The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History Part 2, Book 1 · Biography 11
K: OF SWEDEN
The Life of Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden, who dyed Anno Christi 1632
GVstavus Ericus, the first of that name, and blood, was ONE of THOSE six Hostages sent to that scarse to be paralelled Tyrant Christierne King of Denmarke, Anno 1518, which hostages he having gotten into his power, most perfidiously retained as his prisoners, carrying them away with him into Denmark But Gustavus finding favour and liberty one day to goe a hunting, disguised himselfe & escaped, and after many dangers arrived in his owne countrey Anno 1520. About which time the said King Bruitish cruelty.Christierne, contrary to his promise made to the Swedes remitting all offences upon their submission, beyond all examples of Christianity, within four daies after his Coronation, caused all the Nobility, Gentry, Bishops, Councellers, and prime Citizens of the Kingdome of Sweden either to be hanged, or beheaded: so that the streets of Stockholme, where he was crowned, ran with blood: and their carkasses were kept unburied three daies, & then he caused them to be buried: amongst these thus massacred, the father of Gustavus was one; but when Gustavus heard this dolefull newes, having that winter gathered a small company of souldiers together, he excited the Swedes to vindicate their countreys liberty: In the valiant prosecution whereof, he having beene a chiefe author Zeale.by the consent of all the States of the Kingdom, was chosen King Anno 1527. but he refused to be Crowned, contenting himselfe with the title of Governour; by authority whereof Anno 1523. he summoned a Parliament, where he propounded the reformation of Religion, but finding much opposition, he resignes the Kingdom unto the states againe: But shortly after the countrey being in danger, they humbly beseech Gustavus once againe to accept the Kingdome: and so he was Crowned the Protestant King that ever was, Anno 1527. He raigned three and thirty yeares. He left his Kingdome to Ericus his eldest sonn Anno 1560, who reigned eight yeares, and dyed without issue: Iohn the second of Gustavus succeeded Anno 1568: raigned foure and twenty yeares: his only issue was Sigismund, who was chosen King of Poland in his fathers life time: and succeeded his father in the Kingdome of Sweden Anno 1593. He took an oath to maintaine the priviledges of the Kingdome, to continue the reformed religion according to the Augustane confession, to bring in no strangers &c. which oath he palpably violating, by attempting to alter religion, to enslaue Sweden, by making it a Province of Poland &c. therevpon Anno 1599 in a full assembly of the States of Sweden he was deposed, and his son Ladislaus chosen in his roome, provided that his father Sigismund within three months sent him into Sweden, which he refusing to doe, the States chose Charles, the youngest sonn of Gustavus, for their King, Anno 1600: who valiantly delivered his countrey His birth and education.from the oppressions of the Polocks: His son was this Gustavus Adolphus, who was borne Anno 1594, and carefully brought up by his father in the knowledge both of Arts, and Armes, and in such other ekercises, as seasoned him both with vertue, and religion, and prepared him for great businesses: His spirit by his education was so elevated, as to esteeme noe good designe too hard for him: his courage so fortified, that he kew not how to stoop beneath a King. So soone as he was fit for it, he travelled into France, Italy, Netherlands and Germany: his father dying whilst he was abroad, he continued his Gustavus Adolphus Rex Suecorum.travells under the name of Master GARS, the fou… initiall letters of his name, and title: In his travells he gained much experience, studying the Mathematicks, and learning the French, Dutch, and Italian languages: He was but seventeene yeares old at his Fathers death, after which, hastening home into his owne Countrey, he found himselfe environed with enemies: The Emperour of Russia, and the King of Denmark laying claime to some parts of his Kingdom, and the King of Poland claimed all: but he so bravely, and valiantly behaved himselfe, that he beate them in severall battalles, and at last enforced them to make peace with him: About this time the Empeperour of Germany had greatly oppressed many Princes and free Cities of the Empire, especially the Protestant party, some of whom he had cast out of their inheritances: Stralsund, and Stetin, Mecklenburg, and Pomerland were so heavily oppressed, so sorely overlaid with taxes, and free quarter, that they were no longer able to endure it, whereupon they pittifully complained, and petitioned the Emperour for redresse: but he, slighting their requests, continues the oppressions; then they complaine to the King of Sweden, who pittying the complaints of his Allyes, confederates, and neighbours, sends an Embassadour to the Emperour in their behalfe, who was returned with scorne, and contempt: Hereupon the King, considering that his owne safety did much depend upon theirs, he resolves to undertake their protection, but He intercedes for the Protestants.withall that he might not be misinterpreted, he publishes a declaration, wherein he protests, that hee would not have stirred, if the Emperour had not put His Declaration.such insufferable affronts upon him, who in the late warrs of Prussia betweene Sweden, and Poland, had forbidden him to make any leavies of men, victualls, or ammunition in Germany, yet granting liberty to his enemie the King of Poland to doe it: that the Emperour himselfe had sent two Armies into Prussia to the aide of his enemy the Pole: that his currier riding post with letters to Bethlem Gabor, had been staid, his letters opened, and false Copies published of them: that his Embassadours had been sleighted, denied Audience, and forbidden to stay in Germany: that when he sought peace by the mediation of the King of Denmark, he obtained nothing but affronts and delaies: that the poore towne of Stralsund (though it had promise of protection from the Emperour, yet) was it blockt up by the Duke of Freidland, who also had taken the Ile of Rugen, lying neere to Walsteine.to it: that both those places had sought to him for protection, and that it much concerned him, not to suffer them to be possessed by his enemies: that the Emperour had hindred the Swedish trade upon the Baltick Sea: taken his Ships, layed embargoes upon them &c. that his coming with an Army into the Empire was, to relieve his cosin and confederate, the the Duke of Stetin and Pomeren, miserably oppressed, and to secure his owne dominions, not to offer hostility to the Emperour, or Empire; this his declaration he sent in a faire, and respectfull maner to the Emperour, who wholly sleighted it, but it much satisfied the world: it was rumored abroad, that divers Potent Princes, as England, France, Russia, Ʋenice, and Holland, were interessed with him in this action: The Emperour made great preparation to withstand his comming, filling the townes of Pomerland, & Brandenburg with Garisons. In Mecklenburg were Walsteines forces, who was newly made Duke thereof: All the bridges and passes upon the river Oder were stopped up, manned, and fortified &c. the King of Sweden had no towne to be his friend, but the distressed Stralsund only, where he might land his forces: He therefore intending to land in the Ile of Rugen, within halfe a league of Stralsund, sends to Sir Alex. Lesly governour of Stralsund, who with eighteene Swedish ships fell upon the Iland, and in a short time cleered it of the Imperialists: presently after, his Majesty of Sweden in a hundred and thirty ships, embarks his Some say not above 11000 in all.Army of about twelve thousand foot, and three thousand horse, some say not so many, and lands in this Ile of Rugen: His enemies in all those parts assembled together, to bid him battell at his first landing, but God struck them with such a terrour, that they durst not doe it: the King was the first that landed himselfe, who immediately kneeled downe and prayed thus: O most great God, that commandest what ever His prayer at his landing.thou pleasest both in heaven and earth, and in the surging Seas, what thank fullnesse am I bound to render unto thee for that thou hast preserved me thus safely in al this so perilous a voiage? Againe, & againe do I from the very bottome of my heart & soul give thanks unto thee: and here I humbly