BIANCA SFORZA 
Eight days afterwards a solemn requiem for the repose 
of her soul was chanted in the Duomo, in the presence 
of the whole Court, as well as of the College of 
Physicians and other Orders, “ as is the custom in the 
case of princes of the lamented Madonna Bianca’s high 
degree,” and a funeral oration was delivered by Matteo 
Bossi. 
The Duke’s first thought, in his own overwhelming 
grief, had been for his son-in-law, whose sorrow at his 
young wife’s sudden death would he knew be excessive, 
and he charged the Archbishop and Castellan, Benedetto 
da Corte, to go to Messer Galeaz’ immediately after 
the funeral, with a message of consolation and hope. 
“Tell him,” he wrote, “that since human aid is of 
no avail in this bitter and unexpected loss, we implore 
him to restrain the violence of his sorrow and try and 
bear this cruel blow with the patience that we ourselves 
are striving to attain. And tell him, what he knows 
already, that he will always remain most dear to us, 
and that we shall never cease to regard him as a most 
beloved son.” 
Galeazzo’s grief was indeed terrible. He shut him¬ 
self up in his room, refusing to eat and drink, or take 
any air or exercise, and gave way to such violent 
paroxysms of despair, that fears for his life and reason 
were entertained. In vain the Archbishop and Castellan 
tried to rouse him from his stupor, telling him that the 
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