Myself.  After that battle, I suppose Hunyadi enjoyed his triumphs in peace?

Hungarian.  In the deepest, for he shortly died.  His great soul quitted his body, which was exhausted by almost superhuman exertions, on the 11th of August, 1456.  Shortly before he died, according to Florentius, a comet appeared, sent, as it would seem, to announce his coming end.  The whole Christian world mourned his loss.  The Pope ordered the cardinals to perform a funeral ceremony at Rome in his honour.  His great enemy himself grieved for him, and pronounced his finest eulogium.  When Mahomed the Second heard of his death, he struck his head for some time against the ground without speaking.  Suddenly he broke silence with these words, “Notwithstanding he was my enemy, yet do I bewail his loss; since the sun has shone in heaven, no Prince had ever yet such a man.”

Myself.  What was the name of his Prince?

Hungarian.  Laszlo the Fifth; who, though under infinite obligations to Hunyadi, was anything but grateful to him; for he once consented to a plan which was laid to assassinate him, contrived by his mortal enemy Ulrik, Count of Cilejia; and after Hunyadi’s death, caused his eldest son, Hunyadi Laszlo, to be executed on a false accusation, and imprisoned his younger son, Matyas, who, on the death of Laszlo, was elected by the Magyars to be their king, on the 24th of January, 1458.

Myself.  Was this Matyas a good king?

Hungarian.  Was Matyas Corvinus a good king?  O young man of Horncastle! he was the best and greatest that ever Hungary possessed, and, after his father, the most renowned warrior,—­some of our best laws were framed by him.  It was he who organized the Hussar force, and it was he who took Vienna.  Why does your Government always send fools to represent it at Vienna?

Myself.  I really cannot say; but with respect to the Hussar force, is it of Hungarian origin?

Hungarian.  Its name shows its origin.  Huz, in Hungarian, is twenty and the Hussar force is so called because it is formed of twentieths.  A law was issued by which it was ordered that every Hungarian nobleman, out of every twenty dependents, should produce a well-equipped horseman, and with him proceed to the field of battle.

Myself.  Why did Matyas capture Venna?

Hungarian.  Because the Emperor Frederick took part against him with the King of Poland, who claimed the kingdom of Hungary for his son, and had also assisted the Turk.  He captured it in the year 1487, but did not survive his triumph long, expiring there in the year 1490.  He was so veracious a man, that it was said of him, after his death, “Truth died with Matyas.”  It might be added that the glory of Hungary departed with him.  I wish to say nothing more connected with Hungarian history.

Myself.  Another word.  Did Matyas leave a son?