A LETTER TO A FRIEND: BEING AN Historical Account OF The Affairs of HUNGARY: More particularly relating to BUDA, And how Treacherously it was Surpized By Solyman the Magnificent From the CHRISTIANS, Anno 1541.  
AS ALSO, An Account of the late Siege, ANNO 1684.  
Entered according to ORDER.  
THat I might not seem to put a greater value on my Trouble than your Satisfaction, I prevent being further importuned, by sending you such a Relation of Buda, that may perhaps leave you as little solicitous after the Miscarriages therein, as fully satisfied in the Event. I will not detain you with unnecessary Particulars of what is past, longer than to put into your hand the Clue that must guide you to the present Conjunctures. I reach therefore no further than the year 1526▪ when the Royal Line of the Kingdom of Hungary was extinct in the person of King Lewis; and this by the counsel and rashness of a Priest, who was not only made General of the Royal Army, but precipitated that King to engage with Solyman the Magnificent, in so unequal a Battle, as 30000 to 250000 men.  
And herein I would have you take notice of the general Dissatisfaction of the Nobility, who thought it strange to take their Commands from one whom, though they might allow qualified to give Rules in a Convent, they thought not fit to give Order in a Royal Army, or lead a Flock to the Wolf of the East. And further, that the Engagement with Solyman was carried on by the aforesaid Prelate, without the approbation of the rest of the Nobility, who would have persuaded the young King to have deferred it till the coming up of the rest of his Forces, which were sufficient, and in their way to his reinforcement. The end of this unfortunate Prince raised two Crowned Heads, and a Civil War in Hungary, between Ferdinand and John Zapulio. Ferdinand could not bear with half an Empire; and John could be contented to be a King, though Tributary. The former hath recourse to Charles the Fifth, the latter to the Ottoman Port. But after they had both sufficiently wearied themselves, and harassed their Subjects, they could dispense with the Rivalty, and content themselves with their Possessions. During this Contest, it comes in to speak something of Buda; and to tell you, that Solyman took the same from the Imperialists, and reinstated King John therein, as well as in his Kingdoms, making himself Arbiter of the differences between the two Christian Princes. In restoring King John, Solyman did like a magnificent Protector; but after the death of King John, that he surprised it by Treachery, he shown the other side of the Medal.  
For Solyman after the decease of King John, viz, in the year 1541, entered Hungary with a Formidable Army; and coming before Buda, sent to compliment the Queen (Wife of the late King John) on the part of himself and his two Sons Selin, and Bajazet, whom the Sultan had brought with him. He desired also to see his Pupil (son of the late King John) whom he had taken into his protection. The young Prince with an honourable Equipage, was sent to the Camp, accompanied with the principal Nobility of the Kingdom. Solyman caused a sumptuous Banquet to be prepared for the Noblemen; and in the mean time sending back the young Prince to the Queen his Mother, attended under pretence of honouring him, with many Officers of the Ottoman Army, who in a careless manner seemed to enter the City, more out of curiosity to see, than to seize ●he same, found no difficulty in securing the Gates and principal places thereof. Whilst this part was acting in the City, the Council being called ●n the Camp, 'twas proposed to send the Queen ●o Poland, and the young Prince to Constantinople, 〈◊〉 be bred up in the Mahometan Religion; to ●ake Hungary a Province of the Ottoman Empire; to cut of● the Nobility, to spare the common people to cultivate the Lands, and leave a sufficient Body of Horse and Foot on the Confines for the guarding of the Kingdom: at Solyman would not consent hereto; saying, that this Hungarian Horse at first ought to be treated with fair means and easy Acoutrements, by degrees making the usage harder, till such time as the mastery were gained. The Janissaries being now masters of Buda, the Queen was told, that the Sultan intended with his own Forces to secure the City from the attempts of Ferdinand, till such time as the young Prince was come to full age. That she must repair to the Territories of Transylvania; and that for her Assistant in the Government, was appointed the Bishop of Waradine, the same person that was Tutor to the late King her Husband, and Treasurer of the Kingdom.  
