PALACE OF S. SEBASTIANO

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But I am sure that, if I had a thousand sons, I shall never care as much for any of them as I do for Federico. All the same, let Your Highness please yourself, and I will do as you wish. A few days ago I was in Your Excellency's new house, and, as I wrote before, thought it most beautiful. You write that I am making fun of you, which is not true, because, if the rooms were not fine, I should keep silence; but, as the effect seemed strikingly fine to me, I wrote this to you, and I repeat that they are beautiful, and all the more so in my eyes because Your Highness has followed the example of my room, although, I must confess, you have improved upon it. I will not weary you any more with words of little importance, but commend myself a thousand times over to Your Highness. By the hand of ISABELLA, who longs to see you." Mantua, Oct. 5, 1506.

On the 20th of October, Isabella wrote again as follows:

"Your letter, giving me an account of your fortunate progress, has given me great pleasure, both as showing me that you are in good health, and telling me of all the honour and glory you are gaining. I thank you exceedingly, and must tell you in return that I and Federico, Alvise, and all the girls are well. Alvise's nurse has had an attack of fever, so I have given him Livia's nurse, until she has recovered, which will not, I hope, be long now. As soon as the felt hat, which is being made after Bernardus del Armaria's directions, is finished, I will have it covered with velvet and embroidered with such taste that it shall be the finest and most gallant thing in the world! Please see that the pearls which I

VOL. I.

T

290

SUSPICION OF THE VENETIANS

lent to the Duchess of Urbino are soon restored to you. Francesco Mantegna has begun to repair the frescoes in the Camera Dipinta, and Ghisolfo is having the corridor covered. The painters are gone to Venice to copy the Italia. The Vicar of Serravalle writes to say that part of the Castle wall towards the Po has fallen down, of which danger he says he warned Your Excellency and the Masters of Revenue some time ago. I sent orders to the said officers to provide for its repair. Owing to this accident Federico's nurse lost 70 measures of wheat and 200 of millet."

In her next letter Isabella told her husband of the unexpected difficulties experienced by Girolamo Corradi and Bonsignori, the two artists whom she had sent by his orders to copy a fresco with a figure of Italia in the ducal palace at Venice, which was to be reproduced in his palace of S. Sebastiano. At the same time she informed him of the jealousy with which the Signory evidently regarded his close relations with the Pope and the King of France.1

"When Messer Hieronimo the painter and his companion went to Venice to copy the Italia, I wrote to Carlo Valerio begging him to assist them, and he, being anxious to serve Your Excellency, asked His Serenity the Prince for his permission, because without this they could not obtain entrance into his ante-chamber, and those artists who formerly ventured to copy the painting without his leave, went there at their own peril. Messer Hieronimo now informs me, on Messer Carlo's part, that the Prince refused to give his consent, saying: 'Look at those letters which we have received, informing us that the Marquis of Mantua every day speaks against this

1 D'Arco, Arte e Artefici, ii. 71. Gaye, Carteggio, ii. 90.

ISABELLA WARNS HER HUSBAND 291 Signory, not in public, where he uses honourable expressions, but in private, and not only does he himself act thus, but his servants follow his example, which is most injurious to the State.' It is plain they nourish hatred against Your Excellency, and every day they say that they receive similar information. Messer Carlo promised to behave with great circumspection, and advises Your Excellency to say some good words to the Signory's ambassador now in attendance on His Holiness, so that he may report them, and not leave the Senate under so unfavourable an impression. Whatever turn affairs may take, he begs you to be careful not to let any one know that this warning has come from him. As to the As to the copy of the Italia, he says it will be best or two, and after that he will try to obtain the necessary permission. It has seemed to me right, both for your sake and for that of Messer Carlo, to give Your Excellency this information, while you are with the said ambassador. Federico continues to gain strength.-Your wife, ISABELLA, with her own hand."1 Nov. 1, 1506.

to wait a month

A fortnight later the Marchesa wrote again, on receiving Francesco's account of the Pope's triumphal entry into Bologna.

"I was filled with joy on hearing the account of the solemn entry into Bologna, which Your Excellency described so fully in your two letters of the 11th, but this evening I am still more delighted to hear that you soon hope to return home. Here I expect you eagerly, since my present condition will not permit of my coming to join you at Bologna. I have received four ducats of the Pope's new coinage,

1 D'Arco, Arte e Artefici, ii. 72.

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FLIGHT OF THE BENTIVOGLI

which I distributed as you desired, thanking you very much for letting me have them. As soon as I received your first letter, saying that His Holiness has removed the interdict from Bologna, all the priests in this city began to celebrate mass in thanksgiving. I told Messer Annibale Bentivoglio, who is at Revere, of the permission which you informed me has been granted him, at your request, to keep his house and all its contents. He has replied that he is well aware how much he owes to Your Excellency, and begs me to thank you in his name, hoping that you will continue to give him your good protection, since his only hope is placed in Your Highness.'

The Bentivogli, as we saw, had fled from Bologna before the papal army, and their splendid palace, newly decorated with frescoes by Francia's hand, had been razed to the ground. In this general ruin, Annibale, the eldest son of the ruling prince, and his wife, Lucrezia d'Este, Isabella's half-sister, gratefully availed themselves of the Gonzagas' help and protection. They came to Mantua, where both the Marquis and his wife treated them with the greatest kindness, and braved the wrath of the fiery old Pope, who was furious with Francesco for giving shelter to his enemies. "His Holiness," wrote the Mantuan envoy, "began to bellow like a bull with rage, and not only threatened Your Excellency, but Heaven itself." At the same time Isabella did not neglect this opportunity of enriching her own collection with the spoils of her vanquished friends. A certain Niccolo Frisio, who, according to Bembo, was German by birth, but thoroughly Italian in all else, and had earned Castiglione's gratitude by nursing him during a serious illness in Rome, wrote

BUSTS SENT TO MANTUA

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on the 27th of November to inform the Marchesa that he had recovered two alabaster heads which had belonged to the Protonotary, Antonio Bentivoglio, and had been stolen. One was a head of Antonia; the other, which had pearls in the hair, a bust of Faustina. "I only regret," he added, "that I am not in Rome, where I might have secured a couple of paintings on the Labours of Hercules, which would, I am sure, have pleased you better; but, if I return to Rome, I hope to be able to do you this service. From him who would have desired to see Your Excellency reigning in the capitol, in the great days of triumphant Rome, your servant, NICCOLO FRISIO." The busts were duly sent to Mantua, and found a place in the Grotta, by the side of that famous bust of Faustina which had been Mantegna's greatest treasure.1

Francesco's return was celebrated with great rejoicings at Mantua, and the performance of the "Formicone" was once more given in the Castello at the New Year, under Messer Vigilio's direction. Soon afterwards Isabella gave birth to a third son, who received the name of Ferrante, and became a valiant soldier, as well as a prime favourite of the Emperor Charles V.

Isabella herself was dangerously ill for some days, and narrowly escaped with her life. On her On her recovery, her brother, Cardinal d'Este, sent the poet Ariosto to convey his affectionate congratulations to the Marchesa on this happy event, an attention which Isabella greatly appreciated. During the few days which he spent at Mantua, Ariosto read to the Marchesa the greater part of his Orlando Furioso, 1 D'Arco, Arte e Artefici, ii. p. 73.