Livoma where he gained some advantage upon Samonskie besieged Riga but in vain and returned into Sweden in great danger to be drowned When he had gotten the Crown upon his head he gave the reasons thereof to all Christian Kings and Princes justifying his proceedings the best he could and seeking the allyance of his Neighbours and chiefly that of the States Generall Samonskie the Great Chancellonr aforesaid writ against him and cried our upon his ambition which greatly offended him and gave subject of great grudges between them which grew at length to implacable hatred Chules looset the Battel Fortune frowned upon him at Riga for his Army being much stronger then that of Poland was rooted by General Cockevietz who having senr four hundred of the Livonian horse over a River to attack the Swedes in the Reer wonne the Battel by this stratatagem and so Livonia came to be under the Polanders till the Reign of the Great Gustavus Adolphus who reduced it to his obedience All Livonia hath embraced the Lutheran Religion as well as Sweden where it is held for one of their Fundamentall Lawes as it also is almost through all the North. Sweden is the biggest of all the Northern kingdoms the Head City whereof is Stockholm a Town the Suburbs and Sea-thore or strand comprised of great distent There are many huge Mountains Rocks and Forrests where are sometimes heard great illusions and phancies as there likewise are in the water which are very troublesome and terrible both to men and horses which passe that way The country is not much inhabited and the chief Provinces are West-Gothland East-gothland from whence as also from the rest of Sweden according to the opinion of some Authours came the Goths who so much vexed the Romane Empyre This kingdom is full of Copper and Iron Mines The Swedes are good souldiers both by Sea and Land and have given incredible examples of their valour both in Germany and Denmark they are of a strong Complexion and sit to endure hardnesse and labour The Nobility is very mild and frank loves learning and languages but especially Latin and French travels much abroad is very dexterous at exercises and honours and seeks learned company Yea and they have this vertue above all other nations wherewith I have conversed that they heartily love one another our of their own country hide the vices of their Compatriots and stand much for the honour of their nation The Peasants or Country people send their Deputies to the Assemblies of the States to the end that nothing be coucluded there to the prejudice of their priviledges King Gustave and Queen Christine his Daughter now reigning created much new Gentry which in some sort is disdained by the ancient Families in regard the Nobility of the kingdom was almost exhausted by the Warres CHAP. VI Of Denmark The Description thereof DEnmark is a kingdom the best part whereof consists of Islands as namely Zeland and Fionia The Province of Scania reaches up to Sweden and Jutland to Holstein It was peacefully gouerned by the prudent conduct of King Christian the fourth successour to Frederick the second his Father and Duke of Holstein During his minority he had four Counsellours to help him to bear the charge of the Government He was crowned the 29 th of August in the year 1596. The principal strength of this Kingdom consists of good and stately ships whereof the King hath a considerable number as well for the defence of his said Islands as for that most important passage of the Sownd which is the streight that separates Scania from Zeland and which is of huge advantage by reason of the infinity of ships which must passe over it to go into the Baltick Sea in the same manner that those of all the Havens of the said Sea and bound for the Ocean are forced to passe that way The Nobility of Denmark as also that of Holstein is much more inclined to warres then learning zealous for their liberty and Rights and makes no allyance by marriage with the common people a maxime much observed through all the North Poland and Germany They rufuse Ecclesiastical Honours as below their condition defend their priviledges and make no esteem of others though by their experience and knowledge they may merit the best Offices and Employments in the Country The Government is not much unlike that of Poland in both which Elective Kingdomes the Kings undertake nothing of importance without the consent of the States and Nobility The Gentlemen are all equall and as it were of one Family there being neither Earl nor Baron The Officers of the Crown and Counsellours of the kingdome have the preheminency and assist the King in the most weighty affaires of the Countrey Norway an Hereditary kingdom opposite to Great Britain or England It is very big but very desert and hath no considerable Towns but such as are near the Sea side It yeelds great store of fish wood boards and good skins These three kingdomes were heretofore under the government of the King of Denmark But the Swedes not being able to suffer the tyranny of Christian the second divided themselves from his obedience They all follow the Lutheran Religion and the