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 VITTORIA COLONNA 
 
 a Stubs 
 
 WITH TRANSLATIONS OF SOME OF HER PUBLISHED 
 AND UNPUBLISHED SONNETS 
 
 BY THE 
 
 Hon. ALETHEA LAWLEY 
 
 LONDON 
 GILBERT & R1VINGTON, 
 
 Limited 
 
 ST. JOHN'S HOUSE, CLERKENWELL ROAD, E.G. 
 
 1889 
 
 [All rights reserved] 
 
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 t\J\CA- 
 
 
 
 U.C 
 
 LONDON t 
 
 printed by gilbert and rivington, ld , 
 st. John's house, clekkenwell road. e.c 
 
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 PREFACE. /HA//I/ 
 
 There is no claim in the following pages to 
 present more than a sketch of Vittoria 
 Colonna's life. Her history is veiled in an 
 obscurity which prevents great minuteness of 
 detail, and which conceals many of the hidden 
 particulars which form the charm of biography. 
 
 In order to cast some light upon this subject, 
 and to give personality to this sketch, I have 
 for the most part selected for translation into 
 English, those of Vittoria's sonnets which refer 
 to the leading events of her life, and reflect 
 in some degree her own thoughts and words on 
 these occasions. 
 
 The attempt to translate these sonnets is 
 difficult under two aspects : in the first place 
 there is only one commentator on Vittoria's 
 poems, Rinaldo Corso ; and whenever an intri- 
 cate or complicated passage occurs in the 
 sonnet of which he is treating, he has no hesi- 
 
 A 2 
 
 101778 
 
iv Preface. 
 
 tation in omitting the entire passage, and 
 passes on to subjects which are clear and 
 straightforward. From him no help can be 
 looked for or obtained. The other difficulty lies 
 in the obscurity of many of the sonnets in 
 the original. The fact that Vittoria's works 
 were printed without her knowledge or sanction, 
 brought with it the disadvantage of their being 
 published without the corrections and alterations 
 that the authoress alone could give. The result 
 is one which complicates the difficulties for a 
 translator in every way ; and I must here acknow- 
 ledge with grateful thanks the help I have 
 received in this work of translation from a friend. 
 Whatever merit there is in these translations is 
 due to him ; his suggestions and alterations 
 having given to my efforts whatever claim they 
 may have to poetic rendering. 
 
 I must also express my thanks to Mr. John 
 Addington Symonds, for the generous permis- 
 sion given me to make use of his beautiful trans- 
 lations of Michelangelo's sonnets to Vittoria 
 Colonna. 
 
 The sonnets at pages 8 and 47 are by 
 
Preface. v 
 
 another friend, to whose advice and encou- 
 ragement, throughout the whole of my work, I 
 am deeply indebted. 
 
 I have been unable to discover the author of 
 the sonnet on pages 96, 97. 
 
 The kindness and courtesy I have met with in 
 Italy will ever remain in my memory. To Barone 
 B. Podesta, and Signor Martinelli at the 
 Magliabecchiana Library in Florence, and to 
 Conte Camillo Soranzo, and Professore Signor 
 Taddeo Wiel at the Marciana Library, in 
 Venice, my warmest thanks are due for the 
 unfailing assistance I have received from them, 
 and the kindly readiness with which they have 
 always helped me in my researches. 
 
 I have adhered generally to the foreign render- 
 ings of titles ; the English equivalents, being 
 different, would be apt to give a mistaken im- 
 pression. 
 
 The sources from which I have collected most 
 of the material for the following work are : Le 
 Rime di Vittoria Colonna, corretti su i testi a 
 penna e publicate con la vitadellamedesima ec. 
 Roma, 1840, by Cav. Pietro Visconti : Le Rime 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 de Vittoria Colonna, Marchesana di Pescara; 
 colla vita della medesima ; scritta da Giovanni 
 Battista Rota ; Bergamo, 1 760 : Rime e Letere 
 di Vittoria Colonna, Marchesana di Pescara ; 
 di G. Enrico Saltini ; Firenze, i860. 
 
 The disputes and discussions as to an 
 authentic portrait of Vittoria Colonna are too 
 well known to need comment. The picture of 
 her in the Colonna Gallery at Rome, from which 
 the frontispiece in this book is taken, is, however, 
 generally accepted as a true representation of 
 her. It is a three-quarter picture, said to be by 
 Muziano, 1 and the likeness is that of a beautiful 
 woman of about twenty-eight or thirty years of 
 age. The hair grows in a peak on the forehead, 
 and is of a bright auburn colour ; and the poet 
 Galeazzo di Tarsia, 2 who, in the fashion of the 
 
 1 Girolamo Muziano, born at Acquafredda, near Brescia, 
 in 152^, would have been too young to have painted the 
 original ; and Trollope, in his " Decade of Italian Women," 
 speaking of this portrait, says : " It is supposed to be a copy 
 by Girolamo Muziano from an original picture of some artist 
 of higher note." 
 
 2 Rime di Galeazzo di Tarsia, Edizione Napolitano, 1758 
 Sonetto 33, e Sonetto 4. 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 day, professed himself her devoted slave and 
 fervent admirer and adorer, speaks of it more 
 than once, when singing the praises of his lady, 
 as the 
 
 " Trecce d' or che in gli altri giri 
 Non e ch' unqua pareggi o sole o stella ; " 
 
 while in another place he declares that the sun 
 and his lady resemble each other : " Both with 
 golden locks lucid and shining" (" Ambi con 
 chiome d' orlucide e terse"). The portrait gives 
 the impression of great beauty. The face is 
 small, with a thoughtful, grave expression. The 
 eyes and eye-brows are dark brown ; while on 
 her head she wears a white coif fastened by a 
 jewelled band. The forehead is beautifully 
 shaped and developed, and the whole bearing 
 calm and dignified. 
 
 Florence, 1888. 
 
VITTORIA COLONNA. 
 
 I. 
 
 In the fourteenth century, a castle standing on 
 the lower ridge of the mountains of Albano 
 was the cause of as much vexation and toil to 
 the Romans of that day, as they had ex- 
 perienced of old on the opposite height of 
 Tusculum. Three great Roman families, the 
 Colonna, the Orsini, and the Savelli, had 
 divided among themselves the lovely group of 
 these Alban hills, from whence not only did they 
 swoop down on the neighbouring towns and 
 cities, but could also close the passes to the 
 south, and so secure to themselves undisturbed 
 possession of the surrounding country. 
 
 The castle of Marino was the key to one of 
 these passes, and was the scene of strife be- 
 tween Cola di Rienzi * and the Orsini, when 
 the castle was held by this family. More con- 
 
 1 Kienzi, born about 1310, was assassinated in 1354. 
 
 B 
 
2 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 tests occurred here in the end of the fourteenth, 
 and beginning of the fifteenth centuries, during 
 the confusion arising from two claimants dis- 
 puting the papal throne. But when at the 
 Council of Constance (141 7), Oddo Colonna 
 was elected Pope as Martin V., and a reign of 
 peace was inaugurated, Marino passed into the 
 possession of the Colonna, in whose hands it 
 is at this day ; the eldest son of this noble 
 family taking from it the title of Duke of 
 Marino. 
 
 In this castle was born in 1490 Vittoria, the 
 youngest daughter of Fabrizio Colonna, Seig- 
 nior of Paliano, and afterwards Prince of Ta- 
 gliacozzo. He was descended from a brother 
 of Pope Martin V., and was destined by his 
 family for the Church, but his own tastes being 
 firmly fixed on a military career, he escaped 
 from his father's house, and took part in the 
 crusade against the Turks at Otranto in 1481. 
 His wife was Agnese di Montefeltro, youngest 
 daughter of Federigo, Duke of Urbino. 2 
 
 2 Those of my readers who are familiar with the Uifi/.i 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 3 
 
 At the age of five, Vittoria was affianced to 
 Ferrante Francesco d'Avalos, Marchese di 
 Pescara. Their betrothal was the suggestion 
 of Ferrante II., King of Sicily and Naples, who 
 desired by such an alliance to unite in ties 
 of family relationship the powerful house of 
 Colonna with one of the chief Spanish families 
 then settled in Italy, and so secure more firmly 
 to his cause the somewhat vacillating allegiance 
 of these haughty Barons. 
 
 The following sonnet by Vittoria, written 
 after her husband's death, alludes to this early 
 betrothal : 
 
 3 To perfect growth my spirit scarce had gained, 
 When Heaven, prescribing every aim beside, 
 With one high being gave me to abide, 
 And by his light be nurtured and sustained. 
 
 Gallery at Florence will remember the portraits of Duke 
 Federigo of Urbino and his wife Battista Sforza, by Pietro 
 della Francesca, enclosed in one frame, and facing each 
 other in profile. 
 
 3 S'appena avean gli spirti intera vita, 
 
 Quando il ciel gli prescrisse ogn' altro oggetto 
 E sol m' apparve il bel celeste aspetto, 
 Delia cui luce io fui sempre nodrita ; 
 B 2 
 
4 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 What fell decree hath since my soul constrained 
 To quit its loved retreat, its refuge tried, 
 Hath light, and day, and intercourse denied, 
 And blind confusion to my path ordained ? 
 
 When Heaven and Nature of one mind were led 
 To join our lives, what envious hand hath known, 
 What daring foe, to separate the tie ? 
 If this frail body by his life was fed, 
 Was born for him, was his, his very own, 
 Then when he died 'twas time for me to die. 
 
 Don Ferrante d'Avalos, Marchese di Pescara, 
 was born near Toledo, in the province of Old 
 Castile, of a family unable to boast of any illus- 
 trious member, though of old and noble descent. 
 Pescara's father died young, leaving this only 
 child. Of his mother little is known, beyond 
 
 Qual dura legge ha poi V alma sbandita 
 Dal grato albergo anzi divin ricetto ? 
 La scorta, il lume, 1 giorno V e interdetto ; 
 Onde cammina in cieco error smarrita. 
 
 Se la natura e'l ciel con pari voglia 
 
 Ne lego insieme, ahi qual invido ardire 
 Quale inimica forza ne disciolse ! 
 
 Se'l viver suo nodri mia frale spoglia, 
 Per lui nacqui, ero sua, per se mi tolse ; 
 Nella sua morte ancor dovea morire. 
 
VittoiHa Colonna. 5 
 
 the fact that she belonged to an honourable 
 Sicilian family. There is a quaint description 
 in Giovanni Filocalo's " Life of the Marquis of 
 Pescara," of the reception given to Ferdinand of 
 Spain, on the occasion of his visiting Naples to 
 remove Gonsalvo di Cordova, whom he sus- 
 pected of ambitious designs in regard of that 
 fair domain. " After the feast had been served, 
 the tables being removed, dancing began ; 
 among the dancers was the young Pescara, 
 \^ho with such art and such gravity made 
 numerous steps, and fulfilled all the varieties 
 of the dance, that even the King, a man of 
 extremest prudence and judgment, having fixed 
 his eyes solely on him, said publicly to the 
 Barons, while pointing out to them Pescara : 
 1 That youth, from his movements and appear- 
 ance, seems to me a captain greater than those 
 around him, and, if my opinion errs not, he will 
 prosper above them all.' The youth, far from 
 being conceited by the judgment passed on him 
 by so great a King, replied that his Majesty had 
 wished to put too heavy a weight on his youth- 
 ful shoulders, for that he would have much to 
 
6 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 sweat in war and in peace in order to merit 
 this encomium which the King, from the super- 
 abundance of his goodwill towards him, had 
 placed on him." 
 
 Upon the return of King Ferdinand to Spain, 
 Pescara retired to his lands, where he led the 
 life of a country gentleman, and occupied him- 
 self in magisterial duties, settling the disputes 
 of his neighbours, equals, and inferiors alike, 
 and gaining a high reputation for equity and 
 moderation. 
 
 Th6 conditions for the marriage settlements 
 of Vittoria Colonna and Ferrante d'Avalos 
 were signed at Marino in 1 507 ; but, as often 
 happened at that time, an interval of two years 
 occurred before the marriage took place at 
 Ischia. Vittoria's beauty, of no common order, 
 was matched by great powers of mind, and 
 though little is known of her earlier years, 4 we 
 
 4 Reumont, one of the most minute of her biographers, 
 in his " Vittoria Colonna, Leben, Dichten, Glauben in 
 XVI. Jahrhundert," says, "We know nothing about 
 Vittoria's childhood " (" Wir wissen nichts iiber Vittoria's 
 Kindheit"). 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 7 
 
 can imagine that, like most high-born Italian 
 ladies, she was brought up at some convent 
 under the patronage of her family. We can 
 see by her poems and writings that her educa- 
 tion had been careful and judicious, and that 
 she had been trained in the fine arts, and Latin, 
 as well as the classical lore of her own tongue. 
 Her betrothed husband was a bridegroom 
 worthy of her ; he shared her Jove of literature, 
 was handsome, valiant, and endowed with, 
 qualities which were to rank him among the 
 first generals of the age. 
 
