ISABELLA'S PRESENTS

39

hope of furthering her object. She desired her secretary, Scalona, to present Matthäus Lang, Bishop of Gurk, the all-powerful imperial legate, with a fine silver vase, enamelled with scenes from the life of Romulus;1 and she sent a Madonna by Costa as a gift to the Queen of France. This picture had been ordered by the Marquis a year before, and the painter had begged Isabella to give him the benefit of her advice and opinion on the work before it finally left his shop. Now she wrote to Jacopo d'Atri, on the 18th of January 1510, telling him that she was glad of this occasion to offer a Madonna to our great Queen, and saying that she had chosen this Madonna by Costa, which was as fine as any painting in the world. On the 24th the precious picture, "the same," she writes, "which Monseigneur de Tyande admired in our Camerino,” after being retouched by the painter, was given to Jacopo Soardino to take to France, together with letters to Jacopo d'Atri, desiring him to lose no opportunity of impressing Isabella's great wish for her husband's deliverance on the Queen. These letters crossed despatches from the ambassador, informing her that Louis was shortly coming to Milan, and reporting a curious conversation which had been overheard between the King and Queen.

Anne of Brittany, it seems, at one time thought seriously of accompanying the King to Italy, and made extensive preparations for the journey, which was afterwards abandoned. "The wise King," wrote Jacopo d'Atri to the Marchesa, "warned her frankly that she would find a great contrast between her own 1 Luzio, Federico, p. 6.

2 Yriarte, Gazette d. B. Arts, 1896; Gruyer, op. cit., ii. 211

40

QUEEN ANNE OF FRANCE

appearance and that of our ladies, and that she must exert herself if she would compare with you, telling her that Your Excellency in the first instance, and after you, the Duchess of Ferrara and many others, would prove dangerous rivals, while, if she visited another part of Italy, the sight of the new bride, your daughter, would be enough to crush her to the ground, so highly does His Most Christian Majesty esteem Madonna Leonora's incomparable beauty, prudence, and virtue! Since this conversation the most wise Queen, who says little herself-which is in itself a great proof of her wisdom-has been convinced that she cannot rival our Italian princesses, and has decided to take with her four noble ladies: the Marchesa di Monferrato-whom she calls FrenchMadame de Nevers, Madame de Longueville, and a lady of Brittany, who are all beautiful and highly esteemed. She herself intends to wear black or tan cloth, and no fine robes, so as not to enter into rivalry with you, feeling sure that the least of you would surpass her in this respect. Which, in my opinion, will not be the case, for if she comes, as she wishes extremely to do, she will appear in all her pomp and glory, and make herself known as the Queen, not only of France, but of the whole universe. I do not think that she will make any show of brocade or fine clothes, but her foot-guards will amaze all eyes, and she herself, who is so glorious in soul, will show you things which have never yet been imagined either in France or Italy, but which she has the means to do if she chooses. And of jewels also she has her share. But I cannot help saying that it would be well if the caps and low bodices, which are now fashionable in Italy, were as decent as they are

ISABELLA AND HER SON

41

here. These caps, which make women look like boys, and this fashion of laying the breast bare, will never please foreigners, and if those French who have been in Italy praise them, they only do so out of flattery. I have not tried to deny this, because, after all, honesty is the best policy. So prepare yourself, dear Madonna, if Her Majesty comes, to do honour to the Latin name.

"1

Isabella, on her part, expressed great delight to hear of His Christian Majesty's intention to visit Italy, and confidently expected the King's presence at Milan would lead to the release of her husband, “even," she adds, "if it should be necessary to have recourse to arms." In a postscript she thanked D'Atri for the portrait of the court-jester Triboulet, and renews her request for a French vocabulary, evidently desiring to improve her defective French. But Louis had grown indifferent to the war against Venice, and took no active steps to obtain the release of his ally. Both he and the Emperor had learnt to look with suspicion on Francesco Gonzaga's intrigues, and asked the Marchesa to place her eldest son Federico as a hostage in their hands before they approached the Republic on behalf of her husband. The mere idea of parting from her darling boy filled the poor mother's heart with anguish, and when Maximilian renewed his proposal, Isabella sent this indignant answer to Donato di Preti, her envoy at the imperial court :

"As to the demand for our dearest first-born son Federico, besides being a cruel and almost inhuman thing for any one who knows the meaning of a mother's love, there are many causes which render it difficult

1 Luzio, Nuova Antologia, 1896.

42 ABSOLUTION OF THE VENETIANS

and impossible. Although we are quite sure that his person would be well cared for and protected by His Majesty, how could we wish him to run the risk of this long and difficult journey, putting aside the child's tender and delicate age? And you must know what comfort and solace, in his father's present unhappy condition, we find in the presence of this dear son, the hope and joy of all our people and subjects. To deprive us of him would be to deprive us of life itself, and of all we count good and precious. If you take Federico away you might as well take away our life and state at once; so you may frankly reply, once for all, that we will suffer any loss rather than part from our son, and this you may take to be our deliberate and unchanging resolution."1

At

In these circumstances, Isabella once more turned to the Pope for help. The fiery old Pontiff was satisfied to feel he had humbled Venice, and lent a ready ear to the proposals of peace that were made to him by the ambassadors of the Republic. length, on the 24th of February, he solemnly pronounced the absolution of Venice, while the five envoys, clad in scarlet, knelt at his feet for an hour in the portico of St. Peter's. After the Miserere had been sung, the great doors were thrown open, and the Venetians were allowed to enter the church once more.2 Isabella naturally hoped this reconciliation would lead to her husband's release, especially as the Duke of Urbino had taken his bride to Rome, where the Pope welcomed them warmly, and celebrated their arrival with a succession of festivities. But when Francesco Maria ventured to plead his father1 Luzio, Federico, p. 7.

2 Brosch, Papst Julius II., 288. Pastor, "Hist. of the Popes," vi. 319.

RELEASE OF FRANCESCO

43

in-law's cause, the Pope broke into a furious passion, and drove him out of his presence, using the most violent language, and reproached him with trying to play the part of Valentino and to govern the Papacy. Leonora tried to approach the Pope, with no better result, although he expressed great affection for her, and Bembo wrote from Rome in April that "the new Duchess was really a most beautiful child, as modest and gentle as possible, and already wise beyond her years." Only when he was watching the races held at carnival from the balcony of S. Pietro, His Holiness remarked, with evident satisfaction: "The Marquis of Mantua has already won two palliums; I expect he will win this too, and then we shall hear the people cry, Mantova!" upon which the two Duchesses of Urbino seized the opportunity to implore him to remember the captive Marquis, and His Holiness replied kindly: "Have a little patience, my children." Presently, the Gonzaga colours were seen flying across the course, and the Marquis's horse came in the winner, leaving more than forty others behind him in the race. A great shout of " Mantova ! Mantova! Turco! Turco!" rang through the air, to the delight of not only Leonora and Elisabetta, but of the old Pope, who laughed heartily, and went home in high good humour. This incident was duly reported to the Marchesa by an eye-witness, the Urbino scribe, Picenardi, and helped to revive her drooping hopes. But when at length Julius II. desired the Venetians to release Francesco, saying that he had need of his services, the Signory refused to give him their prisoner without receiving some pledge in return, 1 Lettere, iii. 42. 2 Luzio, op. cit., p. 58.

2