Half-Moon they yeelded themselves up the eighth of May Renders it self the eighth of May 1649. after having consumed their powder and the Garrison in respect that it was Sunday went out the tenth which was Tuesday St. Venant submitted at discretion the sixth of April and the Garrison were made prisoners of War The French Army made Rendezvous between Perone and Guise being a body of five and twenty thousand effective men under the orders of that fortunate Warrier the Count of Harcourt who knowing that the Spanish Troops were scattered and dispersed marched with speed incamped and intrenched themselves before Cambray Cambray besiged and tâ—â—en This un-thought-of surprize did not a little puzed the Arch-duke who contracting all his forces hastened with the Duke of Lorrain to succour the place and so having put in a supply he obliged the Besiegers to raise the Siege This done he sent his Army into Garrison and the French out of revenge for this affront fell into Hennawlt took Conde and asked both that and all the whole County in such manner as if they had had no intention
Drummes to be beaten and confirmed a most straight Allyance with the aforesaid Arch-Duke the principall conditions whereof were that neither Party should lay down Armes till the Princes were released the Duke of Lorraine restored to his States Sedan rendered and a firm Peace concluded between the two Crownes Which done they began to raise forces and the Spaniards disposed themselves to put theirs into the field The common opinion that the Spaniard sowes dissention in France refuted It is the opinion of many persons that the King of Spain endeavoured to corrupt the greatest part of the Nobleman of France with money and sowed sedition and revolt amongst them with this glittering mettall as if that Nation were not unquiet and turbulent enough of it self without his being necessitated to draine his Treasures to move it And yet suppose that he did it it was no more then what is ordinarily practised every where when there is an apparence of profit being incited thereto by Reason of State and then what was done by King Lewis the eleventh in England and elsewhere But to what purpose should it serve him save only to spend his mony unprofitably enough as appeared by their inconstance Many of them have often retyred themselves into his Dominions to seek their own security and his protection both which they have found and an honourable maintenance to boot but how have they taken their leave Lewis the eleventh being yet in his Dolphin-age withdrew himself to the Duke of Burgundy and for recompence as soon as he was in the Royall Throne he began and continued a war upon the Burgundlans But let us stay in our Age where we shall finde matter enough The Duke of Orleans twice at Brussels The Duke of Orleans fled twice to Brussels cast himself into the King of Spalnes arms who succoured him protected him and gave him an honourable allowance together with his Mother the Queen But being once reconciled and even after the King his Brothers decease he employed himself with as much heat as the most mortall enemy in the world to make warre in Flanders so to destroy his own Sanctuary And other Lords and spoyl his Protectour when all that people thought he would fix all his thoughts upon Peace The Dukes of Guise and Elbenf followed the same trace the former in Italy and the latter in Flanders And what shall we say of the Marshall of Turenne and the Allyance so solemnly sworne with the Arch-Duke The issue shewed that he returned with the same levity before the work was finished and so rendred that fair Field intructuous This is the profit of the Spanish Cathalicon and this the foundation upon which the King built his Conquests or rather this is the recompence of his liberality I praise the fidelity of the French but I blame their inconstance and presume to say aloud that the first obligation cannot dispense with the second made freely and without constraint Nor are there many such examples to be found amongst other Nations yea and it would be very ill taken in France if a stranger after having found his sanctuary there should after his reconciliation labour to make war against it Maurice Duke of Saxony Albert of Brandenburgh and some others made a League with Henry the second for the Liberty of Germany but findings that the French instead of Liberty layd hold of some Places they reconciled themselves with the Emperour and yet were they taxed of perfidy at the Court of France The Count of Fustenbergh having withdrawne himself from the service of King Francis the first and returned into the Emperours favour was beaten in seeking a passage upon the River of Marne and like to be knocked in the head for his ingratitude But let us returne to our purpose The renduclion of Belle-garde 1650. The King having assured himself of Normandy and many Places held by the Prince of Condes Lieutenants caused Bellegarde to be besiedged which quickly submitted for want of succour and he rendred the Inhabitants their Priviledges Let us passe the Sea Charles Stewart goes into Scotland The Scots being Assembled at Edenburgh resolved to take Charles Stewart for their King to which effect they sent Commissioners to treat with him at the Haghe and proclaimed him King of Scotland and England which extremely offended the Parliament at London He departed from Scheveling and we will let him go in great danger to behold the honour which was done Generall Cromwell for having reconquered almost all Ireland the Natives whereof being moved to take Armes by zeal of Religion and respect to the said Charles implored the assistance of the