CHAP. I.
EVills of Punishment are Gods, the evil of Sinne is wholly ours. Whatsoever was the impulsive cause of his judgements, our wholsomest use is, to attribute them to our sins: to greater sins, greater Judgements, seeing God seemeth to observe a proportion to our deserts; for, Ezck. 14. 21. the Prophet speaks of foure sore Judgements, that is, greater and more grievous than the rest; famine, sword, pestilence, and the noisome beast: with these hath he lately visited some nations; especially Germany, before a large, populous, fertile and flourishing Countrey. What shal we say? were their sins greater than ours? No, but except we repent, what may we expect? the sins of Sodome were pride, idlenesse, and fulnesse of bread; and such they acknowledge theirs to have beene. I have seene their peasants served in plate, they slept [Page 2] with downe-beds above and under them: their stoves kept them insensible of the winters cold; they ate no dish of meat without his sauce; their plenty of corne and wine, milk and honey, fish and flesh, did equall that of any other nation whatsoever. A little labour brought them in much; delicacie of living made them incompassionate of others sufferings; and security blinded them, that they could not see the storm a comming. Thus, while they swim in fulnesse and pleasure, the Judgement that slept, was suddenly awaked, & the fire of war was kindled in all their coasts; which blowne with the bellows of exasperated spirits, hath depopulated their Land, and consumed their dwellings to the ground: all lieth desolate; the Vineyards are not dressed, nor the fields tilled, the sword is every where drunke with bloud. Famine killeth more than the sword; and the pestilence, with other Epidemicke diseases (wars attendants) devour their part also; and which is worst of all, there is yet no end of these things.
CHAP. II. Of Extortions and Exactions.
[Page 5] TO beginne with warre, which began the rest, who knoweth not that this mercilesse fury hath there plaied the tyrant, ever since that burning Beacon, the blazing Starre, gave them the alarme, 1617. which the best Astrologers expounded the sword of Germany. A Prophecie I have seen, long since, written in a Booke, which belonged to a Canonick of Nimegen, and now in the Library at Zutphen; that a time should come, when one Frederike should be King, and then should the Princes of Germany, the Nobility of Bohemia, and the people of both be oppressed, and warre rage, beyond all precedent of former ages this, if ever, is now fulfilled in our daies. And if in such disorder it may be possible, I will observe this order in speaking thereof: first, extortions and exactions: secondly tortures and torments: thirdly, rape and ravishing: fourthly, robbery and pillaging: fifthly, bloud-shed and killing; sixthly, burning and destroying. These shall be the Scenes of this first act. Famine and pestilence shall stand for the other acts of this direfull tragedy: in which, as no action or passion [Page 6] was simple, or single, so can I not but with intermixtion, and confusion rehearse them.
For the first, as no Province or part of Germany can boast of her freedome from these miseries (though some have beene more free than others) so is there no Prince, nor State, which hath not suffered herein, no City, no Towne, almost no person. Every halfe yeeres, every moneths, yea, weekes relation, telleth us, of hundreds, thousands, millions of rix dollars, or galdens imposed, exacted, extorted by the Conquerours, or Spoylers, for the redemption of mens lives or liberties, goods or dwellings, [...] Strange and impossible oft-times have the ransomes beene, with which they have [...]xed the Burgers, at the taking in of Townes.
And that they might have their wills in this kinde, they have called the Magistrates, and Burgers into the State-houses, threatened, imprisoned, or otherwise abused them, till they condescended.
At Griphenberg, they kept the Senators shut up in a chamber of the Common-hall, macerating and tormenting them so long with hunger and smoake, that some of them dyed.
We left in Heydelberg-Castle many Burgers to this their mercy; and divers reverend Ministers, who were imprisoned, and fed with bread and water, till the charity of the reformed Churches could relieve them.
[Page 7] Presently after, they at Frankendale surrendring the towne, upon necessity, could not enjoy the articles granted them by the enemy; But were together with the grave Counsellours, and other Electorall Ministers, forced to endure such conditions, as were sitter for slaves and dogs, than men. Some were cast into prison, and there so handled, that many of them dyed through griefe and sorrow. Others, though altogether exhausted, redeemed themselves with unreasonable ransomes. The goods of those that were fled, were confiscated: all the inhabitants, though they were willing to leave their houses, with all their furniture, were detained in the City, and their destruction most cruelly plotted: after like manner have others beene dealt with, contrary to all oathes and promise, yea, contrary to the Lawes of Nations and common faith.
CHAP. III. Of Tortures and Torments.
NOt to insist on these, looke we upon the cruelties which the licentious Souldier hath exercised upon the persons of the Inhabitants, without respect of age, sex, dignity, calling, &c. And we shall rather thinke them Banditos or Renegado's, than men of armes, rather monsters than mankinde. Nor Turks nor Infidells have so behaved themselves. Even Princes (sacred Persons) though they never bore armes, as the old Landgrave of Hessen, and others: yea, some of the female Sex, as the old Dutchesse Dowager of Wirtenberg, have beene without any regard or pitty, taken prisoners, reviled, abused.
