Assassination Is the Quickest Way 227published by another of his chaplains, Thomas Carve, but he was not in
Germany at the time and did not return until 1635, after Butler’s death,
so that his description of events is at best third hand. Another account
is believed to derive at least in part from Macdaniel, but this is not reli-
ably attributed. The basic facts of what happened can be established
from these sources, but their claims as to what the officers discussed
beforehand and what Wallenstein and Ilow said to them cannot be
regarded as reliable. Srbik’s reconstruction of the events themselves has
not been bettered, and it forms the basis both of Mann’s account and
of the following description.^15
Death, a necessary end
( Julius Caesar)
Eger was a prosperous town, walled and with a castle on rising ground
set aside from the centre. Its focus was the large lower market square
and the well-appointed patrician houses around it. Wallenstein knew
it well, as it was the natural starting point for military expeditions
from Bohemia into Germany. His forces had set out from here against
Christian of Denmark in 1625, and against Gustavus Adolphus in 1632.
Now it was to be his refuge, although Gallas had sent Gordon orders
to bar it to him. Leslie later claimed that these had not been received,
but they were in any case difficult orders to follow in such an uncertain
situation. The commandant had to make a choice between instructions
from afar on the still questionable authority of Gallas, and the demands
of the commander-in-chief present at the gate in person, and with, so
it was said, a large part of the army not far behind him. Old habits pre-
vailed, and Gordon not only admitted Wallenstein but moved out of his
own lodgings to free the best house on the market square for him, as his
rank required, while other accommodation was provided for Ilow and
Butler, as well as for Trcˇka, Kinsky and their wives. The escorting troops,
now numbering about 1700, made camp outside the walls, leaving only
the 700 men of the garrison actually in the town.
Late on that Friday night a messenger from Pilsen caught up with
the travellers at Eger, bringing with him a copy of the emperor’s origi-
nal notification to the army of Wallenstein’s dismissal, drawn up on
24 January but only now reaching units in the field. This was the first
time that he received any official confirmation of the fact, and he never
saw the proscription patent of 18 February. According to Leslie, who
was present when he received it although probably not privy to the con-
tents, Wallenstein appeared shocked, losing his self-control and venting