BIANCA* 557 



dreaming that this could be owing to any thing but 

 neglecl ; he fhut it to. 



Prefently after came the young lady ; and found the 

 door fafL In great confirmation, Ihe hurries back to 

 the houfe from whence fhe was come out ; knocked 

 gently at the door, was let in by her lover, to whom 

 fhe related the ugly accident. Gratitude as well a& 

 love impelled him to take a fudden refolution ; every 

 thing was to be facriflced to their fafety. He quitted 

 the houfe on the fpot ; hired an apartment for himfelf 

 and Bianca in the houfe of another Florentine, and 

 kept themfelves concealed with all poffible care, till a 

 favourable opportunity offered for eloping to Florence. 



In Florence he had a fmall houfe, on the Via larga ? 

 near S. Marco, directly facing a nunnery. Here they 

 likewife kept themfelves in the clofefl: retirement, for 

 a confiderable time, for fear of any purfuit from 

 Venice. 



The then grand duke of Tufcany was Francis Maria,* 

 the fon of Cofmo I. and father of Mary di Medicis. 

 He had to his wife Johanna of Auftria, daughter of the 

 emperor Ferdinand, dowager queen of Hungary ; k 

 very worthy princefs, but now fornewhat advanced in 

 years. Hence it happened, as is no uncommon cafe, 

 that the gtancl duke would fome times prefer another 

 lady to her. One of his courtiers, who had a fpoufe, 

 as well fkilled in officioufnefs as himfelf, ufed com- 

 monly to play the confidant in thefe intrigues of the 

 prince. 



Bianca might keep herfelf concealed as much as fhe 

 would : there was foon a rumour in Florence of the 

 beautiful Venetian lady that was newly arrived ; and the 



report 



