Note 49 — Chapter V

This extraordinary man, the founder of the Bavarian army, and the terror of the Protestants, used to boast before the battle of Leipsig, of three things—viz. That he had never known woman, never been drunk, and never lost a battle. “His strange and terrific aspect,” says Schiller, “was in unison with his character. Of low stature, thin, with hollow cheeks, a long nose, a broad and wrinkled forehead, large whiskers, and a pointed chin, he was generally attired in a Spanish doublet of green with slashed sleeves, with a small and peaked hat on his head, surmounted by a red feather, which hung down his back. His whole aspect recalled to recollection the Duke of Alba, the scourge of the Flemings, and his actions were by no means calculated to remove the impression.”—Thirty Years’ War, book ii. The author of L’Histoire de Gustave Adolphe gives a similar account of his dress and person, and adds, that the Maréchal de Grammont, going to see him out of curiosity, met him at the head of his army, attired as described, and mounted on a little grey hackney, with one pistol only at his saddle-bow. “Lorsque le Maréchal s’approcha pour lui faire la révérence, Tilly, croyant remarquer qu’il s’étonnoit de le voir dans cet équipage, lui dit, Monsieur, vous trouvez peut—être mon habillement extraordinaire; j’avoue qu’il n’est pas tout à fait conforme à la mode de France, mais il est a mon gré, et cela me suffit. Je pense aussi que ma haquenée, et ce pistolet tout seul, vous surprennent pour le moins autant que mon accoûtrement; pour que vous n’ayiez pas mauvaise opinion du Comte de Tilly, à qui vous faites l’honneur de rendre une visite de curiosité, je vous dirai que j’ai gagné sept batailles décisives, sans avoir été obligé de tirer une seule fois le pistolet que vous voyez là; et mon petit cheval ne m’a jamais abandonné et n’a jamais balancé à faire son devoir.”—p. 173.