was the fatalest blow to Ferdinand, and which he could never recover.

Accordingly the Diet was held at Leipsic, February 8, 1630, where the
Protestants agreed on several heads for their mutual defence,
which were the grounds of the following war. These were the famous
Conclusions of Leipsic, which so alarmed the emperor and the whole
empire, that to crush it in the beginning, the emperor commanded Count
Tilly immediately to fall upon the Landgrave of Hesse and the Duke of
Saxony as the principal heads of the union; but it was too late.

The Conclusions were digested into ten heads:--

1. That since their sins had brought God's judgments upon the whole
Protestant Church, they should command public prayers to be made to
Almighty God for the diverting the calamities that attended them.

2. That a treaty of peace might be set on foot, in order to come to a
right understanding with the Catholic princes.

3. That a time for such a treaty being obtained, they should appoint
an assembly of delegates to meet preparatory to the treaty.

4. That all their complaints should be humbly represented to his
Imperial Majesty and the Catholic Electors, in order to a peaceable
accommodation.

5. That they claim the protection of the emperor, according to the
laws of the empire, and the present emperor's solemn oath and promise.

6. That they would appoint deputies who should meet at certain