Heic tutus obumbror Symbol Auth. A GERMAN DIET OR THE BALLANCE OF EUROPE WHEREIN The Power and VVeaknes Glory and Reproch Vertues and Vices Plenty and VVant Advantages and Defects Antiquity and Modernes 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. Made fit for the Meridian of ENGLAND By Iames Howell Esq. Senesco non Segnesco LONDON Printed for HUMPHREY MOSELEY and are to be sold at his Shop at the Prince's Armes in Saint Paul's Church-yard 1653. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND The most accomplishd LORD JOHN EARLE of CLARE c. MY LORD MY brain was a good while in labor before it could produce a Resolution to whom of those Noble Personages I have the honor to wait upon somtimes I shold most properly addresse this Piece in point of Dedication At last my thoughts reflecting upon your Lordship did there acquiesce and settle Nor I beleeve will any knowing Soul question my judgment in this Election considering how excellently your Lordship is versd in the Customes Conditions and Languages of divers Nations which is the scope and subject of these Criticall Orations though running in a new untrodden way Moreover the Orators here being Princes and Noblemen wherof those of Germany are esteemd to be of the ancientst Extraction and purest Allaye of any in Europe being those who yet retain their first integrity as Machiavill confesseth I say the Orators here being all Peers I thought it not incongruous to present their Conceptions to a Personage of their own rank that Patronus might be par Operi Lastly the main design of this application to your Lordship was to divulge my gratitude for the frequent noble respects I receave within your walls that not only the present times may bear witnes but future Ages may find it allso upon Record in this small Monument how much I am and was My Highly Honored Lord Your most humble and truly devoted Servitor Iames Howell London 3 0 Idus Junii 1653. To the Discerning Reader whether Home-bred or broken in the World abroad AS Fire is comonly struck by concussion of Flint and Steel which are two differing bodies So Truth who is the Child of Light as also Knowledg who is the Child of Truth use to break out and appeer more conspicuous by contest of Argument and the clashing of discrepant Opinions It was the first Dessein and it is the Method of this Work all along which descants by way of contraries and altercations upon the humors of all the European Nations Som of these Orations in point of matter may be sayed to be Sugar dissolv'd in Oyl Others Salt mingled with Pepper and som dashes of Vineger yet it is not Sal Momi but Sal Mercurii ther is nothing here scurrilous or favouring of malice the dirt which is thrown here is like the dirt of Oysters which rather cleanseth then contaminats We all are Coppies of Adam the Prototype Infirmities are entail'd upon us by a Conveyance drawn in his time therfore it must not be expected that Man shold be better out of Paradis then when he was in 't Ther is neither Horse nor Humane Creture so good but is subject to stumbling and that stumbling may make him afterwards go faster and stronger in the road of Vertu I have read of an old French Poet Iean Clopinel or de Meung who was a great Satyrist his Pen was like the dart of Death it spar'd none and having fallen foul upon the Queen's Maydes of Honor for their wantones in these two verses which were fix'd upon the dore of the back staires Toutes estes serez ou futes De fait on de volonte Puttes Yee are or will be or have bin All Whores in Act or Thought of Sin Complaint being made herof Iean de Meung was deliver'd over for a Sacrifice to the Maydes who having got him bound to a post to be whip'd he sayed Noble Ladies Let me desire but one boon of you before you fall to execution and it is That She of you which finds her self most guilty wold give me the first lash Therupon they fell gazing one upon another and none wold begin so the Poet scap'd The application herof is easy if it be made to relate to the Countreys of Europe We read the Queen of Bewty herself had a Mole and Queen Anne of Bullen had a Wren upon her Neck to hide which Ruffs were brought first in fashion So the best Region and fayrest City on earth have their blemishes Now touching those frailties which are thus hereditary to Mankind ther is nothing contributs more to the propagation practise of them then diversity of Opinions and Caprichios of the Brain which are infinit And how can it be otherwise for if out of 24. letters only in the Alphabet so many millions of differing words may be fram'd and if these two Verses alone which relate to Good and Bad according to the subject of the Book Rex lex Grex Res spes Ius thus sal sol bona lux laus Mars Mors sors fraus fex styx nox crux pus mala vis lis I say if so few words and we know words are the Indexes of the mind may be varyed as it hath bin tryed to nere upon four millions of Verses how many variations of Crochets