ON the Thursday at night, being the twelfe of the moneth of Nouember, came the high borne Quéene, Lady Margarit of Austria on the Iland, a delightfull place, at the Bridge of darke Meyrs, nine miles from Ferrara, where she was receiued, feasted, and serued by the housholde of the Pope. And the mor­row following, her Maiestie was aduertised that at her pleasure she might come into the cittie of Ferrara: wherevpon was presentlye replyed, that she would repaire to the cittie at ten of the clocke, to which ende his Holinesse sent two Legates, which were the illustrious Cardinall Bandino, and the Cardinall of St. Clement, noblye accompanied by many Prelats and Gentlemen, and two bandes of Launces, and one of Carabins, and then the Coaches and Litters: all which re­paired in good and modest order to the said Iland, where (after the dewe ceremonies of the Legates were ended) she with her mo­ther the Archeduchesse, mounted in a coache prepared for them, followed with all their sute and retinue, together with the high-borne Archeduke Alberto, the Dukes of Gandia and Vmala, and the great Constable: the gouernour of Millain, the Embassador of Spaine, and the Prince Don Zanges, D. Maximillian Tristiani, and a Germaine Princesse, with many other lords of name in coaches and Litters, and came thus in faire order towards the gate of An­gels, where not farre from thence she descended into a house made of purpose of Wood, richely beautified, with a Pauillion and a Chaire. There her Maiestie stayed vntill the holye Colledge of Cardinals appeared, cloathed pontifically to receiue her, and to conduct her to the Palace with their traine. The said Cardinals being come, and making a faire shew in turning, her Maiestie had conference with the Cardinall De Medicis: after which she was saluted of all the rest, and taken betwéene the Cardinals, Sforra [Page 4] and Mont Alto: when comming to the Cittie gate, many péeces of ordinance were discharged. Vpon the saide gate on the outside were painted thrée armes, to wit: those of his Holinesse in the mid­dle, at the left hand the Quéenes, and at the right hand those of the Catholique King, with this writing:

Which is in English.

Within the gate were likewise painted fiue armes, in the mid­dle the Popes: on the right hand those of the King of Spaine and of the Archeduke Albertus, and on the left hand those of the Quéene of Spaine, and of the high borne Infant, wife to the said Archeduke Albertus, with these verses vpon them.

In this sorte came her Maiestie happilye in, at eleuen of the clocke with a calme weather, in so much that it séemed that the heauen was cleered by her royall presence: there appeared for her auantguarde (after that a number of Wagons and Carts, laden with sundrye goods and bagadge were come in, also the coaches and Litters of hir Maiestie, richly furnished and opened) two com­panies of Horsemen, the one being shot, and the other Launces, with their Trumpets in mourning apparrell, with blacke Flags at their Launces, which were the men of the great Constable of Millain. After these followeth a great number of Horse of the court: after these followed two companies of Horse of the Guarde of the Legate Cardinall Aldobrandino, the one company were shot, the other Launces: then came eight Trumpets and one in the middle, who played on two great Danish Kettel drums. After [Page 5] these followeth the bagadges of the Cardinals, and then many Milanesians and other Gentlemen, all mourning.

Then followed the Mace bearers of the Cardinals, and the Mules, pontifically clothed in redde, and the Cardinals with Pur­ple Cappes, to the number of 19, to wit, F [...]orenza, Ascoli, Montelpa­ro, Boromeo, Camerino Orimontano, Bandino, S. Clement, Baro­nio, Auila, Branchetto, Ceuara, Arrigone, Farnese, Santiquatro, Aldobrandino, and Cesis, with the Popes Guarde of Swit­zers.

There appeared the high borne Quéene in the middle, betwéene the Cardinals Sforza, and Mont Alto, with her guarde of Ger­maines clothed in blacke Veluet: her Maiestie was on a white Palfrey, caparassoned with cloath of Siluer wrought with Gold, she being apparelled in blacke with a blacke silke Cap, and a rich pleasant head-tyre, which was open so that one could perceiue her faire haire, which resembled threds of Gold. After her, came the high borne Archdutchesse her mother also on horsebacke, on a Pal­frey couered with Peache colour Veluet, imbrodred with Golde. These Palfreyes with their furniture, were sent them by the Pope, on the left hand of the Archdutchesse, rode the Archduke Albert clothed in black. For the Réere guard, followed one compa­ny of Archers on horse back, with péeces in their hands apparrelled in blacke, and after them came the lyght horse men of his Holi­nesse. And lastly followed an innumberable number of waggons, with Lordes, Gentlemen and Gentlewomen belonging to his Maiestie.

In this order they came through the Angell stréete towarde the great Court, and being come to the pallace of the Embassadour of the Emperor, there was an vpper portall fairely painted and ador­ned with many garlands: in this portall was a woman holding a great base, on the which were foure armes, to wit: those of his holinesse, of the Emperour, of the King of Spaine, and of the archeduke Albertus, which were accompanied and defended by religion and Iustice, and from the heauen descended victory, who with her hand, pointed to the same Armes. Her Maiesty following on still, and comming at the Cathedrall Church, she passed through a triumphall Arke, set vp before the Court gate very costly, and vnderset with foure Pillers, in the manner of that of Titus in Rome, with an Image on each side, which in the right hand held a garland of Bayes with a role, wherein was the word Iugum. [Page 6] And on the left hand also was a role wherein was Maritald in the Frontespire. Phillipo & Margarite Austiacis, imperatorum glo­ria, suaque pietate inclitis, vt Catholicorum Regum soboles propage­tur, matrimonio di vnitas coniunctis anni multi, liberorum topia, per­petua felicitas.