 The wedding was celebrated on the 27th of 
 December, 1509, and was almost royal in its 
 magnificence and gorgeousness. The chroni- 
 clers of the day agree in asserting that nowhere 
 could be found a more beautiful, virtuous, or 
 highly gifted couple than Vittoria Colonna and 
 Ferrante d'Avalos. They were both nineteen 
 years of age when the marriage took place. 
 To Vittoria the sorrow of leaving her home was 
 a keen one ; and she felt especially the separa- 
 tion from her eldest brother Federigo. He died 
 in 1 5 16, and two beautiful sonnets, written by her 
 
8 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 to his memory, show how strong was her love 
 for him. We give one of them here : 
 
 5 Clear soul, by what a swift, enlarged flight, 
 Strong and direct, thou hast the skies attained, 
 Through clouds obscure, which on the earth remained, 
 How welcome none can say, how pure, how bright ! 
 In vesture of such substance woven aright, 
 Thy mortal shape so well its guest contained, 
 Till in frail home no longer entertained, 
 Outshone for thee at once celestial light. 
 
 My Frederic blest, now are the bonds untied 
 Of kinship close, now strained the subtle chain 
 Which bound us both to fare the better way. 
 
 5 Anima chiara, or pur larga e spedita 
 
 Strada.prendesti al ciel da questa oscura 
 Valle mondana, in su volando pura, 
 Pill ch'io non posso dir, bella e gradita ! 
 Era di ricco stame intorno ordita 
 La tua veste mortal con tal misura, 
 Che '1 fin di questa tua fragil flgura 
 Ti fu principio all' altra miglior vita. 
 
 Beato Federigo, or son disciolti 
 I legami del sangu^, e quel piu caro 
 Nodo e ristretto ch'a ben far mi spinse. 
 
Vittoria Colonua. g 
 
 Fain would I hear, but patient must I bide, 
 
 How thou from God high graces could obtain 
 
 Most sweetly to accept the bitter day. (R. S. P.) 
 
 Pescara and his bride went first to Naples, 
 where numerous feasts and entertainments were 
 held in honour of the newly married pair. 
 From there they removed to Pietralba, a villa 
 belonging to the d'Avalos family, on the 
 borders of Monte Ermo ; but their permanent 
 home was the lovely Island of Ischia, the feudal 
 stronghold of the Pescara. Constance d'Avalos, 
 Duchessa di Francavilla, in her capacity of per- 
 petual chatelaine of the island, was living there, 
 and Vittoria found in her a congenial and 
 elevating companion. She was aunt to Pescara; 6 
 a woman of iron will and energies, and held in 
 high repute, both for her powers as ruler, and 
 for her knowledge and love of letters. Many 
 of Vittoria's happiest days were passed here, 
 
 Or convien ch'io riguardi e non ch'io ascolti 
 Da te le grazie onde il Signor ti strinse 
 A ricever pill dolce il giorno amaro. 
 6 She uas sister of Alfonso, Marchese di Pescara, whose 
 titles and esiates had descended to Vittoria's husband. 
 
io Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 uniting the joys of wedded life with an earnest 
 pursuit of her loved studies, and for three years 
 nothing occurred to disturb what might be 
 called an uninterrupted honeymoon. 
 
 This calm was not to last. Pescara, attracted 
 by the sounds of war, hastened to assist the 
 cause of his liege lord, Ferdinand the Catholic, 
 against Louis XII. of France. 
 
 Louis XII. had invaded Italy a few years 
 previously, to make good his pretensions to the 
 Duchy of Milan, through his grandmother, 
 Valentina Visconti. She was the daughter of 
 Gian Galeazzo Visconti and Isabella of France, 
 and in 1389 had married Louis, Duke of Or- 
 leans. Her marriage portion was the lordship 
 of Asti, and a right to the Duchy of Milan, 
 should the male branch of the Visconti become 
 extinct. She had two brothers, Giovanni, and 
 Filippo- Maria, both of whom died without 
 male issue. Filippo left, however, an illegiti- 
 mate daughter, Bianca, married to Francesco 
 Sforza, who, on the death of Filippo, claimed 
 and obtained the duchy in right of his wife. 
 It was to dispossess the Sforza that Louis 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 1 1 
 
 urged his claim, through the superior right, as 
 he held it, of his grandmother. 
 
 The war now commencing, and known in 
 history as that of " the Holy League," was 
 brought about by Pope Julius II. (della Rovere). 
 Having gained all he could look for from the 
 alliance he had formed at Cambray (1508) with 
 Louis XII., he was eager to withdraw from his 
 French ally, and turn to a quarter where his 
 policy suggested greater advantages to be 
 obtained. He induced Spain and Venice to 
 espouse his cause, and operations were at once 
 commenced by the Spaniards for besieging 
 Bologna. Louis despatched his army into 
 Italy, under the command of his nephew, Gaston 
 de Foix, Due de Nemours, who made a sudden 
 and brilliant march to the relief of the besieged 
 town. 
 
 Vittoria' s father had been appointed Governor- 
 General of the united Italian and Spanish 
 forces, and Pescara joined him with a company 
 of armed followers, levied at his own cost, and 
 equipped, according to Giovio, 7 in most splendid 
 
 7 Paolo Giovio was born at Como in 1483, and died at 
 
12 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 accoutrements. The Marchese was appointed 
 Captain- General of the light cavalry, a post of 
 much honour for so young a commander. 
 
 To Vittoria the trial of separation from her 
 husband was great. But she never allowed her 
 love to interfere with duty. On the contrary, 
 she used her influence to encourage and con- 
 firm his ardour, and urged him to prove himself 
 in every way worthy of his heroic ancestors. 
 To both of them the chivalrous mind of the 
 times did much, no doubt, to soften the pain 
 of parting, for at this moment all Europe was 
 filled with high and romantic ideas of chivalry, 
 and Ferrante d'Avalos was in no way behind 
 his age. He was high-souled, noble, and 
 generous ; and the injunction of the Spartan 
 mother to her son, " Or with this, or upon it," 
 "O con questo, o su questo," was the motto he 
 bore on his shield. He left Ischia early in 15 12 
 
 Florence in 1552c He lost all his possessions in the sack 
 of Rome in 1527, but was made Bishop of Nocera by 
 Clement VII., amassed great wealth, and built for himself 
 a sumptuous villa on the shores of the Lake of Corno, on 
 the site where Pliny the Younger's villa had stood. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 13 
 
 with Raimondo di Cardona, 8 Viceroy of Naples, 
 who was also on his way to join the forces of 
 Spain, together with the chief nobles of the land. 
 Vittoria bravely restrained her tears during the 
 sad moments of farewell ; and it was not till her 
 husband was gone, and the knowledge of her 
 solitude came home to her, that she broke down. 
 During the lonely days that followed Pescara's 
 departure, Vittoria rarely left the house, her 
 time being engrossed in close study, and in 
 writing, though her chief occupation w T as the 
 education of Alfonso d'Avalos, the young 
 Marchese del Vasto, her husband's nearest re- 
 lation. 9 The boy, extremely handsome, was of a 
 wild and ungovernable temper, and Vittoria had 
 ho easy task before her in attempting to smooth 
 and curb a nature that resented interference or 
 discipline. By her tact and gentleness she 
 
 8 Raimondo di Cardona's name has come down to us with 
 the imputation of coward attached to it. He is said to 
 have taken flight at the battle of Ravenna, "being a man 
 of small courage," and Julius II., knowing this accusation, 
 was wont to call him " Madame di Cardona." 
 
 9 Their fathers having been brothers, they were first 
 cousins. 
 
14 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 succeeded in softening and changing her young 
 kinsman. She instilled into him some of her 
 own taste for letters, and raised in him a love 
 for higher things than mere sports and athletics, 
 which at one time had been his only interest. 
 
 Vittoria's anxiety as to her husband was 
 allayed to some extent by her hearing that on 
 his arrival at the camp he had been appointed 
 to the high command of Captain-General of 
 Cavalry ; a position to which he could hardly 
 have hoped to aspire, considering he was then 
 only twenty-one years of age. 
 
 But her joy was soon turned into mourning 
 when the news of the disastrous battle of 
 Ravenna reached her ears. Here, on Easter 
 Sunday, nth of April, 1512, the two armies 
 the French, and the allied Italians and Spaniards 
 met face to face. 
 
 An obstinate and bloody fight ensued, in 
 which the French ultimately remained con- 
 querors, though they lost their general, Gaston 
 de Foix. 1 The success of the French has been 
 
 1 He fell, covered with wounds, on the field of battle, at 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 15 
 
 ascribed to the malice of the Spaniards, whose 
 intention, it is said, was to sacrifice their Italian 
 allies, in order that they might reap the whole 
 glory of the victory. Fabrizio Colonna, per- 
 ceiving this, threw himself boldly into the front 
 rank of the enemy, and opened the fight. If 
 he had delayed longer all his countrymen would 
 have been shot down by the enemy's artillery. 
 Overcome by numbers, and sorely wounded, he 
 was taken prisoner, and gave himself up to 
 Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, 2 in order not 
 to surrender to the French, to whom he bore a 
 special hatred. Later in the day the same fate 
 befell his son-in-law Pescara, who was taken 
 prisoner, after giving signal proofs of valour, 
 and when so grievously wounded that all further 
 resistance was vain. Both he and Fabrizio 
 were taken to Milan, and entrusted to the care 
 of Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Pescara's maternal 
 
 the vcy moment of victory, in the twenty-third year of 
 his age, and was buried at Milan with such pomp and 
 state that the ceremony was more like a triumph than a 
 funeral. 
 
 2 Alfonso favoured the French cause. 
 
1 6 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 uncle ; while a special messenger was des- 
 patched to Vittoria to apprise her of the fate 
 that had befallen her father and husband. 
 Fabrizio's position was soon altered from that 
 of a prisoner to a mediator, for the French, 
 having retired from Italy after the Battle of 
 Ravenna, Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara, who had 
 espoused their cause, was desirous of making 
 his peace with the Pope. Fabrizio offered his 
 services as peacemaker, for which intent the 
 Duke gave him his liberty, and they went 
 together to Rome. They failed, however, in 
 accomplishing this purpose, and Fabrizio so far 
 fell under Julius's displeasure as to incur sen- 
 tence of excommunication. 
 
 Pescara remained a prisoner in his uncle's 
 house in Milan, and employed his leisure hours 
 in inscribing to his wife a " Dialogue of Love," 
 which unfortunately has not come down to us. 
 There is extant, however, an epistle from 
 Vittoria to her husband, entitled, " Epistola a 
 Ferrante Francesco d'Avalos suo Consorte nella 
 Rotta di Ravenna," written in terza rima, con- 
 taining thirty-seven stanzas. This composition, 
 
Vittona Colonna. 17 
 
 which cannot rank high from a poetical point 
 of view, is a strange mixture of Christian re- 
 ligion and Pagan mythology. In it Vittoria 
 calls on God to hear her vows on behalf of 
 her father and husband, whom she likens to 
 Hector and Achilles ; and we then find her 
 seeking consolation from the maritime deities 
 who surround Ischia, and who reassure her as 
 to the safety of her heroes' lives. With this 
 epistle she sent him a device of a cupid en- 
 circled by a serpent, with the motto : u The love 
 that virtue engenders may prudence preserve ; ,J 
 (" Queir amore che virtu produsse, prudenza 
 conservi.") Owing to Trivulzio's influence, and 
 perhaps by the still more efficacious means of 
 a large ransom, Pescara was soon set at 
 liberty, and lost no time in hastening to Naples, 
 where Vittoria had removed from Ischia, so as 
 to be within nearer reach of her husband. 
 
 The following description of Pescara, given 
 by Giovio of him at this period of his life, 
 speaks of him as being, u of a strong and 
 sinewy frame, agile (destro), but not tall; re- 
 solute and determined without any taint of 
 
 c 
 
18 Vittoria Colomia. 
 
 indolence (fermissimo senza alcun pigro sugo), 
 and a finished horseman, as well as foot- 
 soldier. He had fine, large eyes, that were 
 soft and mild in their expression, but when 
 roused shot fire ; his nose was aquiline, his 
 beard reddish. A man of few words, his 
 answers were short, if not curt ; while from his 
 gestures and movements he was reputed proud 
 and unbending. He was essentially Spanish, 
 in his dress and habits alike, and," (characteris- 
 tically of his nation) " Spanish was the only lan- 
 guage he ever spoke, when in his daily intercourse 
 with his wife, or in his dealings with Italians. 
 He possessed the art of ingratiating himself 
 with his soldiers, and his appointment shortly 
 after to the command of the army was greeted 
 with universal acclamation. " Vittoria's joy on 
 her husband's return is recorded in the following 
 sonnet, written, however, many years after : 
 
 3 Laden with regal spoils and warlike prey 
 Twas here my splendid sun came back to me ; 
 
 A Qui fece il mio bel sole a npi ritorno 
 Di regie spoglie carco e ricche prede : 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 19 
 
 Ah ! with what grief those scenes again I see 
 In which his presence joyous made the day. 
 Laurels and palms lay strewn upon his way ; 
 Save for the meed of fame no thought had he; 
 His bearing high, his converse wise and free, 
 Confirmed all good that men did of him say. 
 
