intercourse with Cardinal de' Medici to open negotia-
tions between him and the Duke of Urbino in order
to obtain Francesco's recognition by the Sacred
College. The conduct of this affair, as will easily be
understood, needed the most delicate handling. The
Duke had begun by entering into a secret agreement
with the Orsini, which excited the suspicion of Medici
and the Imperialists, and gave his cousin, Ascanio
Colonna, a pretext for asserting his claims to the
duchy of Urbino.

'I am sorry,' wrote Castiglione on January 16, 'to
hear of the secret agreement which you have made
with the Orsini. I do not wish to complain of V. E.,
but knowing that I was in Rome, and not without
friends and credit among these Cardinals, if you had
deigned to inform me of your ideas and actions,
perhaps by this time your fortunes would have rested
on better foundations than the promises of these
Orsini lords. However, before the conclave began I
did my best with those Cardinals who seemed likely
to be the most useful, and since the Pope's election I
have done the same, although, being ignorant of
V. E.'s intentions, I had to work in the dark. Now
all I have to say is to remind you, with all due
reverence, that your best course is to make friends
quickly with Mons. de' Medici, which will ensure the
entire recovery of your State and its lasting settlement
on solid foundations, and secure you the friendship
and protection of those who can best defend you.
And then these Imperialist lords will lay aside their
fixed belief that V. E. acts as he does because he is in
league with France, and will cease to encourage the pre-
tensions of Sig. Ascanio Colonna. . . . I cannot write
everything. But V. E. knows that I never cease to
do my utmost to obtain your recognition by the
Sacred College. What little influence or authority I
have I employ gladly in your service, for I have no

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