little in his defense. To the horrors of this unequal and desperate
war were added those of famine; and the Jews, passing between the camp
and the city, brought a pest from the army into Mantua, which raged
with extraordinary violence among the hungry and miserable people. In
vain they formed processions, and carried the blood of Christ about
the city. So many died that there were not boats enough to bear them
away to their sepulture in the lakes, and the bodies rotted in the
streets. There was not wanting at this time the presence of a traitor
in the devoted city; and that this wretch was a Swiss will be a
matter of no surprise. The despicable valor of these republicans has
everywhere formed the best defense of tyrants, and their fidelity has
always been at the service of the highest bidder. The recreant was
a lieutenant in the Swiss Guard of the Duke; and when he had led the
Germans into Mantua, and received the reward of his infamy, two German
soldiers, placed over him for his protection, killed him and plundered
him of his spoil.

The sack now began, and lasted three days, with unspeakable horrors.
The Germans (then the most slavish and merciless of soldiers) violated
Mantuan women, and buried their victims alive. The harlots of their
camp cast off their rags, and robing themselves in the richest spoils
they could find, rioted with brutal insult through the streets, and
added the shame of drunken orgies to the dreadful scene of blood and
tears. The Jews were driven forth almost naked from the Ghetto. The
precious monuments of ages were destroyed; or such as the fury of the
soldiers spared, the avarice of their generals consumed; and pictures,
statues, and other works of art were stolen and carried away. The
churches were plundered, the sacred houses of religion were sacked,
and the nuns who did not meet a worse fate went begging through the
streets.

The imperial general, Aldringher, had, immediately upon entering the
city, appropriated the Ducal Palace to himself as his share of the
booty. He placed a strong guard around it, and spoiled it at leisure
and systematically, and gained fabulous sums from the robbery. After
the sack was ended, he levied upon the population (from whom his
soldiers had forced everything that terror and torture could wring
from them) four contributions, amounting to a hundred thousand
doubloons. This population had, during the siege and sack, been
reduced from thirty to twelve thousand; a