neither King nor Kingdom but it is a kind of confus'd Oligarchycall kind of Government which made the Lady Christina Caesars Daughter and Wife to Uladislaus the 5. so say summum illud jus authoritatem Monarchiae in Polonia esse vmbratilem That the highest power and authority of the Polish Monarchy is meerly umbraticall 't is but a shadow of a power for neither in the OEconomicall Government of his domestick family nor in choosing himself a Wife much lesse in the senate hath he any power of free will Therefore most excellent and judicious Princes for to make Poland to have a precedence of the rest of the Provinces of Europe is the same as when the Bramble according to the holy text was made the King of Trees Dixi. THE ORATION OF Prince HENRY ALBERTUS Baron of LIMBURG c. Hereditary Lord BUTLER 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 Kingdomes 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 Benefactors But as the Roman Respublique is oftentimes tax'd to have sinn'd against her best and most devoted Cittizens as when Camillus was ostracis'd and banish'd Scipio dismiss'd Cicero after Catiline undervalued Rutilius hurried over 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 luxurious 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 Pheasans 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 insomuch that the River Tibisco is said by a proverb of the circumiacent Inhabitants 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 Transylâ—…ania wherein ingots of Gold have been found half a pound weight as Bonfinius reports 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 exuberant 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 affâ—…im abuudantâ—…m Auri atque argenti multorumque praeterea metallorum ditissimam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ribns quae non modo ad vitae usum spectant sed luxum possit ministrare instructissimam 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 â—…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 opinion 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 voluptuousnesse is a servile slothfull weak and degenerous thing her station is commonly 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 Pannonia 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 Papaciâ—… the miter the sublime honors of the Court and all worldly Pomp he be took himself to a private
prime and purest property of idiotisms seems as it were to dwell upon the banks of the Loire and principally in Blois and Orleans Insomuch that as the Attique was esteem'd the choicest dialect among the Greeks so the Aurelian is by the French Now for language vertu and learning the French have perfected all three with a marvailous dexterity and promptitude of nature and a rare vigor of all the senses inward and outward which makes Iulius Scaliger to break out thus into their praises I find there is a fiery kind of vigor and mature celerity in the French which other Nations have not To whatsoever they apply themselves they become notable proficients and arrive to a perfection in a short time whether it be in the mystery of Marchandising in letters armes or Arts Paulus Meâ—…ula gives this testimony of them I have observ'd and became astonish'd that among the French some will argue and discourse extempore of any probleme and that with such an admirable method as if they had studied the theme many daies before Therfore sure Servius was deceav'd in the French when he sayes they are pigrioris Ingenii so was Iulius Firmicus wheen he calls them stolidos foolish so was Iulianus when he terms them stupidos et rusticitatis amantes blockheads and lovers of homelinesse so was likewise Polybius where he saith that doctrinae et artibus operam non dant they apply themselves neither to Learning nor Arts I know Diodorus Athenaus and Clemens Alexandrinus say that they are faithlesse and given to gluttony and drunkenes Livie brands them to be light and effeminat Mela accuseth them to be greedy after gold proud and superstitious Solinus calls them vain-glorious Plutark writes they are insatiable of money and Cicero sayeth Gallos minimè vlla Religione moveri The Gaules are not mov'd at all by any Religion Surely these Writers took all these reports a far off and upon trust For they who have had intimacy with the French and studied the nation in general will say otherwise of them But that which is most noble in France and which elevats Her above all other Empires is the Majesty of her