第9章
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  consider,besides,youarefemale,Iammale!\"ThatwasPfalz—

  Neuburg’slogic:noneofthebest,Ithink,inforensicgenealogy。

  Histenthpointwasperhapsratherweak;buthehadpossession,co—possession,andtheninepointsgood。TheotherTwoSisters,bytheirSonsorHusbands,claimedlikewise;butnotthewhole:

  \"Divideit,\"saidthey:\"thatsurelyistherealmeaningofKarlV。’sDeedofPrivilegetomakesuchaTestament。DivideitamongtheFourDaughtersortheirrepresentatives,andletusallhaveshares!\"

  Norwerethesefourclaimantsbyanymeansall。TheSaxonPrincesnextclaimed;twosetsofSaxonPrinces。Firsttheminorset,Gotha—Weimarandtherest,theErnestineLinesocalled;

  representativesofJohannFriedrichtheMagnanimous,wholosttheElectorateforreligion’ssakeatMuhlberginthepastcentury,andfromMAJORbecameMINORinSaxonGenealogy。\"MagnanimousJohannFriedrich,\"saidthey,\"hadtowifeanAuntofthenowdeceasedDukeofCleve;WifeSibylla(sisteroftheFlandersMare),offamousmemory,ourlinealAncestress。InfavorofwhomHERFather,thethenreigningDukeofCleve,madeamarriage—

  contractofpreciselysimilarimporttothisyourPrussianone:

  he,andbarredallhisdescendants,ifcontractsaretobevalid。\"

  ThisistheclaimoftheErnestineLineofSaxonPrinces;notliketogoformuch,intheirpresentdisintegratedcondition。

  ButtheAlbertineLine,thepresentElectorofSaxony,alsoclaims:\"HereisaDeed,\"saidhe,\"executedbyKaiserFriedrichIII。intheyear1483,[Pauli,ubisupra;Hubner,t。286。]

  generationsbeforeyourKaiserKarl;DeedsolemnlygrantingtoAlbert,juniorofSachsen,andtohisheirs,thereversionofthosesameDuchies,shouldtheMaleLinehappentofail,asitwasthenlikelytodo。HowcouldKaiserMaxrevokehisFather’sdeed,orKaiserKarlhisGreat—grandfather’s?LittleAlbert,theAlbertofthePRINZENRAUB,hewhogrewbig,andfoughtlion—likeforhisKaiserintheNetherlandsandWesternCountries;heandhishaveclearlytheheirshipofClevebyright;andwe,nowgrownElectors,andSeniorsofSaxony,demanditofagratefulHouseofHapsburg,——andwillstudytomakeourselvesconvenientinreturn。\"——

  \"Nay,ifthatisyourrule,thatoldLawsandDeedsaretocomeinbarofnew,we,\"cryamultitudeofpersons,——FrenchDukesofNevers,andallmannerofremote,exoticfiguresamongthem,——

  \"wearetherealheirs!Ravensburg,Mark,Berg,Ravenstein,thispatchandtheotherofthatlargeDuchyofyours,weretheynotfromprimevaltimeexpresslylimitedtoheirs—male?Heirs—male;

  andwenowarethenearestheirs—maleofsaidpatchesandportions;andwillproveit!\"——Inshort,thereneverwassuchaLawsuit,——sofatanaffairfortheattorneyspecies,ifthathadbeenthewayofmanagingit,——asthisofClevewaslikelytoprove。

  THEKAISER’STHOUGHTSABOUTIT,ANDTHEWORLD’S。

  Whatgreatlycomplicatedtheaffair,too,wastheinteresttheKaisertookinit。TheKaisercouldnotwellbrookapowerfulProtestantinthatcountry;stilllesscouldhisCousintheSpaniard。Spaniards,worntotheground,coercingthatworld—

  famousDutchRevolt,andastonishedtofindthattheycouldnotcoerceitatall,hadresolvedatthistimetotakebreathbeforetryingfarther。SpaniardsandDutch,afterFiftyyearsofsuchfightingasweknow,havemadeaTwelve—years’Truce(1609):butthebattledSpaniard,panting,paleinhisfutilerageandsweat,hasnotgivenupthematter;heisonlytakingbreath,andwilltryitagain。NowCleveishisroadintoHolland,insuchadventure;nosuccesspossibleifClevebenotingoodhands。

  BrandenburgisProtestant,powerful;Brandenburgwillnotdoforaneighborthere。

  NorwillPfalz—Neuburg。AProtestantofProtestants,thisPalatineNeuburgtoo,——juniorbranch,possibleheirintimecoming,ofKUR—PFALZ(ElectorPalatine)himself,intheRhineCountries;

  ofKur—Pfalz,whoisacknowledgedChiefProtestant:official\"President\"ofthe\"EvangelicalUnion\"theyhavelatelymadeamongtheminthesemenacingtimes;——Pfalz—Neuburgtoo,thisyoungWolfgangWilhelm,ifhedonotbreakoffkind,mightbeveryawkwardtotheKaiserinCleve—Julich。NaySaxonyitself;fortheyareallProtestants:——unlessperhapsSaxonymightbecomepliant,andtrytomakeitselfusefultoamunificentImperialHouse?

  EvidentlywhatwouldbestsuittheKaiserandSpaniards,werethis,ThatnostrongPowerwhatevergotfootinginCleve,togrowstrongerbythepossessionofsuchacountry:——BETTERthanbestitwouldsuit,ifhe,theKaiser,couldhimselfgetitsmuggledintohishands,andthereholditfast!Whichprivatelywasthecourseresolveduponatheadquarters。——Inthiswaythe\"SuccessionControversyoftheCleveDuchies\"iscomingtobeaveryhighmatter;mixingitself,upwiththegrandProtestant—PapalControversy,thegeneralarmed—lawsuitofmankindinthatgeneration。Kaiser,Spaniard,Dutch,English,FrenchHenriIV。andallmortals,aregettingconcernedinthedecisionofit。

  ChapterXIV。

  SYMPTOMSOFAGREATWARCOMING。

  MeanwhileBrandenburgandNeuburgbothholdgripofCleveinthatmanner,withamutuallymenacinginquiringexpressionofcountenance;eachgraspsit(sotospeak)convulsivelywiththeonehand,andhaswiththeotherhandhisswordbythehilt,readytoflyout。ButtounderstandthisBrandenburg—NeuburgphenomenonandthethensignificanceoftheCleve—JulichControversy,wemusttakethefollowingbitsofChronologyalongwithus。FortheGermanEmpire,withProtestantcomplaints,andPapistusurpationsandseverities,wasatthistimeallacontinentofsourthicksmoke,alreadybreakingoutintodull—redflasheshereandthere,——

  symptomsoftheuniversalconflagrationofaThirty—YearsWar,whichfollowed。SYMPTONFIRSTisthatofDonauworth,anddatesaboveayearback。

  FIRSTSYMPTOM;DONAUWORTH,1608。

  Donauworth,aProtestantImperialFree—town,intheBavarianregions,hadbeen,forsomefaultonthepartofthepopulaceagainstaflaringMass—processionwhichhadnobusinesstobethere,putunderBanoftheEmpire;hadbeenseizedaccordingly(December,1607),andmuchcuffed,andshakenabout,byDukeMaximilianofBavaria,asexecutorofthesaidBan;[Michaeelis,ii。216;BuddaeiLEXICON,i。853。]——who,whatwasstillworse,wouldbynomeansgiveuptheTownwhenhehaddonewithit;

  Townbeinghandytohim,andthemanbeingstoutandviolentlyPapist。Hencethe\"EvangelicalUnion\"whichwesaw,——whichhasnottakenDonauworthyet。Noreverwill!Donauworthneverwasretaken;butisBavarianatthishour,ATownnamableinHistoryeversince。Nottosaywithal,thatitiswhereMarlborough,did\"theLinesofSchellenberg\"longafter:Schellenberg(\"Jingle—

  Hill,\"sotorenderit)looksdownacrosstheDanubeorDonauRiver,uponDonauworth,——its\"Lines,\"andotherhistories,nowmuchabolished,andquietundergrass。

  ButnowallProtestantismsoundingeverywhere,inangrymournfultone,\"Donauwarth!GiveupDonauworth!\"——andan\"EvangelicalUnion,\"withmoneys,withtheoreticcontingentsofforce,beingonfootforthatandthelikeobjects;——wecanfancywhatascramblethisofCleve—Julichwasliketobe;andespeciallywhateffectthisduellingattitudeofBrandenburgandNeuburghadontheProtestantmind。Protestantneighbors,LandgrafMoritzofHessen—Casselattheirhead,interveneintremuloushaste,intheCleve—Julichaffair:\"Peace,Ofriends!Somebargain;peaceablejoint—possession;anytemporarybargain,tillwesee!CantwoProtestantsfalltoslashingoneanother,insuchanaspectoftheReichanditsJesuitries?\"——Andtheydidagree(Dortmund,10thMay,1609)thefirstoftheirinnumerable\"agreements,\"tosometemporaryjoint—possession;——thethrice—thankfulCountrydoinghomagetoboth,\"withoathtotheonethatSHALLbefoundgenuine。\"Andtheydidendeavortogovernjointly,andtokeepthepeaceonthoseterms,thoughitwasnoteasy。

