John King made the key point: suicide was worse than other sins because it left no time for repentance, and so it was difficult to believe that many, if any, self-slayers were spared.

He's gone back down to Newcastle for Christmas.

They fell on; I made good my place; at length they came to the broom-staff with me, I defy'd 'em still […]

It is in fact far more probable that, as Langedijk suggests, the habit of portraying Cosimo in grandducal robes was introduced only after his death.