DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36839#0466
418 COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE
to illness. Besides these, many of the Count's per-
sonal friends, Don Juan Manuel, Secretary Covos,
and others bearing the proudest names in Spain,
followed him to the graved From the gates of the
Cid's palace the long procession wound its way past
the quaint old Plaza of the Zocodover, with its horse-
shoe arches and Moorish houses, through the long
street of the Espaderos, to the great Cathedral—that
wonderful pile glowing with painted retables, with
gilded and jewelled shrines, which Navagero
had called the richest church in Christendom. Here,
in the sumptuous chapel of San Ildefonso, the burial-
place of the saints and heroes of Old Castile, they
laid the mortal remains of the stranger whose ashes
were counted worthy to mingle with this sacred dust.
During nine days solemn masses were chanted for
the repose of the dead man s soul, and the Apostolic
nuncio was honoured as never ambassador had been
before. But the noblest tribute to Castiglione's
memory was paid by Charles V. himself. After the
funeral, Lodovico Strozzi came to return thanks to
the Emperor for his gracious kindness, and to receive
His Majesty's commands before he left the court.
When the young man took his leave, Charles turned
to the courtiers who stood by, and said sorrowfully:
'Ao vos digo que es muerto uno de los mejores
caballeros del mundo '—' I tell you one of the finest
gentlemen in the world is dead.' It was a fitting
epitaph for the author of the ' Cortegiano.'
i Marliani, 25 ; A. P. Castiglione, etc.
to illness. Besides these, many of the Count's per-
sonal friends, Don Juan Manuel, Secretary Covos,
and others bearing the proudest names in Spain,
followed him to the graved From the gates of the
Cid's palace the long procession wound its way past
the quaint old Plaza of the Zocodover, with its horse-
shoe arches and Moorish houses, through the long
street of the Espaderos, to the great Cathedral—that
wonderful pile glowing with painted retables, with
gilded and jewelled shrines, which Navagero
had called the richest church in Christendom. Here,
in the sumptuous chapel of San Ildefonso, the burial-
place of the saints and heroes of Old Castile, they
laid the mortal remains of the stranger whose ashes
were counted worthy to mingle with this sacred dust.
During nine days solemn masses were chanted for
the repose of the dead man s soul, and the Apostolic
nuncio was honoured as never ambassador had been
before. But the noblest tribute to Castiglione's
memory was paid by Charles V. himself. After the
funeral, Lodovico Strozzi came to return thanks to
the Emperor for his gracious kindness, and to receive
His Majesty's commands before he left the court.
When the young man took his leave, Charles turned
to the courtiers who stood by, and said sorrowfully:
'Ao vos digo que es muerto uno de los mejores
caballeros del mundo '—' I tell you one of the finest
gentlemen in the world is dead.' It was a fitting
epitaph for the author of the ' Cortegiano.'
i Marliani, 25 ; A. P. Castiglione, etc.