he Romans, celebrated at Milan--Letter of Beatrice
to Isabella d'Este--Wedding _fetes_ and journey of the bride to
Innsbruck--Maximilian's relations with his wife--Bianca's future life.

1493

On the 2nd of June, Beatrice and her mother left Venice and returned to
Ferrara, where she once more embraced her infant son and enjoyed a few
days' rest after all her _fetes_ and journeyings. The 7th of June was
spent at Belriguardo, and from this favourite villa the young duchess
wrote to her sister, expressing her regret that she would be unable to
visit Mantua on her return to Milan.

"I would most willingly come to see you at Mantua, as I had hoped to do,
and as you know I still desire, and should very much enjoy a few days
with you in the country, but my husband is exceedingly anxious for my
return. So I must beg your Highness to let me enjoy a sight of you in
the bucentaur, and not to insist upon my landing this time."

Isabella complied with her sister's request, and went to meet the
duchess at Revere, where Beatrice stopped for a few hours on her way up
the Po, to join her husband at Pavia. Lodovico was naturally impatient,
not only to see his wife again, but to hear from her own lips all that
had happened at Venice. And he on his part had much to tell her of the
news which Belgiojoso had brought from France, and of the despatches
which he received from Erasmo Brasca in Germany.

The summer months were spent in the Castello of Pavia, where Beatrice
nursed her husband in a slight attack of fever, and afterwards received
a visit from her father and brother. They arrived on the 25th of August,
bringing with them a troop of actors to perform the _Menaechmi_ and some
of the other comedies which had pleased Lodovico so much at Ferrara.
Duke Ercole himself, as usual, took keen interest in these theatricals,
and before he left home sent to borrow two complete Turkish costumes and
turbans from the Marquis of Mantua, in order to supply deficiencies in
his actors' wardrobe. Three days after his arrival, Borso da Correggio,
a young nephew of Niccolo, who had travelled to Pavia with the duke,
sent the following note to give his cousin Isabella the latest news of
her family:--

"MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SISTER AND HONOURED LADY,

"We arrived on the 25th at Pavia, and were received by these excellent
lords and ladies with the usual formalities. We find both of the
duchesses well and happy, one of them, indeed--her of Milan--expects the