SEBASTIAN CURIO

TO THE MOST DISTINGUISHED

COLLEGE OF JURISTS OF THE CITY OF PADUA,

GREETINGS.

A decorative initial letter C contains a small portrait of a person's head.When I had come to Padua on my way from Spain to Poland, and had been informed there of the sudden departure of my kinsman and relative, Augustino Curio, whom I love as a brother—he whom I had hoped to see there after many years—I felt the greatest grief of spirit. My grief was all the greater when I understood that he had departed without taking leave of any of you, by whom he had been most highly honored. When I diligently sought the causes of this matter, and discovered by the common voice of all that it had been done through the wicked villainy of Robertellus Francesco Robortello, I was not surprised, for I had known his character many years before. Nor did I feel such great grief of spirit in seeing that this alienation of Augustino from Robortello had been a commendation for him in your eyes. But because I was distracted by graver matters, so that I could not remain in Padua long enough to excuse my kinsman's departure to you in person (as was fitting), and to wipe away from you this mark of infamy branded upon our family by wicked men—and at the same time to give thanks for the immortal benefits you bestowed upon Augustino—I wished to accomplish this by letter, which my kinsman, not forgetting your humanity or wisdom (by which you approach nearest to the gods), omitted. But just as turbulent and muddy rivers, when storms have arisen, do not flow clear all at once, so