ntivoglio by Annibale. Rome,
Venice, Florence, Lucca, Siena, and the King of France had sent
ambassadors, who were lodged in the palaces of the nobles. The Duke of
Romagna had remained in Rome and sent a representative. It had been
Alexander's wish that Caesar's wife, Charlotte d'Albret, should come from
France to attend the wedding festivities in Ferrara and remain a month,
but she did not appear.

With royal extravagance Ercole had prepared for the festivities; the
magazines of the court and the warehouses of the city had been filled
with supplies for weeks past. Whatever the Renaissance had to offer,
that she provided in Ferrara; for the city was the seat of a cultivated
court and the home of a hospitable bourgeoisie, and also a town where
science, art, and industry thrived.

Lucretia's entrance, February 2d, was, therefore, one of the most
brilliant spectacles of the age, and, as far as she herself was
concerned, it was the greatest moment of her life; for she was entering
into the enjoyment of the highest and best of which her nature was
capable.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the duke and all the ambassadors betook
themselves to Alberto's villa to fetch his daughter-in-law to the city.
The cavalcade set out over the bridge, crossing the branch of the Po, to
pass through the gate of Castle Tedaldo, a fortress no longer in
existence.

At its head were seventy-five mounted archers in the livery of the house
of Este--white and red--who were accompanied by eighty trumpeters and a
number of fifes. Then came the nobility of Ferrara without regard to
rank, followed by the members of the courts of the Marchioness of
Mantua, who remained behind in the palace, and of the Duchess of Urbino.
Behind them rode Alfonso, with his brother-in-law, Annibale Bentivoglio,
at his side, and accompanied by eight pages. He was dressed in red
velvet in the French fashion, and on his head he wore a black velvet
biretta, upon which was an ornament of wrought gold. He wore small red
boots and French gaiters of black velvet. His bay horse was caparisoned
in crimson and gold.

On the way to Ferrara, Don Alfonso did not ride by the side of his
consort as this would have been contrary to the etiquette of the day.
The bridegroom led the procession, near the middle of which was the
bride, while the father-in-law came last. This arrangement was intended
to indicate that Lucretia was the chief personage in the parade. Just
behind Alfonso cam