some may think it a Defect, that he is not enough given to Arms, and
Atchievements worthy of the Laurel: For, say they, the _Turks_ carry
all in _Hungary_, and we do not help nor relieve them, as we ought; we
should have join’d Armies in the Field, that it might be known whom
Providence would have to bear Rule. I confess this Objection savours of
Bravery, more than of Prudence, and therefore, let me trace the Matter
a little higher. I am of his Opinion, That the _Genius_ of Emperors
are to be judged of rather by their Councils, than by their Fortunes
or Events; and that, by those Councils, the Times, our own Strength,
the Nature and Power of our Enemies are to be regulated. If a common
Enemy, well known to us, and famous for no Victory, should invade our
Borders, ’twere Cowardice not to oppose him, if we have Forces enough.
But if the Enemy be such as seem to be sent as a Scourge from God (such
was _Atila_ of old, _Tamerlane_ in the Days of our Forefathers, and the
_Ottoman Princes_ in our Age) whom nothing can withstand, who lays all
waste before him; to oppose such an Enemy with small and new-levied
Forces, would not only be rash, but even Madness itself. _Solyman_
comes terrible, by his own and his Ancestor’s Successes: He invades
_Hungary_ with 200,000 Horse, he draws near to _Austria_, and threatens
the rest of _Germany_; his Troops are fetched from the very Confines of
_Persia_; his Army is furnished from many Nations; each of the Three
known Parts of the World conspire therein for our Destruction: He, like
Lightning, strikes down all before him with his battering Army, and
fills all Places with the Terror of his Name; he roars and Hovers round
our Borders, striving to break in sometimes here, sometimes there. Many
Nations of old, when they have been threatned with such Potent Enemies,
have left their Native Country, and sought out other Habitations. To be
unmoved in small Dangers, is but a mean kind of Praise; but not to be
terrify’d by the coming of so great an Enemy, who has laid waste so many
bordering Kingdoms, seems to me an _Herculean_ kind of Constancy. Amidst
these Dangers, _Ferdinand_ heroically keeps his Station, and being of
an unconquered Spirit, will not quit that, or his State. He could wish
his Forces were sufficient to put all to the Hazard of a Battel, and
that nothing of Madness were imputable to him upon that Account; but
Prudence restrains his generous Efforts: He sees with what great Hazard
his faithful Subjects, and the Ruin of all Christendom, _an unsuccessful
Battel would prove_, and is very unwilling that the Public should pay for
his Rashness. He considers how great the Odds would be, between 25 or
30,000 Foot, with a small Number of Horse, and 200,000 Horse, supported
by a Veteran Body of Foot. What Hopes there may be of Success in that
Case, the Example of former Times, and the Blood-shed at _Nicopolis_,
and at _Varna_, and the Fields of _Mohac_, as yet white with the Bones
of _Christians_ slain there, sufficiently inform us. ’Tis the Part of
a foolish Commander, without duly weighing his own and the Enemy’s
Strength, to rush into Battel, where his Loss can find no wiser an Excuse
than, _I had not thought_. ’Tis all in all, what the Enemy is with whom
we are to cope; this is an infallible Rule, laid down by all the gravest
Authors that ever wrote of Military Affairs: such was _Cæsar_; he counted
it a Happiness to _Lucullus_ and to _Pompey_, that they had to do with a
slothful Enemy, over whom they got Victories without Dust or Sweat; and
when he had obtained such an easy Victory over _Pharnaces_, he jestingly
said, _I came, I saw, I overcame_: But were to make War with the People
of those Countries (then effeminated by Luxury, but now harden’d by
Want, Frugality, Hunger, Cold, Heat, continual Fatigue, and Severity of
Discipline, to do and suffer any thing) he would tell us another Story.
