LANIENA PASWALCENSIS: That is, A tragical RELATION OF THE PLVNDRING, Butchering, Ravishing of the Wemen, and Fyreing of the town of Pasewalke in Pomerland, situated vpon the river called the Veker, written by one which escaped out of that town to his Friend in Penkum, lving not far from that place, dated the 12. of September 1630.  
Wherein is laid open to the world, the most in humane, and horrible insolences, yea the more then Barbarous cruelty, and tyranny committed in that town by the Emperours officers, Souldiers, and Crabats, whereof the like was never red in any history comparable to it. First Translated out of high Dutch into Nether dutch according to the copy printed at Stralesound by austin FERBERNE, and now Translated into English.  
Caesarei perdunt Pasewalcum, Caesatis vrbem crudelis facti GOTZIVS author. trat.  
 Woodcut printer's device showing a two-tailed mermaid blowing two horns, with a fringe of tassels below (McKerrow, 248).  
Imprinted, ANNO 1631.   

THE GRACE OF GOD, AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT COMFORT us in all our afflictions.  
SIngular, Benevolent, and most worthy friend, Mr. martin, I received your lamentable letter a few dayes since, whereby I understood with a bestow full, and a Compassionate heart, in what manner your li●le hewn, who always showed their good affection to the imperial Army was used, who although they strained themselves above their abilities, yea more then was required, in giuing of Contribution, as money, corn,& victuals, to supply their commandments: yet for al this their living, and written safeguards were not regarded, given them by his imperial majesties Marshal ●orquato di Conti( termed by the vulgar the bad Count) who desiring a passage thorow this hewn vpon the 19. of ●uly last past, for some imperial Dutch souldiers they fell vpon it,& plundered it, broke open the Houses castle and church, using the inhab●tants worse then Heathen, Turcks, or Tartarians could do, beate them, racked them,& tortured them, to make them confess where their goods were laid,& carried the chief of them away vpon waggons. Tore the letters of Safegardship in pieces, ran with a greatfury into the castle: the church, the preachers& other mens Houses, made boot of al they could find in them: yea which was more, and unheard of, dig up the very graues of the dead to ransack them for pillage, threesnt the corn half out, carried it away with them and spoyled the rest, wounded, and marryred the poor people to death, and among the rest spared not your preacher who had showne the Imperials all respect, and friendship, yea much more then ever they deserved. And which was worse, forced, and ravished publicly the wemen, and maides, and where some of them to keep them from their villainy hide themselves among bu●rushes, they found them out, stripped them, and drove them before them stark naked in an impudent manner. And when ●he men sought to shelter, and defend their behooves, and daughters from this shameful abuse, they most cruelly shot them thorow, and hewd them down with their Cutlasses, that now poor Penkum, with all her adjoining villages, is wonderfully plundered and destroyed, so that they haue scarce a piece of bread to put into their mouths, notwithstanding that this poor hewn never showed the least sign of disobedience against the imperial souldiers, but in stead of what they had done for them, rewarded them with all manner of insolences, villains, and enormities, which they haue suffered, and endured patiently, from these in humai●e and merciless souldiers.  
now Sr. I do wish with my heart, that I were in your House and dwelling, that being moved with a Christian zeal grounded vpon Gods word, I might administer comfort, and consolation to you in this your affliction. And seing all the world saws you suffer innocently, grieve no● so much, at it( at if some evil thing befell you) faint not, but pluck up a good heart, and be not discouraged, rest vpon the eternal council, providence and permission of God, who though as a farther doth correct us after many manners, for our manifold sins: yet at the length in his good time, he will not forget to cast his chastising Rod into the Fire. But forasmuch as I and my fellowe Burgesses of Pasewalke haue been fellowe feelers of this horrible tyranny, committed by those who unjustly are called the Emperours souldiers, who haue weakned all my answers, and faculties all most to the very uttermost, and am not yet recouuered. Though with Iobs friends I might sit down vpon the Earth by him, and in beholding his sores, and missery be silent, and not speak a word: yet when I consider that it is a comfort to a man in his affliction, for to break his mind, and to power out his grief into the bosom of a trusty friend, according unto the proverb FANDO EGERITVR DOLOR: That is, By speech a man easies himself of his bestow. Therefore seing Sir you haue given me to understand of your complaints, I will also bewaile unto you mine own, and all those of the inhabitants of P●sewalck, by helping to bind up their fret●h bleeding demigods, if thereby they may be prepared to a little con●olidation and healing.  
