ico. During the interval, Belgiojoso's
despatches relating to the Treaty of Senlis, and announcing the French
king's fixed intention of undertaking an expedition against Naples, had
produced a sensible alteration in Lodovico's policy. In the letter of
the 10th of May, the ambassadors were desired to congratulate the
Venetian Signory in the most cordial terms on the conclusion of the
league between Milan, the Pope, and the Republic, and to dwell
especially on the importance of being in readiness to resist foreign
invasions at this critical time when the French monarch and the King of
the Romans were about to settle their differences. But when Beatrice
herself addressed the Signory, she insisted on the excellent relations
of Lodovico as Regent of Milan with both France and Germany, and, after
setting forth the pains which her lord had taken to oppose the French
expedition, laid Belgiojoso's latest despatch before the Signory. In
this missive the Milanese envoy informed Lodovico of Charles the
Eighth's intention to send an envoy to Milan, Venice, and Rome, and seek
the help of these powers in carrying out his designs for the conquest of
Naples. Beatrice, addressing the Venetian Signory in her lord's name,
asked their advice as to the answer which he should give to the French
king, and ended by informing them of his negotiations with Maximilian
for the investiture of the duchy of Milan, which, she added, were
already far advanced. After some deliberation, the Signory returned a
courteous but evasive answer, begging the duchess to assure her husband
of their most friendly sentiments, but saying that the French king's
proposals required grave consideration, and that they must, first of
all, communicate with the Pope as head of the League.

At a second conference which the Doge had with the young duchess on the
1st of June, Beatrice, acting under Lodovico's directions, laid stress
on the fact that her husband as regent was all-powerful in Milan, and
could dispose of the treasure and castles of Lombardy at his pleasure.
The Doge understood by this, as we learn from the secret records of the
Venetian Government, that the real aim of the duchess was to discover
how far the Republic was disposed to uphold Lodovico's claim to the
ducal title, but he merely returned a civil answer and repeated his
professions of friendship. If Beatrice's mission, however, secured no
very tangible result from the wise and crafty Venetian, her charms m