CATHERINE OP S CH WARTZBURG. Stjl 



and (mothered his feelings by burfring into a loud fit 

 of laughter. Thus feizing the rnoft reafonable way of 

 coming off, by turning all that had paffed into a fub- 

 je6t of mirth ; concluding with a pompous panegyric 

 on the patriotic concern, and the determined intrepi- 

 dity fhe had fhewn. He intreated her to make herfelf 

 eafy, and took it upon himfelf to bring the duke of 

 Alva to confent to whatever fhould be found reafon- 

 able. Which he immediately effected by inducing 

 the latter to difpatch on the fpot an order to the army 

 to reftore the cattle without delay to the perfons from 

 whom they had been ftolen. On the return of the 

 courier with a certificate that all damages were made 

 good, the countefs of Schwartzburg politely thanked 

 her guefts for the honour they had done her caftle ; 

 and they, in return, very courteoufly took their leave. 



It was this tranfadlion, no doubt, that procured for 

 Catharina, countefs of Schwartzburg, the furname of 

 the Heroic. She is likewife highly extolled for the 

 active fortitude fhe difplayed in promoting the Re- 

 formation throughout her dominions, which had al- 

 ready been introduced by her hufband, earl Henry 

 XXXVII. as well as for her refolute perfeverance in 

 putting down the monks and improving the inftrudlion 

 of the fchools. Numbers of proteflant preachers who 

 had fufrained perfecution on account of religion fled to 

 her for protection and fupport, which fhe granted 

 them in the fulleft extent. Among thefe was a certain 

 Cafper Aguila, parifh-prieft at Saalfeldt ; who, ir\ his 

 younger years, had attended the emperor's army to the 

 Netherlands in quality of chaplain ; and, becaufe he 

 there refufed to baptize a cannon-ball^ was fattened to 



the 



