222 Wallenstein
Piccolomini and Aldringer, as well as for Max to speak to Questenberg.
Wald first encountered Piccolomini, by then stationed 30 miles south-
east of Pilsen at Horazdowitz (Horažd’ovice) with a force of 3000 cav-
alry, who informed him of Wallenstein’s dismissal and sent him on to
Gallas. Before travelling further the colonel reported his mission to the
head of the Order of German Knights, of which he was a member.^ He
was to tell the emperor and the officers, he wrote, that Wallenstein ‘has
never thought, still less by word or deed undertaken, to do anything
against His Majesty, but should His Majesty prefer to place someone
else in command of the army he will gladly resign, asking only that it
should be done properly and not by force, and without guilt attaching
to him. I am to assure them that he would rather die than commit any
act against His Majesty.’ The following day Wald reached Gallas, who
promptly arrested him, but although he was unable to deliver the mes-
sages his mission was duly reported to Vienna. Max reached the court
on 22 February and was received by Eggenberg, who refused either to
read the credential from Wallenstein or to hear his message, instead
advising Max that he should make efforts to clear himself with the
emperor as he could do nothing more for his patron. The reason for his
journey was nevertheless well known at court.^3
In this new and threatening situation Wallenstein and his adherents
realised that they also had to think about self-defence, pushing them
into the very contacts with the enemy which the court imagined to be
long established. In the first of these Ilow was the originator and Franz
Albrecht the intermediary, but Wallenstein evidently acquiesced in their
efforts. On 18 February Franz Albrecht wrote to Arnim that both he
and Wallenstein were still anxiously awaiting his arrival in Pilsen, but
problems were starting to be apparent – Diodati’s disappearance, the
continued absence of Gallas and Aldringer, doubts about Piccolomini –
although most of the officers and regiments still remained loyal. Nev-
ertheless, continued Franz Albrecht, Wallenstein requested Arnim to
station a strong detachment of cavalry near the Bohemian border in
case he should require assistance. He himself was leaving for Regensburg
to tell Bernhard of Weimar of the generalissimo’s peace efforts, and to
seek help from him should open hostilities develop between one part of
the Imperialist forces under Gallas and the other under Wallenstein.^4
On Sunday 19 February Wallenstein, from his bed, addressed the sen-
ior officers in Pilsen.^5 According to Wald’s later testimony he referred
first to the important issue of money, acknowledging that in order to
lose no time in bringing their regiments back up to strength over the
winter the colonels had advanced cash from their own private means,