August xxvii.
This day I went in a calash, together with Mr. Montague and Mr. Gaugain, to Petronel, a village on the Danube, about twenty four English miles from Vienna, seated in the place of the antient Carnuntum, where M. Antoninus held his capital quarters to bridle the Marcomanni for the space of three years, and then retiring on account of his indisposition to Vindobona died there. While we were on the road, I was entertained by those gentlemen, with a relation of what they had seen the day before. Count Sherradin of Bohemia had several times shot a pistol bullet into a mark of the size of a florin, at the distance of forty yards. And at this he is said to be so expert, that his pages will venture to hold a florin between their thumb and forefinger, which he dextrously uses to strike without hurting them. The like is sometimes practised by the present King of Poland, tho he once broke the fingers of a page in making the experiment. We here saw the remains of a triumphal arch, the fornix of which is yet intire; erected, as is thought by Nesselius and Lambecius, on occasion of that Pannonian expedition of Tiberius, which is so much celebrated by Paterculus[136]. The inhabitants here shewed us various Roman coins, tho none of any noted value. The village now belongs to Count Traun, who is descended from Babo, count of Abensberg, who had forty children by two lawful wives; thirty two of which, being sons, were presented by him to the Emperor, Henry the second, who prefered them all. Count Traun has here a stately palace, called the Castle, where we saw the story of the thirty two sons of Count Babo painted at large[137]. The house is moted round, as is usual all over this country. In the inside is a noble hall, well painted in the roof, and at the entrance of the gate is fixt an antient Latin inscription, which I have here transcribed.
SILVANAB. ET
QVADRIBIS[138] AVG. SACRVM
C. ANTONINVS VALENTINVS
VET. LEG. XIIII. G. MVRVM A FV
NDAMENTIS CVM SVO INT
ROITO ET PORTICVM CVM
ACCVBITO VETVSTATE CONLA
BSVM IMPENDIO SVO RESTITV
IT GENTIANO ET BASSO COS.