But Sr. I will put you in mind, that this miserable vn deserved, land-destroying quartering in Pomer, being first consented unto but for six weekes, hath continued three yeeres, yea 26. times six weekes, with an vnviterable,( and as long as the world shal last extends itself to an irreparable) hurt to Pomerland, our Pasewalck being a place and hewn well situated, and reasonnable good trading in it, took in at the first also three Corners of Horse, and afterward followed other grips and vultures, which lay so heavely vpon them, that many times a burgess did pay ordinarily for his part, 4. 5. 8. yea ten, or more Rixe dallers every weeke, and when they had cast up their accounts, gave more then their lands, Houses, and goods were worth, and if they be yet living can never recouuer their losses again. Therefore it happened that in this our populous hewn, which was rich and had good means, in a short time was so consumed and wasted, that it was divided into three quarters, whereof onely one of them was inhabited, and the other lay vast and ruined. Finally, Pasewalck must give contribution, and had such a Commandour sent them, which bare the name of one that professed the Gospel, but was in truth such an one, who lead a worser lice then a pagan, without any fear of God, in abominable incest with two sisters, with strange married wemen, and with every one, which either by craft or violence he could attame unto his will, and though he had a married wife: notwith standing he carried an other married woman with him where he went,& her child was known to be his, never regarding that which was right& equity, having before also showne an example of his cruelty and Tirranny in the ●le of Rugen, where he did not onely by violence plunder the hewn of Bergen● and other places: but also showed a proof of it in the gentle wemens cloister, there where he caused the gentlewemen of that cloister to be stripped stark naked, that the base souldiers committed all manner of will fullness with them. This cursed, and unheard of Martiall child of perdition is HANS GOTZE, who thorow many cunning tricks in a short time bereft this hewn of all provisions,& means, That at length the whole sum of the ordinary contribution money amounted to above 147000. Rix dallers, And though this money was brought up with much ado,& that there remained but 3000. Rix dallers of it vnpayd: yet this GOTZE pretended against al right and equity 18000 Rix dallers more, which was impossible for them to pay( neither durst they speak of vnreasonnablesse to these bra●en faces, for fear of displeasing them) yet this impious GOTSE the 3●. of july sent the Li●u●enant colonel WINSTEN, with three troops of Horse, and some foot to plunder the hewn, and carried the chiefest burghers prisoners to Gratz into the army Now let every Christian heart judge, whether this GOTSENS tyranny was commanded or can be approved of by his Imperial majesty, or whether any such presidents were ever found in the Christian world, that an obedient hewn, having deserved well of the Emperours army, should be so cruelly used. And albeit those of Pasewalk, in the time that the Kings majesty of Sweathland, had taken in many places in Pomerland, and made himself master of Stetine: yet held with the Imperial army,& beyond their abilities gave them contribution uncessantly, even as they served innocent Penkum, where never any Swethen souldiers lay, so likewise Pasewalk must be served with the very same sauce.  
assoon as these three afore said Companies came in the 31. of ●uly, they apprehended at the first the chiefest of the hewn, set them vpon waggons, and carried them to Gartz, among whom there was a Burgomaster, and a ludge both well strike in yeeres, diuers councillors, and an Appothe carry to the number of 18. persons, before they departed from their behooves and children with bitter tears, and cries they began to plunder, so that they pilliged the hewn of as much of there chiefest goods, as the souldiers could well carry away. What did these good Pasewalkians now, they be sought them to bear with them, but they did as the wicked seruant in the gospel, who dealt so unmercifully with his fellow seruant to make him pay the 100 pence, took him by the throat, and cast him into prison, and spake therefore unto them and said haue patience with us& we will pay you all, sent likewise out of their poverty Butter. corn, Mer●aile, Obligations, bills and p●edges unto the Army, that they might thereby move the stony and hard hearts of these in humane riches, but they were then deaf, dumb, and blind, as a right GOTZE( that is, like an idol block) which sawe not, what they brought, heard not that for which they entreated, and gave noe answer to their cries and complaints▪ In the mean while, the poor prisoners lay under the Heauens Canopy fe●tered and chayn'd together like slaves, and kept at hard meate, scarcly getting a draft of could water, and a bit of browne bread, to satisfy their thirst and hunger, and if their behooves and friends sent them any victuals, the souldiers made boo●e of it, lying all this while in the north-wind& reign, worse then dogs, making a common ●akes round about them, to annoy them with a filthy sti●cke, yea at the command of this GOTZEN, they were kept three dayes, without bread and water, so that if the Lord had not sustained them, they had been hunger starved, and lost the strength of their bodies.  
