orderly determin'd and such a Council too the Emperor has formerly promis'd and it has been decreed upon weighty deliberation in many Diets of the Empire that the same should be call'd together in Germany For the Fountain from whence these Dissentions have been deriv'd was the overgrown Impudence of some Men who preach'd up things here call'd Indulgencies At which time likewise certain egregious Errors such as could not be dissembled were detected and expos'd And though Pope Leo condemn'd this Doctrin which laid open those Errors yet to this his condemnation they confronted the Testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles Wherefore they always thought a Council to be highly necessary wherein they might come again to a right understanding of the Cause that is wherein it might be made plainly appear what is Truth and what is Error And this was not only their own sense but also the judgment of all the other Princes and States because they plainly saw and confess'd that many things had crept into Religion which ought either to be taken away or reform'd and because they well knew what it was that Men did wish for and what was requisite for the Publick Good. But when the Pope had condemn'd this their Doctrin Decrees were made in the Imperial Diets in these very words viz. That a free and Christian Council should be conven'd either of all Nations in general or else of the German Empire only And the reason that they were conceiv'd in these very words was that the Cause might not be prejudg'd or over-rul'd either by the foresaid Sentence of the Pope or by the force and power of any Man whatever And that Judgment might be made of the whole Controversie not from the Pontificial Laws or the Opinions of the Schools but from the Holy Scriptures For if any Man's authority be so great as to overballance the Holy Scriptures and right reason who can doubt but that all their pains and endeavours will be in vain when plac'd in opposition to the Pope For 't is well enough known what Progress has been made that way in some past Councils where a Reformation indeed has been set on foot but by the Interposition of the Popes has still been wholly set aside It has therefore been for very weighty Reasons decreed that a Council should be held in Germany and this has likewise been approv'd of by the Emperor But these Proposals of the Pope do altogether run counter to the Decrees of the Empire which have pass'd the Seals both of the Princes and the Emperor For though he speaks of a Free Council yet who can doubt but that he has quite another Prospect since his great Endeavours are to bring over Kings and Princes to his side For was he willing it should be Free to what purpose would these Engagements be But since he is so very industrious this way 't is manifest that his design must be this to keep up and maintain his Power and Tyranny by the Authority of a Council that so no body may dare to reprehend these Errors and Corruptions or if any one be so hardy he may pay very soundly for it What others will do they cannot tell but their opinion is that these his Proposals are of such a nature and so contriv'd that they are apt to deter Men from a Council rather then invite them to it For who will ingage himself at this rate especially when it does not yet appear what is like to be the Order form Method of the Council When it is not yet known whether the Pope will not set up his own Authority as Supream there and whether he is willing the Controversie should be discuss'd according to the Holy Scriptures or according to those Traditions and Canons which are not confirm'd by any Testimonies from Scripture The Freedom of the Council is likewise in danger from that expression of his That it shall be manag'd after the ancient and received manner Now though they do not in the least reject those Decrees of ancient Councils which are consonant to the Holy Scriptures Yet they think that there is a vast difference between those Councils and these which have been held within their own Memory or somewhat before wherein the Pope and Humane Decrees have been advanc'd to an extravagant Pitch Therefore when he saies it shall be held after the wonted manner it is a captious expression and may include that there shall not be such a freedom of Votes as they desire and the Cause it self requires but that Judgment shall be giv'n according to his own Laws and that Power which he has arrogated to himself as it has been done in some of the last Council But such proceedings as these are so far from reconciling the Churches and extricating doubtful and afflicted Consciences that they will rather involve them in thicker Darkness and plunge them into a deeper Slavery Since therefore the Pope has not yet answer'd the desire of the Emperor and the other States their earnest Request is that the Emperor would consider the vastness of the Cause wherein the whole Christian Commonwealth is concern'd and endeavour that it may be justly and legally manag'd For this is his proper Province and he has Power by the Laws to do it whenever Truth shall be obstructed by the Pope For care is to be taken that he may not be both Party and Judge at the same time Besides all People are set on tiptoes with the hopes of this Council and 't is the Subject of their most eager wishes and prayers that they may at last be deliver'd from the doubts and anguish of an afflicted Conscience and be set into the right way to Salvation For there have not been for many Ages such struglings about such momentous Affairs as there are now the occasion of which are those numerous Errors and