T Is an old saying , No man has peace longer than he please his enemy . How true it is , his Majesty of Swedeland these late yeers hath had experience , and yet daily has , to his great damage . For although since his raigne , he has not been more carefull of any thing , than to conserve love & amity with all his neighbours , and specially the States of Germany , whereby peace and tranquility might flourish every where , commerce and other Trades in time of peace be put in use for the benefit of each Nation , yet could he not obtaine any thing , but that greater treacheries were plotted against him yeare by yeare , by those disturbers of the common Peace , which had with fire and sword wasted almost all Germany . His Majesty indeed was long since advised , and that not by a few of the States of Germany , that he should looke to himselfe betimes , while the fire was yet burning in high Germany ; and should not expect they would be ere a whit more friendly to him if they came neerer : but that he should presently take armes , come into Germany , and by a joint power help to quench the flame : being assured , his owne house was in danger , if his neighbours were on fire . Neither did his Majesty want then , either a good occasion ; the imitation of the inhabitants , the instigation of forraigners : or a just cause ; his friends and confederates oppressed , who so earnestly required his ayd and succour . Yet because he alwaies hoped , they would at length be more moderate , than so madly to insult on his poore harmlesse neighbourhood ; measuring their actions by his owne disposition , he chose rather to commend his owne welfare awhile to Gods goodnesse , and the uprightnesse of his owne conscience , than to doe any thing rashly or unadvisedly .

But when Anno 1626. in those warres between him and the King and Kingdome of Polonia , he went into Prusia a province of that Kingdome , and beganne more neerely to observe , what he might promise himselfe of those Incendiaries of Germany : he then found the advice of his friends was true , and the neerer his enemies came to the provinces bordering on the Baltique Sea , the more and greater every day occasions of quarrell were still pickt against him . For first the same yeere against the law of Nations , they intercepted and broke open his Majesties packet to the Prince of Transylvania , put the Messenger in prison , and to get his Majesties ill will , publisht his Letters in a forged translation . Then , when there was good hope of composing those long controversies betweene Sweden and Poland by friendly treaties ; Commissioners of each Kingdome meeting yeere by yeere : yet those turbulent spirits so wrought by their Letters and Messengers , againe and againe into Poland , that there should be no peace with Swedeland , till they had workt their owne ends in the Empire ; hoping that the Princes of Germany being brought in subjection , the Pole would intreat their helpe for the subduing of Swedeland . And that they might bee as good as their words , and by all meanes possible , weaken Swedeland and strengthen the Pole , they did not onely hinder his Majesty of bringing men and munition out of Germany , and yet gave way to the Pole for the same , being his enemy : but also , when this seem'd too little ( for elsewhere and out of Germany it selfe in despight of them his Majesty had souldiers enow ) presently the next yeere 1627. they sent the Duke of Holsteyn with a great Army against him into Prusia : and that not under his owne or the Poles , but under the Emperours Standard .

Nor yet were they content with this hostitity , but to deprive the Kingdome of Sweden of all commerce with men , they not onely unjustly spoild his Majesties poore subjects comming on the German shoare to trade , taking away their commodities , and confiscating their Shippes : but also did the same too by their agents at Lubeck and the other Hans-townes , under colour indeed to reserve those commodities for them onely ; but indeed , that they might take them from the subjects of the Kingdome of Swedeland , and so by this meanes get a Navy together , whereby they might belch out their venome upon the Baltique Sea : as the next yeere following they more openly made knowne under those monstrous titles of Generall of the Seas , and by possessing themselves as well of the inland places of strength , as of the Sea coast and ports of all Mechleburg and Pomerania .

All which let a man , that can , thinke should have been put up , and to avoid medling in other mens matters , might have been past over , as long as they kept themselves in the Continent : but after that they made choise of the Soundt for harbor of their Pyracy , and spread themselves upon the Sea : by how much t was a greater prejudice to all States that any way traded in those parts , by so much the lesse was it to be endured by the Kings of Swedeland : specially since the guard of those Seas have anciently belonged to those Kings .