In the mean time, the inhabitants of the hewn were pitifully handled, they drove away al their caule, as horses, Oxen, Cowes, and sheep, the land lay wast, noe man durst look out of the gates, but some mischief was done unto him. They robt the very spit●e nouses without the hewn, beate the poor men in them, taking their provisions, and victuals from them, that they were ready to famish. There were some burghers, which meant to lay up a little corn for themse●●es, to relieve their necessi●ies, and to help to make money to pay their Contribution, on the second of September carrying it home, the Emperours Horse men fe●l vpon them and took it from them, under the pretence, that they intended to carry it to the enemy, and offered to se● the lighter a fire in which it lay, and beginning to burn with much entreated they quenched it. But he that owe● the Co●ne they took him prisoner,& beate him fearfully, and bringing him to the port, would haue had a hundred Rida●lers of him for his ransom, his wife seing that her husband was thus mis used, out of fear promised them forty, which was more then shee was able to pay, the souldiers lying in her House, till with much difficultly shee got up that money. But what? having spoken of the drops, I must now speak of the showers. The next day following these 20. horse men, being yet in the foreshown, towards evening marshmallows came, that the Sweathish Horse men showed themselves before the ports, the tributary Horse men got them gone as fast as they could, and two Sweathish companies being 140. strong came into the hewn. They in the absence of the Burgomaster, Magistrates and chiefest men, found the ports open, and entred, the hewn without any resistance, who sent them thether is not known, some imagine they were gone out of Ockermonde, without the knowledge of the King. Howsoeuer it was, on the 4. of September, the burghers which were remaining, were requested by the two Sweathish Captaines, that with them they would help to make up the Wals of the hewn, where vpon they all laboured so diligently, that in the space of three dayes, they performed a great work, but were to few souldiers, to man so great a circuit of ground within the hewn. A Gentleman called Linsteed, whose inheritance lay at belin, a mile distant from Pasewalk, bearing a hatred, and spite to our hewn, revealed this to the Imperialists, and counseled them to take in the hewn. The 7. of September then, word was brought, that the enemy was come before the hewn,& drove the Cattle away, some 30. of the Sweathish Dragons sallied out of the hewn, and began to schirmish with the Emperours Horsemen, but a great number of them coming to charge them, drove them into the foreshown, and following the souldiers, and burghers hotly, entred the por●s, and beset the foretells, and after them came a matter of 3000 men, which encompassed the hewn, and played into it with their ordinance and at last by the Vcker side, where there was noe guard entred the hewn, and stolen a long to the Prents-Lauwish port, and from thence came to the Stetine port, and got in by making a breach under the wall. The Sweathish souldiers defended themselves so bravely, that the imperialists were fain to aclowledge, they had met with souldiers, but having noe ordinance mounted, and the eleven brass pieces, which were in our town, which should haue been sent to the colonel Gotzen vpon an account, being not in areadinesse to make any defence, and having but a few souldiers and burghers, not able to man, and make good the large circuit of the Wals of the town, were driven to reteate unto the lagoish port, at length being forced, and ouermasterd, this woe and misery then began not onely vpon those, who bravely defended themselves by arms, in shooting them dead, slashing, and strangling them, but also among those which were unarmed, and whosoever met them in this first fury, were strooke down and masacred. Many to escape ran into the Morras, the hop-yards, the corn, and got over the Vcker, were fetched out. The men were lamentably butchered,& the wemen kept for filthiness. The Sweathish Horsemen turning faces about, diverse times gave fire.& shot some of them dead, and so escaped from them, leaving one of their Captaines behind them, and an other of their Captaines fell with his Horse between the planks of the broken bridge, but notwithstanding came of well. After this they powred out there foaming wrath vpon the rest of the poor burghers, whom they found in the Houses, they nipped, and pinched them with pincers,& Thumb-scrues, and tormented them with other inventions to make them confess if they knew of any thing that was hid, if they got it out of them, yet it would not serve their turns, because others coming in used the like extremities by blowes, and strockes, If they did confess nothing, it cost them their dearest lives, for they cried out give us money or blood, howsoeuer whether they gave or not, yet they must die the death, or be so wounded, that they will feel it as long as they live.  