Corruptions which long before our time have broke into the Church Now if the general expectation shall be thus made frustrate and such a Council as has formerly been promis'd cannot be obtain'd we may easily imagine what a surprising sorrow and affliction it will strike upon the minds of Men. Moreover if the Pope shall refuse to come to a fair Judgment of things it is much to be fear'd that both the Church and State will be agitated with more dangerous Tempests than ever But since all the States of the Empire have in all their Diets decreed for a regular Council they cannot doubt but they will stick to their Principles and kick in pieces those Snares which the Pope is preparing for them They likewise expect the same things from the other Princes For this Engagement which is now working is altogether full of trick and design and 't is impossible that Men should ever make a true and right judgment of things unless all their minds be kept free and unbiass'd But if he be resolv'd to go on and to have a Council after his own way they will then commit the whole Affair to God
Lower Saxony and forced them of Meckelburg Lunenburg Anbalt and Mansfeld to pay it Another part of his and the Bishop's Forces having beat Albert and taken Schweinfurt as I have said they Treated Rotenburg an Imperial City and the County of Henneburg very severely and seemed resolved that if they did not contribute to the Expences of this War which they pretend did belong to all they would levy it by Force but by the Interposition of others this difference was Composed and no Force was made use of About this time Charles Duke of Savoy who as I have related above was stript of the greatest part of his Territories died leaving as his Heir Philibert his Son who had served many Years as a Soldier undr the Emperor Ferdinand King of the Romans published an Edict commanding his Subjects not to change any thing in the Celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and that according to the old Custom they that received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper should content themselves with one of the Spectes the Bread only But the Princes the Nobility and Cities having often before Petitioned him in this Business did now by a Letter very humbly desire that according to Christ's Command and Institution and the custom of the ancient Church which they backed also with many Reasons they might be allowed the partaking of the whole and entire Eucharist The King answering this Letter the twenty third of June from Vienna said he did not in the least suppose when he published that Edict that it should be made by them the Subject of a Dispute and Cavil For said he my only design was that the People in my Dominions should remain in the ancient and true Religion and in the Obedience of the Catholick Church out of the Communion of which none can be Saved and that they might receive this most excellent Sacrament according to the Laws and Customs of the Church and that they might not be perverted from that duty they owe both to the Civil Magistrate and the Church either by the perverse Opinions of some Men or by a certain over great Curiosity or Pride He said this was the only intention and design of that Edict and that he had not in it commanded any new thing but had required only the continuance of an ancient Institution which has been brought down to me from hand to hand by my Ancestors the Emperors Kings and Dukes of Austria and which has to this Day been diligently observed by me as becomes a Christian Prince and which I have heretofore frequently commanded my Subjects to continue in And therefore I did not in the least suspect that you would attempt any thing against the tenor of this Edict who so earnestly contend that in all other things no change may be made and that you may enjoy your Laws and Rights without Violation For certainly this is a new thing and of late taken up by you upon some Opinion which you argue so largely for as if it befitted you to judge of my Commands who am your principal and highest Magistrate and as if that ought of right to be allowed you which some of you of late years have of their own Authority privately assumed to themselves and usurped contrary to the Canons of the Church and against my Will. But then it being as you say a grave and difficult question as you your selves aver I will think further of it and in due time I will return such an answer to it as shall shew that I am very much concern'd for the Salvation of my People But in the mean time I expect all manner of submission from you and that you should not in the least act any thing contrary to my Edict To this Letter the States made a reply in Writing also to this Effect What we have so often said most serene Prince concerning the Command of our Saviour we now again repeat for he instituted his Supper in clear and perspicuous Words that it might be received by all in the self same manner as he prescribed And it is not lawful for any mortal Man to change or alter his Institution and Prescription This was also the ancient custom of the Church and that which is now used crept in by insensible degrees as we can demonstrate For the Council of Constance confesseth that it was so instituted by Christ Seeing therefore this pertains to the Salvation of our Souls certainly neither Curiosity nor Pride have put us upon it And upon this very score we the rather hope that you will direct your future deliberation by the Commands of Christ and his Apostles and the practice of the ancient Church and in no wise oppress our Consciences which just request