This seems to have been too much for Ibrahim who remarked “Let us omit these things.” Turning therefore to a more congenial subject, he uttered a Turkish dictum, “Wherever the hoof of the sultan’s horse has trod, there the land belongs to him.” Hobordanacz replied somewhat sarcastically that they knew such was the sultan’s idea, but that even Alexander the Great had not been able to carry out all his ideas. Cutting through all these generalities, Ibrahim said sharply, “Then you say that Buda does not belong to Suleiman!” Hobordanacz replied stoutly, “I can say no more than that my king holds Buda.” Said Ibrahim, “Why has he then sent you to ask for peace and friendship if he holds Buda, which the sultan has conquered?” The nuncio told a long story of Zapolyta’s usurpation of the throne, and of Ferdinand’s merits to which Ibrahim sarcastically remarked, “You have talked of the many virtues of your lord! Very noble if they be true!” He then asked Hobordanacz if he were a relative of Ferdinand’s and how long he had served the Archduke. The nuncio replied that he had served him since the latter became king of Hungary. “Then,” said the pasha triumphantly, “if you have served him so short a time, how do you know he is so wise and virtuous and powerful?” A curious contest of wits followed with no practical object. Ibrahim: “Tell us what wisdom you see in Ferdinand and how you know that he is wise.” Hobor.: “Because when he has won great victories, he ascribes the glory to God.” I.: “What does wisdom seem to you to be like?” H.: “In our books and in yours, the beginning of wisdom is said to be the fear of God.” I.: “True, but what other wisdom do you find in Ferdinand?” H.: “He works deliberately and with foresight and taking of counsel; also he undertakes no affairs that he cannot finish.” I.: “If he does this, he is praiseworthy. Now what boldness and courage do you find in him?” Ibrahim’s next question as to the victories of Ferdinand received a long and clever answer. Ibrahim further inquired as to Ferdinand’s wealth. Hobordanacz claimed endless treasure for his master. Ibrahim then asked, “What have you to say about the power of your master?” Hobordanacz claimed many powerful friends and neighbors, the greatest being his brother Charles. Ibrahim inflicted one of his battle‐axe strokes; “We know that these so‐called friends and neighbors are his enemies.” The Hungarian replied sententiously, “Unhappy is the king without rivals, whom all favor.” Ibrahim at length stopped the discussion of Ferdinand’s merits by saying, “If this be so, it is well.” Then he asked whether they came in peace or in war, to which Hobordanacz replied that Ferdinand wished friendship from all his neighbors and enmity from none.