m on Bianca's wedding, while a
greater scholar, Lancinus Curtius, recorded the completion of the
long-expected work in the following epigram:--

"Expectant animi, molemque futuram
Suspiciunt; fluat aes; vox erit: Ecce deus!"

The court poet Taccone waxes eloquent over the splendour of the
procession, led by Messer Galeazzo, captain-general of the armies, and
the beauty of the bride, whose tall and slender figure showed to
advantage in her gorgeous apparel, with her long fair hair flowing over
her shoulders, as she rode through the streets bowing in response to the
enthusiastic cheers of the crowd. He paints the marvellous scene inside
the Duomo, where the venerable Archbishop of Milan sang mass in the
presence of the most brilliant assembly ever seen within its walls, and
the firing of guns and ringing of bells marked the moment when the
Bishop of Brixen placed the imperial crown on the bride's head. Taccone
describes the glittering array of chandeliers and vases, designed after
Signor Lodovico's favourite antique fashion, which adorned the high
altar, the blaze of a thousand wax lights which illumined the majestic
choir, the sweet perfumes of incense and celestial harmonies of the
music that filled the air. And, like a true courtier, he contrives to
make everything, decorations, music, and processions, redound to the
praise of the great Moro, the author of all the glories of Milan.

But we have an equally minute and perhaps more interesting description
of the scene from Beatrice's own pen, in a letter which she sent to her
sister Isabella from Vigevano on the 29th of December. The marchioness,
whose state of health prevented her from being present on the important
occasion, had begged her sister to send her full accounts of the
ceremony, but, owing to the _fetes_ which followed the wedding and the
journey of the court as far as Como with the imperial bride, a whole
month elapsed before Beatrice was able to fulfil her promise.

"MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LADY AND DEAREST SISTER,

"I told you some time ago that I would let you have a full account of
the triumphant display held in Milan, at the marriage of her Most Serene
Highness the Queen of the Romans, and I certainly desired the chancellor
to send you this account. But since you write that it has never reached
you, the fault must rest with the said chancellor, and you must excuse
me for this apparent neglect.

"On the last day of the past month the nuptials took