"1623, February 24. The Duchess went to Urbino for the comedy
represented there the following day, and returned on the 26th.
"----, ---- 27. The comedy was performed in Castel Durante."[108]
[Footnote 108: The succeeding entry abruptly concludes the
Journal:--"March 7. The Prince arrived about 10 A.M., having left
Pesaro the preceding day, and returned there the 10th;" probably his
last meeting with his father.]
Resuming Passeri's Memoir, to which, although incorrect in many
details, we are mainly indebted for this portion of our narrative, we
find that the Prince moved to Urbino early in the summer, the company
of actors forming the strength of his court, and there nightly
performed with them, amid the acclamations of a rabble audience. With
a view to conciliate his mother-in-law, the Grand Duchess of Tuscany,
whose interference in behalf of her insulted daughter he had too good
reason to anticipate, he prepared a magnificent coach and six costly
horses as a present to her. On the 28th of June he acted as usual
on the stage, the part which he sustained on this occasion being
(according to Galuzzi) the degraded one of a pack-horse, carrying
about the comedians on his back, and finally kicking off a load of
crockery with which he was laden. About midnight he retired to rest,
worn out by this buffoonery, after giving orders for a chasse next
day at Piobbico near Castel Durante. At dawn, hearing the clatter
of the horses which were setting out for Florence, he rose and gave
some orders from the window in his night dress. In the morning his
attendants, surprised at not being summoned, and fearing he would be
too late to attend mass before noon, knocked in vain at his door.
Three hours passed away in doubts and speculations, and at length two
of the courtiers burst open the door, exclaiming "Up, your Highness,
'tis time for the comedy!" But for him that hour was past; the
well-known and welcome words fell on an ear whose silver cord was
broken. His body was under the icy grip of death; his spirit had fled
to its awful account.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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