that it must be ruined, even if it had had no enemy on its borders. For my own part, I did not hesitate at the time that I was acting as ambassador for my prince at Buda, to advise Mary the queen of Hungary) (introducing the subject incidentally), to look to the future, and to get together and set aside some provision against any emergency; and not to trust too much to the power and youth of her husband, nor to the wealth of her brothers, points in which she was exposed to the liability of death and a variety of accidents. I reminded her of the old proverb which says, "It is a good thing to have friends; but that they are unfortunate who are compelled to make use of them." I told her that the Hungarians were a fierce, restless, seditious, and turbulent people, who showed little justice or friendship to visitors and strangers. That Hungary was threatened by a most powerful enemy, who desired nothing better than to subject her to his dominion. Thus I brought her back to the question of her own interests, and advised her to make some provision, with which to assist herself and her relatives in case of any misfortune, and told her, moreover, that it was a more royal thing to help others than to need their assistance. Although, however, this admonition was taken in good part, considering the manner of royalty, and I was thanked, yet it turned out that good and faithful counsel was of no avail, but that which I had feared and foreboded in my mind, to our great misfortune, came to pass. Nor was this the end of the tragedy. The court, such as it was, remained; and so little relaxation was there in pomp, arrogance, insolence, and luxury, that one of the courtiers not inappropriately remarked, that he had never seen or heard of any kingdom dying with greater joy or jollity than Hungary.
Although, however, the affairs of Hungary were in this desperate condition, such was the insolence of the Hungarians, that they made no scruple not only to throw