Capitall City of Denmark is Coppenhaghen a very fair town situated upon the streight of the Sownd near the Baltick Sea a passage of about four leagues most pleasant and recreative by means of a Forrest which borders upon the Sea from Coppenhaghen to Elsener of which passage because it is so much envyed we will hereafter speak more at large The Peasants of Denmark and Poland are treated almost like slaves for the greatest part of the Nobility licentiously abusing their liberty despises all who are not Gentlemen A fault which hath drawn ruine upon many Families which boasted of the story of their Ancestours But it is not enough to be born a Gentleman unlesse it appear by vertuous laudable and generous actions CHAP. VII Of Great Britain The History of the Earl of Gore ENgland is a most fertile and most potent Island as well for scituation as men and ships There reigned Queen Elizabeth a Princesse as happy in her allyances success of arms and love of her subjects as ever was She was Daughter to Henry the 8 th and Sister to Mary and Edward She changed the Religion declared her self Head of the Church She was alwaies well served She sent strong succours to the King of Navarre and her subjects wonne many victories by Sea from the Spaniard against whom she continued her hatred even till her death in favour of the Vnited Provinces of the Low-countries She was a sworne enemy to the Roman Catholick Religion and seemed to have made it her task to destroy that as well as she had the King who bears the surname of it Scotland is a kingdom which makes a part but not the better part of this Island There reigned as King Lames Stewart a Prince esteemed very wise who resented
and would have killed him if a Count had not hastened to the stirre and taken him out of their bands His Majesty seemed much displeased herear and all issued to the confusion of the one and the glory of the other The year following Prince Maurice had an enterprise upon the Dike of Antwerp from whence he retyred with remarkable losse before the Castle of Wowde which he took by capitulation The Arch-Duke on the other side disgusted at the losse of Sluce and desiring to keep Flanders free from contribution sent Spinela to the said place whose credit was already much augmented amongst his enemies as well as amongst them of the Spanish party But Maurice having prevented him and put all things in good order he found himself fain to seek the same way which the Count de Bucquoy had taken with a flying Camp towards the Rhein which he passed and took Oldenzeel and Lingen and if he had prosecuted his business with the same ardor and promptitude wherewith he began it was very probable he might have seased upon Coeverden Groening yea Embden it self and so have taken footing in Freezland Warre about the Rhein in regard that he would have found no great resstance for want of men especially coming upon an exploit both unforeseen and unexpected There was yet another very dangerous encounter towards the Rhem where Prince Henry had incurred great hazard of being killed or taken if he had not been seconded by his Brother wherein he was more happy then in the enterprise of Guelders The Designes upon Grave and Bergh upon Zoom were hurtfull to the undertakers and served for an advertisement to them upon whom they were practised to keep themselves upon their guard The Count de Buequoy quickly brake the garrisons of Wotchtendone and Cracaw and so winter was as a trumpet which sounded a retreat to both armies The morning is never so fair but that there appears some cloud upon the Horizon before the day be quite spent France is never so well at rest but that there is some stir either in one corner or other or in the middle For they are people of a fiery spirit and enemies to quiet The conspiracy which was discovered in Provence at that time and the author whereof was a gentleman of that Country who was appreheded at Paris together with the Secretary to the Spanish Embassador caused the the said Embassadour to complaine and reproach that the Peace was not well kept to which the King answered by other objections which were the seeds of the contrariety since between these two nations who yet by different wayes seem to have both but one object for their end The birch of Philip the fourth King of Spaine theâ—â— of April This very yeer 1605 upon the 8 th of April was born Philip the 4 th who holds the Spanish Monarchie at this day And the same year died Pope Clement the 8 th and Theodore Beza and the year following Justus Lipsins Professour of the University of Lovain CHAP. VI The difference which happened between Pope Paul the fifth and the Republick of Venice and why The peace made The Duke of Brunswick endeavours to take the Town The King of Denmark goes into England The continuation of the wars in the Low-Countries VVHiles the war was thus hot in the Low-Countries there happened a spark of division in Italy between the Pope and the Venetians which if neglected might have caused an emborasment no lesse perilous then that the one namely the Romane Catholicks ministring all kindes of means and reasons to