 His glorious wounds, compliant to my prayers, 
 He showed to me, and told me when he met 
 And how he broke the ranks of hostile spears. 
 The joys that then he gave are changed to cares, 
 My thoughts run counter, and my eyes are wet 
 With a few sweet and many bitter tears. 
 
 It is said that Isabella, Duchess of Milan, ex- 
 claimed, on seeing him, " I would I too were a 
 man, Signor Marchese, if for nothing else but 
 
 Ahi ! con quanto dolor Y occhio rivede 
 Quei lochi ov'ei mi fea gia chiaro il giorno \ 
 Di palme e lauro cinto era d' intorno, 
 D' onor, di gloria, sua sola mercede : 
 Ben potean far del grido sparso fede 
 L' ardito volto, il parlar saggio adorno. 
 
 Vinto da' prieghi miei poi ne mostrava 
 Le sue belle ferite, e '1 tempo e '1 modo 
 Delle vittorie sue tante e si chiare. 
 
 Quanta pena or mi da, gioia mi dava ! 
 
 E in questo e in quel pensier piangendo godo 
 Tra poche dolci e assai lagrime amare. 
 C 2 
 
20 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 to receive wounds in the face, as you have done, 
 in order to see if they would become me as 
 well as they do you." 
 
 On the 2 1 st of February, 15 13, Pope Julius II. 
 died, and his successor on the Papal throne 
 was Giovanni de' Medici, son of Lorenzo il 
 Magnifico, and one of the youngest Pontiffs 
 that ever sat in the chair of St. Peter, being 
 only thirty-six years old. He took the name of 
 Leo X., and his election, though unlooked for, 
 met with general approbation. As his inclina- 
 tions seemed to be of a more pacific nature 
 than those of his predecessor, the French 
 thought the moment a fitting one in which to 
 regain their lost possessions in Italy, and pre- 
 vailed on the Venetians to unite with them in 
 invading Lombardy. The Marchese di Pescara, 
 Fabrizio, and Prospero Colonna all hastened to 
 the scene of action, and all assisted at the 
 battle of Vicenza, which proved the most 
 memorable event in this campaign. This 
 battle was fought on the morning of the 7th 
 of September, 15 13, and in it the Venetians 
 suffered a severe defeat, chiefly owing to the 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 21 
 
 ignorance and rashness of Andrea Loredan, 
 who urged his leader, Alviano, against his better 
 judgment, to engage with the Spaniards. 
 
 Nothing of special importance occurred till 
 the 1st of January, 15 15, when Louis XIK, ; 
 King of France, died, and Francis I. of Angou- 
 leme, Duke of Valois, succeeded to the throne 
 at the age of twenty-two. The war which 
 Louis had waged unsuccessfully for fifteen 
 years in Italy, Francis I. was but too eager to 
 continue. In these wars we find Pescara ever 
 to the fore, and now accompanied by his cousin 
 Alfonso, Marchese del Vasto. Pescara, had at 
 first resisted the entreaties of the youth to be 
 with him, for he had appointed him heir to his 
 name and estates, as after several years of 
 married life he and Vittoria had no children, 
 and the boy was, in every sense of the word, 
 their adopted son ; but he yielded at last to the 
 ardour of Alfonso and the pleadings of Vittoria, 
 who urged in antique Roman language the 
 cause of his kinsman. " Take the Marchese 
 del Vasto with you," she said. " If he dies, 
 there will be but one life the less ; and but one 
 
22 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 lineage the less should yours fail ; all of which 
 are not things so much to be feared and dreaded 
 as that the dignity and glory of your ancestors 
 should be in hands unworthy of such honours." 
 She had herself prepared for the young warrior 
 a magnificent tent, richly decorated with silk 
 and embroidery, over the door of which she 
 had worked a saying of Scipio Africanus : 
 u He was never less idle, than when he was 
 idle " (" Nuncquam minus otiosus, quam cum 
 otiosus erat ille "). 
 
 Early in the following year, on the 15th of 
 January, Ferdinand the Catholic expired. His 
 grandson, Charles V., succeeded him as King 
 of Spain, the Netherlands, Naples, and Sicily ; 
 and three years afterwards he added to these 
 titles that of Emperor of Germany. One of 
 the first acts of his reign was to sign with 
 Francis I., on the 13th of August, 1516, the 
 treaty of Noyon, which, for the time being, 
 secured peace to all the western states of 
 Europe, and which lasted till the death of 
 Charles's other grandfather, the Emperor Maxi- 
 milian, in 1 5 19. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 23 
 
 In this same year, 15 16, Vittoria's eldest 
 brother, Federigo, died. He had taken part 
 with his father Fabrizio and Pescara in the war, 
 and the Emperor Maximilian had just con- 
 ferred on him the command of a troop of horse 
 under his cousin Marcantonio, when he died. 
 
 It was also in this year that Vittoria was in 
 Rome with her husband. It is to be regretted 
 that no account of this has come down to us, 
 for it was at this moment that the brilliancy of 
 Leo X.'s court was at its height. It is probable 
 that Vittoria here met some of the great men 
 who afterwards became her intimate friends. 
 Bembo and Sadoleto were now in Rome, and 
 Giberti, who, young as he was, had already 
 become the guide and adviser of Giulio de' 
 Medici, offices which he still fulfilled when the 
 Cardinal became Pope Clement VII. 
 
 In 1517 Leo X. bestowed a cardinal's hat 
 on Prospero Colonna's nephew, Pompeo, and 
 for the moment all smiled prosperously on 
 Vittoria and her family. 
 
 Before passing on, however, to graver facts 
 of Vittoria's history, the reader may be in- 
 
24 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 terested in an account given of her when she 
 -attended the wedding of Sigismund, King of 
 Poland, and Bona Sforza, Duchessa di Bari, 
 daughter of Gian Giacomo Sforza, Duke of 
 Milan, and Isabella d' Aragona. The wedding 
 took place at Naples with much pomp and 
 state, and among the guests were Fabrizio 
 Colonna, ancj the Marchese and Marchesa 
 di Pescara. An eye-witness has described 
 minutely the splendid appearance of Vittoria 
 on this occasion : " Next came the most illus- 
 trious Marchesa di Pescara, mounted on a 
 black and white steed, whose trappings were of 
 crimson velvet with a fringe of gold and silver. 
 Around her were six grooms, dressed in doublets 
 and jerkins of blue and yellow satin. She her- 
 self had on a petticoat of brocade of dark red 
 velvet, with large sprays of beaten, gold on the 
 petticoat. On her head she wore a coif of gold, 
 with a cap of crimson satin, adorned with the 
 same work of gold, and in her train were her 
 six waiting-women, attired in blue damask.'' 
 
 During the war with France that occupied 
 almost the whole of 1 521, and the two succeed- 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 25 
 
 ing years 3 one campaign followed another, and 
 in all of them Pescara was ever to the fore, and 
 ever gaining fresh honour. He wrested Milan 
 from the French on the 19th of November, 152 1, 
 and from here he advanced upon and took 
 Como. But the renown of this achievement 
 must ever be obscured by disgrace to Pescara's 
 name, for having pledged his word that the town 
 should be spared, he was no sooner master of 
 it than he gave it up to his soldiery, by whom it 
 was mercilessly sacked. 
 
 The campaign of 1522 was a brilliant one for 
 the Marchese. He relieved Pavia, then besieged 
 by the French; he distinguished himself at the 
 battle of Bicocca, took Lodi and Pizzighitone, 
 and obliged Marechal Lescun to capitulate at 
 Cremona. He assisted largely in the taking 
 of Genoa, where he allowed his soldiers to 
 pillage and sack the town. As may well be 
 imagined, such a succession of victories raised 
 Pescara's reputation to the summit of fame, 4 
 
 4 Prescott speaks of him as "the ablest and most enter- 
 prising of the Imperial generals." (" Hist, of Charles V.") 
 
26 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 and his name stands conspicuous among those 
 of Charles's generals. 
 
 Towards the close of the next year, 1523, 
 one of Charles's ablest generals was lost to him 
 in the person of Prospero Colonna. He died 
 at Milan, after several months' illness, and his 
 end was hastened, it is supposed, by poison. 
 Pescara and he had been brother officers in 
 many a campaign, and during most of this year 
 the Marchese had served successfully under his 
 directions against the French, commanded by 
 Bonnivet. Prospero's funeral took place at 
 Milan with great solemnity, from where, even- 
 tually, his remains were removed to Naples. 
 
 In 1524 Pescara's fame was again in the 
 ascendant, both at the Passage of the Sesia, 
 and the siege of Alessandria. At the first of 
 these two actions, Bonnivet being wounded and 
 forced to retire, the command devolved on the 
 Chevalier Bayard, who received his death wound 
 while covering the retreat of his defeated 
 countrymen. Pescara did his utmost to pre- 
 serve the life of his illustrious foe, and en- 
 deavoured to have him carried to a tent, in the 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 27 
 
 hopes of tending his wounds. But all proved 
 vain, and 6( Le Chevalier sans peur et sans 
 reproche " breathed his last on the field of 
 battle. Pescara caused his body to be em- 
 balmed, and sent with every exhibition of 
 military respect and honour to his native 
 country, the Dauphine. 5 Bonnivet led the re- 
 mains of his army back to France, only to 
 return early in the following year, when Francis I. 
 accompanied his forces. After several sharp 
 fights around Milan, the King advanced to 
 Pavia, where he was determined to conduct the 
 siege in person, supported as he was by all 
 the flower of the French nobility. The defence 
 of the town had been entrusted to Antonio de 
 Leyva, one of Charles's most prudent com- 
 manders, who neglected no opportunity for 
 strengthening and protecting the city, or for 
 procuring both food and ammunition for the 
 hard-pressed garrison. On more than one 
 occasion, Pescara and Del Vasto were able to 
 bring in fresh supplies of provisions, and a large 
 
 5 He was born at Grenoble, the capital of Dauphine. 
 
28 Vittorta Colonna. 
 
 quantity of powder to replenish De Leyva's 
 well-nigh exhausted stores, failing which Pavia 
 would, without doubt, have been compelled to 
 capitulate. In the meantime Francis had taken 
 up his abode at the Certosa, but by far the 
 larger share of his time and attention was 
 given up to entertainments and revels, while 
 he confided the weightier matters of war and 
 the payment of his troops, to officers and minis- 
 ters whose indifference to their master's con- 
 cerns was only equalled by his own. 
 
 On the night of the 24th of February, 1526, 
 the Imperialists, reduced to the last stage of 
 despair, prepared for action, and on the morn- 
 ing of the next day, the far-famed battle of 
 Pavia was fought. The Imperial forces outside 
 the town were commanded by Pescara and the 
 Viceroy Lannoy. 6 There is no need to enlarge 
 on this well-known action here. Suffice it to 
 say that the victory remained with the allies, 
 and that Pescara's foresight and valour con- 
 tributed in no small degree to this result. The 
 
 6 He was a Fleming, and had been made Viceroy of 
 Naples by Charles V. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 29 
 
 French king had fought valiantly. Even when 
 his horse had been killed under him, and he had 
 received two slight wounds, he still made a heroic 
 defence, till, further resistance being useless, 
 he consented to surrender his sword to Lannoy, 
 who treated him with all honour, and removed 
 him for safety to the castle of Pavia. The 
 Viceroy was anxious that he should be lodged 
 in the castle at Milan, but the Duke was not 
 keen that so responsible a charge should be 
 entrusted to him. Francis therefore was taken 
 to the stronghold of Pizzighitone, where twelve 
 of his chosen companions were allowed to 
 accompany him. 
 
 Pescara, who had fought with heroism, and 
 whose life had more than once been saved by 
 the devotion of his followers, was carried 
 wounded to Milan, and it is with regret that 
 we must turn from so brilliant a page of this 
 gallant soldier's career to trace the downward 
 course of his history, and his treacherous deal- 
 ings with Morone, Vice-Chancellor of the 
 Duchy of Milan. To explain the relationship 
 between these two men, we must glance for a 
 
30 Viitoria Colonna. 
 
 moment at the events occurring at that time 
 in Milan. 
 
