And by this time Count Mansfeild with the King of Bohemia , had dispatcht those poore Companies aforesaid ( which lay in their way , ) and were at their heeles too : So that the Arch-Duke Leopoldus being so hotly pursued by a greater Armie , and by the Count Mansfeild , who hath still had the master fortune of him , was forced to take the Rhine ; ouer which , with some of those which were neerest to him , he wasted himselfe ; and it is said he escaped so narrowly , that Count Mansfeild was within halfe an houre of taking his Person . One part of his Armie which thought to haue passed the Rhine at Drusenheim , about the eighth or ninth of May , were cut off , and about 2000 Boats , Punts , and Rhine ships were taken ; in which the Mansfeildians themselues passed , and on the other side , got great booty , which euery man had , that got . Leopold thought to rallee together his Armie which passed the Rhine , and to seeke to ioyne with Tillye and goe into the Mark graue of Badens Country , or to Fryburgh to seeke the enemie : But the Mansfeildians pursuing them ouer the Rhine too , he with all speed retired into his owne Alsatia , & Brisgoia , as some of his companies that escaped with the first , did into Zabern , Dachstein , Moltzheim , and other walled Towns thereabouts : some sixe Cornets of horse got into a Wood , neither did Colonell Obertraut thinke it safe to set vpon them there , but he went into Strasburgh there by , and only kept the Countrie about it , and waited for their comming forth . And there for three daies they kept themselues safe enough , which they could not haue done in a plain & open field : For the defendants haue this aduantage of the Assaylants in a Wood , That they neede not feare either ambush or surprise ; but the Assaylant is rather warie to enter those thickets for feare of falling himselfe into an Ambuscado . Then again , against an Armie in a Wood , the enemy can haue small vse of his horse ; and the trees and bushes make his Pikes mostly vnseruiceable too . As for shot , they may goe a birding if they please , for any great good they can doe , for they shall be sure to hit more trees then men : whereas the defendants may better vse their Armes ; for their body of Pikes may be orderly rang'd , and may make a firme stand , and are not cumbred with carrying and entangling them among the trees , but neede no more but charge them vpon the Assaylants ; and euery tree againe , is as good as a towre for a Musquetier , from behind which he may at pleasure and in safetie almost discharge ; and the tree serues him for a Rest too : so that an Armie there , feares nothing but firing the Coppis about their eares , or to be famisht if they be so round beset , that their horse cannot get out on the backe side to fetch in releefe ; and this want of victuals was the aduantage which Count Mansfeild had of them : For when the souldiers had eate vp their victuals which they brought with them in their knapsacks , and drunke out all their water out of their bottels , or ( those that had it ) their wine out of their Borachoes ; there was no stay for them in a desart succourlesse Forrest ; so that hunger which breakes through stone wals , and feares no worse enemie then it selfe , made some of them rather out of stomacke then courage , to aduenture forth ; and sending a Trumpet to Strasburgh to offer their seruice to that State , came with their troupes within a Musquet shot of the Towne , and there quietly expected their answer : The Burghers , though they had no neede of horsemen , yet curteously sent them out bread and wine for themselues , and oats for their horses : with which , while they made merry , a younger Prince of the house of Saxony ( a man though not in any entertainment , yet friend to the Emperour ) being then in Strasburgh , went out to them , perswading with Colonel Moüder their chiefe Commander , to returne to Leopoldus seruice ; which the braue Colonell Obertraut hearing of , sent out of Strasburgh & tooke the Prince prisoner , & sent him to Hagenaw , whence we heare , he is to be sent to vs to Manhem : Hereupon the whole sixe Cornets yeelded to Obertraut , and tooke the oath to serue the King of Bohemia , and rent Leopoldus Ensignes , and receiued the Kings Colours . They gaue notice also of sixe Cornets of horse more , and one Company of foote which would doe likewise : of which wee haue not yet heard .

While these things went thus with them , another part of Leopoldus Armie had got into Lichtenaw , and fortifide it ; these were some few Companies of foote , with fiue peeces of Ordnance , which they brought from Hagenaw ; but by letters from some of themselues the 12 of this May , it appeares they were so weake , that they feare the Marquesse of Badens comming vpon them , who ( though he hath receiued an ouerthrow & lost his baggage and Canon , which he hath not yet recouered ) hath now made ouer his Countrie to his Sonne , and hath rallyed the scatterd Regiments of his Armie together , and hath againe taken on those Companies which he cast before , and sworne them in the name of the King of Bohemia , so that he is sixe or 7000 foote , and 1500 or 2000 horse in the field againe , and resolues once more to try his fortune .