we make to your Majesty by all that is sacred by the Glory of God and by the Salvation of our Souls We acknowledge that by the Will of God you are our Supream Magistrate and we do this with the utmost willingness and we say that there is nothing which you may not or ought not to expect from us but in this one thing we desire you would spare us In the Diocess of Wurtzburg in Franconia there is a Monastery called Nenstadt the Abbot of which John Frisius falling into the suspicion of Lutheranism was cited the fifth day of May to appear within six days after at Wurtzburg and answer to such things as should be then enquired of him The Interrogatories then administred to him were Whether it be lawful to Swear Whether a Man is bound by his Vow Whether it be lawful to make a Vow of Poverty Chastity and Obedience Whether such Vows oblige Whether Matrimony or Celibacy doth best become the Ministers of the Church Whether there is one true and Apostolical Church Whether she is perpetually governed as the Spouse of Christ by the Holy-Ghost Whether she does always decree what is true and Salutary Whether the Church is to be deserted for the Vices and Errors of some Men in it Whether she upon the account of the Head the Vicar of Christ may rightly be called the Roman-Church Whether all the Books of both Testaments which the Canon has are lawful and true Whether the Sacred Scriptures are to be interpreted according to the Sentence of the Holy Fathers the Doctors of the Church and the Councils or according to that of Luther and such others Whether besides the sacred Scriptures there be not need of other Traditions such as those of the Apostles and others of the same Nature Whether the same Faith Authority and Obedience is due to these Traditions which is due to the sacred Scriptures Whether the civil Magistrate is to be obeyed in Politick or Civil Affairs and the Ecclesiastick in Sacred or Holy things Whether the Sacraments of the Church are Seven Whether Children are to be Baptized Whether Baptism ought to be administred in the Latin Tongue Whether Salt Oil Water Characters and Exorcisms ought to be made use of in
had and might err of the Dignity of Scripture and whether the Scriptures were to be preferr'd before the Church or did borrow their Authority from the Church Claud d' Espence a learned Man who desired very much the Church might regain her former Peace being Commanded by the Cardinal of Lorrain to answer Beza began with a Declaration that he had a long time wished that there might have been Conferences and said he had ever abhorred those Bloody Proceedings which had been used against those miserable Men. Then he said he wondered by what Authority the Protestants took upon them the Office of the Ministery and by whom they were Ordain'd and Instituted and that seeing the had received Imposition of hands from no body how could they be accounted lawful Ministers for it was manifest they had no Ordinary call And they must prove an Extraordinary Vocation by Miracles which they had not And thence he concluded they never came into the Church either by an Ordinary or an Extraordinary call As to Traditions if any Controversie arose about the Sense of Scriptures which could not be otherwise adjusted they must of necessity have recourse to the Fathers who had their Authority from their lawful and ordinary Call or Succession because upon them the Guifts of the Spirit were bestowed As it was written of the Levites whose Answers were not to be question'd That many things were setled by Traditions which were not written in the Scriptures As that the Father was not begotten That the Son was of the same Substance with the Father That Infants were to be Baptized That the Blessed Virgin continued a Virgin after she brought forth That the Decrees of General Councils should be valid and that they cannot err in Matters of Faith and that it cannot be shewn that any of the later Councils have corrected the former Beza replied that the Imposition of hands was no necessary note of a lawful Call The two principal were a due Inquiry into the Doctrine and Manners of the Person and an Election of them to the Ministery That they were not to expect Imposition of hands from the Bishops who opposed the Truth and persecuted those that Preached it And that Miracles were not always necessary to an extraordinary Call which he endeavoured to prove by Isaiah Daniel Amos Zachariah and St. Paul. In the next congress Beza spoke much about the Calling of the Protestant Ministers but in such a manner as tended more to the exasperating of the Prelates than the appeasing them so that these two days were spent in mere squabble without order and to no purpose There was then in France John Laines a Spaniard General of the Jesuits who came thither with Hippolito d' Este Cardinal of Ferrara sent by Pope Pius IV. as Legate to the King. This Laines being present this day at the Conference call'd the Protestant Ministers Monkeys Foxes and Monsters and said they were to be turn'd over to the Council call'd by the Pope Then he fell upon the Queen for medling in things that did not belong to her but to the Pope Cardinals and Bishops and he said it was not lawful whil'st a General Council was in being for the Queen to appoint by her private Authority a Conference here The Queen was much enraged at the Insolence of this Man but out of Reverence to the Legate suppress'd her resentment after this Day there were no more Publick Conferences but they Drew out three of a Side and endeavoured to form such an Exposition of the Lord's Supper as both Parties might agree in