the citizens.'

'Your name?'

'John Hillner of Struppen, near Pirna. Might I entreat your worship's
gracious influence on my behalf?'

'I am not yet acting-Burgomaster,' replied Schoenleben rather shortly.
'You must make your application to my brother in office, Burgomaster
Richzenhayn.'

'But your worship will be in office in two or three days,' persisted
Hillner, in a tone of entreaty. 'And when you are so, let me beg you
kindly to remember my request.'

'I'll take good care to see all about that,' muttered Juechziger to
himself. 'And thank you, Master Shavings, for giving me a handle to
catch hold of you by.'

Hillner's practised eye had not deceived him. The cavalry, between
seven and eight hundred in number, proved to belong to the enemy, and
sharply attacking the Saxon dragoons sent out to observe them,
compelled them to retire within the fortifications. Upon this the
commandant at once made all necessary preparations for defending the
town. Two companies of infantry, under Captain von Arnim, had charge
of the Peter Gate; Major Mueffel, with his own men and some others,
mounted guard at the Erbis and Donat Gates; Captain Badehorn, with the
City Guard, garrisoned the Electoral Castle and the Kreuz Gate,
together with the works and space that lay between. The remaining
citizens were told off to defend the posterns and walls, in which task
they were assisted by companies of country-people and journeymen of the
various city guilds armed in all haste. Some of these auxiliaries also
waited, drawn up in their ranks before the town hall, ready to march at
a moment's notice to any specially threatened point. To the brave and
faithful miners were assigned the most dangerous duties of all, such as
extinguishing the fires caused by shells, repairing the defences
wherever the enemy might destroy them, counter-working such mines as
should be directed against the town, and making sorties to destroy the
enemy's trenches and siege-works. When all the inhabitants capable of
bearing arms had been thus told off to their several duties, the old
men, women, and children were requested to observe the appointed hours
for prayer, and ask help from the Almighty in the city's time of need.

Marshal Torstenson appeared before Freiberg on December 29. He at once
took possession of the Hospital Church and a mansion near it, both of
these buildings lying at some little distance outside the Peter Gate;
here he planted a batte