tant
princes. In the course of two years he drove the Danes from Silesia,
subdued Brandenburg and Mecklenburg, and, advancing into Pomerania,
besieged Stralsund.

"What a siege that was to be sure! Wallenstein had sworn to capture the
place, but he didn't reckon upon the Scots. After the siege had begun
Lieutenant General Sir Alexander Leslie, with 5000 Scots and Swedes,
fought his way into the town; and though Wallenstein raised fire upon
it, though we were half starved and ravaged by plague, we held out for
three months, repulsing every assault, till at last the Imperialists
were obliged to draw off; having lost 12,200 men.

"This, however, was the solitary success on our side, and a few months
since, Christian signed a peace, binding himself to interfere no more in
the affairs of Germany. When Ferdinand considered himself free to carry
out his plans, he issued an edict by which the Protestants throughout
Germany were required to restore to the Catholics all the monasteries
and land which had formerly belonged to the Catholic Church. The
Catholic service was alone to be performed, and the Catholic princes
of the empire were ordered to constrain their subjects, by force if
necessary, to conform to the Catholic faith; and it was intimated to the
Protestant princes that they would be equally forced to carry the edict
into effect. But this was too much. Even France disapproved, not from
any feeling of pity on the part of Richelieu for the Protestants, but
because it did not suit the interests of France that Ferdinand should
become the absolute monarch of all Germany.

"In these circumstances Gustavus of Sweden at once resolved to assist
the Protestants in arms, and ere long will take the field. That is
what has brought us here. Already in the Swedish army there are 10,000
Scotchmen, and in Denmark they also form the backbone of the force; and
both in the Swedish and Danish armies the greater part of the native
troops are officered and commanded by Scotchmen.

"Hitherto I myself have been in the Danish service, but my regiment is
about to take service with the Swedes. It has been quietly intimated to
us that there will be no objection to our doing so, although Christian
intends to remain neutral, at any rate for a time. We suffered very
heavily at Lutter, and I need 500 men to fill up my ranks to the full
strength.

"Now, Graheme, I quite rely upon you. You were at college with Hepburn,
Hume, and myself, and it will