Indeed, he had secretly applied to the Signory for pecuniary aid some days anterior to the rising in his duchy.
[301] On 18 October, 1502, the Duke returned to Urbino; he had with him but ten horse. "Non saprei estimare la moltitudine degli uomini d'ogni parte grandi e piccoli che si trovarono per la strada. Da poi che si partì da San Leo per sino a Urbino, in ogni poggio erano le tavole apparecchiate dagli Urbinati. Ogni uomo se gli fe incontro dalla terra a un miglio, a due, a tre, a quattro" (Diario, cf. supra, [p. 401], [note *1]).
[*302] "Our Signore," says the Diario, "did not leave his bed on the 19th because he had the gout ... but every man went to speak with him in bed, the contadino as well as the citizen; and day and night he gave them audience, and spoke with every one willingly."
[303] The extract sent me has "supplicat," probably for "suppetat."
[304] This commentary, I believe, bears also the name of Raschid.
[305] MS. works in the Albani library at Rome.
[306] That many of the greatest Italian painters, up to about 1500, were in the habit of illuminating religious and historical MSS. is a fact which need not here be illustrated by examples. But as the name of Perugino occurs, I may mention that one of the most perfect miniatures known to exist is the martyrdom of St. Sebastian, signed by him, in a Book of Offices of the Romish Church, purchased by me at Rome, in 1838, from Prince Albani, which now ornaments the Earl of Ashburnham's rich collection. This volume, containing several other paintings of equal merit, was executed for Giovanni di Pierantonio Bandini Baroncelli, long ambassador from the Medici at the court of Charles V., the great antiquity of whose family is sarcastically maintained by Boccaccio, on the ground that their ugliness proves them to have issued from the hands of Nature ere she had become perfect at her business!
[307] Vat. Urb. MSS. No. 1198, f. 12, &c., Literæ Ducis Federici, in Latin.
[308] The date of this mission is indicated by a letter of 22nd August, 1475. It and another are addressed to Don Antonio and Don Guglielmo, probably English courtiers, referring to that embassy to England, offering duty to Edward, and the writer's services in his behalf at Rome and Naples.
[309] Anstis refers to this as of 1476-9.