nished the duke's army so much, that he was not able during the campaign to attempt any new enterprize.

Meanwhile Galas, the imperial general, had fixed his head-quarters at Worms, whence he sent detachments to ravage the country, and surprize the towns that were garrisoned by the Swedes. Mentz was blocked up by count Mansfeldt ; and although the preservation of the place was of the utmost consequence to the confederates, as it secured their communication with both sides of the Rhine, the duke of Saxe-Weymar was in no condition to raise the blockade. He was still more interested in preserving Keizar-Louter, where he had deposited all the booty which he had taken since the beginning of the war. That place, however, though defended with such obstinacy that the greater part of the garrison had fallen in the breach, during the different assaults which it had sustained, was taken by storm, before the duke could afford it relief. Galas who had reduced it, afterward sat down before Deux-ponts; but Weymar's army being by this time reinforced with eighteen thousand French troops, under the cardinal la Valette, the Imperial general was obliged to abandon his undertaking. Mansfeldt's lines were also forced, and supplies thrown into Mentz2.

While the confederates lay under the cannon of that city Galas assembled an army of thirty thousand men in the neighbourhood of Worms; and by sending detachments to occupy Sarbruck, and several other places, reduced the French and Swedes to the greatest extremity for want of provisions. In this emergency, they repassed the Rhine at Binghen, on a bridge of boats, as if their route had been for Coblentz, though their real design was to reach Vaudervange, where there was a French garrison. With this view they marched night and day, without refreshment or repose; vet Galas, who had crossed the Rhine at Worms, in order to

2 Barre, tom. ix. Puffend. lib. viii.

harrass

harrass them in their retreat, overtook them with his cavalry at the river Glann, between Odernheim and Massenheim, where the Imperialists were repulsed. Not discouraged, however, by this check, Galas put himself at the head of nine thousand horse; traversed the Duchy of Deux ponts, passed the Sarré, entered Lorrain, and waited for the confederates in a defile between Vaudervange and Boulai. There an obstinate engagement ensued, in which the imperial cavalry was routed. The French afterwards retired to Pont á Mousson, and the Swedes to Moyenvie, with the wreck of their several armies; which, although victorious, were both greatly reduced. Meanwhile Gallas, being joined by his main body, made himself master of Vaudervange, and encamped near Zagermunde, between the Sarré and the Wilde, that he might be ready to join the duke of Lorrain3.

The French and their allies were yet less successful in other quarters. Nothing effectual was done in Italy, where the duke of Parma had the misfortune to see himself stript of the best part of his dominions by the Spaniards, notwithstanding the efforts of Crequi and the duke of Savoy ; who, in one battle, gained a considerable advantage over the enemy. In the Low Countries, where the highest hopes had been formed, the disappointment of cardinal Richelieu was still greater. He had computed on the entire conquest of the Spanish Netherlands and a scheme of partition was actually drawn up, whereby the duchy of Luxemburg, the counties of Namur, Hainault, Courtray, Artois, and Flanders, as far as Blackingberg, Damme, and Rupplemonde, were assigned to France; while Brabant, Guelderland, the territory of Waes, the lordship of Mecklin, and all the rest of the Spanish Netherlands were to be annexed to the republic of Holland. This scheme, however, proved as vain as it was ambitious. The Dutch were jealous of the growing power of France, and the prince of Orange had

3. Id. ibid.

a per

a personal pique at cardinal Richelieu. Therefore, although the mareschals Brezé and Chatillon were so fortunate as to defeat the Flemish army detached by the cardinal Infant to give them battle, before their junction with the forces of the United Provinces, nothing of consequence was effected after that junction was formed. The French commanders were under the necessity of leading back the miserable remains of their army, wasted with fatigue and diseases; and the prince of Orange spent the latter part of the campaign in recovering the strong fortress of Schenck, which had been. reduced by the enemy. Nor was this all. The cardinal Infant perceiving, that, in consequence of the many designs formed on all sides, the frontier of Picardy lay in a manner open, sent an army uuder the celebrated generals Piccolomini and John de Wert, to enter France on that side. This army took La Chapelle, Catelet, and Corbie ; and the Parisians perceiving the enemy within three days' march of their gates, were thrown into the utmost consternation. But, by the vigorous measures of Richelieu, a body of fifty thousand men were suddenly assembled, and the Spaniards and Flemings found themselves obliged to evacuate France+.

