family concerns there; and he was also charged with similar commissions to the cities of Neustadt and Grätz. Four years were thus passed in these more private trials of his ability before we see Herberstein make his appearance in a public capacity. This period was divided between journeys, residences in the capital on the score of business, his own labours, and reading of the ancient as well as some of the modern historians. With respect to these last occupations, he himself says: “My most conscientious preceptor, Master George Ratzenperger, admonished me by no means to neglect my learning, and promised me that if I would devote at least one hour in the day to reading, it would be of great service to me. I did so, and as from time to time I studied the histories of modern writers, I remarked especially that in certain points they either from too much zeal and tendency to flattery wandered very far from the truth, or sometimes by a frivolous description detracted from the merits of good men, or attributed to others more than was just.”
After this period he entered the army, and made his first campaign at the early age of twenty. It began by his accompanying his brother George to the war which Maximilian, without provocation or even the proclamation of hostilities, had commenced against Hungary, in consequence of his fear of losing his claim to the throne of that kingdom through the marriage of John Zapolski, count of Zips, with the daughter of Vladislaus, king of Hungary. This was in March 1506; but as peace was concluded
