CARDINAL BEMBO AND HIS VILLA 
approval. Or else Luigi da Porto, the gallant young 
soldier who wrote the story of Romeo and Juliet, 
and who could handle the sword as skilfully as the 
pen, would ride over with his brother Bernardino from 
their Villa in the Berici hills, to read Bembo his latest 
romances. Sometimes Bembo and Cola would take 
horses and ride through the fair Trevigiana to visit 
M. Luigi Priuli in his fine house at Treville, or seek 
out Messer Alvise Cornaro in his Villa at Este in the 
green Euganean hills, and see the splendid gardens 
which Giangiorgio Trissino was laying out round his 
new country-house at Cricoli. All these places were 
within easy reach of Villa Bozza, and presents of choice 
fruit and early vegetables often passed between their 
different owners. Messer Luigi da Porto would send 
Bembo a basket of superb strawberries, or a brace 
of quails and a young kid. Another time a swift 
retriever for his use out hunting, or a bundle of 
fine asparagus, would arrive from Vicenza. “ Com¬ 
mend me to our dear Marc Antonio Silvestri and 
his fine garden,” wrote Bembo to the poet Cappello, 
“ and beg him to send me some roots of his excellent 
artichokes.” 
Bembo’s love of good things was well known to his 
friends, and all manner of delicacies found their way 
to the Villa. Costanza Fregoso, the wife of Count 
Landi of Piacenza, whose son came to study at Padua 
H9 