Having surmounted this danger, the French minister took the most effectual steps to secure the success of the ensuing campaign. In order to recover the friendship of Henry prince of Orange, whom he had offended by his haughtiness, he honoured him with the title of Highness instead of Excellency, a flattery which had the desired effect. And he concluded a treaty with the duke of Saxe-Weymar, in which it was stipulated, that, in consideration of an annual subsidy, the duke should maintain an army of eighteen thousand men, which he should command in person, as general of the troops belonging to the German princes in alliance with the French king, to whom he should take the oath of allegiance, and that Lewis should cede in his favor all the claims

4. Auberi, Hist. du Card, Rich.

of

A. D. 1636.

of France to Alsace. In consequence of this treaty, the duke being joined by a French army, under the cardinal La Valette, began the campaign with the Siege of Saverne, which had been taken toward the close of the former year. The place made a gallant defence in hopes of being relieved by Galas, who had promised to march against the besiegers, perceiving, however, the impracticability of such an attempt, Gallas made an irruption into Franche Compté, in conjunction with the duke of Lorrain. Meanwhile La Valette and Weymar having recovered Saverne, omitted nothing that could obstruct or harrass the Imperialists in their march: and their endeavours were so successful, that Galas lost about seven thousand men before he entered Burgundy. He continued his march nevertheless, and undertook the siege of St. Jean de Laon, which he was obliged to abandon, in consequence of the overflowing of the adjacant rivers; and being fast followed by the viscount de Turenne, he lost above five thousand men, and the greater part of his baggage, in his retreats.

During these transactions in Lorrain, Alsace, and Franche Compté, a decisive battle was fought in Upper Germany, between the Swedes under general Bannier, and the Imperialists commanded by the elector of Saxony. After watching the motions of each other for some time, they halted in the plains of Wislock, where both armies prepared for battle. The Imperial camp was pitched on an eminence, and fortified with fourteen redoubts, under which the troops stood ready to engage. Desirous of drawing the enemy from that advantageous post, Bannier ordered part of his cavalry to advance and skirmish. This feint having in some measure the intended effect, Bannier ordered colonel Gun, who commanded the right wing of the Swedes, to attack the enemy, and advanced himself at the head of five brigades to support that wing; while general Statens, with the left

5. Puffend. lib. viii. Le Vassor, Hist. de Louis XIII

wing wheeled round the hill in order to charge the Imperialists in flank. These attacks were executed with such vigour, that the whole Austrian and Saxon infantry was broken or cut down. Five thousand men fell on the field or in the pursuit; seven thousand were taken, together with thirty pieces of cannon, one hundred and fifty ensigns, and an incredible number of waggons".

A. D. 1637.

The battle of Wislock, which restored the lustre of the Swedish arms, raised Bannier to the highest degree of military reputation, and gave a signal blow to the Imperial power, was followed by a demise of Ferdinand II. He died at Vienna, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and the eighteenth of his reign, and was succeeded in the Imperial throne by his son Ferdinand III. The accession of this prince made little alteration in the state of the war; for although the first year of the new reign was distinguished by no memorable enterprize, the greater part of it being wasted in fruitless negociations, the next campaign was remarkably active and bloody; as if the contending powers had only been resting themselves, in order to renew with more destructive rage, the work of death. The duke of Saxe-Weymar, who had already fully revenged the inju ries of his family upon the house of Austria, advanced toward Rhinfeld early in the spring, and resolved to besiege it in form. It was accordingly invested; but the defence was so obstinate, that, notwithstanding the utmost efforts of valour and military skill, the Imperialists had time to come to its relief, under general Savelli and the famous John de Wert. Both armies were immediately ranged in order of battle, and Weymar's right wing fell with such fury upon the enemy's left, commanded by Wert in person, that it was quickly broken. The left wing of Weymars army was not equally successful. On the contrary it was repulsed; but he collected his cavalry, and re

A. D. 1638.'

6. Id. ibid.

peated