  FortheKaiserhadalreadysaid(orhisAulicCouncilandSpanishCousin,poorKaiserRodolfcaringtoolittleaboutthesethings,[RodolfII。(Kepler’stooinsolvent\"Patron\"),1576—1612;thenMatthias,Rodolf’sBrother,1612—1619,rathertoleranttoProtestants;——thenFerdinandII。hisUncle’sSon,1619—1637,muchthereverseoftolerant,bywhommainlycametheThirty—YearsWar,——weretheKaisersofthisPeriod。

  FerdinandIII。,SonofII:(1637—1657),whofinishedouttheThirty—YearsWar,partlybyfightingofhisowninyoungdays(BattleofNordlingenhisgrandestfeat),wasFatherofKaiserLeopold(1658—1705),——whoseTwoSonswereKaiserJoseph(1705—1711)andKaiserKarlVI。(1711—1740),MariaTheresa’sFather。]hadalreadysaid),Clevemustabsolutelynotgointowronghands。Forwhichwhatsafemethodisthere,butthattheKaiserhimselfbecomeproprietor?ALetterisyetextant,fromtheAulicCounciltotheirVice—Chancellor,whohadbeensenttonegotiatethismatterwiththeparties;Lettertotheeffect,Thatsuchresultwastheonlygoodone;thatitmustbeachieved;

  \"thathemustdeviseallmannerofquirks(alleSpitzfindigkeitenauffordernsollte),\"andachieveit。[Pauli,iii。5055。]ThiscuriousLetterofasublimeAulicCouncil,orImperialHOF—RATH,toitsVICE—KANZLER,stillexists。

  AndaccordinglyquirksdidnotproveundevisableonbehalfoftheKaiser。\"Sinceyoucannotagree,\"saidtheKaiser,\"andtherearesomanyofyouwhoclaim(wehavingprivatelystirredupseveralofyoutothefeat),therewillbenothingforit,buttheKaisermustputtheCountryundersequestration,andtakepossessionofitwithhisowntroops,tilladecisionbearrivedat,——whichprobablywillnotbesoon!\"

  SECONDSYMPTOM;SEIZUREOFJULICHBYTHEKAISER,ANDSIEGE

  ANDRECAPTUREOFITBYTHEPROTESTANTPARTIES,1610。WHEREUPON

  WHEREUPON\"CATHOLICLEAGUE,\"TOBALANCEE\"EVANGELICALUNION。\"

  AndtheKaiserforthwithdidashehadsaid;sentArchdukeLeopoldwithtroops,whoforciblytooktheCastleofJulich;commandingallothercastlesandplacestosurrenderandsequestratethemselves,inlikefashion;threateningBrandenburgandNeuburg,inadreadfulmanner,withREICHS—ACHT(BanoftheEmpire),iftheypresumedtoshowcontumacy。UponwhichBrandenburgandNeuburg,rankingthemselvestogether,showeddecidedcontumacy;

  \"toredowntheKaiser’sProclamation,\"[Ib。iii。524。Emperor’sProclamation,inDusseldorf,23dJuly,1609,——takendownsolemnly,1stAugust,1609,]havinggoodhelpattheirback。

  Andaccordingly,\"onthe4thofSeptember,1610,\"afteratwo—months’siege,they,ortheDutch,French,andEvangelicalUnionTroopsbombardingalongwiththem,and\"manyEnglishvolunteers\"tohelp,retookJulich,andpackedLeopoldawayagain。

  [Ib。iii。527。]TheDutchandtheFrenchwereespeciallyanxiousaboutthisClevebusiness,——poorHenriIV。wasjustputtingthoseFrenchtroopsinmotiontowardsJulich,whenRavaillac,thedistractedDevil’s—Jesuit,didhisstrokeuponhim;sothatanotherthanHenrihadtoleadinthatexpedition。TheactualCaptainattheSiegewasPrinceChristianofAnhalt,byreputethefirstsoldierofGermanyatthatperiod:hehadahorseshotunderhim,thebusinessbeingveryhotandfurious;——hehadstillworsefortuneinthecourseofyears。Therewere\"manyEnglishvolunteers\"atthisSiege;Englishnationhugelyinterestedinit,thoughtheirKingwouldnotactexceptdiplomatically。Itwasthetalkofallthethenworld,——theeveningsongandthemorningprayerofProtestantsespecially,——tillitwasgotendedinthismanner。ItdeservestorankasSYMPTONSECONDinthisbusiness;

  farbiggerflareofdullredintheuniversalsmoke—continent,thanthatofDonauworthhadbeen。Aretherenomemorialsleftofthose\"Englishvolunteers,\"then?[InCarlyle’s

  Miscellanies(vi。?\"TwoHundredandFiftyYearsago:

  aFragmentaboutDuels\")isonesmallscenebelongingtothem。]

  Alas,theymightgeteditedasBromley’sRoyalLettersare;——andhadbetterliequiet!

  \"EvangelicalUnion,\"formedsometwoyearsbefore,withwhatcausewesaw,hasKur—Pfalz[Winter—King’sFather;died9thSeptember,1610,fewdaysafterthisrecaptureofJulich。]attheheadofit:

  butitstroopsoroperationswereneverofaveryforciblecharacter。Kur—Brandenburgnowjoineditformally,asdidmanymore;Kur—Sachsen,anxioustomakehimselfconvenientinotherquarters,neverwould。Addtothesephenomena,thenowdecisiveappearanceofa\"CatholicLIGA\"(LeagueofCatholicPrinces),which,bywayofcounterpoisetothe\"Union,\"hadbeengotupbyDukeMaximilianofBavariaseveralmonthsago;andwhichnow,underthesameguidance,inthesebadcircumstances,tookagreatexpansionoffigure。DukeMaximilian,\"DONAUWORTHMax,\"findingtheEvangelicalUniongosoveryhigh,andhisownKaiserliketobegoodforlittleinsuchbusiness(poorhypochondriacKaiserRodolfII。,moretakenupwithturning—loomsandblow—pipesthanwithmatterspolitical,whoaccordinglyissweptoutofJulichinsuchsummaryway),——DonauworthMaxhasseenthisanecessaryinstitutioninthepresentaspect。——Both\"Union\"and\"League\"rapidlywaxedunderthesoundoftheJulichcannon,aswasnatural。

  Kur—Sachsen,forstandingsowellalooffromtheUnion,gotfromthethankfulKaiserwrittenTitlesfortheseDuchiesofCleveandJulich;Imperialparchmentsandinfeftmentsofdueextent;

  butneveranyTerritoryinthoseparts。Heneverofferedfightforhispretensions;andBrandenburgandNeuburg——Neuburgespecially——

  alwaysansweredhim,\"No!\"withswordhalf—drawn。SoKur—Sachsenfadedoutagain,andtookonlyparchmentsbytheadventure。

  PracticallytherewasnoprivateCompetitorofmomenttoBrandenburg,exceptthisWolfgangWilhelmofPfalz—Neuburg;

  healonehavingclutchedhold。——ButwehastentoSYMPTOMTHIRD,whichparticularlyconcernsus,andwillbeintelligiblenowatlast。

  SYMPTOMTHIRD:ADINNER—SCENEATDUSSELDORF,1613:

  SPANIARDSANDDUTCHSHOULDERARMSINCLEVE。

  BrandenburgandNeuburgstoodtogetheragainstthirdparties;

  buttheirjoint—governmentwasapttofallintwo,whenlefttoitself,andthepressureofdangerwithdrawn。\"TheygovernedbytheRATHSandSTANDEoftheCountry;\"oldmethodsandoldofficialmen:eachofthetwohadhisownVice—Regent(STATTHALTER)presentontheground,whojointlypresidedastheycould。Jarringswereunavoidable;buthowmendit?SettlethelitigatedTerritoryitself,andendtheirbiglawsuit,theycouldnot;oftenastheytriedit,withthewholeworldencouragingandurgingthem。

  [OldSirHenryWotton,ProvostofEtoninhisolddays,remembershowhewentAmbassadoronthiserrand,——asonmanyothersequallybootless;——andwriteshimself\"Legatus,\"notonly\"thricetoVenice,twiceto\"&c。&c。,butalso\"oncetoHollandintheJuliersmatter(semelinJuliacensinegotio):\"seeReliquiaeWottonianae(London,1672),Preface。Itwas\"in1614,\"saytheBiographiesvaguely。

  HisDespatches,aretheyinthePaper—Officestill?HisgoodoldBookdeservesnewediting,hisgoodoldgeniallypiouslifeaproperelucidation,bysomefaithfulman。]Themeetingstheyhad,andthetreatiesandtemporarybargainstheymade,andkept,andcouldnotkeep,intheseandinthefollowingyearsandgenerations,passourpowerofrecording。