quench it and the Reformates all sorts of invention to kindle it The knot of the controversie was that the said Republick had made a Law prohibiting all the Ecclesiasticall persons to buy or receive by Will or Testament any immovable goods or other inheritances This Order being ill taken at Rome caused a Bull which was published against the said Republick with the thunderbolt of excommunication in case it were not revoked within the tearm of four and twenty dayes interdicting the Priests to say Masse The difference between the Pope and the Venetians under paine of the same excommunication The Senate protests against it and so from words to blows Italy was instantly in armes The King of Spaine ofters assistance to the Pope and Henry the fourth as much but under condition that he being eldest son of the Church his Holinesse would receive no ayde from any other but himself This proposition together with the information which he had that the King of England and the Hollanders enemies to the holy See had presented all kind of help to the Venetians and being also moved by his own prudent goodnesse and the evident danger to which the Catholick States would be exposed caused him to hearken to the perswations of the two Kings and take off the excommunication whereby the businesse was appeased Taken away by the intercession of the two Kings and all the Ecclesiasticks who were gone out of the City during this fogg had leave to return except onely the Jesuites who carried the whole burthen and were banithed for perpetuity The Jesuites banished out of the Common-wealth of Venice nor have all the intercessions and addresses which have since been made in favour of them by the King of France and many other Potentates served for any thing but to renew the said order of banishment against them The Protestants their capitall enemies have not failed to serve themselves of this occasion as also of many other to cry them down every where by accusing them of some conspiracies against the said Common-wealth whereof yet there is no clear mention made at all For they make profession to be forbidden by their rule to meddle with State business But a good Game good Gaine They are not without fellowes for England furnishes them likewise with matter enough Now these animosities being appeased there returned a calm to all Italy which we will now leave to come back into Germany and Holland For here it is that men are alwayes in action both by Sea and Land whilest the rust of Christendom are at rest It is true that the Duke of Brunswick seeing Spinola with a great army neer Lingen took a pretext to raise one to but it was in effect to attack the chief town of the Dutchy An attempt upon Brunswick His forces seized upon one of the gates and the wall without much trouble but they weakly desended those advantages which they had gotten and so were shamefully beaten oft He besieged the town twice but the Emperour interposing his authority all was quickly accommodated Enterprines never snoceed well but by the courage of the under takers The King of Denmark goes into England The King of Denmark went to see his brother inlaw King James and his sister where having been regaled the space of a moneth he returned toward his own Kingdom not without admiring the pomp and magnificence of the English
in adversity onely that we are apt to remember him and such as were not content to live in such delicious idlenesse betook themselves to the warre either in Germany or the Low-Countries King Chales will have a Conformity of the Chu ches of Scotland with that of England King Charles made Proclamation for a Conformity as well in Ceremony as otherwife of the Churches in Scotland with these of England The Puritans opposed iâ— a tumult was raised against the Bishops and principall parsons of quality and a new Allyance or Covenant amongst the Puritans The King warned them to renounce it â—ut they on the other side persisted published scandalous Writings made a League abrogated the Episcopall Authority fortified some places and constrained him to leave his rest and take arms The Scots arms The Scots having gotten possession of the Castle of Edinburgh entred in to England took Newcâ—stle and Durham The King called a Parhament which being for the most part composed of Puritans he found them inclined to favour the Scots Whereupon he marched with an Army towards the Botders where he slighted the advice of one of the chief of his Kingdom who told him that if he would be a King and were not weary of raigning he must hazard a Battell But he preferring a pernicious peace before a necessary warre made an accommodation and at the same time called a Parliament which forth with assembled and the Scots after having finished a fine Master-piece of businesse whereof they felt excessive inconveniences after wards returned home The Deputy of Ireland prisoner his death The King gave this Parliament all full and absolure power provided that in any wife it touched not his Preroâ—ative nor such as were near it an individuall point by verâ—ue of a Law made in Henry the seventh's time But the first thing they