Aronibeus reporteth from the Letters of the D. of Saxony, that some of Tillies Souldiers caused his Subjects to be tortured, by halfe strangling them, and pressing their thumbes with wheeles.
His Souldiers, and those of Walsten, exercised yet greater cruelties in Pemeren, and thereabouts. They made the people by force to eate their owne excrements: and if they would not, they thrust them downe their throates, and so choaked some of them.
[Page 11] Whom they thought to have hidden gold or other wealth, they have assayed, by exquisite torments to make them confesse. Yea Princely personages have suffered like cruelty in this kind with meaner folke.
They have wound and tied about the heads of such, strong matches or cords, and twisted the same till the blood came out of their eyes, eares, and noses, yea, till their eyes started out of their heads.
They have put and tied burning matches betwixt their fingers, to their noses, tongues, jawes, cheeks, brests, legs, and secret parts.
Yea those parts which nature hideth, they have either filled with powder, or hung satchels of powder on them, and so giving fire to the same, they have in horrible manner burst their bellies, and killed them.
They have with bodkins pierced, yea with knives raced, and cut the skin and flesh of many, as some Artificers deale with leather, or other stuffe of like nature.
They have drawn strings and cords thorow the fleshy parts of some, the muscles of their thighs, legs, armes, &c. thorow their noses, eares, lips, &c.
They have hung up some in the smoak, drying them with small fires, refreshing them sometime with small drinke, or cold water. For these being such as were before overwhelmed [Page 12] with griefe, they tooke care lest in their torment they should die too soone.
Some they have put into hot Ovens, and so smothered or burned them. Some they rosted with straw-fires.
Some have they stifled, strangled or hanged. This was great favour to be ridde out of their paine.
To many they have bound so hard both hands and feete, that the blood hath sprouted out at the ends of their fingers and toes.
Of some they have tied both hands and feet back ward together, and stopped their mouthes with clouts to hinder them from praying.
Some have they hanged up, with ropes fastned to their privie parts, and hearing their roaring cries, have striven to out-roare and drowne their cries as in sport.
And yet more detestable, where they have found poore weake Creatures troubled with ruptures or burstennesse, they have enlarged the same by villanous meanes, filled them with gunpowder, and blowne them up as a Mine, by giving fire thereunto.
Many have they trussed up on high, hanging on their feet stones and weights to stretch out their bodies.
With Jizels or like Instruments they have gone about to plaine the faces of some, pretending that they would make it equall & smooth.
[Page 13] Some Housholders have they openly gelded, in the presence of their wives and children.
The mouthes of some have they opened with gags, and then poured downe their throats, water, stinking puddle, filthy liquids, and pisse it selfe, saying, This is a Swedish draught. So growing sicke, and their bellies swelling like a Tun, they have dyed by leysure with the greater torment.
Downe the throates of others, they have thrust a knotted clout, and then with a string pulled it up againe, to pull the bowells out of their place, or shew themselves exquisite in such divellish devices. And by these torments, they have made some deafe, or dumbe, others blind, others lame and miserable creples, if they killed them not.
If an Husband did intreat for the Wife, or the Wife for the Husband, then tooke they the intercessour, and he was tortured by them, after the same manner before the others eyes.
And (which is almost beyond all credit) when these poore prisoners or patients, were suffering or dying under their hands, and crying to God in their anguish, these hellish executioners would command or force them to pray unto the Divell, or call upon him.
Infinite and unspeakeable are the cruelties, which have this last yeere beene exercised by the furious Souldiers on all sides.
[Page 14] And some devills among them did proceed so farre, that they consulted and devised new and exquisite tortures, which they exercised upon innocent persons. They tooke a Divine, (some write a Canon in those parts, and a reverend old man) stripped him, bound him along upon his backe on a Table, and a strong bigge Cat upon his naked belly. They beat and pricked the Cat to make her fixe her teeth & claws in the poore mans belly. So the Cat & the man, partly through famin, partly through pain and anguish, both breathed their last.
Some of their despicable and infamous ruytery called Croats or Crabats, have laboured much to teach their horses not only to kil men, but to eate humane and Christians flesh, and have consulted how to find out torments more rare, cruell, and exquisite than ever. What shall we say to these devils? Phalaris, Nero, Dionysius, all other tyrants and tyrannies, are incomparable to these new stratagematists and engineers. Cancasus bred them, tygers fed them, hel taught them, and thither I remit them.
CHAP. IIII. Of Rape and Ravishing.
[Page 17] I Have said much of the former Particular, and yet but little. I will now speake little of this ensuing abomination, and (I feare) too much. Rapes and Ravishing scarce to be spoken or heard of, have they committed, beyond all humane modesty. Mayds and Matrons, Widdowes and Wives, without distinction have they violated and forced, and that in the presence of their Parents, Husbands, Neighbours, &c. Women with child in child-bed, &c. no pen can write it, no faith believe it. No Chappell Church or place consecrated hath beene free from the filthiest of pollutions, or most sacrilegious barbarismes. The very Hospitalls and Bedlame-houses have not beene spared: their divellish madnesse hath there found subjects for their purpose.