beseech thee, that seeing, as thou very well knowest, I hauehave not undertaken this expedition for any private ends of my owne, but only for thine honour sake, and to be some comfort and assistance to thine afflicted church: so (if so be the time which thy selfe hast appointed be already come) thou wouldest now be pleased to favour and blesse me hereafter also: and that especially thou wouldest send me a faire wind, and a prosperous, that the Army yet left behind, which out of so many people and nations I have gathered together, I may with joyfull eyes shortly here behold, and with an happy beginning promote with them the glory of thy holy name, Amen: This devotion of the K. wrought so with his Councellors, and commanders, that it Prayer powerfull.wrung teares out of their eyes; to whom he said, Forbeare to weepe, but heartily conjoine your prayers with me; for the greater the Army of prayers is, the greater and more assured shall be the victory: he that pray's diligently hath in part already overthrowne the enemy: then tooke he a shovell, and fell to digging of a trench, and all the rest of the Army followed in their turnes, the one halfe digging, the other halfe standing to their Armes, so that before night they had strongly entrenched themselves. After two daies rest, he took a party of horse and foot, marching three miles into the countrey, where he saw diverse troops of the enemies, but they all ran away: then he assaulted and took in diverse Sconces, which were strongly built, but weakly defended, so that in twelve daies space he cleered the Iles of Vsedom He takes in two Ilands.and Wollin: and so marched to the City of Stetin, the seat of the Duke of Pomeren and Stetin; all the Ladies and gentlewomen gat upon the leades, and into windows to looke at the Kings Army: the King sent a Trumpet to demand entrance: the Duke returned answer, that he was resolved to stand Neuter: the King not satified, tells him, that he came into Germany to relieve the oppressed Princes, and therefore expects to be admitted into the City, which if it was refused him, he would force it: hereupon the Duke issues out of the Port, and goes to the King, desiring to stand Neuter, but the King would not heare of it, and looking up to the Ladies, Cosin, saith he, if you meane to keepe me out of the towne, you must set others to guard it, then these Ladies &c. then the Duke desiredl eave to goe into the towne, the K. consented, Steten taken by Policy.& ordered the Lord Reay (a brave Scotchman) to guard him, who when the draw-bridge was let downe for the Duke, entred upon it with him, and pell, mell, entred the gate with the Towne Garison, whereupon the King with his whole Army marches into the City, and so became master of it without blood-shed. Not long after, the King commanded a Fasting and prayer.Solemn fast to be kept through his Army, & Leaguer at Stetin; the same day the Imperialists fell upon their outguards, but the Leaguer taking the Alarum soone beat them off: then were two souldiers suborned by Tilly to murther the King, but it pleased God Treason discovered.to discover the treason, whereupon one of them ran away, the other was deservedly executed. Afterwards the King marching against Grippenhagen, desirous to satisfy himselfe in viewing of a passe with foure and twenty horse only in his company, fell into an Ambush of sixty horse, where he valiantly defended himselfe, till some of his troops, hearing the pistols goe off, fetched him of in safety: before he began his Battery, he ordered an other Fast to be kept in his The King in danger. A Fast.Campe, and the Lord was pleased to giuegive him successe answerable to his desires: yea, which is admirable in eight daies space he tooke in many Citis, Pomeren and Markland cleere.defeated many enemies, gat many prisoners, so that he wholly cleered Pomeren, and Markland: He was very sparing of blood, putting few to the sword, even in those townes and Castles that he tooke in by storme.
Then came the French Embassador to his head His clemency. King of France confederates with him.quarters, where a league was concluded betwixt the King of France and him, upon these, conditions: First that for the defence of their friends, cleering of the Ocean, and Baltick Seas; restoring of the oppressed States of the Empire: and demolishing of new built Forts upon the Ports and Coasts of either Sea; And secondly, seeing the Adverse party refused to repaire injuries, and rejected all intercessions, therefore the King of Sweden was to maintaine thirty thousand foot, and sixe thousand horse in Germany, and the King of France was to pay his share towards the maintenance of the same; these with divers others were the conditions of the League, whereof the King of Sweden gave present notice to the Protestant Princes met in a Diet at Leipsich, assuring them that his intentions were no other, but to defend, and restore the German Princes, and their Liberties, &c.
Whereas some of the Kings forces were left in Prussia since his late warrs there, order was given unto them within three daies to take shipping, & goe to the King in Pomeren; and for their transportation, nine ships were appointed, but a storme arising, the fleet was scattered, seven of them with much adoe made their Port, one other, wherein was Monroe, a brave Scotchman, with three companies, run a ground neere to Rugenwald, a strong place held by the Imperialists, Heere a double feare ceased on them, either of drowning in the Sea, or having their throates cut on shore: the latter they put unto the venture, and upon a float of boards, gat safe to the land; but, through Gods good providence, most of the Garison were gone Gods providence.abroad to fetch in their weekely contribution: the Burgomaster or major of the Towne seeing the Scots thus gotten ashore, went to them, and understanding that they were the King of Swedens men, invited them into the towne, and in the night time letting them in, and furnishing them with armes, Monroe sent Captaine Rugenwald taken.Bullion, with a chosen party of Musketteeres to fall upon the Imperialists that remained in the City, who quickly Cryed for quarter, & had it granted: the Towne being thus miraculously taken, God brought in the ninth ship that was driven away by the storme, to anchor before the Towne, whereby Monro was strengthened, and enabled to doe some feates of Armes abroad in the countrey: the King perceiving that God himselfe had herein fought for him, commands Monro to continue there, and sends gallant Bauditzen with some more horse and foot to joine with him.
A while after came an Imperiall Currier to the King; His letter contained an admiration of the Emperours, why the King should come armed into the Empire, offering him a treaty of peace, if he would first lay downe armes: To this he answers, that his Imperiall His answere to the Emp.Majesty would cease to wonder, if he pleased to remember the two Armies sent against him into Prussia: the wronging of his friends, and the endangering of his Kingdoms; and as for the profer of peace, he could not believe that it was sincerely meant, seeing that before it was scorned: but to lay downe Armes, he utterly refused, unlesse Germany were restored to liberty &c. A wonderfull thing it is that in eight moneths, space betwixt Iuly and February, he Eightie Cities &c. taken in eight moneths.tooke in eighty Cities, Castles, and Sconces in Pomerland and Mecklenburg.
Tilly the Imperiall Generall, having about this time gotten together a braue Army of one & twenty thousand horse and foot, advances towards the King: Tillies Army.who strongly entrenched himselfe, out of which he would not be drawne: Tilly passed and repassed by, yet durst not he venture, upon him in his trenches: the King had noe reason to present him battell, his Army having beene so wearied out, and noe necessity forcing him to fight: therefore Tilly goes back, and laies siege to Magdeburg, which at last hee tooke, and like a bloody villaine, put to the sword twenty thousand persons at least, of all ranks, ages, and sexes; that great City also he burned Popish cruelty.downe, utterly turning it into Cinders, exceping a hundred nine and thirty houses: His souldiers committed all manner of ravages all the countrey over: Ladies, Gentlewomen, and others, like beasts and dogs they yoaked & coupled together, leading them into the woods to ravish them, & such as resisted, they stript naked, whipt them, cropt their eares, and so sent them home againe.