 The victory at Pavia had brought with it a 
 fearful possibility to Italy in regard of the undue 
 preponderance that would accrue to the Em- 
 peror's influence in the peninsula, and this 
 dread had gathered weight when Charles en- 
 deavoured by every means in his power to gain 
 possession of the Duchy of Milan. With this 
 intent he urged the Duke to abdicate in his 
 favour, offering him in return for the whole 
 duchy, the castles of Milan and Cremona. 
 Francesco Sforza, the last representative of an 
 ill-fated race, was entirely under the sway of 
 Girolamo Morone. 7 
 
 7 Guicciardini, who was no partisan of Morone, speaks 
 of him as a man famous in his time for " intellect, eloquence, 
 readiness, invention, and experience, and who had often 
 bravely withstood the bitter trials and temptations of for- 
 tune." (Guicciardini, " Storia d'ltalia," lib. xvi. cap. 3.) 
 
 Prescott, speaking of Morone, says, "He was a man 
 whose genius for intrigue and enterprise distinguished him 
 in an age and country where violent factions, as well as 
 frequent revolutions, affording great scope for such talents, 
 produced or called them forth in great abundance." ("His- 
 tory of Charles V.") 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 3i 
 
 Morone was endowed with great powers of 
 mind, and a boundless ambition, together with a 
 talent for intrigue, noted in an age the age of 
 Macchiavelli when this quality was the main- 
 spring of every action, and the very essence of 
 all negotiation. In spite of the hopeless look of 
 affairs, Morone was by no means minded to 
 sit passively by, and allow the grasping power 
 of Charles to sweep the dukedom of Milan into 
 his already too vast possessions, and he cast 
 about for means to stem the coming torrent. 
 He accordingly strove to form a league of an 
 essentially Italian character, in which the Pope 
 afid the Venetians were to support Milan, and 
 while this scheme would secure on the one hand 
 safety and supremacy to the Sforza, it would 
 also bring freedom and independence to Italy. 
 The idea was a lofty and high-minded one, and 
 though the means used to bring it about were 
 not always of the purest, excuse may well be 
 made for Morone, who w r as striving to save his 
 patron and country, and whose end would un- 
 doubtedly be attained should the plot prove 
 successful, while its failure would involve master 
 
32 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 and servant in one ruin. That he should have 
 entered into communication with Pescara, and 
 entrusted him with his secret, seems strange, 
 for according to Guicciardini, he had often said, 
 " There was no one in Italy of more malignity, 
 or of less good faith than the Marchese." 8 On 
 the other hand, Morone was aware how Pescara 
 was smarting under the sense of unrequited 
 services, and that his share in the victory of 
 Pavia had not received the acknowledgments 
 he considered due to him. The wily Chancellor 
 dilated on all these fancied wrongs to the 
 Marchese. He invited him to join in expelling 
 the Spaniards from Italy, while he held out to 
 him as the reward for his co-operation no less 
 a bait than the throne of Naples. The post of 
 Captain-General of the forces would also be 
 his, and, should he lend himself in earnest to 
 the plot and accept the overtures of Morone, 
 the Pope was already prepared to grant him 
 the investiture of the kingdom. Among the 
 
 8 " II Morone aveva detto piu volte non essere uomo in 
 Italia ne di malignita ne di minor fede di lui." " Guic. 
 Stoiia d'ltalia/' lib. xvi. cap 4. 
 
Vittoida Colonna. 33 
 
 intricacies of this labyrinth no clue seems satis- 
 factory. 9 Some writers assert that the Mar- 
 chese entered eagerly into the conspiracy, 
 being exasperated by the want of appreciation 
 shown him by Charles. Others again main- 
 tain that he acted throughout as a loyal servant 
 of the Emperor, who, by listening to every 
 suggestion made to him, was better able to 
 unravel the scheme, and acquaint his master 
 with the danger against which he would have 
 to provide. Be this as it may, all appeared for 
 the moment to be advancing; the Venetian 
 Government promised their aid ; the Pope had 
 despatched a special messenger, one Domenico 
 Sauli, to assure to Pescara the crown of his 
 promised kingdom, when the latter, in order, it 
 is said, to gain time, raised such difficulties and 
 questions that all was brought suddenly to a 
 standstill. From the statements of Guicciar- 
 dini and Ripamonte, as well as from the written 
 confession of Morone himself, it appears that 
 the Marchese had in writing disclosed to 
 
 9 " Qui l'istoria si aggira tra inestricabili incertezze." 
 Capponi, " Storia della Republica di Firenze," lib. vi. cap. 6. 
 
 D 
 
34 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Charles the whole design, who in return bade 
 him still negotiate with the Chancellor, and 
 unravel more of the plot. In order to do so, 
 Pescara invited Morone to meet him at Novara, 
 under colour of inquiring further into the details 
 of the affair. Previous to their interview he 
 had prevailed on Antonio de Leyva to assist 
 him, and for this purpose De Leyva was con- 
 cealed behind a piece of tapestry in the room, 
 from whence he could overhear every word 
 that fell from the Chancellor's lips. Morone, 
 wholly unsuspicious of the deed of perfidy that 
 was being practised upon him, omitted no 
 detail of his entire scheme ; and when the 
 listeners had gleaned every particular, they 
 caused him to be arrested in the name of the 
 Emperor, taken to Pavia, and confined in the 
 castle there. While in prison, Pescara and 
 De Leyva visited him, and, under torture, drew 
 from him a full confession of what he had 
 already narrated at Novara, which they also 
 compelled him to set down in writing. This 
 document, which has but lately come to light, 
 bears testimony to the ingenuity of Morone, 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 35 
 
 while it shows up the treachery of Pescara, 
 who had passed his word to the Chancellor 
 never to betray him. The epithet of traitor 
 must therefore attach itself to Pescara, for 
 allowing that he listened to the scheme only in 
 the capacity of a faithful vassal of the Emperor, 
 how can his treachery to Morone, and his pro- 
 mise not to betray him, be explained away ? 
 The judgment passed by Ripamonte on the 
 Marchese, and which later records seem to 
 confirm, declares : "There was not to be found 
 in his day any one more deeply dyed in perfidy, 
 or more courageous in arms." * 
 
 In the meantime Pescara had received a 
 letter from Vittoria, in which she entreats him 
 " not to be dazzled by the snare of a kingdom, 
 nor allow his loyalty and faith to his master to 
 be sullied in such a way ; that for herself she 
 was not ambitious of being the wife of a king, 
 but rather of that great general, whose valour 
 and courtesy in peace or in war prevailed alike 
 over monarchs." This letter is quoted only 
 
 1 " Non esservi stato ai suoi di alcuno piu infame in per- 
 fidia, ne piu valoroso nelle armi." Ripamonte, Hist. Pat. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 Vittoria Colo una. 
 
 by Giovio ; but there can be no doubt that 
 Vittoria had heard of the temptation assailing 
 her husband, and that she exerted her influence 
 to the utmost to recall him to a sense of honour 
 and duty. It is said that on hearing of the 
 Marchese's treachery, she exclaimed, " There 
 exists no greater enemy to man than overmuch 
 prosperity." 
 
 But the agitation which all this complicated 
 business had brought with it, proved too 
 much for Pescara. His frame, enfeebled by 
 the privations through which he had passed, 
 and by the wounds received at Pavia and else- 
 where, sank under the load of anxiety and 
 excitement. He fell desperately ill, or as 
 Visconti puts it, " cadde in istrano malore," as 
 though it were some uncommon malady ; and 
 feeling his hours were numbered, he sent in all 
 haste for his cousin, the Marchese del Vasto. 
 To him he commended his wife ; and confirm- 
 ing to him the heritage of all his estates, he 
 breathed his last on the 25th of November, 
 1525, in the thirty-third year of his age. 
 
 Rumour hinted that his death was hastened 
 
Viltoria Colo una, 37 
 
 by poison, administered by order of the Em- 
 peror, to avenge the share the Marchese had 
 taken in Morone's conspiracy, 2 but all evi- 
 dence is wanting to confirm so improbable a 
 story. 
 
 Vittoria, on hearing how serious a form her 
 husband's illness had assumed, had at once 
 started from Naples for Milan. The last time 
 she had seen him was for tlfree short days in 
 October, 1522, when her mother, having died 
 while returning from a pilgrimage to Loreto, 
 Pescara had hastened to Naples to comfort 
 his wife. It was, therefore, three years since 
 they had met, and little had they thought that 
 was to be their last meeting on earth. Vittoria 
 had hurried through Rome, and had gone as 
 far as Viterbo, when the fatal news reached 
 her. On receiving it the shock was great, and 
 for a long time she remained in a state of un- 
 consciousness, and though Bembo's declaration 
 
 2 Morone survived him only four years ; he died suddenly 
 in 1529, at a moment when he was in favour with Pope 
 Clement VII. Capponi, " Storia della Republica di 
 Firenze/' lib. vi. cap. 9. 
 
38 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 that she contemplated committing suicide is 
 doubtful, there can be no question that her grief 
 at first was ungovernable, and that some time 
 elapsed before she regained her serenity of 
 mind. On the 30th of November Pescara's 
 funeral took place at Milan with great state, 
 and soon afterwards his remains were removed 
 to Naples, and buried with those of his family in 
 the curious, grand old church of San Domenico 
 Maggiore. 
 
 Vittoria was not present at the funeral cere- 
 monies : she returned to Rome, and having 
 obtained leave from Pope Clement VII., she 
 retired to the convent of S. Silvestro in Capite, 
 which was under the special patronage of the 
 Colonna family, and here passed the early days 
 of her widowhood. Her first impulse was to 
 take the veil, and in a life of seclusion devote 
 herself to prayer and mourning. The Pope, 
 however, refused to sanction such a step, and 
 her friends and relations prevailing on her to 
 relinquish her purpose, she remained only a few 
 months at S. Silvestro. 
 
 The absence of any allusion to her husband's 
 treachery throughout the whole of Vittoria's 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 39 
 
 writings may at first awaken our surprise. 
 When we reflect, however, how time soothes 
 for us its " whips and scorns ;" and how, from 
 the smallest troubles of life down to the great 
 reality of Death, who, in taking from us our 
 loved ones, leaves only the memory of how 
 good, how dear they were, we cease to wonder. 
 We acknowledge that she was right in dwelling 
 only on the higher, better qualities of her 
 husband, and we are grateful that Time and the 
 grave in mercy glossed over for her the stain 
 which history must ever attach to Pescara's 
 name. 3 
 
 Heath Wilson, 4 speaking of her, says : 
 " Vittoria wept for him (Pescara) ; none could 
 judge better than she, with her clear, moral 
 perceptions, of his errors, but her affection for 
 him never failed, and after his death she re- 
 membered only his brilliant qualities and their 
 mutual happiness." 
 
 Her retreat at San Silvestro was disturbed 
 
 3 " Death consecrated her husband for Vittoria, as death 
 canonized Laura for Petrarch." J. A. Symonds, " Italian 
 Literature." 
 
 4 '-Life of Michelangelo," by Heath Wilson, chap. xvi. 
 
40 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 by " wars and tumults of wars," in which her 
 own family bore a conspicuous part. 
 
 The treaty concluded between Charles V. 
 and Francis I., by which the French monarch 
 had regained his liberty, was totally disregarded 
 by him when he was once more in his own 
 territories, and in his own words, " once more 
 a king." Charles, unable to obtain by negotia- 
 tion the fulfilment of his promises, resorted to 
 war, and Italy was again the scene of dis- 
 turbance and bloodshed. The Pope, having 
 absolved Francis from all the oaths and en- 
 gagements to which he had pledged himself 
 while a prisoner at Madrid, the Emperor's wrath 
 was roused against Clement ; and the Colonna, 
 from their position as head of the Ghibelline 
 party in Rome, and partisans of Charles, warmly 
 espoused his cause. 
 
 Before affairs had become so serious, Vit- 
 toria's brother, Ascanio Colonna, had advised 
 her leaving Rome, and, following his counsel, 
 she retired in September of this year to Marino. 
 From here, alarmed at the warlike aspect of 
 things, she wrote to Gianmatteo Giberti, who 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 41 
 
 was chancellor to the Pope, and possessed of 
 immense influence over him, to entreat him to 
 do his utmost to reconcile the contending 
 parties, and to bring about peace. But Clement, 
 smarting under the recollection of former 
 wrongs, was not disposed to listen to any 
 overtures ; he deprived Pompeo Colonna of his 
 cardinalate, and Ascanio and others of their 
 lands, at the same time freeing their vassals 
 from their allegiance. Vittoria, on hearing how 
 fruitless her efforts had proved, left Marino, 
 going first to Naples, and from there to Ischia. 
 The following sonnet, in which " she finds 
 comfort in spiritual meditations under the 
 adversities which befall the Colonna," may have 
 been written at this time : 
 
 5 Though earthly tyrants with resistless brand, 
 Within, without my column smite alway, 
 In flames by night, in clouds of smoke by day, 
 I see that other heaven-sent pillar stand 
 
 5 Se T imperio terren con mano armata 
 Batte la mia Colonna entro e d'intorno, 
 La notte in foco e in chiara nube il giorno 
 Veggio quella celeste alta e beata, 
 
42 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Of God's high grace, which I may not withstand ; 
 For so entranced am I, should I essay 
 From earthly love to turn, it still would stay 
 Within my heart, and hold me with firm hand. 
 
