their Armes stoutly and the adverse writers confesse That their dead bodies now covered the same ground which living they had defended These were old beaten souldiers indeed but it was so long since they had beene last beaten that they had by this time forgotten how to runne away This is the reason that they were so shattered that when towards night they were to have falne on againe both these Brigades put together could not make one Squadron strong which is but the 3d. part of one of them By this you see that 5. of 6. were there killed The Swedes Brigade marked with the number 8. fared something better because neere unto the Horse and yet there came not aboue 400. off alive or unwounded Duke Bernards Brigade marked with 11 was something more out of Gun-shot for that next the Horse of the Left Wing Yet here was Colonel Wildestein shot in the breast of which he after died Duke Bernards Lieftenant-Colonel Winckler being slaine upon the place In this sore bickering the spoyle on the Imperiall side fell mostly upon old Bruners and young Walensteins Regiments both which were here killed with full halfe if not 2 thirds of the souldiers These Regiments performed their duties so valiantly and Walenstein himselfe tooke such speciall notice of them that he along time after if not still maintained them in his owne house at Prague for it Hindersons Reserve of Foote in the meane time which you see at number 37. had also their share in the knocking one of the Offices and uses of the Reserve being still to supply and second where most need is with fresh men to derne up the holes and stop up the gaps of the slaughtered And whereas those 4. Brigades of the Van had so terribly beene shattered Generall-Major Kniphausen had out of his care sent up these 2. Brigades of the Count of Thurn and the Colonell Mitzlaff which you see at numbers 28. and 29. to relieve them After a while he sent them up those 4. Squadrons of Horse which you see at the numbers 33 34 35 The Imperialists beaten off and 11. pieces takeÌ„ 36. who so well altogether restored the encounter that the Imperialists began to give ground which the Swedes so farre pursued till they had recovered the 7. peeces againe and those 4. others which you see at the letters F F to the left hand of them Looke we now aside to see what was done in the Reere and Left Wing by Kniphausen and Duke Bernard Generall-Major Kniphausen having sent 2. Brigades of his 4. and 4. Squadrons of Horse What Kniphausen did to the reliefe of the Vantguard sent also his other 2. Horse Squadrons at the numbers 30 3â— commanded by the Prince of Anhalt and the Lieftenant of Baron Hoffkirch unto Duke Bernard As for the other 2. Brigades of Foote his owne and Bosens which you see at 27. and 28 together with Oems his Reserve of Horse to be found at number 38. these did Kniphausen still keepe by him in the Reere of the Battell Duke Bernard had as hard a Chapter of it as any man against the Imperialists Right Wing and what Duke Bernard at the Wind-Mills and surely had the most renowned Don Quixote beene there there had beene exercise enough for his valour at these Wind-Mills Soberly this was the hardest Post for advantage of situation all the field over and Count Coloredo as well maintained it against him Never man did more gallantly behave himselfe then Duke Bernard did that day sure it is and himselfe avoucht it that first and last in this and other places he charged 12. severall times one after another any of which was a more desperate piece of service then all Hercules 12. labours baâ—e me but his going to hell to fetch out Cerberus And Coloredo gave Duke Bernard leave to charge all he had so good an advantage of the 2. ditches and the Wind-Mills that hee would not scarce offer upon Duke Bernard His great valour The brave young Duke pressing on in the beginning of the fight had set the towne of Lutzen on fire his reason being that seeing if he would get the Wind-Mills he must with the end of his Wing even touch as it were the very walls of the town Should Coloredo then have first filled those wals with Muskettiers they must needs have so sorely galled his Horsemen that there had beene no comming neere nor could Horse and Pistols have done any service against wals and Muskettiers In one of these Charges did Coloredo so thunder upon Duke Bernard that the valiant Prince thought it not un-souldier-like done to shelter himselfe behind the Millars House which you see at the letter N. All this time as we told you did Major Kniphausen keep his 2 Brigades and Oems his Reserve together un-engaged doing no more with them then faire and softly advance them towards the enemy at such time as he saw the Brigades of the Van to get any ground of them The distance of his Reere from the Front was about 600. paces and at that scantling he still kept himselfe behind the other This was no small occasion of the winning of the Battell seeing that so often as any of the Van were disordered and put to the retreate they with him still found a whole great Body together unbroken by the sight of which they resumed new courage and were set in order againe And very glad was Duke Bernard when in the next breaking up of the Mist he came and found Kniphausen in so good order whom as he openly professed he feared to have found all to pieces For now betwixt 3. and 4. a clocke which was a little before Sun-set did the Mist breake up and there was a faire halfe-houre after it At which time Duke Bernard going abroad to over-view the posture and countenance of the Army which since his hearing of the Kings death the mist and smoake had not suffered him to discover any thing of he came now along by the Battell unto the Right Wing speaking to the Officers and souldiers and encouraging them to a new on-set Plainely he found the whole Army except Kniphausens part in no very good order which he and Kniphausen who tooke much good paines likewise about it did their best to reduce them to When the Word was given for a new Charge alas Camrade said the poore souldiers one to another must we fall on againe Come saies the tother embracing him Courage if we must le ts doe it bravely and make a day out As Duke Bernard was leading on the Imperiall Generalissimo sent his 2. Colonells Tersica and Piccolomini to discover in that cleere weather what the Swedes were a doing who brought his Excellency word againe that they were r'allied together about the Wood and in very good order advancing towards him The 4th charge This no doubt made the Imperialists hearts quake to thinke upon the terror of a fourth Charge And now could the Swedes discover the Imperiall
not with a servile celerity and Bounty He is a bountifull-handed man where he finds deseruing and these two things Rewards and Punishments and enough of both are the Secrets of his Discipline these are the chiefe lawes that kept his Campe in exceeding good order all the time of this Leaguer and himselfe well beloued of his souldiers There was no great good heartinesse of affection some will say betwixt the 2. Dukes and if Bavaria at any time interposed his counsell Walenstein would take no more of it then should serue his turne good aduice perchance being now and then discountenanced for the Giver The Campe being fortified the Generalissimo gave this generall order unto his souldiers that they should make more use of their trenches then of their weapons That they should not but with speciall leaue goe out upon commanded Partees and that very strongly That they should not but upon command straggle abroad after forrage or adventures but continue to make good the Posts they were commanded to till they were relieved That they should for the most part containe themselues upon the defensive within their Quarters and when they were in commanded Partees sent abroad they should then hinder the Swedes from getting forrage He had taken a very excellent order for the victualling of his Army for sure the Duke of Fridlands Master-piece is to be a good Provisioner His provisions for his Army what and he hath a singular good Catering-wit of his owne Aboue all had he taken good care for his Provant-breade which is halfe the standing diet of a souldier and they will doe well enough where bread is good and plentifull That which most incommodated him was That navigable river he had none for the seruice of his Leaguer The river Rednitz though it ranne from his Campe into the Bishopricke of Bamberg a friends countrey yet it being both narrow and shallow and against the streame too whence and how fetched it was no way capable of any great carriages His trust for the bringing of his victualls therefore must be by Convoyes over land which were farre more casuall and more chargeable He had laid all the countrey for provisions Divers troopes of his Cavallery were sent unto all the next greater townes and Passages then at his devotion which were there to hold their Quarters As to Cronach namely and Forcheim in the Bishopricke of Bamberg Willsburg Castle and Weissenburg an Imperiall towne by it in the Bishopricke of Aichstet Some of his Forces had beene left beyond Norimberg in the Vpper Palatinate to secure that and Bohemia and others were already advanced beyond it to the townes upon the river Aisch in Franconia The Crabats roaved up and downe from Forcheim almost unto Wurtsburg yea he had made sure worke of it euen as farre as the towne of Regenspurg in Bavaria and had blockt up all the chiefe Posts and Passes betwixt these townes and Norimberg From all these and from Regenspurg especially whether it was sent him along the Danuby from Vienna was his Campe served with provisions and the Kings Leaguer thereby cut off from all necessaries Every day were strong commanded Horse-Partees sent abroad to lye upon severall Posts and Passages of advantage to intercept the Kings Foragers This was commonly the Crabats businesse who lay up and downe 4. 6. 8. or 10. miles from the Kings Leaguer With these had the Swedish Partees their most encounters but for brevities sake I must not insist upon every skirmish All this was done by Walenstein with Iudgement and like a Generall and this was all the force he used to constreine the King to dislodge from before Norimberg and to abandon it up to his mercy Walensteins purpose in encamping by the King Other force he attempted none He saw the Kings Works and Retrenchments to be made so strong that it would prooue a desperate peece of seruice for whosoeuer should undertake to assault them And Walenstein boldly gaue it out That it sorted not with the Service of His Imperiall Majestie to haue the new Army hazarded upon a Battell or Invasion That there had beene too much attempted that way before and That he would show the King of Sweden another kinde of Warre-faring And thus much indeed was by some prisoners of great note confessed unto the King afterwards namely that the Imperiall Generalissimo had this plot upon him To draw the Warre out into a length and to awayte the favour of opportunitie hoping at last to serve himselfe so well upon the Kings necessities that either they should so constreine him or his friends so perswade with him that he should if not offer yet not deny to hearken unto a good Treaty This if it tooke well then should the advantage in the conclusion of the Peace make him a faire saver for his patience preserve Him a gallant Army to be otherwhere employed for His Imperiall Majesty and gaine finally a most ample reputation unto the name of Walenstein as one that had onely knowne how to handle the King of Sweden This was Walensteins Rest up and he was resolved to act no part but of Fabius hee had the King in a coope or in a toyle already and there for a while hee meant to keepe him and Norimberg Something indeed his Army did at their very first comming into those Quarters Walensteins first attempts but they were not any attempts upon the Kings Trenches but some outrydings and Cavalcadoes onely upon the Iewes of Furt and Burgers of Farenbach whom his men plundered Some other foraging voyages they also made upon the Boores barnes and houses in the smaller townes of the neighbour Marquisate of Onspach commonly called The Lower Marquisate and into the Iurisdiction of the Norimbergers upon the countrey abroad The poore towne of Swabach 8 or 9 English miles from Norimberg now falling into the Lordly displeasure of the Generalissimo for that it had slaine 50 of his men in the taking of it was by him destinated unto an universall destruction The execution was stayed by the Duke of Bavaria's intercession which was granted as the first motion he had made to him and the punishment commuted to a ransome as a surety for which moneyes the chiefe Magistrate was carryed away prisoner Divers able troopes were by our Generalissimo at his very first setting downe dispatched further into the Marquisate of Onspach and the Dukedome of Franconia Neere Onspach was the Towne and Castle of Liechtenaw within the Iurisdiction of the Norimbergers pressed but not taken yet by the Walsteiners Three of their Regiments attempted an Aenslaught upon the Imperiall Citie of Winshaim upon the river Aisch 30 English miles to the West of Norimberg and 24 to the Northwest of Onspach But this designe of theirs being discovered and defeated by the Swedish garrison and the Burgers the Imperialists gate a shrewd brush here left many of their fellowes behind them and carryed off the best part of 1000 more wounded with them into
the motions of the enemy should come away And this was the order of the Retreat The Reere marcht off first of all and whilest they turne faces about to goe homewards the Van and Battell stood their ground as ready to receive the enemy The order of the Retreat When the Reere was comne to their place of Stand they there made Halt facing about againe to the enemy Whilest they stood the Battell marched observing in all points the order and discipline of the Reere When they make a Stand the Van advances the Wing of Horse afore spoken of at the same time moving and flancking them Three hundred Muskettiers with some Cornets of Horse were left behind to manne the Reere and to make good the Retreat in case the enemy which he did not should have falne out upon them And in this goodly order and equipage which was a very beautifull sight to behold was the Retreat made all done in Battaglia as if they had even then advanced into the Field to have charged the enemy Soone was the Army in their new Quarters which were not farre from the foresaid mountaine For now was the King resolued to entrench himselfe close unto the enemy choosing the place for his new Leaguer The King encampeth hard by the Imperialists neere unto Furt iust without the Forest yea so neere unto Walensteins trenches that some one of his greater Peeces would haue rang'd her bullet even to the very Quarter Early the next morning August 26. was the new Campe begunne to be fortified that is upon the open side of it the backe-part being sufficiently assured by the woods And now might the Generalissimo if he pleased have done as much for the King as he had attempted upon his trenches These had beene his advantages His Leaguer was already fortified but the Kings Works not perfected for some dayes after He out his higher ground might overlooke the Kings Quarters and see every motion in it The Kings Campe was in a faire Campagnia and therefore accessible nor was there any thing in the way to have hindered the Imperialists from falling into the Swedish Leaguer Two or three dayes after the end of the great rencounter were the prisoners and dead on both sides ransomed and exchanged Monsieur de la Grange the French Ambassadour was sent from the King into the enemies Leaguer who returned with many prisoners telling his Majesty of many things likewise unto the hearing whereof but few were admitted Major-Generall Sparre was not onely set at libertie by the King but employed also by him unto Walenstein with the prisoners He made likewise some generall overtures of a peace in which he had desired of the King that he might use his owne liberty In lieu of Major Sparre was Colonel Leonard Tortenson Generall of the Kings Artillery freely set at liberty by the Generalissimo and that with a great complement to the King as we haue before told you As for Colonell Erich-Hand a Swede he was to stay in the Imperiall Leaguer till his wounds were cured In the Bill of the prisoners that was sent from the Imperialists unto the King were there many names read whose persons were no where to be found among the Captives The Prisoners by which they were giuen for dead In this former Action were these men of account slaine on the Kings side The Count of Erpach who died of his wounds dead Generall-Major Boetius a brave man and Lieftenant Colonell Scepter Of Duke Williams men slaine Lieftenant-Colonel Mackin Vnder the Landtgrave of Hessen slaine Rit-master Maurice of Malsburg with Rit-master Craisham brother to the Marshall of his Maiesties Army Of the English and Scottish divers whose names I have not and wounded on the Kings side Divers other Captaines Lieftenants Ensignes and other inferior Officers there lost their lives with 7. or 800. common souldiers none of whose bodies fell into the hands of the enemies There was found sticking in the body of one of his Maiesties Guards a bullet of three pound weight Wounded on the Kings side the Counts of Eberstein Cassel and Thurne with Erich-Hand Rotstein and Bourt all Colonels together with divers other Captaines Rit-masters and other Officers Of common souldiers were there some 1500. which were brought into the Hospitals of Norimberg On the Imperiall side lost 3. Ensignes Slaine the Lord Iames Fugger Colonell of 1000. Curiassiers or Men at Armes This Lord being deadly wounded and brought prisoner into Norimberg there expired He being demanded what he knew of Walensteins intentions answered as some report it that he meant to keepe himselfe in the guard hee then lay at and to wage battell no otherwise then in that posture But some other report this way of his last words That calling for drinke he should say t' is no time to dissemble now Walenstein will assault you Which said he dranke and dyed Said to be slaine besides Colonel Aldobrandino Colonell Dom Maria de Caraffa with 5. Colonels more though some Gentlemen of our Nation passing next day thorow the Campe affirmed that they spake with some of them These things must be knowne from the prisoners who being about 60. in number perchance knew not all the Imperialists having wit enough to conceale their owne losses Those of the Swedish side reported it from the prisoners that there should have beene slaine about 1000. Walsteiners which upon such disadvantages in the fight I thinke not to be likely The Corps of the dead Lord Fugger being sent into the Imperiall Leaguer the souldiers that carried him had 25 Dollars given them My Dutch Officer reports me a pretty story of a complement or an allegeance rather betwixt an humble bullet and the K. namely how that a piece of the sole of his Maiesties boote neere unto the great toe of his right foot was carryed away with a Shot This bullet knew his duty for a King should be toucht no higher all are to stoope thither Both he and the Swedish Lords Letter agree that the Imperiall Generalissimo had his Horse that day shot dead under him whereas others then in the action bid me be confident That Walenstein all that day stirred not so far out of his Pavilion Sure it is that Duke Bernard of Saxon-Weymar had a horse slaine under him and that his behaviour all that fight was beyond all expectation valiant Walenstein t is written having false notice brought him in the heate of the fight that the old Castle was taken answered with an oath That he would not beleeue that there was a God in Heauen if that Castle could possibly be taken from him This the prisoners reported And thus have I finished this most memorable conflict Turne we to other actions of lesse moment done neere the Leaguer The King not able either to dislodge Walenstein nor to bring him into Campagnia The King labouring to cut off Walsteins victualls cast about in the next place how to put another Brave upon him the same too