Now when his Majesty grew so much the warier , aswell by the consideration of these injuries , as the former advises of his friends , and the next spring againe passed over into Prusia , thinking of nothing more , than to accommodate these inconveniences in a faire course : It happened that there came Ambassadours to his Majesty into Prusia from the Towne of Stralsund , who grievously complained , that although their poore Towne had committed nothing either against the Emperour , or Empire , or any State of the Empire , for which it was so farre from being ever cited or accused , or convicted , or condemned , that it was declared innocent by the Imperiall decree , and assured of the raising of the Army that lay before it , notwithstanding such was the villany of the enemies army , that in derision of its innocence , in despight of the Imperiall constitutions and priviledges , in contempt of Arnheimbius truce made with those of Pomerland , in neglect of many other treaties of former times ( by all which they thought they were most safely provided for ) nor yet considering the unjust exaction and payment of so much money , gifts and presents , nor the breach of both religious and politick peace : notwithstanding all these , the said Armie principally wasted the Countrey adjoyning , built forts about the Towne , surprized the Iland Dehnholm lying over against the harbour , without any denouncing of hostility , and fortified it to their prejudice ; blockt up all the passages forward and backward from the Continent into Rugia , from the Towne into the continent ; deluded the Citizens with many mock-treaties , commanded them Garrisons when they had been exhausted with huge payments , required their harbour and Ships and Ordnance : and when at length they were denyed all these by the free Citty , they closely besieged the Towne , and most unworthily persecuted it with fire and sword even to the last .

When as then the Emperours edicts tooke no place , the Duke of Pomerland forsooke them , and they were given for lost by the Hans-townes : by the law of Nations , by vertue of their liberties , and after the example of their Ancestours , they being forc't to entreat helpe from a forraigne power , till this suddaine tempest was overpast , they entertained , and but a while , the troopes of the King of Denmarke , being ready at hand , for the withstanding the furiousnesse of this first assault . And lest this afterward might prove prejudiciall to them , as if they had joyned with the Emperours enemies , they had no other fairer or readier course , than to put their liberties under protection of the King of Swedeland as an indifferent and confederate Prince .

His Maje . therfore of Swedeland , considering specially , that his friends could not now promise any good to themselves from the vast projects of so hostile an Army : with all observing that the request of this afflicted Towne was grounded both on God and mans Law ; and upon that bond of observance and neighbourhood , of the same religion and liberty , and free trade , wherein they were alwaies devoted as to his predecessours the Kings and Kingdome of Swedeland , so unto himselfe : and lastly , in what danger not onely himselfe , and the Kingdome of Swedeland , but all the neighbouring States be , if any private mans ambition should set up a Rendevous for Pyrates in this harbour : He could not by any meane refuse , but send ayd to the oppressed , that so earnestly desired his helping hand , both for his friends and neighbours sake , as also for his owne safeguard and the publike peace .

By which resolution of his , though it came to passe , that both Caesars edicts had their full authority ; and the Baltique Sea was yet safe for all Nations that had any commerce with it ; and the Towne of Stralsund by meanes of Majesties friendly mediation , was freed from the Garrisons of the King of Denmarke ( at that time being enemies ) and was restored both to his owne liberty and the Roman Empire ( as those treaties with the Citie concerning this matter doe plainely manifest ) yet was it so farre from obtaining that these disturbers of the Peace would remit any thing of their hostile attempts and designes , that they were the more afterward inraged , & set upon its utter ruine both by Sea and land . For when they saw themselves put beside that harbour , they set upon Wismar and other ports : nor were they content with their owne , but called a Navy from Dantz enemies of Swedeland , to joyne with them , and began so to rob on that Sea , that his Majesty at last was forc't , if hee would have his Sea and trading safe , to blocke them up there with his owne Navy at his great cost and dammage , untill that yeere were safely past .

And that his Majestie of Swedeland might not remit any of his care and study of the peace and quiet of these nations , but trie all meanes to bring them to a friendly agreement : as soone as he heard of a meeting appointed at Lubeck in the beginning of the yeare 1629. for treating a peace betweene the Emperour and the King of Denmarke , he thought fit also to send his Embassadours thither , who might both accommodate this businesse of the Towne of Stralsund , and compose other jealousies hence arisen ; and withall what they could by their mediation bring the treatie it selfe to a good end . For he thought with himselfe , that since most of those jealousies grew by occasion of the warre betweene the Emperour & the king of Denmarke , there could bee no peace concluded with the King of Denmarke , if Stralsund were excluded , nor yet that Citie bound to any conditions , if it selfe were not comprehended ; by reason of mutuall treaties with that towne of that matter .