 Methinks that then a spell of peaceful rest 
 
 Is shown to me, the which I love to see. 
 
 I know not if my soul with fancies blest, 
 
 Deceives itself for its own good, while He 
 
 My generous Lord, without shows dark and drear, 
 
 But flows within with greater radiance clear. 
 
 The year 1527 was now dawning on Italy ; a 
 year that, to quote Muratori, was the most fatal 
 and disastrous that had ever been in Italy (" un 
 annode' piu funesti e lagrimevoli che s'abbia mai 
 avuto in Italia "), and which was to acquire so 
 sinister a renown from the sack of Rome ; that 
 
 Sua merce, con la mente : onde portata 
 Sono in parte talor, che se in me torno 
 Dal natural amor, che fa soggiorno 
 Dentr' al mio cor, ben spesso richiamata, 
 
 Mi par per lungo spazio e queto e puro 
 Quanto discerno, e quanto sento caro. 
 Non so se V alma per suo ben vaneggia, 
 
 O pur se'l largo mio signor, che avaro 
 Di fuor si mostra al tempo freddo oscuro, 
 Dentro piu dell' usato arde e lampeggia. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 43 
 
 deed of shame and horror to all Christendom, 
 which must reflect everlasting ignominy on the 
 reign of Charles V. His troops, under the 
 command of the Constable of Bourbon, 6 to whom 
 Charles had promised the investiture of the 
 Duchy of Milan, were backed by large com- 
 panies of German mercenaries, who, glowing 
 with all the fervour of converts to Luther's new 
 doctrines, clamoured to be led to Rome, and 
 prove the ardour of their faith by sweeping 
 the Eternal City, and all that it contained, from 
 the face of the earth. Early in May the Im- 
 perialists laid siege to Rome, but their leader, 
 Bourbon, while planting a ladder against the 
 walls, received his death-wound, and his soldiers, 
 infuriated by the loss of their general, and 
 determined to avenge him, stormed the town, 
 and, carrying all before them, put the garrison 
 to the sword. Cries of " Liberty, Colonna, Em- 
 pire," resounded from every quarter; and the 
 Colonna, bent on avenging private grievances, 
 
 6 Charles, Duke of Montpensier, Constable of Bourbon, 
 had offended his sovereign, Francis I., and taken service 
 under the Emperor. 
 
44 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 sacked the Vatican, and pillaged the suburbs, 
 with all that they could lay hands on belonging 
 to their hated rivals, the Orsini. For seven 
 months Rome was in the hands of the victors, 
 and never, under Goth or Vandal, had such law- 
 lessness and outrages been committed as were 
 now perpetrated by %i Catholic Spaniards and 
 Lutheran Germans.'' Vittoria's anguish over 
 these horrors, in which her family were so 
 closely involved, was extreme. She wrote 
 bitterly to Pompeo Colonna, and beseechingly 
 to the Marchese del Vasto, imploring them both 
 to use their utmost endeavours to put an end to 
 iniquities " which, had her parents or her hus- 
 band been alive, would never have been per- 
 mitted or countenanced by those of her name 
 and family." Her father Fabrizio, had died 
 at Aversa in March, 1520, full of years and 
 honours. Macchiavelli had so high an opinion 
 of his military talents that he introduces him 
 into his " Arte della Guerra." Ariosto speaks of 
 him as, " La gran Colonna del nome romano." 7 
 
 7 " Orlando Furioso," Canto xiv. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 45 
 
 Vittoria's own words written, as the reader will 
 see many years after this date, explain why she 
 could not celebrate his memory, her pen being 
 devoted to lamentations for her dead husband. 
 
 8 The antique virtues of my Roman sire, 
 If I should seek in numbers to express, 
 An inward love, a filial tenderness 
 Would stay my hand, and check the fond desire. 
 Nor were it meet this low and humble lyre, 
 Attuned to one chaste love, one sore distress, 
 That wastes my hours and days in vain excess 
 Of grief, to sound his glories should aspire. 
 
 'Tis not lest light I take from my high sun 
 My voice is silent. Love's capricious might 
 By reason uncontroll'd the will compels. 
 
 8 S'io non descrivo in carte il piu che umano 
 Del roman nostro padre alto valore, 
 Interna carita, pietoso amore 
 Fa mancare il pensier, cader la mano. 
 Ne pub le glorie sue Y umile e piano 
 
 Stile agguagliar, che sol d' un casto ardore 
 Ragionar sa, che tutti i giorni e Y ore 
 Fa ch 'io consumi lagrimando in vano. 
 
 Non perch' io toglia lume al sole altero 
 Di scriver resto, err' amorosa forza 
 Spinge il voler che la ragion non curd. 
 
46 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Both loves to me are sacred ; but the one 
 Bids me refrain, the other bids me write, 
 Alike with both lamenting memory dwells. 
 
 To return to Vittoria. Her fortune and sub- 
 stance were devoted in the midst of these dis- 
 asters in helping all who suffered in this terrible 
 siege, and in ransoming prisoners ; so that to use 
 Visconti's words, " She seemed like a star of 
 peace in the midst of this perturbed sky." 
 These acts of mercy met with their reward in 
 a short space of time ; for in the following 
 year, Ascanio and Camillo Colonna, and the 
 Marchese del Vasto having been made prisoners 
 at the naval fight of Salerno, when Andrea 
 Doria and his nephew Filippino defeated the 
 allied French and Spanish navies, Vittoria en- 
 treated Filippino to set her kinsmen free, with 
 which request he immediately complied, in 
 appreciation for all she had done the previous 
 year for his suffering countrymen. 
 
 Ben servo V uno e V altro amore intero, 
 Ma T un tacer, 1' altro parlar mi sforza; 
 E d'ambedue sospiro in veste oscura. 
 
Viltoria Colonna. 47 
 
 11. 
 
 The first part of Vittoria's life may now be 
 
 looked upon as closed, and in the second phase 
 
 now opening out, she comes before us in her 
 
 better-known character of poetess and writer. 
 
 She gives us in her first sonnet the reason 
 
 of her writings, and how she has taken 
 
 to this as a resource for the outpouring of her 
 
 griefs : 
 
 9 I write to ease that inner grief alone, 
 Which feeds my heart, desiring other none, 
 Not to add lustre to my glorious sun, 
 Whose spoils bequeathed to earth are honours own. 
 Just cause have I to weep and make my moan ; 
 And if for him is lesser glory won, 
 With other pen, in wiser words be done 
 His tale, and snatch'd from death his name be known. 
 
 9 Scrivo sol per sfogar V interna doglia 
 
 Di che si pasce il cor, ch* altro non vole, 
 E non per giunger lume al mio bel sole, 
 Clie lascib in terra si onorata spoglia. 
 Giusta cagione a lamentar m' invoglia ; 
 Ch' io scemi la sua gloria assai mi dole ; 
 Per altra penna e pili saggie parole 
 Verra chi a morte il suo gran nome toglia. 
 
4S Vittoria Colonna, 
 
 Pure faith, deep passion, and intensest pain 
 May plead for me, when they so strong are seen, 
 That neither time nor reason give relief. 
 It is a bitter plaint, and no sweet strain 
 With blinding sighs, and not a voice serene, 
 Wins me no praise for style, but praise for grief. 
 
 R. S. P. 
 
 During the first seven years of her widow- 
 hood her time and talents are devoted, to the 
 exclusion of other subjects, in lamentations 
 over "il mio bel sole," as she invariably calls 
 her husband, and in " erecting a monument to 
 Pescara's memory by her poems, so honour- 
 able to his name, that (as long as the world 
 lasts) it will in consequence ever be famous 
 and illustrious among us/' * Her brothers 
 
 La pura fe, V ardor, Y intensa pena 
 Mi scusi appo ciascun, grave cotanto 
 Che ne ragion ne tempo mai V affrena. 
 Amaro lagrimar, non dolce canto, 
 Foschi sospiri e non voce serena, 
 Di stil no, ma di duol mi danno il vanto. 
 1 " Colle sue rare e maravigliose Rime, ella fece un sepolcro 
 cosi onorevole al nome di suo marito, che fmche il mondo 
 duri, sara precio sempre celebrato ed illustrato fra noi." Fr. 
 Agostino della Chiesa. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 49 
 
 were anxious she should marry again, and her 
 hand was on several occasions sought in mar- 
 riage by some of the noblest in the land, but 
 her reply in these circumstances was ever the 
 same : " That although her beautiful sun had 
 disappeared to all, he still shone for her, and 
 that alike in brightness or obscurity she would 
 guard intact the faith of her heart." 
 
 Visconti assumes that it was now she com- 
 posed the sonnet given below, and which he 
 imagines addressed to the Duchessa di Fran- 
 cavilla. In it she likens herself to a juniper- 
 tree, - and repels all suitors in the same way 
 the tree repels the assaults of wind and 
 tempest : 
 
 9 That juniper which self-secure doth grow, 
 
 Though angry tempests try her power to wrest ; 
 And neither fearful covers up her breast, 
 Nor sheds her foliage on the earth below : 
 
 * Qual bel ginebro, cui d' intorno cinge 
 Irato vento, che ne le sue foglie 
 Sparge, ne i suoi rami apre, anzi raccoglie 
 La cima, e tutto 'n se stesso si stringe 
 
50 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 So doth my soul, lady, steadfast glow, 
 Though by assailing Fortune oft oppi est ; 
 But on high cares and noble aims doth rest, 
 Repulsing calmly every daring foe. 
 
 And thus my soul, protected by the thought 
 
 Of that beloved sun whom I adore, 
 
 Victorious will arise from every strife. 
 
 The tree by Nature has been likewise taught 
 
 Its foes to quell : so Reason wills e'en more 
 
 That from my griefs my faith should spring to life. 
 
 The greater part of the year 1533 she 
 passed at Ischia, and the following sonnet, in 
 which she gives her reasons for living there, 
 was probably written at this time: 
 
 Qual sia V animo mio, donna, depinge 
 Che fortuna combatte e non si scioglie 
 Dall' alte cure ed onorate voglie, 
 E chi vincerlo pensa addietro spinge. 
 
 Perche sicuro, sotto i gran pensieri 
 Ristretto di quel sol ch' ama ed adora, 
 Vincitor d' ogni guerra altero riede. 
 
 A queir arbor natura insegna i fieri 
 Nemici contrastar ; ed in me ancora 
 Ragion vuol che nel mal cresca la fede. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 51 
 
 On this rough rock I dwell, this lonely shore ; 
 Like the lorn bird that shuns both verdant grove 
 And limpid stream, from all on earth I love 
 And from myself to hide me evermore. 
 For towards that sun I worship and adore, 
 Forth flies my soul, and though its pinions move 
 In devious course or slow, when I reprove 
 From other flights recalled to this 'twill soar. 
 
 And when elate and glad it cleaves its way 
 
 Whither I send it, the brief joy transcends 
 
 The raptures of all earthly happiness. 
 
 But could it only worthily portray 
 
 That radiant form, where mind with beauty blends, 
 
 Then had I foretaste here of future bliss. 
 
 3 Vivo su questo scoglio orrido e solo, 
 
 Quasi dolente augel che '1 verde ramo 
 E V acqua pura abborre ; e a quelli ch' amo 
 Nel mondo ed a me stessa ancor m' involo, 
 Perche espedito al sol che adoro e colo, 
 Vada il pensiero. E sebben quanto bramo 
 L' ali non spiega, pur quando io '1 richiamo 
 Volge dair altre strade a questa il volo. 
 
 E'n quel punto che giunge lieto e ardente 
 
 La Ve V invio, ^sl breve gioia avanza 
 
 Qui di gran lunga ogni mondan diletto. 
 Ma se potesse V alta sua sembianza 
 
 Formar, quant' ella vuol P accesa mente, 
 
 Parte avrei forse qui del ben perfetto. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Somewhat later in life we find her writings 
 more devoted to religious subjects, while her 
 advice and, sympathy on such matters were 
 sought by high and low, who turned to her for 
 guidance and help in their doubts and perplexi- 
 ties. The following sonnet addressed to her 
 by Margaret of Valois, Queen of Navarre, 4 
 shows in what high veneration Vittoria was 
 held : 
 
 5 Oh ! happy thou, whose ardent spirit flies 
 Unto our Lord to whom thy heart is bent, 
 And kindlest all with thee to wait intent 
 On Him, who keeps us always in His eyes. 
 Ah! hapless me, whom much He doth despise 
 That with weak step and slow to Him I went : 
 False words, vain thoughts, ill deeds I now lament 
 And plead for pardon in repentant sighs. 
 
