[Footnote22:IntheirletterstotheemperorFredericIII。theHungariansslay80，000Turksinonebattle；butthemodestJulianreducestheslaughterto6000oreven2000infidels，AeneasSylviusinEurop。c。5，andepist。44，81，apudSpondanum。]
[Footnote23:SeetheoriginoftheTurkishwar，andthefirstexpeditionofLadislaus，inthevthandvithbooksoftheiiiddecadofBonfinius，who，inhisdivisionandstyle，copiesLivywithtolerablesuccessCallimachusl。iip。487—496isstillmorepureandauthentic。]
Duringthewholetransaction，thecardinallegatehadobservedasullensilence，unwillingtoapprove，andunabletooppose，theconsentofthekingandpeople。ButthedietwasnotdissolvedbeforeJulianwasfortifiedbythewelcomeintelligence，thatAnatoliawasinvadedbytheCaramanian，andThracebytheGreekemperor；thatthefleetsofGenoa，Venice，andBurgundy，weremastersoftheHellespont；andthattheallies，informedofthevictory，andignorantofthetreaty，ofLadislaus，impatientlywaitedforthereturnofhisvictoriousarmy。\"Andisitthus，\"exclaimedthecardinal，^24\"thatyouwilldeserttheirexpectationsandyourownfortune?Itistothem，toyourGod，andyourfellow—Christians，thatyouhavepledgedyourfaith；andthatpriorobligationannihilatesarashandsacrilegiousoathtotheenemiesofChrist。HisvicaronearthistheRomanpontiff；withoutwhosesanctionyoucanneitherpromisenorperform。InhisnameIabsolveyourperjuryandsanctifyyourarms:followmyfootstepsinthepathsofgloryandsalvation；andifstillyehavescruples，devolveonmyheadthepunishmentandthesin。\"Thismischievouscasuistrywassecondedbyhisrespectablecharacter，andthelevityofpopularassemblies:warwasresolved，onthesamespotwherepeacehadsolatelybeensworn；and，intheexecutionofthetreaty，theTurkswereassaultedbytheChristians；towhom，withsomereason，theymightapplytheepithetofInfidels。ThefalsehoodofLadislaustohiswordandoathwaspalliatedbythereligionofthetimes:
themostperfect，oratleastthemostpopular，excusewouldhavebeenthesuccessofhisarmsandthedeliveranceoftheEasternchurch。Butthesametreatywhichshouldhaveboundhisconsciencehaddiminishedhisstrength。Ontheproclamationofthepeace，theFrenchandGermanvolunteersdepartedwithindignantmurmurs:thePoleswereexhaustedbydistantwarfare，andperhapsdisgustedwithforeigncommand；andtheirpalatinesacceptedthefirstlicense，andhastilyretiredtotheirprovincesandcastles。EvenHungarywasdividedbyfaction，orrestrainedbyalaudablescruple；andtherelicsofthecrusadethatmarchedinthesecondexpeditionwerereducedtoaninadequateforceoftwentythousandmen。AWalachianchief，whojoinedtheroyalstandardwithhisvassals，presumedtoremarkthattheirnumbersdidnotexceedthehuntingretinuethatsometimesattendedthesultan；andthegiftoftwohorsesofmatchlessspeedmightadmonishLadislausofhissecretforesightoftheevent。ButthedespotofServia，aftertherestorationofhiscountryandchildren，wastemptedbythepromiseofnewrealms；andtheinexperienceoftheking，theenthusiasmofthelegate，andthemartialpresumptionofHuniadeshimself，werepersuadedthateveryobstaclemustyieldtotheinvinciblevirtueoftheswordandthecross。AfterthepassageoftheDanube，tworoadsmightleadtoConstantinopleandtheHellespont:theonedirect，abrupt，anddifficultthroughthemountainsofHaemus；
theothermoretediousandsecure，overalevelcountry，andalongtheshoresoftheEuxine；inwhichtheirflanks，accordingtotheScythiandiscipline，mightalwaysbecoveredbyamovablefortificationofwagons。Thelatterwasjudiciouslypreferred: