A German diet, or, The ballance of Europe wherein the power and vveaknes ... of all the kingdoms and states of Christendom are impartially poiz'd : at a solemn convention of som German princes in sundry elaborat orations pro & con ... / by James Howell, Esq.

THE ORATION OF Prince HENRY ALBERTUS Baron of LIMBURG &c. Hereditary Lord BUT∣LER of the Sacred Roman Empire, and Allwaies free for HUNGARY.

Most Excellent President and Prince,

WHile we are in so serious a debate touching the King∣domes of Europe, and which of them may deserve the principality; truly me thinks that we are ingratefull to Hungary, that we have deferr'd so long to speak of the stoutest people that march under the standard of the Crosse, and by whose valour the peace and incolumity of the Christian World hath hitherto stood. We should have been more mindfull of the memory of our Bene∣factors. But as the Roman Respublique is oftentimes tax'd to have sinn'd a∣gainst her best and most devoted Cittizens, as when Camillus was ostracis'd and banish'd, Scipio dismiss'd, Cicero after Catiline undervalued, Rutilius hurried o∣ver to Smyrna, Cato was denied the Praetorship, Vatinius the basest of men being preferr'd before him; so truly it may be said that we have misdemean'd our selves towards Hungary. Now if Hungary could transplant her self hither before us, she would sharply rebuke us for this preterition and neglect; but because that cannot be, I will adventure to be Advocate for that most Noble Kingdom. But as in a vast Forrest full of Trees, one intending to fell down one for Timber, and building, but having such choise about him, is puzzled which to single out; so am I at a stand being entred into this large Forrest of matter, where or how to begin.

Will an inestimable treasure of all Wealth delight you? I pray where hath nature endeavoured with more industry to enrich a Country? If the amaenity of soyl, the marvellous clemencie of the air, the faecundity of ground can ennoble a Country, I pray hath not Hungary all these qualities? such is the fertility of fields there, that grain growes no where so kindly and copiously as there. There are such Vineyards up and down, that you will hardly find any where such generous and strong Wines. The Medows are there so luxuri∣ous, that one Cart cannot see one another though at a small distance. For

numerous heards of Cattle where can we find the like? How many thousand heads of fat cattell doe the Graziers fetch thence for the supply of all the neighbouring Provinces? Vienna her self, the Caesarean Court, spends above 80. thousand of them. Such is the felicity of Woods and Groves, that they are full of fruit trees as well as timber, as Chessnuts, Walnuts, Acrons, Plumms, and Apples; besides they abound with wild beasts, and Foul, as Boares, Hares, Phea∣sans, Partridges, which is the familiar food of the Peasans.

For stately deep Rivers Europe hath not greater, and more commodious and navigable for commerce, and the easie conveyance of all necessaries to and fro. They are quickned with abundance of Fish, great and small; inso∣much that the River Tibisco is said by a proverb of the circumiacent Inha∣bitants to have two parts water, and the third fish, so that Wernherus▪ affirmes that 100. Carpes taken out Tibisco were sold for one Hungary ducket.

