able forces on foot, it was the general discourse at Vienna that the union at Leipsic only gave the Emperor an opportunity to crush absolutely the Dukes of Saxony, Brandenburg, and the Landgrave of Hesse, and they looked upon it as a thing certain.

I never saw any real concern in their faces at Vienna until news came to court that the King of Sweden had entered into the union; but as this made them very uneasy, they began to move the powerfullest methods possible to divert this storm; and upon this news Tilly was hastened to fall upon Saxony before this union could proceed to a conjunction of forces.

This was certainly a very good resolution, and no measure could have been more exactly concerted, had not the diligence of the Saxons prevented it.

The gathering of this storm, which, from a cloud, began to spread over the empire, and from the little duchy of Mecklenburg began to threaten all Germany, absolutely determined me, as I noted before, as to travelling; and, laying aside the thoughts of Hungary, I resolved, if possible, to see the King of Sweden's army.

I parted from Vienna the middle of May, and took post for Great Glogau, in Silesia, as if I had purposed to pass into Poland, but designing indeed to go down the Oder to Custrin, in the marquisate of Brandenburg, and so to Berlin; but when I came to the frontiers of Silesia, though I had passes, I could go no further, the guards on all the frontiers were so strict; so I was obliged to come back into Bohemia, and went to Prague.

From hence I found I could easily pass through the Imperial provinces to the Lower Saxony, and accordingly took passes for Hamburgh, designing, however, to use them no further than I found occasion. By virtue of these passes I got into the Imperial army under Count Tilly, then at the siege of Magdeburg, May the second. (Note 3.)

This calamity, sure, was the most dreadful sight that ever I saw the rage of the Imperial soldiers was quite intolerable, and not to be expressed. Out of twenty-five thousand, some said thirty thousand people, there was not a soul to be seen alive, till the flames drove those that were hid in vaults and secret places to seek death in the streets, rather than perish in the fire. Of these miserable creatures some were killed, too, by the furious soldiers; but at last they saved the lives of such as came out of their cellars and holes, and so about two thousand poor desperate creatures were left. The exact number of those that perished in this city could never be known, because those the soldiers had first butchered the flames afterwards consumed.

I was on the other side the Elbe when this dreadful piece of butchery was done. The city of Magdeburg had a sconce or fort over against it, called the toll-house, which joined to the city by a very fine bridge of boats. This was taken by the Imperialists a few days before; and having a mind to see it, and the rather because from thence I could have a very good view of the city, I was gone over Tilly's bridge of boats to view this fort. About ten o'clock in the morning I perceived they were storming by the firing, and immediately all ran to the works: I little thought of the taking the city, but imagined it might be some out-work attacked; for we all expected the city would surrender that day or next, and they might have capitulated upon very good terms.

I confess I did not foresee the fate of this city; neither, I believe, did Count Tilly himself think of glutting his fury with so entire a desolation; much less did the people expect it. I did believe they must capitulate; and I perceived, by discourse in the army, that Tilly would give them but very indifferent conditions, but it fell out otherwise. The treaty of surrender was, as it were, begun, nay some say concluded, when some of the outguards of the Imperialists, finding the citizens had abandoned the guards of the works, and looked to themselves with less dili- || gence than usual, they broke in, carried a half moon sword in hand with little resistance; and though it was a surprise on both sides, the citi¦ zens neither fearing, nor the army expecting, the occasion, the garrison, with as much resolution as could be expected under such a fright, flew to the walls, twice beat the Imperialists off; but fresh men coming up, and the administrator of Magdeburg himself being wounded and taken, the enemy broke in, took the city by storm, and entered wth such terrible fury, that, without respect to age or condition, they put all the garrison and inhabitants, man, woman, and child, to the sword, plundered the city, and, when they had done, set it on fire.

Being upon the works of the fort, on a sudden I heard a cry in the city that that cannot be imagined, and it is not possible to express the manner of it; but I could see the women and children running about the streets in a most lamentable condition.