  In1613theBrandenburgSTATTHALTERwasErnst,theElector’syoungerBrother,WolfgangWilhelminperson,forhisFather,orratherforhimselfasheirofhisMother,representedPfalz—

  Neuburg。ErnstofBrandenburghadadoptedCalvinismashiscreed;

  athinghatefulandhorribletotheLutheranmind(ofwhichsortwasWolfgangWilhelm),toadegreenowaltogetherinconceivable。

  DiscordaroseinconsequencebetweentheSTATTHALTERS,astoofficialappointments,sacredandsecular:\"YouareforpromotingCalvinists!\"——\"Andyou,Isee,areforpromotingLutherans!\"——

  JohannSigismundhimselfhadtointervene:WolfgangWilhelmandhehadtheirmeetings,friendlycolloquies:——thefinalcelloquyofwhichisstillmemorable;andissuesinSYMPTOMTHIRD。

  Wesaid,astrongflameofcholerburntinalltheseHohenzollerns,thoughtheyhelditwelldown。JohannSigismund,anexcellentmanofbusiness,knewhowessentialamildtoneis:

  neverthelesshefound,asthiscolloquywenton,thathumanpatiencemightatlengthgettoomuch。Thescene,aftersomeexamination,isconceivableinthiswise:PlaceDusseldorf,Elector’sapartmentintheSchlossthere;timelateintheYear1613,Daynotdiscoverablebyme。Thetwosatatdinner,aftermuchcolloquyallmorning:JohannSigismund,amiddle—aged,big—headed,stern—faced,honest—lookingman;haircropped,Iobserve;andeyelidsslightlycontracted,asifforsharpervisionintomatters:WolfgangWilhelm,offeaturesfallendimtome;anairygentleman,welloutofhisteens,but,Idoubt,notofwisdomsufficient;evidentlyveryhighandstiffinhisways。

  Hisproposal,bywayoffinalsettlement,andendtoallthesebrabbles,wasthis,andheinsistedonit:\"GivemeyoureldestPrincesstowife;letherdowrybeyourwholeclaimonCleve—

  Julich;Iwillmarryheronthatcondition,andweshallbefriends!\"Hereevidentlyisagentlemanthatdoesnotwantforconceitinhimself:——considertoo,inJohannSigismund’sopinion,hehadnorighttoasquareinchoftheseTerritories,thoughforpeace’sakeajointsharehadbeenallowedhimforthetime!

  \"Onthatcondition,jackanapes?’thoughtJohannSigismund:

  \"Mygirlisnotamonster;noratalossforhusbandsfullybetterthanyou,Ishouldhope!\"Thishethought,andcouldnothelpthinking;butendeavoredtosaynothingofit。Theyoungjackanapeswenton,insisting。Natureatlastprevailed;JohannSigismundliftedhishand(princelyetiquettesmeltingallintosmokeonthesudden),andgavetheyoungjackanapesaslapovertheface。Veritableslap;whichopenedinadreadfulmannertheeyesofyoungPfalz—Neuburgtohisrealsituation;andsenthimoffhigh—flaming,vowingnever—imaginedvengeance。Aremarkableslap;welltestifiedto,——thoughtheoldHistories,struckblankwithterror,reverenceandastonishment,canformostpartonlysymbolitindumb—show;[Pufendorf(Rer。Brandenb。lib。iv。?16,p。213),andmanyothers,areinthiscase。

  TobiasPfanner(HistoriaPacisWestphalicae,

  lib。i。?9,p。26)isexplicit:\"Neque,utinfidaregnandisocietasest,BrandenburgioetNeoburgiodiuconveniebat;

  eorumquejurgia,cummatrimoniifaederepacaripossepropinquiipsorumcredidissent,acriusezarsere;interepulas,quibusfuturumgenerumSeptemvir(the\"Sevensman,\"orElector,\"OneofTheSeven\")excipiebat,hujusenimfiliaWolfgangosperabatur,obnescioquossermoneseointerutrumquealtercalioneprovecta,utElectoriraeimpotestior,nulladignitatis,hospitii,cognationis,affinitatisveverecundiacohibitus,intenderitNeoburgiomanus,etcontratendentisosverberaverit。Ita,quaeapudconcordesvinculacaritatis,incitamentairarumapudinfensoserant。\"(CitedinKohler,Munzbelustiqungen,xxi。341;

  whorefersalsotoLevassor,HistoiredeLouisXII。)——Pauli(iii。542)bedomesqnitevaporous。]aslapthathadimportantconsequencesinthisworld。

  FornowWolfgangWilhelm,flamingoffinnever—imaginedvengeance,postedstraighttoMunchen,toMaxofBavariathere;declaredhimselfconvinced,ornearlyso,oftheRoman—CatholicReligion;

  wooed,andinafewweeks(10thNovember,1613)weddedMax’syoungerSister;andsoonafter,atDusseldorf,pompouslyprofessedsuchhisblessedchangeofBelief,——withimmenseflourishoftrumpeting,andjubilantpamphleteering,fromHolyChurch。

  [Kohler,ubisupra。]HispooroldFather,thedevoutestofProtestants,wailedaloudhis\"Ichabod!thegloryisdeparted!\"——

  holding\"weeklyfastandhumiliation\"everafter,——anddiedinfewmonthsofabrokenheart。TheCatholicLeaguehasnowanewMemberonthoseterms。

  Andontheotherhand,JohannSigismund,nearlywiththelikehaste(25thDecember,1613),declaredhimselfconvincedofCalvinism,hisyoungerBrother’screed;[Pauli,iii。546。]——whichcontinueseversincetheBrandenburgCourt—creed,thatofthePeoplebeingmostlyLutheran。Mensaid,itwastopleasetheDutch,topleasetheJulichers,mostofwhomareCalvinist。

  ApologeticPauliiselaborate,butinconclusive。ItwasveryilltakenatBerlin,whereevenpopularriotaroseonthematter。

  InPrussiatooithaditsdrawbacks。[Ib。iii。544;Michaelis,i。349。]

  Andnow,allbeingfullofmutation,rearrangementandinfiniterumor,theremarchednextyear(1614),onslightpretext,restingongreatsuspicions,SpanishtroopsintotheJulich—Clevecountry,and,countenancedbyNeuburg,beganseizinggarrisonsthere。

  WhereuponDutchtroopslikewisemarched,countenancedbyBrandenburg,andoccupiedotherfortressesandgarrisons:andso,ineverystrong—place,thesewereeitherPapist—SpaniardsorCalvinist—Dutch;whostoodthere,frontingoneanother,andcouldnotbytreatyingbegotoutagain;——likecloudspositivelyelectricVERSUScloudsnegatively。AsindeedwasgettingtobethecaseofGermanyingeneral;casefatallyvisibleineveryProvince,PrincipalityandParishthere:tillathunder—storm,andsuccessionofthunder—storms,ofThirtyYears’continuance,brokeout。Ofwhichthesehugerumorsandmutations,andmenacingsofwar,springingoutofthatfinalcolloquyandslapintheface,aretobetakenastheTHIRDpremonitorySymptom。SpaniardsandDutchstandelectricallyfrontingoneanotherinCleveforsevenyears,tilltheirTruceisout,beforetheyclashtogether;

  Germanydoesnotwaitsolongbyacoupleofyears。

  SYMPTOMFOURTH,ANDCATASTROPHEUPONTHEHEELSOFIT。

  Fiveyearsmore(1618),andtherewillhavecomeaFOURTHSymptom,biggestofall,rapidlyconsummatingtheprocess;——Symptomstillfamed,ofthefollowingexternalfigure:ThreeOfficialGentlemendescendingfromawindowintheCastleofPrag:hurledoutbyimpatientBohemianProtestantism,adepthofseventyfeet,——

  happilyonlyintodung,andwithoutlossoflife。Fromwhichfollowsa\"KingofBohemia\"electedthere,Kingnotunknowntous;——\"thunder—clouds\"allinonehugeclash,andthe\"continentofsoursmoke\"blazingallintoacontinentofthunderousfire:

  THIRTY—YEARSWAR,astheynowcallit!SuchaconflagrationaspoorGermanyneversawbeforeorsince。

  TheseweretheFOURpreliminarySYMPTOMSofthatdismalbusiness。

  \"AstotheprimaryCAUSESofit,\"saysoneofmyAuthorities,\"theseliedeep,deepalmostasthoseofOriginalSin。Buttheproximatecausesseemtometohavebeenthesetwo:FIRST,ThattheJesuit—PriestsandPrincipalitieshadvowedandresolvedtohave,byGod’shelpandbytheDevil’s(thiswasthepeculiarityofit),EuropemadeOrthodoxagain:andthenSECONDLY,ThefactthataMaxofBavariaexistedatthattime,whosefierycharacter,cunningbutrashhead,andfanaticallyPapistheartdisposedhimtoattemptthatenterprise,himwithsuchresourcesandcapacities,undertheirbadguidance。\"

