THE

HE king, having mustered his troops, and those of Duke Bernard of Saxon Weimar, about Erfurt, the army received command to advance towards Naumburg.

The king came thither in person on St. Martin's Day, and cut in pieces two regiments of Merode, that opposed him by the way. He was no sooner arrived at Naumburg, but he received intelligence, that the enemy's forces lay incamped at Leipsick, and Noerspurg, and stretched thence in length, as far as Weissenfels, and that they were intrenched in a place advantageous. Which proceeding of theirs obliged the king to do the like, at Naumburg, and to seek the means to join his army with the Electoral, which then lay about Torgau, consisting of fifteen thousand men, and reinforced with two thousand horse belonging to the Duke of Lunenburg. He sent divers posts to inform them of his coming, and of the courses were to be taken for their uniting. Walstein and Pappenheim, being lodged between them, had an eye on them both, and made it their only study to hinder their conjunction. On the fourteenth of November, the scouts of the king brought him word, the enemy had sacked and abandoned the city, and castle of Weissenfels, laid plain his trenches, and retired himself towards Lutzen, two German miles from Leipsick. The king, hearing this news, resolved no longer to delay the fight, his courage not permitting him to temporise any further, nor to attend the return of his posts sent to the Elector.

That, which confirmed him in this his resolution, was the assurance of certain prisoners brought him by Relinguen, that Pappenheim was gone to Hall, with six regiments. Wherefore his army had order to march towards the enemy, the fifteenth, three hours before day, and to dare him to a battle. The diligence of the van was such, that it reached the enemy by the scond hour after noon, and began the assault. The Imperialists failed not to make head, and a strong resistance. Many charges were given, with advantage, and loss equal, the victory inclining now to this side, then to that, till at length the Swedes gave fire to their small field-pieces, which pierced and broke sundry Imperial companies, and forced them to a retreat. The Swedes became masters of the field, and brought to the king a standard taken from the enemy, with this device, La Fortune, & l'Aigle Romain, Fortune, and the Roman Eagle. Hence some drew this prognostick, that the enemy should, before long, part with the one and the other. A thick mist and the night coming upon them, the Swedes were hindered in the pursuit of the enemy, and the victory.

The king remained in the field, and stood in order of battle all night; having no other shelter than his caroach, resolved to follow close his design, and engage the enemy to a general combate. He communicated his intention to the Dukes of Saxon-Weimar, and other remarkable commanders, who passed away that night near his caroach, having nothing over their heads, but the heavenly arch, nor any thing under them, but trusses of straw laid upon the earth. Their field-furniture

they left behind, believing they should return to lodge in Naumburg: But the patience of their general made them with case pass over these inconveniences. Some of the principal officers endeavoured to dissuade the king from giving battle, alledging that the forces of the enemy were great, his seats advantageous; their own army feeble and wearied with continual marches; and that it was far safer to wait for the arrival of the Saxon, and make so strong an union, as may promise success in the equality of their armies. Their reasons were not received, but crossed by the king with many more solid, derived from the experience of the times past, and the present astonishment of the enemy; from the courage of his soldiers, and his advantages obtained; from the justice of his arms, from the benediction from above, from the absence of Pappenheim, and the discommodities he should be subject to, in that season now waxing bitter, in case he should suffer the enemy to perfect his trenches, which he had already begun in many places: To which he added his reputation, and how important it was to hasten the combate, saying aloud, That he would not suffer Walstein to beard him, without calling him to an account, and letting him see, by proof, that he was not to be faulted, that before this he had not seen him with his sword in his hand; that he desired to make trial of his ability in the field, and ferret him out of his burrows.'

The commanders, perceiving by the language and tone of the king, that his decree to fight was inevitable, and their opposition fruitless, conformed their wills by an humble obedience to his, not without reiterated protestations to subscribe themselves his in their own blood, and seal it with the loss of their lives; Whereat the king rejoiced extremely; nor could he contain his joy from appearing in his face, but, by his chearful looks, expressed his inward content, and forthwith called for a new sute of chammois, which he presently put on. Then they presented to him his arms, and the Duke Bernard, of SaxonWeimar, and sundry other princes and officers conjured him, by all things dear and holy, to wear his helmet and cuirass; but they could not win him to it, he objecting the incumbrance, and laying his hand on the musquet-bullet still remaining in his shoulder, which, to him, made the least weight unsupportable.