The

The city wall did not run along the side of the river with so great a height, but we could plainly see the market place, and several streets which ran down to the river. In about an hour's time after this first cry all was confusion; there was little shooting; the execution was all cutting of throats and mere house-murders. resolute garrison, with the brave Baron Falconberg, fought it out to the last, and were cut in pieces; and by this time the Imperial soldiers having broke open the gates and entered on all sides, the slaughter was very dreadful. We could see the poor people in crowds driven down the streets, flying from the fury of the soldiers, who followed, butchering them as fast as they could, till, driving them to the river's edge, the desperate wretches threw themselves into the river, where thousands perished, especially women and children.

Several men that could swim got over to our side, where the soldiers, not heated with fight, gave them quarter, and took them up; and I cannot but do this justice to the German officers in the fort, they had five small flat boats, and they gave leave to the soldiers to go off in them, and get what booty they could, but charged them not to kill anybody, but take them all prisoners.

Their humanity was not ill rewarded: for the soldiers, wisely avoiding those places where their fellows were employed in butchering the mise

rable people, rowed to other places, where crowds || than two hundred thousand men, in several ar of people stood crying out for help, and expect-mies, on foot, who most of them were on the ing to be every minute either drowned or mur- back of the Protestants in every corner. dered; of these, at sundry times, they fetched over near six hundred, but took care to take in none but such as offered them good pay.

Never was money or jewels of greater service than now, for they that had anything of that sort to offer were soonest helped.

If Tilly did but write a threatening letter to any city or prince of the union, they presently submitted, renounced the conclusions of Leipsic, and received Imperial garrisons, as the cities of Ulm and Memingen, the duchy of Wirtemburg, and several others, and almost all Suabia.

Only the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave of Hesse upheld the drooping courage of the Protestants, and refused all terms of peace; slighted all the threatenings of the Imperial generals; and the Duke of Brandenburg was brought in afterwards almost by force.

There was a burgher of the town, who, seeing a boat coming near him, but out of his call, by the help of a speaking-trumpet told the soldiers he would give them twenty thousand dollars to fetch him off: they rowed close to the shore, and took him, with his wife and six children, into the boat; but such throngs of people got about it, they had like to have sunk her; so that the solder the walls of Leipsic, and I, having returned diers were fain to drive a great many out again to the city two days before, saw them pass in by main force; and while they were doing this, review. some of the enemy, coming down the street, desperately drove them all into the water.

The boat, however, brought the burgher and his wife and children safe; and though they had not all that wealth about them, yet in jewels and money he gave them so much as made all the fellows very rich.

The Duke of Saxony mustered his forces un

The duke, gallantly mounted, rode through the ranks, attended by his field-marshal Arnheim, and seemed mighty well pleased with them, and indeed the troops made a very fine appearance; but I that had seen Tilly's army, and his old weatherbeaten soldiers, whose discipline and exercises were so exact, and their courage so often tried, I cannot pretend to describe the cruelty of could not look on the Saxon army without some this day; the town by five in the afternoon was concern for them when I considered who they all in flames; the wealth consumed was inesti- || had to deal with. mable, and a loss to the very conqueror. I think there was little or nothing left but the great church, and about one hundred houses.

This was a sad welcome into the army for me, and gave me a horror and aversion to the Emperor's people, as well as to his cause. I quitted the camp the third day after this execution, while the fire was hardly out in the city; and from thence, getting safe conduct to pass into the Palatinate, I turned out of the road at a small village on the Elbe, called Emerfield, but can give but small account of the town, having a boor for our guide, whom we could hardly understand. I arrived at Leipsic on the 17th of May.

We found the elector intense upon strengthening his army, but the people in the greatest terror imaginable, every day expecting Tilly with the German army, who, by his cruelty at Magdeburg, was become so dreadful to the Protestants, that they expected no mercy wherever he

came.