And thus you heare what is become of the Arch-Dukes men . One thing I had forgot , which was this , That when he rose from Hagenaw , he for haste left behind him one Morter , and two Wagons laden with Granades 250 Centeryes ( hundred weights ) of powder , 150 of match , and some other munition , which he put into a little village hard by , with a guard of 80 Musquetiers , who quickly yeelded what they were not able to keepe . It seemes the Arch-Duke wanted horse to draw away his Canon , and was faine to take those out of his Wagons , which should haue carryed away his Ammunition , which he had rather leaue behind him then the other : for he thought it would haue bene a great dishonour to him , to haue lost his Canon ; and the King of Bohemia was as well content with the match , powder , and shot , which he left ; for he had more neede of that , then of peeces .

And thus , Sir , haue I related the siege of Hagenaw , with what followed after the raising of it : one part of Leopoldus Armie being slaine in the way by the Mansfeildians , comming to releeue the Towne ; others in their Trenches , by the towne Garrison sallying out ; others drowned and slaine in passing the Rhine ; a second part got home with their Generall ; a third part is entertained by vs ; and a fourth part in a weake Towne in feare of the Marckgraue of Baden ; The Arch-Duke himselfe hardly escaping : his whole Armie thus vtterly defeated , he hath no power of a while to make head againe .

What the King of Bohemia will next doe , was not resolued vpon the tenth of this moneth ; only , that he obserues which way Tillye and the Spaniards will stirre , that he may ( if it please God to strengthen him ) be with his other enemies , as he hath beene with the Leopoldians . What next happens , you shall euery weeke ( if conueniencie of Messengers serue ) be faithfully certified of God grant you heare no worse newes .

About the same time , newes was brought vs out of the Bishop of Cullens Countrie , of the braue exploits of young Brunswicke , whom the Germanes for his courage , vigour , and spirit , call the Dul Hertzog Van Brunswick , that is , the Mad Duke of Brunswick . This young Imp of Mars , being trained vp vnder the discipline of that famous old Souldier , the Prince of Orange his kinsman , as you cannot but haue heard , and being brother to the present Duke of Brunswicke , who hauing no hope of Issue , this is held to bee his heyre apparent and successour , who though he were like to be a Prince of the Empire , could not yet be discouraged from this enterprise , with that vulgar feare , That if he declared himselfe so farre against the Emperour , that he would giue away his Dukedome , but hath vowed for his Cozens sake the Queene of Bohemia , to spend the last drop of his bloud . And how the Emperor is like to deale with him , you may perceiue by this passage : In that the young Duke , being Bishop of Halberstadt ( a Common thing in Germany for Princes second brothers or sonnes , to get those greater Bishoprickes ) the Emperour sent some Commissioners to gather vp his reuenues ; Which the King of Denmarke ( as t is said ) hearing of , sent to them , telling them , that his Cozen before he had engaged himselfe in that action , had made ouer the profits of his Bishopricke to him , and if they did not leaue them to his ordinary Officers to receiue , he himselfe would come and fetch them . But this Duke , notwithstanding these feares both in the present and future , hath kept foule quarter this spring in the Prince Archbishop Elector of Cullens Countrie , which both lay in his way , betweene the Low-Countries whence he came , and the Palatinate , whither he purposed to march ; & also , this Bishop is brother to the Duke of Bauaria , to whom the King of Bohemia is next heyre : for t is generally held , that the Bauarian is like to leaue no issue , and therefore is his brother of Cullen , though a Bishop , yet kept by dispensation from Rome , out of Orders , that he may marry if neede be , and so to keepe the Palatinate of Bauaria from falling to the Palatinate of the Rhine , which will ( and especially in these times ) make the Palsgraue too great a Prince for the Empire to endure . And these are apparent reasons of the spoyling of the Country , which hath beene much forraged and harassed by the Duke of Brunswick , who hath enforced the Bishop to forsake his Countrie , and to make the very towne of Cullen it selfe to giue him Contribution to pay his Souldiers .

But to come to what is newly and lastly done ; t is said that vpon this Assembly of Ambassadors at Bruxels , who consult for a peace in the Empire , and treat about a Rendition of euery Countrie to its owne Prince ; that this young Spirit was sent vnto by some , to lay down his Armes while they treated of a peace : his answer was said to be to this effect ; That his Armes were in his hand , and if they would haue him lay them downe , let them come and take them out of his hands : Which it seemes Count Henry Vandenberg was sent to do ; whom Spinola sent out with about 17. troupe of horse after him : who following him with long marches , and the Duke going further vp the Countrie , to finde a commodious place to encampe in , that he might not seeme to flee , sent word as t is said to Vandenberg , that he did not flee , but would abide him battell and fight with him : But t is generally held by good Captains , that he had beene then in great danger , as hauing the Baron of Anhault , who is the Arch-bishops Generall on one side , and Vandenberg with his olde troupes on the other side : But that fierie stratagem ( of which I am sure you cannot but heare better then we ) of the Prince Henry of Nassaw , in burning the Countrie about Brussels , euen in the sight of the Arch-Duchesse and Spinola himselfe , hath deliuered him . For Spinola perceiuing this to be done by horse-men , whom he could not oppose or keepe from such another exploit , but by a power of horse , was enforced to send for his horse backe to looke to all at home .

