The Venetians
celebrated their triumph with public rejoicings and illuminations on the
Piazza of S. Marco, and lauded their brave captain to the skies. Both at
Milan and Mantua there was great exultation when the news became known;
poets and painters alike did honour to the victors: Sperandio designed
his noble medal, and Mantegna painted the Madonna della Vittoria to
immortalize Francesco Gonzaga's triumph. But the marquis himself,
writing to his wife from the camp the day after the battle, remarks that
if only others had fought as he and his followers did, the victory would
have been complete, and laments the disobedience and cowardice of the
Stradiots, who first plundered the enemy's camp and then fled, although
no one pursued them. "These things," he adds, "have caused me the
greatest grief that I have ever known."

Lodovico's congratulations on the victory were coldly worded, and evoked
a reply from his brother-in-law, saying that if he had foiled in
courage, he would have been a dead man. But the duke could not forgive
Gonzaga for allowing the French to pursue their way unmolested. Only the
Count of Caiazzo and his brothers had attempted to follow them with
their light cavalry, who were too few in number to do the enemy serious
damage, and by the 8th of July, Charles and his tired army reached Asti
in safety.

"God Himself was our guide," devoutly ejaculates Commines, "and led us
home with honour, as that good man Fra Girolamo of Florence had
foretold. But, as he said truly, we were made to suffer for our sins,
for we were in sore need of food, and so great was our want of water
that men drank of the ditches along the road; but no one was heard to
complain, although it was the hardest journey I ever took in my life,
and I have had many bad ones."

Among the booty which fell into the hands of the marquis after the
battle was the French king's tent with all its contents. These included
a sword and helmet, said to have belonged to Charlemagne, a silver
casket containing the royal seals, besides a set of rich hangings and
altar-plate, and a jewelled cross and reliquary on which Charles set
great value, because it held a sacred thorn and piece of wood from the
holy cross, a vest of our Lady, and a limb of St. Denis, which were
objects of his especial devotion. Many of these relics were eventually
restored to the king, who, not to be outdone in courtesy, sent the
marquis a favourite white horse of his, which had bee