Hence it is, that _Livy_ reasons upon good Grounds, that _Alexander_
the _Macedonian_ would not have had the same Success against the _Roman
Enemy_, as against the _Persian_, or the Womanish _Indian_: There is
a good deal of Difference between a Warlike, and a Luxurious People,
unaccustomed to Arms. ’Tis true, the Multitude of _Persians_ made it an
Admiration, _That there was more Toil in Killing, than in Overcoming
them_. In my Judgment, _Hannibal_’s three Victories at _Trebia_, at
_Thrasymene_, and at _Cannæ_, did far exceed all the Exploits of
_Alexander_: For why? the one overcame valiant Warriors, the other had to
do with the slothful People of _Asia_.
_Fabius Maximus_ had as much Courage, as _Titus Sempronius_, _Caius
Flaminius_, or _Varro_; and more Judgment: That great Commander knew that
he had to do with an Enemy educated in the Camp, well vers’d in Arms,
skilful in Military Discipline, who by a singular Fate, or Felicity, had
obtained many Victories; therefore he was not rashly to venture all,
but to use Delay to weary him out; that was the only Hope left against
so great an Enemy, to evade his Assaults, and to drill on the Combat
till an Opportunity was afforded for a Remedy. In the mean time, he was
to be watch’d, restrain’d, and, as it were, nibbled at; wherein he was
so happy, that _Fabius_ was as much Renown’d as _Scipio_ himself, who
ended the War against _Hannibal_; for who knows whether _Scipio_ would
have ever overcome him, if _Fabius_ had not first stopped the Course of
his Victories? To overcome by Prudence is as highly to be priz’d, as to
overcome by Force. The former has nothing common with Beasts, but Force
has.
The Emperor _Ferdinand_ had the same Design with _Fabius Maximus_, if his
and _Solyman_’s Forces had been equal. His first Work would have been,
to put all to the hazard of a Battel; but the Inequality considered,
his next Design was, to stop an over-flowing Flood in Walls and Banks;
and herein he employ’d his utmost Endeavours. ’Tis about Forty Years
since _Solyman_, in the Beginning of his Reign, took _Belgrade_, slew
_Lewis_ King of _Hungary_, and thereby promised himself the Possession
of that and other Countries; in hopes whereof he besieged _Vienna_, and,
renewing the War, he reduced _Gonitzium_ again, threaten’d _Vienna_ at a
Distance. But what did he get by this great Armament: He was forced to
stick in that Part of _Hungary_ which he had already taken. He that was
wont to conquer great Kingdoms by one Expedition, now subdued only some
weak Castles and small Towns, which cost him dear: ’Tis true, he saw
_Vienna_ once, but never after. ’Tis said, that _Solyman_ wished his Life
to be prolonged, to see three Things finished, _viz._ The Structure of
his Temple, a sumptuous and magnificent Work! the repairing of the old
Aquæducts to bring Water enough into _Constantinople_, and the Conquest
of _Vienna_. The two first he hath accomplished; but at the third he
sticks, and I hope ever will; so that he always calls _Vienna_ his
_Ignominy_ and _Disgrace_. But to return.
