DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0191
184 COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGEIONE
elude an agreement with the Pope, entered Rome.
Throughout the past winter, whether sick or well, the
Duke had not ceased to plead the cause of Venice
with the irascible Pontiff At his entreaty the Doge
and Signory had agreed to evacuate Ravenna and the
whole of Romagna, excepting Faenza and Rimini, and
now sent ambassadors to lay their submission before
the Pope. Bembo's father and the future Doge,
Andrea Gritti, were among the eight ambassadors
chosen for this delicate task, and Pietro Bembo
himself was one of the 200 members of the suite
who set out for Rome, as soon as the snows were
melted and the Apennines could be crossed in safety.
At Urbino the ambassadors were royally entertained
by the Duchess, in her lord's absence, and Bembo
once more enjoyed the company of Elisabetta
and Emilia Pia. ' Would to God/ he wrote from
Venice that March, ' would to God I were living in a
little shepherd s hut on the mountain-slopes looking
down on Urbino !' And he prayed that the Fates
might grant him to see the sweet spot once more
before he diedV Now he left the Duchess, promising
to pay her a longer visit on his return, and went on to
Rome, where Castiglione and many other friends were
eagerly awaiting him.
About six o'clock on the evening of April 28, the
ambassadors of the Republic entered the city by the
Porta S. Pietro. The highest honours, as the Venetians
were proud to record, were paid them by the Sacred
College on this occasion. The officers of the Popes
household and the servants of all the Cardinals rode
out to meet them at the gates, followed by the French,
Polish, Florentine, Ferrarese, Bolognese, and Rhodian
ambassadors, who offered their congratulations in a
* ' Lettere/ iv. 30, 38.
elude an agreement with the Pope, entered Rome.
Throughout the past winter, whether sick or well, the
Duke had not ceased to plead the cause of Venice
with the irascible Pontiff At his entreaty the Doge
and Signory had agreed to evacuate Ravenna and the
whole of Romagna, excepting Faenza and Rimini, and
now sent ambassadors to lay their submission before
the Pope. Bembo's father and the future Doge,
Andrea Gritti, were among the eight ambassadors
chosen for this delicate task, and Pietro Bembo
himself was one of the 200 members of the suite
who set out for Rome, as soon as the snows were
melted and the Apennines could be crossed in safety.
At Urbino the ambassadors were royally entertained
by the Duchess, in her lord's absence, and Bembo
once more enjoyed the company of Elisabetta
and Emilia Pia. ' Would to God/ he wrote from
Venice that March, ' would to God I were living in a
little shepherd s hut on the mountain-slopes looking
down on Urbino !' And he prayed that the Fates
might grant him to see the sweet spot once more
before he diedV Now he left the Duchess, promising
to pay her a longer visit on his return, and went on to
Rome, where Castiglione and many other friends were
eagerly awaiting him.
About six o'clock on the evening of April 28, the
ambassadors of the Republic entered the city by the
Porta S. Pietro. The highest honours, as the Venetians
were proud to record, were paid them by the Sacred
College on this occasion. The officers of the Popes
household and the servants of all the Cardinals rode
out to meet them at the gates, followed by the French,
Polish, Florentine, Ferrarese, Bolognese, and Rhodian
ambassadors, who offered their congratulations in a
* ' Lettere/ iv. 30, 38.