which the duke was forced to
agree to.

The Swedish army now marched to Old Brandenburg, thirty-four miles west
of Berlin, and there remained for some time waiting until some expected
reinforcements should reach it.

The place was extremely unhealthy, and great numbers died from malaria
and fever, thirty of Munro's musketeers dying in a single week. During
this time the king was negotiating with the Elector of Saxony and the
Landgrave of Hesse. These were the two most powerful of the Protestant
princes in that part of Germany, and Tilly resolved to reduce them to
obedience before the army of Gustavus was in a position to move forward,
for at present his force was too small to enable him to take the field
against the united armies of Tilly and Pappenheim.

He first fell upon the Landgrave of Hesse, and laid Thuringen waste with
fire and sword. Frankenhausen was plundered and burned to the ground.
Erfurt saved itself from a similar fate by the payment of a large sum of
money, and by engaging to supply great stores of provisions for the use
of the Imperial army. The Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel was next summoned
by Tilly, who threatened to carry fire and sword through his dominions
unless he would immediately disband his troops, pay a heavy contribution
and receive the Imperial troops into his cities and fortresses; but the
landgrave refused to accept the terms.

Owing to the unhealthiness of the district round Old Brandenburg,
Gustavus raised his camp there, and marched forward to Werben near the
junction of the Elbe with the Havel. He was joined there by his young
queen, Maria Eleonora, with a reinforcement of 8000 men, and by the
Marquis of Hamilton with 6200, for the most part Scotch, who had been
raised by him with the consent of Charles I, to whom the marquis was
master of the horse.

Werben was distant but a few miles from Magdeburg, and Pappenheim, who
commanded the troops in that neighbourhood, seeing that Gustavus was now
in a position to take the field against him, sent an urgent message to
Tilly for assistance; and the Imperial general, who was on the point of
attacking the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, at once marched with his army
and effected a junction with Pappenheim, their combined force being
greatly superior to that of Gustavus even after the latter had received
his reinforcements.

Malcolm had not accompanied the army in its march from Old Brandenburg.
He had been prostrated by fever, and although he