Note 172 — Chapter X

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:—

"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."