The Emperor _Ferdinand_ may, doubtless, be register’d among the most
famous Generals; for, though he had far less Aid than the Danger
required, he yet was Master of himself, and principally by his Courage,
he hath endured the Efforts of a powerful Enemy, for so many Years
together: So that a greater Praise is due to him for preserving a great
Part of _Hungary_ for better Times, than to many Warriors, who with
multitude of Military Preparations, and favourable Opportunities, have
got many Victories over Kings and their Armies. The less Assistance
he has had in a necessary Time, by so much the more the Valour of his
Mind hath eminently appeared. Whosoever doth not put all upon one Event
in the height of Success, not considering the Power of the Enemy, and
the Seasonableness of assaulting him, must needs conclude, _That ’tis
next to a ~PRODIGY~, that the open and extensive Kingdom of ~Hungary~,
distracted with long Discords, could be defended so long, and that all
of it is not already brought under the Yoke of so powerful an Enemy. ’Tis
God’s great Mercy, and our Prince’s infinite Care that hath prevented
it; whilst he is combating with one Difficulty, another arises in view
greater than the former. The Enemy is in sight, Friends afar off, the
Auxiliary Forces of his Brother ~Charles~ too at a great Distance;
~Germany~, though next to the Fire, yet weary in sending Aid; the
Hereditary Countries exhausted by Contribution, and the Ears of many
~Christian~ Princes deaf when Assistance is desired of them, rather doing
any thing, than that which is incumbent upon them; so that he is forced
to withstand the Enemy only by his own Arms, with the Assistance of some
~Hungarians~, ~Austrians~, and ~Bohemians~, and sometimes by hiring some
~Italian~ or ~Spanish~ Soldiers at a vast Expence. He defends the Confines
of ~Hungary~, with Garrisons fifteen Days Journey long; and has always
Soldiers in Pay, even in Time of Truce. A Truce is sometimes necessary,
and when the coming of a Tyrant is fear’d, and the Time affords no
Opportunity of Resistance, ’tis seasonable to send Embassies to pacify
him, that so great a Calamity may be averted from miserable ~Hungary~._
Whilst our _Prince_ has such a Burthen upon his Mind, he can hardly sleep
for a whole Night together; he watches for the good of the Commonwealth;
so great a Concern requires a perpetual Vigilance and constant Care. Do
not think I flatter him: what I write is true. He hath but few Assistants
in his Government, but those are very good Men; the chief of whom, not
unknown to you by Name, are, _Johannes Trantzen_, _Rudolphus a Harrach_,
both eminent for their Faithfulness and Prudence.
I shall detain you no longer than to give you some Account of our
Prince’s private Deportment. He rises every Day at Five o’Clock in the
Morning, even in the coldest Winter Months; and first, he performs his
Devotion to God, then he goes to the Council to consult of Matters
tending to the Public Good, ’till Dinner-time; he follows the same Course
in the Afternoon, till Supper-time; I mean the Time of his Counsellors
Supper, not his own: he never sups, he eats but once a Day, and that
sparingly too; and is as abstemious in Drinking; he closes his Dinner
with a double Glass of Wine: He passes the Night chastly, ever since
the Loss of his Royal Consort: He cannot endure the trifling Amusements
which many are taken with, and will have nothing to do with Jesters,
Jugglers, Buffoons, Parasites, the common Delights, and yet Plagues, of
Courts. He hates Idleness, is a very great Husband of his Time; if he has
any to spare from public Business, which but rarely happens, he spends
it in Conferences with good and learned Men, who (as I told you before)
are his chief Delight, and usual Attendants whilst he is at Dinner. I
believe that several of the Commons would not change their Life for his,
’tis so thrifty and severe: What Man is there that does not set apart
some small Portion of his Time to indulge himself? Who would willingly
deprive himself of all Delights? To whom would it not seem irksom to grow
old in perpetual Care and Business. This looks more like Servitude than
Sovereignty: But our Prince is of another Mind; neither doth he dissemble
it in his ordinary Discourse: He says, he was advanced to so great an
Office by God, not for his own Sake; that the Reins of Government were
not put into his Hands, to wallow in Pleasures and Delights: The case of
Succession in Kingdoms and Empires differs from the Condition of private
Inheritances; in these latter, no Man is denied to indulge himself in the
Conveniencies of his Patrimony. But so many Nations are intrusted to him
by God, that he might have the Care and Labour, and they the Benefit of
his Care, so as to obtain Rest and Quiet by his Sweat.
In Hunting only he spends a little Time, not so much for Pleasure, as for
Health; for when he finds his Body fall away, and his Spirits flag by
continual sitting for many Days together, he chooses one Day to refresh
himself with the freer Air in the open Field; and in Summer very early
in the Morning, and in Winter some Hours before Sun-rising, what Weather
soever it be, he goes Abroad to Hunting, and sometimes he does so in the
Afternoon; for I remember when I attended him at Dinner, I heard him say,
_I have done my Duty this Day; I have dispatched all Business that are
on the File; I may now spend the rest of the Day for the Health of my
Body_. Thus he returns late at Night from the Death of a Boar, Stag, or
Bear, and betakes his wearied Limbs to rest, without Eating or Drinking.