The Emperor's power was made so formidable to all the Protestants, particularly since the diet at Ratisbon left them in a worse case than it found them, that they had not only formed the conclusions of Leipsic, which all men looked upon as the effect of desperation rather than any probable means of their deliverance, but had privately implored the protection and assistance of foreign powers, and particularly the King of Sweden, from whom they had promises of a speedy and powerful assistance.

And truly, if the Swede had not, with a very strong hand, rescued them, all their conclusions at Leipsic had served but to hasten their ruin.

I remember very well, when I was in the Imperial army, they discoursed with such contempt of the forces of the Protestants, that not only Imperialists, but the Protestants themselves, gave them up as lost. The Emperor had not less

Tilly's men were rugged, surly fellows; their faces had an air of hardy courage, mangled with wounds and scars; their armour showed the bruises of musket-bullets, and the rust of winter storms. I observed of them their clothes were always dirty, but their arms were clean and bright: they were used to camp in the open fields, and sleep in the frosts and rain; their horses were strong and hardy like themselves, and well taught their exercises.

The soldiers knew their business so exactly, that general orders were enough; every private man was fit to command, and their wheelings, marchings, counter-marchings, and exercises were tinct words of command were hardly of any use done with such order and readiness, that the disamong them: they were flushed with victory, and scarce knew what it was to fly.

There had passed some messages between Tilly and the duke, and he gave always such ambiguous answers as he thought might serve to gain time; but Tilly was not to be put off with words, and drawing his army towards Saxony, sends four propositions to him to sign, and demands an immediate reply the propositions were positive.

1. To cause his troops to enter into the Emperor's service, and to march in person with them against the King of Sweden.

2. To give the Imperial army quarters in his country, and supply them with necessary provisions.

3. To relinquish the union of Leipsic, and disown the ten conclusions.

4. To make restitution of the goods and lands of the church.

The Duke, being pressed by Tilly's trumpeter for an immediate answer, sat all night and part of the next day with his privy councillors, debating what reply to give; which at last was concluded, in short, that he would live and die in defence of

the Protestant religion and the conclusions of Leipsic, and bade Tilly defiance.

The die being thus cast, he immediately decamped with his whole army for Torgau, fearing that Tilly should get there before him, and so prevent his junction with the Swede. The duke had not yet concluded any positive treaty with the King of Sweden, and the Duke of Brandenburg having made some difficulty of joining, they both stood on niceties till they had like to have ruined themselves at once.

him a commission to be cornet in one of the old regiments of horse.

But the difference I had observed between this new army and Tilly's old troops had made such an impression on me, that I confess I had no manner of inclination for the service, and therefore persuaded him to wait awhile till we had seen a little further into affairs, and particularly till we had seen the Swedish army, which we had heard so much of.

The difficulties which the Elector Duke of Brandenburg had given up the town of Spandau Saxony made of joining with the king were made to the king by a former treaty, to secure a re- up by a treaty concluded with the king on the treat for his army, and the king was advanced 2d of September, at Coswig, a small town on as far as Frankfort upon the Oder, when, on a the Elbe, where the king's army was arrived the sudden, some small difficulties arising, Branden-night before; for General Tilly being now entered burg seemed cold in the matter, and with a sort of indifference demands his town of Spandau to be restored again.

Gustavus Adolphus, who began presently to imagine the duke had made his peace with the Emperor, and so would either be his enemy or pretend a neutrality, generously delivered him his town of Spandau; but immediately turns about, and with his whole army besieges him in his capital city of Berlin.

This brought the duke to know his error; and by the interposition of the ladies, the Queen of Sweden being the duke's sister, the matter was accommodated, and the duke joined his forces with the king.

But the Duke of Saxony had like to have been undone by this delay; for the Imperialists, under Count de Furstenburg, were entered his country, and had possessed themselves of Hall, and Count Tilly was on his march to join him, as he afterwards did, and, ravaging the whole country, laid siege to Leipsic itself. The duke, driven to this extremity, rather flies to the Swede than treats with him, and on the 2nd of September the duke's army joined with the King of Sweden.

