560 BIANCA* 



his handfome wife a better houfe ; and daily made 

 new acquaintances with the courtiers, and people of 

 figure. But this fudden good fortune was too much 

 for the merchant's clerk to be able to bear ; he grew, 

 as ufual, haughty and arrogant ; began, to Ihew his 

 infolence to the principal nobility, and even to the 

 grand duke himfelf ; and . thus raifed himfelf fo many 

 enemies, that at length he was one night attacked in 

 the rlreet, (it was in Italy) and murdered. 



Who now were more glad than the grand duke and 

 Bianca ? They completely laid allele the laft remains of 

 decorum and referve ; and fhewed themfelves publicly 

 in fplendor and magnificence. 



Johanna, the legitimate wife of the grand duke, 

 though fhe frrove, as much as poffible, outwardly to 

 conceal her juft indignation at the conducl of her 

 fpoufe, and her jealoufy towards her rival, yet they 

 rankled only the more furioufly within ; me pined at 

 heart, fell lick, and died. 



The death of the duchefs opened frefh profpecls to 

 the afpirlng Bianca. The heart of the grand duke was 

 wholly at her command ; he mull do what fhe pleafed: 

 and now fhe exerted all her art to induce him to wed 

 her in form. In vain did the grand duke's brother, 

 cardinal Ferdinand de Medicis, who in default of a 

 male defcendant, was next fucceflbr to the throne, 

 employ all the means in his power to prevent it ; fhe 

 was fo happy as to accomplifh her aim ; and Bianca 

 was, in a fhort time after, grand duchefs of Tufcany. 



She now naturally wifhed to blefs her fpoufe with a 

 prince who hereafter mould fucceed to the throne. She 

 caufed prayers to be put up for her in all the churches ; 



3 had 



