ady thinking of this; and by this
means the illustrious Piero will obtain the support of the cardinal, who
will be under everlasting obligations to him." Lorenzo did not overlook
himself in these schemes; he openly expressed the wish that his brother
Puccio would come to Rome--as ambassador of the Republic, which he
did--and that he might secure through the influence of Madonna Adriana
and Giulia a number of good places.

Lorenzo continued his letter December 24th, describing a scene in
Lucretia's palace, and his narrative shows her, and especially Giulia,
as plainly as if they stood before us.

GIANNOZZO MINE: Yesterday evening I wrote you as above.
To-day, which is Easter evening, I rode with Monsignor Farnese to
the papal palace to vespers, and before his Eminence entered the
chapel I called at the house S. Maria in Portico to see Madonna
Giulia. She had just finished washing her hair when I entered; she
was sitting by the fire with Madonna Lucretia, the daughter of our
Master, and Madonna Adriana, and they all received me with great
cordiality. Madonna Giulia asked me to sit by her side; she thanked
me for having taken Jeronima (Girolama) home, and said to me that I
must, by all means, bring her there again to please her. Madonna
Adriana asked, 'Is it true that she is not allowed to come here any
more than she was permitted to go to Capodimonte and Marta?' I
replied that I knew nothing about that, and it was enough for me if
I had made Madonna Giulia happy by taking her home, for in her
letters she had requested me to do so, and now they could do as
they pleased. I wanted to leave it to Madonna Giulia, who was alive
to all her opportunities, to meet her as she saw fit, as she wanted
her to see her magnificence just as much as Jeronima (Girolama)
herself wanted to see it. Thereupon Madonna Giulia thanked me
warmly and said I had made her very happy. I then reminded her how
greatly I was beholden to her Highness by what she had done for me,
and that I could not show my gratitude better than by taking
Madonna Jeronima (Girolama) home. She answered that such a trifle
deserved no thanks. She hopes to be of still greater help to me,
and says I shall find her so at the right time. Madonna Adriana
joined in saying I might be certain that it was through neither the
chancellor, Messer Antonio