Kings wherof ther have bin so many brave heroique Monarks who have don such exploits that one may speak more of them in telling truth then can be spoken of Others in vapouring out hyperboles and lies Pope Gregory writing to Childebert King of France Quantò caeteros homines Regia dignitas antecellit tantò caeterarum gentium regna Regni vestri culmen excellit As much as Kings excel other men so far doth the glory of yours exceed the Kingdomes of other Nations Honorius the third said that the Kingdom of France was the unexpugnable wall of Christendom Urban the fourth saith that the King of France is the morning Star in the midst of the Western clowds He is an Earthly God in his own Kingdom he is above all Kings Ejúsque umbrâ totus mundus regitur and all the World is govern'd by his shadow saith Baldus Nay St. Thomas saith that he who prayeth for the King of France hath 100. daies indulgence granted by Pope Clement and 10. added by Innocent the fourth Moreover France is not subject to the distaff as other Kingdoms are but the Salique Law proclaimes aloud Gallorum Imperii Successor masculus esto For this is not only consentaneous to reason but hath a congruity with nature her self Because that in man the mind the body the voice and all things els are more strong and strenuous They are fitter for action and attract more awe and reverence unto them In the female all things are softer and lighter which may attract more affection but there is a kind of contempt that mingles with it In the one authority and Majesty appeers in the other fears and jealousie And how preposterous is it to the law of nature for man to be a vassal to that sex which should be under him The Pagan Epigrammatist can tell you in oeconomical government Inferior maetrona suo sit Prisce marito Non aliter fuerint foemina Virque pares I cannot deny but ther may be examples produc'd of som notable Heroique Queens as Zenobia Pulcheria Semiramis Isabella of Castile and of Elizabeth Queen of England a Lady that was prudent beyond her sex and ador'd with literature she understood Greek and Spanish indifferently well but for Latin French Italian English and the old British she spoak them familiarly which made Pope sixtus the fifth break out into this wish that he had a greater desire to see one woman and one man then all the race of mankind besides and they were Queen Elizabeth of England and Henry of Navarâ—… to whom were they not tainted with heresie he had things of mighty consequence to communicat But we may not forget what kind of Queens other women have bin as Athaliah Cleopatra Messalina Faustina Iane of Naples and Fredegunda of France which made Eumolpus or Porphyrius under Constantine to break out into this harsh tetrastique Crede ratem Ventis animum ne crede puellis namque est faeminâ—…a tutior vnda fide Faemina nulla bona est et si bona contigit ulla nescio quo fato res mala facta bona est Ther is another prerogative that the Kings of France are said to have which is never to die whereupon Maria de Medicis being struck with a consternation when she heard of the death of her husband Henry the fourth and cryeng out Helas that the King is dead No answer'd the Chancelor the Kings of France never die And the reason that they die not is because they are born Kings and perpetuat themselves so in their own bloud And as in all successions according to the mode of speaking in France le mort saisit le vif so in an hereditary Kingdom Uno avulso non deficit Alter Surculus The next a kin succeeds though a thousand degrees off by right of bloud Which cours doth not only foment and encrease affections 'twixt the Prince and his peeple but it prevents all tempests of ambition and pretences that may happen during the vacancy or interregnum and propps the Crown with columnes of eternity But in Elections what expectations and stirrs what sidings and factions do use to happen Besides what Prince will care for another mans as much as for his own inheritance which he is assured will descend upon his own issue and bloud Moreover in Elective States what a nundination what a buying and selling of suffrages is ther The Roman Empire presently after Claudius who was the first Caesar that was chosen by the Soldiers whose alleageance he bought with rewards did fall upon vile and base heads by that kind of Election or rather by that kind of Emption for it may be sayed that the Empire lay under the spear expos'd to publique sale What contestations happen'd 'twixt the Senat and the Legions In so much that ev'ry Province might be sayed to have their several
