The Thirty Years' War - James Aitken Wylie

in the camp of Mansfeld, and swept away half his
army, amid revolting horrors. Brunswick had no
better fortune than his companion. He was overtaken
by Tilly on the Dutch frontier, and
experienced a tremendous defeat. During the
winter that followed, the two generals wandered
about with the remains of their army, and a few
new recruits, whom they had persuaded to join
their banners, but they accomplished nothing save
the terror they inspired in the districts which they
visited, and the money given them by the
inhabitants, on the condition of their departure with
their banditti.
Charles I having now succeeded his father on
the throne of England, the war was resumed on a
larger scale, and with a more persistent energy. On
the 9th of December, 1625, a treaty was concluded
at the Hague between England, Holland, and
Denmark, for opposing by joint arms the power of
Hapsburg, and reinstating the Elector Frederick.[5]
It was a grave question who should head the
expedition as leader of its armies. Proposals had
been made to Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, but at
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