[65] Ferdinand, who afterwards became Grand Duke in 1588. [66] The effigy of the mule still exists. The verses run:-- “Lecticam, lapides et marmora, ligna, columnas Vexit, conduxit, traxit, et ista tulit.” [67] Montaigne describes this statue in vol. ii., p. 58. [68] Montaigne questioned this right on the occasion of his first visit (vol. ii., p. 54). [69] Probably the house which at one time stood in the Via Larga. [70] This was first published in Italian by the Giunti in 1573. Manni, in his “History of the Decameron” (1742), professed to give a version taken from the rough draft of another will which Boccaccio had made in 1365. In 1859 Milanesi published the original Latin version from the document itself, which is in the possession of the Bichi-Borghese family in Siena. [71] The name is certainly Greek. Empoli was the scene of the famous parliament of the Ghibellines in 1260, when, after the battle of the Arbia, the proposal to rase Florence to the ground was defeated by the opposition of Farinata degli Uberti. “Poi ch’ebbe sospirando il capo scosso, A ciò non fu’io sol (disse) nè certo Senza cagion sarei con gli altri mosso; Ma fu’ io sol colà, dove sofferto Fu per ciascuno di tôr via Fiorenza, Colui, che la difese a viso aperto.” DANTE, _Inferno_, x. [72] Montaigne refers to this matter, _Essais_, iii. 13, where he lets fall a remark which throws some fresh light upon it. “Je disnerois sans nape, mais à l’Alemande, sans serviette blanche, très-incommodément; je les soüille plus qu’eulx et les Italiens ne font; et m’ayde peu de cullier et de fourchette. Je plains qu’on n’aye suivy un train, que j’ay veu commencer à l’exemple des Roys: Qu’on nous changeast de serviette, selon les services, comme d’assiette.” He seems to have favoured the saying, “Fingers were made before forks.” [73] Le antiche iscrizioni del Duomo di Pisa.--C. Lupi (Pisa, 1877). [74] These are still to be seen at the back of the apse. [75] The Baptistery. [76] It is probable that Montaigne had heard the story (told in Varchi’s _Storia Fiorentina_) how Lorenzino had broken off the heads of some of the statues on the Arch of Constantine at Rome, and had shifted the scene of the outrage to Pisa. For this offence Lorenzino was impeached by Molza before the Roman Academy. The Pisan version is alluded to by the local historians, Roncioni and Morrona; the last-named refuses to accept it. [77] The Pantheon. [78] Giulio, natural son of Alessandro. There was an attempt to put him in his father’s place, but by Guicciardini’s influence Cosimo became duke. Giulio enjoyed Cosimo’s favour, and died in 1600. [79] Smollett repeats the same story in almost the same words: “Travels,” Letter xxvii. [80] Montaigne often confuses the Florentine lilies with the arms of France, but in this case he seems to be right.