Horse retreating in indifferent good order towards the Wind-Mills whereupon they bringing forward 10. pieces of Cannon and turning those 11. likewise upon them which were before taken they gave the Imperiall Horse such a rowsing Salvee of great Ordnance and charged so upon it that they put them into disorder The Imperialists beaten to the Wind-mills And here as my Spanish Relator saies did the Generalissimo light upon a slight fillipp by a favourable Musket bullet namely which made no wound but left a blue remembrance onely upon him That hee was indeed shot thorow the Coate was at Prague reported though some would even there say privately that he was in no such danger And now were the Imperialists beaten round about even to the very Wind-Mills the Swedes being Masters of the ground that they shouldred the others out of But iust now a little before Sun-set fell the fatall mist againe which so hastned on the night that the Swedes could not well see which way to pursue their enemies Duke Bernard in his comming backe was thus heard to say Mercifull God! but for this mist we had even now gotten the victory Hence went he backe againe over all the Battalians his owne Post againe towards which he now perceived the Imperialists to be making And now by Sunne-setting was all the Field cleere of the Imperialists excepting onely about the Wind-Mills and there plainely were both Coloredoes and Duke Bernards men falne off one from another like 2. Duellers leaning on their swords to take breath againe Certainely they had so bangd one another that neither of both were in order but either party shot at adventure right forward and let the bullet find his owne way as it could thorow that night of smoake and mistinesse Those Muskettiers which we told you were lodged in the mudd-wal'd gardens were seene to give fire give fire continually but no men to be discerned And the Swedes at adventure shot at them againe and as at night they got ground they stormed into the gardens as if they had beene so many Castles Here the next day were a many found dead 300. in one of them And iust in the edge of the evening when the Swedish well hoped all had beene finished had Duke Bernard fresh word brought him that Pappenheims Foote were even now arrived from Hall and were beginning a fresh Charge The 5th charge about the Wind-Mills Thus ranne the Word over the Army Pappenheims Foote are comne Pappenheims Foot are comne This the Swedish beleeved though Captaine Feilding assures me that the Imperialists at Prague would never acknowledge it that the Pappenheimers came at all into the Battell Now was all the service after halfe an houres silence on both sides turned unto the Wind-Mills The Imperialists courages like the throwes of a dying body struggled hard at the last cast for life and made for the time as fierce a Charge of it as any had the day before passed To withstand this now does Kniphausen bring on his 2. fresh Brigades with whom are the other 2. of Thurns and Mitzlaffs conioyned that he had before sent to the reliefe of the Vantguard which indeed had not so cruelly beene shattered Now also Duke Bernard r'allying all the Horse together advanced to the Charge The Imperialists had anew put downe some more Muskettiers into the crosse ditch or Boundary of Lands marked with H which not a little troubled the Swedish Once or twice did they offer to force that Trench and to Storme over it but it was so troublesome and dangerous in the darke that they did but over-tumble one another and were faine to keepe on the other side of it to bring on some Muskettiers and from thence to give their vollyes The best of it was that it was not above 100. paces distant from the High-way close behind which the Imperialists were ranged That which most galled the Imperialists was the Swedish Ordnance which on the Right hand Flancke of them and on the neerer side of the High-way were now turnd upon them This most cruell and hote fight continued till about 5. a clock in the euening The Imperialists give it over much about which time the Walsteiners or Pappenheimers or both together fell off in the darke and gave it quite over And thus ended this long cruell bloody and bravely fought Battell which in continuall exercise in one place or other and so the battell ended or at least with small intermissions had lasted from 9. in the morning untill this time Eight or 9. long houres was every man in danger of a sudden death when at other times he would have thought himselfe ill handled by so long a Fit of an Ague I have cast the whole Battell into 5. greater and more remarkeable Charges not because there were no more but for that these were most eminent And yet perchance were not these so distinct Acts of this Tragedy that they might be said to have begun iust now because the whole Battell was but one continuall Charge some where or other but for that the greater Heates and Executions were much about these times and in those manners that I have specified These Charges mostly concerne the Battell and Right Wing for of the Left I have not such particular Intelligence If the valour of particular and deserving Gentlemen cannot here be described it is for that the malignity of that envious Mist would not suffer it to be discerned Assuredly there hath beene no such cruell Fight that hath yeelded so few observations The Imperialists being marcht off the Swedish gladder of victory then of enemies had neither eyes nor wills good enough to pursue the Retreate upon them especially over such troublesome passages as the Ditch the High-way and its Ditch the Wind-Mills and their Ordnance and the Gardens with their Muskettiers in them Nor had the Imperialists after such an afternoones drinking any hearty good stomacks to such a supper as were likely to cost them such a Reckoning Beating their Drummes therefore after a while they sent away their Baggage and Ammunition and made their retreate towards Leipsich The Swedish at first hearing of the Imperiall Drummes knew not what to make of it but doubted that their enemies meant to retire into the next Dorps and what they would doe to morrow they knew not Now were Duke Bernard Kniphausen and some others in consultation what to doe Whither to lye all night in the Field to expect another Charge in the morning or to carry off their sicke and wounded men and to retire the Army towards Weissenfels Colonel Hinderson had order in the meane time to burne the carriages of those 11. peeces of Ordnance which were taken from the Imperialists because in the night time the Swedes despaired of drawing them along with them But Walensteins selfe had already yeelded up the Field and the Victory consequently unto the Swedish and by this accident put an end to their doubtfull consultation The Generalissimo already upon
into Spandaw in his Brother of Brandenburgs country And thus dyed this great Deliverer which is a higher and a more holy Title then that of Caesar or of Conqueror Thus dyed he with a victory which had he expected but 3. dayes longer he had obtained without a Battell So confident was the enemy that he never durst have attempted them that the Generalissimo had even already given out Orders for the dispersing of his Army to their winter Quarters This is sure for besides that it is intimated in my Spanish Relation the Imperialists themselues freely at Prague confessed it Then had he falne in among them as he thought to have done the 5th of November But he is dead and that as heartily bemoaned of the Germanes to say of no more as of his owne Subiects who yet professe their losse to be unspeakeable And in both their Chronicles shall his sacred memory be made immortall and his Name shall ever live in their mouths glorified Speake we now a little of the distemper in the Imperiall Army When Walenstein first beate his Drummes to retreate to Leipsich he had purposed to have made no more then a faire retreate indeed of it But no sooner did his men heare that signall but they fell to running presently without expecting further order for their Rendez-vous The flight and wonderfull confusion among the Imperialists This fright was so great that the most of them never came in order againe till they recovered into Bohemia yea even there full three weekes after the Battell were there divers multitudes of souldiers and some almost whole Ensignes seene then first enquiring after their fled Colonels who had not yet seen their owne Regiments And this was not onely so with a great many straglers but even amongst those that were neerest about the Generalissimo there was not a Regiment scarcely if at all that marcht or Quartered in any order but straglingly up and downe in Dorps as every man shifted Once did our Countrimen that were carried away among them see 25. Colours of them together but this was in Bohemia and the greatest show that they had till that time seene of them Divers Officers confessed that they had lost 6000. men which others made more nice of and professed to have lost but 4000. Their owne confessions of the Battell And as freely withall did they confesse that had the Swedes but sent off 1000. fresh Horse after them they might have cut all the whole Army to peeces When in their Flight Retreate is now too faire a word for them they came at night to any Quarter their custome was to stay still there till some Swedish Horse were heard of or discovered to pursue them of which though there appeared but a troope of 40. they had order to hasten away after the Generalissimo This was the Crabats worke commonly who being of the nimblest Horse were still left last in the Quarters and to bring word of the comming of the Enemy And yet durst these afterwards at Prague contend for it That they had as good of the Day as the Swedish for which their Arguments were that they kill'd the King much about as many men and brought away almost 60 Ensignes Had they onely mentioned the King their argument had beene better then their other reasons can make it T is true indeed that when our 2. Countrimen told Duke Bernard afterwards that they boasted to have taken so many Ensignes They tooke more Colours then the Swedish nay saies he thats too lowd but they have indeed taken 45. and we have 17. or 18. of their Colours But now the losse of their Cannon their leaving the field unto their enemies and their right downe running away when none pursued after them the Court of Vienna it selfe can never speake with honour of it How the newes of the Battell was resented at Vienna And therefore there was but a faint Thanksgiving made for it a few peeces shot off but not a Bonfire that I heare of and that expression rather for the death of the King and to make the people then for the Victory The Victory absolutely must all forraine and Neutrall Historians give unto the Swedish which was such a one as would have made Austria quak't had the King surviu'd it The Generalissimo having taken Sanctuary in Leipsich there came the next day some 1000. or 1500. Footemen to him whereof some had Colours and other some had lost them These were the remainders of 40. Ensignes A little after The way of Walensteins flight came the Lieftenant-Felt-Marshall Holck with the Sergeant-Major-Generall Count Ridolfo Coloredo the Marquesse of Grande and some others of great quality And now also came their Baggage-Wagons waited upon with a Horse-Convoye In the night about 6. a clocke were all these commanded to Born 14. miles onwards of the way towards Bohemia the Generall himselfe within three houres and a halfe the same night following them Holck staid still in Leipsich who going away next day delivered up the Keyes unto the Magistrates againe with such a like Complement That he was now as good as his word as it became every honest man to be He hoped therefore they would speake nothing but honour of him and show themselues mercifull as became good Christians unto such sicke and wounded as he left in their towne behind him That day some 16. or 17. troopes of Horse passed by in sight of the City with abundance of the Boores Cattle going towards their Generalissimo His Excellency went not into Born but Quartered that night hard by it Thence went he to Altemburg thence to Camitz thence to Frawenstein thence thorow the Passe of the Behemer-Waldt unto Diewitz in Bohemia 30. miles short of Prague City And now were the shattered troopes dispersed into their winter Quarters Walenstein himselfe with the remnants of the 2. Favourite-Regiments of young Walenstein and old Brenner going directly towards Prague City These 2. Regiments for their good service at the Battell their diligent attendance upon him in the flight he ordered to waite upon him in his owne Palace and by Squadrons to keepe guard about him They were as his meniall servants they had their allowance for a standing table in his Court his owne people served them and he himselfe sometimes would see they had their allowance These were relieved that is changed every 8. dayes and then had every man 6. or 8. Bohemian dollars given him each worth 3s English and their Wives or Wenches halfe as much Examples of his vast bounty Those Officers that did well in the Battell he at New-yeeres-tide rewarded with Gold chaynes with his owne Medall or Picture at them some of them to the great Lords being set with Diamonds and worth 1000. ducats Thus were all the Gold-smiths in Prague set a worke upon his New-yeeres-gifts And whereas there was a dispute betwixt Holck and Piccolomini whose Regiment was that which charged when the King was slaine he adiudged
complete The Forces of Walenstein and Bavaria to a company for halfe of them for so Walsteins List was and the rest as strong as the Captaines could make them amount to 40000 and so many marching men they had effective t is the word of the forenamed Gentleman who accounted themselues 80000. The Crabats were full 5000 men who gaue out themselues to be 8000. And this was their whole strength and with the least too 40000 Foot and 25000 Horse in all 65000. fighting men who either for their owne credits were apt to beleeue it or for policy and terror helpt to giue it out That they were 128000. And their great Officers These were Walensteins great Officers In his Campe was Gallas an Italian of Friuli and a braue Gentleman Lieftenant-Generall and he gaue out the orders In the Duke of Bavariaes Campe had Altringer the same office who yet was to be directed and controlled by Walenstein the Duke of Bavaria himselfe many times knowing nothing till the command was to be executed Major-Generall of the Horse unto Walenstein was Colonell Holck a Holsteyner as I take it His Generall-Major of the Foote was the Colonel Sparre a little blacke Gentleman and a Pomerlander The valiant Baron of Cronenberg as I take it was Generall-Major of the Horse unto Bavaria but who was of his Foote I know not Cratz was not now in the Leaguer for he was yet busie against Banier in Bavaria and he afterwerwards offered to hinder him when hee came towards Norimberg But this I haue but by heare-say Other great Commanders which had seuerally entrenched Quarters in the Leaguer were Count Maximilian Walstein and Count Bernard Walenstein Kinsmen I suppose unto the Generalissimo The Baron of Schemberg and Colonel Picolomini an Italian Gentleman with Mittscha and Gratzij Colonells Generall of the Crabats and Hungarians in their Quarter Walenstein at his first comming sate downe a night or two about Schwabach untill his Quarters could be made ready for him which done then went he and sate downe in his Leaguer The whole Imperiall Leaguer was at first diuided into 8. seuerall Quarters if the Figure cut in Copper be true which I haue seene printed with a High Dutch description to it The distance of his Quarters from the Kings The Imperiall Leaguer and the 8. seuerall Quarters of it described was about 4. miles English Their first and Head-Quarter which was far the largest was by Metzendorff vpon the North-West of the riuer Pegnitz betwixt the High-wayes unto Wurtsburg and Bamberg This was almost like an Ovall and the riuer Rednitz ranne close by it upon the Northerne border The second Quarter was by Scheurglung betweene the way to Wurtsburg which parted it from Walensteins and the riuer Pegnitz close upon the Westerne banke of it Here Piccolomini commanded .. The third Quarter was by Mueggenhoff at a good distance from the Southerne banke of the river from Piccolominies Quarter with 2. Royall Forts betweene and their Batteries Here was Count Maximilian Walenstein lodged The fourth was on the South side of the Kings Leaguer by Hoffen and there lay Baron Cronenberg The fifth was on the same side towards the right hand by Saint Leonards which was called Baron Altringers Betwixt these two went the High-way to Reychelsdorff The sixth was by Pultmull on the East side of Norimberg and beyond the riuer on the Northerne banke a great distance from Altringers with a very great Fort betweene the way to Schwabach and the Pegnitz And here Count Bernard Walenstein commaunded