by his high carriage in this and other such
matters, had at length kindled a new War round him; and he then
soon found himself reduced to extremities again; chased to the Tyrol
Mountains, and obliged to comply with many things. New War, of quite
other emphasis and management than the Schmalkaldic one; managed by
Elector Moritz and our poor friend Albert Alcibiades as principals. A
Kaiser chased into the mountains, capable of being seized by a little
spurring;--"Capture him?" said Albert. "I have no cage big enough for
such a bird!" answered Moritz; and the Kaiser was let run. How he ran
then towards Treaty of Passau (1552), towards Siege of Metz and other
sad conclusions, "Abdication" the finale of them: these also are known
phases in the Reformation History, as hinted at above.

Here at Halle, in the year 1547, the great Kaiser, with Protestantism
manacled at his feet, and many things going prosperous, was at his
culminating point. He published his INTERIM (1548, What you troublesome
Protestants are to do, in the mean time, while the Council of Trent
is sitting, and till it and I decide for you); and in short, drove and
reined-in the Reich with a high hand and a sharp whip, for the time
being. Troublesome Protestants mostly rejected the Interim; Moritz and
Alcibiades, with France in the rear of them, took to arms in that way;
took to ransoming fat Bishoprics ("_Verbum Diaboli Manet_," we know
where!);--took to chasing Kaisers into the mountains;--and times came
soon round again. In all these latter broils Kurfurst Joachim II.,
deeply interested, as we may fancy, strove to keep quiet; and to
prevail, by weight of influence and wise counsel, rather than by
fighting with his Kaiser.

One sad little anecdote I recollect of Joachim: an Accident, which
happened in those Passau-Interim days, a year or two after that drawing
of the sword on Alba. Kurfurst Joachim unfortunately once fell through
a staircase, in that time; being, as I guess, a heavy man. It was in
the Castle of Grimnitz, one of his many Castles, a spacious enough old
Hunting-seat, the repairs of which had not been well attended to. The
good Herr, weighty of foot, was leading down his Electress to dinner one
day in this Schloss of Grimnitz; broad stair climbs round a grand Hall,
hung with stag-trophies, groups of weapons, and the like hall-furniture.
An unlucky timber yielded; yawning chasm in the staircase; Joachim and
his good Princess sank by gravitation; Jo