  JohannSigismunddidmanyswiftdecisivestrokesofbusinessinhistime,businessesofextensiveandimportantnature;butthisoftheslaptoNeuburghasstuckbestintheidlememoryofmankind。Dusseldorf,Year1613:itwaspreciselyinthetimewhenthatsameFriedrioh,notyetbyanymeans\"KingofBohemia,\"butalreadyKur—Pfalz(CousinofthisNeuburg,andheadmanoftheProtestants),wasoverhereinEngland,onafineerrand;——namely,hadmarriedthefairElizabeth(14thFebruary,1613),JamestheFirst’sPrincess;\"GoodyPalsgrave,\"asherMotherfloutinglycalledher,notlikingtheconnection。Whatkindofa\"KingofBohemia\"thisFriedrichmade,fiveorsixyearsafter,andwhatseaoftroublesheandhisenteredinto,weknow;

  the\"WINTER—KONIG\"(Winter—King,fallenintimesofFROST,orbuiltofmerefrost,aSNOW—kingaltogethersolubleagain)isthenamehegetsinGermanHistories。ButhereisanotherhooktohangChronologyupon。

  ThisbriefBohemianKingshiphadnotyetexplodedontheWeissenbergofPrag,[Battlethere,Sunday8thNovember,1620。]

  whenoldSirHenryWottonbeingsentasAmbassador\"toLIEabroad\"

  (ashewittilycalledit,tohiscost)inthatBusiness,saw,intheCityofLintzinthepicturesquegreencountrybytheshoresoftheDonauthere,aningeniousperson,whoisnowrecognizableasoneoftheremarkablestofmankind,Mr。JohnKepler,namely:

  KeplarasWottonwriteshim;addressingthegreatLordBacon(unhappilywithoutstrictdateofanykind)onthatamongothersubjects。Mr。John’snowever—memorablewatchingofthose

  MotionsoftheStarMars,[DeMotibusStellaeMartis;Prag,1609。]with\"calculationsrepeatedseventytimes,\"andalsowithDiscoveryofthePlanetaryLawsofthisUniverse,some,tenyearsago,appearstobeunknowntoWottonandBacon;butthereissomethingelseofMr。John’sdevising[Itseems,BaptistaPorta(ofNaples,deadsomeyearsbefore)musthavegivenhimtheessentialhint,——ofwhom,orwhosehint,Mr。JohndoesnothappentoinformhisExcellencyatpresent。]whichdeservesattentionfromanInstauratorofPhilosophy:——

  \"HehathalittleblackTent(ofwhatstuffisnotmuchimporting),\"saystheAmbassador,\"whichhecansuddenlysetupwherehewillinaField;anditisconvertible(likeawindmill)toallquartersatpleasure;capableofnotmuchmorethanoneman,asIconceive,andperhapsatnogreatease;exactlycloseanddark,——saveatonehole,aboutaninchandahalfinthediameter,towhichheappliesalongperspectiveTrunk,withtheconvexglassfittedtothesaidhole,andtheconcavetakenoutattheotherend,whichextendethtoaboutthemiddleofthiserectedTent:throughwhichthevisibleradiationsofalltheObjectswithoutareintromitted,fallinguponaPaper,whichisaccommodatedtoreceivethem;andsohetraceththemwithhispenintheirnaturalappearance;turninghislittleTentroundbydegrees,tillhehathdesignedthewholeAspectoftheField。\"

  [ReliquiWottonianae,(london1672),p。300。]——InfacthehathaCAMERAOBSCURA,andisexhibitingthesameforthedelectationofImperialgentlemenloungingthatway。

  Mr。Johninventssuchtoys,writesalmanacs,practisesmedicine,forgoodreasons;hisencouragementfromtheHolyRomanEmpireandmankindbeingonlyapensionof18poundsayear,andthathardlyeverpaid。Aningeniousperson,truly,ifthereeverwasoneamongAdam’sPosterity。Justturnedoffiftyandilloffforcash。Thisglimpseofhim,inhislittleblacktentwithperspectiveglasses,whiletheThirty—YearsWarblazesout,iswelcomeasadate。

  WHATBECAMEOFTHECLEVE—JULICHHERITAGE,ANDOFTHEPREUSSENONE。

  IntheCleveDuchiesjointgovernmenthadnowbecomemoredifficultthanever:butithadtobepersistedin,——undermutualoffences,suspicionsandoutbreakshardlyrepressed;——nofinalBargainofSettlementprovingbyanymethodpossible。Treatiesenough,andconferencesandpleadings,manifestoings:——CouldnotsomepainfulGermancollectorofStatisticstrytogiveustheapproximatequantityofimpracticabletreaties,futileconferences,manifestoescorrespondences;inbrief,someauthenticalcipher(sayinroundmillions)ofidleWordsspokenbyofficialhumancreaturesandapproximately(insquaremiles)theextentofLawStationeryandotherPaperwritten,firstandlast,aboutthisControversyoftheCleveDuchies?Inthatformitmighthaveamomentaryinterest。

  WhentheWinter—King’sexplosiontookplace,[CrownedatPrag,4thNovemberN。S。1619;beatentoruinthere,andobligedtogallop(almostbeforedinnerdone),Sunday,8thNovember,1620。]

  andhisownunfortunatePfalz(Palatinate)becamethetheatreofwar(Tilly,Spinola,VERSUSPfalzers,English,Dutch),involvingalltheneighboringregions,Cleve—Julichdidnotescapeitsfate。

  TheSpaniardsandtheDutch,whohadlongsatingloomyarmed—

  truce,occupyingwithobstinateprecautionthemainFortressesoftheseJulich—Clevecountries,didnowstraightway,theirTwelve—

  Years’trucebeingout(1621),[Pauli,vi。578—580。]falltofightingandbesiegingoneanotherthere;thehugeWar,whichprovedofThirtyYears,beingnowallablaze。Whatthecountrysufferedintheinterimmaybeimagined。

  In1624,inpitytoallparties,someattemptatpracticalDivisionoftheTerritorywasagainmade:NeuburgtohaveBergandJulich,BrandenburgtohaveCleve,Mark,Ravensburgandtheminorappurtenances:andTreatytothateffectwasgotsigned(11thMay,1624)。Butitwasnotwellkept,norcouldbe;andthestatisticcipherofnewtreaties,manifestoes,conferences,andapproximatewrittenareaofLaw—Papergoesonincreasing。

  Itwasnottillforty—twoyearsafter,in1666,aswillbemoreminutelynoticeablebyandby,thataneffectivepartitioncouldbepracticallybroughtabout。NorinthisstatewastheLawsuitbyanymeansended,——asweshallwearisomelysee,intimeslongfollowingthat。Infactthereneverwas,intheGermanChanceriesoroutofthem,suchaLawsuit,ArmedorWigged,asthisoftheCleveDuchiesfirstandlast。Andthesentencewasnotpracticallygiven,tilltheCongressofVienna(1815)inourowndaygaveit;

  andthethingJohannSigismundhadclaimedlegallyin1609wasactuallyhandedovertoJohannSigismund’sDescendantintheseventhgeneration,aftertwohundredandsixyears。Handedovertohimthen,——andaliberalrateofinterestallowed。TheselitigatedDuchiesarenowthePrussianProvinceJulich—Berg—Cleve,andthenucleusofPrussia’spossessionsintheRhinecountry。

  AyearbeforeJohannSigismund’sdeath,AlbertFriedrich,thepooreclipsedDukeofPrussia,died(8thAugust,1618):uponwhichourswiftKurfurst,notwithoutneedofhisdexteritiestheretoo,gotpeaceablepossessionofPrussia;——norhashisFamilylostholdofthat,uptothepresenttime。Nextyear(23dDecember,1619),hehimselfclosedaswiftbusylife(laborenoughinitforhimperhaps,thoughonlyanageofforty—nine);andsanktohislongrest,hisworksfollowinghim,——unalterablethenceforth,notunfruitfulsomeofthem。

  ChapterXV。

  TENTHKURFURST,GEORGEWILHELM。

  ByfartheunluckiestoftheseElectors,whetherthemostunworthyofthemornot,wasGeorgeWilhelm,TenthElector,whonowsucceededJohannSigismundhisFather。TheFather’seyeshadclosedwhenthisgreatflamewasbreakingout;andtheSon’sdayswereallspentamidthehotashesandfierceblazingsofit。

  ThepositionofBrandenburgduringthissadThirty—YearsWarwaspassiveratherthanactive;distinguishedonlyintheformerway,andasfaraspossiblefrombeinggloriousorvictorious。

  NeversincetheHohenzollernscametothatCountryhadBrandenburgsuchatime。Difficulttohavemendedit;impossibletohavequiteavoidedit;——andKurfurstGeorgeWilhelmwasnotamansosuperiortoallhisneighbors,thathecouldclearlyseehiswayinsuchanelement。Theperfectoridealcoursewasclear:TohavefranklydrawnswordforhisReligionandhisRights,sosoonasthebattlefairlyopened;andtohavefoughtforthesesame,tillhegoteitherthemordied。Alas,thatiseasilysaidandwritten;butitis,foraGeorgeWilhelmespecially,difficulttodo!Hiscapabilityinallkindswaslimited;hisconnections,withthissideandthat,wereveryintricate。GustavusandtheWinter—KingwerehisBrothers—in—law;GustavusweddedtohisSister,hetoWinter—King’s。HisrelationstoPoland,feudalsuperiorofPreussen,weredelicate;andGustavuswasindeadlyquarrelwithPoland。AndthenGustavus’ssuddenlaying—holdofPommern,whichhadjustescapedfromWallensteinandtheKaiser?