In Hessen-land, a poore leane Bedlam woman, that had beene kept in chaines abóve twenty yeeres, was by these hell-hounds let loose. About her they brought divers others, like her selfe, some madde, some dumbe, all [Page 18] wretched. They tyed their coates about their eares, and so used them as I shame to expresse.
In Pomeren they tooke the fairest daughters of the Country-dwellers, and ravished them in the sight of their parents, making them and their friends to sing Psalmes before them all the while.
In Italy, I have heard some with teares recite the villanies perpetrated by the Germane troopes of Gallas and Altringer, when they besieged Mantua. Among the rest, a beautiful maid was by her Parents hid in the dung-hill. But they found her out, had their pleasures of her, then cut her in pieces, hung her quarters up in the Church, and bid her friends pray to the Saints for her succour.
The Sperenrentrish herse-men (as we came through Brunswick-land) tooke by force a young maide ten yeeres old, and carryed her into a wood to ravish her. The mother with upreard hands came running after our Coach, crying out to my Colonell, who was here a stranger without command, and could not relieve her: then saw wee the two horse-men come out of the wood, where they had left the poore child dead or alive I know not.
Vertuous and chaste women have they offered to kill, or throwne their children into the fire, to make them yeeld.
They have not spared the very Nunnes in [Page 19] the Cloysters, but after they have entred by force, broken open their Trunkes and Coffers, and taken their goods, they have likewise ravished them, and killed some of them.
I know the Generall, a troope of whose horse having done the like, hee commanded them all to be hanged, but because they were not all alike guilty, they cast lots for their lives, and every tenth man dyed.
Some have leaped into rivers, into wells, or killed themselves because they would not be subject to the filthy lusts of these hell-borne furies.
Not onely sicke and weake maids, and women have beene violated till they dyed, but these wretches have committed like filthinesse with the dead bodies.
CHAP. V. Of Robbing and Pillaging.
NO man can now passe any where in Dutch-land; but hee is robbed, stripped, perhaps killed. The Merchants of Frankford, Nurenberg Lipzig, Hamburg, &c. have had too wofull experience hereof: witnesse of Infinite this one instance. The Merchants of Basil, returning from the Mart at Strasburg, and other Faires, to goe to Shoffehausen, were set upon by the Imperialists in their lodging, and though they offered to prove themselves Merchants, and craved their lives upon their knees, yet they killed ten of them, saying, they must dye, because they were heretickes. The rest leaving their goods and garments behind, escaped by flight starke naked in the night.
The very Convoyes which waite on those that travell to guard them are often-times as bad, almost, as a strange enemy. They watch all occasions to take from them what they have, their money and goods, their horses as they goe to watering, or out of the stables in the night, spoyle their Wagons when they make a stand, rifle and strip the meanest persons, if they straggle from the company, and so they served [Page]
[Page] [Page 25] us all the way from Heidelberg to Hessenland that we knew not which was worse, our friend with us, or our enemy behind us.
Two Countesles of great nobility, with their faire daughters and followers in distresse, were entertained by us in the castle of Heydelberg, the one immediately before, the other in the time of the siege. When our hope of subsisting began to faile, they went away with the enemies pasport. Notwithstanding which they were by them robbed and rifled in their coaches of all they had, not sparing the very garments that covered them.
The priviledged persons of royall Embassadours, their goods and followers, cannot be secured from them, witnes this yeare the shamefull plundering of the Danish Embassadour.
What quarter they give to the traveller, the like or worse they afford the inhabitants, if they escape with their lives, this is all, and well too: when the time hath beene that one might have travelled safe from the one end of Germany to the other with a white rod in his hand and an hundred pound in his purse.
Indeed they robbe one another every where out of their quarter: nor are they fellow souldiers any longer, when they have opportunity to play the theeves. Nor God nor devil do they acknowledge, but when they sweare, nor is any thing so vile but they will doe it.
CHAP. VI. Of Bloodshed and killing.
AS for killing, this is the least of all the rest. Death puts an end to all miseries; onely they that survive are oft-times the worse for want of them that are dead. To report the blood-shed of this warre, would be incredible: Alsted saith, that before the King of Swedens comming, it had consumed no lesse than 100000. If this be true, what hath it done since? How many millions have miserably perished? They have sometimes killed one another; and among other precedents this is not least remarkable, that Gourdon and Lesley Scotch Colonells, with Colonell Butler the Irish man, who killed Walstein, the Count of Tirskie, and other Imperiall officers then ready to revolt to the Swedish party, are now, this yeere after the same manner, hurt, or killed themselves (as is written) by Gallas his followers, upon a dispute about that former businesse; a Document for all strangers, to take heede, how they collogue with those monsters, in such dangerous actions, who love the Treason, but hate the Traytor.
