[*72] [Sforza's origin] is now proved. The Attendoli were not peasants, but among the leading families of Cotignola. As early as 1226 an Attendolo was ambassador for the neighbouring town of Bertinoro in its submission to Bologna. They were a well-known race of soldiers, it seems. Cf. Solieri, Le origini e la Dominazione degli Sforza a Cotignola (Bologna, 1897), and ibid., L'Antica Casa degli Attendoli Sforza in Cotignola (Ravenna, 1899). Also C.M. Ady, op. cit., p. 3.
[73] The original lines, notwithstanding their antiquated orthography, so much excel our version, that many readers will gladly refer to them:—
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"Como a cometa enanze corre el ragio, Cusi nel giovin le vertude ancora Scorse il senthier del suo illustre viagio: E como quando Apollo insu l'Aurora Sparge le chiome d'or per l'oriente, Mentre tranquillo vien del onde fora, Mirava nel suo volto resplendente D'un almo invicto segni senza frodi. Onde a tal Re quel giovine excellente, Cum futura speranza, in dolci nodi El cor gli avinse, et poi dentro se fisse, Si como in verde pianta saldi chiodi." |
[74] Carteggio inedito d'Artisti, I., p. 179, from the Archivio di Urbino at Florence, Lettere, filza 104.
[*75] This eloquence is a little stupid. If the rendezvous was "under the walls of Pesaro," already held by Federigo, Sigismondo would have been indeed a fool to go.
[*76] I do not quite see what is meant here by "duty." No such thing as loyalty in our sense, loyalty "to our liege-lord the king," was, of course, known or even understood in fifteenth-century Italy. And even if it had been, what "duty" did the Urbinati owe to a bastard? And again, as we see they "elected" Federigo as the Signore.
[77] This, it is said, was exacted of him on oath, before he was admitted within the city gate.
[78] Passatojo, in Italian, signifies a deduction or drawback from the pay of soldiers. I am ignorant of the duties of these functionaries, unless they were commissioners charged with the adjustment of such claims.
[79] Cibrario, Economia Politica del Medio Evo.
[*80] For all that concerns Sforza in the Marche, see A. Gianandrea, Della Signoria di Francesco Sforza nella Marca secondo le Memorie e i documenti dell'Archivio Fabrianese, in Archivio St. Ital., series V., tom. I., disp. 4.