  Itmustbegranted,poorGeorgeWilhelm’scasedemandedcircumspectness。

  OnecanforgivehimfordecliningtheBohemian—Kingspeculation,thoughhisUncleofJagerndorfandhisCousinsofLiegnitzweresoheartyandforwardinit。PardonableinhimtodeclinetheBohemianspeculation;——thoughsurelyitisverysadthathefoundhimselfsoshortof\"butterandfirewood\"whenthepoorEx—King,andhisyoungWife,theninaspeciallyinterestingstate,cametotakeshelterwithhim![Solltl(GeschichtedesDreissigjahrigenKrieges,——atrivialmodernBook)

  givesanotablememorialfromtheBrandenburgRATHS,concerningthesetheirdifficultiesofhousekeeping。Theirrealobject,weperceive,wastogetridofaGuestsodangerousastheEx—King,underBanoftheEmpire,hadnowbecome。]ButwhenGustavuslanded,andflungoutuponthewindssuchabannerasthatofhis,——trulyitwasrequiredofaProtestantGovernorofmentobeabletoreadsaidbannerinacertaindegree。AGovernor,nottooIMperfect,wouldhaverecognizedthisGustavus,whathispurposesandlikelihoodswere;thefeelingwouldhavebeen,checkedbyduecircumspectness:\"Up,mymen,letusfollowthisman;letusliveanddieintheCausethismangoesfor!Liveotherwisewithhonor,ordieotherwisewithhonor,wecannot,inthepassthingshavecometo!\"——Andthus,attheveryworst,Brandenburgwouldhavehadonlyoneclassofenemiestoravageit;andmighthaveescapedwith,arithmeticallyspeaking,HALFtheharryingitgotinthatlongBusiness。

  ButProtestantGermany——sadshametoit,whichprovedlastingsorrowaswell——wasallaliketorpid;Brandenburgnotanexceptionalcase。NoPrincestoodupasbeseemed:oronlyone,andhenotagreatone;LandgrafWilhelmofHessen,who,andhisbraveWidowafterhim,seemedalwaystoknowwhathouritwas。

  WilhelmofHessenallalong;——andafewwildhands,ChristianofBrunswick,ChristianofAnhalt,JohannGeorgeofJagerndorf,whostormedouttumultuouslyatfirst,butweresoonblownawaybytheTilly—WallensteinTRADE—WINDSandregulatedarmaments:——therestsatstill,andtriedalltheycouldtokeepoutofharm’sway。

  The\"EvangelicalUnion\"didagreatdealofmanifestoing,pathetic,indignantandother;heldsolemnMeetingsatHeilbronn,oldSirHenryWottongoingasAmbassadortothem;butnevergotanyredress。HadtheEvangelicalUnionshutupitsinkhornssooner;girtonitsfighting—toolswhenthetimecame,anddonesomelittleexecutionwiththemthen,insteadofnoneatall,——

  wemayfancytheEvangelicalUnionwouldhavebetterdischargeditsfunction。ItmighthavesavedimmensewretchednesstoGermany。

  Butitscoursewentnotthatway。

  Infact,hadtherebeennobetterProtestantismthanthatofGermany,allwasoverwithProtestantism;andMaxofBavaria,withfanaticalFerdinandII。asKaiseroverhim,andFatherLammerleinathisrighthandandFatherHyacinthathisleft,hadgottheirownsweetwayinthisworld。ButProtestantGermanywasnotProtestantEurope,afterall。OverseastheredweltandreignedacertainKinginSweden;therefarmed,andwalkedmusingbytheshoresoftheOuseinHuntingdonshire,acertainman;——therewasaGustavAdolfoverseas,anOliverCromwelloverseas;

  and\"acompanyofpoormen\"werefoundcapableoftakingLuciferbythebeard,——whoaccordingly,withhisLammerleins,Hyacinths,Habernfeldtsandothers,wasforcedtowithdraw,afteratoughstruggle!——

  ChapterXVI。

  THIRTY—YEARSWAR。

  TheenormousThirty—YearsWar,mostintricateofmodernOccurrencesinthedomainofDryasdust,dividesitself,aftersomeunravelling,intoThreeprincipalActsorEpochs;inallofwhich,oneaftertheother,ourKurfursthadaninterestmountingprogressively,butcontinuingtobeapassiveinterest。

  ActFIRSTgoesfrom1620to1624;andmightbeentitled\"TheBohemianKingMadeandDemolished。\"PersonallytheBohemianKingwassoondemolished。HisKingshipmaybesaidtohavegoneoffbyexplosion;byoneFight,namely,doneontheWeissenbergnearPrag(Sunday,8thNovember,1620),whilehesatatdinnerintheCity,theboomofthecannoncominginwithinterestuponhishighguestsandhim。Hehadtorun,inhothaste,thatnight,leavingmanyofhisimportantpapers,——andbecomesaWinter—King。Winter—

  King’saccountwassoonsettled。ButtheextirpatingofhisAdherents,andcapturingofhisHereditaryLands,PalatinateandUpper—Palatinate,tookthreeyearsmore。HardfightingforthePalatinate;TillyandCompanyagainstthe\"Evangelical—UnionTroops,andtheEnglishunderSirHoraceVere。\"Evangelical—UnionTroops,thoughmarchingaboutthere,underanUncleofourKurfurst(MargrafJoachimErnst,thatluckyAnspachUncle,founderof\"theLine\"),whoprofessedsomeskillinsoldiering,wereamerePictureofanArmy;wouldonly\"observe,\"andwouldnotfightatall。SothatthewholefightingfelltoSirHoraceandhispoorhandfulofEnglish;ofwhosegrimposture\"inFrankendale\"

  [Frankenthal,alittleTowninthePalatinate,N。W。fromMannheimashortway。]andotherStrongholds,formonthslong,thereistalkenoughintheoldEnglishHistory—Books。

  ThentherewerecertainsternWar—Captains,whoralliedfromtheWeissenbergDefeat:——ChristianofBrunswick,thechiefofthem,titularBishopofHalberstadt,ahigh—flown,fieryyoungfellow,ofterriblefightinggifts;heflamedupconsiderably,with\"theQueenofBohemia’sglovestuckinhisHat:\"\"BrightLady,itshallstickthere,tillIgetyouyourownagain,ordie!\"[1621—1623,agenotyettwenty—five;died(bypoison),1626,havingagainbecomesupremelyimportantjustthen。\"GottesFreund,derPfaffenFeind(God’sFriend,Priests’Foe);\"

  \"AllesfurRuhmundIhr(AllforGloryandHer,\"

  ——thebrightElizabeth,becomeEx—Queen),weremottoesofhis。——

  BuddausINVOCE(i。649);Michaelis,i。110。]ChristianofBrunswick,GeorgeofJagerndorf(ourKurfurst’sUncle),CountMansfeldtandothers,madestormyfightonceandagain,hanginguponthiscentral\"Frankendale\"Business,tilltheyanditbecamehopeless。FortheKaiserandhisJesuitswerenotindoubt;

  aKaiserveryproud,unscrupulous;nowclearlysuperiorinforce,——andallalongofgreatsuperiorityinfraud。

  ChristianofBrunswick,JohannGeorgeandMansfeldtweregotridof:Christianbypoison;JohannGeorgeandMansfeldtbyothermethods,——chieflybyplayinguponpoorKingJamesofEngland,andleadinghimbythelongnosehewasfoundtohave。ThePalatinatebecametheKaiser’sforthetimebeing;UpperPalatinate(OBER—

  PFALZ)DukeMaxofBavaria,lyingcontiguoustoit,hadeasilytaken。\"IncorporatetheOber—PfalzwithyourBavaria,\"saidtheKaiser,\"you,illustrious,thrice—serviceableMax!AndletLammerleinandHyacinth,withtheirGospelofIgnatius,looseuponit。Nay,asastillricherreward,beyourstheforfeitedKUR