and Opinions must then the boyling braines of so many millions of men be subject unto To this may be ascribed the miseries and distempers of most Countreys especially the rents and heresies in Religion wherof som peeple have so many that they need not pray Adauge Fidem nostram Lord increase our Faith but rather O Lord decrease our Faiths they are so many and I am sorry that England deserves to have a fillip upon the nose for this Now as these alternative Orations treat of the humors of Nations so they do also of the quality of their Countreys They will tell you that France hath the best Granary of Europe England the fattest Kitchin Spain the best Exchequer Italy the richest Wardrobe Germany the best Woodyard Holland the best Dayrie c. They will tell you that som Countreys compar'd to others are like Gold compar'd to Silver others as Silver compar'd to brasse as Ireland to England is as Silver in point of value to Gold which requires 12. ounces for one and Scotland to England is as Brasse to Silver which requires 100. ounces for one in proportion of intrinsique value in so much that one may say the Union 'twixt England and Scotland was like Oil mingled with Vineger They will tell you also that som Countreys are so perfect that they are created to preserve themselfs only and not to propagat as England with her Concomitant Provinces Others to plant abroad and expand themselfs as Spain with her Dominions Others to be Umpires and Arbitrators among their Neighbours for their fit posture as France and the Popes Territories the first being
Grosse herby came to such an extreme exigence that being overcom by Arnosplus he begg'd his bread of him to preserve him from starving and so obtain'd of him a small pension in Germany Neverthelesse though a clowd of examples of this kind could be produc'd the Kings of France do still use to flay their sheep insteed of shearing them witnesse the last King who assum'd to himself the Epithet of Iust and God knowes he least deserv'd it of any having exacted more of his people by extrajudicial wayes then any of his predecessors ever did to maintain a groundlesse warr against the Spaniard by the advice of an ambitious and bloudy Cardinal whose heart was as red as his habit and of a deeper sanguine die Now as we read of a Town in Spain that was undermin'd by Coneys of another in Thrace that was undermin'd by Molâ—…e of another in Greece ranvers'd by Frogs another in Germany that was subverted by Rats so I beleeve that ther are in France many such Cunnies Moles Froggs and Rats I mean ambitious and sandy brain'd sycophants that will undermine ranverse and tumble to destruction their own dear Countrey and Pope Gregory could prophecy so much of Richelieu when he came to confirm'd Bishop of Lucon to Rome at 20. yeers old of whom he said when he had perceiv'd his genius by his discourse This man will overturn the World nor is this Cardinal inferior unto him awhit but his head and his hat are altogerher as red He treads directly in his stepps and so doth the Queen in her husbands against her only Brother In so much that truly if I apprehend any thing one may see France running post to her own destruction Wheras you alledg that the Kings of France are such divine Physitians in curing the Struma I pray be pleas'd to hear what Petrus Crescentius a famous French Doctor affirms Multoties se vidisse Reges pro more tangere strumosos sed qui inde sanatus fuerit vidisse neminem He had seen often som of the strumatical disease touch'd by Kings but he saw not any cur'd meerly by the touch I am of opinion ther be waters in Moravia that can do the cure better being of a saltish bituminous chalchanthian vein and 't is more probable that God and Nature shold infuse more vertu to those mineral Waters then to a mans fingers All these things being unpassionatly considered and well ponder'd I do not see how the Countrey of France or her King considering the slavery and poverty of the peeple the unequal distribution of the public weal and blessings of the land with sundry other reasons and solaecismes in Government before mentioned I say I do not see what hopes or reason France may have to expect and demand the preheminence of the rest of the Europaean Provinces Dixi. THE ORATION OF MAGNUS Duke of VVIRTEMBERG AND TECCIA Earl of MONTPELGARD c. Lord of HEIDENHAM c. For SPAIN Most Illustrious Princes c. THe Province I have undertaken and the task that is impos'd on me is to speak something of that most Ancient and noble Countrey of Spain therfore while I put my self under that hot Clime I humbly desire the heat of your Affections and accustomed candor may goe along with me The Emperour Charls the V. a Prince of approved judgment although he was born and bred in Germanie for he intitled himself Citizen of Gant yet he lov'd Spain with a more profuse love then any other Region making his residence there most commonly when he was not engag'd in the French German and