did was to imprison the Lord Deputy of Ireland who could not be saved by the Kings requests nor his own defence but that he must needs be sacrificed to the hatred of the ignorant people who expressed their brutality by demanding his death and their folly by being moved to compassion at his firm and immutable constance to the last The Prince of Orange in England The Prince of Orange having demanded the eldest Princesse for his Son and obtained her he sent him thither to espouse her where he heard the said Deputies arguments and saw him brought upon the Scaffold and after his departure the Queen conducted her Daughter to the Haghe where she was received with very great honours but found the States more inclined to Neutrality then to meddle with that intestine warre For the King finding his Authority sensibly checked was already retyred to York where he set up his Standard sent for the Knights of the Garter and having neither Ships nor money sought some support in the affections of his subjects but too late for the forces whereof he had dif-invested himselfe were in the Parliaments hands however he was succoured by the greatest part of the Nobility The Malignants and Round-heads who and Gentry upon whom was imposed the name of Malignants as that of Round-heads was upon the Parliament souldiers The Queen having received some money upon her Jewels and drawne a good summe from the Prince of Orange repasted into England War between the King and Parliament but was cast back by a most horrible tompest upon the Coast of Holland though yet some weeks after she arrived in safety with all the Munitions which she had been able to purchase and afterwards retired into France leaving her husband in this storm wherein he was swallowed up S r. Thomas Wentworth c. Lord Debuty of Ireland sould by P. Stent In sine understanding that the English had called in the Scots by vertue of the Covenant concluded and confirmed by Oath on both Parcies wherein they swore the destruction of the Bishops he dispatched Prince Robert against them The Royâ—lists beaten by the Scots who joyned his forces though not his opinion with the Earl of Newcastle for he would needs venter a Battail which he lost and the said Earl fled into Germany and all the Kings felicity with him During these interludes the Earl of Montroffe did wonders for the King in Scotland for with a very small Army he gained a Battail came off with advantage in many encounters and repayred in fine the Kings affaires there Montrosse for the King in Scotland whilest they impayred in England for having lost another victory to Fairfax he was compelled to retyre to Oxford where he was besieged Whereupon his Son went into France and himself fled disguised to the Scotch Army The King flies to the Scotch Army and is sold who received him at first with great honour and complement though afterwards they delivered him up to the Parliament Army for a summe of mony He was made passe amongst the people for a Papist and a Tyrant and that he had a design to annull all the Priviledges of England c. Ah ungratefull People Ah Scotch Captains You who have the renown of being Souldiers how could you consent to such a basenesse Had avarice more power over your soules then respect vertue and duty For though you had an opinion that the King were a Papist is it lawfull for subjects to act against the Annointed of the Lord that which they would not have done to themselves As soon as the news of the Deputies imprisonment arrived in Ireland The revolt in Ireland the Irish took Arms to free themselves from the Captivity of the English as they called it but with so much barbarity and cruelty that they rendred themselves detestable thereby especially to such as knew how they had been treated by the English But what will not people undertake which from a long time are grown brutish and savage when they crush the head of their Governours with their own Chaines The Collections which were made in Holland for the succour of the Reformates in that Country The Collections in Holland for what begat as well the admiration of the Charity of that Nation towards their Brethren as doubt also on the other side whether such large summes ever arrived there The King being near London found himself reduced to the extremity of granting them of the Parliament whatsoever they asked and not being able to suffer some inconveniences which were cast upon him he made his escape to the Isle of Wight where he was treated like a prisoner But in fine being led back again to London and the Vpper House being abolished The King is executed the 30. of January 1649. he was accused by the Army and brought before a High Court of Justice where he was tryed condemned to be beheaded and executed the thirtieth of January 1649. There have happened enormous accidents in this Age but none which hath so much astonished the world as this strange proceeding Such as are curious have made a shift