I came to Leipsic to see the Duke of Saxony's army, and that being marched, as I have said, for Torgau, I had no business there; but if I had, the approach of Tilly and the Imperial army was enough to hasten me away, for I had no occasion to be besieged there; so on the 27th of August I left the town, as several of the principal inhabitants had done before, and more would have done had not the governor published a proclamation against it; and besides, they knew not whither to fly, for all places were alike exposed. The poor people were under dreadful apprehensions of a siege, and of the merciless usage of the Imperial soldiers, the example of Magdeburg being fresh before them, the duke and his army gone from them, and the town, though well furnished, but indifferently fortified.

In this condition I left them, buying up stores of provisions, working hard to secure their meats, set up palisades, repair their fortifications, and preparing all things for a siege; and following the Saxon army to Torgau, I continued in the camp till a few days before they joined the King of Sweden.

I had much ado to persuade my companion from entering into the service of the Duke of Saxony, one of whose colonels, with whom we had contracted a particular acquaintance, offering

into the duke's country, had plundered and ruined all the lower part of it, and was now actually besieging the capital city of Leipsic.

These necessities made almost any conditions easy to him; the greatest difficulty was that the King of Sweden demanded the absolute command of the army, which the duke submitted to with less good will than he had reason to do, the king's experience and conduct considered.

I had not patience to attend the conclusions of their particular treaties; but as soon as ever the passage was clear I quitted the Saxon camp, and went to see the Swedish army. I fell in with the out-guards of the Swedes at a little town called Beltsig, on the river Wersa, just as they were relieving the guards, and going to march, and, having a pass from the English ambassador, was very well received by the officer who changed the guards, and with him I went back into the army. By nine in the morning the army was in full march, the king himself at the head of them, on a grey pad, and riding from one brigade to another, ordered the march of every line himself.

When I saw the Swedish troops, their exact of their officers, and the regular living of the discipline, their order, the modesty and familiarity soldiers, their camp seemed a well-ordered city; the meanest countrywoman with her market-ware

was as safe from violence as in the streets of Vienna.

such as followed the Imperialists; nor any women There were no regiments of whores in rags, vosts to be the wives of the soldiers, who were in the camp but such as were known to the pronecessary for washing linen, taking care of the soldiers' clothes, and dressing their victuals.

with excellent arms, and exceedingly careful of The soldiers were well clad, not gay, furnished them; and though they did not seem so terrible as I thought Tilly's men did when I first saw them, yet the figure they made, together with what we had heard of them made them seem to ne invincible.

The discipline and order of their marchings, camping, and exercise, was excellent and singular, and which was to be seen in no armies but the king's, his own skill, judgment, and vigilance, having added much to the general conduct of

armies then in use.

As I met the Swedes on their march, I had no opportunity to acquaint myself with anybody till after the junction of the Saxon army, and then it being but four days to the great battle of

Leipsic, our acquaintance was small, saving what fell accidentally by conversation.

I met with several gentlemen in the king's army who spoke English very well; besides that, there were three regiments of Scots in the army, the colonels whereof I found were extraordinarily esteemed by the king, as the Lord Rea, Colonel Lumsdell, and Sir John Hepburn; the latter of these, after I had by accident become acquainted with, I found had been for many years acquainted with my father, and on that account I received a great deal of civility from him, which afterwards grew into a kind of intimate friendship. He was a complete soldier indeed, and for that reason so well beloved by that gallant king, that he hardly knew how to go about any great action without him.

It was impossible for me now to restrain my young comrade from entering into the Swedish service, and indeed everything was so inviting that I could not blame him.

A captain in Sir John Hepburn's regiment had picked acquaintance with him, and he, having as much gallantry in his face as real courage in his heart, the captain had persuaded him to take service, and promised to use his interest to get him a company in the Scotch brigade.