Pope and some other Christian Princes but not being seconded The Irish tamed and puâ—ished and falling into division amongst themselves they were easily tamed and chastized as well for having taken Arms as for having abused the English The Diet at Nurembergh In the same yeare the Diet was held at Nurembergh where after the agreement was made about the restitution of Places and the Assessement for moncy to pay the souldiers the rest of the time was spent in Visits and sumptuous Banquets Festivities and Fire-works of rate workmanship and skil The Duke of Amalsi formerly Piccolomini was there on the behalfe of the Emperours and acquired great admiration and Duke Charles for the Crowne of Sweden Some Counts were forced to pawne their wives Jewells and other Ornaments to be so much the sooner rid of these troublesome Guests Thus the Germans were whipt and payd for the Rodde for they were faine to give whatsoever they had left to recover that which was growne savage and desert The States of the Empyre sent an Embassadour expresse into Spain to beseech the King to draw his Garrison out of Frankendal which was granted at length that so the Peace might have full vigour as we will shew hereaster But since the Embassadours depart from Nurembergh let us go also out of Germany and hasten downe the Rheyn into Holland to see what passes there concerning the reduction of the Militia and other accidents Who will bee able to hide himselfe from the face of the Lord CHAP. VI Containing what passed in the Summer of this yeare of 1650. The Portugal Embassadours offers The Fleet in the Indies does nothing The Princ 's complaints The Siedge of Amsterdam The Imprisonment of six Lords who were carried to Louvestein The Prince of Oranges death His Prayer THe Zelanders before they would ratifie the Peace which they did with an ill will as well in regard of France as for the profit of some particular persons who were wont to go to the Cape of Grip would needs be assured of a prompt supply for the Company of the little Indies The estates of Orphans in Zeland employed in the Company of the Indies which was grown to decay by the revolt of Portugal Which was granted them because the Goods and Estates of many widowes Fatherless children and other persons of
so great mercy c. Besides these aforesaid advantages the Earle of Oppalinski nothing content to have forsaken the King of Polands Party himself drew also many of his friends and neighbouring Lords into the same engagement and they joyntly made an agreement with the King of Sweden containing these heads 1. That they should no longer own the King of Poland or acknowledge him for their Soverargne 2. That all such as should refuse to doe the same should be pursued with fire and sword 3. That the King of Sweden should have the same Authority over them which the Kings of Poland had and that for security of the performence of this Article they should deliver all their strong Holds to General Wittembergh And lastly That the King of Sweden should dispose of all the forces already raysed in great Poland The French after the surrender of Landrecies besieged and took Conde St. Ghistain and some other small places and made excursions even to the very walls of Brussels The Spaniards Embargo The Spaniards after having set out a Fleet to watch Generall Blake upon their Coast upon the news of the miscarriage of the designe of the Generals Pen and Venables at St. Domingo in Hispamola put a General Embargo upon the English Marchants Goods and imprisoned many of their persons also in all the Ports of Spain and the King published a Manifest which was quickly and roundly answered by the Lord Protectour whereupon there instantly followed actions of hostility at sea The Siedge of Pavia raysed The City of Pavia in Italy which had endured a long and fierce Siege by the Duke of Modena and Prince Thomaso was at length delivered by the valour of the Townsmen and the succour brought them by the Marquis of Caracena Governour of the Dutchy of Milan and the two aforesaid Princes forced to a disorderly retreat with the losse of many of their men some Canon and Baggage and the said Duke dangerously shot in the Arme. The Provaditore Morofini General for the State of Venice against the Turks got possession of the Island of Egina in the Archipelago and of the strong Hold of Vola which was surrendred the twenty second of March and which is the more advantagious in regard that the Turks had made their chief Magazine there for this summer expedition so that the Venetians gained besides their Ammunion a very great quantity of Bisquet and seaven and twenty pieces of great Ordnance most of them Brasse As much of the Provisions as could be carried away was put on ship-board and the rest syred that so the Enemy might not be benefited thereby and the best of the works demolished Victories of the Venetians a gainst the Turks About a moneth after they gave a totall defeat to the Turkish Fleet which endeavouring to come out of the Dardanelles upon the fourteenth of July at night after a very hot fight of eight houres was utterly routed and dispersed and forced to get shelter under the Castles of the said Dardanelles having lost in the battail sixteen ships six Gallyes two Mahones and many other Vessels foure thousand men taken prisoners who were all made slaves and a greater number killed This victory was so much the more remarkable for that the whole Venetian Fleet was not there a party thereof having been sent towards Canca a few dayes before to prevent the Turks relieving that place The Turkish Navy consisted of about a hundred ships and Gallyes and the Venetians