A QUIET TIME

In spite of the urgent entreaties of Gustavus and the pressing peril of
Magdeburg, the wavering Duke of Brandenburg could not bring himself
to join the Swedes. He delivered Spandau over to them, but would do no
more. The Swedish army accordingly marched to Berlin and invested his
capital. The duke sent his wife to Gustavus to beseech him to draw off
his army and allow him to remain neutral; but Gustavus would not listen
to his entreaties, and insisted, as the only condition upon which he
would raise the siege, that the duke should ally himself with him, and
that the troops of Brandenburg should join his army.

These conditions the duke was obliged to accept, but in the meantime his
long hesitation and delay had caused the loss of Magdeburg, which after
a gallant defence was stormed by the troops of Pappenheim and Tilly on
the 10th of May. The ferocious Tilly had determined upon a deed which
would, he believed, frighten Germany into submission; he ordered that no
quarter should be given, and for five days the city was handed over to
the troops.

History has no record since the days of Attila of so frightful a
massacre. Neither age nor sex was spared, and 30,000 men, women, and
children were ruthlessly massacred. The result for a time justified the
anticipations of the ferocious leader. The terrible deed sent a shudder
of horror and terror through Protestant Germany. It seemed, too, as if
the catastrophe might have been averted had the Swedes shown diligence
and marched to the relief of the city; for in such a time men were not
inclined to discuss how much of the blame rested upon the shoulders of
the Duke of Brandenburg, who was, in fact, alone responsible for the
delay of the Swedes.

Many of the princes and free towns which had hitherto been staunch to
the cause of Protestantism at once hastened to make their peace with
the emperor. For a time the sack of Magdeburg greatly strengthened the
Imperialist cause. No sooner did the news reach the ears of the Duke
of Brandenburg than his fears overcame him, and he wrote to Gustavus
withdrawing from the treaty he had made, and saying that as Spandau had
only been delivered to him in order that he might march to the relief of
Magdeburg he was now bound in honour to restore it.

Gustavus at once ordered Spandau to be evacuated by his troops, and
again marched with the army against Berlin, which he had but a few days
before left. Here he again dictated terms,