who flourished there were Raffaelle and Baldassare
Castiglione. Francesco Maria, born in March 1491, died in
1538 from the effects--so it is asserted by several
contemporary writers--of a poisonous lotion which a Mantuan
barber had dropped into his ear. His wife, who bore him two
sons (see post, note 3), died at the age of 72, in 1570.--L.
and Ed.

2 The French words are _Abbe de Farse_. Farse would appear
to be a locality, as abbots were then usually designated by
the names of their monasteries; still it may be intended for
the Abbot's surname, and some commentators, adopting this
view, have suggested that the proper reading would be
Farnese.--Ed.

3 The Duke's two sons were Federigo, born in March 1511,
and Guidobaldo, born in April 1514. The former according to
all authorities died when "young," and probably long before
reaching man's estate. Dennistoun, in his searching _Memoirs
of the Dukes of Urbino_ (London, 1851), clearly shows that
for many years prior to Francesco Maria's death his second
son Guidobaldo was the only child remaining to him. Already
in 1534, when but twenty years old, Guidobaldo was regarded
as his father's sole heir and successor. In that year
Francesco Maria forced the young man to marry Giulia Varana,
a child of eleven, in order that he might lay claim to her
father's state of Camerino and annex it to the duchy. There
is no record of Guidobaldo having ever engaged in any such
intrigue as related by Queen Margaret in the above tale,
still it must be to him that she refers, everything pointing
to the conclusion that his brother Federigo died in
childhood. Guidobaldo became Duke of Urbino on his father's
death.--Ed.

He could not, however, conceal his anger so well that the maiden was
not advised of it, and knowing his wickedness, which was in her eyes
as great as his conscience was small, she felt a wondrous dread. Going
therefore to the Duchess, she craved leave to retire somewhere out of
the Duke's sight until his passion should be past; but her mistress
replied that, before giving her leave to do so, she would try to find
out her husband's will in the matter.

Very soon, however, the Duchess heard the Duke's evil words concerning
the affair, and, knowing his temper, she not only gave the maiden leave,
but advised her to retire in