  (Electorship)ofthismadKur—Pfalz,orWinter—King。IwillholdhisRhine—Lands,hisUNTER—PFALZ:hisElectorshipandOBER—PFALZ,Isay,areyours,Duke,henceforthKURFURSTMaximilian!\"[Kohler,Reichs—Historie,p。520。]WhichwasahardsayingintheearsofBrandenburg,SaxonyandtheotherFive,andoftheReichingeneral;buttheyhadalltocomply,afterwincing。FortheKaiserproceededwithahighhand。HehadputtheEx—KingunderBanoftheEmpire(neverasking\"theEmpire\"aboutit);puthisThreeprincipalAdherents,JohannGeorgeofJagerndorfoneofthem,PrinceChristianofAnhalt(oncecaptainattheSiegeofJuliers)another,likewiseunderBanoftheEmpire;[22dJan。1621(ibid。p。518)。]andinshorthadflungabout,andwasflinging,histhunder—boltsinaveryOlympianmanner。Underallwhich,whatcouldBrandenburgandtheothersdo;

  butwhimpersometremblingprotest,\"ClearagainstLaw!\"——andsitobedient?TheEvangelicalUniondidnotnowanymorethanformerlydrawoutitsfighting—tools。Infact,theEvangelicalUnionnowfairlydissolveditself;meltedintoadeliquiumofterrorunderthesethunder—boltsthatwereflying,andwasnomoreheardofintheworld。——

  SECONDACT,OREPOCH,1624—1629。ASECONDUNCLEPUTTO

  THEBAN,ANDPOMMERNSNATCHEDAWAY。

  Exceptinthe\"NETHER—SAXONCIRCLE\"(distantNorthwestregion,withitsHanover,Mecklenburg,withitsrichHamburgs,Lubecks,Magdeburgs,allProtestant,andabuttingontheProtestantNorth),tremblingGermanylayriddenoverastheKaiserwilled。ForeignLeaguegotupbyFrance,KingJames,ChristianIV。ofDenmark(James’sBrother—in—law,withwhomhehadsuch\"drinking\"inSomersetHouse,longago,onChristian’svisithither[OldHistoriesofJamesI。(Wilson,&c。)]),wenttowater,orworse。

  Onlythe\"Nether—SaxonCircle\"showedsomelife;waslevyinganarmy;andhadappointedChristianofBrunswickitsCaptain,tillhewasgotpoisoned;——uponwhichthedrinkingKingofDenmarktookthecommand。

  ActSECONDgoesfrom1624to1627oreven1629;andcontainsdrunkenChristian’sExploits。Whichwereunfortunate,almosttotheruinofDenmarkitself,aswellasoftheNether—SaxonCircle;——tillinthelatteroftheseyearsheslightlyrallied,andgotasupportablePeacegrantedhim(PeaceofLubeck,1629);

  afterwhichhesitsquiet,contemplative,withanevileyeuponSwedennowandthen。Thebeatingshegot,inquiteregularsuccession,fromTillyandConsorts,arenotworthmentioning:

  theonlythingonenowremembersofhimishisalarmingaccidentontherampartsofHameln,justattheopeningoftheseCampaigns。

  AtHameln,whichwastobeastrongpost,drunkenChristianrodeoutonce,onasummerafternoon(1624),toseethattherampartswereallright,orgettingallright;——andtumbled,horseandself(selfinliquor,itisthought),inanominousalarmingmanner。

  Takenupfordead;——naysomeofthevagueHistoriesseemtothinkhewasreallydead:——buthelivedtobeoftenbeatenafterthat,andhadmanymoistyearsmore。

  OurKurfursthadanotherUncleputtotheBaninthisSecondAct,——ChristianWilhelmArchbishopofMagdeburg,\"forassistingtheDanishKing;\"norwasBanalltheruinthatfellonthispoorArchbishop。WhatcouldanunfortunateKurfurstdo,buttrembleandobey?TherewasstillaworsesmartgotbyourpoorKurfurstoutofActSecond;theglaringinjusticedonehiminPommern。

  DoesthereaderrememberthatsceneintheHighChurchofStettinahundredandfiftyyearsago?HowtheBurgermeisterthrewswordandhelmetintothegraveofthelastDukeofPommern—Stettinthere;andaforwardCitizenpickedthemoutagaininfavorofaCollateralBranch?Neversince,anymorethanthen,couldBrandenburggetPommernaccordingtoclaim。CollateralBranch,inspiteofFriedrichIronteeth,inspiteevenofAlbertAchillesandsomefightingofhis;contrived,bypleadingattheDietsandstirringupnoise,tomaintainitspretensions:andTreatieswithoutendensued,asusual;Treatiesrefreshedandnew—signedbyeverySuccessorofAlbert,toawearisomedegree。Thesumofwhichalwayswas:\"PommerndoesactualhomagetoBrandenburg;vassalofBrandenburg;——andfallshometoit,ifthenowExtantLinegoextinct。\"NaythereisanERBVERBRUDERUNG(Heritage—Fraternity)

  overandabove,establishedthislongtime,andwearisomelyrenewedateverynewAccession。HundredsofTreaties,oppressivetothinkof:——andnowthelastDuke,oldBogislaus,ishere,withouthopeofchildren;andthefruitofallthathaggling,actualPommerntowit,willatlastfallhome?Alas,no;

  farotherwise。

  FortheKaiserhavingsotriumphantlysweptofftheWinter—King,andChristianIV。intherearofhim,andgotGermanyreadyforconvertingtoOrthodoxy,——wishednowtohavesomeholdoftheSeaboard,therebytopunishDenmark;naythereby,asishoped,toextendtheblessingsofOrthodoxyintoEngland,Sweden,Holland,andtheotherHereticStates,induetime。Forourplansgofar!

  ThisistheKaiser’sfixedwish,risingtotherankofhopenowandthen:allEuropeshallbecomePapistagainbythehelpofGodandtheDevil。SotheKaiser,onhardlyanypretext,seizedMecklenburgfromtheProprietors,——\"Traitors,howdurstyoujoinDanishChristian?\"——andmadeWallensteinDukeofit。DukeofMecklenburg,\"AdmiraloftheEASTSEA(Baltic);\"andsetto\"buildingshipsofwarinRostock,\"——hisplansgoingfar。[Kohler,Reichs—Historie,pp,524,525。]Thisdone,heseizedPommern,whichalsoisafineSea—country,——stirringupMaxofBavariatomakesomeidlepretencetoPommern,thatsotheKaisermightseizeit\"insequestrationtilldecidedon。\"

  Underwhichhardtreatment,GeorgeWilhelmhadtositsadandsilent,——thoughtheStralsunderswouldnot。Hencetheworld—famousSiegeofStralsund(1628);fierceWallensteindeclaring,\"IwillhavetheTown,ifithungbyachainfromHeaven;\"butfindinghecouldnotgetit;owingtotheSwedishsuccor,tothestubborntemperprevalentamongtheTownsfolk,andalsogreatlytotherainsandpeat—bogs。

  AsecondUncleofGeorgeWilhelm’s,thatunluckyArchbishopofMagdeburgabovementioned,theKaiser,oncemorebyhisownarbitrarywill,putunderBanoftheEmpire,inthisSecondAct:

  \"Traitor,howdurstyoujoinwiththeDanes?\"TheresultofwhichwasTilly’sSackofMagdeburg(10—12thMay,1631),atransactionneverforgettablebymankind。——AsforPommern,GustavAdolf,onhisinterveninginthesematters,landedthere:PommernwasnowseizedbyGustavAdolf,asalanding—placeandplace—of—arms,indispensableforSwedeninthepresentemergency;andwassoheldthenceforth。PommernwillnotfalltoGeorgeWilhelmatthistime。

  THIRDACT,ANDWHATTHEKURFURSTSUFFEREDINIT。

  AndnowweareatActTHIRD:——LandingofGustavAdolf\"intheIsleofUsedom,24thJune,1630,\"andonwardforEighteenYearstillthePeaceofWestphalia,in1648;——onwhich,asprobablybetterknowntothereader,wewillnotheregointodetails。InthisThirdActtoo,GeorgeWilhelmfollowedhisoldscheme,peaceatanyprice;——asshyofGustavashehadbeenofotherChampionsoftheCause;andexceptcomplaining,petitioningandmanifestoing,studiouslydidnothing。

  Poorman,itwashisfatetostandintherangeofthesehugecollisions,——BridgeofDessau,SiegeofStralsund,SackofMagdeburg,BattleofLeipzig,——wheretheTitanswerebowlingrocksatoneanother;andhehoped,bydexterousskipping,toescapeshareofthegame。TokeepwellwithhisKaiser,——andsuchaKaisertoGermanyandtohim,——this,forGeorgeWilhelm,wasalwaysthefirstcommandment。IftheKaiserconfiscateyourUncles,againstlaw;seizeyourPommern;robyouonthepublichighways,——GeorgeWilhelm,eveninsuchcase,isfullofdubitations。NayhisPrime—Minister,oneSchwartzenberg,aCatholic,anAustrianOfficialatonetime,——ProgenitoroftheAustrianSchwartzenbergsthatnoware,——wassecretlyintheKaiser’sinterest,andiseventhoughttohavebeenintheKaiser’spay,allalong。