but eight and thirty with eight Gallyes and two Galleasses The King of Sweden puts forth a manifest The King of Sweden upon his entry into Poland published a Manifest and sent a Letter also to the Emperour comprehending the reasons of his taking Arms against that King wherein he accuses him of eluding the Treatyes held between them of usurping the Title of the Crown of Sweden of endeavouring to debauch the people of Livonia or Leefland and to draw them to a defection of sending a Fleet into the Baltick Sea of attempting to intice the States of the Isle of Oesely to a revolt and many other charges he imputes to him in order to his having broaken the Articles of Truce concluded between the two Crownes From the very time that he entred Poland he went on with a conquering and irresistible hand all submitting partly by force and partly by composition and voluntary inclination to his obedience After he had taken and stayed some time at Warsovia he endeavoured by all means possible to joyne with Field-Marshal Wittembergh so to meet or seek the enemy with the more security whereof the Poles being advertized laboured to crosse that designe and hinder their conjunction to which effect they placed themselves in the woods so to sally out at unawares upon the said Field-Marshal as he marched by as not imagining that the King could possibly be yet arrived to him So that his Maâ—esty being sufficiently informed of their purpose fell in very good order upon them and advanced with such successe by entertaining them with his Ordnance and Forlorne The Polanders beaten that however they sometimes endeavoured to rally and draw to a head again they were constrained to quit the Field in great confusion with the losse of all their Baggage consisting of three thousand Carts and the Swedes pursued them in the Reer almost as farre as Cracovia putting most part of them to the Sword Nor was their prosperity a whit lesse in Lithuania the Nobility of that Country having abandoned their obedience to the King of Poland and sworne fidelity to the King of Sweden howbeit some of them shortly after began to repine at that yoke and the Muscovits desirous of amity with the conquerours departed Hereupon the Count of Steinbock Master of the Ordinance passed the River Vistula with his Troops and advanced against the Marsovians being there between nine and ten thousand strong where both he and his behaved themselves so valliantly that they rowted the said Marsovians killed and rook many of them and put the rest to flight The King and Queen of Poland fly The King of Poland finding the progresse of his Enemies so prosperous against him and himself deserted as well by his own Subjects as by Fortune and seeing at present small hopes of making any advantagious opposition to so impetuous a torrent fled together with his Queen into Silesia In the interim Christina lately Queen of Sweden being departed from Brussels Queen Christine declares her self a Roman Catholick betook her self towards Rome through Germany and made a solemne and publick Renunâ—ation of her former Belief embrancig the profession of the Roman Religion at Inspruck in Tiroll after which proceeding to her journies end she was received by the Pope with great magnisicence and splendom The Lottain Army goes to the French together with Prince Francis Whilest tuâ—sâ— things passed a Brigade of the Lorrain Army consisting of five Regiments â—eserted Spanish service and went to
and all reduced to the same state wherein it was in the year 1627. and all such Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods as the Protestants had appropriated to themselves after the agreement of Pastavia confirmed upon them for forty years and at the expiration of this terme the difference to be composed in an amicable way Which displeases the most zealous But now the most zealous of both Parties not being pleased with this Peace the Emperour perceived that France was cutting some work for him and that of the Empire being but roughly framed he wisely considered that he who will make war abroad must make peace at home Such as would be comprised in this Agreement were obliged to give their forces to the Emperour their Head under paine of being declared Enemies to the Empire and so they resolved though many of them with grudging to enter this holy Temple of Peace from which yet since they could not force it many of them flinched afterwards upon the first occasion with greater animosities then ever as we will shortly demonstrate A Peace constrained is like a rapid Brook which may be stopped for a time by a strong Dam or Sluce though at length it either peirce it or flow over it The Dukes of Meckelemburgh were pardoned and re-invested in their Dutchyes And all participated of this common Good save onely the Lands which had been occupated or seized on by the Swedes and Duke Bernard Duke Bernard goes into France who not having been able to recover what his Ancestours had lost cast his eyes upon the Flower de Luce whose favour with that King had kindled a great jealousie in the Electors Soul which turned into hatred against the Swedes as it appeared in the continuation of the War The scatterings of this Army rallyed neer Francfurt and the Ryngrave who had had his singer in the pye and saved himselfe by swimming was there with the Great Chanceller Oxenstern who did all he could to hinder this Peace or re-Union of the Members with their Head For he pretended that being the Queens Lieutennant the direction of the Affairs belonged to him but neither his arguments nor any such as sounded like them could be heard Indeed if we must seek the justice