which in the End proved impossible to be done and so the Conference of Poissi ended which was the first Liberty that was granted to dispute the Established Religion in France and was blamed by some as a thing of ill Example and approved by others as the only means left to prevent the Storm which hung over their heads But it had not that effect so the Ministers and especially Beza who was invited by the Queen were honourably dismiss'd The Fame of this Conference being diffused through Italy and Spain Philip the Second was strangely surprized at it so the Queen sent Jacques de Monbron a Person of good Birth and Repute to excuse it That Prince would hardly be induced to hear the reason of it and turning him over to the Duke de Alva he blamed their fearfulness and advised them to return to the same Severities which had been used in the Reigns of Henry II. and Francis II. promising his Masters Assistance for the Extirpation of the Protestants Adding That the King had been solicited to it by the Catholick Nobility and People of France and that he could not neglect their Petition but he must be wanting to himself That he did not fear such vain reproaches as that with foreign Forces he invaded what was anothers because in this Cause the Spanish Forces were no foreigners when the Religion of their Ancestors was at the stake By this it appeared to the Court of France That there was a Correspondence between their Catholicks and the Spaniards and one Arthur Desier a Priest was taken much about this time near Orleans going into Spain with a Letter from some great Men to King Philip to persuade him to undertake the Protection of their Infant King and of the Catholick Religion which was in great danger to be ruin'd for which he was ordered to be Penance by the Parliament of Paris and committed to the Carthusian Monks to be kept a Prisoner for ever but afterwards he made his Escape This Sentence was pronounced against him the 14 th of July In the End of this Year one Jean Tanquerel a young Divine proposed as his Thesis in a Disputation That the Pope as Christ's only Vicar and the Monarch of the Church can by his Spiritual and Secular Power command all faithful Princes as his Subjects and if they disobey his Precepts deprive them of their Dignities and Kingdoms which being complain'd off to the King the Chancellor sent a Commission to inquire into it and Tanquerel being fled it was ordered that the Parritor of the Theological Faculty should make a Recantation of it in his Name in the School of the Sorbonne before the Dean and all the Fellows and Students of that Faculty in the Presence of the President of the Parliament of Paris the King's Counsel and Solicitor and for the future the Parliament forbad all such questions to be given And ordered the Sorbonne to send two of their Fellows to beg the King's Pardon This Decree passed the 2 d of December and was put in Execution ten days after The Pope had till now dreaded a General Council as tending to the abatement of his Power and on that score had delayed it till Cosmus Duke of Florence and the fear of a National Council in France prevail'd upon him to reassume that which was began by Paul III. continued by Julius III. and was at
consult with him in what manner they might put in execution their Commission and that afterwards when they understood that it was not possible for them themselves to have access into all places that stood in need of their help they had been necessitated to employ others This Indulgence or Indult of the Popes as they call it the Emperour presently sent to all the German Bishops admonishing them severally to use gentle and mild ways and to try all Courses by fair Language Exhortation and Entreaty before they should come to Threats and Excommunication Wherefore the Archbishop of Mentz writing amongst others to the Landgraves Governours and Counsellors and having said much of his own Pastoral Care and of the Emperour's earnest Concern for the Publick requires them to shew the Pope's Indulgence to the Ministers of the Church and command them to obey it The thing being proposed to the Preachers their answer was That their Doctrine agreed with the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and that though their Lives and Conversation did not suit with their Profession yet they acknowledged no Error in their Doctrine and that therefore they stood not in need of an Indulgence from the Pope that they had preferred Marriage before an unchast single Life according to the Word of God and that they would not forsake their Wives and Children whom Christ himself commanded us to love cherish and provide for That in administring the Sacrament under both kinds in their Churches they therein followed the command of Christ and the custom of the Primitive Church and that there was no reason to admit of any Alteration therein In the Month of May Peter Martyr and the Divines of Oxford disputed publickly concerning the Lords Supper and the Presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament Martyr proposed these Points to be defended That the substance of the Bread and Wine was not changed and That the Body and Bloud of Christ was not Carnally or Corporally in the Bread and Wine but sacramentally united to them Afterward there was a Book of this published wherein the presidents of the Dispute who were appointed by the King give no obscure intimation that Martyr had the better on 't in that Debate On the Tenth day of June the Queen of France was crowned at St. Denis as the custom is the Ceremony being performed by the Cardinals of Bulloigne Guise