Fortifications The end of the Party Page 112. CHAP. IX The death of Bethleem Gabor Ragoski his Successour The marriage of Ferdinand the third with the King of Spaines Sister Page 114. CHAP. X. The War of Italy for the succession of the Dutchy of Mantua where in the Emperour and the two Crowns interessed themselves Page 115. CHAP. XI The continuance of the war of Italy The Venctians beaten Pignarola taken Mantua taken and pilladged The peace is made with restitution on both sides Page 117. CHAP. XII Cardinal Richelieu makes peace with the English studies new Allyances to attack the House of Austria Page 119. CHAP. XIII A description of the state of the Empire The Election of the King of the Romans Page 121. CHAP. XIV A description of the three States of the Empire The Hanse-Towns Page 123. CHAP. XV. The principal motives of the decline of the Empire Page 125. CHAP. XVI The Emperour redemands the Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods taken after the Composition of Passavia Alteration amongst the Protestants Page 126. CHAP. XVII The Assembly at Ratisbone where Frithland is exanctorated or dismissed from his Charge Page 128. CHAP. XVIII The King of Swedens entrance into Germany His reasons why Those of the Emperour Allyances with Bogislaus He blocks up the Sea-towns Tilly retakes the Generalate against his will Page 129. CHAP. XIX The Siege of Magdeburgh The Duke of Lawenburgh beaten and taken near the Elbe The King Gustave takes Francsurt upon the Oder and beates the Imperialists Page 131. CHAP. XX. The Protestants make Allyance with Gustave Magdeburgh taken by force Page 134. CHAP. XXI The Battel of Leipsick the flight of the Imperialists Page 136. CHAP. XXII The Cardinal pries upon the affaires of Germany abuses the Duke of Lorraine Papenheim retakes Westphalia succours Magdeburgh and beats the Swedes Page 139. CHAP. XXIII The taking of the Fleet of Shallops near Berghenup-zoom Wallenstein resakes the Generallat with Conditions of too much advantage An Earthquake at Naples The Mountaine of Soma vomits fire Page 141. CHAP. XXIV George I and grave of Darmstadt obtaines Newtrality and why Horne beaten by Tilly. The King makes his entry at Nurembergh Tilly retires The King takes Donawerdt passes the Leck makes Tillies troops retreat with confusion Tillies death his Elogies The Siege of Ingolstadt The taking of Ratisbone Divers Instruction of the Embassadours of France The Eagle in danger succoured by whom Page 143. CHAP. XXV The Count of Bergues disgusted at the Kings service goes secretly to the Haghe The Siege of Mastricht Papenheim being repulsed returns into Germany Limburgh followes Mastricht and the Deputies the Prince to the Haghe Page 146. CHAP. XXVI Wallenstein drives the Saxons out of Bohemia drawes towards Nurembergh The Tragedy which hapned at Rostock Gallasso and Holck in Misnia The King goes out of Bavaria and incamps before the said town sends for all his Forces Papenheims successe Page 148. CHAP. XXVII The Armies are incamped before Nurembergh The Skermishes They depart from thence The Battel of Lutzen The death of Gustave Papenheim and Feederick Page 150. CHAP. XXVIII The Electour of Trevirs takes the protection of France Monsieur enters the Kingdoms with an Army The brave Duke of Montmorancyes death Page 152. CHAP. XXIX The King of Sweden regretted and by whom Wallenstein causes some of his Officers to be executed John de Werdt makes himselfe known The Battel of Hamelen The cruelty of Conquerours Brisack succoured by the Duke of Feria War in the Archbishoprick of Colein Page 153. CHAP. XXX The Siege of Nancy Rantzow makes himselfe known at the encounter of Haguenaux and at the Siege of Andernack Page 156. CHAP. XXXI Wallenstein defeates the Swedes in Silesia The Inhabitants of Colein retract the Agreement made before Nancy The tragical death of the said Wallenstein Page 156. CHAP. XXXII The Siege of Smolensko raised The King of Poland forces an Army of a hundred and twenty thousand men to have recourse to his mercy He makes peace with the Muscovits Chastises the Turks The Infanto's death The taking of Rinbergh Aitona puts the Milttia in good posture and takes some Lords prisoners Page 160. CHAP. XXXIII The Siege of Ratisbone The taking of the towne Aldringers death The Cardinal Infanto joynes with the King of Hungary The Protestants recollect all their Forces The bufinesse of Nortlinghen The Victory of the Imperalists The Cardinal Infanto goes into the Low-Countries Page 162. THE SECOND PART THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. THe peace made at Prague after the reduction of many places and small States The complaints of the Swedes Page 165. CHAP. II. The Answer to the complaints of the Swedes The Cardinal will besiege Colein The States refuse succour He seeks to ruine the House of Lorraine The Princesse Nicoll at Paris Prince Francis carried to the Cittadell of Nancy Page 167. CHAP. III. The Imperialists wast in the Dutchy of Wirtembergh The French come to succour the Swedes Philipsburgh taken by a prank of war The Cardinal Infanto enters Brussels and the Duke of Orleans departs Page 169. CHAP. IV. The King of France declares war against the Cardinal Infanto and why The Spaniards are beaten The taking of the Fort of Schenck Page 170. CHAP. V. The Imperialists