But though the K. of Denmarke willingly admitted of this Ambassage , and the other party was as friendly desired to doe the same , yet was his Majesties faire carriage so requited , that his solemne Ambassage was not onely received , or vouchsafe any answere so much as by letters , but withall had the repulse with a strange affront : and was commanded upon peril of what might befall them , to forbeare not onely Lubecke , but the whole continent of Germany also .

Which one affront , though it has ever beene esteemed by all nations worthy of the highest revenge , and there was no cause but that the sharpest remedies should be used : yet seeing the Emperours Commissioners , in March after , the King of Swedens were called home , tooke notice of his Majesties letters of Embassage by other letters , wherein by way of excuse they seemed to mollifie the harshnesse of their former sentence his Majestie also was willing to thinke it proceeded rather from some bad Counsellours than a publike resolution : and would not yet thinke it sufficient , though layd to the former , to put two States in a combustion of warre . Specially since the Commissioners withall signified that they had no commission to treate with any but the King of Denmarke : although they certainely knew , that if the matter might be referred to the Emperour or Duke of Fridland , they should receive such an answere as would give satisfaction .

And now his Majestie thought it not fit to let his patience so many wayes wronged , hee farther abus'd by such scornefull proceedings ; withall considered whether or no , and how the partie injured might referre the businesse to the Emperour ( betweene whom & the Emperour there was not formerly wont to be any such correspondence ) all the passages in the Empire being stopt , and the meeting at Lubecke now drawing to an end . Yet lest any labour might bee spared , or difficultie hinder the publike good , all considerations to the contrary layd aside , his Majestie was at length so farre perswaded by the Parliament of Swedeland , that presently in April he should not only write to the Colledge of Electors , ( the maine pillar of the Romane Empire , whom such proceedings with forreine Princes was thought much to displease ) and wish them to advise of some convenient remedies , but should also consent , that there should be one sent from the same Parliament to the Generall of the Armie , to trie whether those controversies which were risen betweene the two Armies might not bee taken up by a meeting of both . Presently there was dispatcht his Majesties Chamberlaine the Lord Steno Bielke , Lord Baron in Krokenem , with Commission that if hee found the adverse partie inclined to peace , he should cause a cessation of Armes for the Citie of Stralsund , untill further preparatives for a treaty being dispatcht more Commissioners should follow , which should make a finall end of the whole matter .

But when at the beginning of the Spring he came to Stralsund , and found all things worse : former hostilities not onely not layd aside , but daily increased with new ones : Stralsund oftimes since assaulted , all the Ports ready provided to rob the Sweden Sea : and that which is most detestable , a compleate Armie , without any denouncing of warre sent a second time into Prusia , and that under the conduct of Arnhembius , the Emperours Marshall of the field . This sudden change as t was fit , stopt his farther proceedings . Yet that he would not altogether neglect his instructions , hee wrote to the Duke of Fridland , for what cause hee was dispatcht , protested against the injurie of the Armie , and required both it and other hostilities might bee stopt , if the answere of the Commissioners of Lubecke should goe for honest .

But the Duke of Fridland was so far from recalling his Armie , or shewing any readinesse to treat ; that for greater scorne , hee made it good that the answers of his under-commissioners were but plaine mockings : contending that hee could not call backe his Armie , chiefly because the Emperour had so many soldiers , that he was faine to disburthen himselfe by this Armie of Arnhembius , & therefore sent him not without cause to his friend the King of Poland against Swedeland . Neyther beside this would hee answer any thing more to the purpose to the iterated demands of the Embassadour : But made the said Armie hasten their journey , who fought so eagerly all the last Summer in Prusia against his Majestie and kingdome of Sweden , that except God the just avenger of all villany , had turnd their wicked designes on their owne heads , his Majestie and kingdome of Swedeland with all their friends had beene in no small danger .