What shall I say of the Richnesse of Mines up and down, wherein there are precious ores of Gold and Silver, the purest that is in the World. In a mine of Dalmatia, which is no ignoble part of the Hungarian Empire, there have been digg'd out 500. pound of Gold in one day, out of a Mine in the Principality of Nero as they call it. There be some Rivers in Transyl•…•…ania, wherein ingots of Gold have been found half a pound weight, as Bonfinius re∣ports. There is a very credible report, that Sigismund Chanzares Bishop of the five Churches, was so rich in Gold, in the memory of man, that he could entertain an army upon his own pay. Hereupon when Albertus the Pole challeng'd the Kingdom of Hungaria from his brother Uladislaus, he us'd to heighten the courage of his souldiers by puting them in mind of the exu∣berant riches of the Country, saying, Hanc esse Illam Regionem quam mediam Danubius tot fluviorum consiuxu incolis percommodus intersecat, & quae universi paenè orbis faelicitatem complectitur. Hanc esse Illam optimdrum for acissimam fructuum, vinetis specio fissimam, equis & caeteris animalibus aff•…•…im abuudant•…•…m; Auri atque argenti, multorumque praeterea metallorum ditissimam, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ribns quae non modo ad vitae usum spectant, sed & luxum possit ministrare, instruct∣issimam. This was that Region which the Danube with the conflux of other Rivers doth cut up and down with many intersections, a Country which hath the •…•…aelicity of the Universe. This is she that abounds with such variety of fruit, with fair Vineyards, with plenty of generous Horses, and other animalls of all kind. She is enrich'd with Mines of Gold and Silver, with many other sorts of mettalls. In sum, this is that Kingdome which is furnished with all things that appertain to humane life, either for use or pleasure. Yet Hungary doth not measure these splendid gifts of nature according to the common o∣pinion and wish of man, but she proportions them according to the necessity and use. And the Inhabitants must labour for them accordingly▪ Without doubt industry is a high and indefatigable vertue; idlenesse and voluptuous∣nesse is a servile, slothfull, weak and degenerous thing, her station is com∣monly in stoves and taphouses, in baths, and hot▪houses, or such places; When we find the other in the field, in the Market, in the Mines, or standing in defence of a Town with hard callous hands. If Vertue and industry can be found no where else, you are sure to find them embracing each other in Panno∣nia, now Hungary. What brave masculine births hath she produc'd, what grave and learned Doctors for the Church, as the most eminent B. Martin a pious Bishop, a pure Apostolicall man. Then she had Saint Hierom, who for his sanctity and learning is reckon'd, and with good reason, among the holy Confessors and Doctors of the Church. Then you have Andrew 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ an admired student of Ciceronian Eloquence, who writ thrice with his own hand all Cicero's works that are instant. But at last leaving the Papaci•…•…, the miter, the sublime honors of the Court, and all worldly Pomp, he be took himself to a private contemplative life, and to his devotions.

If I should stuff my speech with all those rare and holy men which Hungary

hath produc'd, it may be the Catalogue would be so large as that of Germany, or France. Some of them have deserv'd so well of the Common-Wealth of learning, that they have been greater Benefactors then some Kings or Princes. Among other Ioānes Sambucus a Doctor of Physick by profession, was so diligent in the collection of the best Authors, that his Library might be compared to any one private man's in Europe; which Nonnus and Hesychius doe testifie at large. We are going now to make inspection into the heroique vertue of the Hungarians, in point of Valour and Courage. And first we could nominate eight Emperors, which under a benign and happy star were born in Hunga∣ry. In the Emperor Decius, his vertues kept touch with his age, and grew up together. He came to the Caesarian dignity, neither by ambition, by bought suffrages, nor canvasing and corrupting of friends; but as his Election was fair, so his Government was so exemplary and glorious, that he was adjudg'd to deserve the character of Optimus Princeps by the unanimous judgement of the Senate; had he not been given so much to Pagan superstition, and op∣press'd Christianity by such cruentous persecutions. Aurelianus is cryed up to have kept the whole Roman Empire three years without the least invasion, or noise of Warre; he augmented the bounds of it, and enhanc'd the glory of it all his life time; but he was tainted with the same stain as Decius was. He was of a tall stature, but of a sinewy constitution, and robust; In so much that it is recorded how in the Sarmatian War he slew with his own hand 48 in one day, but in all above 950. In so much that children and boyes us'd to sing up and down the streets on festivall daies. Mille, mille, mille, mille, mille, mille decollavimus, unus homo, mille, mille, mille, mille, mille, decollavimus, mille, mille vivat, qui mille, mille occidit: What shall I say of Probus the Emperor, who for his meer vertue and valor was hois'd up to the transcendent dignity of an Emperor, though descended of very mean Parents, of a Gardiner; his name suted with his nature, for he was a man of punctuall probity. He trounc'd the Pole, he extinguish'd Tyrants, he pacified the VVorld, in so much that VVarres being ceas'd all the World over by Land and Sea, it was said, Milites minimè fore necessarios, cùm desint hostes, Soul∣diers were superfluous when there were no Enemies. Dioclesian was also an Hungarian, a Prince of a notable spirit, who would have antecell'd all the rest, had not the tenth persecution happen'd in his raign. For there were nine before under Nero, Domitian, Tra•…•…an, Marcus, Severus, Maximus, Decius, Valerianus, Aurelianus, but that of Dioelesian was the bloudiest of all. Iovianus Augustus was also a child of Hungary, who being chosen Emperor, refus'd it, saying, that he would not rule Pagans. hereupon the soldiers with a loud voice said they were Christians. Valentinianus and Valens were Hun∣garians, and his Son Gratian, all Emperors, who did more exploits,

