nce and
Germany--Visit to St. Mark's and the Treasury--_Fete_ in the ducal
palace--The Duchess visits the Great Council--Takes leave of the
Doge--Return to Ferrara.

1493

A series of _fetes_ had been arranged by the Doge and Signory of Venice
in honour of their illustrious guests, and the order in which they took
place is given by the Marquis of Mantua in a letter to his wife. On
Tuesday races were held in the piazza for a _pallinum_ of twenty yards
of crimson velvet; on Wednesday afternoon a regatta took place on the
Riva. Amongst other amusing contests, Pietro Bembo tells us there was a
race between boats rowed by four women, a thing never before seen in
Venice, and which, on account of its novelty, excited the greatest
amusement. "In which marvellous contention," says Bembo, "a thing
happened which added greatly to the pleasure of the spectacle and to the
general mirth. A bark won the race that was rowed by a mother and her
two daughters and one daughter-in-law, this being arranged out of
compliment to Duchess Leonora, who has herself two daughters and one
daughter-in-law."

On the morning after her arrival, Beatrice received a visit from three
gentlemen sent by the Doge to confer with her on the object of her
mission. Much to their surprise and admiration, says Romanini, the
Venetian historian, the young duchess, who was not yet twenty years of
age, requested to be allowed the honour of an audience with the Signory.
Before leaving the Este palace these gentlemen assisted at mass, which
was privately celebrated in the duchess's rooms, and heard Cordier sing,
as we learn from a short note addressed to Lodovico on the morning of
the 28th.

"This morning," she writes, "as soon as I was dressed, I heard mass sung
in my own rooms. Messer Cordier sang, and, as usual, did his part
admirably, which pleased me greatly, both on account of the rare delight
which his talent gives me, and because on this occasion the gentlemen
who had been sent to see me by the Doge were also present, and expressed
the greatest admiration for his singing."

Beatrice and the four Milanese ambassadors were then escorted to the
ducal palace, where the young duchess was admitted to the Sala del
Collegio, and laid her husband's memorial before the Signory. But, as M.
Delaborde remarks, the language which Beatrice employed on this occasion
differed considerably from the written instructions which had been given
to the Milanese envoys by Lodov