[27] Suetonius, Life of Claudius.
[28] Candles of yellow wax were used at court until the time of the Grand Duke Ferdinand I.: he changed them to white, as we learn from a letter by Soderini.
[29] Montaigne, being invited to dinner by the Grand Duke Francesco, observed that he put a great deal of water into his wine, while Bianca drank it almost entirely without: "On porte à boire à ce duc et à sa femme dans un bassin où il y a un verre plein de vin descouvert, et une bouteille de verre pleine d'eau; ils prennent le verre de vin, et en versent dans le bassin autant qu'il leur semble, et puis le remplissent d'eau eux-mêmes, et rasséent le verre dans le bassin que leur tient l'échanson. Il mettoit assez d'eau; elle quasi point. Le vice des Allemands de se servir de verres grands outre mesure est ici au rebours, de les avoir extraordinairement petits."—Voyage, t. ii. p. 59.
Porque dixo la venganza
Lo que la offensa no dixo?
Calderon de la Barca.
[31] These last words of Francesco were heard when he dismissed the Duke, after the secret colloquy between them.—MSS. Capponi and my own.
[32] It was one of the chief passions of Francesco to manufacture most elegant porcelain vases, which he then presented to princes and great barons.—Galluzzi's Hist., vol. iii.
[33] Francesco, with a company of merchants, carried on this commerce of pepper, and employed his galleys in it. This company had the exclusive privilege of selling it throughout the world.—Galluzzi's History.
[34] Their escutcheon was a Moor's head.
[35] In fact it is thus registered in a book of mercantile records.