of a Cause in good successe and argument the complaints of the Swedes seemed in some sort lawful and the reproaches which they cast upon the Germans proceeded from a strong resentment Is this the recompence said they of so many labours and troubles as we have suffered and so many Battels as we have hazarded for your liberty Do you make us this ungrateful payment for the blood which we have shed and for the life which our King hath lost to free you from the oppression of the Spaniards and save your Religion How will you endure to hear that they who have been your Deliverers shall be called your Enemies These notes rung loude every where and found both the eares and the hearts of a multitude of Protestants open to produce a seed the bitternesse whereof was soon tasted however they had to do with a Nation which was but too grateful and acknowledging The Elector of Saxony both in his own name and that of the whole Protestant Body offered them a hundred thousand Rix-Dollars for a reward and ordered them to withdraw A reward offered the Swedes which they refuse but they would have more and stay'd hankering and hunting after many difficulties for they saw that they had yet many good Towns and Provinces and that the whole Empire was not able to beat them out of Pomerania They had the Allyance of France the affections of the people yea and of some Princes alsounder hand who had signed the Peace but by constraint and with regret And so in fine they took a firme resolution to stand it out There is collusion and cheatery as well in Germany as in other Nations and Macchiavels lessons are very much practiced there in this Age. The Chanceller Oxenstern environed by a great number of Counts Barons and great Lords kept his Court at Francfurt but finding the approach of the Conquerours he made a stronger Allyance with the King of France put Philipsburgh and all that which the Swedes held thereabouts into his hands for a huge summe of money and retired himselfe with Rautzaw through France and Holland into Sweden having sent before his departure his Traine of a hundred and fifty brave horses for breed into Pomerania which fell all into his Enemies hands A Vessel loaden with Spoiles makes Shipwrack We must here take notice of the shipwrack of a certain Vessel which departed with a faire winde from Wismar fully loaden with the richest spoiles and principally those of the Churches for besides some silver Organs the twelve Apostles of Wurtzburgh were all shut up in this belly of wood But being neer her time she was delivered without a Midwife and all was lost within a league of Sweden save onely one man who escaped to carry the newes and bid them not expect her The spoiles of the Church produce nothing but misfortune CHAP. II The answer to the complaints of the Swedes The Cardinal of Richelieu will besiege Colein The States refuse succour He endeavours to ruine the House of Lorraine The Dutchesse Nicoll at Paris Prince Francis carried prisoner to the Cittadel of Nancy THe complaints of the Swedes had their answer which was that they had had wages and booty that the Germans did not send for them but that they joyned together amongst themselves The reproaches of the Germans to the Swedes and that the Princes were not obliged to continue the war to glutt their ambition and avarice That they had obtained that for which they took arms That the recompence which was offered them freed the Princes from ingratitude That it was not lawful for them to sell or alienate the Lands and Goods of the Empire and much lesse to draw the French their old enemies into Germany In briefe that their pretexts were but illusions to amuse and battle the Plaicsends of the Germans But let us now bring the French upon the Stage who will peradventure beat down this tottered Building since they are invited to it by the Swedes That great Cardinal the worthy Instrument of all bloody Playes and principal mover of that furious Ball or Revel which was so long danced amongst Christians was alwayes either neer or in Lorraine to provide for all occurrences and remedy the suddain changes of Fortune He was so extreamly angry at the inconstance of the Colonians The Cardinal demands succour of the Hollanders to besiege Colein but in vaine or Citizens of Colein that he could not long dissemble it And therefore he sent to intreat the Sates-General of Holland to assist him in his designe and by vertue of the streight Allyance to succour the French Army which he had destinated to besiege that City with Victuals Munition and some Shallops But they answered that they could
Duke of Mercoeur had been before Canisse in Hungary Hatsfeldt fell sick and the Swedes being re-inforced divided themselves into two Bands or Bodies the one under Bannier to go towards Silesia and the other under Wranghel towards Marche but this latter was met and defeated by General Bredaw which losse obliged them to stay in Pomerania During this bloody knocking where Fortune remained not constant the Landgrave William being advertised of the retreate of the Swedes began also to think of his own for Cassel was not able to shelter him and so he retyred into Holland with his Wife and Children himselfe and his Army The Landgrave retires into Holland with his Wife His death put themselves into East-Freezland to be shouldered by the States and the North-Sea but Parca cut off the thred of his life by a pestilent Feaver and left the Game to be played by his wife who did it with much felicity Let us leave them forging new designes and passe to the other side towards Lorraine CHAP. VI. Coleredo taken The Spainards pass into Picardy John de Werdts