The Nobility, that expected their Banquet would end in blood, and their Heads to complete the last Act of this Tragedy, at length by the Queen's intercession, got their Liberty of Solyman, who having well Garrisoned the place, and left strong Guards on the Frontiers, returned to Constantinople.  
Thus did this great City of Buda, Metropolis of Hungary, by changing its Master, in an instant lose its Countenance and Lustre. The Nobility were no longer to be found there, but filled with Soldiers and violence: Liberty and Property became Servitude and Want. The Christian Religion was now by sufferance; the Churches were converted to Mosques, etc. And if this be the fruit of Protection, I am to seek for a Species of Oppression.  
The Kingdom being thus divided between Solyman and Ferdinand, could not long continue in any settled posture; for the former was still encroaching; and Charles the Fifth, who had no genius to defend Hungary, though his Brother's Country, and the Bulwark of Germany, etc. was driving on his unfortunate attempts on Algiers and Barbary, making no account of the preservation of his own, whilst all the World were of opinion, 'twere better to have defended Hungary, than to have conquered all Africa. However the ill success at Algiers, caused in the year 1547, October 7. a Truce between Charles Ferdinand and Solyman, for Five years, paying Thirty thousand Hungarian (Ducats) yearly Tribute for what Ferdinand possessed in Hungary.  
The Queen, whom Solyman, upon the surprise of Buda, had sent to Transylvania, made only the the figure of a Queen there; for George the Bishop of Waradine, afterwards Cardinal, was her Governor: And as another Priest was the ruin of Hungary, so was this of Transylvania. For the Queen, oppressed by the Monk, makes application to Solyman, who espoused her Interest; and Ferdinand that of the Prelate: And betwixt the Artifices and force of these two, the Queen was made unwillingly, to resign; taking as an Equivalent from Ferdinand upon Silesia Twenty five thousand Crowns Revenue yearly for the young Prince John Sygismund her son; and Fifty thousand for her Dowry: And that the Prince should marry the Daughter of Ferdinand.  
The Queen disgusted, soon after makes her Applications to Solyman then in Persia; who ordered Meemet Bassa to put the Queen in possession of the Province: Which being done, and things being not so well with Ferdinand as not to suspect the Cardinal, there was an Order sent, That they should do with the Cardinal what they thought fit for the acquiring and keeping the possession of Transylvania, which was taken for a Sentence of Death; upon which the Cardinal was stobbed: And for this Murder did the Pope excommunicate Ferdinand, though afterwards absolved: and Transylvania wholly subject to him, Anno 1552.  
The Queen once more sued for Protection of Solyman; and after Four years being out of Possession, regains the Principality for her son John Sygismund, by the beating out of Ferdinand. She died Anno 1554.  
Charles the Fifth resigning; and Ferdinand the First being made Emperor, he accompanied his Son Maximilian the Second to the Diet of Hungary, where he was elected King in September, 1562. though not without a bustle; of which I shall say something.  
At the Diet there was a Question started about the Election: For Ferdinand insisted on it, That according to the Instrument stipulated between him and Ladislaus, (Father of King Lewis) there was nothing more to be done, but to declare his Son King; because Election ought to have no place, but upon the failure of the Austrian Line.  
But the Hungarians stood upon it, that those Agreements were obtained by violence on the part of Ladislaus; and covetousness on the part of the Palatine of that time, who was gained with Presents; so that his Assent was not sufficient to bind the Universality of the Kingdom, who always reserve to its self a free will to choose its King: As also since that the Election might not be awed by any Authority whatsoever, it hath been decreed since the year 1498. That to the Diet designed for the Royal Creation, there shall intervene no Ministers of any Foreign Prince; so that if there should happen a Consent, that Maximilian should be their King, they will wholly have it by Election, and not by Declaration; which Election hath all along to our days continued, notwithstanding the Instruments and Compacts as before registered.  
