ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



he had to transact with foreign envoys. The pro- 

 ceedings ended with a grand hunting-party, in which 

 the ladies and ambassadors all joined, after which 

 Maximilian took leave of his illustrious hosts and went 

 on to Pisa to conduct a campaign against Florence. 1 



By the end of September, Galeazzo recovered suffi- 

 ciently to accompany his wife to her dower-city of 

 Voghera, where the loyal citizens received the newly- 

 wedded pair with enthusiasm, and made them many 

 rich presents. Early in November they returned to 

 Milan, and settled in the Palace of the Via de' Bossi 

 for the winter. They found Leonardo and Bramante 

 busy superintending the latest improvements and addi- 

 tions to the Castello, and by the Duke's orders large 

 fires were lighted in the new rooms of the Rochetta, 

 to dry the walls before the Duchess returned for her 

 approaching confinement. On the 8th of November, 

 Galeazzo, who had never quite shaken off his trouble- 

 some ague, rode out with Bianca to take the air at 

 La Bicocca, a fine hunting-lodge belonging to Guido 

 Archimboldi, the Archbishop of Milan. After dining 

 there, they both went out hunting and killed a hare, 

 which they brought home to Milan. At the Duke's 

 suggestion, his son-in-law went to Cussago a few days 

 later, and rode on by Abbiategrasso to join Lodovico 

 at Vigevano, and confer with him, before the Duke 



1 M. Sanudo Diarii^ i. 304-9. 



1 88 



