he had entered into
close alliance with the house of Sforza, and would regard any injury
done to the Dukes of Milan and Bari as a personal wrong.

The object of the embassy being accomplished, Count Caiazzo, Galeazzo
Visconti and Tuttavilla took leave of the French king and returned to
Milan on the 5th of May, leaving Count Belgiojoso as permanent envoy at
Paris. The triumph of Lodovico's diplomacy was complete, and without
shedding a drop of blood, or making any warlike demonstration, he had
outwitted all his foes and secured the alliance of his most powerful
neighbour.

The good news gave fresh zest to the pleasures of Beatrice's court that
summer, and to all the memorable enterprises upon which Lodovico was
engaged at home.

Early in March the Duke and Duchess of Bari left Milan to take up their
abode at Vigevano, and held a series of brilliant _fetes_ and hunting
parties in this newly-finished palace. The works upon which Bramante and
his companions had been employed for years past were finished, the great
hall with its richly-wrought marble capitals, the noble tower and
imposing porticoes, were all complete. The last stone was in its place,
and on the great archway that formed the entrance to the stately pile,
Lodovico placed this proud Latin inscription, bearing the date, 1492.

"LUDOVICUS MARIA SFORTIA VICECOMES PRINCIPATU JOANNI GALEACIO
NEPOTI AB EXTERIS ET INTESTINIS MOTIBUS STABILITO POSTEAQUAM
SQUALLENTES AGROS VIGEVANENSES IMMISSIS FLUMINIBUS FERTILES
FECIT AD VOLUPTARIOS SECESSUS IN HAC ARCE VETERES PRINCIPUM
EDES REFORMAVIT ET NOVIS CIRCUMEDIFICATIS SPECIOSA, ETIAM
TURRI MUNIVIT POPULI QUOQUE HABITATIONIS SITU ET SQUALORE
OCCUPATAS STRATIS UT EXPEDITIS PER URBEM VIIS AD CIVILEM
LAUTICIAM REDEGIT DIRRUTIS ETIAM CIRCA FORUM VETERIBUS
EDIFICIIS ARCAM AMPLIANT AC PORTICIBUS CIRCUMDUCTIS IN HANC
SPECIEM EXORNAVIT. ANNO A SALUTE CHRISTIANA NONAGESIMOSECUNDO
SUPRA MILLESIMUM ET QUADRIGENTESIMUM."

He had given back peace to his nephew's realm and had vanquished external
foes and quelled internal dissensions, he had brought rivers of water to
make the barren fields of Vigevano fertile, and had rebuilt the ancient
Forum and raised fair porticoes and fine houses round the wide square.
And now, as a crowning gift to this his native city, he had restored and
beautified the ancestral castle of the illustrious house of Sforza and
had reared stately halls and