The king's design was to begin the combate by the peep of day; but so thick and dark a mist arose, that it confined the eye to a small distance, and rendered any enterprise not only difficult, but dangerous; wherefore the king was constrained to expect till the sun had chaced it away, which, till then, had deprived him of all sight of the enemy. The interim, according to his custom, he employed in his devotions, and in making the round of his army, to mark the disposition and countenance of his soldiers, and encourage them to fight manfully. Coming to the quarter of the Swedes and Finlanders, he put them in battle array; and, with a voice and countenance alike chearful, be thus bespoke them;

'My friends and camerades*, this is the day that invites you to demonstrate what you are; shew yourselves men of valour, keep your

Camerades is, in English, Chamber-fellows.

ranks, and fight courageously for yourselves and your king. If this day the bravery of your spirits shine forth, you shall find the heavenly benediction perched on the points of your swords, honour, and a recompence of your valour: On the contrary, if you turn back, and basely and foolishly commit the armed band to the protection of the unarmed foot, you shall find infamy, my disgrace, and your own ruin; and I protest to you, on the word of a king, that not the least piece of you, or of your bones, shall return again into Swedeland.'

This exhortation, delivered in a high and piercing tone, won from the Swedes and Finlanders only these general acclamations: "That they would approve themselves men of honour; that they had lives only for him, which they were ambitious to preserve in the obtaining of victory and his good graces.'

The Swedes being placed in rank and file, the king embattles the Alman regiments, and thus, in few words, exhorts them :

'My friends, officers, and soldiers, I conjure you, by your love to heaven and me, this day to manifest whose you are: you shall fight not only under me, but with me; my blood and life shall mark you out the way to honour; break not your ranks, but second me with courage: If you perform this, victory is ours with all her glories, you and your posterity shall enjoy it; if you give back, your lives and liberties have one period.'

This speech was answered with an universal shout, and vows reciprocal: That they would make it appear they knew the way to victory or to death: That the king should receive all satisfaction in their service, and the enemy should acknowledge he had to do with men of honour.'

Walstein and his principal officers discovered quickly, by his scouts, the resolution of the king, and the countenance of his, and thereupon grounded this resolution, That they must needs come to blows." Walstein was infinitely desirous to avoid the combate; but he was wisely admonished, by some about him, that every step his men made in a retreat would take from their courage, and give it to the enemy, and bring upon his army a panick fear and an utter confusion. He spent that whole night in digging and intrenching, in embattling his army, and planting his artillery in divers places advantageous, the better to sustain the shock of the enemy. Pappenheim was sent for back in post-haste, who was gone to Hall, being very desirous to invest it, not believing that the king would give or accept of battle, before the forces of Saxony were arrived. In the mean time, the utmost endeavours of Walstein were not wanting to hearten his men; and he laid before them honour, reward, their advantages, their forces, the justice of their cause, which God, the Catholick church, the Emperor, and the whole empire justified against the violence and usurpation of a stranger: And all this, and more, he uttered in his litter, which his gout would not permit him to forsake.

This was subject to divers interpretations; some believing, that

indeed he felt some symptoms of that sickness very familiar to him; others maintained this posture to have no good grace on a day of battle, and judged, that Walstein was very willing to preserve himself safe and sound, that he might hereafter serve his master and his party : Others averred he was much indebted to his gout, which did warrant his retreat without his reproach, necessity commanding the stoutest courage to yield to such an enemy.

On the other side, the king being ready at all points, and his army embattled, he would take no refection, because he would be an example to his men, and lose no time. Being placed in the head of Steinsbock's regiment, he thus spoke with a voice audible: Now, now is the time, comrades, we must go on undaunted; let us charge, let us charge in the name of God; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, aid me in fighting this day, and favour my right.'