Ferdinand the First died Anno 1564, at the 61 year of his age; he wanted no will but help to deliver his Country from the Turks. Maximilian was of quiet Inclinations, yet upon his coming in a Council was called; wherein, the Truce being out, they were to think of renewing the Peace, or of making a War. But this was diverted with the Turks, upon the Invasion of John Sygismund Prince of Transylvania, who following the steps of his Father adhered to the Port after the death of Ferdinand. But being too weak for Maximilian, he called in the Turk, Anno 1566. and at the Siege of Zighet Solyman died before the taking thereof, and the brave Nicholas Serini was killed, for which Maximilian was blamed. But the next year was a Peace of eight years made between Maxmilian, Selin the Second, and John Sygismund, who soon after died, being the last of the Line of Sapulia, to the great satisfaction of the Zealous, who were glad to see a Race that had its Centre in Constantinople rooted out.  
Now since there depends much on this Peace, I shall be short.  
They were reciprocally to forget Injuries.  
That laying aside the Title of King, taken upon the account of being born a King, he should be contented with that of Serene Prince.  
That the Upper Transylvania should be enjoyed by Sygismund by an Hereditary Title; and the Lower during his Life only, after which it should pass to Caesar.  
That if by the Turks he should be driven out of Transylvania, he should repair to Silesia to the Castle of Opolia.  
That if the Turks should attack the Province, Maximilian should come to his assistance.  
That if Sygismund should die without Issue, there should be chosen by the States of Transylvania another Prince inseparably united to the party of the House of Austria.  
These Capitulations were also ratified by the Transylvanians, but to be kept from the Turks, etc. a miserable condition for Christian Princes.  
Besides the Hungarian Pension, little happened till the taking of Copan by Serini from the Turks, Anno 1588. But this was disowned by Maximilian. Something more I would have said, but that the bulk of my Letter is already too big. I shall therefore lay aside all other things, and conclude with the Affairs of Hungary and Buda as they now stand.  
The early Success of the Campaign gave the Imperialists hopes that nothing would stand before them: For by the latter end of June they had routed the Turkish Army near Vaccia. In the beginning of July they had taken Pest and the Bridge of Boats. By the middle of July had beaten the Turkish Camp that lay about Buda, and taken the Old Town; and went so on with their Mines, Works, etc. that they doubted not but to be Masters of the place in a very short time.  
That in July they reckoned their Forces Forty thousand men, their Army in a flourishing condition. That the Walls and Castles of the Town were old and irregular. That they were lodged in the upper Ditch. That if Leshley should join them they would be Fifty thousand strong. That they had taken Gerarsberg, from whence they did very much incommode the Besieged, Nay, so confident were they of mastering the place, that on August the 9th 'twas reported that it was taken by Assault: For that there were different between the Officers of the Garrison; that they wanted all manner of Necessaries and Provisions, that the Garrison diminished.  
That July 22th, the Duke of Lorain had beaten the Turkish Camp that was under the Serasquier, for the Relief of Buda. That the Army was Twenty five thousand strong before the arrival of the Duke of Bavaria's Forces, who were some, about the middle of September at Buda; others, not till towards the latter end. But now of a sudden the faces of things began to alter: For on the 23th of September the Turks are the Aggressors, and assault the Imperial Camp. The Salleys are often and strong, the wet weather incommoded the Christians; and though they have had Recrits of Men and Provisions at times, yet they have not come seasonable, that the Army decayed faster than supplied. And though on the 12th of October a general Assault be intended, yet the Serasquier drawing nearer the Imperial Camp, maketh other measures, the Assault is put off to a further time, hoping that Necessity would reduce the place, or else the Serasquier remove further from them.  
But whilst every one had their eyes on the Serasquier, judging the Relief would come from that side of the Danube, on the 24th of October, the Bassa of Agria, from Pest-side, supplied the Town with Men, Provisions, and Necessaries: And on the 30 of October, the Dukes of Lorain and Bavaria shown their Conduct, not enough to be admired, in bringing off an Army safe under such Circumstances, from among such bad Neighbours: For it was as if both parties were contented to let each other draw off to take breath against another Encounter. Sir, this is at present all I have to trouble you with. I am  
November 14. 1684. Yours, etc. A. B.  
FINIS.   

LONDON: Printed for W. Davis in Amen-corner.