—quam quae comprendere dictis In promptu mihi sit—

After this there rush'd into Hungary many rough septentrionall people in swarms, as Vandales, Goths, Hunns, Ostrogoths, and Longobards, at which time Pannonia came to be call'd Hungary, and those stout Nations did incorpo∣rate and mix with the Hungarians. Attila struck in like a thunderbolt and brought hither the Empire; at which time Hungary had Greece and Italy in Vassalage, and Stipendiary. She did persecute the Gauls with devastations and •…•…yrings; She brought Germany after many changes of VVar to be tributary unto her; and to pay this tribute, Germany was constrain'd to make use of, and melt her Church plate, and that of Monasteries. And there was no people on Earth so formidable as the Hungarian. For their Empire did extend then from Austria to Constantinople, and the Pontique Sea, and from Poland to the Adriatique another way: in which compasse of Earth there were 7. spacious Kingdoms, subject to Hungary; In so much that the King began to be call'd Archirix.

But what shall I say of Stephanus Sanctus, who would never attempt any▪ act in Warre or Peace, but he would offer up some extraordinary sacrifice to Heaven. What shall I say of Andrea the 2. who was so happy in the Educa∣tion of his Children, that his Daughter Elizabeth being married to the Lan∣grave of Hessen, for her austere and abstemious holy course of life, was enroll'd in the Calender of Saints? What shall I say of Ladislaus the first, who quell'd the Pole, brought down the Swisses courage, while he was upon an expedition against the Sarracens, by conjunction with other Princes, pai'd nature the last debt, and so died in the fulnesse of glory▪ and the magnitude of his great ex∣ploits; a man, besides valour, for integrity of life, and innocence incompara∣ble. What shall I say of the Geisis, of the Belis, of Emericus, of the many of the name of Charles and Lewis, of Sigismund, Albert, and Uladislaus, and of other most gallant Kings full of prowesse and piety; VVith what Praeconiums shall I blazon the praise of Matthias the first? ô what a Heroe was that Matthias, he that was a terror to the East and West. He that was Son to Huniades, who was so great an Artist in policy, and a well temperd Government? He never em∣barqu'd himself in any businesse but he arriv'd at his wished Port; he never at∣tempted any businesse though never so arduous, but he compas'd it, being most constant and thorough in all his resolutions, and in the prosecution of them; who had such a dextrous and moving way to incite his souldiers, that he made hope of Victory to serve for pay. The Emperor Maximilian the first, when he took the City Alba, when he triumphantly entred the City, the first thing he enquired after was Saint Maries Church, where the body of Sanctus Ste∣phanus was interr'd; but spying the Armes and Ensignes of Matthias Corvinus, being neerly fix'd and pendant upon the walls with this Inscription, Sub mar∣more hoc Matthias situs est, quem facta Deum ostendunt, Fata fuisse hominem: Here lieth Matthias under this Marble, whom his feats shewed to be a God, but his fate a man, having I say spied and read this, he burst into teares, so highly did Maximilian esteem Matthias; and indeed the perfections and prosperity of such a man, whom would it not ravish? For Matthias in his time was the on∣ly man who was said to bear armes. He subdued the Bohemians, he orecame the Valachians, he afflicted the Pole, he tam'd the Rebells of Hungary, he re∣duc'd Austria under his Dominion, he extended the limits of his Possessions to the shores of the Adriatique Sea; he rais'd the seige of Otranto; He dissipated in∣numerable swarmes of Turkes, and so abated the spirit of the great Sultan Mahomet, who in 32. years had acquir'd two Empires, had got 12. Kingdoms, and taken 200. Cities; I say he so handled this Mahomet, that he and Bajazet his Sonne desir'd peace. Besides, this Sultan Mahomet when he gloried of him∣self that he had conquer'd and quell'd all the Kings round about him, he used to except alwaies King Matthias, who was call'd by him strenuus Princeps, the strenuous Prince.