African Wars In so much that when he had transmitted and made a voluntary resignment of all his Kingdoms he reserv'd that Country for his last randevous And as it is curiously observ'd by divers Caesarean Writers when he hois'd saile from Sudeburg with Eleonor Queen of France and Mary Queen of Hungary his two sisters and with propitious gales had landed in Spain he fell down prostrat upon the first ground he trod and kissing it brake out into these words Salve mihi optatissima Tellus nudus ex utero matris exivi nudus ad te tanquam alteram matrem redeo quod unum possum pro tam multis in me meritis corpusculum hoc ossa mea do dedicoque Haile O most wished Country I came naked out of my mothers â—…womb and I return naked to thee as to another mother And which is the onely thing I can do now I give up and dedicate to thee this body and bones of mine for so many benefits I have receav'd from thee Now there be many eminent arguments for the high prerogatives of Spain Adeò sunt multa loquacem Ut lassare queant Fabium They are so numerous that they wold tyre the best Orator but I will end eavour to wind all up upon a small bottom Spain hath bin reputed from the beginning a most considerable Countrey witnes the Roman by whom she was prima tentata and ultima subacta first attempted and last subdued For the old Romans as now the Ecclesiastique Lords of Rome sought most after those places where the plenty and pleasure of the soyl might strive with their desire to make them happy as it is now the humor of our new Iasons the Iesuits to plant themselfs there wher ther are fat and golden returns But ther be other extraordinary conveniences in Spain the subtile and cleer temper of the air the salubrity of the soyle and the constancy of one sort of weather a long time in so much that Homer and other Authors have plac'd there the Elisian Fields Ther are no grosse caliginous vapours rising up there out of any Fenns gorsy grounds or loughs Ther are most delicat breezes that blow from the Sea and penetrating the circumambient Air use to refresh both man and all sorts of brute animalls attenuating and chasing away all dull terrestriall meteors Nay Navigators when they sayle along the Sea do come to know when they are nere the coasts of Spain by the fragrant odor which Rosemary and other aromatique Vegetalls that grow there up and down the fields do usually transmit and cast into the Air Spain is neither parch'd with so violent a Sun as Afrique is nor disquietted with such impetuous winds as France or shaken with such Earthquakes as Italy or benum'd with excessive cold as other Regions are but she partakes of all these in a middle kind of temperature Spain doth not only furnish Europe but the Indian also with most generous Wines most perfect Oil most pure Salt excellent gaules the best fruits as Almonds Figgs Raisins Orenges Lemons Pomgrannets and all other kind of Vegitals as Roots Herbs and flowers which are there in a greater perfection then in other Countreys The bowells of Spain abound also with excellent mettalls what Iron what Steel goes beyond that of Biscay What Quicksilver comparable to that of Medina What gold purer then that which is found in Tagus What Silke better
lomo en siesto 7. Guardarse bien del sereno 8. Obrar lo suyo y lo ageno 9. Hazer del Penitente esclavâ—… 10. Mesclarse en cosas d'estado Estos diez Mandamientes se encierran en dos Todo para Mi y nada para vos The Commandements of the Teatine Are more humane then Divine 1. To rake up much riches 2. To subjugat all the world 3. Good Capons and good Mutton 4. To sell deare and buy cheap 5. To water red Wine with White 6. To lye warme and easie 7. To take heed of the serenes and ill ayrâ—…s 8. To do his own busines and others 9. To make their Penitentiaries slaves 10. To be busie in matters of State All these ten may be made two All for my selfe and nothing for you Thus you see though som hug yet divers hate the Jesuit in Spain it self Alexander Hayes a Jesuit himselfe gives this character of them Iesuita est omnis Homo A Jesuit is every man That is in their subtile and nimble way of negotiation wherein they will represent and personat the humour of any man They are the great Architects of all politic designes which tend to enrich themselfs and enhance the omnipotency of the Pope For the wisest men are of opinion that had it not bin for this pragmaticall order Saint Peters chair might have tumbled down ere this his bark sunk and his keys lost When they first negotiated to take footing in the Academy of Paris they were asked whether they were Seculars or Regulars they answered they were Tales Quales they were such and such herupon the Parisian Students brought up this character of them that the Jesuits were Tales Quales and are nick'd so to this day herupon one applied this Distic unto them Vestra datis cùm verba datis nam 〈◊〉 Vestrum est Et cùm verba datis nil nisi vestra datis In England it was their