the
first striven to detach Philip from John Frederick, while in turn he was
expected by the Landgrave to strike in for a free Germany and a free
gospel against the Hungarian hussars and the black Spanish devils. When
the two Lutheran leaders parted in November, 1546, on no good terms,
Philip warned his son-in-law that the Elector was on the march against
him, but begged to intercede with Charles for a general peace. Maurice
would have no peace with his Ernestine cousins, but offered to use all
his influence on behalf of Philip, who must hasten to decide, for Buren
was "on his legs" and the Emperor was an obstinate man. From this moment
the Landgrave's irresolution was piteous; the negotiations crippled all
enterprise, and yet he could not persuade himself to abandon his ally,
although the natural expiry of the League of Smalkald on February 27,
1547, gave him a tolerable pretext. Maurice waxed impatient at the
recurring hesitation, at the perpetual amendment of all suggested terms:
Philip could not bargain with Charles as though he were a tradesman; he
need have no fear for religion, but he must make it clear to the Emperor
and Ferdinand that he was against John Frederick. Then came the defeat
of Muehlberg, which at least relieved Philip from obligations to his
late ally. It was now the surrender of his fortresses and his artillery
that he could not stomach, and the victory of Drakenberg raised his once
martial ardor to a final flicker.

The flicker died away, and at length Philip yielded to the pressure of
Maurice and Joachim of Brandenburg. Charles insisted on unconditional
surrender, but promised the mediators that punishment should not extend
to personal injury or perpetual imprisonment--this only, however, on
their pledge that Philip should not be informed of these limitations. It
was agreed that he should dismantle his fortresses with one exception,
surrender his artillery, and pay an indemnity, but that his territory
should remain intact and its religion undisturbed.

With Philip's surrender the war seemed virtually at an end. Magdeburg,
indeed, still held out, for fear of falling again under its Catholic
Hohenzollern Archbishop. There was no reason to believe that the city
would prove more courageous than its fellows. Charles did not dare spend
his four thousand Spaniards in the assault, but in this case
extravagance would have proved to be economy. When he knew his subject,
his opinion was usually well founde