VPon the nine and twenty day of September last past, there was an extraordinary Coun­cell and secret meeting hol­den in the city of Cullen: which done, in the afternoone, it being S. Michaels day, (which is to be noted) all the Masons, Bricklayers, Carpenters and Sla­ters, were called and assembled together, before the Magistrates, by whom they were told and willed to make them selues ready, with pickaxes, shouels, and other tooles, the night ensuing about three of the clocke in the morning, therewith vtterly to raze and breake downe the towne of Muhleim, vpon paine of being put from their trades of liuing, if they refused so to doe. This vnexpected warnjng put the workemen in­to no little feare, and perplexity, so that at [Page]the first they vtterly refused and denied to doe it, saying that it behoued them to set better soldiers a worke, in that peece of ser­uice, then they were, alledging that they feared and greatly doubted that the stones thereof might and would then, or in time to come, breake their, or their childrens Shins: wherevnto the Magistrates made answere that they would be their warrant and protectors against all men for doing it. Wherevpon the worke men fully resolued, that if the Burgo-Master and the Magi­strates of the city, would goe before them & be their guides, they would follow them: which they promised to doe. While this matter was in determination, the gates of the city were kept shut, that no man in the meane time should goe out, to make report thereof abroad, and that the townes men of Mulheim might not haue intelligence of their pretence, to saue them selues by flight. At the same time there was a rumor spread abroad, that in the new market place, in the city of Cullen, there was a murther com­mitted, [Page]and that search was then to be made for the murtherer: vnder this pretēce in the night time, about 3. of the clock, which was the pretended time and houre appointed: Iohn Bowlant the Burgermaster, and others of the Magistrates, went out of the gates; with such a number of cressets, fackles, linkes, and lanternes, that the night seemed to be as light as day, and after them the towns men followed to the number of 800. at the least, besides straglers, hauing 200. soldiers, with pipes and drums, marching before them, to defend the worke men: be­fore they fell to worke, there was a com­mission red vnto them to shew and certifie them, that it was not onely the Emperors and the Dukes pleasure, to haue it done, but also the new-Burgers and the Magi­strates of Cullens will, who had sought and procured the same, for the good & welfare of the city of Cullen, & the preseruation of the citizens thereof: which done they fell to worke, first breaking downe the greatest houses, and so continued the spoyle the [Page]whole night, and all the next day vntill the first of October in the euening, whereby not a stone therof is left standing one vpon the other. The bricks, free stones, lead, and iron, and that which would serue for any thing, was giuen vnto the Capucins, and al the ruines of the great Church. The French Church, with all the ruines thereof, was gi­uen to the Fulldoers, which they them­selues brake downe. The great deep cellers and vaults, which could not well be broken in hast, they tooke order that they should be blowne vp with gunpouder, and that then the new houses that had bin built in old Mulheim within the space of foure yeares, should be throwne downe. No man therein had any warning giuen him of the destruction thereof, nor any time permit­ted them to scape away: al the women (were they neuer so great with childe, or lying in childe bed) children, and men, were straight­ly charged and forbidden not to goe into Cologne, so that no man knowes whether they fled to saue them selues, for that, all [Page]thereabouts in some pesants houses, and al­so in old Mulheim there lay many Wal­lons, that had more desire to spoile and de­stroy the poore distressed people running away, then to saue and harbor them. This heauy and sorrowfull night, raysed a great cry, pitifull noyse, woe and clamor in the towne of Mulheim, specially among poore women and children, for that most part of the Merchants of the Towne were then at Fanckfort Mart, and those that dealt in wines, were gone vp into the country, to buy wine. To conclude, in this vnexpe­cted and cruell action, all the fauour show­ed them was, that they murthered not the poore distressed men, whose wofull cries clime vp and pierce into heauen, and make complaint vnto the great reuenger of all iniuries, and oppressed people, that with deuout prayer re­commend themselues vnto him.