But that which adds much to the renown of this notable King, was that he joyn'd Arts with Armes, that he contracted a kind of Matrimony twixt Mars and the Muses; to whom he was much devoted in his private retirements. At dinner and supper he had alwaies some book or other read unto him, or some Doctors discoursing by learned altercations: He would alwaies say that 'twas impossible for any to be a Generall, and to deserve the name of a great Cap∣tain, unlesse he were vers'd in the institution of Warre among our Ancestors, and observ'd their discipline of Warre and Stratagems. He made Buda the Domicile and rendevous of all kind of Vertue and Knowledge; For he was very liberall and munificent to all learned men as well as Military, and his reign florished with both. Earl Emericus was another Ulisses, his brother Stephen an Agamemnon, Paul Cinisius another Aiax, Micolas Cyupor a Diome∣des, Michael Palatine a Nestor, Blasius Magerus (who was of •…•…o robust a con∣stitution, that he lift up a but of wine which three horses could hardly draw)

was another Hercules, and King Matthias himself was a true Achilles. In his happy reign, Hungary was no other then an Academy of brave men in all faculties. He boar up most magnanimously against the whole power of the Ottoman Empire, who denounced Warre so often against him; That fresh Em∣pire which florisheth with such incredible Wealth, most spacious and variety of Dominions, with such veteran Captains and exact discipline and exercised souldiery; flesh'd so often with blood and a continuall course of conquering, having their courage elevated with the conceit of the puissance and large ter∣ritories of their Emperor, with divers other advantages which the soft. Euro∣paean Princes have not, among whom either want of mony, the mutining of souldiers, the covetousnesse of Commanders, the carriage of so much lug∣gage and amunition for the mouth, the luxury, and excesses of the common souldier is so frequent. In so much that as an Italian Author hath it, it is a harder matter to take the smallest cottage from the Turke, then it were to take Calais or Bayon from the French. Hungary is the greatest rampart of Christen∣dome against that Gigantique Enemy, who magnifieth and esteems the Hunga∣rian, and slightes all other Europaeans, confessing that when he comes to the field against them, he is sure to meet with men. Nay the women of Hungary have such masculine spirits, that it is admirable. Among many other instances which might be made, I will produce a late one. When Mahomet had closely begirt Agria by a pertinacious siege, and that the Praesidiaries being summon'd to make a rendition of the place upon very fair termes; for answer they set up a Mortuary with a death's head upon it on the top of one of their turrets, prefer∣ring death before a dedition. Hereupon the next day he made a furious storm, and brought his scaling ladders round about the walls, but he was notably re∣puls'd twice by the Inhabitants. Wherein the virility and valour of the wo∣men was much seen, whereof one having her husband kill'd before her face, her mother being by, the mother said that she should have a care of her Hus∣bands body to give him buriall. God forbid, O mother, that my husband should go unreveng'd to his grave, pugnas hoc tempus, non exequias poscit, this is a time of fighting not burying, and so taking up her husbands sword and tar∣get, she rush'd in among the throng of the Enemies, and never left till she had kill'd three Turks with her own hands, as they were scaling a wall, and so offer'd them for a Victime to her spouse, to whom she afterward gave the rites of buriall. Another following her Mother, who carried upon her head a great stone to throw down upon the scaling Enemy, and being shot by a bullet and kill'd; the daughter takes up the same stone and went furiously to the walls, where she made so happy a throw, that she knock'd down dead two huge Turks as they were climing up a ladder. This female courage did much heighten the spirits of the men, who behav'd themselves so manfully, that the gran Signior was constrain'd to raise his seige most ingloriously, and so trusse up his bagage and be gone. Bonfinius hath another story of a valiant Hungari∣an, who at the seige of Iayza, clim'd up a Turret where the Turk had set up his colours, which he pull'd down, and fell down with the colours, and so sa∣crific'd his life. What shall I say of the portentous courage of Nicolas Iurischy∣zius who kept Gunzium a small City against Solyman, maugre his Army of 300. thousand men. What stupendous exploits did Nicolas Serinius perform •…•… at the siege of Ligeth, who being encompas'd on al sides, with fire, famine, & thirst, with the howling and screeching of women and children, Thuanus reports, he caus'd a gate to be open'd, and having a select company of Adventurers with him, they rush'd into the midst of the Enemy, to the amazement of the whole army, where some of them lost their lives so happily, that they rais'd the siege: But Serinius like the Salamander went through and through the fire without being burnt. Necessity is vertues occasion, and it is the property of a man truly valiant to make use of it, and turn it to vertue. Now vertue hath many