  Gustav,athisfirstlanding,hadseizedPommern,andsweptitclearofAustrians,forhimselfandforhisownwants;nottooregardfulofGeorgeWilhelm’sclaimsonit。HeclearedoutFrankfurt—on—Oder,CustrinandotherBrandenburgTowns,inasimilarmanner,——bycannonandstorm,whenneedful;——drovetheImperialistsandTillyforthofthesecountries。Advancing,nextyear,tosaveMagdeburg,nowshriekingunderTilly’sbombardment,Gustavinsistedonhaving,ifnotsomebondofunionfromhisBrother—in—lawofBrandenburg,atleastthetemporarycessionoftwoPlacesofWarforhimself,SpandauandCustrin,indispensableinanyfartheroperation。WhichcessionKurfurstGeorgeWilhelm,thoughgivingallhisprayerstotheGoodCause,couldbynomeansgrant。Gustavhadtoinsist,withmoreandmoreemphasis;

  advancingatlast,withmilitarymenace,uponBerlinitself。

  HewasmetbyGeorgeWilhelmandhisCouncil,\"inthewoodsofCopenick,\"shortwaytotheeastofthatCity:thereGeorgeWilhelmandhisCouncilwanderedabout,sendingmessages,hopelesslyconsulting;sayingamongeachother,\"Quefaire;ilsontdescanons,whatcanonedo;theyhavegotcannon?\"[OEvresdeFredericleGrand

  (Berlin,1846—1856etseqq。:MemoiresdeBrandebourg),i。38。Fortherest,Friedrich’sAccountoftheTransactionisverylooseandscanty:seePauli(iv。568)andhisminutedetails。]Formanyhoursso;roundtheinflexibleGustav,——

  whowastherelikeafixedmilestone,andtoallquestionsandcomershadonlyoneanswer!——\"Quefaire;ilsontdescanons?\"Thiswasthe3dMay,1631。Thisprobablyisaboutthenadir—pointoftheBrandenburg—HohenzollernHistory。

  ThelittleFriedrich,whobecameFredericktheGreat,inwritingofit,hasacertaingrimbanterinhistone;andlooksratherwithmockeryontheperplexitiesofhispoorAncestor,sofatallyignorantofthetimeofdayithadnowbecome。

  Onthewhole,GeorgeWilhelmdidwhatistobecallednothing,intheThirty—YearsWar;hisfunctionwasonlythatofsuffering。

  HefollowedalwaysthebadleadofJohannGeorge,ElectorofSaxony;amanofnostrength,devoutnessoradequatehumanworth;

  whoproved,onthesenegativegrounds,andwithoutflagrancyofpositivebadness,anunspeakablecursetoGermany。NottilltheKaiserfulminatedforthhisRestitution—Edict,andshowedhewasinearnestaboutit(1629—1631),\"RestoretoourHolyChurchwhatyouhavetakenfromhersincethePeaceofPassau!\"——couldthisJohannGeorgeprevailuponhimselftojoinSweden,oreventodootherthanhateitforreasonshesaw。Seizedbythethroatinthismanner,andorderedtoDELIVER,Kur—Sachsendid,andBrandenburgalongwithhim,makeTreatywiththeSwede。[8thFebruary,1631(Kohler,Reichs—Historie,

  pp。526—531。]inconsequenceofwhichtheytwo,somemonthsafter,bywayofco—operatingwithGustavonhisgreatmarchVienna—ward,sentaninvadingforceintoBohemia,Brandenburgcontributingsomepoor3,000toit;whotookPrag,andsomeotheropenTowns;

  but\"didalmostnothingthere,\"saytheHistories,\"exceptdineanddrink。\"Itisclearenoughtheywereinstantlyscatteredhome[October,1633(Stenzel,i。503)。]atthefirstglimpseofWallensteindawningonthehorizonagaininthoseparts。

  Gustavhavingvanished(FieldofLutzen,6thNovember,1632

  [Pauli,iv。576。]),Oxenstiern,withhishighattitude,and\"Presidency\"ofthe\"UnionofHeilbronn,\"wasratheranoffencetoKur—Sachsen,whousedtobeforemostmanonsuchoccasions。

  Kur—Sachsenbrokeawayagain;madehisPeaceofPrag,[1635,20thMay(Stenzel,i。513)。]whomBrandenburgagainfollowed;

  Brandenburgandgraduallyalltheothers,exceptthenobleWilhelmofHessen—Casselalone。MiserablePeace;bitofChaoscloutedup,anddoneoverwithOfficialvarnish;——whichprovedtobethesignalforcontinuingtheWarbeyondvisiblelimits,andrenderingpeaceimpossible。

  Afterthis,GeorgeWilhelmretiresfromthescene;livesinCustrinmainly;meremiserabledays,whichshallbeinvisibletous。Hediedin1640;and,exceptproducinganactivebraveSonveryunlikehimself,didnothingconsiderableintheworld。

  \"Quefaire;ilsontdescanons!\"

  AmongtheinnumerablesanguinarytusslingsofthisWararecountedThreegreatBattles,Leipzig,Lutzen,Nordlingen。UnderonegreatCaptain,SwedishGustav,andthetwoorthreeotherconsiderableCaptains,whoappearedinit,highpassagesoffuriousvalor,offinestrategyandtactic,areonrecord。Butonthewhole,thegrandweaponinit,andtowardsthelattertimestheexclusiveone,wasHunger。TheopposingArmiestriedtostarveoneanother;

  atlowest,triedeachnottostarve。Eachtryingtoeatthecountry,oratanyratetoleavenothingeatableinit:whatthatwillmeanforthecountry,wemayconsider。AstheArmiestoofrequently,andtheKaiser’sArmieshabitually,livedwithoutcommissariat,oftenenoughwithoutpay,allhorrorsofwarandofbeingaseatofwar,thathavebeensinceheardof,arepoortothosethenpractised。Thedetailofwhichisstillhorribletoread。Germany,inalleatablequartersofit,hadtoundergotheprocess;——tortured,torntopieces,wrecked,andbrayedasinamortarundertheironmaceofwar。[Curiousincidentaldetailsofthestateitwasreducedto,intheRhineandDanubeCountries,turnupintheEarlofArundelandSurrey’sTRAVELS(\"ArundeloftheMarbles\")asAmbassadorExtraordinarytotheEmperorFerdinandoII。in1636(asmallVolume,orPamphlet,London,1637)。]Brandenburgsawitstownssiegedandsacked,itscountrypopulationsdriventodespair,bytheonepartyandtheother。Threetimes,——firstinthe。WallensteinMecklenburgperiod,whilefireandswordweretheweapons,andagain,twiceover,intheultimatestagesofthestruggle,whenstarvationhadbecomethemethod——Brandenburgfelltobetheprincipaltheatreofconflict,whereallformsofthedismalwereattheirheight。

  In1638,threeyearsafterthatprecious\"PeaceofPrag,\"theSwedes(BanierVERSUSGallas)starvingouttheImperialistsinthoseNorthwesternparts,theravagesofthestarvingGallasandhisImperialistsexcelledallprecedent;andthe\"famineaboutTangermundehadrisensohighthatmenatehumanflesh,nayhumancreaturesatetheirownchildren。\"[1638:Pauli,iv。604。]

  \"Quefaire;ilsontdescanons!\"

  ChapterXVII。

  DUCHYOFJAGERNDORF。

  ThisunfortunateGeorgeWilhelmfailedingettingPommernwhendue;Pommern,firmlyheldbytheSwedes,wasfarfromhim。

  Butthatwasnottheonlylossofterritoryhehad。Jagerndorf,——

  wehaveheardofJohannGeorgeofJagerndorf,UncleofthisGeorgeWilhelm,howoldJoachimFriedrichputhimintoJagerndorf,longsince,whenitfellhometotheElectoralHouse。Jagerndorfisnowlost;JohannGeorgeisunderREICHS—ACHT(BanofEmpire),eversincetheWinter—King’sexplosion,andthethunder—boltsthatfollowed;andwanderslandless;——nayheislongsincedead,andhassixfeetofearthforaterritory,farawayinTransylvania,ortheRIESEN—GEBIRGE(GiantMountains)somewhere。Concerningwhomawordnow。

  DUKEOFJAGERNDORF,ELECTOR’SUNCLE,ISPUTUNDERBAN。

  JohannGeorge,afrank—heartedvaliantman,concerningwhomonlygoodactions,andnobadone,areonrecord,hadnotabletroublesintheworld;badtroublestobeginwith,andworsetoendin。

