The death of the Catholic king would seem the great opportunity 'miscendis rebus'." Unfortunately neither Busbecq's master nor any other king or prince manifested any of this commendable alacrity to "take up arms against the conflagration." Germany was in a shiver at every breeze from East or West-trembling alike before Philip and Amurath.

The Papists were making rapid progress, the land being undermined by the steady and stealthy encroachments of the Jesuits.

Lord Burghley sent many copies of his pamphlet, in Latin, French, and Italian, against the Seminaries, to Gebhard Truchsess; and the deposed archbishop made himself busy in translating that wholesome production into German, and in dispersing it "all Germany over." The work, setting duly forth "that the executions of priests in England were not for religion but for treason," was "marvellously liked" in the Netherlands.

"In uttering the truth," said Herle, "'tis likely to do great good;" and he added, that Duke Augustus of Saxony "did now see so far into the sect of Jesuits, and to their inward mischiefs, as to become their open enemy, and to make friends against them in the Empire." The love of Truchsess for Agnes Mansfeld had created disaster not only for himself but for Germany.

The whole electorate of Cologne had become the constant seat of partisan warfare, and the resort of organised bands of brigands.