The cruelty of the Souldier towards the inhabitants of those Countries, is inexpressible. [Page]
[Page] [Page 29] Persons secular and sacred, have had the same measure. Neere Fryburg, Holck his souldiers cut in pieces a reverend Minister, a man of rare learning and piety. The dogs would not lick his bloud, nor touch his flesh. So his friends buried his mangled members.
At Landshood in Bavier, the souldiers entring by force, killed not only all they found in arms, but the innocent inhabitants, yea, the very Priests kneeling at the Altars; and divers other instances of like nature I could produce.
Now what may the poore peasant and countrey-dwellers expect? to kill them if they resist or refuse them any thing, is but ordinary in this warre: among the Imperiallists is a base sort of rascally horse-men which serve them, and are called Croats. The tenth part of them are not of that Countrey: for they are a miscellany of all strange nations, without God, without religion, and have only the outsides of men, and scarse that too. They make no conscience of murthering men or women, old or young, yea, the very innocent babes; and like the beasts among whom they are bred, doe sometimes eat them, when other food might be found: the poore people have by these beene every where knocked downe in the fields and wayes, slaughtered, stabbed, tortured barbarously.
Their fellow souldiers are not much behind [Page 30] them having some where left such foot-steps of their cruelty, that there scarce remaine living, to relate the sufferings of the dead. I have seen them beat out the braines of poore old decrepid women, as in sport, and commit other outrages of like nature, which my brevity wil not permit me to relate.
It is now growne so usuall with the poore people to see one slaine before anothers face, that (as though there were no relation, no affection of neighbourhood, kindred or friendship among them) none compassionateth almost, none cryeth out, oh my father, or oh my brother!
As for quarter (that is mercy, and the saving of the lives of the vanquished, when they beg it on their knees) the vanquishers have been oft times inhumane. The Croats, till of late, never gave any quarter, but killed whatsoever enemy they had at their mercy. The like did the Curlins (the regiment of hell) receive pay of them of Gaunt and Bruges, to bring the nose and ears of their enemies away to their Masters.
Tilly, after the defeate of the Duke of Brunswicke at Heuxt on the Maine, drew out of that town threescore poor souldiers, & caused them all to bee killed in the cold blood, before the gate, saying, that he sacrificed them to Count Mansfield their master. I could weary my reader with these examples. But I forbeare.
CHAP. VII. Of Burning and Destroying.
[Page 33] FOr burning, pulling down and ruining of Churches, Cities, Villages, the like hath not been heard. The Swedish army burned above 2000 Villages in Bavaria, in revenge of the Palatine cause: But their enemies spare meither foes nor friends. What goodly houses of the Nobility and Gentry shall you, there, see fallen down, or so defaced, as is scarce reparable without building new? From what quarter soever the army riseth, they will bee sure to leave some dwellings in the ashes, some in the smoake. To that passe it is now come, that every one that is a man, betaketh himselfe to arms. There is now no other aboad, but some campe, no other plow to follow, no other imployment but the warre, for he that is not an actor with the rest, must needes bee a sufferer among the miserable patients. No tilling of the land, no breeding of cattell; for if they should, the next yeare the souldiers devoure it. Better to sit still, than to labour, and let others reape the profits, Hence an universall desolation.
Part of the people swarme as banished in strange countries, as I have observed in Suisse, at [Page 32] Lausan, Berne, Basil, &c. in France, in Italy, especially the Venetian territories. From Basil to Strasburg, from Strasburg to Heydelberg, from thence to Marpurg, I scarse saw a man in the fields, or Villages. Little better shall a man finde it tha [...] travelleth from the Kingdome of France to the middle of Bohemia, from the Alps above Auspurg to the Baltique sea, a square of land little lesle than thrice all Great Britaine. Onely here and there, as the land hath rest, the dwellers return. But alas, the farre greater part are extinguished by war, misery, or length of time.
CHAP. VIII. Of Famine.
[Page 35] FAmine commeth next in place, a thing so grievous, that David preferred the pestilence in his choicy. To see men slaine by the sword, or die of contagious diseases, is not yet so grievous, as to see them dye of famine, or kill to eate one another. In Samaria besieged by Benhadad King of Syria, the famine was so great, that an Asses head was sold for 80. pieces of silver, & the fourth part of a cab of Doves dung for 50. pieces of silver. Two women covenanted to eate their children successively: and when they had boyled and eaten the one, the other woman hid hers. In the siege of Ierusalem, Mice, Rats, and Hides were good meat, and women did dresse and eate their owne children, the smell whereof drew others that were hunger-starv'd to come to share with them. But that Cities not besiged, and a Country naturally fertile, should be so ruined, as not to be able, for so long a time to afford bread to a poore remnant of people, but that they must be faine to eate carrion, yea, dead men, yea, one another living: this is pittifull, this is unheard of.