 4 She was sister of Francis L, and first wife of Henri 
 d'Albret, consequently grandmother of King Henry IV, of 
 France, 
 
 5 Felice voi, che con gli spirti ardenti 
 
 Avete il cor al miq Signor rivolto, 
 E accendete ognun a star raccolto 
 In Lui, che verso noi tien gli occhi intenti. 
 Misera me, ch' ai passi infermi e lenti 
 
 Seguito ho Lui, che me sprezzato ha molto : 
 Ond' or del van desio, fallace e stolto 
 V alma si pente e trae sospir cocenti. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 53 
 
 But thou, who mid the heavenly host dost shine, 
 Beseech the King of Heaven that with His hand 
 He raise me up and fold me in His breast. 
 And as thou hast attained to light divine, 
 So act that others may beside thee stand, 
 And enter with thee into perfect rest. 
 
 ' The following quotation from Rota's " Life 
 of Vittoria Colonna," will serve also to prove 
 how her mind, " set on things above," was able 
 to help and direct others in their troubles : 
 " It was already the seventh year since the 
 Marchese de Pescara had ascended to a better 
 life, when Vittoria, having vainly made trial by 
 every effort to free her soul from sadness and 
 sorrow, recognized but too clearly the misery 
 of those who live according to the appetites of 
 nature ; and that the goods of this earth re- 
 semble the rose, for both in their birth and 
 their growth the thorns are inseparably joined 
 
 Prega, e voi, che degli eletti sete 
 
 Per me de' Cieli il Re, che la sua mano 
 Mi tenga sopra, e mi raccolga in seno. 
 
 E poi che scorto il vero lume avete, 
 
 Fate, che ancor non sia per gli altri vano, 
 Ma, ch' il provi ciascun chiaro e sereno. 
 
54 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 to them, therefore she disposed herself to the 
 raising of her mind above earthly affairs, and 
 fixed them on divine ones, convinced that this 
 was the only means of freeing the soul from 
 those affections whence come most of this 
 world's bitternesses. In fact, she adopted a 
 spiritual life, and thus fixed her soul on hea- 
 venly things, and so entirely forgetting earthly 
 love, she became engrossed with heavenly, and 
 from this time forward devoted her pen to 
 sacred writings, refraining almost entirely from 
 secular rhymes, which had been hitherto the 
 general subject of her compositions. " 
 
 She did not exclude altogether the interests 
 of this world from her daily life, for in 1536 she 
 was in Rome with her adopted son, the Marchese 
 del Vasto, her brother Ascanio, and his wife 
 Giovanna d'Aragona, 6 visiting the wonders of 
 the eternal city. While contemplating some 
 of the splendours of the past, Vittoria re- 
 marked with a deep sigh, " Ah ! how blessed 
 
 6 She was daughter of Ferdinand, Duca di Montalto, 
 and her sister, Maria, was the wife of the Marchese del 
 Vasto. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 55 
 
 were they who lived in such glorious times." 
 Molza, 7 who was present, rejoined, " Their hap- 
 piness would have been greater could they 
 have known you." 
 
 This same year she went to Ischia, but only 
 for a short time, returning soon to Rome, 
 where Paul III. (Farnese) held a brilliant 
 reception in her honour. During the time she 
 was in Rome Charles V. was also there, though 
 for the short period of four days only. Rossa 
 tells us that a the Emperor condescended to 
 visit in their houses, Donna Giovanna d'Ara- 
 gona, Duchessa di Tagliacozzo, wife of Ascanio 
 Colonna, and Vittoria Colonna, Marchesa di 
 Pescara." 8 To this sister-in-law Vittoria ad- 
 dressed two sonnets, one of which we give 
 here : 
 
 9 Could I my neck from out the yoke but free, 
 O, lady mine, and turn awhile my sight, 
 
 7 Molza was one of the most learned scholars of his day, 
 and was Vittoria's instructor in the art of poetry. 
 
 8 " History of the Things of Naples under Charles V." 
 
 9 S' io potessi sottrar dal giogo alquanto, 
 Madonna, il collo e volger i pensieri 
 
56 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Whole and detached from that my other light, 
 Changing to smiles my tears I'd sing of thee. 
 Most sweet the style, most soft the song should be 
 To honour thee, and praise thy merits tried ; 
 For neither crowns nor regal robes decide 
 The virtues high that form true sovereignty. 
 
 While Heaven to thee was lavish, my star shone 
 With niggard beams, 'twas right my sun should 
 
 rise 
 And hold my gaze intent on him alone, 
 Hiding my vision from thy paradise, 
 Lest should thy praises lustreless appear 
 Or turn me from my wonted sorrows dear. 
 
 Early in 1537 she went to Lucca, and from 
 there to Ferrara, where Duke Ercole II., of 
 
 Dalla mia luce altrove sciolti e' ntieri, 
 Li porrei in voi, volgendo in riso il pianto. 
 Farei dolce lo stil, soave il canto, 
 
 Per dir de' vostri onori e pregi altieri ; 
 Che V alte sue virtu son regni veri, 
 Non corona, ne scettro, o regal manto. 
 
 Ma a voi fu '1 ciel si largo, e a me la Stella 
 Si parca, che s'oppon bene il mio sole 
 Fra '1 vostro paradiso e gli occhi miei, 
 
 Che ritien con la vista, e come suole 
 
 La ferma in lui, per non veder men bella 
 La vostra lode, e tormi i cari omei ! 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 57 
 
 Este, was reigning, who received her with every 
 mark of honour. Vittoria' s chief reason for 
 staying at Ferrara was to comply with Ochino's 1 
 wish that she should persuade the Duke to 
 allow the Capuchins to establish their order in 
 the city. This request was granted without 
 delay, and a piece of land on the banks of the 
 Po was presented by the Duke to Ochino, who 
 came in the autumn of this year to Ferrara to 
 install the brotherhood in their new possession. 
 
 Vittoria was received as a guest worthy of all 
 attention, and Duke Ercole spared no pains in 
 attracting all the great and learned in Lombardy 
 and Venice to his court to meet her. One of 
 the brightest ornaments of this court, Ludovico 
 Ariosto,who had already sung Vittoria' s praises, 2 
 had died four years previous to this date. 
 
 The inhabitants of Verona were anxious 
 Vittoria should visit their city, and the Bishop, 
 
 1 Fra Bernardino of Siena, better known as Ochino, was 
 a Capuchin monk, learned, highly esteemed, and so eloquent 
 and earnest in his preaching, that it was hyperbolically 
 said, he could melt the very stones to tears. 
 
 2 See page 109, &c. 
 
58 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Monsignore Giberti, in the hopes of persuading 
 her to do so, sent his secretary, Francesco 
 della Torre, to invite her to the episcopal 
 palace. The fruitlessness of the mission is re- 
 lated in a letter to Cardinal Bembo, in which 
 the emissary declares in high-flown language 
 that he would either have been outlawed by the 
 Duke, or stoned by the people, so great was 
 the universal indignation that Ferrara should 
 be deprived of its chief ornament to enrich 
 Verona. 
 
 It was about this time that in spite of failing 
 health, Vittoria was eager to make a pilgrimage 
 to the Holy Land. Some of her sonnets dwell 
 entirely on Palestine, and we give one in which 
 her hopes for its conquest revive. 
 
 3 I feel the flowering hope within me rise, 
 Which I had withered thought, and dead to be, 
 That Holy, but neglected Land to see 
 Which the great Tomb adorns and glorifies. 
 
 8 Gia si rinverde la gioiosa speme, 
 
 Che quasi secca era da me sbandita, 
 Di veder Y alma e mal da noi gradita 
 Terra che '1 gran sepolcro adorna e preme. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 59 
 
 I hear that gallant men alike despise 
 Hardships and death, while in them strong and free 
 Burns jealously that faith which lost have we, 
 Their blood to others quickening seed supplies 
 
 So fruitful, that though few are the elect 
 
 They shall with voices loud great numbers gain, 
 
 To call upon their true, though unknown Lord. 
 
 So to our shame, with life-giving effect 
 
 The sign of the all-glorious Cross again 
 
 Shall be proclaimed, and through the world adored. 
 
 She was prevailed on to relinquish her pur- 
 pose of visiting the Holy Land at the instance 
 of the Marchese del Vasto, who pointed out to 
 her the perils of such a journey, and urged on 
 her the advisability of settling in Rome. To 
 this she consented, and towards the end of the 
 year we find her established there in the zenith 
 
 Odo ch' or gente intrepida non teme 
 Tormenti e morte, anzi e cotanto ardita 
 Alia fede fra noi quasi smarrita, 
 Che '1 sangue loro agli altri e vivo seme 
 
 Si fecondo, che sol ben pochi eletti 
 Fan da molti chiamar ad alta voce 
 II verace signor gia loro ignoto ; 
 
 Ed a scorno di noi, con vivi effetti 
 11 segno ancor dell' onorata croce 
 Faran con maggior gloria al mondo noto. 
 
60 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 of her fame, sought out and surrounded by all 
 who for learning and talent were of note in the 
 Eternal City. " There was no man of great 
 name in the world of letters," says Symonds, 
 "who did not set his pride on being thought 
 her friend. The collections of letters and poems 
 belonging to that period abound in allusions to 
 her genius, her holiness, and her great beauty. " 4 
 Among these can be named Giovio, who dedi- 
 cated to her his work in seven volumes of the 
 " Life of Pescara ; " Ludovico Martelli, who 
 addressed some of his sonnets to her; Veronica 
 Gambara, who like herself was a poetess and 
 w T riter of no mean order, and who also passed 
 the greater part of her life in " faithful widow- 
 hood," Castiglione was also among those who 
 came under the elevating influence that Vittoria 
 shed around her, and his well-known work, 
 "The Courtier" (II Cortigiano) was written as 
 much to please her as his royal patron, Louis 
 XII. of France. 5 
 
 4 " Italian Literature." J. A. Symonds. 
 
 5 Baldassare Castiglione was born in 1476, at Cesatico, 
 in the province 'of Mantua. He was some time at the 
 
Vittoria Colo7tna. 61 
 
 It is evident that Vittoria's house was the 
 centre both of literary and religious discussion, 
 for Cardinals Pole and Contarini, the heads of 
 Ochino's party, were her intimate friends. 
 Ochino himself was well known to her, and 
 his advanced views, in which however she 
 did not concur, were of great interest to her. 
 On account of her close friendship with him, 
 the Inquisition kept a suspicious watch over all 
 Vittoria's deeds, sayings, and writings ; and 
 we can judge how strict that scrutiny was, 
 when we know that twenty years after her 
 death a noble Florentine was condemned to 
 the stake by the Inquisition in Rome, one of the 
 principal charges against him being that he had 
 belonged to the circle of GiuHa Gonzaga, and 
 Vittoria Colonna. 6 How far Vittoria was from 
 
 court of Urbino in the capacity of court poet. He went to 
 Spain as Nuncio, and ended his days at Toledo in 1529. 
 His work was translated by Thomas Hoby into English in 
 1561. 
 
 6 This was Pietro Carnesecchi, a man of rank and 
 learning, who had adopted some of the tenets of Luther. 
 Pius V. in 1566 demanded his person from the Grand 
 Duke Cosimo L, who gave him up to the officers of * ome, 
 
62 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 agreeing with Ochino's views may be gathered 
 from the following extract from a letter she 
 wrote to Marcello Corbino, afterwards Pope 
 Marcello II., in'which, speaking of Ochino, who 
 had embraced the new doctrines, she says : 
 " I grieve deeply that the more he thinks to 
 excuse himself, the more he accuses himself ; 
 and the more he thinks to save others from 
 shipwreck, the more he exposes them to the 
 deluge ; he being himself outside the ark which 
 saves and gives security." These thoughts 
 may have been in her mind when she composed 
 this sonnet : 
 
 7 Him shall no worldly fears, no war dismay 
 Whose peace is made with Heaven. No winter's cold 
 Shall chill his breast who therein doth enfold 
 The sacred fervour of celestial day. 
 
 and at the same time wrote earnestly to the Pope to save 
 nim. This Pius seems to have been inclined to do, on 
 condition Carnesecchi would renounce his tenets. On his 
 refusal, he was handed over to the Inquisition, publicly 
 beheaded, and his body afterwards burned. 
 