The seuenth was by Prentzengart betwixt the High-waies that leade to Amberg and to Culmbach on the North-East of Norimberg This was the Hungarian and the Crabats Quarter whose chiefes were Isolani Mittscha and Gratzij The 8. and last Quarter was by Rehenberg betweene the wayes to Culmbach and Bamberg upon the North of the City and neere unto the Head-Quarter This was the Count of Schombergs Betwixt each of these was there Workes and Forts one or two according to the distance This mighty Leaguer was vaste rather then accurate Walenstein surely was defectiue in this point of military excellency he is none of the best Spademen nor had he any good Enginiers about him Seuen of these 8. Quarters were but slight ones a little earth cast vp and barricadoed with Wagons trees and other encumberments Nor were they close behind as if out of a military bravery they would have the King know they trusted more to their strengths then to their trenches Nor did these 7. Quarters hold long but onely till they heard of Oxenstierns comming against which time the Head Quarter was enlarged and fortified and all the forces of the rest drawne into it That we now describe The Avenues or Passages of this great Leaguer in and out thorow the Retrenchments had Barricadoes right before them made with Truncks and mighty boughes of Trees among with broken Wagons Turne-pikes Gabions or Cannon-baskets peeces of old Cask filld vp with earth and stones and many such other rude devises to blocke up the way withall especially against Horse and sudden Camisadoes The place for some of his Quarters was a naturall Fortification hilly wooddy and bushye and especially by the hill and old Castle of Altendorp made famous on Saint Bartholmewes day following by a most notable conflict for it All the bridges over the 2. little rivers had he caused to be broken downe at Katzwang namely Reychelsdorff Stain Waykerhoff and Furt that so no body might on the sudden come at him Divers villages were within these Quarters the Duke of Bavaria being lodg'd in one of them yea and Walenstein himselfe though he had his day Pavilion in the open field for the most part and when it was faire weather yet was his lodging when he pleased within a house And this was fittest both for his diseases and humours he is shrewdly troubled with the Gowte Walensteins diseases so that he goes softly and is led sometimes Some other crazynesses is he likewise troubled with for which the cold earth is not so kindly He loues to keepe a State fit for the dignity of his place and that affects priuacy and retyrednesse The Soveraignty I must not expresse it in a lower stile over the Militia was absolutely at the Duke of Fridlands disposure Walensteins for so much he tooke vpon him as Imperiall Generalissimo Authority He was Fellow in Armes and no Generall over the Duke of Bavaria for that his Army was independant and he as a Prince of the Empire by himselfe had levied it at his owne charges Yet did Walenstein commaund all and that with a Switch as it were his Orders being giuen out with an Imperious Eloquence which is Breefenesse His pleasure so much is due to a Generall must not onely be uncontrolleable but undisputable and he is a most sudden and seuere Iusticier Severity when he pleases for his military discipline Hang the beast that 's his word that obeyes
Cronenberg with his Regiment of 12. Cornets of Horse esteemed the flower of the Army at this time falling out was rencountred by Colonel * This Colonel Stolhanshe a Finlander by nation was sometimes servant vnto Sir Patrick Ruthven and he speakes excellent good English Stolhanshe with 200. of his Finnish Horsemen who so well entertained the Cronbergers that they put them to the rowte yea and so farre pursued them till they came under the command of the Shot from the enemies rampiers and that other troopes of fresh Horse sallyed out upon them It was beleeved among the Swedish that Cronenberg was there mortally wounded but besides that I have since read of him in other actions he was seene by some Gentlemen of our owne Nation in the Imperiall Leaguer a day or two after It hath by others beene related to mee That whereas the Count of Erpach a Colonell of the Kings was that day mortally wounded upon the place and carryed off spoyled the King meeting Sir Iohn Hepburn in the Field desired him to make good the Count of Erpachs Post which hee performed The night beginning now to approach must of necessitie put an end to that skirmish and yet it appeared by the eagernesse of the Swedish that they had not yet enough of it Still they continued to ply their small and great shot and to offer to skale the mountaine and rampiers of the enemies The same resolutenesse was also maintained by the Imperialists the defendants budging not a foot from their Stations and nothing behind hand with the Assaylants But that great Moderator and Stickler in all long encounters the Night was faine at last to decide the controversie And so began both sides to fall off one from another having lost their sights rather then their courages And thus was there a true drawne Battell made of it for the darknesse being but a blind Vmpire could not see to which party to assigne the Victory The Swedes indeed lost their hopes and the Imperialists kept their ground The Swedish for all their magnanimous undertakings could not drive the Imperialists to the retreat or beate up their Quarters nor could they much lesse compell the Kings forces to give it over The Horse except some few troopes could not come to fight the wood and hill not suffering them to encounter which had they done needs must the businesse have had a further progresse The whole night after did those Muskettiers that were left upon the hill continue to giue fire upon those that defended the old Castle It prooved a very wet night and the King lay in his Coach under heavens open Canopy There was a fire made hard by him upon the wet earth which the raine suffered not well to burne about which the Kings servants and officers tooke up souldiours lodgings Sir Iohn Hepburn being also laid amongst them The King by breake of day wakening and being very cold and wet called unto his servants to know if there were any of his Officers of the Field amongst them They told him none but Sir Iohn Hepburne who was but a Voluntier at that present Him now the King desired to goe to those Muskettiers on the hill and to view their posture and to see withall whither there might be any neere place discovered where there might be Ordnance planted to batter upon the old Castle He going found how these poore soules lay all open to the enemies shot from the wast upwards and that the Imperialists had two places of Covert one above another for their shelter that is to say one above upon the hill and another Parapett or Brest-worke lower whence they let flye upon the Swedish He there found where by casting up a little earth the Kings people might approach within fiftie paces of the Castle and mount foure peeces of Canon to batter upon it Sir Iohn Hepburn had order also at his going from the King to go call Duke Bernard to him and in the mean time to command his troopes Hee comming from his view met Duke Bernard and did his message to him who told him that he should not need to goe to his troopes for that he had left them with the Count of Isenburg The Duke also requested of Sir Iohn that whilest he went to the King he would doe him the fauour to goe and bring his brother Duke William unto his Majestie But Duke William was gone to the King before so that when Sir Iohn Hepburn returned to the Coach he perceived that they with some great personages having beene in counsell together Whither it were best to retreat or not the Retreat had beene agreed upon Thus when Sir Iohn Hepburn reported to the King how neere to the Castle he might bring foure Canons I had rather sayes the King there could have beene a place found within 500 paces then within 50 which would be safer for my people Hereupon was order given for the retreat and to draw off the Muskettiers who came running off presently And thus much of the passages of this morning have I learned from the courtesie of this Noble Warriour The most of the rest had I out of a long Latine Letter written by the Baron * The Letter was written unto his Brother Sir Benedict Skute then in London who imparted it unto mee They are Sonnes unto the Lord Skute Governour of Livonia for the Crowne of Sweden three times Ambassadour into England of Dudroff then present in the action and from a High Dutch Relation written by an understanding Officer of the Army And indeed it was high time for the King to sound the retreat and much better had it beene that a Charge had never beene sounded It was almost an impossible thing to get up that mountaine and Sir Iohn Hepburn amongst others freely advised the King the day before That the action was not faisible And by this time it was made much harder The Imperialists against this morning had brought on more great Peeces upon their Batteries which must sorely have disordered the Swedish in their advancing The mountaine Castle and Fort were all by this time better'd mann'd then the day before and the Imperialists being extremely encouraged that the irresistible Swedish Armies had not already overcomne them were sufficiently now provided to entertaine them But the King having attempted thus much chiefely to put a Brave upon Walenstein began now to think of the mens lives that were to be cast away upon it So that having experience by this time that the enemy being likely to dispute it would certainely kill and spoile him more men then possibly he could doe of theirs thought it no great wisedome to consume too much time where there was but small appearance of getting over-much honour Order is therefore given to have the Ordnance taken off their Batteries and that the Muskettiers yet in action as also those that had beene laid in ambush below the hill together with those Horse-troopes which stood ready at all assayes to waite upon
That he would leave his Chancellor with them whose person he would not adventure but upon a place that he put confidence in As for besieging of their towne that he assured them was not at all to be feared the enemy he knew was too wise at that time of yeere to set him downe before such a towne and especially in the neerenesse of a royall Army which had so often sought to fight with him These arguments and the seale of the Kings royall word to them passed for security with the Burgers And so the rising was concluded upon and 2 daies before order given for it whereupon the sicke and wounded men were sent into Norimberg where a many sicke could not be relieved but starved in the streets The next day to this was the 7th of September The 7. of September kept Holy-day the famous Anniversary of the great victory of Leipsich which was ordered to be kept Festivall by most solemne Thanksgiuings both within the City and in the Kings Leaguer The piety of the day being over-passed and Generall-Major Kniphausen having 3000. men in stead of 4000. left with him for the defence of the Trenches and Norimberg Loebelfinger being the ancient Colonell of the City forces and Colonell Slammersdorff put into him the King resolueth upon dislodging Before his rising I read that he sent out Duke Bernard to take in Schwabach 8. miles South of Norimberg both to giue the Norimbergers a little more aire and something withall to trouble Walensteins Convoyes out of the Bishopricke of Aichstet Some talke of Rot and Carlspurg and other townes then likewise taken about Norimberg but I cannot perceiue why the King should trouble himselfe in taking in these small Strengths seeing He most certainely concluded that Walenstein would not lye long after His going This of Rot and Schwabach I have but out of Le Soldat Suedois whom singly I credit not Saterday September 8th the Kings Army dislodgeth The King rises The King marcht by and almost round about the Imperiall Leagure in faire order of Battell with Colours flying Drummes beating and every way as if they had beene ready for the encounter And Walenstein knew as well as themselues what the Royalists were now about this was the day that he had long look't for So farre therefore was he from disturbing of them that he calld in his owne Guards and Sentinells and still kept himselfe within his Trenches and arrives at Neustat That night lay all the Kings Army at a small Dorp and the next day September 9th with safety arrived at Neustat upon the * So called for distinctions sake for that there is another Neustat in this Franconia upon the river Stray hard by Konigshoven Aisch in the Marquisate of Onspach 20. English miles to the North-West of Norimberg Here lay the whole Army September 13 on which the King removes it from Neustat unto Winshaim upon the same river of Aisch 14. miles South of Neustat About this time came the Deputies of Franckford unto the King of whom he now borrowed a great summe of money In security hereof his Majesty then empawned the Palace and Revenues sometimes belonging vnto the Master of the Dutch Order which as we told you Page 20. of our Second Part lye in and about Mergentheim upon the river Tauber in Franconia Hither also came the Ambassadors of the Muskovite and Tartarians to offer the King their assistance to fall into Polonia which he refused Here at Winshaim the King getting notice of Walensteins being gone towards Forcheim upon the river Main and of the Duke of Bavariaes keeping still with him he layes the plot how either to devide the 2 Armies or how to divert the seate of the warres out of Franconia into Bavaria For the King now iudging by their keeping together that their plot was to see what He would doe he resolued to begin first and either to make a division or a diversion Two designes he might suspect that Walenstein now had either to fall upon the townes of Franconia which the King last yeere had conquered or else to rush into the Duke of Saxonyes country which He well knew that Walenstein had vowed the spoyling of The King devides his Army For the prevention of both these he resolues upon the deviding of his owne Army some whereof he would leaue with Duke Bernard in Franconia to observe Walenstein and to guard the Mayn-streame from him and with the other halfe himselfe resolved to march up into Bavaria These Regiments I am told the King tooke along with him Horse Regiments 1. Oem's Regiment 2. Corviles 3. Stolhanshe's 4. Steinbocks 5. Tysenhausens with some others that are in the Figure of the Battell of Lutzen and were not with Duke Bernard These might make some 3000. Horse besides which he had 300. of Steinbocks Dragooners and whilest part of them goe towards Bavaria which Dragooners used now and then to ride with him for the usuall Guards of his Body Of Foote-Regiments these waited on him First Count Neeles with the Life-guards 2. Carl Harts Regiment 3. Winckles All these came also backe with him besides which there likewise went up some others whom the King left in the Country vnder the Palatine Christian of Birckenfelt whose names I have not With Duke Bernard he might leave about some 10. or 12000. Those that He purposed for Bavaria September 15. were sent Southward towards Rotenburg himselfe also purposing to have gone along with them This thought of His was by a message from Norimberg thus diverted His Chancellor Oxenstiern sending him newes of Gallas his besieging of Lauff with a Partee of 2000. men and some 3. or 4. peeces of Ordnance He resolues to relieve the Towne and coape with Gallas if he would stay for him Taking therefore 2000. well mounted horse and 1500. Muskettiers along with him which were all commanded men Himselfe goes towards Norimberg and chosen out of the whole Army he goes with these towards Norimberg Being comne neere unto Furt His Maiesty was there met by Chancellor Oxenstiern and Major-Generall Kniphausen who informd him that Lauff was already taken and Gallas gone towards Voitland and Bohemia The King upon this newes Presently turning backe to overtake his Army staying but one houre there for the refreshing of his people returned with all diligence backe towards Onspach and so onwards to the rest of his Army whom he overtooke at Dunkelspiel in the way towards Donawert and Bavaria At this Dunkelspiel which is 6. leagues to the South of Rotenburg did the maine body of his Army arrive Friday September 21. His next Stage was at Nordlingen 4. leagues further where Tilly last yeere made his Winter-Quarter Hither came he upon Satterday September 22. The weeke before Some Switzers come to aide the King had 4000. or 5000. Switzers 12000 some name passed by this way towards Donawert to be there conioyned to the Kings Army They were led by Colonel Wormbrunt and
