66 XIII. which she has excited at Rome, as well from CHAP. "her own accomplishments, on which account 66 66 every one is desirous to see and to honour "her, as from the great favour with which you are yourself regarded here. You will there"fore inform us, with all possible speed and accuracy, what time will be employed in "your journey and when you purpose to arrive "at Rome, that every thing may be prepared for your reception. I shall say no more on this "head, expecting to hear fully from you on "the subject. 66 "As I know that M. Pietro Ardinghelli has "continually apprized you of the most important occurrences, I have not for the last "ten days troubled you with my letters. I had "before written two long letters to you by way "of Piacenza, which I flatter myself came "safe to your hands. I there mentioned "that Tomaso,(a) on going from home had " left your Baccio(b) to expedite many affairs "of importance. With Ghingerli(c) and with VOL. III. C "him A. D. 15 15 A. Et. 40. A. Pout. III. (a) Leo X. (b) The cardinal da Bibbiena, writer of the letter. (c) The king of Spain. CHAP. A. D. 1515. A. Et. 40. A. Pont. III. "him who wished to be related to Leonardo,(a) an intimate friendship and good understand"ing has been concluded; they being fully "inclined to do the same as the rest whom "Leonardo knows, if that which Tomaso wishes "for Leonardo be granted, which it is hoped " will be done.(b) By his letters of the third day "of this month, Ghingerli has informed To"maso that he is willing, besides the other re 66 compense which I mentioned to you, to relinquish the place at which my Leonardo was formerly so much indisposed, to the per"son you know.(c) It remains therefore, that "he who is to receive this recompense, (d) and "his defenders in the vicinity,(e) should satisfy "themselves (a) By the person who wished to be related to Leonardo, is probably meant the emperor elect Maximilian, and by Leonardo, certainly the Magnificent Giuliano, to whom the letter is addressed. (b) From this it is to be understood, that the king of Spain and the emperor were willing that the pope should retain the possessions which he held in Lombardy. (c) Undoubtedly the duchy of Urbino, where Giuliano had passed a great portion of his time during his exile. (d) Meaning Giuliano himself. (e) The Roman see. 66 XIII. A. D. 1515. A. Et. 40. A. Font. II. "themselves on this head; it being expected CHAP. "that they will approve of it.(a) The person "whom count Hercole resembles(b) has sent a message to his master to this effect, and has "requested Ghingerli that he will wholly give 66 up the other two places which are to belong "to Tomaso, or, to speak more accurately, to Leonardo,(c) and it is thought there will not "be the slightest difficulty. Tomaso is well 66 66 disposed to this arrangement, and told me "this morning repeatedly, that Leonardo "should also have all the other places of which "he had formerly spoken,(d) making, how"ever, as you know, a due recompense to "those by whose means these favours are re❝ceived. "Bartolommeo, who has the cypher, is not (a) This seems intended to discover the sentiments of Giuliano respecting the attempt upon Urbino, of which from principles of justice and gratitude he always disapproved. (b) The Spanish ambassador, who probably bore some resemblance in his person to the count Ercole Rangone, a nobleman of the court of Leo X. (c) The cities of Parma and Piacenza. (d) Alluding in all probability to the duchy of Ferrara and its dependent states. СНАР. 66 A. D. 1515. A. Et. 40. A. Pont. III: at home. I must therefore express myself "without it; particularly as this will be sent (6 by our own messengers. 66 "Our most reverend cardinal and the magnificent Lorenzo recommend themselves "to you as fully as can be expressed. I I hope 66 you will not omit to write to them, and especially to his holiness, whom I ought to "have mentioned first. In this I trust you "will not fail, as the reverence due to his "holiness and the love which they bear you 66 66 require it. The cardinal has received the "placet of his most christian, majesty for the "cathedral of Narbonne, and wholly through "the means of the duchess of Angoulême,(a) 66 on which account your excellency may re"turn thanks in the name of his holiness to "the duke and his consort. The business 66 was concluded in the consistory the day be"fore yesterday and the bull dispatched to "France, as I believe Ardinghelli informed you, as well as with the alliance which the "Swiss have made with the emperor, the ca"tholic king, and the duke of Milan. The "substance (a) The mother of Francis I. and sister to the wife of Giuliano de' Medici. XIII. "substance of this treaty Ardinghelli must CHAP. "have transmitted to you, as I gave him a 66 66 copy of the heads of it. To this his holi ness is not, for many reasons, disposed to "assent; it appearing to him to be proper "that when a league is agreed upon in which "he is to be included, it should be negotiated "and stipulated with him, as the head of the "league and of all christendom. "Tomaso says, that he expects they "should accept and agree to what he pro $6 poses, and not that he should have to accept what is done by others.(a) 66 "We hear by way of France that the king "of England intends to give his sister to the "duke of Suffolk, to which she is not averse. "This is not much believed, and yet the in"telligence is pretty authentic. "It is thought his most christian majesty will not this year make his attempt against "Lombardy. "The A. D. 1515. A. Et. 40 A. Pont. III. (a) These passages afford a presumptive proof that the pope had not at this time determined to enter into the league against Francis I. |