DRAFT DOCUMENT

Draft of a memorandum of the settlement of a dispute or grievance and the aftermath. Italy (probably Ferrara), c.

      Size: 295 x 205mm. Written in an italic documentary hand. 1495. The numerous changes to the text which are rather roughly executed indicate that the document is a draft and not a fair copy. According to the document, twenty months ago a compromise was made between Hercules (Ercole) and Angela d'Este of Ferrara, spouses, together with "nepotes" [this word can mean grandsons or nephews] of the Duke of Ferrara on the side of his brother on one side of the case and Francis Grippius of Milan on the other side of the case: "Mensibus iam viginti peractis factum fuit compromisum inter dominos Herculem et Angelam iugales estenses et nepotes illustrissimi domini Ducis ferrarie ex parte fratris ex una parte et dominum franciscum Grippium mediolanensem ex alia". The process was finished and four months passed, but whereas one side responded immediately, the other side, in order to drag out the matter ("ut rem traheret"), neglected to respond. So the aforementioned spouses made an appeal to the senate and brought back a letter directed to the judges to the effect that the opposing party, under penalty of decree, should expedite and terminate the case within one month. A notice of the aforementioned letter was given to the judges. The duke is not named but he must have been Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara 1471-1505. Another Ercole d'Este, Lord of San Martino in Rio, married Angela Sforza, daughter of a cousin of Isabella of Aragon. She was born in 1479, married in 1491 and died in 1497 in Ferrara.Thus the document would hgave been written between 1491 and 1497. In excellent condition.