DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0304
264
PLAYS AT FERRARA
liant fetes both at Mantua and Urbino. Among the
dramatic performances given at the Duke’s court,
was the so-called Comedy of Pope Alexander VI. and
Valentino, a representation which included Lucrezia’s
wedding, Caesar Borgia’s conquest of Urbino, the death
of the Pope, and the triumphant return of Guidobaldo
and Elisabetta.1
Duke Ercole came to Mantua at Isabella’s urgent
entreaty, and highly commended the series of come-
dies that were given in his honour. After he had
returned home, a dramatic version of the history of
Joseph, by a Ferrara poet, was given in the ducal
theatre, and Isabella’s old friend, the chamberlain
Bernardo dei Prosperi, sent her full accounts of the
performance. “Yesterday,” he writes, “this Signor
had the first part of the story of Joseph represented,
up to his imprisonment in Egypt. It was very
touching, and admirably acted in perfect silence,
because we have adopted the good customs learnt
at Mantua, and no longer allow every rogue to
come in and interrupt the performance. There was
no music but that of the organ and some flutes,
which were very soft and pleasant to hear.”2 The
Duke’s health had lately given much cause for
anxiety, and he was no longer able to ride; but in
July he travelled in a litter to Florence to pay his
vows at the shrine of the Annunziata. After his re-
turn he fell seriously ill, and Isabella hurried to Fer-
rara to nurse him. But he rallied again, and retained
his keen interest in literary subjects. On the 27th of
October Isabella sent him one of the satirical pro-
ductions known as prediche d’amore, which had been
1 D’Ancona, Origini, ii. 21 ; Ugolini, Storia di Urbino, ii. 128.
2 D’Ancona, op. cit.
PLAYS AT FERRARA
liant fetes both at Mantua and Urbino. Among the
dramatic performances given at the Duke’s court,
was the so-called Comedy of Pope Alexander VI. and
Valentino, a representation which included Lucrezia’s
wedding, Caesar Borgia’s conquest of Urbino, the death
of the Pope, and the triumphant return of Guidobaldo
and Elisabetta.1
Duke Ercole came to Mantua at Isabella’s urgent
entreaty, and highly commended the series of come-
dies that were given in his honour. After he had
returned home, a dramatic version of the history of
Joseph, by a Ferrara poet, was given in the ducal
theatre, and Isabella’s old friend, the chamberlain
Bernardo dei Prosperi, sent her full accounts of the
performance. “Yesterday,” he writes, “this Signor
had the first part of the story of Joseph represented,
up to his imprisonment in Egypt. It was very
touching, and admirably acted in perfect silence,
because we have adopted the good customs learnt
at Mantua, and no longer allow every rogue to
come in and interrupt the performance. There was
no music but that of the organ and some flutes,
which were very soft and pleasant to hear.”2 The
Duke’s health had lately given much cause for
anxiety, and he was no longer able to ride; but in
July he travelled in a litter to Florence to pay his
vows at the shrine of the Annunziata. After his re-
turn he fell seriously ill, and Isabella hurried to Fer-
rara to nurse him. But he rallied again, and retained
his keen interest in literary subjects. On the 27th of
October Isabella sent him one of the satirical pro-
ductions known as prediche d’amore, which had been
1 D’Ancona, Origini, ii. 21 ; Ugolini, Storia di Urbino, ii. 128.
2 D’Ancona, op. cit.