y VII of England he received despatches informing him that his
father was sick. He hastened back to Ferrara, and Ercole died shortly
after his return.

Alfonso ascended the ducal throne at a time when a strong hand and high
intelligence were required to save his State from the dangers which
threatened it. The Republic of Venice had already secured possession of
a part of Romagna, and was planning to cut Ferrara off from the mouth of
the Po; at the same time Julius II was scheming to take Bologna, and if
he succeeded in this he would doubtless also attack Ferrara. In view of
these circumstances it was a fortunate thing for the State that its
chief was a practical, cool-headed man like Alfonso. He was neither
extravagant nor fond of display, and he cared nothing for a brilliant
court. He was indifferent to externals, even to his own clothing. His
chief concern was to increase the efficiency of the army, build
fortresses, and cast cannon. When the affairs of state left him any
leisure he amused himself at a turning-lathe which he had set up, and
also in painting majolica vases, in which art he was exceedingly
skilful. He had no inclination for the higher culture--this he left to
his wife.

The small collection of books which Lucretia brought with her from Rome
shows that she possessed some education and an inclination to take part
in the intellectual movement of Ferrara. We have a catalogue of these
books, of the years 1502 and 1503, which shows what were Lucretia's
tastes. According to this list she possessed a number of books, many of
which were beautifully bound in purple velvet, with gold and silver
mountings: a breviary; a book with the seven psalms and other prayers; a
parchment with miniatures in gold, called _De Coppelle ala Spagnola_;
the printed letters of Saint Catharine of Siena; the Epistles and
Gospels in the vulgar tongue; a religious work in Castilian; a
manuscript collection of Spanish canzone with the proverbs of Domenico
Lopez; a printed work entitled _Aquilla Volante_; another, called
_Supplement of Chronicles_, in the vulgar tongue; the _Mirror of Faith_,
in Italian; a printed copy of Dante, with a commentary; a work in
Italian, on philosophy; the _Legend of the Saints_ in the vulgar tongue;
an old work, _De Ventura_; a _Donatus_; a _Life of Christ_ in Spanish; a
manuscript of Petrarch on parchment, in duodecimo. From this catalogue
it is evident that Lucretia's studies were not very profound. Her boo