DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0174
IN ROME
117
and told his mother of the Duke's illness, which had
hindered his lord from entering Rome until after the
New Year.
'So we have been some days alone here. His
Excellency only reached the gates on the 3rd, and
hoped his arrival was a secret; but of course it soon
became known, chiefly through the Lord Prefect, who
arrived some time before. That evening both Princes
slept at S. Maria del Popolo, where several Cardinals
went out to visit them, and the next day they entered
Rome in state. All the households of the Cardinals
now in Rome, the Captain of the Papal Guard, and
many other gentlemen, rode out to meet them. My
Lord Duke's own gentlemen certainly did him honour,
and were all mounted on fine horses and clad in suits
of gold brocade. I myself wore one, which I procured
at the Duke's expense. When we reached the Pope's
palace, His Holiness received the Duke with great
honour, and we all kissed his holy foot. He looks
remarkably well, and is very gay and lively.'
The Venetian ambassador, who watched the
splendid cavalcade pass through the Campo Fiore to
the Vatican, was much impressed by the hne appear-
ance of the Duke's suite and the honour paid to him
by the Pope, who received him at the entrance of
the palace, attended by all the Cardinals^ But the
Master of the Ceremonies was struck by Guidobaldo's
look of sobering, and noted that he was unable to
walk alone and had to be supported by two servants.
In this first letter from Rome, Baldassare alludes
to two important matters which concerned the ducal
family. The one was the proposed marriage between
Guidobaldo's nephew, Francesco Maria, and Elisa-
betta's niece, Leonora Gonzaga, which the Duchess
i Giustiniani, iii. 357 ; Burcardo, 'Diarii,' iv. 163.
117
and told his mother of the Duke's illness, which had
hindered his lord from entering Rome until after the
New Year.
'So we have been some days alone here. His
Excellency only reached the gates on the 3rd, and
hoped his arrival was a secret; but of course it soon
became known, chiefly through the Lord Prefect, who
arrived some time before. That evening both Princes
slept at S. Maria del Popolo, where several Cardinals
went out to visit them, and the next day they entered
Rome in state. All the households of the Cardinals
now in Rome, the Captain of the Papal Guard, and
many other gentlemen, rode out to meet them. My
Lord Duke's own gentlemen certainly did him honour,
and were all mounted on fine horses and clad in suits
of gold brocade. I myself wore one, which I procured
at the Duke's expense. When we reached the Pope's
palace, His Holiness received the Duke with great
honour, and we all kissed his holy foot. He looks
remarkably well, and is very gay and lively.'
The Venetian ambassador, who watched the
splendid cavalcade pass through the Campo Fiore to
the Vatican, was much impressed by the hne appear-
ance of the Duke's suite and the honour paid to him
by the Pope, who received him at the entrance of
the palace, attended by all the Cardinals^ But the
Master of the Ceremonies was struck by Guidobaldo's
look of sobering, and noted that he was unable to
walk alone and had to be supported by two servants.
In this first letter from Rome, Baldassare alludes
to two important matters which concerned the ducal
family. The one was the proposed marriage between
Guidobaldo's nephew, Francesco Maria, and Elisa-
betta's niece, Leonora Gonzaga, which the Duchess
i Giustiniani, iii. 357 ; Burcardo, 'Diarii,' iv. 163.