The Captaines, and ensigns into what House soever they came, if they had money they promised them a safeguard. If any man had a man or a maid servant, a son or a daughter, if they had been shut up into Nine Castles, vpon such faire words, and comfortable promises as they gave them, they would haue brought them out, but when they had got all out of them that they could, then the safeguards were forgotten, there came in not onely seven, but ten worser unclean spirits, which broke up all in pieces, left not a pot, not a pan, not a kettle, not a shirt, not a smock, not a feather vn sought for pulled of their shoes, and stockings, plucked of the we mens quoifs, and kerchiefs, Tore the coats from their backs. If they stepped over the Threshold, they sawe a woefull spectacle of some one or an other of their neighbours, and acquaintance lie sprawling before there doors, wounded, or dead, and if they cast but a cloak to cover them, it was snatch from them, if they spake but a comfortable word unto them, they served them in the like manner: yea, though he were a Preacher, which came to entreat them, and to denounce the judgements of God against them, beseeching them to use them as Christians, they geerd at him, scoffed him, and he must feel of the edge of the sword, and hear these execrable words: What should we be Christians? Wce are Divills incarnate, and thy devill likewise. Yea they pulled out a preacher by head, and shoulders out of his bed, bound him hand and foot, tormenting him to make him confess, where hts money lay, If he  told them where it was,& gave them all he had, others used him in the same kind, and when the first were gone, to extort more out of him, at last would haue burnt him. Thus much concerning murdering and strangling. Alas this is not yet all, for after this happened two greater miseries, which befell us, the ravishing of wemen,& fire. Touching this filthy ravishment. I never red the like in any greek, or Romish history, or ever heard the like abominations of such people, though they were mere Heathens, in committing such foul facts, by forcing, and defyling all married wemen, maids, and girls of eight or ten yeers old, without making any difference of them. That which you related to me of Penkum, was the first that ever I heard of among Christians. That in an obedient foreshown, they should ravish wemen publicly, in the vewe of the sun, in Church-gards, streets, and Gardens, which makes me tren●ble to think, that the devill should be so powreful, in those, which are called Christians, who I think strived to be worser, and base then the devill himself, which cannot do nothing but sin, They might haue left these in humane sins vncommitted, but would no●.  
But when they had got into the hewn, and plundered it, then they began the horriblest fact, which ever the sun beholded, was there an honest woe man, which with tears,& wringing hands besought them for gods sake, not to stain her honesty,& give them all that ever shee had to a pe●ny? yet shee must suffer herself by every one, like doggs to be openly& pitifully abused till she had not so much strength as to stir a foot. When I remember this my countenance waxeth pale, and wane in describing 〈◇〉 is abomination, yea the very sun itself blushes at it, and is loathe to give light to such more then develi●h filthiness, but these whore Stalions, forgetting God& all honesty, did without any care or fear in every place seek out the wemen, yea hunted the wemen in childbed out of their beds to abuse them, stripped the wemen with child naked to defile them, took the sucking babes from their mothers dugs,& dashed them against the Earth: They spared not so much as the old wemen, of great age, yea the little girls to satiate their satirical lust, and some which pleased them better then others, they either set them vpon wagons, or tide them to their saddle bowe, to make them trot after them. This ravishment yesterday being the 11. of December was not ended, but they took up with them to the gallowes-hill three honest women, and some girls of nine or ten yeeres old, where they spoyled them so, that they can not go.  
O Lord arise at length, and reward them according to their wickedness, stretch out thy mighty arm, and smite those in thy wrath, which haue thus destroyed thy people in their innocency, for what could those of Pasewalke do, more for the Imperialists, then they haue done? Their tyranny hath left them nothing but their bare lives. When the Sweathens took in their town, could a company of pooredes armed men help it? Especially, seing the Imperialists had before abandoned and forsaken al ●he capitains, and sea ports, and opened the gate and door to the Swethens;& left them nothing but an empty nest, must they therefore be called Rebells? But what should I speak of Iustice, to those which contemn and speak evil of iustice, which keep noe faith, which love noe sincerity, which regard noe righteousness, which care not for godliness, but live as men without a Conscience, as if there were noe God, noe heaven, noe Hell, noe devill. I ha●●en to shut up this doleful tragedy, and will briefly relate in what manner they burnt this hewn of Pasewalke to asches.  
