d loved her better than
himself. After many sobs and lamentations, he ended by begging me to
assure your Highness that the love and affection which he bore you would
never be diminished in the smallest degree, and that he would retain the
same warm sentiments for you and for all your sons, as long as he lived,
and would prove by his actions the depth and sincerity of his feelings.
Then I took my leave, and he told me to go and follow the corpse, with a
fresh outburst of sorrow, lamenting her in language so true and natural
that it would have moved the very stones to tears. Thus, still weeping,
I returned to join the other ambassadors, who all approached and
expressed their grief and sympathy with your Excellency in very loving
and compassionate words.

"The obsequies which followed were celebrated with all possible
magnificence and pomp. All the ambassadors at present in Milan, among
whom were one from the King of the Romans, two from the King of Spain,
and others from all the powers of Italy, lifted the corpse and bore it
to the first gate of the Castello. Here the privy councillors took the
body in their turn, and at the corners of the streets groups of
magistrates stood waiting to receive it. All the relatives of the ducal
family wore long mourning cloaks that trailed on the ground, and hoods
over their heads. I walked first with the Marchese Ermes, and the others
followed, each in his right order. We bore her to Santa Maria delle
Grazie, attended by an innumerable company of monks and nuns and
priests, bearing crosses of gold, of silver and wood, infinite numbers
of gentlemen and citizens, and crowds of people of every rank and class,
all weeping and making the greatest lamentation that was ever seen, for
the great loss which this city has suffered in the death of its duchess.
There were so many wax torches it was marvellous to see! At the gates of
Santa Maria delle Grazie, the ambassadors were waiting to receive the
body, and, taking it from the hands of the chief magistrates, they bore
it to the steps of the high altar, where the most reverend
cardinal-legate was seated, in his purple robes, between two bishops,
and himself said the whole Office. And there the duchess was laid on a
bier draped with cloth of gold, bearing the arms of the house of Sforza,
and clad in one of her richest _camoras_ of gold brocade.

"My dear lord, besides the extraordinary demonstrations of grief which
have been shown by the whole peo