beat back the French into Lorraine Oxensterne passes into France Bannier begins the war again and beats the Saxons Hatsfeldt gives succour Magdeburgh renders it selfe The Battel of Witstock Leipsick succoured Page 172. CHAP. VI. Coloredo taken The Spaniards passe into Picardy John de Werdts Exploits The Siege of Dole raised Gallasso enters into Burgundy The war agianst the Duke of Parma who makes his peace The truce prolonged in Prussia Page 175. CHAP. VII Ferdinand the second dies afer the Diet of Ratisbone where his Son had been elected King of the Romans A Recitall of his life Bannier makes new progresse Many Princes take Newtralities and then the Party of the Swedes The Arch-Duke Leopold Generalissimo or chief Generall Page 178. CHAP. VIII The Duke of Weymar repasses the Rheyn and besieges Rhinfeldt John de Werdt beaten and taken The Duke of Rohans death Duke Bernards many victories He takes Brisack his death Page 180. CHAP. IX Breda yeelds it self to the Prince of Orange Venlo and Rurem and to the Cardinal Insanto Landrecies taken The French beaten from before Saint Omers and Fontarrabie The Queen-Mother goes into England returns to Colein and dies The Defeat before Theonuille The Defeat of the Hollanders before Callo The ruine of the Spanish Navie The revolts of the Normans Page 182. CHAP. X. The revolt of Catalunia and Portugal The taking of Arras The Spaniards beaten before Carall The Hollanders beaten before Hulst Page 186. CHAP. XI The prudence of the Cardinal-Duke The Duke of Lorraine goes to Paris and why the Count of Soissons the Dukes of Guise and Bouillon retyres themselves to Sedan where they and Lamboy beat the Marshall of Castillon The taking of Ayre The Cardinal Infanto retyres to Brussells His
received by all the Subjects of the King as a speciall grace sent them from God but that which was deplorable in it was that he was forced to abandon the cause of his Cousins the Dukes of Meckelenbergh who for having embraced his and followed his Party or rather for having conjoyned their armes with all the members of the Circle were proclaimed Out-lawes The Dukes of Meckelâ—nbergh excluded from Peace Their Dutchy given to Wallenstein and their Dutchy ingaged to Wallenstein who was afterward put in possession thereof as true Duke by the Emperour This proceeding as being very rigorous against Princes of so ancient and so illustrious a Family and totally contrary to Ferdinands clemency made the House of Austria suspected not only of intending to establish her Authority in the North but of making also the very Empire it self Hereditary and to go yet farther too if occasion were offered And this upon the matter was partly the cause of the Swedish warre as we shall shortly demonstrate But let us go into Austria where we shall find very fine house-keeping CHAP. IV The Warre of the Peasants in Austria VVHilest all the North trembled at the Imperial Eagles and that nothing but the salt ayer of the Ocean was able to stop either their flight or their victories behold a little spark in Austria both contemptible and contemned raised within a few moneths such an embarasment as frighted that invincible Monarch at the same time that all the Princes began with good reason to apprehend him through the constant felicity of his Generalls These disorders were caused by diversity of Religion and the Politicians together with such as aspired to change moved them on to that point which we are now going to describe The cause of the Revolt of the Peasants Ferdinand being a very zealous Prince thought it his duty to draw either by fair meanes or foul all his Subjects to the Roman Catholick Religion and his Councell alledged that his Authority would still be wavering as long as there should be any Hereticks in his States And so it was facil to perswade him to a thing which hè conceived to depend upon his conscience Whereupon he commanded all his Subjects either forthwith to embrace the Catholick Religion or depart out of Austria within a certain term prescribed them A bold resolution and found strange opposition He declared in his Letters Pattents that Heresie under the pretext of Liberty of Conscience and Priviledges hatched nothing in her bosome but Revolts Sedition and Devices to shake off the yoke of Soveraigns and lawfull Magistrates Princes look upon the interest of State and the People that of Religion which once lost farewell all respect with it The Peasants must therefore be stirred up to try if luck would turn and whether Fortune would be alwayes fixed with a Diamant-Nayle Complaints were rejected Count Hebersdorf the inexorable executor of this importunate and unseasonable Command was first chased away with stones and afterwards fury affoarded other weapons For the said Peasants to the number of ten thousand cut off his forces seazed upon many Castles and small Places and being at lenth re-inforced by forty thousand men and forty Peeces of Ordnance pillaged all Austria sparing neither Priest Monk nor Gentleman The Clergy hath ever served as Fee or prey to the seditious The Emperour wrote to them but they endeavouring to obtain by