From Riga, 20 Oct.
All is quiet here, our Lieffland Army went lately from the
Frontiers to Mittaw in Curland; the reason of it is, because
the Duke would not bring in the contribution which was demanded,
nor suffer his Subjects to bring provisions unto us,
which he nevertheless freely granted to the Polanders. But
now having made his agreement with our General, thereupon
our army is gone away, from before Mittaw, and marched directly
to Pawsko. In Dorpt, and the places adjacent men are grievously
visited with the Plague, so that very few of the people
are left in those places. Wolves stock together now in Liefland
by 50. 100 in a body, so that the wayes are unsafe to
travell in.
Another from Elbing 18 Oct.
The Brandenburgish had an onslaght upon the Sconce at
the mouth of the river on Tuesday last. They approached by
water in the garbe of Fishermen, and upon that score they
were permitted to land, and coming neare the Sconce (in which
was a Captain and 50 men) they presently made use of their
hand-granadoes, which they flung into the Sconce, and thereby
the Gunpowder in Barrels was fired, which did great execution;
in this smoak the rest of the Brandenburgish went on
furiously from the Boats, scaled the Sconce, and tooke it:
one half of our men were killed, the rest retreated hither.
But the Brandenburgish did not keep it long, for our Generalissimo
had no sooner notice of it, but he gave order for the
Retaking of that Sconce; and now to cutt off from them their
succor, he hath commanded some pieces of Ordinance and
Mortarpieces to be brought before it these meanes were preparing,
the Brandenburgish Major endeavored in the meanwhile
to be gone, and he quitted the Sconce, and retreated to
the Boates they came in. Outs perceiving it, they marched
directly to the Sconee and retook it; 30 of the Brandenburgish
were put to the sword in this action, the rest that fled,
were drownd, and some of them were taken prisoners. The
Polish Commander Koniecpolzki stands with 40 Troops between
Stum and Christburg; but upon what design he lyes
lurking there, is not known.