ELISABETTA GONZAGA, wife of Guidobaldo di Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino. Aged 46. EMILIA PIA, friend and companion of the Duchess, and widow of the Duke’s half-brother. Aged about 30. MARGARITA GONZAGA, young niece and companion of the Duchess. COSTANZA FREGOSA, young half-niece of the Duke. FRANCESCO MARIA DELLA ROVERE, nephew and adopted heir of the Duke. Aged 17. Count LUDOVICO DA CANOSSA, a kinsman of the author, afterwards made Bishop of Bayeux. aged 31. FEDERICO FREGOSO, half-nephew of the Duke, afterwards made a cardinal. Aged 27. GIULIANO DE’ MEDICI, an exile from Florence, known at Urbino as “My lord Magnifico,” and afterwards made Duke of Nemours. Aged 29. BERNARDO DOVIZI, better known as BIBBIENA, an adherent of the Medici, afterwards made a cardinal. Aged 37. OTTAVIANO FREGOSO, elder brother of Costanza and Federico, afterwards Doge of Genoa. PIETRO BEMBO, a Venetian scholar and poet, afterwards made a cardinal. Aged 37. CESARE GONZAGA, a kinsman of the Duchess, and cousin as well as close friend of the author. Aged about 32. BERNARDO ACCOLTI, better known as the UNICO ARETINO, a courtier-poet and popular extemporizer. Aged about 42. Count GASPAR PALLAVICINO. Aged 21. GIANCRISTOFORO ROMANO, a sculptor, medallist, etc. Aged about 42. COLLO VINCENZO CALMETA, a courtier-poet. LUDOVICO PIO, a brave young soldier, and kinsman of Emilia Pia. SIGISMONDO MORELLO DA ORTONA, an elderly courtier. Fra SERAFINO, a jester. Time: March 1507. Place: The Palace of Urbino. [Illustration: FRANCESCO MARIA DELLA ROVERE. DUKE OF URBINO 1490-1538 ] Reduced from Braun’s photograph (no. 40.605) of the portrait, in the Uffizi Gallery at Florence, by Titian (1477-1576). TO THE REVEREND AND ILLUSTRIOUS LORD DOM MIGUEL DE SILVA,[1] BISHOP OF VISEU 1.—When my lord Guidobaldo di Montefeltro,[2] Duke of Urbino, passed from this life, I, together with several other cavaliers who had served him, remained in the service of Duke Francesco Maria della Rovere,[3] his heir and successor in the State. And as the recollection of Duke Guido’s character was fresh in my mind, and the delight I had during those years in the kind companionship of the notable persons who at that time frequented the Court of Urbino, I was moved by their memory to write these books of the Courtier, which I did in a few days,[4] purposing in time to correct those errours that arose from the wish to pay this debt speedily. But for many years past fortune has burdened me with toil so constant that I never could find leisure to make the book such as would content even my poor judgment.