force what was denied to their supplication disdained to answer him Upon which he dispatched other Embassadours to endeavour to reduce them gently to their duty but they retained them and sent some from themselves to Vienna to demand free exercise of their Religion dismission of the souldiers and a generall pardon for what was past All which they had obtained had not their prosperity by the defeat of some of the Duke of Bavaria's Troops made them undertake more If any grow blind by happinesse it is chiefly the abject sort of the vulgar which waxes temerarily bold when it thinks it self feared But the Town of Lintz which they besieged cowed their courage and speeded the punishment which they had deserved by their rash Rebellion They assaulted it often but were still repulsed with huge losse so that Papenheim who was appointed to chastise them effected it not with so great facility as Trucses and some other Generals had done that of the like seditious Rabble above a hundred years before For he was fain to combat them at least seven times before he could vanquish them so chearfully and stoutly would they rally and defy their victorious enemies even in the fight The Romans found themselves once in great trouble by the revolt of their slaves and yet they more easily quenched that fire though it were even within the Walls of Rome then the Imperialists were able to do this because here was more combustible matter But under what Heads or Leaders Their Generals a Schollar a Shoomaker and a Smith did this desperate Crew fight A Schollar a Shoomaker and a Smith With what weapons Sticks Stoones Whips Forks and Muskets And what more Potion and Enchantments To what end If we must judge Effects by their Causes it was for the exercise of Religion and to beat out their Soveraign Magistrate Who were those Aeoluses who letting loose the windes disturbed the Calm and raised their storms It is more easie to conjecture and believe then to prove They are at last defeated in many Encounters by Papenheim After the last defeat the most mutinous of them ran away and the rest pent up at home like slocks of sheep Thus ended this dangerous warre which teaches us how perilous a a thing it is to endeavour to command mens consciences We must contend with the word of God and not with the sword or to say better we must pray with charity for one another and not persecute our selves with arms unlesse we be commanded by Politick necessity The holy Scripture sayes Let the rares grow fear lest you root out the good corne Papenheim acquired no lesse glory nor merited lesse to Triumph then the two other Generals And thus was the Emperour delivered from a most apparent danger by the remotenesse of his Armies Let us now make a leap to the Low-Countries and see what passed there at the beginning of the year 1625. CHAP. V The death of Prince Maurice and of the King of England The Siege of Groll The State of Lorraine The Jubily at Rome Bethleeem makes warre upon the Emperour and obtains peace The death of Maurice 1625. PRince Maurice being returned to the Hague expressed no more then a certain pensiveness and melancholy proceeding from age and as it was believed from the errour committed in that memorable Enterprise upon Antwerp which grew to augment his feaver and brought him at length to his grave His reputation is too much known to speak much of him and the United Provinces would have had cause to be infinitely afflicted at such a loss had he
and would needs make others also believe that the States of Holland chose rather a way of Accommodation then to enter into a war which if it had proved successefull to them would have redressed Charles Stewarts affairs and his Nephews to the detriment of their Authority Others maintained that this Peace being utterly broaken the Country would quickly be lost Be it what it will mens passions have been so much the more discovered upon this matter as the liberty of speaking is greater in Holland then elsewhere A tumult at London raised by the Portugucles The tumult which was so temerarily excited at London by the Portugal Embassadours brother made him carry his head upon a Scaffold some moneths after and all issued so well for the great and most prudent Cromwell that he acquired together with the Title of Protectour of the Common-wealth of England the renown of the most acute Politician of this Age. For good successe made the Enterprizers admired gave the Protector full power and authority and left desolate Charles nothing but complements of compassion France the sanctuary of the afflicted France which hath alwayes vanted her self to be the Sanctuary of such as are poor and afflicted labours at present to strip her self of that glorious quality through a maxime of State She hath already felt the strength of the English Will have no war with the English by the loss of her ships and so knowes how dangerous this enemy is and the trouble she had in former Ages to pluck him out of her bowels Wherefore it is better to appease him by politick craft and comply with the Times The reasons then to fall into another war The motions are great