[169] Campano's funeral oration, Vat. Ottob. MSS., No. 3135, f. 274.
[170] Porcellio, in his Feltria, Vat. Urb. MSS. 710, describes his emotions in these rough lines:—
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"Ipse domum rediens primum vacua atria lustrat, Mox semota petens, clausis de more fenestris, In luctu et lacrymis, nigraque in veste sedebat. Pullati incedunt comites, famulique minores, Ac nigra sunt mensi mantilia, nigra supellex, Et thalamum infaustum velamina nigra tegebant." |
[171] Its form somewhat resembled an heraldic cap of maintenance; but on this occasion Baldi says the older shape was retained, with large ears hanging down at the sides. The sceptre was of silver gilt, nearly two feet in length.
[172] The details of these ceremonials by Baldi are partly taken from the narrative of Cardinal Arrivabene, in No. 568 of Epistolæ Card. Papiensis, p. 832. Some writers mention his also obtaining the Golden Rose, which usually accompanied the papal gift of the Sword to sovereigns whom the Church delighted to honour. Sismondi says the dukedom was conferred on the 21st of August, but we prefer the date given by Baldi. The latter assigns the Golden Rose and Giovanni della Rovere's marriage to the year 1475, after the affair of Città di Castello; we, however, in these follow an unedited history of Sinigaglia, Vat. Urb. MSS. No. 819, f. 208. Volterrano's Diary is confused as to dates, and would seem to place Giovanni's betrothal and his princely investiture in May, 1473. The latter, he says, "was considered a pernicious example of [partiality to] flesh and blood;" but a still more serious scandal arose in the sacred college from the special mark of favour conferred by Sixtus in placing the Lord of Urbino immediately beneath the cardinals in chapel, a seat privileged for heirs apparent of royalty, against which several of these dignitaries vainly remonstrated, reminding his Holiness of the few years that had elapsed since that Duke successfully defied the papal banner under the walls of Rimini.—Murat., Scriptor., XXIII., 95. This annalist unfortunately passes over Federigo's investitures with his new honours. Not so Porcellio in his Feltria, Vat. Urb. MSS. No. 710; but a brief sample of his rude rhythm may suffice. Describing the Pope's appearance, he says:—
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"Aurea vestis erat, lato circundato limbo, In medio effulget latus sub pectore clavus, Statque ingens diamas majoris sideris instar, Et nitidus media radiens de nocte pyropus, Purpureusque lapis, viridesque in margine gemmæ, Adde quod et triplices gemmarum ardore coronæ Fulgebant capiti fusis per serta lapillis." |
[174] There was an idea that the ermine would submit to be taken rather than soil its coat, and hence the legends of this order were Malo mori quam fœdari, or Nunquam.
[175] Baldi has unquestionably fallen into error in fixing 1476 as the date of this event.
[*176] Dennistoun does not seem to be acquainted with the Ode lirica a Federigo di Montefeltro (Per Nozze. Roma Tip. della Camera dei Dep., 1899), which Francesco Filarete wrote to him after the conquest of Volterra in 1472. It was possibly spoken at Florence in 1474, when Federigo became Duke. It speaks (strofe 14) of Federigo's early campaigns with Nicolò Piccinino, without hiding (strofe 16) the disaster of Monteluro and the rout of Montelocco (strofe 17), and goes on to tell of the Tuscan campaign of King Alfonso and the retaking of Fossombrone (strofe 26), and so forth.