In the meane time, the King taking with him eight thousand men, advanceth towards Frankfurt upon Oder: Count Scomberg was governour there, who suspecting the Kings purpose, tooke in seven thousand more into the Garison, and burnt downe the suburbs: the same day came the King, then he entrened in the vineyards neere the City: in the approaches the valiant Baron Dyvell was wounded, which much troubled the King; in the evening the Imperialists salied out, but were soone beaten back with losse; the next day being Sabbath, the King had praiers, Sabbarh sanctified.and sermons in his Camp: all things being quiet, the souldiers in the towne began to revile the Swedes, asking them, if they had eaten up their leather gunns; they hung out also a Goose upon a pike, jeering the Swedes with it; the great officers within the towne thought that the King had noe purpose to set upon them, his numbers were so small, and their owne strength so great: Both Sermons being ended, he commanded Sir Iohn Banier to give order for the assault: and when he saw his commanders and officers in a bravery ready to fight unarmed, he commanded them to put on their armour: Saying, if my officers be killed, who shall command my souldiers: the Swedish souldiers wanting ladders, ran to the Boores houses, & fetched their racks, with which and some hatchets they got to a mighty strong pallisado neere the walls, which they fell to hewing downe, then the enemies and they fell to it, bullets and smoke darkening the very aire, the Imperialists being beaten, retire through a Salley-port into the towne: the King calling Sir Iohn Hephbron, and Colonell Lumsdell, said, now my brane Scots, remember your countreymen slaine at new-Brandenburg: they Franckfurt taken by storme.thereupon with their English and Scots regiments, presse upon the Salley-port, bullets flying as thick as haile; Lumsdel with his drawne sword presses on, saying, Let's, enter my hearts, and so thrusting in aamongst the thickest of his enemies, his men follow, knocking downe their enemies most pittiously: then breaking open the greater gate, they entred the City, making a pitifull slaughter, crying, New-brandenburg, knock him downe: One Scotchman killed eighteene men with his owne hands; and Lumsdell tooke eighteene Colours, yea he shewed such valour, that the King afterwards bid him ask what he would, and he would give it him: by this time the Swedes gat over the walls: Scomberg valiantly opposed himselfe, but was quickly forced to retire: the Swedes running into danger, like flies into the candle, as if they had not seene it: the Imperialists having brought all the riches which they had gotten by Much riches taken.Plundring the whole countrey into this City, were now lading of it away upon mules, wagons &c. but the Swedes saved them that labour, and the flying souldiers were so stopped, and wedged in with these carts, that many of them were stifled, slain, or thrust into the Oder: divers of the Imperiall Collonells were here slaine, with fifty Captaines and officers, and aboue seven thousand souldiers, three and twenty Ensignes, and eight Cornets were presented to the King: many prisoners taken, and sent to Stetin; of the Swedes were slaine but one hundred, and as many more hurt: the next day the King by intreaties and threats restrained his men from plunder: Here he found much riches: a hundred thousand pound of powder: eighteene pieces of great Ordnance, besides little ones, and a great quantity of Armes, and Ammunition; there was no woman ravished Cood disiples.in all this City, nor any Burger kild: the King caused solemne thanks to be returned to almighty God for this great victory: Shortly after he restored Thanksgiving.the Duke of Mecklenburg to his ancient and paternall inheritance, out of which he had beene unjustly cast by the Emperour who had given it to Walsteine: After which he cleares Branbenburg of the Imperialists, and takes in Gripswald, and many other places.
Then he advanced towards Magdeburg, from which Tilly was departed, having fortified and garisoned it; by the way he tooke in many townes and Castles, which Tilly hearing of, sent back foure Regiments under Pappenheime to resist him, who joyning with the garisons that were expulsed by the King, fell upon a party of the Swedes, which the King hearing of, with all his horse and two thousand Muskettiers hee comes time enough to make one in the medley: Pappenheim's foot are almost all slaine on Pappenheme beaten.the place: his horse plaid the Pultrons, & ran away, himselfe escaped by the swiftnesse of his horse: hereupon diverse garisons were quitted to the King: then the King proceeding further, formed a strong Camp at Werben upon the river Elbe, hearing that Tilly was coming back towards him, and called of Anno 1932.his Garrisons that were not tenable.
Tilly sent, as his avantcurriers, four Regiments of horse, excellent old souldiers, and most of them Curiassiers, to see if they could tempt out the King to fight, these were confident that the King would not fight, and so marched to a towne within a league of him, not seeing one Swede all the way, and so there they took up their quarters; Bernsteyn that commanded in chiefe with six hundred Curiassiers set the watch, the other betooke themselves to their rest: the King of Sweden privily sends out a party of two Bernsteine beaten and slaine.thousand musketters, and fiue hundred Dragooners against them, which in the breake of day fell upon them, slew a thousand fiue hundred, & Bernestyne amongst them, took nine and twenty Corners, and great store of plate and money: Tilly resolving reveng, marches towards the King with six & twenty thousand brave men, all like himselfe, full of anger and resolution: but before he assaulted his trenches, he endeavoured secretly to hire some traytors with large promises to naile up the Kings Ordnance, that it Treason.might be made unservicable against him: but by remorse of conscience in one of the undertakers, the plot was discovered: yet the King gave not Tilly one Cannon shot, though he came neere his Ordance, which made him very confident that his plot had taken, and his men pressed on in great multitudes, but on a sudden there was such a tempest of chaine shot, murthering shot, and what ever was cruellest to doe execution, shoured in amongst them, that there was made a miserable slaughter: immediately sallyed out Baudissen with three regiments of horse, Tilly worsted.and so cruelly charged his Curiassiers, that had the King seconded him, Tilly had had a great defeate: but a retreat was sounded for that night: then Tilly hired some Boores to fire the towne of Werben, about Treason.which the Kings Leaguer was: but through Gods mercy they were discovered, and executed: Tilly made some other attempts, but seeing he could make nothing of it, he retreated: after whom the King followed, charging the Crabbats [light horsemen] so furiously, that they were driven upon their owne foot, who were faigne to charge their pikes against them: Hereupon Tilly made an Alt, ordered his men, and a skirmish was begun, which by the nights approach was broken off, and so both sides retired to their quarters: Tilly had a great mind to be revenged, sent out diverse Parties to watch their opportunity, but seeing that most of them came short home, and victualls grew very deere, he disloges with his Army, and marches quite away into the Duke of Saxonies country: he left behind him 500 starved horses, 800 Wagons forwant of draught horses, Tilly retreates into Saxony.besides, about 7000 of his men lost in this expedition: then the King divided his Army into severall quarters. At this time the Queene of Sweden arrived at Wolgost with eight thousand men: and Marquis Hamilton brought six thousand more out of English under D. Hamilton.England at the same time: with these men the King reenforced his severall Armies: Tilly was busily imployed in taking in Townes in Saxony, and afterwards besieges Lipswich: Hereupon the Duke of Saxony sends importunatly to the King, to hasten to his relief, who accordingly uniting his forces again, marches thitherward: by the way they met with hard lodging, and worse commons, whereupon the Army being drawn up into Battalia, the King thus spake to them: Lords and gentlemen, I am much grived for His speech to his Armiesthis your hard lodging, & entertainement: But courage my hearts, we are now almost in the Dukedome of Saxony, his country: there things will mend: there we shall have victuals, and provision enough, then shal you be paid your arreares, only I desire you to behave your selves civilly amongst the inhabitants &c. It nothing, I know, daunts your valiant hearts, that you are going to fight with an Army that call themselves invincible: since you have found it not to be so: On therefore my hearts, on Gods name; we daily pray to the Lord of hosts for you, and we desire you to doe the same for us, that he would be gratiously pleased to goe along with us, to assist us, and to give us good successe in whatsoever, just and religious enter prize we undertake. The Army much encouraged with this speech, marches couragiously that night neere Wittenberg: and hither the Duke of Saxony sent Embassadors to the King, to conclude upon what tearmes he should assist him: which were these.