equivocations that caus'd the clause without Mentall reservation to be inserted in the Oath of Supremacy One compares them to those little Animals that Seneca speaks of qui mordent non sentiuntur that bite and are not felt onely the swelling shews they are bitten so this subtile sort of Ghostly Fathers by insensible encroachments damnifie where they nestle though the party knowes not where he is hurt When they were first to be introduc'd to France the Parlement of Paris desir'd the opinion of Sorbon Colledg compos'd of the acutest Theologues in France which they deliver'd thus as it stands upon Record Novem hanc societatem appellatione insolita Iesus nomen sibi vindicantem praebere occasionem This new society arrogating to themselfs by an unusuall appellation the name of Jesus doth administer occasion of Schisme in the Church they subtract the obedience that is due to Prelates they deprive Ecclesiastic Lords and others of their rights They induce much perturbation both in civill and sacred administrations they usher in quarrells contentions debates emulations and divers scissures into the Church therfore they held them to be dangerous instruments in the busines of Religion as such that wold disturb the peace of the Church overthrow Monasticall Discipline and that their Order tended more to Destruction then Edification yet by the power of the Guysian faction they were admitted but the Parlement wold demur upon it a little before Herupon Stephen Paschasius an eminent Doctor did sharply argue against them sectam eam ambitiosam fucatae Religionis plebem appellans in Hispania natam He call'd them an ambitious sect fellowes of a counterfet Religion born in Spain but foster'd in Paris strengthned in Rome who under the specious shew of a gratuitous institution of children cheat and exhaust many families infusing pernicious principles into the brains of youths Then he went on with high exaggerations and said that their Provinciall was alwayes chosen by the King of Spain to which Provinciall they yeeld an unquestionable blind obedience Therefore he concludes that if these new sectaries were admitted they wold introduce a Trojan horse into the bowels of the Kingdome full of armed Enemies and that France shold repent her of her credulity when it would be too late for these men by their subtilties and superstition by their praestigiatiory kind of artifices would distract the settlement and tranquility of the whole Kingdome Herupon while this busines was in agitation King Henry the IV. was thrust in lieu of his breast into the Mouth by a yong Jesuit with the losse of one tooth the King having escap'd so great danger sayed pleasingly falloit il que les Iesuites fussent convaincus par ma bouche Was it needfull then that the Jesuits shold be convinced by my mouth Herupon by a solemn arrest of the Court of Parlement they were utterly exterminated and commanded to quit the Kingdome by such a day under great penalties Ther was also in the sentence an interdictory clause that none shold send their children abroad to be instructed by the Jesuits under pain of trea son Herupon ther was a new Gallowes of Stone erected before the Pallace gate to execute the transgressors of this decree But the King finding that his life could never be safe while he stood out with the Jesuits rather out of fear then affection connived for the non-execution of the Sentence causing the said Gallowes to be taken down herupon one sung wittily to the King Sire si vous voulez du tout a l'adenir De l'Assassin Chastel oster le souvenir Ostant la Pyramide l'Arrest qui la touche Quon vous remitte donc une dent dans la bouche Sir If you will for the future extinguish the remembrance of Chastel take down the Jesuits Pyramid and Sentence then let them put in a new tooth into your mouth Elizabeth Queen of England had so ill a conceit of this order that by the credit the great Turk gave to her Embassador and by her advise he banished them out of Pera on the Asian shore over against Constantinople where he had permitted them formerly to reside But you will say Iesuits are a great advantage to a State because they propagate learning and instruct youth so dexterously 't is tru they instruct them but they infuse into them besides most dangerous principles of equivocation and cunnning you will say they are the greatest and most masculine propugnators of the Roman Church 't is tru but they are great weakners of the power of temporall Princes They have planted the standard of the Cross in the Indies and are the greatest propagators of Christian Faith among Infidells 'T is tru but they do it as much for extending the Spanish Monarchy for as they are the chiefest Agents of the Pope's where e're they come so are they Factors also for the King of Spain the bent of all their projects being to enlarge the power of the one and establish the omnipotency of the other That Prince or peeple are in a dangerous condition when any censures