his Majesty to send us an ambassador to declare that he places us in
possession of the duchy, in order that he may give the world an outward
demonstration of the act that he has already done in private. This, we
beg to assure his Majesty, shall ensure a perpetual obligation on our
part and that of our posterity towards his Majesty, who may count on the
fidelity of this State in all contingencies, most of all in the affairs
of Italy, where no State can be greater or of more importance than this
one, which has the same influence in Italy as he has in Germany. And
since the form of investiture has been given this summer to the
Treasurer of Burgundy, you can obtain it from him by means of Messer
Erasmo, and we will afterwards send you the imperial mandate that you
may arrange this. As to the form of delivery of the temporalities, we
desire to follow that which was employed in the cases of former dukes,
which we will seek out and let you have. To this effect you will
negotiate with the Most Serene King of the Romans, making use of the
advise of Messer Erasmo, in order to obtain this concession in the
manner that we devise.

"You will also visit our niece, the Most Serene Queen, and condole in
our name on the duke's death, which is a common cause of grief to both
of us, and will recommend our affairs to her, begging her Majesty to
assist you, and to employ great warmth and fervour in addressing the
Most Serene Lord her husband.

"Milan, 22nd October, 1494."

These instructions were followed by a short letter from Lodovico,
enclosing the petition to be presented to Maximilian, and urging him to
lose no time in reaching his destination.

"MAPHEO,--We enclose the petition for the investiture, and have to-day
sent you money and horses. There is nothing more to say, excepting to
urge you once more to use all diligence to seek out His Serene Majesty,
and with the help of Erasmo leave nothing undone that may induce him to
grant the investiture without delay, and at the same time send back with
you persons empowered to put me in possession of the temporal
possessions of the duchy. Without these two things, all that has been
done till now will be of no avail."

On the 21st, Lodovico sent an official intimation of his nephew's death,
and of the "incredible grief" which this sad event had given him, to his
relatives and allies. On the 22nd, he issued another circular, informing
them in well-turned phrases of his election by the p