Excerpt from John Beaulieu's letter to Sir Thomas Puckering, dated December 12/22 (New Style), 1632

Source:

The court and times of Charles the First, volume 2, pages 207 to 208, published by Robert Folkestone Williams, 1848

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015025127815&view=1up&seq=213&q1=Sweden

The letter excerpt:

London, December 12-22, 1632.

I suppose you have been sufficiently informed by my former of the unfortunate death of that brave King of Swedeland, which is now daily confirmed from all parts, and that he died upon the field of a pistol-shot into the head, after he had received two musket-shots in other parts of his body. But that which made it so variously reported of was, the policy and care which the chief men of his army had to conceal it as long as they could, lest it should discourage their soldiers, and give advantage to their enemies, who suffered a greater loss in that battle than Dalbier reported, and were forced to leave the town of Leipsic four days after it, although they kept still the castle, which hitherto we do not hear that they have surrendered. ...

With more modernised spelling:

London, December 12-22, 1632.

I suppose you have been sufficiently informed by my former of the unfortunate death of that brave King of Swedeland, which is now daily confirmed from all parts, and that he died upon the field of a pistol shot into the head after he had received two musket shots in other parts of his body.

But that which made it so variously reported of was the policy and care which the chief men of his army had to conceal it as long as they could, lest it should discourage their soldiers and give advantage to their enemies, who suffered a greater loss in that battle than Dalbier reported and were forced to leave the town of Leipzig four days after it, although they kept still the castle, which hitherto we do not hear that they have surrendered. ...

French translation (my own):

Londres, le 12-22 décembre 1632.

Je suppose que vous avez été suffisamment informé par ma dernière lettre de la mort malheureuse de ce brave roi de Suède, qui est maintenant confirmée chaque jour de toutes regions, et qu'il est mort sur le champ de bataille d'un coup de pistolet dans la tête après avoir reçu deux coups de mousquet dans d'autres parties du corps.

Mais ce qui a fait que sa mort a été si diversement rapportée, c'est la politique et le soin que les chefs de son armée ont pris pour la cacher aussi longtemps qu'ils le pouvaient, de peur qu'elle ne décourage leurs soldats et ne donne l'avantage à leurs ennemis, qui ont subi une perte plus grande dans cette bataille que celle rapportée par Dalbier et ont été forcés de quitter la ville de Leipzig quatre jours plus tard, bien qu'ils aient conservé le château; jusqu'à présent, nous n'avons pas entendu dire qu'ils l'aient rendu. ...

Swedish translation (my own):

London, den 12-22 december 1632.

Jag antar att Ni genom mitt sista brev har blivit tillräckligt underrättad om den tappre konungen av Sveriges olyckliga död, som nu dagligen bekräftas från överallt, och att han dog på fältet av ett pistolskott i huvudet sedan han fått två muskötskott i andra delar av kroppen.

Men det som gjorde att hans död så skiftande rapporterades om var den politik och omsorg som hans armés chefer tog för att dölja den så länge de kunde, så att den inte skulle avskräcka deras soldater och gynna deras fiender, som led en större förlust i det slaget än Dalbier rapporterade och tvingades lämna staden Leipzig fyra dagar därefter, fastän de fortfarande behöll slottet; än så länge hör vi inte att de har överlämnat det. ...

Note: Dalbier = John Dalbier (born circa 1600, died 1648), a German professional soldier from the Rhineland who emigrated to England and fought in the Thirty Years' War and the War of the Three Kingdoms. He served with the Parliamentarian army during the First English Civil War before switching to the Royalist side during the Second English Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of St. Neots on July 10 or 11, 1648.

Excerpt from John Beaulieu's letter to Sir Thomas Puckering, dated November 25/December 5 (New Style), 1632

Source:

The court and times of Charles the First, volume 2, pages 203 to 204, published by Robert Folkestone Williams, 1848

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015025127815&view=1up&seq=209&q1=Sweden

The letter excerpt:

London, December 5, 1632.

Now, sir, concerning the woful news I wrote unto you by my last of that brave King of Sweden's loss, it is true that there are divers merchants upon the Exchange that offer yet to lay great wagers upon his life. But here, at court, we make no more doubt of his death, having it confirmed (besides the former informations out of the Low Countries and out of France) by the mouth of an eyewitness, to wit, of Dalbier, a man well known in those parts, who, as he reporteth, was in the battle, and came not from the camp till three days after, where he affirmeth that he saw the king's body; which, he saith, was found, after the victory, stripped and naked, amongst the rest of the dead, having his right arm broken with a musket-shot, and a pistol-shot in the body, which gave him his death's wound. And although this happened unto him almost an hour after the fight was begun, yet his men maintained it bravely afterwards five or six hours longer, till they had at length made themselves masters of the field and of the cannon of their enemies, which saved themselves by the favour of the night, there being not, as he reporteth, above five or six thousand dead on both sides upon the place.

