DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0138
104 BIRTH OF ISABELLA’S DAUGHTER
comfort you, but am myself in sore need of consola-
tion. The whole city is weeping for our dead lady,
and I, who received so much kindness from her, am
more unhappy than any one, and can only take
comfort in feeling that this is the will of God.
I am sure that none of those saints whom the
Church has canonised, ever made a better or more
devout end than she did, as you will learn from
a few words which I spoke over her grave, which
I will send you, in memory of this virtuous and
excellent lady. And I will see that Your Excel-
lency is not the last to receive a copy, for I have
always looked upon you as my mistress, but how
much more now that I have lost her who was my
sole hope and refuge! Forgive me if I cannot say
more, but tears will not allow me to write.—Your
faithful servant, Battista.” 1
Fortunately for the Marchesa’s happiness, she was
able to forget her grief in her new hopes, and on the
last day of the year 1492, she gave birth to her first
child—a daughter, in whom, as she wrote to her aunt
Beatrice, the wife of Matthias Corvinus, King of
Hungary, “the name and blessed memory of my
mother shall live again.” Congratulations poured
in from all sides. Fra Mariano and the holy nun
Osanna sent the mother and child their blessing, and
the poor fool Mattello wrote in his maddest and
merriest mood, telling his dear Madonna not to have a
thought or care in the world, now that she had given
birth to a lovely daughter. He proceeded to address
the new-born princess as Leonora zentile—Leonora
mia bella—Leonora mia car a, informed her that he
was coming from Marmirolo to her christening, and
1 Luzio e Renier in Giom. St. d. Lett., vol. xxxv.
comfort you, but am myself in sore need of consola-
tion. The whole city is weeping for our dead lady,
and I, who received so much kindness from her, am
more unhappy than any one, and can only take
comfort in feeling that this is the will of God.
I am sure that none of those saints whom the
Church has canonised, ever made a better or more
devout end than she did, as you will learn from
a few words which I spoke over her grave, which
I will send you, in memory of this virtuous and
excellent lady. And I will see that Your Excel-
lency is not the last to receive a copy, for I have
always looked upon you as my mistress, but how
much more now that I have lost her who was my
sole hope and refuge! Forgive me if I cannot say
more, but tears will not allow me to write.—Your
faithful servant, Battista.” 1
Fortunately for the Marchesa’s happiness, she was
able to forget her grief in her new hopes, and on the
last day of the year 1492, she gave birth to her first
child—a daughter, in whom, as she wrote to her aunt
Beatrice, the wife of Matthias Corvinus, King of
Hungary, “the name and blessed memory of my
mother shall live again.” Congratulations poured
in from all sides. Fra Mariano and the holy nun
Osanna sent the mother and child their blessing, and
the poor fool Mattello wrote in his maddest and
merriest mood, telling his dear Madonna not to have a
thought or care in the world, now that she had given
birth to a lovely daughter. He proceeded to address
the new-born princess as Leonora zentile—Leonora
mia bella—Leonora mia car a, informed her that he
was coming from Marmirolo to her christening, and
1 Luzio e Renier in Giom. St. d. Lett., vol. xxxv.