cretia reached Ferrara, but in case she
did arrive there first that everything she asked would be granted--his
love for her was such that he even thought of paying her a visit in
Ferrara in the spring.[127] The Pope suspected, however, that the delay
in sending the bridal escort was due to the machinations of Maximilian.
Even as late as November the emperor had despatched his secretary,
Agostino Semenza, to the duke to warn him not to send the escort to
Rome, adding that he would show his gratitude to Ercole. November 22d
the duke wrote the imperial plenipotentiary a letter in which he stated
that he had immediately sent a courier to his ambassador in Rome; it
would soon be winter, and the time would therefore be unfavorable for
bringing Lucretia; if the Pope was willing, he would postpone the
wedding, but he would not break off with him entirely. His Majesty
should remember that if he did this, the Pope would become his bitterest
enemy, and would persecute him, and might even make war on him. It was,
he stated, for the express purpose of avoiding this that he had
consented to enter into an alliance with his Holiness. He, therefore,
hoped that his Majesty would not expose him to this danger, but that,
with his usual justice, he would appreciate his excuses.[128]

At the same time he instructed his ambassadors in Rome to inform the
Pope of the emperor's threats, and to say to him that he was ready to
fulfil his own obligations and also to urge his Holiness to have the
bulls prepared at once, as further delay was dangerous.

Alexander thereupon fell into a rage; he overwhelmed the ambassadors
with reproaches, and called the duke a "tradesman." On December 1st
Ercole announced to the emperor's messenger that he was unable longer to
delay sending the bridal escort, for, if he did, it would mean a rupture
with the Pope. The same day he wrote to his ambassadors in Rome and
complained of the use of the epithet "tradesman," which the Pope had
applied to him.[129] He, however, reassured his Holiness by informing
him that he had decided to despatch the bridal escort from Ferrara the
ninth or tenth of December.[130]

[Illustration: ERCOLE D'ESTE, DUKE OF FERRARA.]

FOOTNOTES:

[117] Lucretia to Ercole, October 18th; Ercole to Lucretia, October 23d.

[118] Gerardo to Ercole, October 15, 1501.

[119] Ercole to Don Francesco de Roxas, October 24, 1501.

[120] Gerardo Saraceni to Ercole, Rome, October 26, 1501.

[121] Per