Had I not beene provided of Viaticum, at my [Page 36] comming out of Suisse famine had arrested me in Germany, for there was not any where meate for money. The Italians and Spaniards, which had bee eat the skirmish at Nortlingen, and without armes, wandred among the Duke of Lorrane's troopes at Nyburg and Brisac, were so blacke and feeble through hunger, that had I not given them part of m [...] provision, I thinke they had rent me in pieces, and eaten mee.
Travelling from Neiustadt towards Frankendale in a snowie day, I met, unexpected, the army of Duke Bernard, whose stra ling fore-runners, came riding up to me by couples, and when I looked for a worse errand, asked onely for bread, which my guide gave them, so long as we had any.
From thence to Manheime and Heydleberg, many dead men lay strewed on the way, especially on the fire places, which perished through cold and want.
Before wee were besieged last time in Heydleberg Castle, some of my patients, almost recovered of thei diseases, sent mee word, they were dying of famine, as indeed they did, except our canon helped to shorten their miseries. For being immediately shut up, we shot into the towne night and day, almost uncessantly.
Our souldiers at the first, killed more horses on a day, than they could eate, lest they should famish for want of hay and those they threw out of the Castle, downe the rocke, which the enemy [Page 37] in the night drew into the towne, (though some in so doing were slaine by our shot) and so they eat our horse-flesh, also our Serjeant Major sallied with 50. men upon the enemy being 300. entrenched on the hil on the East side of the castle, and beate them out of their workes. Many were slaine, some broke their necks downe the rocks: but which equalized the victory, the valiant Major was shot dead. Our souldiers being Masters of the trench, fell to ransacke the enemies knapsackes, which they had left behinde them. But there was nothing in them, save our horseflesh, which every day grew scarser with us: so that now we killed the horses which stood fasting and sleeping on the dung-hill, not out of compassion, but necessity. Another Serjeant Major had two very faire horses shut up our souldiers tooke the one and ate him, he thinking to make sure the other, stapled him to the wall with a strong chaine and a padlocke, but they espying their opportunity, cut off the horses necke, left the head in the chaine, and carried away the body and ate it.
At length, dogs and carrion came into request, we could smell our meate afarre off, and on the Table it was yet more loathsome, the taste did answer the smell, yet, we ate it savourly, but our bread at last failing, we yeelded to necessity.
CHAP. X. of Famine.
THe armies now everywhere overranne the Couutrey, devoured both Corne & catel: so they that had goods left, offered to give all for a little bellytimber. But not so obtaining it they were faine to lie upon the streets and high waies, (a thing not usuall with them) and to crave for Gods sake where with to refresh their dying soules. But no sooner had they swallowed what was given them, but they fell downe and died.
Memorable is that story which Reinmannuste recordeth of the Famine in Alsatia the last yeere, which is at this present yet worse. Valentine of Engelin a citizen of Rufacke, with the dead-burier, delivered unto the Magistrate upon their oathes, that Anne the daughter of Iohn Ebstein confessed unto them, that she came from Colmar, where shee had waited many daies before the hangmans doore in hope to get a piece of horseflesh to satifie her hunger. But not prevailing, shee was now come to Rufack entreating them, that if there was the body of any young man or woman unburied, that they would give it her to eate to preserve her life.
[Page 41] And that two women and a boy did after the same manner speak unto them, telling them that they had for a long time lived of dead mens flesh, which being published, the Cloyster of the Church-yard of S. Nicholas, where the dead bodies were kept, was locked up.
Lastly, that foure young maydes had cut in pieces the dead bodie of another young maid of eleven yeares of age, and eaten every one their part.
At this day it is yet worse. Many that survived the losse of all they had, have for a long time sustained themselves with roots, acornes, greene fruits, grasse, thistles, and weeds, that beasts would not have eaten, whereof they grew enraged anddyed.
The famished have beene so faint, that they have not had strength to bury one another, in so much, that the dead have beene eaten up of Dogs, Foxes and Wolves, and some have run mad for hunger.
In some Cities, the inhabitans by this famine, have beene constrained to kill all unedible cattell, without any difference, and to sell them publikely: as Dogs, Cats, Rats, Mice &c.
A woman at Hanaw, that had sold Dogs-flesh ordinarily to the souldiers, was in the streetes assaulted by Dogs, all her garments torne off her backe, that shee was faine to sit downe on the ground to hide her shame. And had she not [Page 36] beene rescued, shee had beene rent in pieces by the Dogs.
Where any man had a beast left that he carefully kept for his necessity, some or other of his acquaintance, if he could come by it, would kill and eate it.
They have snatched one from another the very stinking carrion, which had lien sixe or seven weekes dead and full of maggots: yea and have fought and beaten one another to get a morsell thereof, as lately happened at Dubach by Bachrack.
It hath moved the great ones and governours of these quarters unto compassion to see their people in such extreame want. In so much that the noble Earle of Falkenstein seeing his Subjects crave sustenance of him, commanded his man to give them his hounds to satisfie their hunger, which they presently killed and ate.