In the end, when there was nothing more to be found in the Houses, then quickly the fire began to break out in diverse places of the hewn. When it increased, and with violence consumed all that stood in the away, then heard we often times these Neronian words: See how bravely Pasewalke burns? What a fine fire it makes? I never saw such a stately fire in my life? A great part of the hewn vpon the seventh of September, was burnt with many barns full of corn. The next day these nor among the Priests( who had been miserable entreated the dayes before, and was preserved as an Ebedmeleck by captain Smalenberke,( whom I here make mention of with honour a 'mong this wicked generation of souldiers, and whose demigods, were dressed by the surgean of the field) notwithstanding he, and his wife with diverse burghers of his acquaintance sick Preachers, Students, Schollers, and the Organists. This senor I say together with these desired captain Smallenberke, that they might haue audience by the colonel Gotzen, to crave, and entreat him, that the Maries Church, and the Houses which were then standing might be spared, and kept from firing: but he would not hearken unto them, commanding that fire should be put unto them incontinent, rid also into the hewn himself, and where it was not a fire, commanded to set it on fire, yea some say he set it on fire himself? moreover it is reported, how that the Officers, Especially, the Lieutenant colonel Winsten to keep it from firing, interceded, and requested this colonel Goizen, not to do it, offering him many thousand Rix dallers, to keep the hewn from burning: but here turned them this heroical answer, That he had sworne too deeply, and therefore all must be burnt, and not a white spared. After this Saint Maries church was set a fire, a very sumptuous building with many costly Ornaments in it, when they had plundered it of all the Church Ornaments, as silver, and gold, and burnt all the carved works in it, that a readmit of timber work was not left. A brave chime of great Bells melted, whereof the like was not in all Pomerland,& the steeple falling down, which was a lamentable spectacle, while the souldiers in a bravery walked up and down as it were in procession, or as if they had been in a masckarado, with the Priests Cirplises, coops, and Capps. A soldier being asked by a captain, where he had got that habit, answered he had taken it from the Papes, here vpon the captain replied, that he should also haue slain the Pape, or the Preacher himself.  
In this fury, and cruel persecution, there vyere not onely many children burnt to ashes, which their mothers had left lying in their Cradles, and beds: but also the souldiers, took those which were shot, and wounded even to the death, to burn and torment them. And such as offered to carry, or convey any thing out of their Houses, those they cast into the fire and burnt them. A Church Provisour being an Alderman( for the city of Pasewalke and Stetine had this dignity, that they onely had a session, and Iudgement seat in Pomerland) who would haue saved himself with his crutches, being troubled with a Demy-Palsy was wounded to the death, and afterward burnt in the House whereinto they carried him. An other Burger, being a baker, was run thorow his body in his own House, and his wife carrying a child under each arm, and running into a cellar was burnt with fire. And in an other place, nine, or ten boyes, and girls, running into a cellar to save themselves, these Hell-hounds perceiving it, laid strawe over the cellar, set it on fire, and so these innocent children were pitifully burnt to death. And who can express all this our misery? seing the rage, and fury of our enemies For none of those which were slain, wounded, sabled, shot, or half burned, could haue any burial, but must lye in the streets, to be eaten, and torn in pieces by hogs, and doggs, which came running into that wast, and ruined town. Nee●e unto the Prints-lauwish port a few Houses remaines yet standing; In the smiths street, as ye go down to Saint Niclas( though the Church is yet standing, which is daily threatened to be burnt) there yet remaines but two Houses( in reigestae monumentum, as a memorial of their wicked deeds) that whosoever beholds them, and passes that way, can say noe other wise, then Cacodoemona quendam pelle Go●ziana tectum, sua crudelitate& immanitate, cum Lanienam fecesse, quam aeterna sin maledictione sir●olim luiturus; That is: The evil spirit couuered with Gotzens hide, did accomplish this burcherie by his cruelty,& fierceness, which at lengh● he shall pay for, by an everlasting curse laid vpon him.  
I protest here seriously notwithstanding, that nothing is here related, which tends to do any injury, or prejudice to the posterity of the worthy and noble familly of the Gotzians, or that is meant to the least stain of their noble reputation, for as noe body is so sound and pure, but that 〈◇〉 hath sometimes it own vicer, and excrement, so likewise that nob●e, and sound body is not intended hereby, but onely that one putrifyng fore before name is aimed at herein.  
Herewith I conclude, and recommend all forowfull, hearts,& comfortless souls to the father of Mercies, that he will protect his Church, and stop the devils rage, and al his followers, and reward them with eternal flames, according to their deserts. Written at Backsholt, near unto Lockenitz, where the imperial ●●oke a poor man, whom they brought with them from ●asewalke, and bear, him shrodly, so that they broke his arm in pieces,& afterward would haue hanged him, vpon t●ve birckin branches hanging down, but with many petitions, and much entreaty, they pardonned him with an vnhristian mercy, for they being at dinner in stead of a piece of bread and butter, sent him for a special, and a dainty dish, which they compelled him to eat, to wit, a piece of bread steeped in fresh piss, and spread over thick with mans dung. Anno 1630. the 12. of September.  
CHRISTIANVS LOPERVS ex Civis PASWALCENSIS.