That I, a faithful servant of the sovereign,
Had loaded on myself the people's curses,
And let the Princes of the empire pay
The expenses of this war, that aggrandizes
The Emperor alone-What thanks had I!
What? I was offered up to their complaints,
Dismissed, degraded !

Ques.

But your Highness knows What little freedom he possessed of action

In that disastrous diet.

Wal.

Death and hell!

I had that which could have procured him free

dom.

No! Since 'twas proved so inauspicious to me
To serve the Emperor at the empire's cost,

I have been taught far other trains of thinking
Of the empire, and the diet of the empire.
From the Emperor, doubtless, I received this staff,
But now I hold it as the empire's general-
For the common weal, the universal intʼrest,
And no more for that one man's aggrandizement !
But to the point. What is it that's desired of me?
Ques. First, his imperial Majesty hath willed.
That without pretexts of delay the army
Evacuate Bohemia.

Wal.

In this season ?

And to what quarter, wills the Emperor,
That we direct our course?

Ques.

To the enemy.

His Majesty resolves, that Regensburg

Be purified from the enemy, ere Easter,
That Luth'ranism may be no longer preached
In that cathedral, nor heretical

Defilement desecrate the celebration

Of that pure festival.

Already hath commanded Colonel Suys

To advance toward Bavaria !

Wal.

What did Suys?

Ques. That which his duty prompted. He ad

vanced!

Wal. What? he advanced! And I, his general, Had given him orders, peremptory orders, Not to desert his station! Stands it thus With my authority? Is this th' obedience Due to my office, which being thrown aside No war can be conducted? Chieftains, speak You be the judges, generals! What deserves That officer, who of his oath neglectful

Is guilty of contempt of orders?

Illo. [raising his voice, as all but ILLO had remained silent, and seemingly scrupulous.] Death. Wal. Count Piccolomini! what has he de

served?

Max Pic. [after a long pause.] According to the letter of the law,

Death.

Iso. Death.

But.

Death, by the laws of war. [QUESTENBERG rises from his seat, WALLENSTEIN follows; all the rest rise.

Wal. To this the law condemns him, and not I. And if I show him favour, 'twill arise

From the rev'rence that I owe my Emperor. Ques. If so, I can say nothing further-here!

Wal. I accepted the command but on conditions!

And this the first, that to the diminution
Of my authority no human being,

Not even the Emperor's self, should be entitled
To do aught, or to say aught, with the army.
If I stand warranter of the event,

Placing my honour and my head in pledge,
Needs must I have full mastery in all

The means thereto. What rendered this Gustavus
Resistless, and unconquered upon earth?

This that he was the monarch in his army !
A monarch, one who is indeed a monarch,
Was never yet subdued but by his equal.
But to the point! The best is yet to come.
Attend now, generals!

Ques.

The Prince Cardinal

Begins his route at the approach of spring From the Milanese; and leads a Spanish army

Through Germany into the Netherlands.

That he may march secure and unimpeded,

'Tis th' Emperor's will you grant him a detach

ment

Of eight horse-regiments from the army here. Wal. Yes, yes! I understand!-Eight regiments! Well,

Right well concerted, father Lamormain !

Eight thousand horse! Yes, yes! 'Tis as it should be!

I see it coming.

Ques.

There is nothing coming. All stands in front: the counsel of state-prudence, The dictate of necessity!

Wal.

What then?

What, my Lord Envoy? May I not be suffered
To understand, that folks are tired of seeing
The sword's hilt in my grasp : and that your court
Snatch eagerly at this pretence, and use
The Spanish title, to drain off my forces,
To lead into the empire a new army
Unsubjected to my control. To throw me
Plumply aside,-I am still too powerful for you
To venture that. My stipulation runs,
That all the Imperial forces shall obey me
Where'er the German is the native language.
Of Spanish troops and of Prince Cardinals

That take their route, as visitors, through the empire,

There stands no syllable in my stipulation.

No syllable! And so the politic court

Steals in a-tiptoe, and creeps round behind it :

First makes me weaker, then to be dispensed with,
Till it dares strike at length a bolder blow
And make short work with me.

What need of all these crooked ways, Lord En

voy!

Straight-forward, man! His compact with me

pinches

The Emperor. He would that I moved off!— Well!-I will gratify him!

[Here there commences an agitation among the Generals
which increases continually.

It grieves me for my noble officers' sakes!
I see not yet, by what means they will come at
The moneys they have advanced, or how obtain
The recompense their services demand.
Still a new leader brings new claimants forward,
And prior merit superannuates quickly.
There serve here many foreigners in th' army,
And were the man in all else brave and gallant,

I was not wont to make nice scrutiny

After his pedigree or catechism.

This will be otherwise, i' the time to come.

Well-me no longer it concerns.

[He seats himself.

Max Pic. Forbid it, Heaven, that it should

come to this!

Our troops will swell in dreadful fermentationThe Emperor is abused-it cannot be.

Iso. It cannot be; all goes to instant wreck. Wal. Thou hast said truly, faithful Isolani! What we with toil and foresight have built up, 5

VOL. III.