were of those that should have relieved Lauff And these t is said the King at one a clocke at night falling upon cut off a great many tooke 50. prisoners of them the rest saving themselues in Rotenberg But I suppose both these to have bin but one action for that the taking of 2. Colours is mentioned in each of them and then I am sure the first first relation is the truer for that it was told me by a very understanding Gentleman at the same time with Kniphausen and very familiar with him in the Actions both of Norimberg Lauff and Herschbruck This done the King October 15. betwiÈt 5. and 6. in the euening returned againe into Norimberg And thus had the King once againe cleered all the townes of the Iurisdiction of the Norimbergers So that having vnblockt Norimberg and unblockt the City immediately resolues upon returning to the rest of his Army in Franconia and so thorow Duringen into Saxony And for that himselfe was likely to have more use of his forces against Walenstein then any employment the Norimbergers had for them he takes with him those 3. Foote-Regiments of Kniphausen Gerstorff and Rosse which at his first going to Neustat he had sent unto the City for their safeguards These Regiments with those other 3. that were following out of Bavaria might make up some 6000. compleate and about that number of Foote had Duke Bernard in his Army Both together might make up some 6500. Horse And this was the Kings whole strength and after the largest reckoning too in the day of the great Battell of Lutzen The King October 17. taking his last leave of the Norimbergers goes himselfe with Steinbocks old Convoy to follow Duke Bernards Army his owne men He goes towards Duke Bernards Army both those that came out of Bavaria and those that were now drawne out of Norimberg following as fast as they could after October 19 the King came to Kitzing upon the Mayn 40. English miles to the North-West of Norimberg Here his Queene then was who thence went towards Wurtsburg whence after a few dayes She came unto Erfurt being gotten thither before the Kings comming And here having mentioned Duke Bernard and his Army let us now goe backe a little in the meane time that the Kings owne Army is upon their march this way-ward to tell how he passed away the time ever since the Kings going from him into Bavaria The King as we told yon parted from him about September 15 whose charge to Duke Bernard was Duke Bernards Story in the Kings absence To obserue the motions of the Imperiall Generalissimo and well to guard the Imperiall towne of Schwinfurt with all the rest upon the Mayn-streame from him For this purpose had the King left him an Army of some 9000. or 10000 men or at least so many they were voyced for This young Duke some dayes after the Kings going remooues from Winshaim first of all unto Kitzing upon the Mayn where he staid 6. or 7. dayes That is towards the very end of September Thence advances he to Wurtsburg where the Army staid 7. or 8. dayes being enquartered in the Suburbs Thence goes he to a Dorp within halfe an houres going of Schweinfurt where he was 3. or 4. dayes more About 9. or 10. a clocke the last of these nights the Army had sudden order to remooue to Schweinfurt and quartered there under the very walls of the towne The occasion of this remoovall was for that the Imperialists having some Horse Partees abroad were likely enough to affront this their open Quarter Here staid Duke Bernard but one day removing the next towards Konigshoven and enquartering short of it Some fortnight before this time had Dubatell with his Dragooners beene sent into Coburg Castle as in Walensteins proceedings we shall after tell you Pag 803. The Soldat Suedois reports that Duke Bernard before this time should haue defeated 40. troopes of Crabats under the command of Isolani their Colonell Generall and chiefest Commander of their Nation But of this airy defeate those Gentlemen of our Nation all this time with Duke Bernard knew nothing nor doe I beleeve Duke Bernard to have then beene strong enough in Horse More of Duke Bernard see in Walensteins Proceeding to have beaten Isolani with 40. of his Cornets which could not bee lesse then 3000. But to returne From Konigshoven went Duke Bernard unto Hilperhausen and enquartered short of it And now might he doe what he pleased in the country for that Walenstein was a weeke or 10. dayes since gone quite out of Franconia into Vottland From Hilpershausen goe they unto Schleusing Quartering by it and hither came the King to them The King himselfe I meane attended on by Steinbock and his Guards onely his Army being still behind The King comes to Duke Bernard upon their march towards him This was about October 21 so that in 14 dayes he had marched from Bavaria into Duringen and stayed three at Norimberg The next day the King cashiered the English and Scottish Regiments and that by reason of the extreame weakenesse of the Companies These being thus made Reformadoes were ordered by the King to waite upon his owne person he promising them good Quarters and to preferre them Thence went the King with Duke Bernards Army thorow the Duringer-Waldt the next day unto Arnstat 9. English miles further and in the County of Duringen And here staid he 6. dayes that is till his other Army was October 27. comne up to him That day went the Chancellor Oxenstiern backe from the King towards Franckford to order things thereabouts and in the Palatinate Simon and Iudes day October 28. whilest the conioyned Army advanced before towards Erfurt iust 8. English miles North of Arnstat the King staying behind a while wrote his last letters unto the King of Bohemia which letters are in the hands of many Gentleman About an English mile without Erfurt in a very faire Campagnia The King musters was the whole Army drawne up into Battaglia the King taking a view of every Brigade and appointing their place and orders to each of them Now were divers Regiments reduced into one Brigade being too weake each of them to have stood by themselves against an enemy His numbers The whole Army was found to bee about 12000. Horse and 6500. Foote indifferent compleatly Hither the same afternoone came 4. of the chiefe of Erfurt to invite his Maiesty into their City for thither was his Queene the same day arrived The King answered that though he had much to say unto their Magistrates yet knew he not how his leisure would serue him to come among them He that writes this was one of the 4. that now were the Kings enviters who affirmes that the Kings words were so gracious that he could not without shedding of teares repeate them Towards night the King came a lighting from his Horse before Duke William of Saxon-Weymars lodging who having
Physicke and of Surgerie Thirdly His Horses the pride and strength of his Army at his first comming beganne now to die apace of which he had at least 14. or 15000. starved yet I speake much within compasse of what I have heard Their Carrion was very noysome unto the Quarters and yet had his men taken better order then the Kings people had to carry away and bury them Fourthly The Kings labour he knew to be one of these two either to cut off his victuals or provisions from him or else to fall into some friends country If the King now should doe the first then could not he lye long and if the second then would the King have gotten the start of him The greatnesse of his spirit being to be of the active fore-hand to make the King of Sweden follow him and not he to follow the King of Sweden Fifthly The Towne of Norimberg though it had beene part of his errand for comming thither yet besides that hee should be likely to loose his labour in attacking a place so well-provided for resistance he did not thinke it Souldier-like done of him to sit taking of one towne whilest his enemy should be conquering of whole Countryes For Norimberg therefore he tooke order to have it still blockt up by Gallas taking of Lauff and other townes and Passes about it and for the rest he would try Masteries with the King of Sweden who should divert one another Sixthly and lastly he might doubt That when the King of Sweden should have well ayred refreshed and recreuted his Army and have provided himselfe of new Horses that hee were then likely enough to returne a-fresh upon his Leaguer and then either put him to fight or starve by it Which of the two Armies could then have found the sharper swords or the fuller Bandeliers must now have beene left unto the tryall but the Walsteiners by having the stronger place of encamping and the fuller knap-sacks prevented their being put unto that tryall Wednesday September 12th was the day appointed for discamping Repairing the Bridge therefore over the river Rednitz a little North of Furt hee there wafts over his whole Army not halfe so great now as when he first came to Norimberg Some writing tels mee that Walensteins remoovall was by night but in that me thinks his haughty spirit is much injuryed hee that upon a march forbids to have the Ports shut where he Quarters would never I suppose steale away by a dark lanterne And that it was not in the darke was visible enough at present for the Souldiours not onely set fire upon their Huts and Quarters at their rising but upon the Countrey too A hundred Dorps and houses were now drest up in flame in the Marquisate of Onspach and the Iurisdiction of the Norimbergers as if to sacrifice to Mars or Bellona with this Hecatomb Foule warres or no warres is a Maxime among some souldiours otherwise not cruelly minded but Walenstein is not so well made up in this for that his haughtinesse wants an alloy or temperature of pittie in it The Crabats sure had done nothing extraordinarily worthy of a triumph and yet could they not find in their hearts to leave the Countrey without kindling of 100 Bonfires in it Nor is this the first time that Walenstein hath done so but as if he this way affected to be called the Thunderbolt of Warre hee nor goes nor comes scarcely but in flames and flashing and in this imitated lightning All the time that the Imperiall Army was marching by the Swedish Forces in and before Norimberg stood cautelously upon their guards and the Army being a little past them some troopes of Horse as usually in such cases they will doe fell out of the towne and Trenches and exchanged a few bullets with their Reere though little or nothing to the purpose I omit the Norimbergers rifling of the forsaken Leaguer where for want of Horses the Imperialists had left an incredible world of Military luggage behind them This as it showed how excellently well provided Walenstein had comne into the Field so it was a kind of Iustice to leave the Norimbergers something of good value behind them to pay themselves withall for the courtesie and cost they should bestow upon the many maimed and sicke souldiers which were there found a starving and a stinking This is the guise and fortune of the warres nor can these who have beene bred full tenderly have their mothers with them in the Leaguer to looke to them By these was the want discovered which since the Kings going was increasing every day more then other and the reasons given which wee have before pointed at for Walensteins discamping The deviding of the Imperiall Army A little beyond the Citie is the Imperiall Army devided Zinzindorff as we told you is sent to Austria and Generall-Major Gallas with part of the Army goes Eastward towards Lauff of Gallas we shall tell you altogether by and by two leagues from Norimberg which having taken with some other townes to keepe the Norimbergers blockt up he marches by the corner of Bohemia into Misnia The two Dukes of Fridland and Bavaria turning faces about to the left come the first night unto Bruck ten English miles to the North of Norimberg and sixe from Furt. Walensteins way The river of Rednitz he still kept upon his left hand which was a sure barricado on that side against the King of Sweden Walenstein in deviding his Army had this good consideration that having sent away his two great Officers Holck before and Gallas now yet it was but to the place where he meant to follow them or could if he were put to it presently recall them His meaning was to undoe the Duke of Saxony and thither had he sent these two Himselfe advanc't now towards Duringen and thither was it agreed that Pappenheim from the Weser should come and joyne with him This was Walensteins happinesse that the place marckt out for his revenge lay so conveniently for him Numbers The numbers of his Army were not above twelve thousand besides nine or ten thousand of the Duke of Bavariaes Foote or fifteene thousand complete marching men at the most and nine or ten thousand Horse and so much had the King intelligence of The rest of his sixtie thousand had beene kill'd dead runne away sent other where with Holck Gallas Zinzindorff and into Bavaria put into garrisons in the Vpper Palatinate or left behind sicke and maymed in the Quarters for certainly both Walenstein and the King lost more for either of their parts at this lingring Leaguer then the King and Tilly both at the great Battell of Leipsich Walenstein at his first rising had given order for the sending before of some of his greater Ordnance unto Forcheim for guarding whereof hee supposed a small Convoy would be sufficient and order of marching Some Swedish Horse-Partees as it chanced were at that time gone abroad into the Bishopricke
which was next day threatned them and a generall destruction withall if they yeelded not Hereupon October 5 th is the towne given up the defendants being able to obtaine no other conditions then the saving of their lives marching out with no other weapons but their swords onely Some writing tells me that they had souldiers conditions Divers of the richer Country people having fled in hither as to a place of some indifferent security the souldiers exacted from them and from the Townsmen 40000. dollars contribution The Elector of Saxonye was faine likewise to come off with 80000. dollars more to save the Monuments of his Predecessors from being ransackt and defaced See what we have written of Tillyes souldiers ryfling of the Marquesse of Onspachs Toombs pag 115. of our Second Part. T is the fashion of divers Germane Princes to be buried in their Robes and with their Ensignes of Honour and perchance Iewels all which would have beene booty good enough to these Rake-shames that make no conscience of this horrider kind of Sacriledge Neere this Friberg Holcks men taking I know not what high displeasure at a certaine Minister of the countrey a man of rare learning as Gallobelgicus calls him miserably first of all hew'd him in pieces with their swords and then flung him to their dogs to be eaten But they out of a certaine horror which overawed their Currishnesse and Canine appetite The inhumane Barbarismes of the Crabats would not so much as touch or licke a drop of the blood of him whereupon his Freinds the next day gathered up his pieces and interred them And lest this should seeme incredible to the Readers the Author of Le Soldat Suedois avowes That the Crabats showd themselues ingenious to invent new torments for the poore Inhabitants and that it was frequent with them for want of Dogs-meate to feede their curres with humane carneage This if it may be true though the dogs were the Man-eaters yet the Crabats surely were the Canniballs Having done with Friberg the 2. Imperiall Majors after the taking of some smaller townes advance towards Meissen which is the towne that gives name to the whole Countrey The place of it is upon the westerne banke of the river Elb some 18. English miles to the North of Friberg and within 10. of Dresden They take Meissen Hither came they October 10th where finding small resistance they the same day tooke possession of it Whilest this was a doing the Saxon forces which were upon the Easterne side of the Elb make towards the new bridge that the Imperialists had over the river which falling a-board with they tooke in sunder and carried with them or let the pieces drive downe the streame from them The Saxons cut off their bridge from them The Imperialists flew in to the reskue of their bridge but all with the latest for that the Saxons having begunne with that end which was next unto the Imperialists tooke away all meanes of their getting over to disturbe them They let flye Cannons and Musket shot freely enough among them but for all that the Saxons went thorow with their businesse By this exploit were the Imperialists staved off from returning over the Elb any more to the Eastward This caused them to turne all along upon the Westerne banke of it deviding their forces thereupon Whereupon Holck turnes towards Leipsich to doe the more mischiefe Some of Holcks men upon Thursday October 11th as if to be revenged for their bridge plunder and burne Lumnitsch 6. English miles to the North-West of Meissen Others of them the same day were flowne out as farre as Oschitz as much further to the Northward which with other villages in the way they did but pillage October 21 they came to Wurtzen upon the East side of the river Mulda 10. miles to the West of Oschitz and halfe way betwixt it and Leipsich Here they encountred not with much trouble The towne pretended poverty and that they could not pay so many dollars as the souldiers demanded for contribution But souldiers not using to be paid with excuses carry away their richest Burgers to their Army as if the Captiving of their richest men would have made the rest the abler or that they could have coynd the Burgers into Dutch dollars October 13. doe 1800. Crabats flye out as far as Nieustat and spoyle that countrey Five hundred other Horse offer as much at Salfeld but the garrison there perswaded them to goe home againe which yet they did not till they set fire upon the Suburbs As much is by others done to the lesser townes upon the Elb so that the Elector of Saxony was by this time made sensible what it was to have angred Walenstein By this time had the Elector of Saxonyes forces under Vitzdumb and Kalkstein pressed upon the Imperiall Leaguer at Frawenburg and made them to forsake it for Gallas was by order from his Generalissimo now a going towards Bohemia upon the entreaty of Don Balthasar di Marradas who commanded all in Bohemia Arnheim and Dubalt had sorely by this time over-laid the Imperialists in the lower Silesia Gallas sent towards Silesia gotten Breslaw and made their way open either into Moravia or Bohemia But of this in its owne division Againe of Walenstein By this time was our great Duke of Fridland comne into Voitland whom we left encamped at his Weida Leaguer He the more to anger the Elector of Saxony whom he hated sent againe some Partees towards Friberg commanding either the rifling or the redeeming of the Electorall Monuments Holcks agreement and Safe-guards being pleaded Walensteins answer was That he did not hold himselfe concluded by any bargaine with his Lieftenants so that the Elector was compeld to satisfie him He goes towards Leipsich Holck being comne thus neere Leipsich now beganne the Duke of Fridland to moue from his Weida Leaguer towards Leipsich also His march was to Altemberg on the river Pleiss about 24. English miles to the North of Weida where he sate downe and cast up a royall Leaguer Thence sends he some forces to Born along the same river mid-way betwixt Altemburg and Leipsich and about 12. or 13. English miles from either Holck mooues towards him Thence goe they unto Schonfeld Holck at the same time moved also towards Leipsich The Leipsichers to their terror perceiving which way these Cast of Falcons the 2. Imperiall Armies made a Point they with all speede Munday October 15. conveigh away the richest and lightest of their Merchandise unto Wittemberg and so downe the Elb unto Magdenburg and Hamborow The next day a Partee of Imperiall Horse some 60. in number pillage the very neerest villages unto Leipsich as Gonnewitz Heida Steteritz with others The chiefe of their expedition was but a boote-haling voyage for that they robbe even the market-women Wednesday the 17th betwixt 7. and 8. in the morning were there divers troopes of Imperiall Horse discovered at Vblessen neere unto