What is become of Wallenstein and of his men, he cannot tell; but for those of the other party, he saith, that they presently swore an union amongst themselves for the maintaining of the cause, and revenging that brave king's death, unto whose queen they have taken an oath of obedience, having made Duke Bernard of Weimar general of his army, (who is highly commended for his valour showed in that battle) until by an assembly which they have appointed to be kept shortly at Ulm, there may be a better order taken for the governing and managing of the affairs.

And, as seldom a misfortune cometh single, the same Dalbier brought us also the sad news of the King of Bohemia's death, who died of the plague in the town of Mentz, a fortnight after the King of Sweden, for whom this court began to put on mourning on Sunday last, the king having expressed much sorrow for it, and sent presently Sir Francis Nethersole to his poor desolate sister to afford his best comfort in so great afflictions. ...

With more modernised spelling:

London, December 5, 1632.

Now, Sir, concerning the woeful news I wrote unto you by my last of that brave King of Sweden's loss, it is true that there are diverse merchants upon the Exchange that offer yet to lay great wagers upon his life. But here at court we make no more doubt of his death, having it confirmed (besides the former informations out of the Low Countries and out of France) by the mouth of an eyewitness, to wit, of Dalbier, a man well known in those parts, who, as he reporteth, was in the battle, and came not from the camp till three days after, where he affirmeth that he saw the King's body, which he saith was found after the victory, stripped and naked, amongst the rest of the dead, having his right arm broken with a musket shot and a pistol shot in the body, which gave him his death's wound.

And although this happened unto him almost an hour after the fight was begun, yet his men maintained it bravely afterwards five or six hours longer till they had at length made themselves masters of the field and of the cannon of their enemies, which saved themselves by the favour of the night, there being not, as he reporteth, above five or six thousand dead on both sides upon the place.

What is become of Wallenstein and of his men, he cannot tell; but, for those of the other party, he saith that they presently swore an union amongst themselves for the maintaining of the cause, and revenging that brave king's death, unto whose queen they have taken an oath of obedience, having made Duke Bernhard of Weimar general of his army (who is highly commended for his valour showed in that battle) until, by an assembly which they have appointed to be kept shortly at Ulm, there may be a better order taken for the governing and managing of the affairs.

And, as seldom a misfortune cometh single, the same Dalbier brought us also the sad news of the King of Bohemia's death, who died of the plague in the town of Mainz, a fortnight after the King of Sweden, for whom this court began to put on mourning on Sunday last, the King having expressed much sorrow for it and sent presently Sir Francis Nethersole to his poor desolate sister to afford his best comfort in so great afflictions. ...

French translation (my own):

Londres, le 5 décembre 1632.

Or, Monsieur, quant à la triste nouvelle que je vous ai écrite dans ma dernière lettre sur la perte de ce brave roi de Suède, il est vrai qu'il y a divers marchands à la Bourse qui offrent encore de gros paris sur sa vie. Mais ici à la cour nous ne doutons plus de sa mort, l'ayant confirmée (outre les premières informations des Pays-Bas et de France) par la bouche d'un témoin oculaire, à savoir Dalbier, homme bien connu dans ces contrées, qui, comme il le rapporte, était dans la bataille et n'en sortit du camp que trois jours après, où il affirme avoir vu le cadavre du roi, qu'il dit avoir été trouvé après la victoire, dépouillé et nu, parmi les autres morts, ayant le bras droit cassé d'un coup de mousquet et d'un coup de pistolet dans le corps, qui lui donna sa blessure mortelle.

Et quoique cela lui soit arrivé presque une heure après le début du combat, ses hommes le soutinrent bravement après cinq ou six heures encore jusqu'à ce qu'ils se fussent enfin rendus maîtres du champ de bataille et du canon de leurs ennemis, qui les sauvèrent par la faveur de la nuit, il n'y ayant pas, comme il le rapporte, plus de cinq ou six mille morts des deux côtés à cet endroit.

