golden balls which alone was valued at 8000
ducats.

"All," exclaimed Teodora--"_bello e galante_, beyond words!"[32]

After paying their respects to the illustrious mother, the guests passed
on into the room of the new-born child--_la camera del Puttino_. Here
the walls were hung with brocades of the Sforza colours, red, white, and
blue, and tapestries, embroidered with all manner of beasts and birds
and fantastic designs. But the golden cradle itself, which had been made
in Milan, was the most beautiful thing of all, with its four slender
columns and pale blue silk canopy enriched with gold cords and fringes.
"Truly rich and elegant beyond anything that I have ever seen!" writes
the ecstatic maid of honour, whose eyes were fairly dazzled by the sight
of all these splendours, and who, as she told Isabella, was lost in
wonder and admiration at the magnificence of the Milanese court. After a
glimpse of the royal infant, sleeping under his coverlid of cloth of
gold, watched over by Beatrice's ladies, the visitors were conducted
into Signor Lodovico's hall of audience, where he received the
ambassadors and chief councillors, and through the adjoining room,
occupied by his favourite astrologer, Messer Ambrogio da
Rosate--"without whom nothing can be done here," remarks Teodora--back
to the entrance hall, where the seneschal was in waiting to escort them
to the gates.

Messer Ambrogio, as Teodora opined, had to be consulted before the
duchess was allowed to leave her bed. This was on Wednesday, the 24th of
February, on which day both the royal ladies issued from their rooms at
the same hour. "Now at length," wrote the lively maid of honour to
Isabella, "I am able to inform your Highness that the illustrious
Madonna your sister has left her room, and those poor tormented souls
whose task it has been for so many nights to bring in shawls to spread
over the presents, are at last freed from their labours."

That same day, both the young duchesses went in state to S. Maria delle
Grazie, to return thanks and praise to God for the birth of their
children. The royal ladies rode in the Duchess of Ferrara's chariot, a
sumptuous carriage hung with purple, and were accompanied by Leonora
herself and five other Sforza princesses--Alfonso d'Este's wife, Anna;
Duke Giangaleazzo's sister, Bianca Sforza; Signor Lodovico's daughter,
Bianca, the youthful bride of Galeazzo Sanseverino; Madonna
Beatrice--Niccolo da Correggio's mother--and Ma