First, that the King might freely passe, and repasse Articles betweene the King and D of Saxony.through Saxony. Secondly, that the Duke at his own charge should finde the Kings army with powder, shot, and provisions. Thirdly, that the Dukes Army should be under the command of the King. Fourthly, that the Duke should conclude no peace with the Emperour without the Kings consent: when the two Armies met, the Dukes horse and foot vailed their Cornets, and Ensignes as they passed by the Kings Army: the next day newes came that Tilly had gotten Lipsich: Then did Tilly out of a bravery send Tilly takes Lipsich.a Trumpet to the King with this message, that as hee was a brave Cavalier, hee should come, and give him His message to the King.battell: the King scorning the terme of Cavalier, replyed thus: what! doth your Generall thinke mee worthy of no better a terme then of a Cavalier? I am a King, and tell him ere long I shall finde him out: hereupon Tilly prepares his Army, as for a victory assured, rather then to fight much for it, and his men Pride.who counted themselves invincible were very glad of the newes of a pitch't battell: Pappenheim when hee A Prodigiesaw the bloud prodigiously dropping from the house at Hall, where he was, said: what! must we bleede? will the King of Sweden beate us? that's impossible. September the seventh, Tilly with foure and forty thousand brave men advances into the field: the place was a Goodly plaine called Gods-acre, a mile from Leipsich: the same place, where Charles the fifth overthrew Prince Mauris formerly: there was in this plaine a little rising hill, and a wood, here Tilly, carefull of all advantages, placed his Army: the hill was fit to plant his cannon on, and easie for him to descend, but hard for the Swedes to climb up; the wood served him to hide his men at the first, and for a retreating place if need were: His word was, Saint Mary, the token to be known by, was white strings and ribbons: the King the day before the battell kept a fast with his Army, to seek unto God for successe: in the evening he marcheth forward within three or four miles of the enemy, where they rested that Fasting and prayer before the Battell.night; the King that night dreamed that he had Tilly fast by the haire of the head, and for all his strugling, would not let him goe, till he bit him on the left side, which upon the successe, was thus interpreted, that the king should have the upper hand of his enemie, A Dreame of the Kings.and that Tilly should defeat the Duke of Saxony, who had the left side of the King in the battell: Before day light, he was upon his march, and coming within view of the enemie, he saw them upon the higher ground: Tilly knowing that they were to meet with a troublesom passage through bushes and dirty waies, sent out some to trouble them, who also by setting fire to traines of gunpowder, scattered for that purpose, sought by the smoke thereof, the wind blowing it just into the protestants faces, to blind and trouble their putting of themselves into order: but neither force, nor stratagem could serve turne; for in despite of both, the passe was gained, where the protestants immediately began to put themselves into order of Battell: and seeing Tilly present his men in a mighty large front, which with his wings extended full two miles in length, and to prevent hemming in, they divided themselves into two Armies, the Duke of Saxony towards the left, the King towards the right hand: Tilly seeing their march, said, Now fellow souldiers Tilly's speech to his souldiers, The Ks. to his.we must looke for blowes: his men, deeming themselves invincible, expressed much desire to beat it: The King of Sweden rode from regiment to regiment, saying with a loud voice, Come on, Comrades, will you fight to day for the name of Iesus Christ? they all cheerfully cried out; vivat Gustavus Adolphus vive, vive, vive thereupon the King presently sent a Trumpet to Tilly with a letter, that he desired to see him in the field, and to that purpose he now attended for him: to which Tilly returned answere, that he for his part had never refused to fight with him; that he would now meet him halfe way, and that the King knew well where to find him: the King had in his Army about twenty thousand, amongst whom were many English & Scots: the Duke of Saxonies Army consisted of fourteene thousand, led by the valiant L. Arnheim: the word for both the Protestants armies was, God with us; their tokens, Greene branches in their hats and helmets: some few daies before, two flocks of birds had fought in this place, the one killing A prodigie.and beating away the other, the victorious birds remained on the place, which being sprung by the Kings vauntcurriers, took their flight to Tillies Army, and there fetching a circle about, returned towards the Kings Army: as who would say, we went to fetch you victory: at least some thus thought of it.
Being now ready to come to the shock, some strugling there was for the wind, which was full The Battell begins.in the protestants faces, the King by wheeling about sought to alter it, the other as much to keep their advantage: the fight began with great Ordnance, Tilly himselfe gave fire to the first three great gunns: & the King, as his manner was, to the two first: the hideous roaring of the cannons on both sides, made the very Earth to tremble, and continuing so two hours, made many a brave man breath his last: about two a clock the cannon gave over, and both horse and foote charged: Pappenheim with his horse charging the Kings right wing, which was lined with Muskietters, was so pelted, that traversing their ground, they thrust in betweene the Kings Right wing, and maine battell, where Bannier commanded, after whom the King immediately sent some able troops, who hemming them in cut them utterly to pieces: Pappenheimes foot being thus left naked, were easil… defeated, he himselfe was wounded, forsook the field, and left all his Ordnance behind him: the King in the beginning of the fight, seeing his Prayer the best refuge.men hardly charged, alighting from his horse, with bended knees prayed to the God of heaven for victory; Tilly seeing it goe hard with his left wing, advanceth downe the hill with his battell, consisting of sixteene Regiments of brave old souldiers, the horsemen also proudly prancing upon their flanks: opposite to him was Gustavus Horne, with his left wing: Tilly twice or thrice charges him with great bravery, which charges Horne with as much resolu…ion endures and returned: Tilly finding himselfe much galled there with the Swedish horse lined with Drakes, and small field pieces, leaving part of his horse and foot to hold Horne play, suddenly with the rest converts all his fury upon the Duke of Saxony: two or three charges the Saxons endured well enough, but the wind carrying the smoake and dust full into their eyes, and Tillyes men falling too heavily upon them, they not able any longer to endure the fury of the old Wallons, Germans, and Burgundians, The Saxons flie▪ and pillage their owne wagons.at first began to give ground, & to run quite away a little after: some were slaine and many were taken prisoners, the rest fled, leaving all their faire Ordnance to the enemie, who presently turned them upon the Swedish: But these cowardly Saxons, is soone as they were out of reach of the enemy, fell to pillage their owne wagons, that they might carry home the spoiles of the warrs, though not of their enemies: the Imperialists seeing the Saxons flying, cry Ʋictoria, Victoria, follow, follow, follow; but the old Lad their Generall said, Let them goe, we shall overtake them time enough, let us beat the Swedes too, and then all Germany is our owne: some posts were presently dispeeded away to the Emperor at Vienna with welcome tidings of victory: But valiant Arnheym, with the best of the Dukes horse, & his life guard, edging towards the Swedes, kept the field: An Imperiall Cavalier seeing a Saxon Captaine of horse, behave himselfe bravely in the head of his Troop, presently riding up to him, bent his Pistoll upon him, engaging him in a single combat, which the Saxon refused A Duellnot, and both their horses being shot, to it on foot they goe with sword and pistoll; both are slaine, and both fell downe dead together one upon another: yet death gaue the honour to the Saxon Champion, laying him uppermost: But that party which Tilly had left engaged with Horne, came not so victoriously of from the Swedes, as their Generall had done from the Saxons, but were dispersed, and put to flight: the Earle of Frustenberg which commanded the left wing of the Tillians, having peiced in with Tilies body that charged the Saxons, seeing them fly, he with his regiment flies amaine upon the Swedes againe, charging the reere of the left Wing, where Colonell Hall, a brave gentleman, commanded: after a while Frustenberg was himselfe dangerously wounded, and carried off: Hall also, whose brest plate was not full proofe, was slaine with a Musket bullet upon the place.
But noe sooner were Furstenbergs foot defeated, but eight thousand of those Imperialists, which had discomfited the Saxons came upon the place, where the Saxons were lately Marshalled: the dust and smoake were so great, that they were on Colenbach, ere he was aware, the Imperialists turning two pieces of Ordnance, which they had taken from the Saxons, let fly amongst the Swedes: Iust at that time came the King riding up to his men, crying to Collenbach, Charge man, on Gods name, and withall himselfe led them up against the enemie: Collenbach advancing (and the King going away to looke to other places) was presently charged with ten Cornets of horse, who at the first or second charge killed all his officers, that commanded foure of his Troopes, yea Collenbach himselfe was there slaine: his foure Troopes flying thereupon, which yet the Imperialists by reason of the smoake discerned not; then did a party of the Kings Muskettiers give fire upon them, which made them wheele about to the left; where they encountred with foure other Troops of Collenbachs regiment, who charged so lustily upon them, that they draue them to the gates of Leipsich: the King when he went from Collenbach, rode to his three Brigades of reserues, under the command of valiant Hepbron, carrying with him many prisoners, which he had taken with his right wing, shewing them to his men, and crying, Lustily, Ʋaliantly: the souldiers answering Vive: the King seeing their alacrity, led them on Liue.against those eight thousand, which had defeated the Saxons, mentioned before, and with all he sent Baron Dyvell to Sir Iohn Hebpron, to bid him fall on: Scarfly had this brave Baron Dyvel done his message, but he was shot starke dead upon the place.
