e her escort, pages, and court officials, among whom
were several Spanish cavaliers; then five bishops, followed by the
ambassadors according to rank; the four deputies of Rome, mounted upon
beautiful horses and wearing long brocade cloaks and black birettas
coming next. These were followed by six tambourines and two of
Lucretia's favorite clowns.

Then came the bride herself, radiantly beautiful and happy, mounted upon
a white jennet with scarlet trappings, and followed by her master of
horse. Lucretia was dressed in a loose-sleeved camorra of black velvet
with a narrow gold border, and a cape of gold brocade trimmed with
ermine. On her head she wore a sort of net glittering with diamonds and
gold--a present from her father-in-law. She did not wear a diadem. About
her neck she had a chain of pearls and rubies which had once belonged to
the Duchess of Ferrara--as Isabella noticed with tears in her eyes. Her
beautiful hair fell down unconfined on her shoulders. She rode beneath a
purple baldachin, which the doctors of Ferrara--that is, the members of
the faculties of law, medicine, and mathematics--supported in turn.

For the purpose of honoring the King of France, the protector of Ferrara
and of the Borgias, Lucretia had summoned the French ambassador, Philipp
della Rocca Berti, to ride at her left, near her, but not under the
baldachin. This was intended to show that it was owing to this powerful
monarch that the bride was entering the palace of the Este.

Behind Lucretia came the duke, in black velvet, on a dark horse with
trappings of the same material. On his right was the Duchess of Urbino
clad in a dark velvet gown.[156]

Then followed nobles, pages, and other personages of the house of Este,
each of whom was accompanied by one of Lucretia's ladies. The only
important member of the family not present was Cardinal Ippolito, who
had remained in Rome, and who, from that city, wrote Lucretia, January
16th, saying he had called on her son Rodrigo and found him asleep.
February 9th he wrote that the Pope had invited Caesar and himself
together with Cardinal Borgia and the Signora Principessa--this was
Sancia--to supper.[157] Of the women who accompanied Lucretia, only
three were mounted--Girolama Borgia, wife of Fabio Orsini; another
Orsini, who is not described more explicitly; and Madonna Adriana, "a
widowed noblewoman, a kinswoman of the Pope."[158]

Behind them came fourteen floats upon which were seated a numbe