CHAP. X. Of Famine.
[Page 45] AS the sicknesse spreadeth by the contagion of infected bodies, so hath this famine encreased by the neglect of Providence in the disabled and famished. When no more food was to be got, they were inraged like beasts one against another, and gathering together by troopes, have watched for one another upon the high waies, and so murthered, dressed, and eaten one another. Thenceforth no man could passe safe on the way, or in the streets, except wellarmed, or travelling with a convoy. And some of them have beene taken and severely punished by Justice, neverthelesse they haue secretly lurked here and there, and set upon the passengers, as by many instances, I could shew.
It is not good to be alone; for where there is company, the one will helpe the other in distresse. The hardnesse of these times being observed, or rather felt, three maidens at Odenheim [Page 46] in Dirmbstein by Wormes agreed to dwell together, and to partake of sweet and sower all alike. But the proverbe is true, that necessity hath no law, and hunger is a sharpe Thorne. So pressed they were with extreame famine, that they sought one anothers lives to save their owne. Two of them conspired together to take away the life of the third, by strangling her in bed or otherwise treacherously to kill her, and after to dresse and eate her up. All which they did accordingly. Then the second resolved to strangle her companion, and cut off her head, which when shee had done, her heart being hardened, she went to a village called Ridisheim to a woman of her acquaintance, called Margaret, whose husband was a Farmer, and kept himselfe a way for a time in the towne of Leyningen. The woman entertained her kindly, rejoycing that shee came yet once to see her. But in the night, lying by the said woman, she cut off her head, bound the dead body upon a board and brought it to Piedessen, where she dwelt and drew it into her house. The sharpenesse of hunger pricking her, she had not the patience to cut the body in pieces, but did cut off the head and both the hands onely, and washed and dressed them. The husband comming home missed his wife, and enquired for her at the neighbours, who told him that such a maide was seene with his wife. He went to her house, knocked at the doore and asked [Page 47] her, if she had not seene his Wife. She answered him no. But such deeds of cruelty are hard to be concealed. Murther will out, they say, or the very Bruits will discover it. Hee goes into her house, casteth his eyes round about, pryeth into every corner: at length hee espieth an hand to sticke out of the pot, which hung upon the fire. Hereupon, as overcome with griefe, hee rageth and raileth against the murtheresse, threateneth her with sharpe words, so that she presently confessed and revealed it.
Then went he to the Justice, and complained. So shee was brought to Slitzey with three Musketires. They made her hold the sodden hand in her hand, while she was examined: and so she had her sentence from the Imperiall officers, Burgrave Philip of Waldecke, and all the Lords of Justice, before the judgement-seat. They deliberated long about her punishment, whether she shoule die or no, because some were of opinion, that she did it not as a rationall Creature, but as a brute, because the appetite of food is common to us with beasts. But wickednesse, though necessitated, may not ever goe free. Some must be made an example for the terrour of others. She was led to the common place of justice, her head cut off, and her body bound upon a wheele, there to remaine as a spectacle.
I cannot but write with teares what followeth. ‘[Page 48] — Quis talia fando Mysmidonum, Dolopumve ant duri miles Vlyssis Temperet à lachrymis? —’ What Myrmidon, what Dolop, who that beares Armes under harsh Vlysses, but his teares Must flow at this relation?
No man ever hated his owne flesh. But such are the children of our bodies. It is even against nature to destroy such fruite. Yet the sharpnesse of hunger brought this to passe. Oh! what is that necessity which makes us breake stone walls, forget the neerest and dearest relations, vanquish our naturall and most powerfull passions, and destroy that which we so dearely loved, so carefully cherished! At Oterburg in the Palatinate, a widow women dwelling by the churchyard (her name well knowne) had a daughter of nine or ten yeares old. This child with hunger was growne so faint, that upon a time, with sorrowfull eyes, she stedfastly looked upon her mother and said, sweete mother, I would willingly die, so I were rid of my paine. Oh! would you make an end of mee, then should I goe from whence I came, or if I did kill you, you would be rid of your paine. The mother looking upon her againe, sighing said, and what wouldest thou do with me? The child answered, very sadly, I then would eat you, for they say that mans flesh is very sweet. The mother fell a weeping, and broken with her owne thoughts, as a ship tossed and [Page 49] beaten between two rocks, desperate necessity & her motherly affection, catcheth at her head, untyeth her haire-lace, twisteth it about the necke of this innocent lambe, and so strangleth her; when it was dead, shee having nor knife nor hatchet to cut it in pieces, took a spade, and therewith hewed it into boggets, & so dressing the head, and part of the body devoured it. Some part thereof shee sold to her neighbours for foure stivers the pound.
