n the ale-houses on Sunday of the war alarms in Bohemia,
about which he cared little; he bought indeed a flying-sheet of a
crafty dealer, or a satirical song on the outcast King of Bohemia; he
gave some of his bread and cheese to a fugitive from Prague or Budweis,
who came begging to his door, and shook his head as he listened to his
tale of horror. An official messenger brought into the village an order
from the sovereign, from which he found it was expected of him to
deliver into the city, money and provision for the newly raised
soldiers; he was indignant, and hastened to bury his treasures still
deeper. It soon, however, became clear that bad times were approaching
him also, for the money which he received in the town was very red, and
all goods were dear; thus he was involved in the wretched confusion
which after 1620 was brought upon the country by the coinage of bad
gold. He went no longer to the city, but kept his corn and meat at
home: he had constant disputes however with the townsmen and his
neighbours, because he wished to rid himself of the new gold in his own
payments, whilst he would receive only the good old money: his heart
was full of ominous forebodings. Thus it went on till the year 1623. He
then saw evil coming in another quarter; theft and burglary increased,
foreign vagabonds were often seen on the high-roads, trumpeters rushed
into the towns with bad news, hired soldiers, insolent and bragging,
drew up before his farm demanding entertainment, stole sausages, and
carried off his poultry in their knapsacks. _Defensioners_, the newly
raised country militia, galloped into the village, quartered themselves
upon him, demanded provisions, and molested him more than the rogues
whom they were to drive away from the cattle-sheds.

At last began--in Thuringia not till after 1623--the passage, of
foreign troops through his country, and the great sufferings of the war
fell upon him; foreign soldiers of strange appearance, reckless from
blood and battle, marched into his village, occupied his house and bed,
ill treated him and his, demanded provisions and other contributions
besides gifts, and broke, destroyed, or plundered whatever came before
their eyes. Thus it went on after 1626, worse and worse every year,
troop followed upon troop, more than one army settled itself round him
in winter quarters, the requisitions and vexations appeared endless.
The yeoman saw with dismay that the foreign soldier had the pow