1449 Pietro, you have been a stalwart supporter and friend of this wayward soul for many long years now and I thank you. I feel that it is time to relate to you, my good Pietro, the tale that has led to my notoriety and infamy. This account is as best as I can recollect. Had the event passed as many have said, I would indeed be a wealthy man and capable of great feats of magic and daring. Alas, the truth is far less interesting.

You know me to be an honest man. Honest first to myself! You know of my employ with the Medici family of Florence. While secret for a time, it is now no longer possible to pretend otherwise. It has been said that I was their jester. Nothing could be further from the truth! While true that I did regale them with a tale or two, I am well travelled after all; the full duties of my employ were much greater. Suffice to say that I was more a confidant and advisor to the family, laced with my generous wit and insight in the machinations of politics and religion. It was the offer from the Medici that set my troubled world spinning. In part due to my diligence, Duke Cosimo di Medici was well informed of the desire of the Visconti to have me perform. The Duke seized upon this provident opportunity and offered me an outrageous sum, a king’s ransom, to assassinate Filippo Visconti. How could any man refuse I ask you?

I accepted the pervasive offer and travelled to Milan to entertain the Visconti. I found Filippo in good spirits and he called for a feast, complete with a travelling troupe of musicians and troubadours, who played sweet songs for the court and were most amusing in their dress and gait. They were performing a strange new style of performance, which was a most impressive display and was received with great acclaim by the assembled courtiers.

When the church bell struck five I seized the opportunity and placed my steel to Filippo’s bare throat intending to complete my foul deed. Visconti, being a man of sharp mind and courage, appealed to my baser instinct with a compelling counter-offer to that of the Medici. I quickly accepted and with great haste fled Milan with my newest reward and with Visconti’s personal mandolin as an added prize.

Naturally I thought it prudent to seek quiet and solace elsewhere by Fortune’s good grace. Initially I travelled to Venice where I must admit I did attempt for a time to live up to my reputation. I blame that honey-voiced troupe of players for my subsequent fame. I know not how they learned of what came to pass but the perfidy of actors is a well-established fact. Sweetened by the siren’s pull of the mandolin, my exploits have sped through the provinces and to the ears of courtiers elsewhere. Consequently, I could not remain in Venice long and since that time my course has taken me the length and breadth of Italy.

It has been said that Fortune can and must be made to serve the deft and resolute Duke. I do not regret the turn my life has taken, I have had many adventures and have lived a relatively long and dare I say, exciting life. My life is not yet over, additional tales no doubt await. I will write to you soon with further memories. I leave you with an observation from a learned young friend of mine, "Everyone realizes how praiseworthy it is for a Duke to honour his word and to be straightforward rather than crafty in his dealings; nonetheless contemporary experience shows that Dukes who have achieved great things have been those who have given their word lightly." Until I return to the pleasures of Florence my friend, and meet you over a game of cards.