 7 Non dee temer del mondo affanni o guerra 
 Colui ch' ave col ciel tranquilla pace : 
 Che nuoce il gielo a quel ch' entro la face 
 Del calor vero si rinchiude e serra ? 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 63 
 
 The fetters of the world are weak to stay 
 The soul whose flight is vigorous and bold ; 
 No insults shame him who doth silence hold, 
 And prayeth most for them who farthest stray. 
 
 The tower that on the living Rock is set, 
 (Whereby alone is safety unto men), 
 Assault from near or far alike defies ; 
 In vain the fowler spreads his crafty net, 
 'Mid the dank vapours of the stagnant fen, 
 To snare the eagle soaring through the skies. 
 
 Another of her nearer friends was Cardinal 
 Pietro Bembo, who shone as a leader in the 
 movement then on foot, to restore Italian in 
 place of Latin, as the language of Italy. He 
 was a Venetian, and for more than fifty years 
 was looked upon as the guide and director in 
 
 Non preme il grave peso della terra 
 Lo spirito che vola alto e vivace ; 
 Ne fan biasmo V ingiurie air uom che tace, 
 E prega piu per chi piu pecca ed erra. 
 
 Non giova saettar presso o lontano 
 Torre fondata in quella viva pietra, 
 Ch' ogni edificio uraan rende sicuro ; 
 
 Ne tender reti con accorta mano 
 Fra V aer basso paludoso e scuro 
 Contra augel che sopra '1 ciel penetra. 
 
64 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 all questions relating to literature. More than 
 one of Vittoria's sonnets were addressed to him, 
 and were answered by him in the same style. 
 Muratori speaks in high praise of one of these 
 sonnets of Vittoria's, which is given below, and 
 says, " This sonnet would suffice to convince 
 us (were we not already certain of it) of the 
 happy wit (felice ingegno) of the Marchesa di 
 Pescara." 
 
 8 To Pietro Bembo. 
 
 If my fair sun before he ceased to shine 
 
 On this fair earth, had touch'd thee with his rays, 
 
 Thy soul had kindled to so warm a blaze 
 
 That endless fame were his and praise were thine. 
 
 For were his name linked to that style divine, 
 
 Which puts antiquity to shame, and stays 
 
 The shaft of envy, guarded thus always, 
 
 No second death his spirit could confine. 
 
 8 Se v' accendeva il mio bel sole amato, 
 Con V ardente virtu dei raggi suoi, 
 Pria che tornasse al del mill' anni e poi 
 Ei piu chiaro saria, voi piu lodato. 
 II nome suo col vostro stil pregiato, 
 Ond' han gli antichi scorno, invidia noi, 
 A mal grado del tempo avreste voi 
 Dal secondo morir sempre guardato. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 65 
 
 Could I instil my passion in thy breast, 
 
 Or could I borrow all thy wit from thee, 
 
 Fit pinions then were ours for loftiest flight : 
 
 But now perchance Heaven's wrath on thee may rest 
 
 Who other theme hast chosen ; and on me 
 
 That I should dare to speak of such a light. 
 
 Another of her friends was Giovanni Guidic- 
 cioni. He was born at Lucca in 1500, and died 
 in 1541. Paul III. made him Bishop of Fos- 
 sombrone, and he was celebrated in his day for 
 his songs and sonnets, most of which relate to 
 the woes and miseries of Italy. 
 
 A list might be given enumerating the names 
 of those who laid claim to literary celebrity, and 
 who aspired to Vittoria's friendship ; but pre- 
 eminent among them all stands out that of 
 Michelangelo Buonarroti, sufficient in itself to 
 cast an eternal halo around her whom he loved 
 so nobly. No precise date can be given for 
 
 Deb, potess' io mandar nel vostro petto 
 L'ardor ch' io sento, e voi nel mio ingegno ! 
 Che avrei forse al gran vol conformi 1' ale ! 
 
 Che cosi temo '1 ciel non prenda a sdegno 
 Voi, perche preso avete altro soggetto, 
 Me, ch' ardisco parlar d'un lume tale. 
 
66 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 the commencement of their friendship, but it 
 must have been some little time after 1534, the 
 year in which Michelangelo came to Rome. 
 Grimm 9 places their first meeting in 1536, but 
 all other historians fix the date at 1538, when 
 Michelangelo was sixty years old, alone and 
 solitary, without a ray of hope as to the hap- 
 piness still in store for him. The sadness and 
 gloom that hung over Michelangelo's life aros.e 
 from different causes. Though imbued with 
 strong family affections, his temper had been 
 tried by quarrels with, his brothers. He had 
 also been irritated by the way in which they 
 had endeavoured to extort money from him, 
 and to induce their father to profit by his 
 talents. His natural bent inclined him to soli- 
 tude. He mixed rarely in the society of his 
 fellow-beings, and his own written words, " I 
 have no friends : I need none, and wish for 
 none/' have in them almost a boastful desire for 
 isolation. A few years previously his old father 
 Lujdovico, and his brother Buonarroto had died. 
 
 9 " Leben Michelangelos." Hermann Grimm. Hanover, 
 1873. 
 
Victoria Colonna. 67 
 
 Apart from these sorrows he was in perplexity 
 as to his work. Regardless of an engagement 
 to the Duke of Urbino, the Pope (Paul III.) in- 
 sisted that Michelangelo should carry out the 
 design for the decoration of the Sixtine Chapel. 
 In vain he pleaded his contract with the Duke, 
 Paul would not be gainsaid, and his impetuosity 
 and determination swept away all opposition. 
 
 It was in the midst of these^ troubles and 
 anxieties that Michelangelo's friendship with 
 Vittoria was formed, " which," says Heath 
 Wilson, " was marked by the depth and 
 grandeur of his character in its devotion and 
 vitality, and returned by her with an admiration 
 of his gifts and talents which was unbounded." l 
 The relationship between the two is a pleasant 
 one to dwell on. To the old man it was a 
 friendship fitted in every way to cheer and 
 lighten the gloom in which he lived and worked. 
 From his poems we see that he loved women. 
 But from none of his sonnets do we glean that 
 happiness came to him from such love; whereas 
 
 1 " Life and Works of Michelangelo Buonarotti," by 
 Charles Heath Wilson. London, 1876. 
 
 F 2 
 
68 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 sorrow and resignation over unrequited passion 
 are expressed in most of his writings. 
 
 To Vittoria the friendship with Michelangelo 
 was a source of unmixed joy. Her admiration 
 of his genius and talents was great, and the 
 knowledge of her softening influence upon him 
 must have brought with it a peculiar charm. 
 How strong this influence was we know from 
 his own words, for he says that " from the 
 rough model wherein he was born, she had re- 
 formed and remade him" (nato rozzo modello 
 di se, era poi stato da lei riformato e rifatto). 
 Condivi, 2 speaking of the friendship between 
 them, says : " He particularly loved the Mar- 
 chesana di Pescara, of whose divine under- 
 standing (divino spirito) he was enamoured, 
 and he was in return dearly loved by her. He 
 received from her many letters full of honest 
 and true love, as is wont to proceed from such 
 natures. He likewise addressed to her numerous 
 sonnets full of wit and sweet desire. She re- 
 moved several times from Viterbo to other 
 
 - " Vita di Michelangelo Buonarotti ; scritta da Ascanio 
 Condivi. ,, 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 69 
 
 places, whither she had gone for relaxation and 
 to pass the summer, and came to Rome for no 
 other purpose but to see Michelangelo ; and he 
 bore her such true affection that I remember to 
 have heard him say that his only regret when 
 he went to take his last look at her after death, 
 was, that he had only kissed her hand, and not 
 her face and forehead as well. Her death 
 caused him to be distracted with grief, and to 
 remain as one insensible." That he painted 
 more than one picture for Vittoria seems certain, 
 though we have no indication as to which these 
 are. 3 On the completion of one of them, she 
 writes to him : " Your works forcibly awaken 
 the judgment of all who look at them, and I 
 
 3 Speaking of the Crucifixion, with the Virgin and St. 
 John, Sir J. C. Robinson, in his " Drawings of Michel- 
 angelo and Rafifello in the University of Oxford " (1870), 
 says : " The famous composition, one phase or preliminary 
 stage of which is represented by this drawing, is known to 
 have been undertaken by Michelangelo for his friend, the 
 celebrated Vittoria Colonna, Marchioness of Pescara. It 
 does not seem very certain what shape the work was in- 
 tended finally to assume, but it is probable that Michel- 
 angelo carried it no further than a finished drawing." See 
 also A. Springer, " RarTael und Michelangelo,'' vol. ii., 
 pp. 306311. 
 
jo Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 spoke of adding goodness to things already 
 perfect so as to win more experience by them ; 
 and I have seen ' omnia possibilia sunt credenti.' 
 I had a profound belief that God would grant 
 you a supernatural faith to paint this Christ : 
 and I found it so admirable as to exceed all 
 that I had been able to imagine : and animated 
 by your miracles, I wished for that which I now 
 see miraculously fulfilled, that is, that it should 
 be perfect in every respect, more could not be 
 desired or even hoped for : I must tell you that 
 I rejoice that the Angel on the right hand is so 
 beautiful, for the Archangel Michael will place 
 you, Michelangelo, on the right hand of the 
 Lord on that new day. Meanwhile I do not 
 know how to serve you better, than to pray to 
 this sweet Christ for you, whom you have so 
 well, so perfectly painted, and to beseech you 
 that you may command me as altogether yours 
 in all things. " Another of her letters speaks 
 in more familiar tones, and shows the pleasant 
 relationship that existed between them : 
 " Most sincere friend, Signore Michelagniolo, 
 I beseech of you to send me for awhile the 
 
Vittoria Colonna. Ji 
 
 crucifix, even if it is unfinished, for I would 
 desire to show it to some gentlemen, who are 
 come from the Most Reverend the Cardinal of 
 Mantua. If you are not at work to-day, you 
 might come at your leisure, and talk to me. 
 " Yours to command, 
 11 La Marchesa di Pescara." 
 
 Only two of her sonnets are addressed to 
 him, and both refer to some work he was en- 
 gaged in on her behalf. The letters addressed 
 to her by Michelangelo are of a later date, and 
 were written when Vittoria had to retire from 
 Rome under the suspicion of heresy, which her 
 intercourse and friendship with Ochino drew 
 upon her. 
 
 Society at this moment in Rome was in an un- 
 settled state. From three different directions, from 
 Venice, from Geneva, and from Naples, thoughts 
 of a new and disturbing element were pouring 
 into the capital of the world, and awakening 
 discussion and division. The opinions from 
 Venice and Geneva were soon put down with a 
 high hand, as savouring of heresy. That 
 
J2 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Naples should advocate such tendencies was 
 not, however, considered possible, and in con- 
 sequence, the Neapolitan movement was at this 
 moment occupying all thoughtful minds in 
 Rome. At the head of this movement was 
 Ochino, and the endeavour of his party was to 
 place the Lutherans on a better footing with 
 the Pope, and to bring about a peaceful agree- 
 ment between the opponents. On the other 
 side was the order of the Theatines, who were 
 zealous to reform the Church from within, and 
 to effect a renovation which should restore her 
 to her earlier purity, without causing a division 
 such as had arisen in Germany. This order 
 took their name from Pietro Caraffa, Bishop of 
 Theate, a " lean and impetuous Neapolitan, 
 with the fierceness of the Inquisition in his 
 heart/' 4 who afterwards became Pope under the 
 name of Paul IV. 
 
 Rome was thus divided between these two 
 parties ; the one, that of Caraffa, defying the 
 Protestants, and asserting a crusade of uncom- 
 
 4 "Venetian Studies." F. Horatio Brown. 
 
V lit or ia Colonna. j?> 
 
 promising antagonism against them ; the other, 
 to which Ochino belonged, and in which he 
 had the support of Vittoria Colonna, Cardinals 
 Contarini, Pole, and Sadoleto, which strove, by 
 toleration and patience, to win the lost sheep 
 back to the fold. The charge of heresy which 
 Ochino's more liberal views drew down upon 
 himself, fell also on his companions. Vittoria 
 did not escape from the imputation, and we shall 
 presently see how r her intercourse with Michel- 
 angelo was interrupted for some time in con- 
 sequence of this accusation. 
 
