Source:
The court and times of Charles the First, volume 2, page 200, published by Robert Folkestone Williams, 1848
The letter excerpt:
London, November 28, 1632.
I make no doubt, but that the common rumour hath already carried to your ears the doleful tidings of the lamentable death of that heroical King of Sweden, who hath buried his life in the most glorious, the most bloody victory, that hath been in Christendom these many years. The battle was fought the 6/16 and 7/17 of this month, between the towns of Leipsic, which Wallenstein had in his hands, and that of Naumberg, where the king had retrenched himself some four or five Dutch leagues distant the one from the other. Wallenstein having increased his army with Pappenheim's, Helke's, and Galas's forces, all imperial commanders, which could not make it less than 50,000 strong; and I think the king's army was little inferior to it in number, having the Duke of Weimar's and Gustavus Horne's forces with his. The fight began in the morning, between the king and Pappenheim, who held it out a long time against the king; but at length, he being killed with a cannon shot, his men were put to flight, and almost all cut in pieces, till that Wallenstein, coming about noon with his fresh army, stayed the king's pursuit, and set upon him with such a resolution, as that he maintained the fight with him all the afternoon, till at length some part of it began to give back, and to take to flight; but the other part made good the field, and kept it all night: which the next morning, being set upon by the king's forces, was also utterly defeated; so, as by common report, Wallenstein left there two third parts of his army, and the king no less than one half of his, together with his own person, which was more accounted of than many armies. He was killed the first day of the fight, with three musket-shots; and, as our advertisements do relate, lived thirty-six hours after. But the letters that are come this day out of France, do affirm that, he continuing still in the fight, after he had received all these wounds, was afterwards carried away with a cannon shot, and that his body remained amongst the rest of the dead till the victory was fully gotten. Wallenstein was carried out of the fight, in a litter, much hurt, to Leipsic, where he was presently besieged by the king's army; but what followed or happened since, we do not yet know. ...
With more modernised spelling:
London, November 28, 1632.
I make no doubt but that the common rumour hath already carried to your ears the doleful tidings of the lamentable death of that heroical King of Sweden, who hath buried his life in the most glorious, the most bloody victory, that hath been in Christendom these many years. The battle was fought the 6/16 and 7/17 of this month, between the towns of Leipzig, which Wallenstein had in his hands, and that of Naumburg, where the King had retrenched himself some four or five Dutch leagues distant the one from the other. Wallenstein having increased his army with Pappenheim's, Holk's, and Gallas's forces, all imperial commanders, which could not make it less than 50,000 strong; and I think the King's army was little inferior to it in number, having the Duke of Weimar's and Gustavus Horn's forces with his.
The fight began in the morning, between the King and Pappenheim, who held it out a long time against the King; but at length, he being killed with a cannon shot, his men were put to flight and almost all cut in pieces till that Wallenstein, coming about noon with his fresh army, stayed the King's pursuit, and set upon him with such a resolution, as that he maintained the fight with him all the afternoon till at length some part of it began to give back and to take to flight; but the other part made good the field, and kept it all night, which the next morning, being set upon by the King's forces, was also utterly defeated.
So, as by common report, Wallenstein left there two third parts of his army, and the King no less than one half of his, together with his own person, which was more accounted of than many armies. He was killed the first day of the fight, with three musket-shots; and, as our advertisements do relate, lived thirty-six hours after. But the letters that are come this day out of France do affirm that, he continuing still in the fight, after he had received all these wounds, was afterwards carried away with a cannon shot, and that his body remained amongst the rest of the dead till the victory was fully gotten. Wallenstein was carried out of the fight, in a litter, much hurt, to Leipzig, where he was presently besieged by the King's army; but what followed or happened since, we do not yet know. ...
French translation (my own):
Londres, le 28 novembre 1632.
