As I made my way from Bratislava to my native region in the Tatras, I made a stop in Trnava, that free royal city some six miles distant, and so noteworthy in the history of Hungary,1 known as ‘little Rome’ on account of its many churches, where I wished to spend at least some time amongst my friends. I must admit that it never crossed my mind what was waiting for me there. For immediately after a rapturous welcome, my friends produced a letter of King Matej’s, he known as Korvin, dated 1483. It was written in Czech and addressed to the Trnava city council. The salutation reads: Opatrnim Richtarzi a Radie Miesta našeho Trnawy wiernym našym milym [To the providential Reeves and City Council of our Trnava, our beloved faithful subjects]. The letter itself is not especially noteworthy, histor
