1341.

To my illustrious Lord, Lodovico, Duke of Bari, Leonardo da Vinci of
Florence—­ Leonardo.

[Footnote:  Evidently a note of the superscription of a letter to the Duke, and written, like the foregoing from left to right.  The manuscript containing it is of the year 1493.  Lodovico was not proclaimed and styled Duke of Milan till September 1494.  The Dukedom of Bari belonged to the Sforza family till 1499.]

1342.

You would like to see a model which will prove useful to you and to me, also it will be of use to those who will be the cause of our usefulness.

[Footnote:  1342. 1343.  These two notes occur in the same not very voluminous MS. as the former one and it is possible that they are fragments of the same letter.  By the Modello, the equestrian statue is probably meant, particularly as the model of this statue was publicly exhibited in this very year, 1493, on tne occasion of the marriage of the Emperor Maximilian with Bianca Maria Sforza.]

1343.

There are here, my Lord, many gentlemen who will undertake this expense among them, if they are allowed to enjoy the use of admission to the waters, the mills, and the passage of vessels and when it is sold to them the price will be repaid to them by the canal of Martesana.

1344.

I am greatly vexed to be in necessity, but I still more regret that this should be the cause of the hindrance of my wish which is always disposed to obey your Excellency.

Perhaps your Excellency did not give further orders to Messer Gualtieri, believing that I had money enough.

I am greatly annoyed that you should have found me in necessity, and that my having to earn my living should have hindered me ...

[12] It vexes me greatly that having to earn my living has forced me to interrupt the work and to attend to small matters, instead of following up the work which your Lordship entrusted to me.  But I hope in a short time to have earned so much that I may carry it out quietly to the satisfaction of your Excellency, to whom I commend myself; and if your Lordship thought that I had money, your Lordship was deceived.  I had to feed 6 men for 56 months, and have had 50 ducats.

1345.

And if any other comission is given me
                            by any ...
of the reward of my service.  Because I am
                            not [able] to be ...
things assigned because meanwhile they
                have ... to them ...
... which they well may settle rather than I ...
not my art which I wish to change and ...
given some clothing if I dare a sum ...

My Lord, I knowing your Excellency’s
               mind to be occupied ...
to remind your Lordship of my small matters
                  and the arts put to silence
that my silence might be the cause of making
                  your Lordship scorn ...
my life in your service.  I hold myself ever
                 in readiness to obey ...