Je ne doute pas que la rumeur commune ait déjà porté à vos oreilles la triste nouvelle de la mort lamentable de cet héroïque roi de Suède, qui a enseveli sa vie dans la victoire la plus glorieuse et la plus sanglante qui ait été dans la chrétienté ces de nombreuses années. La bataille eut lieu les 6/16 et 7/17 de ce mois, entre les villes de Leipsick, que Wallenstein avait entre ses mains, et celle de Naumbourg, où le roi s'était retranché à quelque quatre ou cinq lieues hollandaises de celle de l'autre. Wallenstein ayant augmenté son armée avec les forces de Pappenheim, Holk et Gallas, tous commandants impériaux, qui ne pouvaient en faire moins de 50 000 hommes; et je pense que l'armée du roi lui était peu inférieure en nombre, ayant les forces du duc de Weimar et de Gustave Horn avec les siennes.
Le combat commença le matin, entre le roi et Pappenheim, qui résista longtemps au roi; mais enfin, étant tué d'un coup de canon, ses hommes s'enfuirent et furent presque tous taillés en pièces jusqu'à ce que Wallenstein, venant vers midi avec sa nouvelle armée, empêcha la poursuite du roi et s'abattit sur lui avec une telle résolution qu'il maintint le combat avec lui tout l'après-midi jusqu'à ce qu'enfin une partie de l'armée commence à abandonner et à fuir; mais l'autre partie est restée sur le terrain et l'a gardée toute la nuit, qui le lendemain matin, attaquée par les forces du roi, a aussi été complètement vaincue.
Ainsi, selon le rapport commun, Wallenstein y laissa les deux tiers de son armée, et le roi pas moins de la moitié de la sienne, avec sa propre personne, qui était plus comptée que beaucoup d'armées. Il a été tué le premier jour du combat, avec trois coups de mousquet; et, comme le rapportent nos annonces, il a vécu trente-six heures après. Mais les lettres venues ce jour de France affirment qu'il, continuant encore le combat après avoir reçu toutes ces blessures, fut ensuite emporté par un coup de canon, et que son corps resta parmi le reste des morts jusqu'à la victoire était pleinement acquise. Wallenstein fut emporté du combat, en litière, très blessé, à Leipsick, où il fut bientôt assiégé par l'armée du roi; mais ce qui a suivi ou s'est passé depuis, nous ne le savons pas encore. ...
Swedish translation (my own):
London, den 28 november 1632.
Jag tvivlar inte på annat än att det allmänna ryktet redan har fört Era öron de bedrövliga tidender om den beklagliga döden av den heroiske konung av Sverige, som har begravt sitt liv i den härligaste, den blodigaste seger, som varit i kristenheten dessa många år. Slaget utkämpades den 6/16 och 7/17 denna månad, mellan städerna Leipzig, som Wallenstein hade i sina händer, och städerna i Naumburg, där konungen hade skjutit upp sig några fyra eller fem holländska ligor på avstånd från den den andra. Wallenstein hade ökat sin armé med Pappenheims, Holks och Gallas styrkor, alla kejserliga befälhavare, vilket inte kunde göra den mindre än 50,000 starka; och jag tror att konungens armé var föga underlägsen den i antal, och hade hertigen av Weimars och Gustav Horns styrkor med sina.
Striden började på morgonen, mellan konungen och Pappenheim, som länge höll ut mot konungen; men till sist, då han dödades med ett kanonskott, flydde hans män och skars nästan alla i bitar, tills Wallenstein, som kom omkring middagstid med sin friska armé, hindrade konungens förföljelse och satte på honom med ett sådant resolution att han kämpade med honom hela eftermiddagen tills till sist någon del av armén började ge upp och fly; men den andra delen stannade kvar på fältet och behöll den hela natten, som nästa morgon, när de attackerades av konungens styrkor, också blev helt besegrad.
Wallenstein lämnade alltså två tredjedelar av sin armé, som av allmänt känt, och konungen inte mindre än hälften av hans, tillsammans med sin egen person, som var mer ansedd än många arméer. Han dödades första dagen av kampen, med tre muskötskott; och, som våra avertissemanger berättar, levde han i trettiosex timmar efteråt. Men de brev som är idag komna utur Frankrike bekräftar att han, som fortfarande fortsatte i kampen efter att han hade fått alla dessa sår, sedan fördes bort av ett kanonskott och att hans kropp förblev bland de övriga döda tills segern var helt vunnen. Wallenstein fördes ur striden, på en bår, mycket sårad, till Leipzig, där han för närvarande belägrades av konungens armé; men vad som följde eller hände sedan, vet vi ännu inte. ...
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