stitution. In Vienna a committee was formed, consisting of the nobility, university, and citizens, who upset the regency, and got possession of the arsenal and the treasury. At last they agreed to hold a meeting in Pruch an der Muhr, at which Herberstein also was present, and there they came to the conclusion that the provinces of Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, and Austria ob der Enns, should send embassies to king Charles, to lay their complaints before him, and to invite him to a speedy assumption of the reins of government. Styria appointed Herberstein as their ambassador. The ambassadors met at Villach, and went to Spain by way of Italy, passing through Treviso, Venice, Rome, and Naples. At Naples, Herberstein took ship for Barcelona, but was wrecked at Sardinia. A similar accident happened off Minorca, but at length, after many adventures (among which may be mentioned, that the ship in which he was took fire twice, because, says Herberstein, the German cooks could not manage with small fires), he reached Barcelona. At Barcelona an epidemic was prevailing, so that the emperor had shortly before left the place for Molimo del Rey, where the first audience was given.
After a short stay in Spain, during which the new emperor seems to have become much attached to Herberstein, they had their farewell audience on the 17th of December 1519. They returned by the south of France, by Piedmont, Milan, Peschiera, Verona, and Vicenza, to Villach.
Soon after the coronation at Aix-la-Chapelle, the