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have the Frank or the Frenchman for thy friend not for thy Neighbour And the name of Frank or French grew so renownd that Iustinian the Emperour calld himselfe Francicum whereat Theudebert King of France took exception because he was neither born there nor gott one foot of the Countrey And now the fame of the Franks like a bright flame of fire flew higher and higher and at last it grew so high that in Charlemaynes time all Gallia and all Germany that extended from the Rhin to Illyrium was calld France nay the name of Freink or Frence came to be of such a huge extent and latitude that all Christians among the Turks and up and down Asia of what Nation soever they were were calld Freinks yea the Christian Affricans in Ethiopia calld the Habissines calld all the Europaeans Alfrangues and the Countrey Frankia Herby most noble Princes by our fortitude and constancy we became twise the Fathers of Gallia and so we may be sayed to be also twise the Fathers of the Britains For the Saxons which som wold derive from the Saci a renowned peeple in Asia but wrongfully being as Zosimus sayeth for their magnitude of spirit strength of body and patience in labour grown famous and feard by the Romans as Marcellinus hath it The Saxons I say were sent for by the Britons to help them against the incursions of the Picts and Scots where being arrivd after many vicissitudes they settled there a Monarchy so that by som it was calld Transmarina Saxonia nor have the ancient Britons Irish and Scotts any other name for an English man to this day but Sasson Nor was the English Language any thing else at first but a meer dialect of the German so that all their Townes terminant in Dutch either in Ham thorp wich burg berg sted heim stadt c. Now I pray were not the ancient Kings of Spain before the House of Austria all Germans with the principallst Families of Spain who to this day take it a glory to be descended of the Goths Now it is observd that whersoever the German and Goth took footing they never forsook the place but multiplied there exceedingly nor is there any Nation so fruitfull and prolificall as the Germans witnesse these examples though somthing prodigious Margaret Florence the fourth Count of Hollands Daughter and Wife to the Earl of Henneberg being about two and forty yeers old about nine a clock in the morning was brought to Bed of an Almanack of Children Viz. three hundred sixty five as many as there be dayes in the yeer whom Guido the Suffragan Bishop of Utrecht christned all alive being brought all to Church in a great Bason and being half Boyes and half Girls the Males were calld Iohns and the Females Elizabeths but they all expird with their Mother in one day which was Anno 1276. Another Margaret Wife to a Count of Holsten some thirty yeers after brought forth so many But these were unusuall abortive weak Issues Germany needs and daylie produceth stronger broods I pray observe that nere Tubinga ther is a Castle calld Entringh Castle which for the serenity of the ayr the sweetnesse of soyl and amaenity of walks is a place most delectable there livd within these few yeers in this Castle five Gentlemen with their Wifes in a rare harmony of affection who got a hundred Children who livd to be all Men and Women Consider the Countesse of Dalburg who saw her numerous Issue to the third degree of whom this Distic was made Mater ait natae dic natae filia natam Ut moneat natae plangere filiolam Rise up Daughter and go to thy Daughter for thy Daughters Daughter hath a Daughter The story is notable of Babo Count of Abeneberg who of Wifes had two and thirty Sonns and eight Daughters whom he gave the choicest education unto that could be this Count being invited one day to Hunt with the Emperour Hen the second took oportunity to bring his Troup of Sonns well horsd and in gallant Equippage and making a present of them to the Emperour he took them all with much grace and contentment to his service and married them very nobly insomuch that many Illustrious Families sprung from their loynes And the Emperour was bound to do this according to Law for whosoever in Germany getts seven Sonns together the Emperour is to maintain them all and though the German Continent be very vast yet is it full of people so that as Boterus hath it ther was a cense of ten Millions of soules who breathd ther at one time but he corrected himself