BIANCA SFORZA 



grew steadily worse, until at five o'clock this evening 

 she ended her life on earth. This event has caused 

 us the most unutterable grief, both for the loss of 

 such a daughter and because the blow was so sudden 

 and unexpected. We know that it will be a great 

 shock to your heart, but we must bear with patience 

 the trials that are sent us here, and bow to the 

 unalterable laws of nature. We entreat you, therefore, 

 to bear this loss with patience and courage, and assure 

 you that you will be no less beloved by us in future, 

 than if Bianca were yet alive." l 



At the same time Lodovico sent a characteristic 

 letter to his most trusted physician and astrologer, 

 Maestro Ambrogio, begging him to make a careful 

 inquiry into the causes of Bianca's death, and express- 

 ing his conviction that the Court doctors had mis- 

 taken the nature of her ailment and had given her 

 wine and other remedies, which being hurtful to the 

 brain, only aggravated her condition and hastened the 

 end. 



Beatrice's grief for her step-daughter was scarcely 

 less than that of her lord. During the last few 

 months, her own life had been embittered by the 

 Duke's sudden fancy for one of her youthful ladies- 

 in-waiting, Lucrezia Crivelli, and the tears that she 

 wept for Bianca were mingled with sorrowful fore- 

 bodings of coming trouble. In a little note, written 



1 Archivio di Stato, Milan. Potenze Sovrane, Sforza, 1496. 

 193 N 



