Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 1, 1851).djvu/124

xcvi tians again besieged Mitterburg, which was without means of defence and threatened with the rebellion of its own inhabitants. Herberstein was then in Mährenfels, and was asked by the commandant of Mitterburg to obtain assistance from the Duke of Brunswick; but as he could not pass through the country, he went himself to Mitterburg, where he found matters in a very bad state. The walls were already much injured by the enemy, and the inhabitants as well as the garrison were unwilling to obey the orders of the commandant, and deserted. The commandant urged Herberstein to take the command, but he would not accept it, and only consented to act conjointly with him. He succeeded in re-establishing order, and in compelling the enemy to withdraw. By this he gained great distinction from the duke, who was coming to assist the fortress, and on the road gained information of the delivery that had been effected. In this campaign he distinguished himself as much by prudence and order as by courage; and the states of Styria offered him in consequence the post of Paymaster of the Forces.

In the following year, viz., 1511, he lost his father, for whom he entertained a very warm affection, as is sufficiently shown by his writings, although it is but seldom that his parents are alluded to in them. He hastened to Wippach, in order to attend his father’s funeral, from which place the body was afterwards brought to Grätz. Nothing specially worthy of remark appears to have occurred in the two following years of his life; it is probable that during that period he was occupied with family matters.