They invited him to
join them, and the party were chatting gaily when a heavy cannonball
crashed through the earthen rampart behind them, and, passing between
Hepburn and Munro, carried off the leg of the Swedish officer.
Upon the following day the governor, seeing that the Swedes had
erected several strong batteries, and that the Green Brigade, whose
name was a terror to the Imperialists, was preparing to storm,
capitulated, and his soldiers were allowed to march out with all
their baggage, flying colours, and two pieces of cannon. Eighty
pieces of cannon fell into the hands of the Swedes. The citizens
paid 220,000 dollars as the ransom of their city from pillage, and
the Jews 180,000 for the protection of their quarters and of their
gorgeous synagogue, whose wealth and magnificence were celebrated;
and on the 14th of December, 1631, on which day Gustavus completed
his thirty-seventh year, he entered the city as conqueror.
Here he kept Christmas with great festivity, and his court was
attended by princes and nobles from all parts of Germany. Among them
were six of the chief princes of the empire and twelve ambassadors
from foreign powers. Among the nobles was the Count of Mansfeld,
who brought with him his wife and daughter. Three days before
Christmas Hepburn's brigade had been moved in from their bivouac
in the snow covered trenches, and assigned quarters in the town,
and the count, who arrived on the following day, at once repaired
to the mansion inhabited by the colonel and officers of Munro's
regiment, and inquired for Malcolm Graheme.
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