Saxon-Weymar having but 4. And his designe upon Erfurt defeated or 5000. men for the guard of all these townes and himselfe lying now sicke at Erfurt A shrewd counsell seeing by the taking of this countrey and of the Passes thorow the Duringer-Waldt after this the backe doore had both beene barr'd and bolted by which the King of Sweden should have broken in to disturbe them This was once Walensteins owne plot to have comne namely this way into Misnia Whilest he therefore prepares to put this designe in execution he hath word brought him not onely of the King of Swedens being comne to Erfurt by the comming of the King of Sweden but of the advancing of the Van of his Army towards the Sala This was Duke Bernard indeed who was comne a day or 2. before to pursue the Reere of Pappenheim as in the end of the Kings Story we have told you Hereupon is the case altered so that Tuesday the 30th of October went there out a Proclamation from the Generalissimo Walenstein calling his Army together That all Imperiall Officers and souldiers should upon paine of death repaire unto their Regiments and Colours in the Army all Officers the same evening being by an Expresse commanded out of Leipsich Wednesday October 31. did the whole Imperiall Army advance from Mersburg unto Ranstadt and Lutzen betwixt Mersburg and Leipsich whereabouts they quartered November the first being Thursday were there 3. Cornets of Horse sent backe into Leipsich to be enquartered within the Citie more Horsemen with their Baggage the next day comming in after them The Soldat Suedois affirmes that Walenstein and Pappenheim both came into Leipsich to take a view of it and to have it fortified for the place of their Retreat but the Iournall or Diarye of these Actions printed in the selfe same Leipsich Novemb. 13. mentions no such matter The same first of November went there two Posts thorow Leipsich unto Gallas to cause him to hasten backe with his Forces which I heare to bee about nine or ten thousand though fifteene thousand say some Relations And now were the Leipsichers enforced to pay in their fifty thousand Dollars which October 24 they had agreed upon Vpon this first of November likewise did the Imperiall Army remoove towards Weissenfels upon the river Sala encamps at Weissenfels eight English miles West of Lutzen He sent also the Colonel Suvis with his Regiment of Foot and the Colonell Bredaro so my Spanish Relation writes both their names to take in Naumburg The Horsemen leading the way found the King of Swedens Vantgard there before them so that Bredaro's Horse having some slight skirmish in the Suburbs with the Swedish returned againe to Weissenfels These were those which we called the 600 Imperiall Horse who as in the end of the Kings Story we told you were comming to take in Naumburg And now for that we can by no better meanes come by the motions on the Imperiall side then by the discovery made by one of their owne I will here therefore make use of my Spanish Relation written by a Walsteiner and twice printed in Lisbone The King sayes my Author being passed the river and lodged with his Army before Naumburg the Imperiall Army marched up likewise in Battell array before Weissenfels The Kings men about this time putting out some few troopes of Horse there fell out some encounters betwixt them and the Crabats but nothing to the purpose The Kings men retiring suddenly the Imperiall Army disposed of it selfe in the small villages about Weissenfels newes being brought after a while that the King did fortifie his Campe about Naumburg Walenstein was once in the mind to have marcht presently and to have encountred with the King of Sweden but by reason that the ordinary way betwixt Weissenfels and * twelve English miles distant Naumburg was but narrow and troublesome to march because of the continued mountaines he onely sent out Iulio Deodati Quarter-Master-Generall to goe with a good guard of Crabats about by the way of Zeitz to take a view of a more commodious passage and of the place and posture that the King was lodged at * Zeitz is up the Elster the river of Leipsich 14 miles South-East of Naumburg and 12 from Weissenfels But his excellency the Generalissimo in an action of that importance was first desirous to heare the advice of all his Colonels for the getting whereof he employed the Count of Pappenheim The Colonels disswaded the encounter upon these considerations First of the Kings being already lodg'd and fortified in a Post of so advantageous a situation Secondly for that the time of yeere was so farre spent and winter so neere comming on that keeping the Field would be most incommodious for the Army The Reasons why Walenstein assaulted not the King Thirdly and above all for that tydings were now comne apace of Count Henry Vanden Berghs going towards Cullen which would put a necessitie upon the Generalissimo to hasten towards * But this of Henry Vanden Berg was but a false Alarm the diversion of the danger of that place the losse whereof would bee of so perilous a consequence Vpon these reasons in which the Colonels with one Consent agreed it was concluded to be unfit and at that time un-usefull that the King should be assaulted All these reasons served for the foundation of that resolution and why hee sent away Pappenheim which his Excellency tooke presently for the sending away of the Count of Pappenheim towards the river of Weser with two Regiments of Crabats onely to the end that with those being joyned to those Forces which he had before left with the Count of Groensfeld hee might succour Cullen and take order withall for the levying of some new troopes in Westphalia and Paderborn In the meane time was his Excellency resolved to put his owne Army into Winter Quarters about the river of Sala He resolues to put his men into their winter Quarters as also in Leipsich and other places neere unto Dresden All these divisions was he minded so proportionably to have parted into Bodies of Horse and Foot that each of them might be able to make resistance till the next Quarters could well come in to their succours should the King perchance attempt upon any one of them For the putting this designe in execution his Excellency remooued his Army from about Weissenfels sending the Count of Pappenheim with two Regiments of Foote and some of Horse from Mersburg for to goe and take in Hall Castle which was very strong and guarded by 200. Swedish Pappenheim had order likewise for the lodging of some troopes thereabouts according as he should find things disposed His Excellency after his dispatch intending to march towards Wesler came to lodge with the rest of his forces about Lutzen But apprehending no improbable suspition that the King would never suffer him to take in that place under the nose as it were
of his whole Army and that by turning backe and passing over the river Sala Walenstein opens a gap for the King to have marchâ— away he might easily succour the Castle of Hall he resolved upon another purpose Sending Colonell Contreras to take up Altemburg his Excellency himselfe was resolued with the rest of his Army to have gone Northward and lodge at Mersburg By this disposing of himselfe should he at Mersburg be neere to backe Pappenheim and by sending the other Colonels to Luca and Altemburg should there have beene a space left in the middle for the King to have marcht away even from Naumburg unto Dresden By this cautelous forecast might his Excellency have after followed the King with his mayne strength and either utterly have overthrowne him or at least cut off his passage and have shut him and all his forces utterly out of the Empire But the Kings conveniences were measured by other designes farre different from our suppositions Fâ—r He having understood of the sending away of Pappenheim and the other 2. Regiments resolued presently to come and set upon us Insomuch that the Count Ridolfo Coloredo being marched with the Crabats towards Weissenfels to fetch off a Captaine who was left in the Castle with 100. souldiers he found the King * This was the 5th of Novemb. with his Army already advanced farre upon his march in sight of the City towards Lutzen Yet Coloredo came so fit and in so good a time that he had leasure enough notwithstanding the King had alreadie sent some Muskettiers But the King comes upon him to take in the Castle to bring off the men with him This having performed Coloredo still valiantly skirmishing with his few Foote and Crabats made his retreate unto Ripach in sight of the Kings Army At this very time had his Excellency thorow the reiterated messages of Coloredo given the Alarme unto his Army by the accustomed signe of shooting off 3. peeces of Ordnance notwithstanding all which it was even now night ere the Regiments could have recovered to their place of Rendezvous about Lutzen The King by this time was comne from Ripach and had taken up his lodging about a league from thence Walenstein puts his men into array and sends backe for Pappenheim But Colonel Holck for all the darkenesse of the night went about to put his forces into battaglia and indeavoured by perpetuall skowtes to discover the proceedings of the enemy Neither wanted his Excellency any diligence to dispatch messengers to the Count of Pappenheim giving him notice of the Kings resolution and a command therewithall to returne backe with all his forces and to advance in the meane time his Cavallery and Dragooners with all speede possible This message overtooke him iust at that instant when he had entred Hall and had clapt a Petard to the Castle gate in which there was a Swedish Commander with a garrison of 200. souldiers And thus farre are the very words of my Spanish Relation wherein though the defeate given by the King the night before the Battell be united yet certainely there be many other particulars on the Imperiall side which but from one of their owne we could not have comne at And so farre in my Readers names I thanke my Spanish Relater whom I have done no wrong unto in Translating And now have we brought Walenstein to the stake for the morrow morning begins the Battell This I adde that Gallas though he were sent for yet could he not come time enough to the encounter What may seeme defective here of Walensteins Proceedings iust before the Battell shall be supplyed by and by in the description of the Battell The famous Battell of Lutzen fought the sixt of November 1632. Old Style Wherein you have the manner of the King of Swedens death WITH The overthrow and flight of the Imperiall Army and their Generalissimo the Lord ALBERT Walenstein Duke of Fridland c. HOw we have heretofore waited upon that incomparable Prince the King of Sweden from Erfurt unto Naumburg you may remember to have read pag 73. of this Booke In which 3. daies march of his there was no such thing as the defeate of the Count of Merode with 2. Regiments which the confident * Pag. 823. The true name of Merode I am told to be Werningeroda of a towne by Halberstat which he is Earle of Le Soldat Suedois avoucheth Nor was Merode at all in the Battell whom he maketh to be slaine there The onely suspition of any opposition to be made by an enemy in all this march was a newes brought his Majestie by the Boores of some 22. Cornets of Crabats under the command of Isolani and his Lieftenant-Colonel Vorgage commonly to the Germans knowne by the name of Vorgast who had beene seene a day or two before about the countrey But these Crabats were onely heard of not encountred with Pappenheim was also marcht thorow without ever so much as offring to take in Erfurt much lesse of fetching any composition or contribution of 2000. dollars as the same Soldat Suedois also affirmeth pag 812. Duke William Weymar was in the towne with 3000. men voyced to be 5000 with Pappenheims small Armie of 5000. Foote and 2500. Horse was much to weake to have meddled withall though by the counsell he gave to Walenstein it appeareth how good a mind he had towards it The King as we told you being arrived at Naumburg upon Thursday November the first old Stile which is not Saint Martins day as the former Pag 824. Saint Martins day is November 11th Old Stile in all Martyrologies and Romane Kalenders French Author mistaketh tooke order to have his Army lodged in the field towne and Suburbs even as we before told you The same day the King went out upon a Partee for discovering of the enemie After him that afternoone went these 3. Gentlemen of our Nation Three English Gentlemen taken prisoners by the Crabats Lieftenant-Colonel Francis Terret Sergeant-Major Iohn Pawlet and Captaine Edward Fielding These 3. going alone by themselues to a forsaken village where there were 2. waies thorow it the King having gone the left hand way and they now taking the right fell into an ambush of the Crabats the first and the last named of these three were taken prisoners by 2. Rit-masters of the Crabats one of them named Potnick a Greeke Captaine This adventure would I not overpasse for that these two Gentlemen being carried prisoners into the Imperiall Leaguer kept under a guard in the Reere of the Armie all the day of the great Battell and after hal'd unto Prague among the fleeing Imperialists have had the meanes to enforme me of what otherwise I could not have comne by And thus much they having with much courtesie affoorded me I could not but quote them for my better authority They were that night carried unto Weissenfels where Walenstein then lay in the Castle of it He sent the Count of Pappenheim
came all to early A gentle mist as if fore-dooming how blacke a day it would be did his good will to have kept it night still and the Sunne as if his great eye had before-hand over-read the fatality of the following day seemed very loath to have begunne it So sweet a correspondencie though secret and so sensible a compassion betwixt Gods more noble instruments there is that the day had rather have beene no day then become Gustavus his last day and the Sunne had rather have conceal'd his owne glory then his fellow Gustavus beames should be extinguished But the martiall King even forcing himselfe to awaken Time and hasten on mortality would needs make those clocks and larums of the warres his fatall Drummes to beate two houres before day-light Arme Arme Repaire to your Colours keepe your Orders stand to your Armes these were the morning summons to awaken the heartie souldiers from a cold a hard and an earthly lodging The Armie was easie to be put in order for that the most part of it had laine and slept in Battaglia One while was the King purposed to have advanc't and falne on presently but the warre being Gods cause he would like David and Himselfe first aske counsell of the God of Battells and at least recommend His owne cause unto Him The Drummes having beaten the first March Hee caused prayers to be read to himselfe by his owne Chaplaine Doctor Fabritius and where there were Ministers at hand the same was done thorow every Regiment of the Army The morning proved so mistie that it was not possible to see which way to march nor where to find an enemie to strike at And this vnluckily staid the Kings thoughts from advancing presently This was a fogge of advantage unto Walenstein who purposing but to stand his ground which by working all night about the ditch and high-way his Pioners had made more troublesome to be assaulted was now resolued that if he must fight he would there abide the first shocke and no way to seeke the Battell or to mooue towards his Adversarie About 8. a clocke the mist brake up and but for one mischance in it promised as faire a day as ever was 6th of November As it beganne to cleere the King tooke occasion to encourage up his souldiers and going to his owne Subiects first The Kings Orations he to this purpose bespake them My deare brethren carry your selues bravely this day fight valiantly a Gods name to the Swedes for your Religion and for your King This if you doe Gods blessing and the peoples praises shall be your guerdon and you for ever shall even be laden with an honourable and a glorious memoriall nor will I forget to reward you nobly If you play the Pultrons I here call God to witnesse that not a bone of you shall ever returne againe into Sweden To the Germane Troopes this was the Oration To the Germanes ô you my Brethren Officers and fellow-souldiers of the Germane nation I here most earnestly intreate and beseech you to make full tryall of your valours this one day against your enemies Fight manfully against them this day both with me and for me Be not faint-hearted in the Battell nor for any thing discouraged Set me before your eies and let me be your great example even me who dreadlessely for your cause am here readie to adventure my life and blood to the uttermost of any danger This if you doe there is no doubt but that God himselfe will from Heaven reward you with a most glorious victorie of which both your selues and long posteritie shall plentifully enioy the benefits This if you doe not farewell for ever to your Religion and your liberties must for ever remaine enslaved These Orations of the Kings being from both nations with a horride clashing of their Armour and with cheerefull vowes and acclamations answered the King as cheerefully then replied And now my hearts let us on bravely against our enemies and God prosper our endeavours Sprightfully withall casting up his eies to Heaven he with a loud voyce thither sent up this forcible ejaculation Iesu Iesu Iesu The Kings Prayers vouchsafe thou this day to be my strong helper and give me courage this day to fight for thy glorie and the honour of thy great Names sake This Praier according to other Relations I find that he sometimes thus varied for he led on praying ô my Lord Iesu Sonne of God! blesse these our Armes and this dayes Battell for thine owne glory and holy names sake This said he drew out his sword which waving over his head hee advanced forward the formost of all his Army His royall person was that day waited upon His attendance by Duke Francis Charles of Saxon-Lawenburg and by some of his Maiesties owne neerest servants The Lord Crailsham also Great Master or Marshall of his Majesties Houshold had the leading of a bodie of Reformadoes which were especially commanded to waite upon the Kings owne person And amongst these were our English and Scottish Gentlemen and Officers whom as I have before told you the King had at Schleusing heretofore Reformed Of this Bodie which consisted of severall nations were there still 3. or 4. close about the King readie to be sent with orders up and downe the Armie who were still supplied by Crailsham The King was that day attired as usually he was accustomed in a plaine Buff-coate and un-armed Some report that a tendernesse he had in his shoulder where a Musket bullet had a long time stucke would not suffer him to endure armour And therefore when he was this morning desired to put on his Corslet he said The Lord God was his Armour and refused it The Kings Watch-word was the same which had beene of so good an Omen His Watch-word before at Leipsich GOTT MIT VNS God with Vs. The Generall Walensteins being now the same which Tillyes then was IESVS MARIA This was the Kings order of Embattailing His whole Army which now after he had left some at Naumburg and at Weissenfels was betweene 17 and 18000 men hee devided into two Fronts and each of these into the Wings and Battell with their Reserves Each of the Wings were composed of sixe severall Regiments or Squadrons of Horse lined with five severall Bodies His Order of Commanded Muskettiers every one of which Bodies had two small Drakes or Feilding Peeces which advanced playing still before them The Battell in each Front consisted of foure Brigades of Foot a Reserve of Foot being betwixt the two middle Brigades of the first Front and a Reserve of Horse hindmost of all betwixt the two middle Brigades of the Reere or Second Front Before each Brigade marcht sixe Peeces of greater Ordnance and thus much the first sight of the Figure showes you The Right Wing markt with the Letter I was led by the King himselfe whose place is to be seene just over the said letter and number 6. neere
