GARDENS OF ESTE AND GONZAGA PRINCES 
Francesco of Ferrara, who afterwards became general 
of the Dominican Order, the biographer of the Beata 
Osanna and author of a famous commentary on the 
Summa , visited Porto in the Marchesana’s absence, and 
expressed his admiration for the beautiful country house 
in a letter of thanks to Isabella. 
“ This palace and gardens are indeed most charming, 
and seem to me to have been laid out with the greatest 
skill by Your Highness. Only the bitterness of my own 
thoughts prevents me from fully enjoying these rare 
delights. Another time, when I am in a happier state 
of mind, I shall hope to return here and look with 
greater attention at this house with its gardens and 
lovely surroundings.” 1 
And he goes on to explain that sorely against his wish 
he has been appointed Prior at Ferrara, and that instead 
of returning to his favourite studies at Milan he will be 
compelled to undertake the management of friars, an 
office which he disliked above all else. 
A Dominican of a very different type, Fra Matteo 
Bandello, was a constant visitor at Porto, and has left 
us many charming descriptions of its gardens and of 
the excellent company which he found there. 
“ It was my habit,” he writes, “ during the summer 
months which I spent at Mantua to go two or three 
1 Luzio and Renier, Giornale si. d. lett. 1900. 
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