ring and stealing, and the cantineers drove about
with their carts. In the camp the soldiers congregated in front of
their huts; meanwhile the women cooked, washed, mended the clothes and
squabbled together; there was constant tumult and uproar and bloody
crimes, fighting with bare weapons, and combats between the different
services or nations. Every morning the crier and the trumpet called to
prayer, even among the Imperialists; early on the Sunday the regimental
chaplain performed service in the camp, then the soldiers and their
households seated themselves devoutly on the ground, and it was
forbidden for any one during service to loiter and drink in the
canteens. It is known how much Gustavus Adolphus inculcated pious
habits and prayers; after his arrival in Pomerania he caused prayers to
be read twice a day in his camp, but even in his army, it was necessary
in the articles of war to admonish the chaplains against drunkenness.

In the open space in front of the main guard was the gambling ground,
covered with cloaks and set with tables, round which all the gamesters
crowded. There the card-playing of the old Landsknechte gave place to
the quicker games of the dice. The use of dice was frequently forbidden
in the camp, and stopped by the captain of the guard and the provost;
then the gamblers assembled privately behind the fence, and played away
their ammunition, bread, horses, weapons, and clothes, so that it was
found necessary to place them under the supervision of the main-guard.
Three square dice were rolled on each cloak or table, called in camp
language "_Schelmbeine_;" each set had its croupier; to him belonged
the cloak, table, and dice; he had the office of judge in cases of
dispute, and his share of the winnings, but also frequently of blows.
There was much cheating and cogging; many dice had two fives or sixes,
many, two aces or deuces, others were filled with quicksilver and lead,
split hair, sponge, chaff, and charcoal; there were dice made of
stags-horn, heavy below and light above, "_Niederlaender_,"[11] which
must be slid along, and "_Oberlaender_,"[12] which must be thrown "from
Bavarian Heights" for them to fall right; often the noiseless work was
interrupted by curses, quarrels, and flashing rapiers. Lurking
tradespeople, frequently Jews, slipped in, ready to value and buy up
the rings, chains, and booty staked.

Behind the tents of the upper officers and the regimental provost,
separated from th