Ammunition-wagons of which there were not aboue 100 at most the King having left the rest at Naumburg with no purpose of fighting The King advanced till he came with the end of his Right Wing within Musket shot of a little wood having all the way a full view of the Imperiall Army That Walenstein much over-powred the King in numbers may appeare by the mighty long Front that he put out full 2. English miles from one Wings end to another This is also to be considered Walensteins numbers much more then the Kings that Walensteins and all the old Discipline is to march 10. deepe in File whereas the King was no more but 6. deepe of Foote I meane and of Horse but 3. or 4. deepe according as the Brigades were either stronger or weaker Besides this that Walensteins Files were all the way almost as deepe againe his Ranks also were in Front so much longer The King enforced to lengthen out his Right Wing that the King was faine to send for Bulach and all the Squadrons of Horse from the Right Wing of the Reere or second Front to imp out his Feathers at the end of his Right Wing for feare that Walenstein should surround him These Squadrons when Generall-Major Kniphausen missed out of their places he sent a Gentleman to his Maiesty to know whither he had otherwise employed them The King was at the same time likewise sending the the Duke of Saxon-Lawenburg unto Kniphausen to tell him that he would but use them in that first charge and then returne them backe againe to their Order The Duke meeting with the Gentleman and telling him thus much both then returned to their places The King wondred not a little at it when he saw how faire a Clew Walenstein spread affirming to these about him That if he had any Seconds behind his first Front he could not iudge him to be lesse then 30000. True it is indeed that Walenstein had given out Proviant Comissions for 40000. and sometimes for 50000. people but yet had he not so many fighting men for that there were at least 10000. women servants children and such Hang-byes belonging to the Army which are to be discounted Besides this it is to be considered that Walenstein had but one Front and the King 2. so that we may well allow Walenstein to be 20000. in the First Front at the very first ordering of the Battell After which accounting those that were still comming in even till 10. a clocke and Pappenheims Horse and Dragooners which came in about one or two a clocke and his Foot thought to make the second fierce charge towards night and then doubtlesse these could not be fewer then 10. on 12000. which made up in all full 30000. fighting men The Armies being comne within Cannon shot the great Ordnance began to play one upon another terribly The Aire roar'd and the earth trembled and those manly hearts that feared not dying were yet very loath to have no more play for their lives then to be beaten to pieces with the bullet of a Cannon And here had Walenstein surely a great advantage over the Kings Army The Battell begun with great Ordnance for his Ordnance being all ready planted upon steaddy and fixt Batteries the Canoniers traversed their Peeces and delivered their bullets with more aime then the Kings men could possibly who gave fire in motion still and advancing His Maiesties Cannon ever as a peece was discharged was there left to be brought after the Army still advancing and marching away from it Plainely the King liked not this sport for that the Imperiall Cannon did his men farre more spoile and execution then he possibly could againe returne them Seeing therefore no good to be done this way he causes his Army to advance upon the very mouth of the Cannon and to charge towards the High-way and to beate out those Muskettiers that were lodged in it The Imperiall Army stood their ground all this time expecting that the fiercenesse of their enemies charge would indifferently well be abated by that time they had beaten out those Muskettiers and had put themselues out of order and breath with scambling over the ditches And indeed the place being almost mans height a many of the Kings Horsemen were there left tumbling up and downe but of the rest that gat over this was the order of their Charge The commanded Muskettiers and the Foote of the Swedes Brigade having cleered the High-way the whole Front advanced to charge together The order of the first charge This whilest they were doing the little Drakes or Field-Peeces 2. of which marcht before every Body of Muskettiers that lined the Horse of the Wings were first fired and the Muskettiers at the same time giving their first Saluee the Horse then charged home upon the Imperiall Horse by the Drakes and Muskettiers something before disordered This order was held in the first charge by the whole Front of the Army but I must now leave the Battell and Left Wing engaged to speake of the Right Wing first where the King in person commaunded The King at his first advancing having observed whereabouts in the Imperiall Left Wing now opposite to him the Crabats were marshalled and where the Curiassiers who were compleatly armed in blacke harnesse Cap á pied he cals the Finnish Colonel Stolhanshe to him as t is likely he did other Colonels as he rode along and pointing to the enemie As for those fellowes meaning the Crabats I care not for them The Kings speech of the Imperiall Curiassiers saies the King but charge me those blacke fellowes soundly for they are the men that will undoe vs. Thus much did Stolhanshe himselfe oftentimes and at table relate unto divers Gentlemen of our Nation Some of which tell the Kings words from Stolhanshes mouth this way Charge me those blacke fellowes soundly for t is prophecyed that they shall be the ruine of me But this word prophesie others confesse that they heard not The King fought at the head of the Smolanders Squadron The couragiousnesse of the King Himselfe was still the formost with his pistoll in one hand and his sword in the other and when his pistolls were discharged laying on and slashing with his sword and the enemy giving fire in his face and laying at him againe freely Some have complained that onely with the Smolanders Squadron which you shall find at the number 6. and the Ostro Gothes at the number 5. or at most the Vplanders at the number 4. did now onely advance and charge the enemy Perchance these 3. now gat the start and were something forward then the 3. Squadrons of the Ingermanlanders the West-Goths and the Finlanders whom you see in their orders and numbers 3. 2. 1. towards the end of the Wing These 3. Squadrons indeed fell not on at the same place with the King but advanced directly upon the faces of those 3. Imperiall Regiments of Curiassiers which you see right
of God and his Church beene concluded and settled and doe generally all of us oblige our selues to remaine in the same forme discipline and truth of Religion according to the revealed truth of Gods holy and heavenly Word and the Articles of our Christian beleefe contained in the 3. Creedes that is to say the Apostles Creede the Nicene and of Athanasius together with the true and invariable and ulalterable Confession of Augspurg In a word as it hath formerly beene solidely concluded in the Councell of Vpsal 5th Article 5. Fifthly Whereas our Queene as yet is not come to her compleate yeeres and full age so that she can be sufficient of her owne selfe and ability to defend and Governe the Kingdome and the Realme we could wish and happy were we if it had beene so that there had beene a full decree and order made by his Maiesty of blessed Memory and the Princes and States of the Realme so that in the same there had beene comprehended whatsoever in this respect we ought to have cleaved unto But since it is otherwise and must needs be so and that wee doe understand that his renowned Maiesty of blessed memory did commit his intent and resolution concerning this matter to the Councell and Lords of this State and had often commanded and desired them to conceive a right order concerning the same which they having performed and therein declared their opinion and shewed the same to his Maiesty with his full approbation yet notwithstanding by reason of his sudden death and other occasions thereupon ensuing hath it not had its full effect although wee may well wish it had Therefore in this case we have read and manifested the said order made by his Maiesty in his time to some of the cheefe amongst us and of our State who as they haue found the same most sound and wholsome so could we wish that the same were published to the common view and eyes of all men and might be confirmed and ratified unanimously by us all and so be published But whereas we doe also perceive and understand that divers instructions and necessary appurtenances belonging thereunto by reason of the shortnesse of time could not conveniently be in readinesse we notwithstanding being desirous to further the welfare and State of the Realme in all good manner of proceeding and likewise that his Maiesty our most gracious and renowned King of blessed memory his will and care for which we are for ever bound to extoll his Maiesties name and memory may really be performed and executed we do especially all of us in the name of the whole State and Realme desire and ordaine that the same decree and ordinance of his Majesty shal be put in execution and performed in the best maner and forme that may be possibly for the good and welfare of our Realme and Countries by the 5. chiefe States and Officers of the Realme to wit 1. The Lord high Steward 2. Marshall 3. Admirall 4. Chancellor 5. Treasurer And in the absence of the one or other or of any the Eldest of the Councell of State shall supply the place And these 5. shall be in lieu and place of Government of her Maj for the Kingdome of Sweden untill her Maj be grown by Gods grace to perfect yeers And this businesse have we sufficiently pondered For wheras the said five States and Lords have ever beene of Councell with his Maiestie of blessed memory and have undergone and waded thorow the most weightiest affaires of the whole Kingdome wee have thought good unanimously with one generall consent to ordaine and establish as well for our Associates and Brethren as for our selues that from henceforward the five aforesaid Grand and Chiefe Officers of the State and Realme and in either the one or the other his absence the Eldest of our Councell of Stockholm being of the same Colledge and Assembly supplying the place for the welfare and managing of the State of our Kingdome and the Tuition of our Queene shall governe and beare rule during the Minority and Nonage of her Maiesty onely in her name and stead and without any preiudice to the Realme or State or violation or breach of the Lawes Rites and Priviledges of the same but rather powerfully for her Maiesty maintaining the five brotherly Offices and State-Rankes To wit Courtright Councell Councell of War Admiralty Chauncery and Treasury or Exchequer as the same have beene by former Kings instituted established and upheld especially by our last King of blessed memory Gustavus the 2d. Also all dexterity shall be vsed and employed by them for the maintaining and upholding of the Swedish Rights Lawes Iustice and Policy as farre as their vttermost industry and power shall be able to extend defending protecting all manner of waies the Realme and Kingdome and whatsoever depends upon it In such wise as they in their Conscience shall be willing to answer before God the Queene and the State when they shall be thereunto called And as these doe at this present oblige themselues to those that are and hereafter shall be called into Authority and as they doe now oblige themselues by oath On the other side We the Peeres and Lords of the Realme doe promise to yeeld unto these five selected Chiefe Offices and to the Eldest of the Councell that shall supply either of their roomes not onely all worthy respect and honour but also all obedience and submissiue subiection in whatsoever they shall require and command us tending to the glory of Almighty God the good and welfare of the Queene and of the State and Common-wealth And in case any one should goe about to oppose and to crosse this manner of proceeding or government either in deed or word We shall by all our powers labour to suppresse such insolencies and to punish such parties and so constraine them to true obedience 6. 6th Article Sixthly Whereas our Kingdome and Countrey is as yet in an open Warre and Hostility against the Roman Emperour and the Popish League in Germany We professe our selues desirous and resolved to maintaine it as the same hath not onely beene undertaken furthered and happily maintained but sealed also with the very blood of our most renowned and blessed King even with our uttermost power and endeavours untill it shall please Almightie God in his due time to establish and settle a happy and desired peace for the good of his Church Whereas also it is most necessary that wee Arme strengthen and provide our selues against other accrewing and newly growing enemies and to have a speciall care to prevent all dangers and oppositions which may ensue we have therefore ordered and ordained and doe now will and ordaine That the same Edict and Proclamation which the last Harvest time was concluded and confirmed shall with all speed and expedition be published through out the whole Realme and Kingdome directly according to the same forme as we first ordered with condition that all mens rights and priviledges
shall thereby be kept inviolable And by these presents we doe promise and doe freely consent and grant with and upon mature deliberation that in case the neede and necessity of the Kingdome shall so require whether it be by reason of the enmity that we are already fallen into or in respect of some new enemies which haply may make opposition and enmity against our most gracious young Queene and the State of this Kingdome in one manner or other then we with life and goods are ready and willing to maintaine our right and liberties and to stand with all our might and ability in opposition against all such as shall dare to confront and withstand our proceedings 7th Article 7. Seventhly We know well enough that no Kingdome can possibly subsist without means neither can any Warre be rightly managed without great charges And therefore we have likewise thought fit and good that the Lille and Quarne Toll or Custome shall be continued for the good and profit of the Kingdome according to the order and manner as the same is now raised and received As also that the Messengerships granted the last yeere shall for this time goe forward and take place Moreover if so be that the Warre in Germany should yet longer continue or if it should happen that our Kingdome and Countrey should fasten upon some other warre and trouble We doe likewise promise and oblige our selves That when thereupon we shall be required by the Peeres States and Lords of the Realme Wee will with all our meanes power and abilities stand and fight for our Religion Queene Kingdomes and liberties Whensoever necessity shall thereunto invite us For we have ever hitherto esteemed the welfarre of our Kingdome and State to be our chiefest happinesse and therefore haue couragiously adventured both our goods and lives upon it To this wee oblige our selves by these Presents That We in all these particulars above written are resolved and have unanimously generally and particularly in our owne and in the behalfe of our brethren present and absent as well unborne as borne freely and willingly consented agreed approoved and concluded and therein sufficiently accorded and doe promise as faithfull religious and true sincere meaning Subiects to performe the same Wee the Councell State c. of Sweden have Vnderwritten and Sealed Actum At Stockholm the 14. of March 1633. The Diet of Heilbrun ANd that the Reader for a Farewell may perceiue the present constitution of the affaires in the Empire and in what good correspondency the Protestant Princes are at this present one with another and how well disposed to the continuance of the warres for so good a Cause I will conclude my Booke with that new League of these 4. Principall Circles of the Empire that is to say The Franconian Suevian the Vpper and Lower Circles of the Rhine made in the Diet of Heilbrun in the Dukedome of Wirtemberg 18. English miles from Heidleberg in the moneths of March and April last past that so my Story may end as it begun with a Diet. What Princes were present There were personally present at this meeting the Duke of Wirtemberg and the Administrator the Marquesse of Baden the Count of Hanaw with the most of the 17. Earles of Wetteraw For the Prince Elector Palatine and the Administrator Lodowicke Broâ—her to the King of Bohemia were there 4. Commissioners whereof Colonell Peblitz being the chiefe he sate above all the Princes at the upper end of the Table all the Propositions were directed towards him and he had the opening of all letters in place of the Elector Palatine There were present besides the Ambassadors of other Princes and the Deputies of the Imp. Cities in these 4. Circles The Lord Chancellor Oxenstiern by whose procurement this Diet had