exploits The Siege of Dole raysed Gallasso enters into Burgundy War against the Duke of Parma who makes peace Truce prolonged in Prussia DUke Bernard of Weymar and Cardinal de la Valette having with very much adoe gotten loose from their Enemies by whom they were both followed and flanked retired themselves fighting to Metz but with the losse of Canon Baggage and a great number of men as well by the Sword as Famine And John de Werdt and Gallasso tracing them were also so received by this scourge and sicknesse that after a good part of their Army was consumed they were forced to retreate the latter into Germany and the former into the Province of Liedge The defeate of young Coleredo by young Crecqui in Lorraine brought the war back again into Alsatia The Spaniards in Picardy with a potent Army The House of Austria to make France feel what she had made her suffer in Germany and the Low-Countries resolved to carry the war into her very bowells and to the very Gates of Paris it selfe The greatnesse of the Spanish Nation was engaged herein to make the French know that they had force enough to revenge themselves effectively and not by vaine rodomont ados or ranting For which end the Cardinal Infanto was making huge preparations all the Winter long He entred by the way of Picardy with an Army of sixteen thousand Horse and fifteen thousand Foot The Imperialists were conducted by Piccolomini and John de Werdt and the Low-Country Country Forces by Prince Thomas It was thought that Army would have devoured all France there being none but the Count of Soissons with ten or twelve Regiments to hinder their passing the River of Some Take some places Catalet Capelle and Corbie made small resistance and the other places served but for pillage Count Soissons retyred with some losse and the ransack which Iohn de Werdt made together with the dust of his Army cast terror into the City of Paris He surprised some beat others and went on with so much speed that he compelled his Enemies who were very much steeightened to keep themselves upon their guard The King raised a puissant Army and marched directly to his Enemies who not being willing to hazard the Country by a generall Battail retyred and he having after some weeks siege retaken Corbie and finding the the winter near at hand did the same But the Hollanders upon the other side not enduring to see the Spaniards in the Fort of Schenck after a siege of nine moneths constrained them to change their lodging Let us pass into Burgundy and see in what condition the Prince of Conde is there The Burgund ans say that he attacked them contrary to his own word given them Dole besieged 1626. is sueâ—ured by the Duke of Lorraine Gâ—llasso retyred into Germany and that a Prince who breaks word can never have good luck He laid Siege before Dole and the Inhabitants were resolved rather to perish all with their swords in their hands then yeeld themselves to him The Duke of Lorrain came from the Low-Countries and made him raise the siege and Galasso went out of Germany with an Army of thirty thousand men and fell upon France but stayed not long there and returned with small glory and a smaller Train after he had shewed the French that the Germans knew how to plunder as well as they However he left no mark at all of his valour behinde him for his Army being diminished by almost the one half as well through famin as flight he returned from whence he came and Monsieur de Rantzaw behaved himself so valiantly against him that he acquired the Marshalls staffe These Attacks upon the one side and the other between these two Crowns not having wrought the effects which were both feared and expected it looked as if the Kings would open their eares to the holy propositions of Peace which were made them by Pope Vrban But this Iron Age admits no such Remonstrances and all the mischiefes must be fulsilled because they have been foretold it is an Age of slaughter and not of peace Piccolomini returned into Germany and Iohn de Werdt to the Diocese of Colein after having humbled the Country of Liedge and carried the Eagles into the Kingdom of France but the Flower de Luce had yet too strong a smell for thern to suffer Hermestein bâ—eked renders by faâ—â—in the sixteenth of June 1638. The Fort of Hermestein had been two yeares blocked up and the Garrison forced by famine to consume all their horses for the Hassians were in Frienland and in France too farre off to give succour to a place which was like to be lost for want of it Some Waggons there went from Wesel with Victualls and Cloathes but Iohn de Werdt having notice thereof marched and charged the Convoy with so good successe that he routed the Cavalty and took all They of Hannaw went more cunningly to work and put three Barks loaden with provisions into their Town which passed before Mentz with a Burgundian Crosse and two souldiers clad like Monks thereby to cozen their enemies It is not the Habit which makes the Monk This Euterprise issuted well but the second was not so happy and so the French were constrained to render this good place into the hands of the Imperialists Ferdinand the Think Emperour of Germany c The Italians were not exempt from the fury of warre for after the Cardinall Infanto's departure the Duke of Parma upon some discontentments made a League with the Duke of Savoy and took the protection of France which was of much more advantage to him then it had been to the Electour of Trevirs and his subjects The two Confederates besieged Valencia where they lost their time mony and a multitude of men The Dake of Parma at Paris The said Duke of Parma was received at Paris 1636.