eople of Milan, and
of his consent to take up the burden imposed upon him by the will of his
subjects. And on the same day the Mantuan envoy, Donato de' Preti,
writing to Isabella d'Este, gave her the following version of affairs:
"This morning a meeting was held in the Castello, at which Signor
Lodovicus was proclaimed King of Milan in the presence of the gentlemen
and councillors assembled in the Rocchetta, no one else being nominated.
Few spoke, and very little was said, but Signor Lodovico was chosen by
universal acclamation, or at least with no dissent. This afternoon he
came out of the Rocca clad in gold brocade, and rode all round the town
for the space of two hours, and the shops are closed, and all the bells
of the city are to be rung for three days." At Pavia, where the Moro had
made himself greatly beloved both by the citizens and the members of the
university, there was great rejoicing when the people heard him publicly
proclaimed duke to the sound of fifes and trumpets. "All the people of
Pavia," wrote Count Borella, on the 23rd of October, "are filled with
the utmost joy and delight, like the loyal and affectionate servants of
your Highness that they are, and pray that you may live long to enjoy
your exalted dignity."

On the evening of the 27th, the body of the late duke, after lying in
state during several days before the high altar in the Duomo of Milan,
"was buried in the vault of his ancestors with the greatest pomp and
honour," as the Mantuan envoy told Isabella d'Este. "The Marchese Ermes,
the Ferrarese ambassador, with the whole house of Visconti, and all the
councillors, ministers, and court officials attending, robed in black.
An immense concourse of people were present, together with priests and
friars innumerable, and the blaze of lighted wax candles was so great in
the church that I could see nothing. An eloquent and highly ornate
sermon was preached by a Mantuan friar, named Giovanni Pietro Suardo."

And the next day his successor joined the French king in his camp under
the walls of Sarzana. He had at length attained the object of his
ambition, and was reigning on his father's throne.

"To sum up the whole matter," writes Commines, "Lodovico had himself
proclaimed Lord of Milan, and that, as many people say, was the reason
why he brought us over the mountains."

FOOTNOTES:

[53] Luzio-Renier, _op. cit._, p. 394.

[54] Guicciardini's "Italy," Fenton's English translation, vol. i. p.
34