Instead, therefore, of listening to the wise counsels of Wallenstein
he hastened to augment his forces. Spain sent him considerable
supplies, negotiated for him with the ever vacillating Elector of
Saxony, and levied troops for him in Italy. The Elector of Bavaria
increased his army, and the Duke of Lorraine prepared again to
take part in the struggle which now seemed to offer him an easy
opportunity of increasing his dominions. For a time the Elector
of Saxony, the Duke of Brunswick, and many others of the German
princes wavered; but when they saw that Ferdinand, so far from
being disposed to offer them favourable terms to detach them from
the league, was preparing with greater vigour than ever to overwhelm
them, they perceived that their interest was to remain faithful to
their ally, and at a great meeting of princes and deputies held at
Heilbronn the alliance was re-established on a firmer basis.
Before, however, the solemn compact was ratified scarce one of the
German princes and nobles but required of Oxenstiern the gratification
of private greed and ambition, and each bargained for some possession
either already wrested or to be afterwards taken from the enemy. To
the Landgrave of Hesse the abbacies of Paderborn, Corvey, Munster,
and Fulda were promised, to Duke Bernhard of Weimar the Franconian
bishoprics, to the Duke of Wurtemburg the ecclesiastical domains
and the Austrian counties lying within his territories, all to be
held as fiefs of Sweden.
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