Her childe being long missed, her acquaintance asked her where it was, and how she came by that flesh. She answered it was hogs-flesh, which she had got of the souldiers, who passed that way. But perceiving the truth would come out, she at last confessed it. Whereupon she was complained of to the justice at Keysars Lauteren, and put in prison by Jonker van Effren, and adjudged to an halfe pound of bread, and a kanne of water a day, so to expect her sentence. But being sent for out of prison, and examined by the Lords, she told them she was happy that she was in prison, and would be glad to lie there all her life, to slake her hunger and refresh her selfe with such food, her pricking paine being thereby abated. This so moved the Lords to pitty, that they freed her from prison, and let her goe as innocent.
I cannot but record another story of like nature, of the woman of Horne-bach, where was [Page 50] sometime the Princely schoole of Zwybruck, having lately lyen in childbed and wanting milke to nourish her babe, she kissed and embraced it with moyst teares, and after a long discourse killed it with a knife. Afterwards she dressed and ate it. When it began to be knowne, she was examined before the Justices. The Lords asked her, wherefore she killed her childe. She made answere that mighty and intollerable hunger had made her so to doe, and that it was her owne fruite, of which shee might better make use, than of any other. Neverthelesse she was condemned to die, and accordingly executed.
CHAP. XI. Of Famine.
I Am now weary of these lamentable relations. Yet more miserable (if more miserable can be) have ensued. They have traced the dead bodies to the place of their buriall, digged them out of their graves, dressed and eaten them. So that in divers places (at Wormes especially) they have beene faine to set watch at the Church-yards; and over the graves to keepe the dead from being stolne and eaten.
In Saxony at this present the case is so miserable in this kinde, that no pen can expresse it. The Saxon-Austrian Army (were they not beaten) must retreite through hunger, having famished both the inhabitants and themselves.
After the same manner it is upon the Rhine, and many other parts, where the Armies are or have lately beene.
To that extremity it is come, that some constrained by hunger, have taken poyson to advance death.
[Page 53] In a word, the very wild beasts in the woods doe starve for want of prey.
My Lord the Earle of Arundel travelling homewards, towards Frankefort on the Maine, a Boore or peasant of the countrey, being their guide, and having his legs bare, a Fox pursued him, among my Lords followers, and would not forbeare snatching and biting at his bare heeles, (such was his hunger) till they gave him a blow in the necke, and so tooke him alive. His eyes were sunke, his bones stucke out, and hee was so extreme leane, that his sides almost mot together. They carried him alive with them in the coach, and after a few daies he died.
An English gentleman arrived here the other day, who travelling from Vlmes to Nurenburg, & so through Germany for England, with such companions as guided him by-waies for escaping of the souldiers, reporteth that Wolves, Foxes and other wild beasts lie dead for want of food, and that in some places men live only upon robbery and spoile of strangers, or one another; Theevery being become a trade.
CHAP. XII. Of sicknesse and diseases.
DIseases are more feared as they are more dangerous. Great diseases for their difficulty of cure, acute or sharpe diseases, because when they kill they dispatch suddenly. But Epidemick and contagigous maladies have yet something more, besides their greatnesse, besides their acutenesse to make them terrible. And that is this, that they deprive a man of the comfort of his acquaintance, neighbours, friends, kinsfolkes, &c. Adde hereunto that for these wee seldome know any specificall remedy, for the pestilence I am sure there is none, as being Gods immediate judgement, though oft times hee useth the ministery of secondary causes, for the executing of his further pleasure herein, I have made tryall of all sorts of Antidotes, vegetable, minerall, animall, and that according to rationall method, yet am I almost as farre from the cure, as ever. These diseases are oft times Warres conco [...]itants or effects. Rare it is for a great Army [Page]
[Page 56] to stay long in a place, and not to leave some infection behinde. Beyond the Dona, after the Swedens departure from thence with their Armies, diseases unheard of, and the Pest withall swept away a world of people. The like happened shortly after, about Nurenberg in the high Palatinate, and on the frontiers of Boheme.
Before Mastreicht, after the Towne was taken, our quarters had contracted infectious sicknesses: whereof I my selfe had my share, being left sicke in the Towne of a purple Feaver. But the yeere following both the Towne and Countrey were grievously afflicted, with Feavers, Fluxes, and the Plague above all.
The same yeere Elsas or Alsatia and the lower Palatinate, where the Armies of the Duke of Lorraine and the Rhinegrave had lodged, did suffer miserably in this kinde.
The Army of the Prince of Orange having taken Rhineberg, and marching towards Mastriche and Liege, left such infection in great Brabant, about Firkens-ward, that the inhabitants the yeere after were afraid of their owne dwellings.
About the same time, Generall Holck being sent by Wolstein, with 6000. to invade Saxony, sacked the City of Leipzick, and committed as great outrages as Tillies Army had done before. [Page 57] But such a pestilence overtooke both him and his, that most of his souldiers dyed like sheepe of the rot. And being infected himselfe, hee offered 600 Rixdollers for a Minister of the Gospell to instruct and comfort him. But both himselfe and his Souldiers had so behaved themselves, that no Minister was to be found. In the meane all his friends & servants forsook him, except his Concubine, who stayed with him to the last. He had beene both of the Religion and the Protestants party, but revolted from both. So guilty of his owne perfidiousnes, and the execrable murders and rapines that he had caused, hee dyed despairing utterly of all future blisse. At length came a Minister, but Holcke was dead before.