Which is.

Phillip and Margaret of Austria, illustrous through the imperiall glory, and her owne Godlinesse: to the end that the royall gene­ration might be delated, through the matrimoniall estate by God conioyned, God graunt long life, store of Children, and a conti­nuall felicity.

In the Nichien were two Images with trumpets, the one sig­nifiyng Fame, in the vppermost, the armes of his holinesse, in the middest on the right side, the King of Spaines, and on the other side the Queenes.

As soone as she was come into the Court, she found a great paire of stayres builded of wood, with leaues, & before on the base were the pictures of the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul, where her Maiesty alighted, and went vp the said staires, betweene the a­foresaid two Cardinals: after her the Archduches her mother, with the Archduke, & the rest following, & she was conducted in a certaine Chamber, and from thence into the consistory hall, where she repo­sed her selfe, vntill (by the Lord Bernardin Scotto of Millan,) was spoken a short but excellent and eloquent oration to his Holinesse, who sate in th' vpper end of the Hall, mounted in pontificall robes, and enuironed with his holy Colledge of Cardinals: at the ende of the oration, appeared the Quéene with her Mother, the Arche­duke and her Court, with many burning Torches, and comming before his Holinesse, knéeled all thrice downe, and then kissed his féete, first her Maiesty, after her her Mother, and then th' Arche­duke, to the Quéene the Pope bowed himselfe, giuing her his be­nediction, saying certaine words, and without other ceremonies he departed with the Cardinals.

Her Maiesty departing went into the new Chambers, which were richly adorned, and especially one (which the Pope had cau­sed of purpose to be made for her Maiesty) was rich, sumptuous, and wonderfull, which if I should describe, these leaues would not suffice me. The Ladies and Gentlewomen of the Quéenes traine, were likewise all royally lodged in Chambers close to the Cham­ber of her Maiesty.

[Page 7]The Satterday morning after that the Quéene had heard the Masse which was celebrated by his Holinesse, together with the high borne Mother, & the Archduke, they went to dinner with his Holinesse, and the great Constable, serued her for Cup hearer, and when she had drunke, th'Embassador of Spaine gaue her the Nap­kin, at night the Cardinall Aldobrandino supped with her Ma­iesty.

The Sunday Morning earlye, her Maiestie appeared like a Bride, richely attired, and accompanied with the Cardinals Far­nese and Santiquatro, with all her retinue, appair [...]lled in riche [...], and hir Germaine Guarde, cloathed in Silke and Veluet, red and yllow, also the horsemen with flags of Siluer, red and black.

Being come into the Cathedrall Church, which was sumptu­ously hung and beautified, the mariage was solemnized, with such ceremonies as were requisite, her Maiesty was merried to the Archduke in the name of the Catholique King Phillip the thyrd. and the same Archduke married the Embassador of Spaine in the name of the Infanta of Spaine, the Lady Isabella clara engenia, sister to the King, whome he hath taken to wife.

The same day after dinner; in token of pleasure and ioy, were made many Maskes, insomuch that in the place Giudecca, were séene many Knights and Gentlewomen in maskes, with so much people in the stréetes, that the Coatches could giue them no way, although they withdrew themselues to the Castell walles, and they came vntill the Pallace of the Illustrous Dame Lady Mar­sisa: But her Maiesty came not there, because that in the Mor­ning she had receiued the holy Sacrament.

The same night in the great Hall was held a sumptuous Feast, to which came many Gentlewomen of Ferrara in Maskes, very pleasantly furnished and attyred: when comming vp the stayres, they were saluted by a great number of Trumpets and Drums: and in the Hall, by the musicke of diuers swéete and delightfull soundes.

On the Munday her Maiesty went to S. Maria del valdo to sée the miraculous bloud, from thence to S. Vito, where she heard a most swéet noyse of musike, of the honorable Lords there.

Toward the Euening somewhat late, 30. Maides like Sea­nimphs made an assay, for the next day to make a ship chase within the Castell wall with sixe boates, and were apparrelled with scarffes in lyueries, fiue and fiue, to wit: Gréene and Red, Yel­low, [Page 8] Yellow and Blewe, White, White and Blewe, with theyr hayre and leathers of the same colour: some plaide on cimbals, and other singing made a pleasant noise.

The same day towards night, in the Hall of the Guarde of the Pope, in the Castell, was made a proofe of the play of Iudith and Holophernas in Latin, which the ensuing night was by the Iesuit Schollers plaide before her Maiesty.

Tewsday about 10. of the clocke the said women made their ship chase 3. boates at once, which made their course with the sound of trumpets from the Rose bridge, rowing with great swift­nes, passing vnder the Rawline: the first boate which came to the Castell wall on the side of Giude [...], wan the price, which was of Red Crimson Sattin, and therein were the women with Yel­low: the other prize which was of Blew Sattin, was likewise won by those in the Yellow and Blew. This ship chase was ef­fected so prettyly and with such pastime, that euery one wondred at it, for these women plaide and sung in those boates, and daunced with great nimblenes.

Hetherto haue I briefly set downe as much as I could know, there will not héereafter want other high spirits which with more circumstance, and in some swéeter stile, will set forth at large what is happened.