  HewassecondSonofKurfurstJoachimFriedrich,whohadmeanthimfortheChurch。[1577—1624:Rentsch,p。486。]TheyoungfellowwasCoadjutorofStrasburg,almostfromthetimeofgettingintoshort—clothes。Hewasthen,stillveryyoung,electedBishopthere(1592);BishopofStrasburg,——butonlybytheProtestantpartoftheCanons;theCatholicpart,unabletosubmitlonger,andthinkingitagoodtimeforrevoltagainstaProtestantpopulationandobstinatelyheterodoxmajority,electedanotherBishop,——one\"KarloftheHouseofLorraine;\"andtherecametobedispute,andcameeventobefightingneeded。Fighting;whichprudentPapawouldnotenterinto,exceptfaintlyatsecond—hand,throughtheAnspachCousins,orothersthatwereinthehumor。Troublesometimesfortheyoungman;whichlastedadozenyearsormore。

  AtlastaBargainwasmade(1604);ProtestantandCatholicCanonssplittingthedifferenceinsomeway;andtheHouseofLorrainepayingJohannGeorgeagreatdealofmoneytogohomeagain。

  [OEuvrescompletesdeVoltaire,97vols。

  (Paris,1825—1832),xxxiii。284。——Kohler(Reichs—

  Historie,p。487)givestheauthenticparticulars。]

  PoorJohannGeorgecameoutofitinthatway;notsecond—best,thinkseveral。

  Hewasthen(1606)putintoJagerndorf,whichhadjustfallenvacant;ourexcellentfatfriend,GeorgeFriedrichofAnspach,AdministratorofPreussen,havinglatelydied,andleftitvacant,aswesaw。GeorgeFriedrich’sdeathyieldedfineapanages,threeoftheminall:FIRSTAnspach,SECOND,Baireuth,andthisTHIRDofJagerndorfforastillyoungerBrother。TherewasstillafourthyoungerBrother,UncleofGeorgeWilhelm;ArchbishopofMagdeburgthisone;whoalso,aswehaveseen,gotintoREICHS—ACHT,intodeeptroubleintheThirty—YearsWar。HewasinTilly’sthrice—

  murderousStormofMagdeburg(10thMay,1631);wascaptured,tumbledaboutbythewildsoldiery,andnearlykilledthere。

  Poorman,withhismitreandrochetsleftinsuchastate!IntheendheevenbecameCATHOLIC,——fromconviction,aswasevident,andbewildermentofmind;——andlivedinAustriaonapension;

  occasionallypublishingpolemicalpamphlets。[1587;1628;1665

  (Rentsch,pp。905—910)。]——

  AstoJohannGeorge,hemuchrepairedandbeautifiedtheCastleofJagerndorf,saysRentsch:butheunfortunatelywentaheadintotheWinter—King’sadventure;which,inthatsadbattleoftheWeissenberg,madetotalshipwreckofitself,drawingJohannGeorgeandmuchelsealongwithit。JohannGeorgewasstraightwaytyrannouslyputtotheBan,forfeitedoflifeandlands:[22dJanuary,1621(Kohler,Reichs—Historie,

  p。518:andrectifyHubner,t。178)。]JohannGeorgedisownedthesaidBan;stoodoutfiercelyforselfandWinter—King;anddidgoodfightingintheSilesianstrongholdsandmountain—passes:

  butwasforcedtoseektemporaryshelterinSIEBENBURGEN

  (Transylvania);anddiedfaraway,inayearortwo(1624),whilereturningtotryitagain。Sleeps,Ithink,inthe\"JablunkaPass;\"thedumbGiant—Mountains(RIESEN—GEBIRGE)shroudinguphissadshipwreckandhim。

  JagerndorfwasthusseizedbyFerdinandII。oftheHouseofHapsburg;andthoughitwascontrarytoalllawthattheKaisershouldkeepit,——poorJohannGeorgehavingleftSonsveryinnocentoftreason,andBrothers,andanElectoral。Nephew,veryinnocent,——towhom,byoldcompactsandnew,theHeritageindefectofhimwastofall,——neitherKaiserFerdinandII。norKaiserFerdinandIII。noranyKaiserwouldletgothehold;

  butkeptJagerndorffastclenched,deaftoallpleadings,andmonitionsofgodsormen。Tillatlength,inthefourthgenerationafterwards,one\"FriedrichtheSecond,\"notunknowntous,——

  asharplittleman,littleinstature,butlargeinfacultyandrenown,whoisnowcalled\"FredericktheGreat,\"——clutchedholdoftheImperialfist(sotospeak),seizinghisopportunityin1740;

  andsowrenchedandtwistedsaidclosefist,thatnotonlyJagerndorfdroppedoutofit,butthewholeofSilesiaalongwithJagerndorf,therebeingotherclaimswithal。Andtheaccountwasatlastsettled,withcompoundinterest,——asinfactsuchaccountsaresuretobe,onewayorother。AndsoweleaveJohannGeorgeamongthedumbGiant—Mountainsagain。

  ChapterXVIII。

  FRIEDRICHWILHELM,THEGREATKURFURST,ELEVENTHOFTHESERIES。

  BrandenburghadagainsunkverylowundertheTenthElector,intheunutterabletroublesofthetimes。ButitwasgloriouslyraisedupagainbyhisSonFriedrichWilhelm,whosucceededin1640。Thisishewhomtheycallthe\"GreatElector(GROSSE

  KURFURST);\"ofwhomthereismuchwritingandcelebratinginPrussianBooks。Asfortheepithet,itisnotuncommonamongpettyGermanpopulations,andmanytimesdoesnotmeantoomuch:

  thusMaxofBavaria,withhisJesuitLambkinsandHyacinths,is,byBavarians,called\"MaximiliantheGreat。\"FriedrichWilhelm,bothbyhisintrinsicqualitiesandthesuccesshemetwith,deservesitbetterthanmost。Hissuccess,ifwelookwherehestartedandwhereheended,wasbeyondthatofanyothermaninhisday。HefoundBrandenburgannihilated,andheleftBrandenburgsoundandflourishing;agreatcountry,oralreadyonthewaytowardsgreatness。Undoubtedlyamostrapid,clear—eyed,activeman。Therewasastrokeinhimswiftaslightning,well—aimedmostly,andofarespectableweight,withal;whichshatteredasunderawholeworldofimpedimentsforhim,byassiduousrepetitionofitforfiftyyears。[1620;1640;1688。]

  Therehardlyevercametosovereignpowerayoungmanoftwentyundermoredistressing,hopeless—lookingcircumstances。PoliticalsignificanceBrandenburghadnone;amereProtestantappendagedraggedaboutbyaPapistKaiser。HisFather’sPrime—Minister,aswehaveseen,wasintheinterestofhisenemies;notBrandenburg’sservant,butAustria’s。TheveryCommandantsofhisFortresses,CommandantofSpandaumoreespecially,refusedtoobeyFriedrichWilhelm,onhisaccession;\"wereboundtoobeytheKaiserinthefirstplace。\"Hehadtoproceedsoftlyaswellasswiftly;withthemostdelicatehandtogethimofSpandaubythecollar,andputhimunderlock—and—key,himasawarningtoothers。

  Fortwentyyearspast,Brandenburghadbeenscouredbyhostilearmies,which,especiallytheKaiser’spartofwhich,committedoutragesnewinhumanhistory。Inayearortwohence,Brandenburgbecameagainthetheatreofbusiness;AustrianGallasadvancingthitheragain(1644),withintent\"toshutupTorstensonandhisSwedesinJutland,\"wheretheyhadbeenchastisingoldChristianIV。,nowmeddlesomeagain,forthelasttime,andneveragoodneighbortoSweden。Gallascouldbynomeansdowhatheintended:

  onthecontrary,hehadtorunfromTorstenson,whatfeetcoulddo;washunted,heandhisMERODE—BRUDER(beautifulinventorsofthe\"Marauding\"Art),\"tilltheyprettymuchalldied(CREPERTIN),\"saysKoh1er。[Reichs—Historie,p。556;Pauli,v。24。]Nogreatlosstosociety,thedeathoftheseArtists:butwecanfancywhattheirlife,andespeciallywhattheprocessoftheirdying,mayhavecostpoorBrandenburgagain!——

  FriedrichWilhelm’saim,inthisasinotheremergencies,wassun—cleartohimself,butformostpartdimtoeverybodyelse。

  Hehadtowalkverywarily,Swedenononehandofhim,suspiciousKaiserontheother;hehadtowearsemblances,tobereadywithevasivewords;andadvancenoiselesslybymanycircuits。

  Moredelicateoperationcouldnotbeimagined。Butadvancehedid:

  advanceandarrive。Withextraordinarytalent,diligenceandfelicitytheyoungmanwoundhimselfoutofthisfirstfatalposition:gotthoseforeignArmiespushedoutofhisCountry,andkeptthemout。Hisfirstconcernhadbeentofindsomevestigeofrevenue,toputthatuponaclearfooting;andbyloansorotherwisetoscrapealittlereadymoneytogether。Onthestrengthofwhichasmallbodyofsoldierscouldbecollectedabouthim,anddrilledintorealabilitytofightandobey。Thisasabasis:

  onthisfollowedallmannerofthings:freedomfromSwedish—

  Austrianinvasions,asthefirstthing。

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