Chastillion Vendosme and Bourbon for all the rest were at Rome Six days after the King made a most splendid and magnificent Entry into Paris the chief Town of the Kingdom where he had not been seen publickly since the death of his Father and two days after the Queen During his abode there some were put to death for Lutheranisme and as it is said he himself was a Spectator of the Execution Afterwards July the Fourth he made a solemn Procession and Prayers in the Churches and next day after published a Printed Proclamation declaring the causes of it to have been That he might give God thanks for the many Blessings he had bestowed upon him that he might pray to God for the safety and preservation of himself his Wife and Children and of the whole Kingdom and Commonwealth as also for the Souls of good Men departed especially for the Kings of France his Progenitors and the late King his Father after whose Example he was resolved to take upon himself the protection and defence of the Catholick Religion the Authority and Liberty of the Apostolick See and of the Ministers of the Church that amongst others this was also a chief cause that it might publickly appear how much he detested those who contrary to the command of Christ contrary to the Traditions of the Apostles and the consent of all Antiquity deny the presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ who take away all force and efficacy from Baptism Penance good Works and the Sacraments who professedly despise the Authority and Hierarchial Order of the Church who reject the Worship and Adoration of Saints and Relicks Moreover that by that solemn Procession and Supplication he might make known what his Judgment and Inclinations were to wit that according to the Example of his Forefathers and in a certain Hereditary Imitation he so thought and believed as the Catholick Church the Apostles Creed the first Council of Nice and many other Councils of the Fathers enjoyned as also that he was fully resolved to root out of all his Territories those Heresies which were long ago condemned but now again partly revived and partly contrived by Luther Carolostadius Zuinglius Oecolampadius Melanchton Bucer Calvin and such other monstrous and pestilent Arch-Hereticks and severely to punish such as deserved it This Writing set forth in the Vulgar Tongue he sent all over France commanding it to be published to the People and accordingly publick Processions and Prayers to be made in all places A little while after he caused Monsieur de Vervius to be beheaded for surrendring the Castle and Town of Bulloigne as was mentioned in the Fifteenth Book and confined to perpetual Prison his Father in Law d' Abigny a very ancient Man who had been Governour of all the Bolonese and one of the four Mareschals of France For many Months now he had solicited the Switzers to renew with him the League they had made with his Father and though the Emperour by Messengers and Letters did what they could to dissuade them from it yet they judging it more for their Interest consented and first the Catholick Cantons with the Rhinwalders and Wallisserlanders and afterwards also those of Basil and Schafhawsen to the great astonishment of many because of those Edicts and Punishments we spoke of For it was the general opinion that no League nor Society ought to be made with him who so cruelly persecuted the Reformed Religion and by name condemned their Churches and Doctors But the Cantons of Bern and Zurick following the counsel of Zuinglius as may be seen in the third and sixth Book refused to enter into that League We took notice before of the Convocation at Leipsick But now that some talked and complained that Popery was again stealing in upon them Duke Maurice in his Letters addressed to his Governours July the Fourth tells them that he was informed many partly out of a too solicitous jealousie and partly through the suggestions of others were apprehensive that the old Errours might be by degrees introduced again that some of the Ministers of the Church and other busie and restless spirits that delighted in changed were not altogether free from fomenting of that Calumny that by several Declarations he had formerly made publick what his Purpose and Resolution was which now because of the Slanderous Reports raised he again repeated thereby to convince all that his Religion was dear unto him that therefore he required those who either out of a fond credulity or through the suggestions of others were
determined For of the chief Points two only remained the Lords Supper and Marriage All the other Heads of Doctrine were already determined The Fathers of Basil decided all things by the holy Scriptures and the Writings which agreed with them But these would have it to belong only to them to interpret the Scriptures nor would they admit of that place of the Decree of Basil by the Ambassadours restored as we said before and changing the Words of the Decree determined that the Traditions also of the Apostles were to be followed in all doubtful and controverted Points and whensoever they wanted a Testimony of Scripture they bragg'd of Traditions handed down to them from the very Apostles as was oftner than once observed in the Disputations of the Divines And this also was the reason that when on the thirtieth of January the Protestant Deputies received the safe Conduct from the Imperial Ambassadours they declared That by Apostolical Traditions they only understood written Traditions of the Apostles which were subjoyned to the Second Part of the Bible the New Testament or the History of the four Evangelists