The celebrated Ms. of Jacobus Strada, antiquary to Maximilian the second, concerning antient medals; consisting of eight volumes in this order: Vol. i. and ii. De nummis consularibus. Vol. iii. De Latinis, a Julio Caesare ad Nervum. Vol. iv. De iisdem, a Nervo ad Alexandrum Severum. Vol. v. De iisdem, ab Alexandro Severo ad Claudium Secundum. Vol. vi. De nummis Graecis a Julio Caesare ad Nervum. Vol. vii. De iisdem, a Nervo ad Alexandrum Severum. Vol. viii. De iisdem, ab Alexandro Severo ad triginta illos sub Gallieno tyrannos. This work contains a collection of fair and choice medals, all exquisitely delineated by a pencil, each of which fills a whole page in folio; but the explication added by the author shews him to have been more laborious than learned, and discovers many notorious mistakes, as well in the tongues, as the history, to which the medals relate.
Two fragments, one in the Greek, the other in the Latin tongue, written on antient bark.
The case of this library is very mean, being unfurnished with seats and benches, and divided into four or five distinct apartments, besides another more separate from the rest, in which are kept all prohibited, that is, controversial books in divinity, together with the small remainder of Matthias Corvinus’s library brought from Buda. But it is still a greater disadvantage to this library, that since the death of Nesselius it has for two years been without a librarian, and therefore is difficult of access, and not without a considerable fee. This defect is attributed to the great scarcity of learned men in these parts, especially those of the Roman faith; for which reason the two preceding librarians, Lambecius and Nesselius, being before Lutherans, were obliged to renounce their faith, when they accepted that employ.
Over against the library is a long gallery, adjoining likewise to the palace, wherein is contained the Emperor’s treasury. A noble and truly royal collection is here of innumerable curiosities, both of art and nature, with vast riches in silver, gold, pretious stones, and jewels. But this likewise has the disgrace of being meanly exposed to sale, nor is it ever shewn under the exorbitant fee of twenty five florins; however I obtained two opportunities of viewing it, in the latter of which I took a large and distinct catalogue of the chief rarities deposited there, which would be too large to be here inserted.
The university of this place is a numerous society, appropriated to several distinct nations, particularly those of the empire, and the Emperor’s hereditary dominions; but it is remarkable for nothing but a low contracted institution, and administered wholly by the Jesuites, except that they refuse the office of rector magnificus, as being an expensive honour. The schools are tolerable and convenient apartments, adjoining to the Jesuits college; but the particular students are lodged privately, as every one’s circumstances and conveniency best serve him. But what they call the academy is in its kind more flourishing than the university; being a society instituted at the charge of the whole province of Austria, to instruct the young gentry and nobility in riding, fencing, dancing, the modern tongues, heraldry, history, and other polite arts. Their riding school is a noble room; and adjoining thereto is a stable of about forty managed horses, for the maintaining of which their instructor in horsemanship receives ten thousand florins annually from the public.
The present Imperial family ordinarily residing in this palace consists of the Emperor; the Empress Leonora; the King and Queen of the Romans; Archduke Charles; with the four Archdutchesses, Marta Elisabeth, Maria Anna, Maria Josepha, Maria Magdalena. Of these the Emperor has now passed sixty two years of his age, the King of the Romans twenty four, and the Archduke will be seventeen in October next; the two elder of the Archdutchesses have been some time marriageable, but the two younger are in their state of childhood. The Emperor is of a mild disposition, and conscientiously just, except where influenced by popish principles; he reasons solidly, has a happy memory, is both a lover and composer of music, skilled in the Hungarian, Sclavonian, and French tongues, and has an elegant taste of the Italian and Latin. Both he and his Empress appear truly devout in their way, which they testify by many instances of diffusive liberality and charity, as likewise by their frequent walks in processions, and daily visiting and dining in religious convents. Their garb, especially that of the Empress, is exceeding plain; their coaches and liveries of the old fashion; and their ceremonious dress is the habit and mode of Spain. Only they have now and then, what they call their Gala days, in which there is a great resort to court, and none appear there but in suits of gold and silver embroidery. So that it is the wisdom of this government, which has little reason to brag of its riches, to make this sort of luxury necessary, at a time when its more wealthy neighbours have either by prudent choice, or wholesome laws, wholly retrenched these superfluities. But to return to the character of the family. The Emperor is not only devout, but even bigoted to the Romish church, and fondly addicted to the priests, especially the Jesuits. The King of the Romans on the contrary is severely imbittered against them, but the Archduke is inclinable to tread in his father’s steps. The Empress will sometimes undertake pilgrimages on foot to some famous shrine, or image, in the adjoining country; and promises herself no doubt great benefits from that painful superstition.
