and Ancona, formed his patrimony.  Speaking roughly, the whole duchy was but forty miles square, and the larger portion consisted of bare hillsides and ruinous ravines.  Yet this poor territory became the center of a splendid court.  ‘Federigo,’ says his biographer, Muzio, ’maintained a suite so numerous and distinguished as to rival any royal household.’  The chivalry of Italy flocked to Urbino in order to learn manners and the art of war from the most noble general of his day.  ’His household,’ we hear from Vespasiano, ’which consisted of 500 mouths entertained at his own cost, was governed less like a company of soldiers than a strict religious community.  There was no gaming nor swearing, but the men conversed with the utmost sobriety.’  In a list of the court officers we find forty-five counts of the duchy and of other states, seventeen gentlemen, five secretaries, four teachers of grammar, logic, and philosophy, fourteen clerks in public offices, five architects and engineers, five readers during meals, four transcribers of MSS.  The library, collected by Vespasiano during fourteen years of assiduous labor, contained copies of all the Greek and Latin authors then discovered, the principal treatises on theology and church history, a complete series of Italian poets, historiographers, and commentators, various medical, mathematical, and legal works, essays on music, military tactics and the arts, together with such Hebrew books as were accessible to copyists.  Every volume was bound in crimson and silver, and the whole collection cost upwards of 30,000 ducats.  For the expenses of so large a household, and the maintenance of this fine library, not to mention a palace that was being built and churches that required adornment, the mere revenues of the duchy could not have sufficed.  Federigo owed his wealth to his engagements as a general.  Military service formed his trade.  ‘In 1453,’ says Dennistoun, ’his war-pay from Alfonso of Naples exceeded 8,000 ducats a month, and for many years he had from him and his son an annual peace-pension of 6,000 in name of past services.  At the close of his life, when captain-general of the Italian league, he drew in war 165,000 ducats of annual stipend, 45,000 being his own share; in peace, 65,000 in all.’  As a Condottiere, Federigo was famous in this age of broken faith for his plain dealing and sincerity.  Only one piece of questionable practice—­the capture of Verucchio in 1462 by a forged letter pretending to come from Sigismondo Malatesta—­stained his character for honesty.  To his soldiers in the field he was considerate and generous; to his enemies compassionate and merciful.[3] ‘In military science,’ says Vespasiano, ’he was excelled by no commander of his time; uniting energy with judgment, he conquered by prudence as much as by force.  The like wariness was observed in all his affairs; and in none of his many battles was he worsted.  Nor may I omit the strict observance of good faith, wherein he never failed.  All to whom he once gave his word, might testify to his inviolate performance of it.’  The same biographer adds that ’he was singularly religious, and most observant of the Divine commands.  No morning passed without his hearing mass upon his knees.’