Let no Man then upbraid us with the want of _Trajans_, _Varus_’s, and
_Theodosius_’s; those Miracles of the Ancients in our Days: I dare take
my Oath, that there is more true Vertue in our Emperor, than there was in
all of them put together. But the Admiration of so great a Man transports
me: ’Tis not my Design to speak of his Merits, they would make up a
Volume rather than an Epistle; besides, they require an Ingenuity far
exceeding mine; and, therefore, my Aim was only to give you some Hints,
_That you may know what a Master I serv’d_. I close all with this public
Prayer, _That he may return late to Heaven, whose vertuous and holy
Presence alleviates the Miseries of our Age_.
As to the _Greek Books_ which you enquire after, and the Rarities, and
the wild Beasts of a strange Kind, which you hear I have brought back,
they are hardly worth mentioning: Among them, there is one _Ichneumon_
very gentle, which is known for its deadly Quarrels with the _Crocodile_
and the _Asp_. I had also a _Weesel_ of that kind they call an _Ermine_,
very beautiful; but I lost it on the Way. I have many brave Horses, such
as no Man ever brought from thence before, and six She-Camels. I brought
back no Shrubs nor Herbs, but in Painting, which I left to the Care of
_Matthiolus_, with some other Things, many Years ago. I sent him Tapestry
and Linnen after the _Babylonian_ Fashion, with Swords, Bows, and other
Trappings: I have also many other Things made of Horses-hides, curiously
wrought after the _Turkish_ Fashion, or rather I may say, I had them;
for in so great an Assembly of principal Men and Women at _Francfort_,
one beg’d one Thing, and another another; so that I have but a small
Matter left. The rest of my Gifts was well bestowed; but I am very sorry
that I was lavish of one Balsam, because Physicians call the Truth of
it in question, as not answering all the Marks that _Pliny_ gives of
it: Whether it be that the Virtue of those ancient Plants from whence
it flows, be weakned by Age, or from any other Cause; this I know for
certain, that it trickles down from Shrubs in the _Mattarcan Gardens_
near _Cairo_.
Before I left _Constantinople_, I sent one _Albacarus_, a _Spanish
Physician_, into _Lemnos_, on the sixth Day of _August_, to be present at
the digging out that famous Earth, desiring him to write me the Certainty
of its Place, Origin, manner of Extracting and Use; which I know he will
do, if he is not hindered. I had a Mind to go thither my self to be an
Eye-witness of it; but, the _Turks_ not giving me leave, I deputed him in
my Stead. I have brought back also abundance of old Coins, the chief of
which I shall present my Master with. Besides, I have whole Waggon-loads,
if not Ship-loads, of _Greek Manuscripts_, and about 240 Books, which I
sent by Sea to _Venice_, from thence to be carried to _Vienna_: I design
them for _Cæsar_’s Library; there are many of them common, but some
choice; I rummaged every Corner to procure such Kind of Merchandize, as
my last gleaning.
I left one very old Manuscript behind me at _Constantinople_, all very
well written in large Characters; it was _Diascorides_, with the Figures
of Plants, wherein there were some few Things of _Crativa_, and the Book
of Birds; ’tis in the Possession of a _Jew_, the Son of _Hammon_, who in
his Life-time was _Solyman_’s Physician: I desir’d to buy it, but the
Price frightned me; he rated it at 100 Ducats, a Price fit for _Cæsar_’s
Purse, not mine. However, I will not cease to press _Cæsar_ to redeem so
famous an Author from that Bondage: ’tis very much injur’d by Time, and
so eaten with Worms on the out-side, that a Man would hardly take it up,
if it lay in the Streets.
But to conclude, you may expect me in a very short Time. I shall reserve
what remains, till we meet: In the mean Time, do you take Care to provide
some good and learned Men, by whose Conversation I may drive away the
dull Thoughts remaining in my Mind, from my long Aboad among the _Turks_.
Farewell!
_FINIS._