Hepbron moved forward, with whom was the valiant Scots Colonell Lumsdall, & Sir Iames Ramsey, with Muschamp a brave English man: our Muskettiers gave not fire till they came within Pistoll shot, and then the three first ranks discharged together, and after them the other three; which done, they fell pell mell into their ranks, knocking them downe with the but ends of their Muskets: yet four gallant Troopes of the enemies curiassiers, came up to the Swedes, & with their pistols shot all the Scottish Ancients dead upon the place: yet did the Scots bravely stand to it, maintaining the fight about an houre together, in which time many of the Imperialist were slain & the rest fled: So that there was not a greater f…ll o… men any where that day, then in this place: nor any piece of service better on both sides maintained; and here it was that Tilly himselfe received his wounds: Tilly woundedthe King having set on Hepbron upon Tilly, returned to his right wing, presently advancing forward with it towards the wood upon the hill, where some of Tillies regiments stood as reserues, and others that had beene routed, were resorted thither: the King in person set upon these with such courage, that at the first onset, he cut in pieces those which guarded the Ordnance, which he turned immediately upon the enemy; but there were foure Regiments of old souldiers, that stood to their Armes brauely, such as feared noe enemie: these made good the wood for a long time against the King: killed many a brave fellow, nor would they budg a foot, though they saw noe The Imperialists beaten.hope of reliefe, but fought it out to the last man: only some few of them, when they had done as much as men could doe, retired u…der the benefit of the night which was now come on: by which time all the Imperiall Army was wholly beaten.
Thus after fiue houres hard fight, the victory through Gods mercy, fell to the King, whose horsmen continued the chase, till darknesse made it dangerous to pursue the enemie any further: the Kings Army remaining masters of the field, lay all night upon the bare ground, yet none but the wounded, complained of the want of a featherbed: the next morning they pursued the flying enemies, killing many, and taking many prisoners: thus that formidable army Pride goes before destruction.of the Catholick leaguers, which had for eleven yeares together given Lawes to all Germany, and made the name of Tilly so renowned, was in one day, through the power and goodnesse of God, broken in pieces: about ten thousand of them slaine, many thousands wounded, and six thousand forsaking that side, tooke oath and pay for the Kings service, many more running away, and never returning to their colours: then did the King seise upon the enemies standing Camp, where he found three thousand Wagons with all their baggage, tents, and pavilions, many Cattell, Oxen, Sheep, horses, Asles, Poultry, bread, wine, meat upon the spits &c. much costly stuffe, money and plate: He tooke one hundred Ensignes, and Cornets: fourteene Demicannons; sixteene field pieces &c. the King of Sweden lost but seven hundred men, and the Duke of Saxony two thousand: the King lost but foure Colonells; but The greatnesse of the victory.Tilly many more: all advantages were on the enemies side: the wind, the wood, the higher ground: Tillies army was the greater, his souldiers the older, and their Army by themselves counted Invincible: besides the Kings Army was much discouraged by the flight of the Saxons, yet the Lord of Hosts gave him the victory, that he might give him the praise: Tillies manly heart could not refraine from teares, when he thus saw his old souldiers goe to ruine: and this Tilly weeps.old Conqueror, that used still to see the backs of his enemies, is now glad to shew them his owne heeles, and wounded as as he was, fled twenty miles that night: Fustenberg and Pappenheim also sorely wounded, came thither to him, and having their wounds dressed, they fled in an hackney coach, and Tilly in an horse-litter: the King of Sweden, as he began with prayer, so he ended with thanksgiving, appointing (together with the Duke of Saxony) a Publick day Thanksgiving.of thanksgiving to be celebrated, both in the Army, and through all Saxony, unto God for this so glorious a victory. Tilly after this overthrow flies from place to place, partly to secure himselfe, and partly to gleane up as many of his dispersed souldiers as possibly he could, so that in ten daies space he had gone a hundred and fortie miles: he wrote also to Altringer to joine his Army with him, and then begins to forme an army againe, and Altringer brings to Tilly formes a new Army.him about ten thousand men, so that in all he had about eighteene thousand men, but ill clothed, and armed: afterwards he joynes with the Lorrain Army: and coming before the great City of Norimberg, he demanded supply of bread &c. promising that if they yielded to him, he would pay them honestly, otherwise he would force them to it: but the Count of Solmes, sent thither as Governour by the King of Sweden, made a resolute salley the next day before Tillies trenches, where with his Swedish horse, he tooke the young Prince of Anhalt with diverse more, prisoners: Tilly thereupon leaving behind him two thousand dead, wounded and sick men, dislodged with his army: about this time he had twelve thousand fiue hundred weight of powder blowne up Gods just judgment upon Tilly.by an accident, whereupon he said, with a deep sigh: I doe evidently see all my good fortunes begin to faile me, and every thing goes awkardly with me: He should have said, Now doth the Lord revenge upon me all that innocent blood which I shed at Magdebrug, together with all other my wicked practises: After this he marches into the Palatinate, after whom the The Kings entertainement at Norimberg.King of Sweden follows with about foure and twenty thousand men, but first he went to Norimberg, and was there with wonderfull joy entertained, and presented with foure great pieces of brasse Ordnance: two globes of silver, filled with silver and gold: Oates fish, wine &c. and an Oration made to him, to which (being an excellent speaker) he presently returned answere, thanking them for their presents, but especially for their constancy in religion, and defence of it, promising for his part, that as he had undertaken the defence of it, so through Gods grace and assistance he would protect them, and all the rest of his friends to the uttermost of his power: Also hearing that Tilly went further and further from him, to joine with Walsteines army, he resolved to march into Bavaria, a rich and fertile countrey, and so thereby to remove the seat of warr from the Palatinate; and for that end he marched to Donawert, which was the Key to open his passage into Bavaria: this was a strong City, and had in it a Garison of one thousand seven hundred foot, and fiue hundred horse under the valiant Rodulph Maximilian, Duke of Saxen Lawenburg: by the City ran the river of Danubius, over which the King must passe into Bavaria: the The siege of Dunawert.King raised a Battery, on which he mounted twenty pieces of Ordnance, wherewith he annoied the towne, and hindred the passage over the Bridge: He also sent Colonell Hepbron with his Brigade over a bridge fiue miles about, who about midnight silently disposed his men in a covert all along in gardens under the wall, so disposing the matter, that none could passe over the bridge, or out at the Westerne Port, but he fell within his reach, which they in the towne perceiving and despairing of reliefe, intended under the covert of the night to have marched over the Bridge into Bavaria: but Hepbron so galled them in their passage, that though Saxen-Lawenburg and some few with him, got safely over, yet the rest were so cut downe, that their dead bodies covered the bridge, and thereby encombred the whole passage; the rest seeing that, sallied out at the Port upon Hepbron, but were soon repulsed: the King all this while thundering with his Cannon on the other Port, and they within, still fearing his entrance, boldly sallied out againe upon Hepbron, who so entertained them, that he slew about foure hundred, and tooke as many prisoners, and in the height of his valor, entred the Port, with my Lord Craven, Donawert taken.and some other English gentlemen, where they cut in pieces all that resisted, and the souldiers fell to plundering, where many a gold chaine, plate, and other treasure of the enemies were made prize: By this time the King was entred at his Port also, who immediately commanded, that none of the Burgers houses should be plundred: the King gave Hepbron the honour of this action: then he restored the free exercise of the Protestant religion, garrisoned the place, and so advanced forwards: Tilly having notice of the Kings marching toward Bavaria, presently hasted thither by an other way, and the better to keep out the King, he breake downe the Bridges over Danubius, and the river Lech, and to keep him from passing over the Lech, he laies his Army all along upon the Bavarian shore of it, sixteene miles in length; yet the King prepares to lay a bridg over the river, and in two small boates sends over the Swedes, and Fins, his pioneres and carpenters to the other side of the river, to cast up an halfe moone to secure the passage of the Bridge, which Tilly with all his art and power endeavoured to resist: yet they performed their task, making good the place till they were relieved: the small and great shot goe off incessantly on both sides with extreame hot execution one upon another: in which time Generall Altringer was neere slaine, and carried of in the Duke of Bavaria's owne coach: the Bavarian Captaines found this such hot service, that Tilly himselfe was faigne to come up to the point, and in the very face of danger to give directions, where he received a Tilly slaine.musket shot in the thigh, whereof he shortly after dyed: this accident so astonished the Duke of Bavaria, that he presently posted away to Ingolstat, his chiefe The King enters Bavaria.City, and most of his Army retreated from their Charge, so that the King with his Army gat over the river, and sending out parties, cut off many of the Bavarian straglers: Afterwards the King took in diverse strong places and Cities, and amongst them, the great City of Auspurg, into which when he was entred, he went strait to Church, where Doctor Fabricius, the Kings Caplaine, preached on Psalme 12: 5: For the oppression of the poore, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord &c. after Sermon, was a solemne thanksgiving for the victory; Thanksgiving.then he fortified the City, and restored the protestant religion in it againe, and so marches to Ingolstat, The King in danger.in which siege the Kings horse was slain under him, and the Marquesse of Baden, a gallant man, was slaine hard by, with whose death the King was The Kings Christian speech.exceedingly grieved, and in a speech before his commanders, he told them, that hereby he was put in mind of his owne mortality, knowing that the bullet made no distinction betweene a King and his meanest souldier: & that it was Gods decree, that noe priviledges could exempt him from death, therefore saith he: I wholly resigne up my selfe to the providence of the almighty, who, though he may take me away, yet I know, he will not abandon this so just cause, which I have undertaken for restoring the Germanes liberties: He doubtlesse will raise up some other, more wise, couragious and valiant then my selfe, who shall put a period to this warr &c.
