My Lord Pier Luigi Farnese had been on a visit to his city of Parma, and on
his return journey had thought well to turn aside into the lands of ultra-
Po, and pay a visit to the Lord of Pagliano, whom he did not love, yet
whom, perhaps, it may have been his intention to conciliate, since hurt him
he could not.
Sufficiently severe had been the lesson he had received for meddling with
Imperial fiefs; and he must have been mad had he thought of provoking
further the resentment of the Emperor. To Farnese, Charles V was a
sleeping dog it was as well to leave sleeping.
He rode, then, upon his friendly visit into the Castle of Pagliano,
attended by a vast retinue of courtiers and ladies, pages, lackeys, and a
score of men-at-arms. A messenger had ridden on in advance to warn
Cavalcanti of the honour that the Duke proposed to do him, and Cavalcanti,
relishing the honour no whit, yet submitting out of discreetness, stood to
receive his excellency at the foot of the marble staircase with Bianca on
one side and myself upon the other.
Under the archway they rode, Farnese at the head of the cavalcade. He
bestrode a splendid white palfrey, whose mane and tail were henna-dyed,
whose crimson velvet trappings trailed almost to the ground. He was
dressed in white velvet, even to his thigh-boots, which were laced with
gold and armed with heavy gold spurs.
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