enough yet in the Kingdom and it suffices to have the Spaniards for her enemies without drawing the English upon her back too We must sometimes kisse the hands of such as we would have farre enough from us for fear of irritating them And therefore it is that the King sent his Embassadour to London to acknowledge the Republick and treat of a good peace and settle Traffick The Lord Preâ—â—â—tour a great Politician General Cromwel hath expressed his incomparable dexterity in the mannagement of Arms in the direction of Affaires in his Allyances with strangers in dissipating the ambushes and treacheries which have from time to time been land against his designes and his authority and principally in the wars against the Hollanders And you shall now sce how he came to rise higher He assembled another Parliament some of the members whereof being inclined to him proposed one day in full Assembly that the burthen of the Common-wealth was too heavy for them and that it was necessary to impose it upon the shoulders of General Cromwell Some of them not approving of this change retyred secretly to shelter themselves from the contrary winds and the rest were dismissed by him and so the rest went forthwith to conferre that honour upon him congratulate with him and gave him the Title of Protectour England hat 's changed her Gevernment three several times which is not new in that Island and occultly the Soveraignty of England so that in a few years this said Island hath changed her government three severall times and yet leaves not to flourish and to be most formidable to all the powers on earth Some moneths before the dissolution of the Parliament the Kings youngest Son commonly called the Duke of Glocester was sent to Dunkerck in the condition of a private Gentleman with a summe of mony to defray his expences Whilest the Peace is treated at London with many dissiculties by the intervention of the Reformed Cantons of Swisserland and the recommendation of the Queen of Sweden we will take a turn through the North. The King of Denmark being fortified by the Allyance of the States-General and the jealousies which the King of Swedens Leavies gave him The King of Denmark fortifies himselfe being taken away had no other care then to keep his Subjects in arms to hinder all surprises and to intrench the Approaches at the same time when the scourge of God went ransacking all the Inhabitants of the North. At Stockholme Fortune manifested her Empire by casting for a time Count Magnus de la Gardia under her wheel Count Magnus de la Gardia disgraced and depriving him of his Mistresses favour but she was not so rigorous to him as she was to the brave Earle of Essex in Queen Elizabeths time in England Whilest this August Queen is disposing her self to do in the greatest vigour of her youth what the Emperour Charles the fifth did in his decline we will make an in-road into Poland Searce had King Casimir unlaced his Armour yet all stained with the blood of the Rebellious Cossacks The King of Poland attacked by the Muscovites when he saw himself oblidged to put his foot in the stirrop again to resist the Moscovits This Kingdom which had been so much afflicted by the excursions of the said Cossacks by Inundations contagious Diseases Partialities and Distrusts which are ordinary in Free Countries findes her self now in the necessity of making a Defensive War and the Natives to make resistance against a barbarous Nation which they have so often beaten and chased as far as the very heart of Russia and the very Gates of the Capital City Mosco But Changes are as well universal as Chastisements The death of that great Minister Mons de Brum In the beginning of the year 1554. religiously deceased at the Haghe that great man and most faithful Minister Monsicur Anthony de Brun Baron of Apremont and Ordinary Embassadour for the King of Spain to the States He was born at Dole in Burgundy had served his Master from his youth in very great affairs and nominatively in the General Peace at Munster Towards the Spring the Peace was concluded at London against the opinion of many and the news thereof was most agreeable to the Hollanders but when the Articles came to be published The Peace made between the English the Hollanders whereby the young Prince was excluded from all Charges or Offices it much troubled the Provinces and was like to cause divorces and great partialities in so much as the other Provinces set forth complaints and Protestations which were amply enough answered in a Manifest published by the States of Holland and which the Reader may see at good leasure But there were nothing but murmurations they taxed the said States with ingratitude and reproaches and slanders were scattred at random Is this the recompence said they every where of so many services rendred The Princes his Predecessours The cause of the murmurations in behalfe of the Prince of Orange spared not their blood nor their lives nor their meanes to purchase our liberty and in lien thereof we make Agreements so prejudicial to his Authority and so contrary to our duty Ah! what will not the Allyes of this