These words were no sooner pronounced, but he gave spurs to his horse, and, with his head inclined, gave a charge to a battalion of twenty-four companies of cuirassiers, which were esteemed the flower of the Imperial army. Two Swedish regiments had order to second him. The artillery of the king was advanced, and five cannon-shot discharged upon the enemy, who answered them with two hundred, which went off with a horrid noise, and lightning, but with small loss to the Swedes, the cannoneers of Walstein not having well taken their aim. But the first shock was fatal to the king, and all the army; for though the squadrons, led by so brave a chief, with an unheard of resolution, gave on, like thunder, on the enemy, and made him recoil; yet one shot, from a pistol, gave him new courage, which pierced the king's arm, and broke the bone. When those, next the king, saw him bleed, they were amazed, and cried out 'The king is wounded.' Which words the king heard with much distaste and repining, fearing it would abate the valour of his men; wherefore, dissembling his grief, with a joyful and undaunted look, he sought to qualify the fear of his soldiers, with these masculine words: "The hurt is slight, comrades, take courage, let us nake use of our odds, and return to the charge.' The commanders that were about him, with hands lifted up, earnestly besought him to retire; but the apprehension of frighting his men, and his ambition to overcome, prevailed.

The assault being re-begun with vigour and fervour, and the king fighting again in the head of his troops, once more to break those ranks, that were again made up, the loss of blood, and the grief which he felt in the agitation of his body, enfeebled much his spirits and voice, which caused him to whisper these words in the ear of the Duke of Saxon Lavenburgh: Convey me hence, for I am dangerously wounded.' He had scarcely ended his speech, and turned head to retire, when a cuirassier, marking this retreat, advanced, upon the gallop, from the battalion of the enemy, and discharged his carabine full in the shoulder of the king, with this insulting speech: And art thou there then? Long it is that I have sought thee.' Some imagined, that it was Pappenheim that gave the blow, by reason he had often vaunted, that an ancient prediction was found amongst the records of his family, that a stranger king

ranks, and fight courageously for yourselves and your king. If this day the bravery of your spirits shine forth, you shall find the heavenly benediction perched on the points of your swords, honour, and a recompence of your valour: On the contrary, if you turn back, and basely and foolishly commit the armed band to the protection of the unarmed foot, you shall find infamy, my disgrace, and your own ruin; and I protest to you, on the word of a king, that not the least piece of you, or of your bones, shall return again into Swedeland.'

This exhortation, delivered in a high and piercing tone, won from the Swedes and Finlanders only these general acclamations: "That they would approve themselves men of honour; that they had lives only for him, which they were ambitious to preserve in the obtaining of victory and his good graces.'

The Swedes being placed in rank and file, the king embattles the Alman regiments, and thus, in few words, exhorts them:

'My friends, officers, and soldiers, I conjure you, by your love to heaven and me, this day to manifest whose you are: you shall fight not only under me, but with me; my blood and life shall mark you out the way to honour; break not your ranks, but second me with courage: If you perform this, victory is ours with all her glories, you and your posterity shall enjoy it; if you give back, your lives and liberties have one period.'

This speech was answered with an universal shout, and vows reciprocal: That they would make it appear they knew the way to victory or to death: That the king should receive all satisfaction in their ser vice, and the enemy should acknowledge he had to do with men of honour.'

Walstein and his principal officers discovered quickly, by his scouts, the resolution of the king, and the countenance of his, and thereupon grounded this resolution, 'That they must needs come to blows.' Walstein was infinitely desirous to avoid the combate; but he was wisely admonished, by some about him, that every step his men made in a retreat would take from their courage, and give it to the enemy, and bring upon his army a panick fear and an utter confusion. He spent that whole night in digging and intrenching, in embattling his army, and planting his artillery in divers places advantageous, the better to sustain the shock of the enemy. Pappenheim was sent for back in post-haste, who was gone to Hall, being very desirous to invest it, not believing that the king would give or accept of battle, before the forces of Saxony were arrived. In the mean time, the utmost endeavours of Walstein were not wanting to hearten his inen; and he laid before them honour, reward, their advantages, their forces, the justice of their cause, which God, the Catholick church, the Emperor, and the whole empire justified against the violence and usurpation of a stranger: And all this, and more, he uttered in his litter, which his gout would not permit him to forsake.

This was subject to divers interpretations; some believing, that