afterward and averrs Veggo che quella amplissima provincia passa 19. millioni d'anime senza comprendervi I Regni di Danemarca di Boemia I find that that huge Province besides Denmark and Bohemia hath nineteen millions of soules within it Therfor though an Army of two hundred thousand Soldiers shold be carried out of Germany ther would be no misse at all of them What shall we say of the Normans in France who establishd a Monarchy both in England and Sicilie by their meer prowesse and having subjugated that fertile Province in France calld Normandy ever since they did so infest the rest of that spacious Kingdom that it was a part of their Letany a Furore Normanorum libera nos Domine From the Norman Fury the Lord deliver us At last Charles the simple was forcd to give Rollo their Duke his Daughter Gista to wife with that whole Province and when at that Ceremony Rollo was advisd by his Nobles to kisse the Kings foot answerd no by God which is the cause that the Normans are calld By-gods to this day Roger Hoveden speaks thus of the Normans Audax Francia Normannorum Militiam experta est ferox Anglia captiva succubuit dives Apulia sortit aestoruit Heirosolyma famosa insignis Antiochia se utraque suppoluit Bold France felt the Norman Disciplin fierce England yeelded her selfe as Captive rich Apulia receavd them and flourishd holy Ierusalem and famous Antioch subjected themselfs both unto him What a man of men was Tancred who going as a Martiall Adventurer abroad with many goodly young Princes his Sons did perform many exploits in Italy chasd the Saracens out of Sicilie and did sundry brave feats in the Holy-land And to this day the Sicilians acknowledg that it was by his valour they enjoy their own Country that they live free and became all Christians again Tacitus himself though no great Friend to our Nation confesseth that the Germans cut the Romans more work to do then either the Samnites the Carthaginians the Spaniards or French and Parthians For what can the Orient as he sayeth bragg of but that they conquerd and killd our Generall Crassus and Pacorus But the Germans did not onely rout five Roman Armies in the Consulship of Carbo Cassius Scaurus Aurelius Servilius Cepo and Manlius but they took away Varus with three Legions
their characters specially of Henry the great and his Son the late Lewis the 13. 51 France and her King worthy to have the Principality and the reasons 52 Francis the first brought in the Turk against Spain the act authoriz'd by examples 55 Of the French Ligue and the monstrousness of it 55 French Kings censur'd 55 Of Henry the 3. his vision his death his Epitaph 56 France possessed with 3 Furies 56 Sale of Offices in France a high Injustice 57 French Gentlemen all Surgeons 61 Of the French language 61 France full of wanton Books 62 Of the French Rablais 62 The French often eaters 63 The French most changeable 63 When the Frenchman sleeps the Devil rocks the cradle a Proverb of the Flemin 63 The foolishness of the Londoners in point of building 61 G. Gratianus his famous Decree 2. in the Pro. Germany much better'd by forren travel 3. in the Pro. The German Gentlemen tax'd for abusing forren Travel 6 The Germans very thick abroad in other Countryes 6 Germany the Princesse of Europe 7 Gaunt in Flanders the greatest City in Europe 7 Germany suddenly turn'd Christian her marvailous piety 9 Germany describ'd by Paulus Iovius 10 She hath mightily flourished since the Councell of Constance in Universities and Knowledge 10 The German Princes very covetous of degrees in Learning 11 Of the Duke of Gelders 11 All the German great Townes excell in some particular thing 13 A German Fryer Inventor of Guns and A German Swordman Inventor of Printing vice versa 14 The German Cities characteriz'd 16 The German Territories characteriz'd 17 Of the German Wines 18 Germany compar'd to Italy 18 The German commodities set forth 18 Of the German Horses 19 Of the German Rivers 19 Of the German Fish 19 Of the German Mines of Gold and Silver with other Mettals 19 The German most Hospitable 20 German Gentlemen restrained from Trade 20 The Germans never beat their servants nor imprison their Tenants 21 Germany an ill Country for Bastards 21 The German rare for chastity and conjugall love 22 Of the German valour 22 Germany called by the Belgians Magna patria 23 Germany the strongest body of Europe if united 26 The Genoways only worse than Englishmen 36 The Germans tartly censur'd 34 The German way to try whether a child be a