The Duke of Bavaria lying with his Army on the other side of the river, and the King finding that the City was not easy to be taken, raises his siege, and Munchen delivered to the King.taking in diverse townes, and restoring the protestant religion in them, he at last came before Munchen, where was the curious pallace of the Duke of Bavaria, whereupon the Deputies of the Towne came forth to him, presented him with the keyes, and a promise of three hundred thousand Dollars: the King enters, suffers the garrison to march out safely, viewed the Magazin, where were great store of Armes and Ammunition, he found buried also one hundred and forty faire pieces of Brasse Ordnance, and in one of them thirty thousand pieces of gold: but the chamber of rarities afforded him most entertainement, in which were incomparable varieties both of Art and nature: About this time, Commissary Ossa, with an Army of seven thousand men, came into those parts, against whom the King sent a party: and leaving Colonell Hepbron governour of Munchen, himselfe follows after: which newes comming to Ossa, he retreated so speedily, that he left his great Ordnance behind him: So that about this time the King had either conquered, or drawne to his party all the middle part of Germany, yea from the Baltick Sea to the Alps, neere to Italy, for fiue hundred miles together, he had gone on with victorious The great and speedy victorys of the King.successe; and shortly after the great City of Vlm accorded with the King, to whom he sent Sir Patrick Ruthuen a gallant Scots-man to be their Governour, and so a while after, he returnes, and encamps by Norimberg: and this he did the rather, because the Duke of Bavaria had now joined his Army with Walsteine, who by command of the Emperour had gotten together a great Army, wherewith they threatened the ruine of Norimberg: the K. therefore round about The King encamps about Norinberg.this towne entrenched himselfe: his Army being but about fifteene thousand fiue hundred men, & therefore he sends for his other Armies to come to him: Walstein had in his Army twenty thousand horse, & forty thousand foot, besides fiue thousand Crabats: About foure miles distant from the Kings Leaguer, Walstein formes his, who as Imperiall Generalissimo Walstaines great Army.commanded in chiefe over the Bavarian Army also, & having fortified his Camp, he gave order to his souldiers to make more use of their trenches, then of their weapons, intending by delaies to force the King to dislodge from before Norimberg, & to abandon it up to his mercy: the two Armies being quartered so nere together, there passed many skirmishes betwixt them, sometimes one going away with the losse, somtimes the other; having laine thus a while, Walstein sends home to the King, Colonell Dubattell, whom he had taken prisoner, without ransome, and with this message: That he had no other ambition then once to see his Majesty in good tearmes with the Emperour: his Master, and himselfe to have the honour to be the instrument of it: After a while the D. of Bavaria moved Walsteine to beat up the Kings quarters, before his other Armies came up to him; to whom he answered, that he would not venture, for if his army were beaten, all Germany, and Italy were both endangered: yet if Bavaria would fall one first, he would second him with all his forces: During the Kings aboad here, the Norimbergers complained to him, that their lands and territories had beene as bad plundred by his Army, as by the enemies, where upon the King calling The Kings speech to his commanders.his officers together, spake thus unto them: Ye Princes, Earles, Lords, and gentlemen, you are some of those that are unfaithfull, and disloiall to your owne countrey, and doe help to ruine it: I confesse you are gallant men, and have done brave service in the warrs, but when I heare of your ravages, robberies and plunderings, my haire stands an end at the very horror of it: Iudge your selves; is it not a dolefull case that one Christian, of the same profession in religion should pilage another. One friend ransack, spoile, and ruine another. The very Divells in hell are more trusty one to an other then you are: my bowels yerne within me, when I heare complaints, that the Swedish souldiers are more insolent then the enemies: But they are not the Swedes, they are the Germans that commit these insolencies: had I knowne that you Germans had beene a people of this temper, to beare noe more affection to your naturall countrey &c. I would never hauehave sadled horse for your sakes, much lesse have hazarded my life, kingdome, and estate in your behalfe &c. But it may be you will say, you want money, but is not the fault in your selves, who hinder me from having meanes to pay you by your robbings and pillages: For my owne part, I protest before God, that I have not by all this warre enriched my selfe so much as a paire of bootes comes to: yea I had rather ride without bootes, then in the least degree to enrich my selfe by the dammage of these poore people: Since my coming into Germany, I have received out of my owne countrey forty tunns of gold, which I have spent for the reestablishment of those oppressed princes, which are of the same true religion with me &c. that which I desire of you for the time to come is, that you spoile not others of their goods, but leave everie man to his owne possessions: the choller and manhood that you have, skore it (on Gods name) on the fronts of your enemies, but distaine not the honour of a souldier by insulting over unarmed innocents: Live upon your meanes like souldiers, & not upon pilfering and spoiling like thieves, and robbers: this if you doe not, you shall ever be infamous, and I by such helpers shall never be victorious: This speech was delivered with that efficacy and life, that it extracted teares of compunction from these militarie hearers, who had rather bleed then weepe: He also seconded it with a proclamation, that he would henceforth pardon no man of what ranck soever, that should in this kind be againe complained of: adding, that if to avoid punishment, they should all conspire upon a mutiny, himselfe with his Swedes, and Finlanders would undertake so to rattle them, that the shivers of their staves should fly about their eares for it: About this time the severall Armies, that the King had sent for, to release him, began to drawe neere: which the King hearing of, appointed a solemne Fasting and prayer.day of Fasting and prayer in his Leaguer, to seek unto God for the happy joining and good successe of his Armies, and then quitting his trenches, he went forth and joined with them, whereupon he drew up into Battalia before the enemies trenches, and stood there all day to make a brave upon them. The King was now six and forty: thousand strong, and therefore resolved, if he could, to joine Battell with the enemy, but because Walstein kept himselfe in his trenches, and would not stir, the King raised batteries, planted Ordnance, with which he plaid into his Camp: and when that prevailed not, he sought to force his trenches, whereupon ensued a very desperate fight, wherein many a brave man lost The King in danger.his life: a piece of the sole of the Kings boote was carried away with a shot, and Duke Bernard of Saxen Weymar had a horse slaine under him, and yet it pleased God to preserve them both from any further hurt: then the King sent out parties to cut off Walsteins victualls, whereupon ensued divers bickerings.