The King of the Romans was gone to the siege of Landaw before our arrival; but the remainder of the Imperial family I had frequent opportunity of seeing, particularly at their supper, or the operas, which are sometimes acted in a theatre at the Favorite. It is their custom to salute the Emperor by bowing the knee. Their table is truly moderate, and a remarkable example of temperance and parsimony. Their operas are excessive dull, the action mean and trivial, and therefore more agreable to the low genius and relish of this place. Another occasion, that offered me the sight of the Emperor and the Archduke, was at a certain sport, with which in summer time they frequently divert themselves. They send out a large and expensive train of carts, laden with tents, canvas, poles, and other utensils, into one of their adjoining parks. There in an open green a tent is pitched for the Emperor and his retinue, round which a large and long space of ground is enclosed with high rails of canvas. When the Emperor is arrived, and ready to begin his diversion, a rank of huntsmen sound their horns, the rails drop at one end, and the grand cacciatóre rides out with his attendants to drive in an herd of deer, enclosed near at hand for this purpose. This done, they are forced up to the Emperor’s tent, till at the distance of about twenty yards they stand in a throng together. Hereupon his Imperial Majesty takes a well poised carbine, rests it upon a fixt support, then applies a perspective glass to the barrel, and discharges among the herd; and thus, with the help of the Archduke, he stuns, or maims perhaps, a dozen at twice as many shots. At length they sit down to diner, there talk over their diversion, and give this ignoble slaughter the name of a hunt.
During my stay at Vienna, I had the opportunity of three accidental but remarkable sights. The first of these was the execution of a woman by decollation, whose head the executioner struck off, as she sat in a chair, at one blow, levelled against the back part of her neck, with a two handed stroke, and a broad two edged sword. At these executions there assists, as in Italy, a number of about twenty persons, called the confraternity of the dead, habited in black, with masks, broad brimed hats, and mourning staves. They are a fixed society, composed of citizens of the middle rank, on whom their confessors impose it, as a piece of penance, to assist incognito on these occasions. But most remarkable was the fact and behaviour of the criminal, who was about twenty six years of age, and in the absence of her husband, now three years imprisoned at Presburg, had admitted the embraces of a young man, whom she passionately loved, but at length discovered to be upon the design of marrying another woman. After the most earnest but fruitless endeavours to divert his intention, she invites him one morning to a walk beyond the Favorite, and in a remote place enticing him to kiss her, takes occasion to shoot him in the head. This done, she immediately resigns herself to justice, reveals the whole fact, and implores her speedy dispatch; that so she might have his company in the other world, without whom she could not live in this. She walked with a fresh undaunted countenance to the place of sentence, which tho before designed and notified accordingly, yet is never formally pronounced till the time of execution. From thence she returned to the place of her death, sat down in the chair, and then received the stroke, without ever wavering her body, changing her complexion, or dreading the blow she was to feel. At these executions they often catch the blood of the criminal, as good against the falling sickness[135].
Another ceremony that occurred, while I resided here, was the investiture of the Duke of Saxony, and other inferior Princes of that circle, now at length demanded of his Imperial Majesty, at the Favorite, on the eighth of August. The five several representatives of the Elector and other Princes kneeling before the Emperor, who was seated on a low throne, did fealty in behalf of their respective patrons, rehearsed their pedigrees and title to their principalities, and requested of his Imperial Majesty to be invested in their several dignities. This being granted to them, they then took the proper oath at the feet of the Emperor; afterwards kissed the handle of a sword, which he held forth to each of them; and at last retiring to their first places, there on their knees they recognized the authority of his Imperial Majesty, and so were dismissed.
The third solemnity was a pompous procession, undertaken to accompany the bones of three Saints, namely, Sancta Victoria, Sanctus Alexander, and Sanctus Justus, from St. Stephen’s to the chapel of the Emperor’s palace in the city. They were newly brought from Italy, where being observed by Prince Leichtenstein in his late embassy to Rome, and found to have some relation to Hungary, of which two of them were natives; they were thought proper to be transmitted to Vienna, and accordingly purchased very dear, one of them standing him in no less than four thousand florins. In this procession marched all the religious orders, ranked in their several fraternities, except that the Jesuit disposed themselves promiscuously among the laity. After the monks and friars followed the meaner people, to the number of about two thousand; then the gentry, tho in a smaller number; after them a few of the nobility; then the Archduke and Emperor; and last of all the Empress and Archdutchesses. Each person of this numerous train maintained a decent gravity, except the Archbishop of Vienna, who being dressed in his episcopal robes and mitre walked like a horse in gaudy trappings, flinging about his legs, surveying his rich vestments, and looking up to the ladies and other spectators, who admired him from the windows, under which he passed.