Brunswick being thus beyond expectation freed of Vandenberg , with his whole forces sets vpon his other enemy the Baron of Anhalt , whom though he had sometime before defeated , yet he hoping well to enclose him betwixt himselfe and Vandenberg , was bold to make head and appeare in the field againe ; but to his losse againe : for the Duke ioyning battell with him , ouerthrew him , and made himselfe so much master of the field , that he had leisure both to fortifie three of the best townes thereabouts which he had taken in , and to garrison and victuall them ; and also cleered his passage towards the Palatinate , to ioyne with his Couzen the King of Bohemia , and Count Mansfeild ; I suppose the people of Cullen were not altogether sorry for Anhalts ouerthrow ; for though to the disaduantage of the cause in generall Brunswick had made his way by the sword throgh their Countrie ; yet for their particular they could not but be glad when they heard he was passed the Rhine ; for by this meanes they were freed of a powerfull and chargeable enemie ; for t is reported , that he is come out of their Countrie with thirty Tunne of Dollars : him we expect daily amongst vs ; and whether the King and Count Mansfeild will hold it fit to keepe him with them , they thinking they haue enough forces together already , to regaine the Palatinate ; or whether they will direct him some other course to fall vpon some other Countrie , which hath aided the Spaniards , and Bauaria in this warre ; which being most likely , you may guesse as we doe . What is done I purpose to certifie you from time to time : For this Summer though it should proue as cold as the last , is likely to be heat with fire , not from the Sunne , but the Canon : and the Earth ( t is feared ) is like to be wet with as many showers of bloud , as it was the last yeare with raine . God grant ( if he hath appointed it so ) that the right veine may be opened : although euen all good Protestants , I hope , could desire God rather to giue vs peace then victorie .

Now Sir , to acquaint you briefly with the estate of euery particular Army about the Palatinate ; The Kings Army is much encouraged by his owne personall and braue resolution , being one still himselfe in all aduentures ; so that now those Libellers , who after the defeat at Prague , sent out a Picture of a Postillian or a Post ryding vp and downe , enquiring for the forlorne ( that is , the lost ) Palatine , may now finde him in the head of his Troopes ; and might of late haue seene him pursuing his Enemies : so that now the lost Palatine is found , hauing beene thus long , not so much fled , as giuen way rather to the necessity of the times , and not hidden at the Hagh thus long ; but all the while trained vp vnder that famous , great , old , & experienced Soldier , his Vnckle the Prince of Orange , from whom he is now come to a braue Army of Twenty Thousand foot , and Fiue Thousand Horse well appointed , well payd , flesht in the blood of their Enemies , Masters of the field : and which is worth halfe an Army , led by that Generous and Victorious Count Mansfield ; A man whom all the world hath giuen for lost , whom onely his owne vertue , worth and spirit haue raysed to this Command and same . So that wee all here conceiue , that God hath reserued him , and lifted him out of the dust , meerely or mostly to shew himselfe to be the Lord of Hosts , and that it is only in his power to deliuer by the vnlikeliest meanes ; so that wee hope , that he , who could doe thus much out of nothing , will out of thus much , doe any thing : And he is now gone out of the Palatinate , into Dermstadt , an enemies Countrey betweene this and Franckford ; where the Duke of Brunswicke is the 26. of this month of May , to meet with him . What martiall exploits shall next be atcheiued , the next packet shall tell you . The Marquesse of Baden is to follow the King of Bohemia with his Army within two dayes .

As for our English Companies , they are thus diuided : Noble Captaine Borroughes who so brauely defended Franckendale against the Spanyards , is for his good seruice gouernor of the Towne , where he now is with my Lord of Essex , and Captaine Ralph Vanes Companies . Sir Garret Herbert , and our famous Enginer captaine Dexter , are in Heidelbergh . My Lord Generall Vere himselfe , with his owne , and sixe Companies more , are in this strong Towne of Manhem , which is situated vpon these two great Riuers the Rhine , and the Neckar , which there meet as if to make the Towne inuincible . Colonell Grayes regiment is with Count Mansfield . Now for our enemies , they are at this point : Gonsales Cordoua the Spanish Generall , like an old Foxe , keepes close in Oppenheim , which he fortifies , as if he meant rather to lurke there , then appeare in the field , as t is verily beleeued he purposes not to doe ; His Garrison at Vdenheim hath lately surprised two weake Townes , Brussell , and Rottenbergh , through the negligence of the Gouernors , but they are of no importance .