The Crabats fled out as farr as Altroffe, an university belonging to Norimberg, where they ligt upon the poore Schollers (they might as well have robbed the Spittle) Agricola, Nester, and Bruno, professors there, they carried away, and put poore Genus and Species A university plundered.to their ransom. But the King perceiving that the enemies would not be drawne out to fight, resolved upon a remove, marching by, and almost round about the Imperiall Leaguer with Colours flying, Drums beating &c. and so dividing his Army, he took in diverse places; Then did Walstein march into Ʋoitland to undoe the Duke of Saxony, which the King hearing of, presently turned his course thitherward, and not long after having reunited his forces, he intended to set upon Walstein, who perceiving the Kings purpose, called together his forces also; then did the King consult, whether he should fight the enemy or noe: Duke Bernard was for the valiant Affirmatiue: Major Kniphauson for the sober Negative, his reasons were.
1. Noe man is to fight, but when he is apparently stronger then the enemie, which the King is not.
2. None is to attack a stronger enemie but when compelled by a pressing & inavoydable necessity, viz to force his passage, when he is hemmed in, and when hunger and want of provision enforceth, which are not the Kings case: Hereupon the King resolved to goe and joine with the Duke of Saxony, but by the way, hearing that the Imperialists lay scatetring in severall Dorps and villages about Lutzen, without any intelligence of the Kings motion, his Majesty then put on a resolution to fight, saying, that he now verily believed that God had given his enemies into his hands: then did he, and all his Army advance stoutly against the enemies, doubling their march, but their leggs found it a longer way then their eies, and besides there was a filthy passe by the way at a bridge over a river, which hindred the Army full two houres, so that it was night when he came within two miles of Lutzen, where he was forced by the darknesse to quarter in the open field with all his Army: then did the Imperialists take the alarum, and order was sent to all the quarters of their Army upon paine of death to repaire immediately to Lutzen, so that by ten a clock the next morning they were all come up together, and Walsteine had planted his ordnance advantagiously, entrenched about it, cast up breastworks for his men &c. The King having thus brought himselfe into a necessity of fighting, very early in the morning, he caused the Drums to beat, then had Doctor Fabricius to pray with him, and other ministers in the head of other Regiments: it was a very misty morning, which wasa great advantage to the enemie to prepare his The Battell of Lutzenworks, from which he was resolved not to stirr, and about ten a clock, November the sixt, the fogg cleered The Kings speech to his souldiersup, and the King going first to his owne subjects, spake to this purpose: My deere brethren carry your selves brauely this day; fight valiantly on Gods name, 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 be laden with an honourable memoriall, nor will I forget to reward you nobly: If you play the Poultrons, I here call God to witnesse, that not a bone of you shall ever returne againe to Sweden: To the Germans he said, O my bretheren, Officers and fellow souldiers, I most earnestly intreat and beseech you to make full tryall of your valour this one day: fight manfully against your enemies 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, even me, who dreadlesly for your cause, am here ready to adventure both life and blood: If you doe this, God no doubt himselfe will from heaven reward you with a most glorious victory, of which your selves and posteritie shall have the benefit: If you doe not, farewell for ever to your religion, and yourselves must for ever remaine enslaved: the souldiers of both nations with joyfull acclamations answering the King, he further said, and now my hearts, let us on brauely against our enemies, and the God of heaven prosper our endeavours: and so casting up his eies to heaven, with a loud voice he said, Iesus vouchsafe this day to be my strong helper, and give me courage to fight for thy glory, and for His prayer.the honour of thy name: then drawing his sword, he waved it over his head, and advanced the formost of all his Army: amongst the Kings owne guard were the English and Scotish gentlemen: he himselfe was attired in a plaine Buff-coat without Armour: and being requested to put on his Corslet, he said, the Lord God is my Armour, His watch word was, God with us: Walsteines was, Iesus Maria; the King said, I thank God I have both wind and sunn to favour me; the field, where the battell was fought, was a plaine Champion countrey, yet had many ditches which served Walsteines men for breastworks, and the Kings horse in passing over them, were some of of them overthrowne: there were also two little hills, upon which Walstein had planted his great gunns: And so great was his Army, that the front of it extended two miles in length: the Armies coming within reach, the great gunns began to play on both sides: but the Imperiall cannon being planted upon steady and fixt Batteries (where as the Kings gave fire in motion) did the greater execution, so that the King not liking that sport, caused his Army to advance upon the very mouth of the cannon: the Imperialists kept their ground, expecting that the Swedes fury would be over, and themselves out of breath, ere they could get over the ditches, and beat out the Musketteires: yet they overcame those difficulties, and so theleft wing engaged with the right of Walsteines: then the King advancing with his right wing, and observing where the Crabats stood, and where the Curiasseires, which were armed Cap. a pied, calling Colonell Stalhansh to him, he said: as for those fellows [the Crabbats] I care not for them: but charg me those black-fellows soundly, for they are the men that will undoe us: the King fought at the head of his Squadron, himselfe being formost with his pistoll in one hand, and his sword in the other: and thus charging upon the Curiassiers, he was there overlaid with numbers, insomuch as his men, in danger of being hemb'd in, were faigne to give ground, and to retire towards their body; there did the King receive a shot into the left arme, which he not feeling at first, would haveled on still, but by and by, perceiving his blood to gush out abundantly, and that part of his bone was broken, he called to Duke Albert of Saxen-Lawenburg, saying, Cosin, I am sore wounded, help me to make my retreat, this, whilst the Duke and those that were with the the King were about to doe, his squadron also being now upon the retreat, there comes up an officer of of the Curiassiers, that too well knew the King, and said, this is the right bird, and so discharging his Pistoll, The King slaine.shot him through the body, & himselfe was presently shot dead upon the place: the King was held up in his saddle a while, but presently fell: his horse also was shot, and so ran away without his master: Iust now fell a great mist, the Sunn, which before shined very brightly, on a sudden Muffling up his face in a mourning cloud, as if not able to look upon the fall of the King of Sweden: the Imperialists being now masters of the Kings body, fell to stripping of it: one getting his spurs, another his sword, another his ring, an other his buffecoat &c. every one being greedy to get some part of his spoiles: but before they could carry away his body, the Swedes returning, so charged the enemies, that they were forced to retreat, whereupon Stalhansh recovering the body, carried it away in an ammunition waggon privately, so that few in his owne Army knew of his death: All this while were the foure foot Brigades of the Swedes pell mell at it, and gat ground apace of the Imperialists, the horse also after an houres fight, draue them back, and got possession of seven pieces of their Ordance: but by this time the mist was so extraordinarily thickned by the smoake, that the Swedes could not see to pursue their advantage: yet it pleased God to strike parte of the Imperiall Army with such a Pannick feare, that above one thousand A Pannick feare.Dutch horse ran all away together, one amongst them crying out, Oh I know the King of Sweden well enough, he is best at the latter end of the day: But the chiefest fright was amongst the Ladies and Captaines wiues, and other women behind the Army, many of them getting out of their coaches, cut asunder the harnesse, and mounted stradling upon the bare horse backs, & so scudded away amongst the souldiers: diverse women and children were there troden to death, nor did the horsmen stay till they had fled diverse miles: Papenheime slaine.but in the heat of the battell, Count Pappenheime (who was before sent for) came in with his horse and dragooners, by whose coming the charge was againe renued: but just as he was ordering his horse, he was shot with a Falconet bullet, whereof he presently dyed: his officers flocking about him, cryed out, O