rses." Ercole instructed his ambassador to inform the Pope
of this, also to tell him that the supplies were about exhausted, and
that the Duchess of Romagna would not arrive before Easter, and that he
could stand the expense no longer, as the wedding festivities had
already cost twenty-five thousand ducats. The Pope should therefore
direct the ladies to return. In a postscript to the same letter the duke
says: "After the noble ladies of the Duchess of Romagna had been here
twelve days, I sent them away because they were impertinent, and because
their presence would not do his Holiness or the duchess any good."[176]

The troublesome women finally departed. There is a despatch of the
orator Girardo Saraceni, dated Rome, May 4th, in which he informs the
duke that Monsignor Venosa and Donna Adriana had returned from Ferrara,
and had expressed to the Pope their gratitude for the affectionate
reception which had been accorded them.

February 14th Ercole wrote the Pope a letter whose meaning is perfectly
clear, if we eliminate one or two phrases.

HOLY FATHER AND MASTER: Before the illustrious Duchess,
our daughter, came here, it was my firm determination to receive
her, as was meet, with all friendliness and honor, and to show her
in every way how great was the affection I felt for her. Now that
her Majesty is here, I am so pleased with her on account of the
virtues and good qualities which I have discovered in her that I am
not only strengthened in that determination, but also am resolved
to do even more than I had intended, and all the more because your
Holiness has asked me to do so in the autographic letter which you
wrote me. Your Holiness need have no fears, for I shall treat the
Duchess in such a way that your Holiness will see that I regard her
as the most precious jewel I have in the world.

FOOTNOTES:

[167] Isabella's remarkable letters regarding the marriage festivities
in Ferrara are printed in the Notizie di Isabella Estense by Carlo
d'Arco. Archivio Storico Ital. App. ii. 223, sq. The letter of the
Marchesa of Cotrone of February 1st is in the library of Mantua, and
there are several other letters in the archives of that city written by
her to Gonzaga regarding the festivities.

[168] Qual Madama Sposa danzo molte danze al suono delli suoi Tamburini
alla Romanesca e Spagnuola: report of Niccolo Gagnolo of Parma, who had
accompanied the French a