DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0055
BALDASSARE S SISTERS
17
married. The eldest, Polissena, was the wife of
Jacopo Boschetto, a gentleman of Modena, who lived
at Gonzaga, in the neighbourhood of Mantua, and
seems to have been a martyr to gout. The second,
Francesca, had married Tommaso Strozzi, a courtier
of the Mantuan princes, who often accompanied the
Marchesa and her son on their travels. Baldassare
entertained a sincere regard for both his brothers-in-
law, although Messer Jacopos bad temper and grasp-
ing nature were often a source of trial, and only to be
excused on the ground of ill-health. But the one of
all his family to whom he was most deeply attached
was his youngest sister, Anna, who took the veil in
1504, in the convent of Santa Paola, a community
of Poor Clares, to which many of the Gonzaga
princesses belonged. His early letters abound in
affectionate references to this maiden, whether he
calls her by her baptismal name of Anna or by that
of Suor Laura, which she adopted on her profession;
and in after-years he named his first daughter Anna
after this favourite sister.
Besides these sisters, the young Count had a
brother, Jeronimo, who was many years younger than
himself, and whom his mother insisted on keeping
at home. For his benefit Castiglione engaged a
young tutor named Falcone, whom he had known at
Milan, and of whose learning and character he had
the highest opinion. Falcone came to live at Casatico,
and took charge of Jeronimo, who was destined for
an ecclesiastical career, and for whom Baldassare and
his mother early obtained a grant of several rich bene-
fices, which he did not live to enjoy. Castiglione
himself now became attached to Francesco Gonzaga's
person, and soon won the favour both of the Marquis
and of his accomplished wife. Strangely enough, the
VOL. i. 2
17
married. The eldest, Polissena, was the wife of
Jacopo Boschetto, a gentleman of Modena, who lived
at Gonzaga, in the neighbourhood of Mantua, and
seems to have been a martyr to gout. The second,
Francesca, had married Tommaso Strozzi, a courtier
of the Mantuan princes, who often accompanied the
Marchesa and her son on their travels. Baldassare
entertained a sincere regard for both his brothers-in-
law, although Messer Jacopos bad temper and grasp-
ing nature were often a source of trial, and only to be
excused on the ground of ill-health. But the one of
all his family to whom he was most deeply attached
was his youngest sister, Anna, who took the veil in
1504, in the convent of Santa Paola, a community
of Poor Clares, to which many of the Gonzaga
princesses belonged. His early letters abound in
affectionate references to this maiden, whether he
calls her by her baptismal name of Anna or by that
of Suor Laura, which she adopted on her profession;
and in after-years he named his first daughter Anna
after this favourite sister.
Besides these sisters, the young Count had a
brother, Jeronimo, who was many years younger than
himself, and whom his mother insisted on keeping
at home. For his benefit Castiglione engaged a
young tutor named Falcone, whom he had known at
Milan, and of whose learning and character he had
the highest opinion. Falcone came to live at Casatico,
and took charge of Jeronimo, who was destined for
an ecclesiastical career, and for whom Baldassare and
his mother early obtained a grant of several rich bene-
fices, which he did not live to enjoy. Castiglione
himself now became attached to Francesco Gonzaga's
person, and soon won the favour both of the Marquis
and of his accomplished wife. Strangely enough, the
VOL. i. 2