othing save speech. That lady, having been brought
afterwards by the Duke of Alva, as was related above, into the service
of the Queen of Spain, in which she still remains at the present day
with a handsome salary and much honour, has executed a number of
portraits and pictures that are things to marvel at. Moved by the fame
of which works, Pope Pius IV had Sofonisba informed that he desired to
have from her hand the portrait of her serene Highness the Queen of
Spain; wherefore, having executed it with all the diligence in her
power, she sent it to Rome to be presented to him, writing to his
Holiness a letter in the precise form given below:

[Illustration: THE MADONNA AND CHILD WITH SAINTS

(_After the painting by =Girolamo Romanino=. Brescia: S. Francesco_)

_Alinari_]

"HOLY FATHER,

"From the very reverend Nuncio of your Holiness I understood that
you desired to have a portrait by my hand of her Majesty the
Queen, my Liege-lady. And since I accepted this commission as a
singular grace and favour, having thus to serve your Holiness, I
asked leave of her Majesty, who granted it very willingly,
recognizing therein the fatherly affection that your Holiness
bears to her. Taking the opportunity presented by this Chevalier,
I send it to you, and, if I shall have satisfied therein the
desire of your Holiness, I shall receive infinite compensation;
but I must not omit to tell you that if it were possible in the
same way to present with the brush to the eyes of your Holiness
the beauties of the mind of this most gracious Queen, you would
see the most marvellous thing in all the world. But in those
parts which can be portrayed by art, I have not failed to use all
the diligence in my power and knowledge, in order to present
the truth to your Holiness. And with this conclusion, in all
reverence and humility, I kiss your most holy feet.

"From the most humble servant of your Holiness,

"SOFONISBA ANGUISCIUOLA.

"At Madrid, on the 16th of September, 1561."

To that letter his Holiness answered with that given below, which,
having thought the portrait marvellously beautiful, he accompanied with
gifts worthy of the great talents of Sofonisba:

"PIUS PAPA IV DILECTA IN CHRISTO FILIA.

"We have received the portrait of the most gracious Queen of
Spain, our deares