Francesco Maria, we read: 'They erected buildings, furthered the
cultivation of the land, lived at home, and gave employment to a large
number of people: their subjects loved them.' But not only the State,
but the court too, was a work of art and organization, and this in
every sense of the word. Federigo had 500 persons in his service; the
arrangements of the court were as complete as in the capitals of the
greatest monarchs, but nothing was built quarters sprang up at the
bidding of the ruler: here, by the concentration of the official
classes and the active promotion of trade, was formed for the first
time a true capital; wealthy fugitives from all parts of Italy,
Florentines especially, settled and built their palaces at Ferrara. But
the indirect taxation, at all events, must have reached a point at
which it could only just be borne. The Government, it is true, took
measures of alleviation which were also adopted by other Italian
despots, such as Galeazzo Maria Sforza: in time of famine, corn was
brought from a distance and seems to have been distributed
gratuitously; but in ordinary times it compensated itself by the
monopoly, if not of corn, of many other of the necessaries of life
fish, salt, meat, fruit and vegetables, which last were carefully
planted on and ne ar the walls of the city. The most considerable
source of income, however, was the annual sale of public offices, a
usage which was common throughout Italy, and about the working of which
at Ferrara we have more precise information. We read, for example, that
at the new year 1502 the majority of the officials bought their places
at 'prezzi salati' (pungent prices); public servants of the most
various kinds, custom-house officers, bailiffs (massari), notaries,
'podesta,' judges, and even governors of provincial towns are quoted by
name. As one of the 'devourers of the people' who paid dearly for their
places, and who were 'hated worse than the devil,' Tito Strozza let us
hope not the famous Latin poet is mentioned. About the same time every