GARDENS OF ESTE AND GONZAGA PRINCES 



wits at Court, or repeat the last gossip which had come 

 from Milan and Ferrara, until the barking of Madama's 

 little dogs announced her return. Then the company 

 would stroll slowly under the shady avenues by the 

 lakeside, talking of what pleased them best, or sitting 

 in groups on the grass amuse themselves with reading, 

 music, and singing, or other pastimes. And whenever 

 anything especially noteworthy or amusing was said, 

 Madama would turn to Fra Matteo and bid him write 

 this down in his notebook. 



Many fine talkers there were in these circles, as 

 Bandello tells us, eloquent courtiers like Count Bal- 

 dassare and merry souls such as young Alessandro 

 Gonzaga and the Marchesa's chamberlain Baesso, who 

 always had some pleasant jest on his lips. Scholars 

 and travellers of repute often found their way to 

 Porto and were always sure of a cordial reception. 

 The courtier who brought the latest news of the 

 Vatican intrigues from Rome, the nuncio who had 

 visited the Court of Whitehall and the wilds of 

 Ireland, the Vicentine sailor who had been round 

 the world with Magellan and seen olive-skinned 

 Indians, gold ingots, and birds of paradise, were 

 all eagerly welcomed by this brilliant lady, who, 

 in her own words, was always eager to hear any new 

 thing. 



Isabella herself took a practical interest in garden- 



59 



