344
N OTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. m. MAY , 1911.
A bibliography of musical dictionaries and
encyclopaedias should not be a mere cata-
logue, but should point out the contribution
each has mi.de to the subject. An introduc-
tion in the style of Sir James Murray's
Romanes Lecture, ' The Evolution of Lexi-
cography,' would be an advantage.
RALPH THOMAS.
AGOSTINO GRIMALDI, BISHOP OF
GRASSE.
THE folloAving is a translation of an in- teresting inedited dispatch sent by Agostino Grimaldi to the magistrates of Genoa in 1525, from the original in my possession. Grasse or Grasea is a town of great antiquity about 18 miles west of Nice, and was formerly a fief of the Grimaldis of Antibes.
Agostino Grimaldi was a man of con- siderable character and ability, and was brother to Luciano, Prince of Monaco. In 1505 Luciano had, from ambitious motives, assassinated his brother Giovanni II. Prince of Monaco, and thus obtained the Princi- pality. In 1508 Louis XII. of France treacherously imprisoned Luciano in the Castle of Roquette, in order to force him to admit a French garrison into Monaco. After fifteen months' imprisonment he agreed, and returned to Monaco, which during his absence had been well governed by Bishop Agostino.
On 22 August, 1524, Luciano was assassina- ted in Monaco Palace by Bartolomeo Doria, his nephew, in revenge for some fancied pecuniary grievances, and in hopes of the succession. The people of Monaco, how- ever, rose against the assassin, drove him out of their city, and summoned Bishop Agostino, who immediately went to Monaco, resumed the government, and ected as guardian to Luciano's son Honore II., then only seven (Pemberton, ' History of Monaco,' "1867).
Bishop Agostino' s first object was to -avenge his brother Luciano's death ; and he at once wrote to Francis I.- of France and Charles V. of Germany to aid him, and both promised to do so. Doria was consequently hunted down till he met his death, as the Bishop describes : MAGNIFICENT LORDS,
As your Excellencies know, last year, fore- seeing the misfortunes which happened, we instantly implored the illustrious lords, the Duca de Borbon and the Marchese de Pescara, that for the safety of the State thay should leave a garrison at Vintimiglia, as we clearly foresaw the evils consequent up Da the transit of the French
camp, and if this request had been complied with,
so many misfortunes would not have happened ;
but with the consent of your Magnificent Lords,
we took upon ourselves the charge of guarding
the Castello de la Pena, a place on the border,
and especially from Vintimiglia to Ten da, a very
strong pass.
By this good guard, not only was it preserved in obedience to your Magnificences, but by its help this city was recovered and restored, " and escaped other misfortunes ; for you must know that the wretched Berton D'oria aimed at nothing less than to pillage this Castello, wherefore he laid his snares and machinations with his accus- tomed cunning, for the dishonour and injury of your Magnificences. We djd not regard expense to preserve your honour ; so that when the aforesaid miserable Berton D'oria arrived before daybreak at the aforesaid Castello, with a large company of rustics and countrymen, as well from the illustrious state of Genoa as from Dolc'aqua, to take it, instead of depriving others of this fortress, he found himself in difficulties. By a desperate leap from a rock he deprived him- self of his miserable life, and thus ended his evil and pernicious days.
And here his pernicious campaigns ended in favour of the men of that place, who believed the enemy to be strong and confident, and feared ill treatment if the said Castello were seized, especially as they were in a way unprepared against the enemy, so that they have no cause for complaint. One of his Genoese satellites was then captured, and we have made request to the soldiers who took dim prisoner that he might be brought before us to give detailed information of all their accursed movements and designs, to which they have con- sented, having received our promise to restore- him.
We understand that the Capitano de Vinti- miglia now demands satisfaction for this capture , made with your Excellencies' knowledge and con- sent a demand beyond all reason, as any profits arising therefrom should belong to those who made the capture.
We believe that you will not disagree with this, and we ask you to be pleased to approve of what ihese men have done under your jurisdiction, as befits our united honour, which we assure you cannot be more diligently respected than by us.
With regard to the events of the second day you will be better informed. And as these law- ess men were checked in their assaults and other things, and in their wicked designs on the Con- /ado de Nizza, and as their plots, always planned n that State, were unsuccessful, they retreated 'rom here, being a stronghold, as the rest of the company has now done.
To provide against the evils which may occur, t appears necessary that your Excellencies should complain to the illustrious Duca de Savoye, as t is not reasonable that his dominion should be a
- efuge and place of safety to those who incessantly
plot against the jurisdiction of that and this State, and we beg that you will do so as speedily as possible for the honour and good of the said State. nore particularly as any profit of theirs is our oss. From Monaco, the 27th of November, 1525. Of the Magnificoes, your
AUGUSTTN,
Bishop of Grasse.
