o negotiate a treaty, but found the Signoria determined to
maintain the cause of Ferrante of Naples. The Venetians were not sorry
to disband their army and see the French cross the Alps; but none the
less their indignation was great at the Duke of Milan's breach of faith
in concluding a separate peace, and sharp words passed between the
ambassadors of Spain and Naples and the Milanese envoy at Venice.

"The best thing, in my opinion," remarks the annalist Malipiero, "would
have been for Contarini to give the Stradiots orders to cut to pieces
both Duke Lodovico and Ercole of Ferrara, who are the Signory's worst
enemies. And the truth is, you should never take part in another's
quarrel, or enter the country of a foreign ally, for in these matters no
one is to be trusted."

[Illustration: Altar piece ascribed to Zenale with portraits of Lodovico
Sforza and Beatrice d'Este (Brera)

D. Anderson.]

Maximilian, on his part, was satisfied with Lodovico's excuses, and
owned that the duke was right to make peace without delay. As for
Lodovico, it was with a deep sense of relief that he saw the departure
of the last French troops. He invited the Duke of Ferrara, the
Marquis of Mantua, and the Venetian Provveditori to Vigevano, and
entertained them all magnificently. When, on his return from Venice,
Commines in his turn visited Vigevano, the duke rode out to meet him
with charming courtesy, and bade the French ambassador welcome to his
beautiful country home. But when they came to business, it was another
matter. Commines heard from Genoa that the two ships, which the Duke of
Milan was to send to Naples with the French fleet, had received orders
not to sail, and when he asked for an explanation, Lodovico told him
that he could put no trust or confidence in his master the king. At the
end of three days the ambassador took his leave, and just as he was
starting on his journey, to his surprise the duke came up to him very
civilly, and said that, after all, he wished to keep on friendly terms
with his Most Christian Majesty, and had determined to send Messer
Galeaz with the ships to Naples, and that before Commines reached Lyons
he should receive a letter to this effect. So Commines crossed the Alps
with a light heart, and all the way to Lyons he kept looking back, he
tells us, in constant expectation of hearing the sound of horse's hoofs
behind him. But the duke's messenger did not overtake him, and the ships
never sailed from Gen