waies to try the valour of her children. She tries the courage of Regu∣lus by fire, of Rutilius by banishment, of Socrates by poyson, of Cato by his self-necion; And of the Hungarians by these and many other waies: Thus she tryed Serinius, Iurischyzius, Georgius Thurius, and Nadastus, who have got themselves high seates in the Temple of immortality.

It is Hungary that is the Antemurale, the true Propugnacle of all Europe, a∣gainst that prodigious huge Tyrant the Musulmans Emperor. The Germans grow rich by the Hungarian armes, the Italians live by their Funeralls, the French sleep quietly by their Calamities, the Spaniard is at leisure to Warre else where by their Perills, the English and Dutch made the more safe for their Power, The Pole followes his spotes by their labour. And Christians in generall live securely through their perpetual and contiguous dangers. So that Noble Hungary is not onely the inexpugnable rampart, but the buckler of Christendom.

Therefore, most Noble Princes, the Hungarians without much propha∣nesse may be call'd the Patrons and Tutelar Angells of Europe. Therefore the Pole, when the French Henry had stole away from them, made no ill choice when they reflected upon Stephen Bartorius to be their King. What an he∣roique Expedition did he engage himself in against the Moscovite; what an immense tract of ground was he to traverse, what thick endlesse woods, what huge Rivers, what fenns and loughs with other horrid uncouth places was he to meet withal! The Turks expeditions to Persia, the Spaniards to the Indies, the expeditions which were made in former ages to the holy Land, come short of this difficult march which Bartorius made. But what did he doe by this tedious and venturous march? when he had gone from Bo∣risthenes to Cerinova, from Staricia, and Novogard, as farre as the lake Lohod; depopulating all before him, and taking all the youth of the Country Cap∣tives, he constrain'd the Sudari the Emperor of Mosco, to refrain from all na∣vigation in the Boristhenes, and all the Ports of the Baltique Sea, and confin'd him to the interior Russia, that he should wander no further. This Bartorius extended his arme from the Danube, the Titisco, the Dravo, and the River Marossa to the furthest parts of the Northern World. When the Turk besieg'd Plescovia, there came an Ambassador from him into Bartorius his Army, where they were put in battalion. The Ambassador beholding the counte∣nances of the men, their postures, and regular discipline, with the splendor of their armes, and richnesse thereof, together with their horses and Canons, he fel into a kind of astonishment, breaking out into these passionate words, Fa∣ceret Deus ut isti Principes—would God were pleas'd that these Princes, meaning his Master the Great Turk, Amurath the 3^d. and King Stephen Bar∣torius were conjoin'd in a league, and they might subdue all the World. I will conclude with a brave Character that Vanotius gave of Stephen Bartorius.

Bartorius erat

In Templo plus quàm sacerdos, In Republica plus quàm Rex, In Tribunali plus quàm Senator, In Iudicio plus quàm Iurisconsultus, In exercitu plus quàm Imperator, In acie plus quàm miles, In adversis perferendis injuriisq, condonandis plus quàm Vir, In public a libertate tuenda plus quàm Civis, In amicitia colenda plus quàm amicus, In convictu plus quàm familiaris,

In Venatione, ferisque domandis plus quàm Leo, In tota reliqua vitâ plus quàm homo.

Bartorius was

In the Temple more then a Priest, In the Common-wealth more then a King, In point of Judgement more then a Lawyer, In the Army more then an Emperor, In the field more then a souldier, In suffring adversities and more then man, In pardoning of injuries more then man, In preserving the Publique liberty more then a Patriot, In all Offices of friendship more then a friend, In his conversation more then familiar, In hunting and taming wild beasts more then a Lion, In all the rest of his life more then a Philosopher.

All these things impartially consider'd and well ponder'd, I do not see, un∣der correction of the judgement of this most sage Assembly, but Hungary may stand in competition for preheminence with divers other Provinces of Europe.