The following is a letter from a wealthy Florentine woman Alessandra Strozzi to her son Filippo in 1459 describing her feelings about the death of another son.

My dear son. On the 11th of last month, I received your letter of July 29, with the news that my dear son Matteo had become ill, and since you didn't tell me the nature of his malady, I became worried about him. I called Francesco and sent for Matteo di Girgio; and they both told me that he had a tertian fever. I gained some comfort from this, for if some other malady does not develop, one does not become mortally ill from a tertian fever. Then I heard from you that he was improving so that, while I was still concerned, my spirits did improve a little. I then learned that...