AN INVITATION FROM I/AVALOS. 245 



given him they are not yet come to hand and told him 

 of the placard, and his excellency commanded me to read 

 it; and all your things pleased his excellency greatly. 

 And he commanded me at once to write the present letter 

 to you with great urgency in his name, to advise you that 

 on receipt of the same you should come to Milan without 

 fail, for he desires to speak with you. And so I exhort 

 you that you should come at once, and not deliberate 

 about it, because the said marquis is a courteous remu- 

 nerator of men of genius, so liberal and so magnanimous, 

 that no person who does a service to his excellency, no 

 matter in what respect, is left dissatisfied. So do not de- 

 lay to come, and come to lodge in my house. So no 

 more. Christ keep you from harm. Written on the 13th 

 of March, 1539. 



HIEKONIMO CARDANO, Physician." 



That the desire of the marquis to see Tartalea was 

 genuine I see no reason to doubt. That Jerome was glad 

 to have a chance of talking to his jealous correspondent, 

 and persuading him, if possible, by word of mouth, is, of 

 course, equally certain. The brief comment appended by 

 Tartalea to the preceding letter is not good-humoured. 



" NICOLO. I am reduced by this fellow to a strange 



un stranio passo, perche se non uado a Millano il Signer Marchese il 

 potria hauer per male, et qualche male me ne potria reusire, et mal 

 uolontiera ui uado, pur ui uoglio andare." Op. cit. pp. 123, 124. 



