The Correspondence of Coluccio Salutati (Vol. 1)

...that much could be said for and against, but all things considered, and having seen it done thus in similar cases, I think it wiser to show no concern for this. Nonetheless, I commend to you the said Menico, my cousin, and he commends to him a cousin of his who had taken part in that matter. as I would my own person, and I pray you to reply to me concerning his affairs by the bearer. If I can do anything to your pleasure, I do not offer myself to you, because you know I am yours and your family's. Given in Florence, the 2nd day of April 1380. If the letter is not neat and orderly, attribute it to haste (1).

—Your Coluccio Pieri.—

III.

TO BERTOLDO ORSINI, COUNT OF SOANA (2).

—[L¹, c. 69B; M¹, c. 20B; G², c. 18B; R¹, c. 36A; C, c. 11A.]—

—To the magnificent lord Bertoldo Orsini, Count of Sorano.—

Florence, June 26, 1381. His letters MOST NOBLE and magnificent lord. Your Excellence has deigned to visit me—your humble servant and a devotee of your entire kindred and blood with true affection—with your letters, by the tenor of which I have clearly perceived how great a hope [you have conceived] of me, though merited by no...

13. Thus L¹; M¹ G² Count Bertoldo of Soana R¹ Count Berculdo of Saona C Coluccio to Count Sertaldo of Sacina 15. L¹ your - your - your

(1) The haste caused another error; namely, it caused Salutati to affix to his epistle the date of the preceding year, which according to the Florentine style had already expired nine days earlier.

(2) Bertoldo, son of Aldobrandino di Guido Orsini, Count of Soana and Pitigliano (see REPETTI, op. cit. IV, 470, V, 427), was a valiant captain and took a significant part in the most notable events of his age, both as a friend and supporter of Charles of Durazzo, whom he accompanied in the acquisition of the Kingdom of Naples, and later as governor of the Patrimony of St. Peter (1392); captain general of the Florentines in the Pisan war (1403); and finally guardian of the Council of Constance (1414). But throughout his life he had to defend himself from the attacks of the Sienese, who hated him to the death for his friendship with Florence and craved his domains. In these contentes, Orsini ultimately had the worst of it; in 1410 Soana was taken from him; in 1417, due to the pusillanimity of his sons, Sorano and other castles were lost. Indignant, he entered the service of the Venetians and died fighting in Morea. Cf. LITTA, Fam. celebri, V, Orsini, plate XVI.