As they were about to
return, they were met by the welcome news that general Renchild had been
no less successful, and entirely routed the whole army of Shullenburgh,
and also that the diet of Ratisbon, fearing the king of Sweden would
enter Germany, had come to a resolution to declare him an enemy to the
empire, in case he offered to pass the Oder with his army.
They could not have taken a more effectual step to bring on what
they dreaded, than by daring him to it by this menace. He took but
little time for consideration, before he determined to carry the war
into Saxony, and drive Augustus from his electorate, as he had done from
his kingdom.
He had no sooner made known his resolution, than the troops began to
march, and with a chearfulness and alacrity, which shewed they had no
will but that of their king:--indeed he seemed the soul of this mighty
body, of which every single man was a member, and actuated only by him.
It is certain his heart was set on establishing Stanislaus on the
throne, and he knew no better way of preventing Augustus from molesting
him, than by calling off all communication between his electorate and
Poland:--accordingly he bent his course to Saxony, marched thro' Silesia
and Lusatia, plundered the open country, laid the rich city of Leipsic,
and other towns, under contribution, and at length encamped at
Alranstadt, near the plains of Lutsen, whence he sent to the estates of
Saxony, to give him an estimate of what they could supply, and obliged
them to levy whatever sums he had occasion for: not that he had the
least spark of avarice in his nature, but his hatred to Augustus, who
had by his injustice made him become his enemy, was so great, that it
extended to all those of his country, so far, as to humble and
impoverish the once opulent inhabitants, making them not only support
his numerous army, but laid on them besides many unnecessary imposts,
which he divided among his soldiers, so that they were all cloathed in
gold and silver, and every private man had the appearance of a general,
the king himself still preferring his usual plainness; but he loved, he
said, to see the Saxon riches upon Swedish backs.
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