The City of Basile that winter lost above 20000. of the plague. They of the City of Trent, their neighbours rejoyced at their sufferings, as being their enemies in religion. But it sell out with them, as with Edom in Obadiah, v. 15. that mocked Jacob in his distresse. The winter following, 1634. the pestilence so raged among the Tridentines, that wee were forbidden to come that way, for the sicke and sound were mixed together, and that City (not great) buried above 30000.
Besieged in the Castle of Heidleberg, I visited every day divers sicke of the plague, and like diseases. But in neither of these two great [Page 58] plagues in London, nor in any other, that I have beene in, did I ever finde the cause so virulent, the symptomes so incorrigible, the disease so incurable. Some dyed raging, others were killed with their carbuncles, when the venome seemed to be expelled from the inward parts, others were swollen and discoloured, as though they had taken poyson, and some that dyed were so spotted, as I never saw the like. If any souldier were but sleightly wounded, presently it became a maligne ulcer, though all good inward and outward meanes, were used. If the infection got into a kindred, it killed parents, children, and almost all the blood, that were present. Whence I perswade my selfe, that Hippocrates his [...] that is, the divine hand and finger of God was more conspicuous in this, than in any other visitation I had seene, though I doubt not but our foode with the aire might also helpe to impoyson our bodies extraordinarily.
Toward the end of the siege, wee had made an hospitall in the roofe of the house. But packing out of the Castle, wee left there our sicke, some dying, some crying out at the windowes, not to be left to their sicknesse, famine, and death, and which was worse than the enemy, of whom how they were used wee may imagine.
In the Towne they were much visited before [Page 59] we were shut up: which could not but be augmented by the multitudes of the enemy.
In the siege of Hanaw were buried, (most of the plague) above 22000 people, and had not God sent that sicknesse to diminish their numbers, they had yeelded the towne through want of victuals.
In the same siege, Souldiers that went to the guard seeing and well, came off strucken starke blinde thirty at a time. Afterwards the disease falling into their legges, the most of them recovered.
CHAP. XIII. Of Sickenesse and Diseases.
[Page 61] THe yeere 1635, almost whole Germany felt this punishment, in most grievous wise. In Swaben the Countrey of Tyroll, all along the Reine, and the Maine, it was so furiously hot, that all places were alike safe. The King of Hungary was faine to dissolve his Court, and send them away into divers Cities, for their safer abode.
In Swaben the inhabitants of Memingen, Campden, and Isnen were utterly consumed, and none left. In the Countrey thereabout, in which were more than thirty thousand men heretofore, were not foure hundred soules to be found.
In the confines of Bavier the living were nothing neere able to bury the dead. But Rats and Mice devoured their carcasses, most horrible to behold.
The low Countries smarted sore also. The Universitie of Leyden buried thirty thousand. The Countrey Villages and the Hague, [Page 62] (where I was shut up my selfe) were miserably afflicted. The Infant Cardinall was forced to remove from Bruxels and Antwerp, the sicknesse did so increase in those places.
Nimegen, Emericke, Rees, Guelders, with other places neere, were not onely visited therewith (wherof the Marquesse of Aytoma, the Spanish Generall, & other Commanders died) but new contagious diseases, among which were strange Fluxes, and a kind of pox unheard of.
The Emperours Army dispersing all over for want of resistance, did also scatter the contagion from their quarters at Haylbrun, through the Land of Wirtenberg, that many places hereby became utterly depopulated. But since Gallas his taking in the Townes upon the Rhine, such an infection happened through the stinch of the dead unburied bodies, that in the Bishopricke of Ments alone there died of this and hunger twenty foure thousand people.
In Saxony, Brandenburg, Pomeren, Mecklenburg, &c. this yeare the pestilence with like diseases have beene so universall, that these and the sword, seeme to strive which shall be the greatest destroyer. The retraite of the Swedes, in which they did not onely evade, but cut in pieces many of the enemies Troopes, is not so famous as these calamities. The very plague consumed in Saxony the other day in the space of two moneths, no lesse than sixteene thousand [Page 63] that the King of Hungary hath given command that none shall come from thence to Prague, or the Cities of Bohemia.
As by the print of Hercules his foot you might guesse at his stature, so by these few particulars of the miseries of some places there, we may guesse at the lamentable estate of the whole. The war having every where caught and raged, hath left such wounds as will not in haste be recured, and perhaps posterity for some generations will see the scarres.
Thus is the Virgine daughter of that people destroyed with a great destruction, and with a sore and greivous plague. Goe into the fieid, behold the slaine with the sword. Enter into the City, behold them that are sicke for hunger also. So are they smitten, but are not healed. They loke for peace, but there is no good; for the time of health, but behold trouble.