levied upon us for sixteen thousand dollars; and hardly had he left when
Field-Marshal Wrangel came and demanded twenty thousand dollars besides.
Since, however, we were not in a position to pay that sum, he contented
himself with a thousand dollars in money, but we had to furnish him in
addition with fifteen thousand yards of cloth, three thousand pairs of
socks, and as many pairs of shoes, and besides that he had all the cattle
driven out of the city. And yet again, a few weeks ago came the Swedish
colonel Haderslof, and demanded of us a contribution of eleven thousand
dollars. It was impossible, however. We could pay no more, since we had no
more gold, and were obliged to receive it almost as a favor that he
promised in the compact to accept silver in payment in lieu of gold, and
to estimate a half ounce of gilded silver at twelve groschen and a half
ounce of white silver at nine groschen. We could do nothing but submit,
and each householder and citizen bore all the silverware he possessed to
the guildhall, where the Swede had ordered the contributions to be
collected. And now, most gracious lord and Elector, now that we are poor
and wretched, comes the stadtholder in the Mark, the Lord Count von
Schwarzenberg, and requires of the cities of Berlin and Cologne the
payment of their annual tax for purposes of defense."

"And you are bound by duty and obligation so to do," exclaimed the Elector
quickly. "On the committee day of the year 1626 it was decided that the
city of Berlin should annually pay a stipend for defense of eight thousand
five hundred dollars, that therewith might be maintained her garrison and
the fortress of Berlin. Therefore you are bound and under obligation to
pay this assessment at present, for it strikes me forcibly that you were
never in greater need of a garrison than just now."

"But may it please your Electoral Highness, our garrison is of no manner
of use to us. It is much too inconsiderable to afford protection against