“Five years later he raised at his own cost two hundred dragoons to support Ferdinand of Gratz in his war against the Venetians.  Here he greatly distinguished himself, and was promoted to a colonelcy.  He married a second time, and again to one of the richest heiresses of Austria.  On the outbreak of the religious war of 1618 he raised a regiment of Cuirassiers, and fought at its head.  Two years later he was made quartermaster general of the army, and marched at the head of an independent force into Moravia, and there re-established the Imperial authority.

“The next year he bought from the Emperor Ferdinand, for a little over 7,000,000 florins, sixty properties which the emperor had confiscated from Protestants whom he had either executed or banished.  He had been made a count at the time of his second marriage; he was now named a prince, which title was changed into that of the Duke of Friedland.  They say that his wealth is so vast that he obtains two millions and a half sterling a year from his various estates.

“When in 1625 King Christian of Denmark joined in the war against the emperor, Wallenstein raised at his own cost an army of 50,000 men and defeated Mansfeldt’s army.  After that he cleared the Danes out of Silesia, conquered Brandenburg and Mecklenburg, and laid siege to Stralsund, and there broke his teeth against our Scottish pikes.  For his services in that war Wallenstein received the duchy of Mecklenburg.

“At present he is in retirement.  The conquests which his army have made for the emperor aroused the suspicion and jealousy of the German princes, and it may be that the emperor himself was glad enough of an excuse to humble his too powerful subject.  At any rate, Wallenstein’s army was disbanded, and he retired to one of his castles.  You may be sure we shall hear of him again.  Tilly, you know, is the Bavarian commander, and we shall probably encounter him before long.”

New Brandenburg and several other towns were captured and strongly garrisoned, 600 of Reay’s regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Lindsay being left in New Brandenburg.  Nigel Graheme was still laid up, but his company formed part of the force.

“This is ill fortune indeed,” Malcolm said to Lieutenant Farquhar, “thus to be shut up here while the army are marching away to win victories in the field.”

“It is indeed, Malcolm, but I suppose that the king thinks that Tilly is likely to try and retake these places, and so to threaten his rear as he marches forward.  He would never have placed as strong a force of his best soldiers here if he had not thought the position a very important one.”