our Generall is slaine, our Generall is slaine, and thereupon turning their horse heads, they ran out of the battell without stroke striking: but the Imperialists that were set on by his coming, maintained the fight with admirable resolution: yet the charge was sustained by the Swedes with much gallantry: full two houres were they thus in hot battell: but the greatest losse fell upon two Bridgades of the old Swedish souldiers, whom the King had most relyed on: these old blades stood to their armes stoutly, till the ground was covered with their bodies, yet they dyed not unrevenged, for they slew many of the Imperialists, and amongst them diverse of great account: Duke Bernard had as hard a Chapter of it, as any man against the Imperiall right wing commanded by Count Coloredo: yet never did man behave himselfe more gallantly then Duke Bernard did that day, charging his enemies twelve severall times one after an other: A little before sunn set, the mist cleered up, and then did Duke Bernard overview the posture and countenance of the Army, which he could not doe since he heard of the Kings death, till now: He spake cheerefully to the officers, and souldiers, encouraging of them to a new onset: He found the whole Army (except Kniphausens part) in noe good order, yet he tooke much paines to really them, and draw them on to a new charge: Alas comrade, saith the poore souldier, must we fall on againe! come saith the other, if we must, let us doe it bravely, and make a day of it: The Imperialists hearts quaked within them, when they saw the Swedes thus advancing in good order against them againe; wherupon the horse began to retreat, which the Swedes perceiving, they with their great Ordnance gave them such a rowsing Salvee, and then charged them so home, that they put them into disorder: but then againe fell there such a mist, that the Swedes could not see to pursue theire enemies: and now was all the service turned to the wind Mills, where Coloredo was, who strugled hard at the last cast for life: a cruell fight was here maintained till about six a clocke at night, about which time the Imperialists quite gaue it over: this cruell and bloody fight had lasted about nine houres; and now Walsteine marched away towards The Imperialists beaten.Lipswich, leaving the field and victory to the Swedes, who lodged upon the ground all night, where was a pittifull groaning of the dying and wounded of both sides: it was a frosty cold night, in which many a brave man dyed of his wounds, that with help might have beene cured: the next morning the Swedes found all the Imperiall Cannons left behind them: there were slaine of the Swedes about three thousand, and of the Imperialists about foure thousand upon the place, besides whom, the Boores knocked downe neere three thousand that fled away stragling: the wounded were as many more as the slaine: on the Swedes side were slaine, the King himselfe, whose death is never sufficiently lamented: the enemies themselves giving him this testimony, that he was the bravest enemie, and the best Captaine that ever was in Christendome: and beside him, Graue Neeles: Nicholas Count of Wesenburg with some other Colonells and officers: on the Imperiall party were slaine, the Abbat of Fuldea, Count Pappenheim, young Count Walstein and diverse A prince of the empire.Collonells and Officers. Walsteine at first intended only to make a retreat to Lipsich, but his souldiers, so soone as they heard the Drums beate a retreat, fell to running presently: and the fright was so great that most of them never came into order againe: his chiefe officers confest, that if the Swedes had but sent out one thousand horse after them, they might have cut off the whole Army.King of Swedens Character.
The King of Sweden bore a port and presence, full of Majesty: was of a gallant stature, aboue six foot high: full fac't: had an hawkseie: of yellowish haire: he was cleane limb'd, strong, active, and hardy: of an undaunted courage: a strong judgment: an admirable quicknesse of conceite; of a naturall vigilancy, and indefatigablenesse: had a marvellous forecast, to apprehend and dispose of his affaires to the best advantage: He had an excellent dexterity to extricate, & untangle the Gordian knottinesse of a businesse: he knew how to take advantage of mens humours: and had a native attraction in him to win hearts, as well as provinces: He was a great student upon any business of Importance: a diligent disputer, and canvasser of the answere which he was to give to Ambassadors. A sudden danger seldome astonished his judgment: but the more desperate the perill was, the nimbler was he in his deliveries: still shewing most vigour, where there was most need of it: He was exceeding temperate in his diet: his feeding was upon strong and souldierly dishes: But that which was most commendable in him, was his Religion both publick His Piety.and Private: He was frequent in prayers and thanksgivings, upon every emergent occasion: He would pray a shipboard, a shoare, in the field, in the middest of a Battell, as if prayer alone were the surest piece of his whole Armour: He was a strict observer of Martiall discipline: and a strict punisher of misdemeanors in his Camp: When he first came into Germany, he saw that many women followed his Army, whereupon coming to a great river, his men and waggons being passed over, he caused the bridge to be broken downe, hoping thereby to be rid of this lumber: but they on a sudden shriking out grievously, the souldiers on the other side, vowed not to stir a foot till the women were fetched over: whereupon the King finding that this ill humour was so generally dispersed amongst his men, that it was dangerous to purge it all at once, smiled out his anger for the present, permitting what he could not amend: yet this abuse he afterwards reformed by degrees: His Army won the day, though they lost their King; which made one say,
Ʋpon this place, the great Gustavus di'd,
Whil'st victory lay bleeding by his side.
A little before his death, being in discourse with He presageth his death.Doctor Fabricius, his Chaplaine: he told him, that he thought God would ere long take him away, because the people did so overvalew, and Deifie him: He was slaine in the battell at Lutzen, November the 16 Anno Christi 1632. and of his age thirty eight: At his first coming into Germany, having a designe upon Stetin, and his Army now ready upon the shoare, and his boates ready upon the river to imbarke them; the wind was contray, and so had continued for Power of prayer.diverse daies before: the King observing this, before his Army with bended knees, and hands lifted up to heaven, he said: O thou most just God, full well thou knowest, that I did not at first undertake this enterprise out of any rashnesse, or ambition, but for the Glory of thy most holy name, and the defence of the truth of thy word: here now therefore I call upon thee O God, and most humbly doe beseech thee, that with the aire of thy favour, and with a prosperous wind, thon wouldest be pleased to breath upon this my undertaking for Christ his sake, Amen: Noe sooner was his prayer ended, but through Gods mercy, the wind turned about with so full a gale, that the whole fleet passing up the river Oder, in two houres space ran up twenty miles, and unlooked for, came to an Anchor within a mile of Stetin, to the great defeat of the purposes of the Imperialists, who had an intent within two daies after to have laid siege to the City, had not God thus miraculously prevented them: Also when he came first to his Crowne, he would needs lay siege to Notteburg Castell, which the Muscovite had given to his father for some assistance that he had afforded him. The Castell stood in an Iland in the mouth of the most raging and swift river of Nerva, his Colonells despairing of taking it, and loth that their young King should receiue a check in his first attempts, labour to disswade him from the Action: yet he continued resolute to pursue it: and see how almighty God wrought for him: the besieged Muscovites were stricken with such thrushes, warts, and blisters in their throates and mouths, that they could neither chew their meate, nor swallow, whereupon they parlied, and yielded A speciall providence.up that impregnable Castell to him, wherein he found a whole yeares victualls, besides abundance of ammunition.
Not long after this, he had a difference with the Dantzickers, who prepared twenty or thirty good ships of warr, with the first opening of the spring to have burnt up his Navie in the harbour: but towards the end of winter, when this narrow Swedish Sea was frozen a yard, or two deepe, this young King caused his boores to cut open this ice for ten or twelve miles together, which done, he came in a night with his fleet upon the Dantzickers, and burnt, sunk, and took most of them: Also in his warrs with the King of Poland, he conquered so many townes from him in Prussia, and Livonia, that he inforced him, by the mediation of our King Charles, to make peace with him.
Collected out of the Swedish Intelligencer, and some other books.
FINIS.