I had made him promise not to part from me in my travels without my consent, which was the only obstacle to his desires of entering into the Swedish pay; and being one evening in the captain's tent with him, and discoursing very freely together, the captain asked him very short,|| but friendly, and looking earnestly at me, "Is this the gentleman, Mr Fielding, that has done so much prejudice to the King of Sweden's service?" I was doubly surprised at the expression, and at the colonel, Sir John Hepburn, coming at that very moment into the tent. The colonel hearing something of the question, but knowing nothing of the reason of it, any more than as I seemed a little to concern myself at it, yet, after the ceremony due to his character was over, would needs know what I had done to hinder his majesty's service.

"So much truly," says the captain, "that if his majesty knew it, he would think himself very little beholden to him."

"I am sorry, sir," says I, "I should offend in anything, who am but a stranger; but if you would please to inform me, I will endeavour to alter anything in my behaviour that is prejudicial to any one, much less to his majesty's service."

"I shall take you at your word, sir," says the captain; "the King of Sweden, sir, has a particular request to you."

"I should be glad to know two things, sir," said I; "first, how that can be possible, since I am not yet known to any man in the army, much less to his majesty? and, secondly, what the request may be ?"

Why, sir, his majesty desires you would not hinder this gentleman from entering into his service, who, it seems, desires nothing more, if he may have your consent."

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Here Sir John Hepburn took the case up some thing gravely, and, drinking a glass of Leipsic beer to the captain, said—“ Come, captain, don't press these gentlemen; the king desires no man's service but what is purely volunteer." So we entered into other discourse: and the colonel, perceiving by my talk that I had seen Tilly's army, was mighty curious in his questions, and seemed very well satisfied with the account I gave him.

The next day, the army having passed the Elbe at Wittenburg, and joined the Saxon army near Torgau, his majesty caused both armies to draw up in battalian, giving every brigade the same post in the lines as he purposed it to fight in.

I must do the memory of that glorious general this honour, that I never saw an army drawn with so much variety, order, and exact regularity since, though I have seen many armies drawn up by some of the greatest captains of the age; the order by which his men were directed to flank and relieve one another, the methods of receiving one body of men, if disordered, into another, and rallying one squadron without disordering another, was so admirable; the horse everywhere flanked, lined, and defended by the foot, and the foot by the horse, and both by the cannon, was such, that if those orders were but as punctually obeyed, it were impossible to put an army so modelled inte confusion.

The review being over, and the troops returned to their camps, the captain, with whom we drank the day before, meeting me, told me I must come and sup with him in his tent, where he would ask my pardon for the affront he gave me before.

I told him he need not put himself to the trouble; I was not affronted at all; that I would do myself the honour to wait on him, provided he would give me his word not to speak any more of it as an affront.

We had not been a quarter of an hour in his tent before Sir John Hepburn came in again, told me he was glad to find me there; that he came to the captain's tent to inquire how to send to me; and that I must do him the honour to ge with him to wait on the king, who had a mind to hear the account I could give him of the Im perial army from my own mouth.

I must confess I was at some loss in my mind how to make my address to his majesty; but I had heard so much of his conversible temper, and particular sweetness of humour with the meanest soldier, that I made no more difficulty, but having paid my respects to Colonel Hepburn, thanked him for the honour he had done me, and offered to rise and wait upon him.

"Nay," says the colonel, "we will eat first, for I find Gourdon," which was the captain's name, "has got something for supper, and the king's order is at seven o'clock." Sir John, becoming very friendly, must know my name; which when I had told him, and of what place and family, he rose from his seat, and embracing me, told me he knew my father very well, and had been in"I have too much honour for his majesty," re-timately acquainted with him; and told me turned I, "to deny anything which he pleases to several passages wherein my father had particucommand; but methinks it is some hardship you larly obliged him. should make that the king's order which it is very probable he knows nothing of.'

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After this we went to supper, and the king's health being drunk round, the colonel moved the

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