beene convoked had his lodging in the towne and came not at all into the State-house among the Princes but sent them in this discourse and these Propositions following which were the grounds and materialls for the Diet to worke upon His stile in the present Diet was Councellor Chancellor and Extraordinary Ambassador for the most Illustrious and High-borne the Hereditary Heyer and Princesse of the Crowne of Sweden And with this Declaration he began his Propositions Illustrious and Right Honourable Princes and States Evangeliacall here assembled I will not too much trespasse upon your patience Oxenstierns Propositions with an over tedious recitall of the Causes upon which the High and mighty Prince of ever-glorious memory Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden c. was enforced to take Armes and openly to make opposition against the Roman Emperour Ferdinand the Second of that name and his confederates the Catholike Leaguers more and more at that time every day prevailing in their oppressions of the Evangeliacall Electors Princes and States and of their Honours priviledges and immunities all the Romane Empire over yea and most iniuriously beginning to encroach upon the next neighbour Princes and their Provinces forasmuch as these things be notorious unto the world and that the Iustice of the Kings Armes be by no man doubted of And yet some briefe recapitulation doe I thinke convenient to make of them Most apparent it is that his said sacred Maiesty now at rest in the Lord was without any formall denuntiation of warre infested by the Emperor His Ambassadors comming with the offer and meanes of a peaceable compounding of depending Controversies most disgracefull entreated yea and contrary to all lawes of nations and civility not without scornefull affronts offered turned home againe and the whole Treaty by that vsage abruptly broken off with him That his subiects of Sweden even contrary to long usage amity and Covenants heretofore in generall contracted with the Romane Empire and in particular with certaine neighbour Princes and Free-States have beene disturbed in their Commerces Embargo's laid upon their Ships and fetters upon their saylers That the Catholike Leaguers likewise notwithstanding that among other Electors of the Empire they had beene requested that they would be pleased to forbeare the making themselues parties in these differences but rather to seeke how to find redresse for them and notwithstanding that at the request of the French King confederated with his sacred Maiesty there had beene Neutrality granted unto the said Leaguers if so be they thought good to accept of it yet did they not onely refuse that Neutrality but entred also into a stricter confederation of warres against his said Maiesty and conioyning their forces under their Generall Tilly with those of his Imperiall Maiesty they forbare not to doe their uttermost against the said King whom out of pure necessity they by this meanes enforced in hostile manner to oppose himselfe against all of them And notwithstanding that these and the like motives which for brevities sake be here omitted doe sufficiently iustifie his said Maiesties Armes-taking being he was enforced to them yet this is the thing above all the rest to be considered the devises namely
These though but a weake garrison God knowes yet endured they some Canon shots before they would listen to a composition which there being no other remedy they were glad upon souldiers termes to accept of and the Spaniards as glad to yeeld them their intent being to make hast into the further parts of the Palatinate Next advance they unto Simmern and Simmern 5 or 6 English miles to the North of Kâ—rchberg which towne they found not in so good a posture of defence as that they came last from but readyer to take the Law from the stronger Some Swedish forces there were enquartered here and there in the better townes of this countrey of the Huntsruck These rallying themselves now together were resolved to make some head against the proceedings of the Spaniards But not being of themselves strong enough to confront the grosse of the Spanish armie and out of hope withall to be seconded from about Mentz and all through the bad correspondency betwixt their chiefe leaders Duke Bernard I meane and the old Rhine-grave contented themselves onely to lie upon the catch and to intercept some loose troopes of their enemies which for pillage sake but afterwards loose 5 Cornets to the Swedish durst adventure the stragling a little further from the armie At severall times they latcht up 4 or 5 of the Spanish Ensignes which were at Mentz afterwards presented unto the Queene of Sweden This countrey of the Huntsruck is very apt indeed for such like military reprisals it being a very hilly and woody place as if nature had meant it for the dressing of ambuscadoes into which such strangers as are not well traded in the countrey may easily enough fall The Count of Embden never staying to revenge this marches North-ward towards Over-wesel first and to Boppart afterwards this last lying not far from Coblents where the Rhine entertaines the Mosel These two townes They cleere the countrey as farre as the bancks of the Mosel and by their taking all that corner of the Huntsruck and Bishopricke of Triers betwixt the Rhine and Mosel being thus againe made Spanish even as farre as Coblents where of old they had a garrison the Count of Embden converts his armes up againe by the Rhines side towards the Southward and making all the speed he could to the bancks of the river Nah whose streame runnes traverse to his marching then passe the Nah into the Palatinate Where this river droppeth into the Rhine stands the town of Bingen and 10 English miles to the Northward up the said streame is the towne of Creutznach To both them the Spaniards now send some Partees who bringing these word againe that the townes were defended with good Scottish and Germane garrisons they forbeare to attempt either of them quietly passing the river Nah betwixt both into the Palatinate In none of these their proceedings hitherto except where wee before told you had they met with any considerable power of opposition The Swedish armie was not yet advanced into the field The Rhinegrave now sent out to observe them the Rhinegrave onely with his Horse-regiment had hitherto beene by Oxenstiern sent out from Mentz towards them and that rather to observe them then oppose them He perceiving them after their passing of the Nah to advance to the Eastwards towards Mentz retires still before them till he came to Nider-Vlm within 6 or 7 English miles of Mentz sits downe to stoppe them at Nider Vlm. to the South-west-ward Here sets he downe his Regiment because that this was the neerest Passe by which the Spanish must come at Mentz citie At this dorp ends that ledge of little mountaines which by a small rivers side for 8 or 10 miles together comes trending along from the very Rhine bancks The Spanish having borne up close hitherto with the Rhinegrave and being now approacht within halfe a league of him they at that distance about the tenth of our April there sate downe and rested Hereabouts at Mentz they learned by some countrey Boores that the chiefest of the Swedish forces were now amassing and that here if any where they were likely to meet with opposition And they judged rightly For now at Mentz was the Rex-Chancellor Axel Oxenstiern who together with that gallant yong sparke Duke Bernard of Saxon-Weimar had an armie in readinesse of 15000 foot and 72 Horse Cornets The Spanish had notice who whilest Duke Bernard prepares to draw out the Armie besides given them of the new and great fortifications about the citie and that Duke Bernard had already drawne out the most of these troopes into the new worcks which the King before his going had given order to be made aswell for the lodging of a campe royall there as for the safe-guard of the 2 new bridges over the Rhine and Maine all which you may see described page 57. of our Second part Thus much had Duke Bernard done by the seventh of April at which time the Spanish were comne up within a day and halfes march of Creutznach The towne lying at this guard and the Rhinegraves horse at the Poast we last told you of enquartered betwixt the Spaniards and the citie they having intelligence of his posture first resolve to set upon him there before those other forces should be drawne out of the citie to assist him Friday morning before day light April 13. was the time they appointed to make a Cavalcado upon his Quarters and Lucas Cagro Commissary Generall of the Cavallery was the man that with 1400 horse in 12 Cornets undertooke the action It so chanced that the Rhinegrave the very night before had received both notice and assistance and was both wayes now provided to entertaine them The Chancellor Oxenstiern had newly sent him 400. Finland horse under the well-tryed Colonel Stolhanshe who had also taken up his lodging upon the side of the same hill on which the Rhinegraves men lay â—nquartered Towards them though not close up to them the Rhinegrave that night hitched giving notice unto Stolhanshe withall of the Spanish purposes Don Lucas knowing nothing that his enemies knew so much thinkes in the darke morning to get the advantage of the hill-knap and then to fall downe upon them with the more weight afterwards he still supposing his enemie to be in his old Quarters The hill top that Don Lucas thought to have gotten was the same knap which the Rhinegrave had before possessed himselfe of on the side of which Stolhanshe was also lodged The Spanish thus in the darke morning with as much silence as they could mounting up the climb of the hill stumbled first upon Stolhanshe and his Finlanders all ready in array to entertaine them These charging one another downe comes the Rhinegrave at the noise of the first volleyes upon the polles of them defeates 1400 horse of the Spaniards that first set upon him The Spaniards having once discharged their pistolls and Carbines and not being able to discerne what
on the neerest frontiers almost of the Dukedome next unto those parts where Horns warres now lay and by taking of them was the midway betwixt both their forces made the cleerer and they the neerer together to conjoyne them This done and the Administrator having notice of the taking of Stolhoven some few of his being now sent by order from the King of Sweden to augment the garrison of Ausburg he sends the greater part of his Armie over the mountaines through the rich and pleasant Kintzkher thale commonly called the Kintzinger dale which the river Kintzkh both watereth and nameth Some Swedish troopes had beene left behinde on that side the Rhine about Stolhoven to re-enforce these Wirtembergers and their designe now was upon the Imperiall citie of Offenburg upon the said river Kintzkh now comes and besieges Offenburg about 10 English miles from Strasburg This was the agreement betwixt the Administrator and the Swedish Felt-Marshall to give action to the Imperialists on both sides of the Rhine at one instant that they might not well know which way next to turne them But of this siege presently and in the order of time that it ought to be Wee left Haubald even now passing over the Rhine-streame That done and he advancing to the South-westward by St. Arbogast and Nidernheim the Imperiall garrison of Obernheim a little beyond Benfeld avoide out of it before his comming But the townsmen taking themselves to be more interessed in the keeping of their owne then the mercenary soldiers put on a resolution in their State-house to defend themselves against the Swedish But for all their bigge words after they had beene once beaten in upon a slight sallie which they made Haubald besieges Obernheim to hinder the Swedish Approches and that they heard the Canon bullets ratling a little among the tiles of their houses the good men suffered themselves to be perswaded by their wives and daughters to make but a money matter of it and to hearken to a parlie The townsmen which is yeelded to him thereupon being used to driving of bargaines more then to driving away their enemies now bargaine for their liberties and 10000 Dollars they paid for it Whilest this is a doing about the end of August the Wirtembergers assisted by some Swedish are at the siege of Offenburg Summons being given the citizens having first obtained a little respite to consider of it seeme desirous to enter into a Parlie This was but a trick of theirs to gaine time withall seeing they were assured to be relieved from Monte-Cuculi if there were any port yet open by which to receive the succours into their citie The Wirtembergers thinking all their owne were not so carefull either to surround the citie or to have their Sentinells and espialls abroad as they ought to have beene By this negligence of theirs 3â—0 Imperialists thrusting themselves into the citie the townsmen breake off their Parlie The Wirtembergers besieging Offenburg and let flie their ordnance among the Wirtembergers Here was Colonell Iagermaister slaine with divers others of the Wirtemberger Officers The besiegers finding the besieged to plie them hard with sallies to beate them out of their Approaches and to fill up their Lines by flinging in the earth againe were faine directly to send for Gustavus Horn to come and helpe them Thither came he in person with some re-enforcements By his strength and skill and diligence the lines in 4 or 5 daies were perfected Batteries and wide breaches made and ladders gotten readie for the Scalado The garrison and citizens perceiving this they to beginne the moneth and end the weeke withall Are faine to send for Gustavus Horn to helpe them Saturday September the first old Style sent out to treat the conditions of surrendring They are granted upon indifferent termes unto the garrison whereupon the next day September the 2 300 soldiers on foot and 120 on horseback march forth freely out of the towne to him that sent them Munday and Tuesday were the dayes appointed for the treating with the townsmen who for having dealt so treacherously with the Wirtembergers were compelled first By whom the towne is taken to redeeme themselves with 20000 Dollars 2 to prevent their correspondencie with the Imperialists was there a garrison of 500 men put upon them 3 Their suburbs which themselves had partly burnt downe and partly beaten downe for the fortifying of their towne were they made promise not to build up againe for ever 4. They were to take an oath of homage to become hereditarie subjects unto the Crowne of Sweden 5. and lastly to be forbidden medling with any Armes for ever Here was found an excellently well furnished Magazine both for victualls Guns and ammunition which wel helpt Gustavus Horn to beate all the rest of the countrey Whilest these conditions are a treating the Armie had given summons to the strong well provided Castle of Ortenburg Ortenburg Castle surrendred the chiefe strength of the Kintzinger-dale aforesaid which to be briefe was faine to follow the example of its predecessors and to resigne up it selfe on wednesday the 5 of September By the taking of these 2 most important places was the towne of Brisach quite foundered which though full 30 English miles from this Offenburg yet it being upon the same side of the Rhine with it there was never a considerable strength betweene to shelter it Hereabouts had Monte-Cuculi all this while laine as if to give aime to the losing of the Countrey Ossa and Monte Cuculi avoide the countrie The Swedish Army now making that way both he and the Commissary Ossa not able to abide their comming are faine to depart the Countrey Ossa as I finde went first of all towards Nancy in Loraine or else to Bisanson in Burgundy to leave his Lady there in a place of securitie presently returning over the Rhine again into Schwabland Monte-Cuculi resigning his Generalship in those parts unto Marquesse William of Baden adventures with some troopes of Horse especially to brush through the Easterne skirts of the Duchy of Wirtemberg and so to Kempten in the very edge of Schwabland and to get that way into Bavaria Thereabouts as I finde had Sir Patrick Ruthven a blow at him being said to kill him 300 men and to take 150 prisoners Thus with much adoe gets he over the Lech about Schonga and Fuessen and in Bavaria you have before heard of him in the Kings storie The coast being thus cleered of the Imperialists there was not a foe in the field to make opposition against the Swedish or the Wirtembergs The Earldom of Furstemberg taken Hereupon is the faire Kintzinger-dale brought under Swedish contribution and in it the inheritance of Eggon Count of Furstemberg who as in our First Part we have often told you was sometimes the Emperors great Generall in this Circle of Swevia How he had resigned his Generalship and retyred into a privacie you may see Page 119
