d silk, with my jewelled cap on my
head, and the rope of pearls with the Marone as a pendant. I commend
myself to your Highness. Your Excellency's most affectionate wife,

"BEATRICE SFORTIA VISCOMTIS.[44]

Venetina, May 31, 1493."

On the back of this letter are the words--

"To the most illustrious Prince and excellent Lord, my dearest husband,
the Lord Lodovico Maria Sfortia, etc. _Ubi. sit. cito. cito._"

On Saturday, the 1st of June, Beatrice wrote another letter, in which
she describes her visit to the Great Council and final interview with
the Doge, but makes no mention of political affairs, which were no doubt
reserved for a separate despatch.

"To-day after dinner," she begins, "we went to the palace, honourably
attended by many Venetian gentlemen, to visit the Great Council, and
were conducted into the Great Hall. Here in the centre of the hall we
found the Prince, who had descended from his rooms to meet us, and who
accompanied us to the Tribunal, where we sat in our usual order, and the
Council began to vote by ballot for elections to two different offices.
When this was over, my lady mother thanked the Prince for all the
honours which had been paid us, and took her leave. When she had
finished speaking, I did the same; then, following the instructions
which you had given me in your letter, I offered myself as a daughter to
obey all the Doge's commands. The Prince replied that he needed no
thanks, for he had only done what might be expected from a father for a
beloved daughter, excusing himself if anything had been left undone, and
begging I would not impute what was lacking to him, but to the failure
of his servants to discharge their duties, and assuring me once more
that his will could not be better disposed towards me. Then he once more
expressed the paternal love which he cherished towards our most
illustrious duke, towards your Highness and myself, and again placed
himself and his Government at the disposal of your Excellency, with many
very generous expressions, begging me to salute your Highness and beg
you to be of good courage, and tell you that the Signory accepted all my
offers, and would, if need be, avail themselves gratefully of your help.
After this, I replied again in similar terms, and he again desired me to
greet you warmly from him, and beg you to take good care of your own
health and person. Our councillors were then presented to him, and
Monsig