BIANCA SFORZA 



spent the next three weeks in the company of Lodovico 

 and Beatrice and their children, enjoying the freedom 

 of country life and the excellent hunting which he 

 found at the Duke's superb country-seat. 



A fortnight later the Venetian ambassadors, Antonio 

 Grimani and Marco Morosini, arrived at Vigevano to 

 pay their respects to the Emperor, and were conducted 

 by the Duke himself to the fine new palace near the 

 Porta Nuova, which Leonardo had lately built for 

 Bianca and her lord. Messer Galeaz was unluckily 

 confined to his bed by a sharp attack of fever, and 

 it was his young wife who welcomed her father's 

 guests, and did the honours of her house with the 

 most winning grace. 



The historian, Marino Sanudo, who was attached 

 to the Venetian Embassy, has described the audience 

 granted by the Emperor to the envoys on the following 

 day. His Imperial Majesty, a magnificent-looking 

 man with commanding presence and whitening locks, 

 clad in black velvet and wearing the collar of the 

 Golden Fleece, received the ambassadors, seated on a 

 dai's draped with cloth of gold, between the Duke 

 of Milan and the Cardinal-legate. The Venetian 

 secretary was profoundly impressed by Maximilian's 

 stately courtesy, and by Beatrice's devotion to her 

 children and husband, whose side she seldom left, 

 and whom she helped in all the negotiations which 

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