integrated - Medium Aevum - University of Oxford
integrated - Medium Aevum - University of Oxford
integrated - Medium Aevum - University of Oxford
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IV: HUMPHREY OF GLOUCESTER AND HIS CIRCLE, II 87<br />
pride that the fifth book at least had been dedicated to one other<br />
than himself. Accordingly he took the matter up with Decembrio,<br />
complaining that he had been led to suppose by his letters that he<br />
himself should receive the dedication <strong>of</strong> the entire work, which<br />
judging from the specimen would be <strong>of</strong> no small merit, and asking<br />
how this could be so. 8 Although pleased that. he had met with<br />
approval, Decembrio was embarrassed lest his prospective patron<br />
should suspect him <strong>of</strong> an attempt to pass on a work the dedication<br />
<strong>of</strong> which he had already promised elsewhere. Obviously he could<br />
scarcely suppress his dedication <strong>of</strong> the fifth book and withdraw his<br />
promises <strong>of</strong> dedicating other books without the loss <strong>of</strong> valuable<br />
patrons. 9 As a solution to this dilemma Decembrio chose to<br />
compromise, and replied to Duke Humphrey assuring him that<br />
the whole work would be especially dedicated to his name, as also<br />
seven out <strong>of</strong> ten books. The other three books, he declared, would<br />
be dedicated to other illustrious men, the presence <strong>of</strong> whose<br />
names would add to the Duke’s glory as planets to the sun. 10 Such<br />
flattery so adroitly derived from astronomy satisfied Duke<br />
Humphrey as to Decembrio’s intentions, and made him look<br />
forward to the day when he would receive the complete version.<br />
In the meantime Decembrio, encouraged by his new patron, was<br />
proceeding as quickly as possible, so that during the earlier part <strong>of</strong><br />
1440 he was able to send a copy <strong>of</strong> the first five books to the<br />
Duke. In the accompanying letter Decembrio stated in self<br />
advertisement that there was already a considerable demand for his<br />
Republic, the first half <strong>of</strong> which was being eagerly read in Italy<br />
A For 1440, read 1439.<br />
8<br />
Borsa, Correspondence <strong>of</strong> Humphrey, Duke <strong>of</strong> Gloucester, p. 514. This letter<br />
was written on 12 or 13 October, 1439.<br />
9<br />
Besides book 5 which he dedicated to Amadeo, he dedicated book 6 to<br />
the Bishop <strong>of</strong> Burgos and book 10 to Pizzolpasso (MS. (B.A.) I. 104. sup.<br />
ff. 118 r , 190 r ).<br />
10<br />
Borsa, Correspondence <strong>of</strong> Humphrey, Duke <strong>of</strong> Gloucester, pp. 514–5 (this<br />
letter was probably written in December 1439).<br />
B Sammut, p. 183.<br />
C [to n. 9]<br />
Hankins, Plato, II, pp. 535–37.<br />
D [to n. 10]<br />
Sammut, pp. 184–85, dated<br />
there to ‘November–December<br />
1438’, but see Rundle, ‘Republics<br />
and Tyrants’, p. 209 for the<br />
suggestion that it might have<br />
reached Humfrey not as a<br />
separate letter but as part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
dedication copy <strong>of</strong> the Books<br />
I–V (now BL, MS. Harl. 1705).