We told you before that the first of May had been appointed the day of the next Session But Affairs being now in a desperate Case the Fathers that remained met and by reason of the Dissentions and Quarrels of Kings and Princes prorogued the Council for two years time and longer if Peace were not made This was done the twenty ninth day of April and by this time the Pope had agreed with the French King. Within a few days after the Emperours Ambassadours departed also But the Legate Crescentio was sick and stayed behind He being frightned by a Vision in the Night as it is said began both to be ill and to despair of Life notwithstanding all his Friends and Physicians could do to comfort him Nor was he mistaken in his Judgment For his Distemper increasing he died at Verona And this now was the end of the Council at this time which being with great hopes renewed thought of nothing less than of retrieving Popery and setting it shortly upon its Legs again There were present at it besides the Popes Legates and the Cardinal of Trent threescore and two Bishops and of these eight Germans five and twenty Spaniards two Sardinians four Sicilians one Hungarian the Bishop of Agria all the rest were Italians But of Divines there were forty two and of them nineteen Spaniards twelve Germans and Flemings I intended to have past in silence the occasion of the Legate Crescentio's Sickness because it was suspected to have been invented by some out of malice But seeing it hath been so reported by his Friends and Servants who waited upon him and sometimes comforted him on his Sick bed I thought sit to subjoyn it He had been very busie all day March the twenty fifth even till night in writing Letters to the Pope but then rising to refresh himself when his Work was over it seemed to him that a black Dog of extraordinary bigness with flaming Eyes and Ears reaching almost to the ground entred the Room and made streight towards him but afterwards slipt away under the Table When he came to himself again after the great fear and amazement that the sight struck him into he called in his Servants who were in the Outer-chamber and bid them bring a Candle and beat out the Dog But when no Dog could be found neither there nor in the next Chamber to it he became very pensive and so fell into Sickness as I said before It is reported also that upon his Death bed he many times cried out to those that were about him to beat off the Dog that clambered up upon the Bed. THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XXIV The CONTENTS Duke Maurice publishes a Declaration to all the States of the Empire entreating them not to hinder his Design but that all assist and declare for him Much to the same purpose there was another Declaration published by Albert Marquess of Brandenburg The King of France also declares himself the Protector of the Liberty of Germany and of the Captive Princes and so marching into Lorrain seizes Metz. After that be marches as far as Strasburg and from thence went to Hagenaw whither many Ambassadors and Deputies came to him to desire him that he would abstain from wasting the Country and put a stop to his Army The King removes his Camp and leaving Germany retreats again to Lorrain Duke Maurice with his associates possesses the passes of the Alpes and forces the Emperor to fly who a little before had set the Duke of Saxony his Prisoner at liberty The Princes by Proclamation at Ausburg restore all the outed and banished Ministers Whilst Duke Maurice is at Passaw treating a Peace Albert of Brandenburg uses great Cruelty against those of Norimberg and forces them to accept of a Peace many things both by Letters and Agents represented to the Princes who treat about entring into a League and by certain conditions things are softened They of Siena revolt from the Emperor who comes to Strasburg on his march to besiege Metz. WE told you before that in the last Diet of Germany the conduct of the War with Magdeburg was by the unanimous consent of the Emperor and the other States committed to Duke Maurice This War lasted a Year in which time the Duke who had the chief command of the Forces began to think of a way of setting at liberty the Landgrave his Father-in-Law since all the intercession he had hitherto made to the Emperor for that purpose had proved ineffectual Having therefore forced the People of Catzenelbogen to swear Allegiance to him made Peace with Magdeburg and sent an Embassie to Inspruck as hath been fully related in the foregoing Book he entered into League with the French King which was confirmed by Hostages mutually given and both thought fit to publish a declaration of the causes of the War that they might thereby win the favour and good-will of many Albert Marquess of Brandenburg had a great hand in making this alliance who for that end went privately into France to treat with the King. In the mean time the Soldiers as well those who had besieged Magdeburg as the Garrison that held out the City had their Winter Quarters in Mulhausen and the places thereabouts and did much damage to those of Northhausen and Erford When the Emperor demanded the reason of this from Duke Maurice who had the chief Command in the War he was answered that the outrages they committed was for want of their Pay for this was the pretext he used when in reality they were listed in his Service and had been secretly sworn to their Colours And the better to perswade at the same time he sent his Ambassadors to Trent who were to pass by Inspruck to procure a safe conduct for the Divines that were to come and to propound some other things