97

The horror and confusion that reigned in the Castello of Milan that
night was long remembered. There was sorrow and consternation among
Beatrice's servants, and dismay upon the faces of secretaries and
courtiers who stood waiting for news in the halls and porticoes of
Bramante's building. The duke's grief was said to be terrible. For some
time he refused to see any one, and many days passed before even his
children were admitted into their father's presence. But, with
characteristic strength of mind, he sent for his secretaries that
morning, and himself dictated the letters which bore the sad news to
Beatrice's family at Mantua and Ferrara. In that dark hour the passion
of his love and sorrow breaks through conventional formalities, and
gives a touch of pathos to the brief message which he sent to Francesco
Gonzaga--

"MOST ILLUSTRIOUS RELATIVE AND DEAREST BROTHER,--

"My wife was taken with sudden pains at eight o'clock last night. At
eleven she gave birth to a dead son, and at half-past twelve she gave
back her spirit to God. This cruel and premature end has filled me with
bitter and indescribable anguish, so much so that I would rather have
died myself than lose the dearest and most precious thing that I had in
this world. But great and excessive as is my grief, beyond all measure,
and grievous as your own will be, I know, I feel that I must tell you
this myself, because of the brotherly love between us. And I beg you not
to send any one to condole with me, as that would only renew my sorrow.
I would not write to the Madonna Marchesana, and leave you to break the
news to her as you think best, knowing well how inexpressible her sorrow
will be.

"LODOVICUS M. SFORTIA,
_Anglus Dux Mediolani_.[65]

Milan, January 3, 1497, 6 o'clock."

The same day the duke sent the following intimation to the loyal
citizens of Pavia: "Last night at half-past twelve our beloved wife,
after giving birth to a son who died at eleven, changed this life for
death, which most cruel event snatches from us one who, by reason of her
rare and singular virtues, was dearer to us than our own life. You will
understand what our grief is and how difficult it is to bear this
irreparable loss with patience and reason. We beg of you to pray God for
the soul of our dearest consort, and to hold solemn funeral services in
the Duomo and in all other churches of the city