Swedish had by that time taken and to Zabern His Commissioners met with Gustavus Horns at Marienkerch His plea was that he had lent certaine monyes upon them and that they had therupon beene consigned over to him for securitie Wherfore he in friendly manner requested that Benfelt might now be returned over to him The Swedish Commissioners gave good words but as for the towne they could say nothing to it till a Diete might be convoked in the Empire which is denied him In the meane time they desired the Duke to rest assured that if he neither supplyed the Emperor with Aides nor Provisions the Swedes would no way bee injurious unto his Highnesse lands or subjects but help to defend them rather should the Emperor upon pretence of his Highnesses being friend to the Swedish partie offer to assaile them Benfelt thus taken his Excellencie the Swedish Feft-Marshall sent the Rhinegrave to take in Marckelsheim The Rhinegrave takes Marckelsheim a towne hard by defended but by one company of Imperialists The Rhinegrave had but a weake Partee as yet with him the cause that his summons were gybed at The Imperialists told him he was no customer for them nor had hee companions enow to make them afeard of him T is ill jeasting with edge tooles The Rhinegrave hereupon sending to Benfelt with all speed for some field peeces he the same day made his entrance into the towne by force and battery Here found he but 20 Horsemen and those he tooke prisoners the rest of them that belonged to the garrison were gone out that morning to convoy in a Foot company which was comming from Colmar to reenforce those of Marckelsheim These the Rhinegrave having notice of way layes meets withall and defeats bringing the Captaine of the Foot-Companie his Leiftenant and all his men prisoners with him Other Swedish Partees severally sent abroad doe at the same time take in all the best of those small Strengths that lie along the river of Ill towards Schletstat-ward or a little beyond it about 2 or 3 English miles from the river These townes were Epffich Vpper Bercken Dambach and Kestenholtz together with Gemar upon the Ill a little beyond Schlestat so that Schletstat became hereby blocked But the chiefest of the Armie and Gustavus Horn with it advances towards Molsheim a good towne upon the river Brusch Horn takes Mutzig and about 10 English miles West of Strasburg and little above that distance North of Benfelt Horn causes Mutzig to be first taken Molsheim a pretty towne one English mile West of Molsheim belonging to one Lansperg a private Gentleman that had served the Bishop Molsheim the fourth of our November Horn likewise investeth The towne not able to resist begins to treate within 2 dayes the very sixth of November that fatall sixth of November the day that the King of Sweden was slaine upon receives in 3 troopes of Swedish Horse with some Foot-Companies for a garrison This secured Strasburg on that side Thence turnes our Felt-Marshall back unto Schletstat and that wee now relate unto you For though our purpose was to have lead on our Storie no further then the Kings death Horn turnes towards Schletstat yet for that there wants but one moneths worke for the taking of 2 or 3 townes more in this Alsatia and consequently of Gustavus Horns marching up thence into Bavaria we chose rather to transgresse upon your patiences after the Glasses being out then to leave the Story of these parts unperfected This Schletstat is a very strong Imperiall towne and the strongest next to Benfelt upon the river of Ill about nine English miles to the Southeast of Benfelt The Iesuites found to be Coniurers and Poysoners There is a Colledge of Iesuites in it and those famous or rather infamous for the Studie of Magick or the Black Art which some excuse by the name of Iudiciall Astrologie I feigne nothing upon them for so much was at Strasburg by a novice of theirs publiquely upon his execution day since Christmas last confessed This yong fellow being native of Strasburg was brought up by the Iesuites of Schletstat and by them employed for the poysoning of some chiefe men of Strasburg for which he was executed He confessed that all the Iesuites of the Colledge excepting two were Magicians and a many of them Poysoners And indeed both these Arts diabolicall doe our Cunning men and women in these latter dayes practise together that if by one of them they shall foretell the being in love sicknesse or death of any that requires their counsell they may by the Figgs and Philters and Potions of their other Art endanger to make good their prediction Nor are these feates onely practised by the Iesuites in their Colledge of Schletstat but in other places too as the world beleeveth These Arts and lying confute stronglier then all their Schoole Divinitie Murder will out but these I leave till their discoveries This Schletstat though as strong as the Divell could make it was not able a moneth together to resist the Armes of Justice and a good cause that were now brought against it Schletstat besieged Leiftenant Colonell Breitenbach defended it who had two troopes of Horse and 600 Muskettiers of Colonell Metternichs Regiment which we heretofore told you to have comne from out of Cullens countrey into the Strasburgers Jurisdiction I purposely omit to relate the order of the siege laying the maner of the Approaches or the sallyes of the besieged minding to tell you of what strength the Imperialists were still in these parts and what endeavours they now made to deliver this and Colmar which Gustavus Horn caused at the same time to be blocked that he sate downe to Schletstat By this time was Monte-Cuculi gone through Schwabland into Bavaria and Commissarie Ossa had his hands full about the Lake of Constantz so that the Generalship in these parts of Alsatia was againe made over to Marquesse William of Baden and he now the second time againe appeared after the spoiling of his countrey The Marquesses troopes were commanded by Major Ascanio and sent to lie at Ensisheim a towne upon the river Ill 12 English miles South of Colmar where the Chamber and Iudgement seat is for the Marckraviate of the Vpper Alsatia Some few Imperialists lay also encamped at Brisach upon the Easterne bancke of the river Rhine due East of Colmar and 12 miles from it To these were some Foot-Companies to be conjoyned out of Lorraine whose levying for the Emperors service the Duke had there given way unto To take on these Lorrainers doe 12 Cornets of the Brisachers Horse upon the sixteenth of November passe over their Bridge to the Westward to meet the other comming out of their owne Countrey Ascanioes men were by that time comne from Ensisheim unto H. Crux a towne within 5 English miles of Colmar The Imperialists gathering together to relieve Schletstat And these were about 18 Cornets more
the Spanish about to goe hee forsakes Alsatia just about this time going with all speed to the siege of Bibrach of which see Page 170. of our Second Part. The 2 Spanish Generalls parting from Spiers May 21 and having drawne out all their troopes of the neighbour quarters and taking but 5 fielding peeces along with them they give it out before their going out of Spiers that their purpose now was to march upwards into Alsatia by the Rhines sides and there to joyne with the Generall Ossa This was a devise to amuse the Swedish withall The Spanish feining to march up the Rhine whom the Spaniards the chiefe of their desire now being to make a quiet retreate were not willing to have any thing to doe withall Having advanced to the Southward as farre as Germersheim or thereabouts that is some 8 or 10 English miles from Spires they that very night turne faces about to the right suddenly turn aside towards the Mosel towards the Mosel And indeed the old Proverbe is here true enough That the furthest way about is the neerest way home seeing that by this meanes they scaped that rugged and woody passage through some of the crags of the old mountaine Vogasus which all the way to the Westward they left above them upon the right hand The first good towne of the Palatinate which they toucht at was Keysers-Lauter about 30 English miles from Spiers upon the river Lauter Here staid they but one night May 23 their desire being to make such hasty marches that they might be past by before the Chancellor Oxenstierns armie at Mentz should heare of it or at least before the Rhine-graves Armie about the Huntsruck narrowly scaping by the French Armie should bee conjoyned with him One night before that the Spanish lodged at Keysers-Lauter did the Van of the Frēch Army arrive at Zweibrucken which was within 18 English miles of Keysers-Lauter Thus the Spanish being in good time passed by The French as soone as they heard of their going by instantly send away the troops appointed to take possession of Hermanstein into which the Elector of Triers entertained them upon Saturday May 26 following The Spanish with long and hastie marches still advance towards the Mosel and the Chancellor Oxenstiern having notice brought him of it unto Mentz the same night of their departure he with all speed the next day preparing all things necessary for the expedition parts upon the 23 The Chancellor Oxenstiern makes out after the Spanish with the Palatine Christian of Birckenfeldt from Mentz unto Altzem Fifteene thousand foot halfe so many perchance and 80 troopes of horse was hee said to lead along with him and having sent word of it to the Rhinegrave and given him order to come towards him hee for that night encamps before Altzeim This having been the way that the Spanish had before taken in their advancing towards Spiers the Chancellor supposed they would make their retreate that way againe and had therefore thought to take up that passe before them But their march lay not that way now but some 2 or 3 leagues more to the Westward The next morning May 24 was there word brought unto the Chancellor that the Spanish had quartered the same night at Gelheim a market towne some 7 or 8 English miles from him The Chancellor not willing to loose this opportunitie prepares to goe to meet with them and to give them as good a farewell out of the countrey as they had received an entertainement into it The yonger Rhinegrave was dispatched before hand with some troopes of horse of his owne and Hornecks Regiment to attack the Spanish whilest the grosse of the Swedish foot with the Canon might get up to them whom the Rhinegrave first lights upon The Rhinegrave first found the Spanish Armie in an indifferent faire and large valley neere unto Steinbach cloyster where encountring those 4 Cornets of horse that then had the Van of the Armie he routed them first of all and as some say tooke away 3 of their Cornets The Spanish having field-room enough to put themselves into Battaglia did it presently and rightly supposing withall that it was not some few troopes or any one single Regiment alone that durst thus confront their whole Army and that too in a place of no advantage and where they might well discover their whole strength they certainely concluded thereupon that the whole Swedish forces were at hand and they doubtlesse withall resolved to bid them battell The Spanish entertaining the skirmish Putting out therefore some primer horse-troopes and those well lyned with muskettiers to entertaine the Rhinegrave they first of all wheele about their whole Armie a little to the left the better to gaine the advantage of the wood in case of necessitie to retreate unto And as if they had now also considered That their former way towards the river Nah betwixt Creutznach and Bingen was so stopt up by the Swedish that they must either fight for their way or decline it they then resolved upon the latter Sending away their baggage-wagons and heavyer lumber on before towards the towne of Lautereck send away their baggage before and alter their cours of marching they maintained the skirmish with the Rhinegrave till their baggage were well advanced into the woods which was a place of safetie Yea they did not maintaine the skirmish alone but they had the better of it Two of the Rhinegraves owne troopes having too fiercely and too forwardly given on upon them they make to get them further off the Swedish feeling by and by that horsemen and muskettiers were too hard for pistolls and Carabiners onely These two troopes being soundly pelted by the Spanish take the rout presently upon it They route 6 troopes of the Rhin graves and turne the bridle towards their owne people Foure troopes of Hornecks Regiment being sent by the Rhinegrave for the succouring of these runne-awayes received into themselves so great an impression of cowardise from the others feares that they also turne the bridle with them and gallop with all speed towards Altzeim Nor could the Rhinegrave by any meanes get them to make head againe one Cornet and one Sergeant 2 of each say some relations he presently caused to be hanged and yet would the others ever stay to profit by the example and recover the advantage of the woods The Spanish contenting themselves to have thus beaten them away and to have recovered the honours of their 4. former Cornets continue on their march never looking to pursue after them And this indeed was their wisest course more conducing both to their safeties and their purposes their intention was not to fight but to retreate and hitherto they had made thus much good of it By this time was the Chancellor neere at hand with the ordnance and grosse of the Armie upon whose comming the Spanish disdained not to save themselves though in good order among the trees
and thickets of the forrest Some troopes they left upon the edge of the wood to entertaine the time with the Swedish till their baggage should have gotten on further out of danger I doe not finde that there was much more that day done against those in the woods-side It was almost night by this time for the Swedish Foot had met with so many hills and bushes in their march that they could no sooner get up to make a day of it The Spaniards so long as day light lasted made very good use of the wood to defend themselves in against the Swedish Every tree served their muskettiers both for a Rest and for a Buckler every bush was as good as a Turn-pike or a Galthrop to keepe off any charge of horses and to hinder their comming on in order Among the boughes of the trees were not the enemies Pikes manageable Nothing but Canon could doe them any mischiefe and out of their reach they could quickly get them In this posture did the Spaniards maintaine it till the approaching darknesse the favour of which advantage being the thing they most longed for they now marcht away with all their diligence The Swedish not daring to pursue them Continuing their retreate for feare of ambushes were faine for that night to encamp without the edge of the wood aforesaid All that night the Spaniards marched and by breake of day the next friday morning May 25 did the Swedish horse againe pursue after them But the woods and hillie wayes proved so cumbersome and the Spaniards had so farre gotten the start of them that though the Swedish Cavallerie did now and then overtake some of them They are pursued by the Rhinâ—grave and made some spoile upon their Reere among such especially as were by any mischance cast behinde their fellowes yet still did the others get so much ground of the Swedish Infanterie as that they could never get up to give them a generall onset Those Spanish horse that were left behinde either to manne the Reere or to guard the baggage would turne againe now and then perchance and give the Swedish their pistolls and so kill or spoile them a man or two that way but yet they never stood to it their purpose being to make good their retreat if they did skirmish now and then yet still was it but retyring The Swedish being all horse had this advantage upon the Spanish Foot that they could ride out and in The manner of the retreat and charge them upon which flanck they pleased the Rhinegrave upon one hand and the Fins under Stolhanshe upon the other and both at pleasure And yet that which afflicted the Spanish worse then all this was that their enemies still soliciting them with renewed Alarmes they could never be suffered either to pitch or sleepe nor to take any manner of rest night or day for 40 houres together Being thus enforced to march forwards still forwards if any encuÌ„brance withall chaÌ„ced to fall among their wagons or any carriage of their ordnaÌ„ce to be brokeÌ„ either must those necessary impediments be forsaken or the mens lives most desperately be exposed that durst stay behind either to mend or defend theÌ„ The whole Army would never make Halt or stay for any private occasion and in this posture did the Spaniards retreate and the Swedish horse pursue the grosse of foot following on as fast as might be till they came to Lautereck aforesaid full 16 miles of ground from Gelheim neere which the fight beganne and as heavy to march as some other thirtie The Spaniards seeing now no remedie but that the Swedish were likely to pursue them ever They burne their carriages at Lautereck and perceiving withall diverse of their owne wheeles and carriages to be by this time much broken and shattered in the woods and rugged mountaines they there resolve to ridde themselves of that lumber Here set they fire unto a many of their wagons the carriages of their ordnance they burned and the peeces they drowned in the river Lauter Their sicke and wounded men they put upon the horses that had drawn them and so hasted to the Northward towards the Mosel Being thus lightned now double they their march and from thence to the river Nah which gave them entrance into the Duchie of Semmern and the Huntsruck they had something a more champion countrie to doe it in Here the Swedish gave it over staying about Lautereck awhile to refresh theÌ„selves froÌ„ whence the Armie turned aside and there the Swedish give it over partly towards Creutznach 15 English miles to the right hand and North of Lautereck and partly back again to Altzeim The way betwixt the first encounter and parting of the Armies lay strewed with dead maimed sick and wearyed bodyes ever and anon Spaniards Italians Wallons and Burgundians of which if you will take the Swedish and the Boores reckning there were full 2000. The drowned ordnance were found and weighed up againe Some 400 others name 800 wagons either burnt or left behinde 40 of which the Spaniards hoping to have caryed away and therefore not burned Their losses fell whole and wholly into the hands of the Swedish In these were much bedding brasse pewter and iron with such like leaguer-housholdstuffe Divers prisoners were taken and among them about 60 Officers all which were carryed into Mentz Of the Spanish Armie that thus marcht away were there said to be 8000 foot and 3000 horse or neere upon it which I beleeve not all which by the beginning of June were gotten as farre as the Mosel and some part of them already passed it Much encumbrance did they after encounter withall in the Elector of Triers countrey The French forces and his owne hee now made to way-lay them and encumbrances in the Bishop of Triers countrey employed 3000 Boores to cut downe the trees for the hindering of their passage and all victualls was conveyed away out of their reach Thus the Spaniards made good their retreate and though they did it with much hazzard and many losses yet al-together was it a very good peece of service of them And I beleeve the Swedish were as glad as the Countrey that they were so cheape ridde of them Don Gonzales de Cordova Monterry Governor of Maestricht having not beene able to get over the Mosel to the reliefe of the Count of Embden now for feare that the Swedish should have passed over after him stayed for the said Count in the countrey of Lutzenburg and afterward peecd in with him about Naamen and the river Maze The Count of Merode with those forces which he had thereabouts newly levyed for the Emperor was then about the Mosel towards Cullen but he went not along with Embden nor Don Cordova he being then in entertainement with the Elector of Cullen And thus ended that expedition of so much expectation of the Spanish Armies into the Palatinate But this is the fortune of the warres that