Baldassarre Suarez, who had come over from Spain and was a protege of
the Duchess Eleanora.

Cammilla, born in 1547, possessed all the personal attractiveness which
distinguished her mother, whose sister, Nannina, the wife of Messer
Luigi degli Albizzi, was mother of Eleanora, Duke Cosimo's _druda_.

"Tall and of a good figure, fair complexion, with light hair, and a pair
of dark eyes like two brilliant stars, she was also most graceful in her
carriage and manner, full of intelligence in conversation, and quite
naturally fond of admiration and amours." This is a contemporary
word-picture of the physical and mental charms of one of the most lovely
girls that ever tripped merrily along the Lung' Arno Acciaiuoli--in the
footsteps of Beatrice de' Portinari.

That promenade of Prince Cupid was always thronged by the belles and
beaux of Florentine society. There the young men, and old men too, could
meet and salute their _innamorate_. Duke Cosimo had not observed for
nothing the daily walk of his fascinating young neighbour, he never
overlooked a pretty face and comely figure, and his heart was large
enough to entertain the loves of many women! His experience was very
much like that of Dante Alighieri, who one day saw his Beatrice "in
quite a new and entrancing light."

It was in May, in 1564, when all was gay and fresh in Florence, that
Duke Cosimo chanced upon Cammilla de' Martelli, as he passed on his way
from the Pitti Palace to Castello, to dawdle with the lovely Eleanora
degli Albizzi, her cousin. Something prompted the Duke to accost the
maiden,--her blush and his own tremor revealed delightful possibilities
quite in his way! Very warily he approached Messer Antonio. His idea
was probably to keep Eleanora at the Villa del Castello, and to take
Cammilla away to his favourite residence, the Palace at Pisa.

If Don Francesco and Duchess Giovanna were aggrieved by the intrigue
already going on, it was conceivable that the trouble would be greatly
intensified by a second. Cosimo did not wish their increased displeasure
nor publicity, so, for a while, he kept his hopes and his intentions to
himself. At last, inflamed more and more by the fresh, unsullied beauty
of Cammilla, he broached his proposition to Messer Antonio. Greatly in
need of money, and hoping much from court patronage, the unnatural
father determined to follow the example of his brother-in-law, and
surrender, for a worthy consideration, his child as a "_Cos