Bastard 73 H. AN Honest man must be a mixt man the reason why 3. in the Pro. Hyperboles of divers sorts 4. in the Pro. Hollanders best makers of Linnen cloth their Looms are as fine as Arachnes Webb 13 Holst Oudenard excel in woven Pictures 13 Holland hath thirty three Cities whereof from Gorcham Tower one may see 22 16 Hercynian Forrest once nine dayes journey broad 17 Holland characteriz'd by Scaliger 17 Holland Cowes give twelve quarts a day 19 Herodes King of Iudaea had a Guard of Germans 21 How the Germans took footing in France 23 Horslers and Tapste◅s in Poland understand Latin in many places 3 How Rome hath been ingrateful to those who deserved best of her 10 Hungary hath strong Wines 10 Hungary hath a River call'd Tibisco whereof it is said that she hath two parts water and the third fish 11 Saint Hierom an Hungarian 11 Hungary hath had famous men their names 11 Hungary affoorded eight Roman Emperours their names 12 Other brave Kings of Hungary mentioned 13 The brave answer of an Hungarian Gentlewoman 14 Hungary the Antimurale and chiefest Rampart of Europe 15 Hungary glorieth of Stephen Bartorius and deservedly his character 15 Of the Hungarian languor or fai◅iness 17 Some Hungarian Wells that will singe Hoggs yet they breed fish 17 The Hungarians described by Bishop Otto of Frisenghen 18 The Huns said to have their original from som Demons 18 Henry the 4 of France censur'd many ways 65 In Henry the seconds time but two Coaches in all Paris 63 The Hollander lives partly upon the idleness of the English 49 A horrid Murrher of a German Butcher 49 I THe Italian taunted 6 The Italian sends yeerly to Germany for Artists as Statuaries Architects Limmers Surveyours Aqueductors c. 12 Iohn Guttemberg of Mentz first Inventor of Printing 14 How Irenaeus adjur'd the writer of his works tobe true 15 Of the Italian Mountibanks 6 Of Idlenes and sloth 11 Italy to other Kingdoms as a diamond to Bristol stones 20 Italy characteriz'd by Pliny 20 The high Elogy that an Emperour gives of Italy 21 Some Italian soyles affoord 4 ◅attermaths 21 Italy Bacchus his Inner Celler 21 Of the Italian wines 21 The wines of Papia cur'd Boetius and afterwards he fell to write his book de Consolatione 21 The various comodities of Italy 22 Italy describ'd curiously by Florus 22 The Italian Cities with their Epithetts 22 A Napolitan found out the Mariners Compas a Venetian found out the making of glasse 23 Of the brave Artists of Italy of the Poets and Orators with Philosophers 23 Italy the great source and Cestern whence all civility flow◅s 24 Italy hath 17. Academies 24 The Italian cautious in exposing himself to danger 24 The brave resolution of an Italian when Charles the eight entred Italy 25 Italy bred great Captains 25 Of Christophero Colomba a greater Heroe then Hercules the reasons induc'd him to that design his proceedings in short how he jeerd the ranting Spaniards how he was slighted at last listned unto by Isabella 25 The Italians are true friends exemplified by Signior Priuli a Venetian Gentleman and Cardinall Pole 26 Italy a seeker after and rewarder of vertu Rome the common Countrey of all Nations where any is capable of dignity 26 Of the stupendous wealth and strength of Venice stil a virgin the greatest mistresse of Sea in the world her exploits and policy 28 Divers Characters of Rome one by Livy her admired populousnes and riches in times pass'd of her Bishop alwayes a Reverencer of the Gods of old and new Rome of the Pope and many examples produc'd what adorations have been done him by Emperors and Kings the notable letter of Adrian the fourth to the Electors of Germany the names of those Kingdoms that are feudetary to Rome how divers Emperours Kings have been excōmunicated by him 31 Touching Generall Councels a proverb of the Pope in Italy c. 33 Italy by many characters of merit deserves to have the precedence of all Countreys in Europe 33 Of famous Iohn Hawkwood 45 Ireland famous of old for learned men 49 The Irish have a holy proverb of S. Patrick 49 Ireland and Scotland censurd 66 K KIngdoms no other then Magna Latrocinia fol. 41 Kingston upon Hull like a Low-Countrey town 47 Of Keneth the Pict who brought the coronation stone from Ireland to Scotland 48 L THe Lord Presidents complement to the rest of the Princes 1. in the pro. Lycurgus against forren Travell 2. in the proeme The Law of God that strangers should be as well us'd of Natives 2. in the pro. Of Luther his quil compar'd to Hercules club 9 Lotharius the Emperour