Ce qu'il est advenu de Wallenstein et de ses hommes, il ne peut le dire; mais, quant à ceux de l'autre parti, il dit qu'ils ont immédiatement juré une union entre eux pour le maintien de la cause et pour venger la mort de ce brave roi, à la reine duquel ils ont prêté serment d'obéissance, ayant nommé le duc Bernard de Weimar général de son armée (qui est hautement loué pour sa valeur montrée dans cette bataille) jusqu'à ce que, par une assemblée qu'ils ont fixée pour se tenir bientôt à Ulm, il puisse être pris un meilleur ordre pour le gouvernement et la gestion des affaires.

Et comme un malheur n'arrive guère seul, le même Dalbier nous apporta aussi la triste nouvelle de la mort du roi de Bohême, emporté de la peste dans la ville de Mayence, quinze jours après le roi de Suède, pour lequel cette cour commença à revêtir les vêtements de deuil dimanche dernier, le roi en ayant exprimé beaucoup de chagrin et ayant immédiatement envoyé le sieur Francis Nethersole à sa pauvre sœur dévastée pour lui apporter la meilleure consolation dans une si grande affliction. ...

Swedish translation (my own):

London, den 5 december 1632.

Nu, min herre, angående den bedrövliga nyheten jag skrev till Er i mitt senaste brev om den modige konungen av Sveriges förlust, är det sant att det finns olika köpmän på Exchange som fortfarande erbjuder sig att göra stora satsningar på hans liv. Men här vid hovet tvivlar vi inte längre på hans död, eftersom den bekräftas (förutom de tidigare uppgifterna från de låga länderna och från Frankrike) av ett ögonvittne, nämligen av Dalbier, en man välkänd i dessa trakter, som, som han rapporterar, var i striden och kom inte bort från lägret förrän tre dagar senare, där han bekräftar att han såg konungens lik, som han säger hittades efter segern, avklätt och naket, bland resten av de döda, med sin högra arm bruten av ett muskötskott och ett pistolskott i kroppen, vilket gav honom hans dödliga sår.

Och även om detta hände honom nästan en timme efter det att striden hade börjat, upprätthöll hans män den sedan tappert fem eller sex timmar längre tills de äntligen hade gjort sig till herrar över fältet och över sina fienders kanoner, som räddade sig själva genom nattens gunst. Det finns inte, som han rapporterar, fler än fem eller sex tusen döda på båda sidor på den platsen.

Vad det har blivit av Wallenstein och hans män kan han inte säga; men angående den andra partens, säger han, att de genast svor en förening sinsemellan för att upprätthålla saken och för att hämnas den tappre konungens död, till vars drottning de avlagt lydnadsed, efter att ha gjort hertig Bernhard av Weimar till general för hans armé (som är mycket berömd för sin tapperhet som visades i den striden) tills det, av en församling som de har utsett att hållas snart i Ulm, kan bli en bättre ordning för att styra och sköta angelägenheterna.

Och som en olycka sällan kommer ensam, förde samma Dalbier oss även den sorgliga nyheten om konungen av Böhmens död, som dog av pesten i staden Mainz, fjorton dagar efter Sveriges konung, för vilken detta hov började att ta på sig sorgekläder i söndags senast, efter att konungen uttryckt mycket sorg över det och omedelbart sände herr Francis Nethersole till sin stackars, förkrossade syster för att ge sin bästa tröst i en sådan stor lidande. ...

Notes: Dalbier = John Dalbier (born circa 1600, died 1648), a German professional soldier from the Rhineland who emigrated to England and fought in the Thirty Years' War and the War of the Three Kingdoms. He served with the Parliamentarian army during the First English Civil War before switching to the Royalist side during the Second English Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of St. Neots on July 10 or 11, 1648.

Friedrich V (born 1596), Elector Palatine of the Rhine in the Holy Roman Empire from 1610 to 1623 and King of Bohemia from 1619 to 1620 until his forced abdications, died from a "pestilential fever" at Deinschwang on November 19/29 (New Style), 1632, leaving behind ten surviving children and his widow, Elizabeth Stuart (1596-1662), the daughter of King James VI of Scotland and I of England (1566-1625) and Anne of Denmark (1574-1619). Friedrich's heir was his fifteen year old son Karl Ludwig (1617-1680), and his younger brother, Ludwig Philipp of Simmern-Kaiserslautern (1602-1655), served as the boy's regent until he came of age.

Excerpt from John Beaulieu's letter to Sir Thomas Puckering on the rumoured news of Gustav Adolf's death, dated November 18/28 (New Style), 1632

Source:

The court and times of Charles the First, volume 2, page 200, published by Robert Folkestone Williams, 1848

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015025127815&view=1up&seq=206&q1=Sweden

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. ...