 Before this took place, however, it may be 
 well to give a description that has come down 
 to us from a certain Francesco d'Ollanda, of the 
 friendly relations between Vittoria and Michel- 
 angelo. Francesco was a miniature painter, in 
 the service of the King of Portugal, by whom 
 he had been sent to Italy to study his art. He 
 describes two Sunday afternoons that he spent 
 in the company of Vittoria Colonna ; Claudio 
 Tolomei, one of the noblest and most distin- 
 guished of the literary men at that time in 
 Rome; Ochino and Michelangelo. Francesco 
 
74 Vittoria Colonna 
 
 d'Ollanda's manuscript, preserved in the library 
 at Lisbon, has been partly translated into 
 French by Count Raczynsky. 5 The graphic, 
 minute rendering of the scene must excuse its 
 length. He explains first how his time in 
 Rome was devoted to art, and in search of the 
 men who would help him in respect of it ; how 
 his habit was to pass his Sundays with " Messer 
 Tolomei," and how, on this particular Sunday, 
 Tolomei had bidden him join him at the Church 
 of San Silvestro, where he would also find the 
 Marchesa di Pescara, and where an exposition 
 of St. Paul's Epistles was being given by 
 Ochino. A full panegyric then follows on the 
 Marchesa di Pescara, her beauty, her goodness, 
 her talents, and then he joins the party at San 
 Silvestro. 
 
 " I entered : they asked me to take a place, 
 and the reading and exposition of the epistles 
 was continued. When it was ended the Mar- 
 chesa spoke, and, looking at me and Tolomei, 
 she said, * I am not quite wrong if I imagine 
 
 6 Raczynsky, " Les Arts en Portugal. " 8vo. Paris, 1846. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 75 
 
 that Messer Francesco would rather listen to 
 Michelangelo upon painting than Fra Ambro- 
 sio upon the Pauline Epistles.' 
 
 " ' Madam/ I replied, ' your Excellence seems 
 to entertain the belief that everything which is 
 not painting and art is foreign and unintelligible 
 to me. It will be certainly very agreeable to me 
 to hear Michelangelo speak, but I prefer Fra 
 Ambrosio's expositions of the epistles of St. 
 Paul/ I had spoken somewhat in pique. 
 
 " ! You need not take it so seriously/ inter- 
 rupted Tolomei ; * the Marchesa certainly did 
 not mean that a man, who is a good painter, is 
 not good for anything else. We Italians rank 
 art too high for that. Perhaps the words of the 
 Marchesa were intended to intimate that, be- 
 sides the enjoyment we have had, the other, of 
 hearing Michelangelo speak to-day, is still in 
 store for us/ 
 
 " ' If it be so/ I replied, ' it would, after all, 
 be nothing extraordinary, for your Excellency 
 w r ould only be following your usual habit of 
 granting a thousand times more than one 
 ventured to desire/ 
 
J 6 Vittoria Colon?! a. 
 
 11 The Marchesa smiled. * We ought to know 
 how to give/ she said, ( when a grateful mind 
 is concerned, and here, especially, when giving 
 and receiving afford equal enjoyment/ One 
 of her retinue had approached at her call. ' Do 
 you know Michelangelo's dwelling? Go and 
 tell him that Messer Tolomei and I are here in 
 the chapel, where it is beautifully cool, the 
 church, too, is private and agreeable, and that 
 I beg to ask whether he is inclined to lose a 
 few hours here in our society, and to turn them 
 into gain for us. But not a word that the 
 gentleman from Spain is here.' 
 
 u I could not refrain from remarking, in a loud 
 tone to Tolomei, with what art the Marchesa 
 knew how to treat the slightest thing. She in- 
 quired what we were saying. ' Oh ! ' answered 
 Tolomei, * he said with w r hat wisdom your Ex- 
 cellency went to w r ork even in so trifling a 
 message. For, as Michelangelo knows that 
 when he once meets Messer Francesco, there is 
 no possibility of separating, he avoids him when- 
 ever he can.' 
 
 " ( I have remarked it/ said the Marchesa ; 
 
Vittoria Colonna. J? 
 
 1 1 know Michelangelo. But it will be diffi- 
 cult to bring him to speak upon painting/ 
 
 " Fra Ambrosio 6 of Siena, one of the Pope's 
 most famous preachers, had hitherto not uttered 
 a syllable. ' As the gentleman from Spain/ 
 he now began, is himself a painter, Michel- 
 angelo will be cautious of speaking of painting. 
 The gentleman ought to conceal himself if he 
 wishes to hear him speak about it.' 
 
 " ' It would, perhaps, be more difficult than 
 you imagine to keep the gentleman from Spain 
 concealed from Michelangelo/ I replied, with 
 some severity, to the reverend gentleman ; 
 1 even if I were concealed, he would observe 
 my presence sooner than your reverence would 
 were I not concealed, though you took 
 spectacles to help you. Only let him come, 
 whether he remarks that I am here or no/ 
 
 " The Marchesa and Tolomei laughed. After 
 some moments, in which neither of them spoke, 
 we heard knocking at the door. Every one 
 
 6 Ocbino, or Fra Bernardino of Siena, was often called 
 Fra Ambrosio. 
 
78 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 feared it could not be Michelangelo, who lived 
 down below on Monte Cavallo, The servant 
 had met him ; he fell at once into the snare, 
 and it was he who now knocked at the door. 
 
 " The Marchesa rose to receive him, and re- 
 mained standing some time, until she had made 
 him take a place between herself and Tolomei. 
 I seated myself at some little distance from 
 them. At first they were silent ; then, the 
 Marchesa, who could never speak without 
 elevating those with whom she conversed, and 
 even the place where she was, began to lead 
 the conversation with the greatest art upon all 
 possible things, without, however, touching even 
 remotely upon painting. She wished to give 
 Michelangelo confidence. She proceeded, as 
 if approaching an unassailable fortress, so 
 long as he was on his guard. But at last he 
 yielded. 
 
 " ' It is an old experience/ she said, 'that 
 no one can rise against Michelangelo, who 
 would contend against him with his own 
 weapons, that is, with mind and art. And so 
 you will see, there is only one means of having 
 
Vittoria Colo una. jg 
 
 the last word with him, and that is, to speak of 
 law-suits or painting, and he will not say a 
 word more.' 
 
 " * Or rather, I now remarked from my corner/ 
 ' the best means of wearying Michelangelo 
 out, would be simply to let him know I am 
 here, for he has not seen me up to this moment. 
 Of course the surest means of concealing from 
 him anything so unimportant as I am was to 
 come close under his eyes/ 
 
 " ' Pardon, Messer Francesco/ he called out, 
 turning with astonishment towards me, ' it 
 was impossible to see you I saw no one here 
 but the Marchesa. But since you are provi- 
 dentially there, come as a colleague to my 
 help/ 
 
 " ' The Marchesa/ I replied, ' seems, like the 
 sun, to show things to one, but to dazzle 
 another, who looks at her. With you, she is 
 to blame that you have not seen me, and with 
 me she is the cause of my seeing you at all 
 to-day. Who moreover/ I added, ' in discus- 
 sion with her Excellency w T ould have any 
 thoughts left for his neighbour? He needs 
 
8o V it to via Colonna. 
 
 them truly for himself, and for this reason 
 alone/ I concluded, turning to Fra Ambrosio, 
 1 it seemed to me superfluous till now to 
 follow the good counsel of a certain reverend 
 gentleman.' 
 
 " All laughed. Fra Ambrosio rose, took his 
 leave of the Marchesa, greeted us, and left. 
 He has since been among my best friends. 
 
 " ' His Holiness/ said the Marchesa, again 
 renewing the conversation, ' has had the 
 goodness to grant me permission to build a 
 new convent in this immediate neighbourhood, 
 half way up Monte Cavallo, where the tower 
 stands from which Nero looked down on the 
 burning city. The footsteps of pious women 
 are to efface the traces of the wicked. I dont 
 know, Michelangelo, how I shall have the 
 building erected, how large,. and facing which 
 side. The old wall, perhaps, might be still 
 employed/ 
 
 "'Certainly/ he replied; 'the old tower 
 might hold the bells. I see no difficulty in this 
 building. We would, if your Excellency likes, 
 take a view of the place on the way home/ 
 
Vittoi'ia Colonna. 81 
 
 " i I had not ventured to ask this/ answered 
 she, ' but I see the words of our Lord, " Every 
 one that humbleth himself shall be exalted/' 
 are true under all circumstances. But you 
 understand how to give conscientiously where 
 others only lavish at 'random, and therefore your 
 friends rank yourself so much higher than 
 your works, and those who only know your 
 works, and not yourself, value that in you 
 which can only be called perfect on a lower 
 scale. I cannot but admire the manner in 
 which you withdraw yourself from the world, 
 from useless conversation, and from all the 
 offers of princes, who desire paintings from 
 your hand how you avoid it all, and how you 
 have disposed the labour of your life as one 
 single great work/ 
 
 Ui Gracious lady/ replied Michelangelo, 
 ' these are undeserved praises, but as the con- 
 versation has taken this turn, I must here com- 
 plain of the public. ' 
 
 " After this the conversation became general, 
 painting still continuing the topic, till finally 
 Messer Francesco finished an encomium on Italy 
 
 G 
 
82 V T iltoria Colonna. 
 
 and the art contained in it by saying, ' Among 
 so many princes and nobles, one alone, how- 
 ever, has gained the surname of the divine 
 one painter only, and that is Michelangelo ! ' 
 
 " ' You speak like a good Italian, and as if 
 you had been born among us/ said the Mar- 
 chesa, as I finished. And then she began a 
 eulogium about painting ; she spoke of its en- 
 nobling influence upon a people ; how it led 
 them to piety, to glory, to greatness, until the 
 tears came into her eyes from the emotion 
 within. Thus passed the time. It had be- 
 come late. Michelangelo first rose. The 
 Marchesa stood up. I begged her to grant me 
 the happiness of being allowed to appear at 
 this reunion again on the following Sunday. 
 She acceded to my request, and Michelangelo 
 promised to come. We accompanied them to 
 the gates. Tolomei went with Michelangelo, 
 and I with the Marchesa, from San Silvestro up 
 to the monastery where the head of St. John 
 the Baptist is preserved, and where she lived. 
 From there I set out on the way home." 
 
 The next Sunday's meeting is not related, 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 83 
 
 but Vittoria was absent from it. She granted, 
 however, a special audience to Francesco, but 
 the account of this has not come down to us. 
 
 From the time when Vittoria and Michel- 
 angelo first met, their intercourse and friend- 
 ship had gone on with increasing and elevating 
 vigour ; and these years may assuredly be 
 looked upon as the happiest in the whole of 
 Michelangelo's long life. Then came the 
 revolution of 1541, and all was changed. The 
 party to which Vittoria belonged, and whose 
 success at one moment appeared certain, failed 
 in their efforts. The ' via media ' which they 
 had striven for, had only brought suspicion 
 upon them from the Lutherans, and accusations 
 of heresy from Caraffa and his followers. 
 Caraffa was now all-powerful in Rome, and 
 consequently his opponents could no longer 
 find a home there. Contarini and Pole had 
 both left Rome, and Vittoria determined to 
 follow the latter to Viterbo. 7 Here she lodged 
 
 7 Cardinal Reginald Pole was born in March, 1500, in 
 the county of Stafford. He became, in turn, Archbishop of 
 Canterbury and Apostolic Legate in England. On com- 
 
 G 2 
 
84 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 in the convent of Sta. Caterina, and endea- 
 voured to gather round her some of her old 
 friends, no longer though in the close and 
 familiar intercourse of former days. That was 
 over and past, and her aim was only to escape 
 unnoticed from the hostility of those attacks 
 which pursued her even in her retreat. 
 
 In the following year that circle of friends 
 was narrowed by the death of " the learned and 
 saint-like Venetian, " Cardinal Contarini, 8 and 
 
 pleting his studies at Oxford he went to Italy, and passed 
 five years at Padua ; and after visiting the chief towns in 
 Italy he returned to England. He chose exile rather than 
 submit to Henry VIII.'s declaration of himself as head of 
 the English Church; and he further incurred his royal 
 cousin's displeasure on the question of Henry's divorce 
 with Katharine of Aragon. He took refuge in Italy, and 
 on refusing to change his opinions as to the King's marriage, 
 Henry deprived him of his livings and emoluments. To 
 compensate him for his losses, Paul III. raised him to the 
 cardinalate, and sent him as Papal Legate to France, and 
 afterwards to Flanders. The remainder of his life was spent 
 for the most part at Viterbo. 
 
 8 Contarini died in August, 1542, at Bologna, of which 
 town he was governor. He was a Venetian senator, held 
 in high esteem by Charles V., and beloved by all who knew 
 him for his frankness, goodness, and true nobility of cha- 
 racter. He was renowned, too, for learning, for his interest 
 in philosophy, and was a most diligent student of Aristotle. 
 
Vittoi'ia Colonna. 85 
 
 we give the sonnet which Vittoria wrote on this 
 occasion, and sent with a long letter of condo- 
 lence to his sister. In this sonnet she says 
 how Contarini should have been made Pope 
 to render the age happy. 
 
 Scarce do I see far off some tiny spray 
 Of budding hope appear, some flower unclose 
 Potent to stay our tears, to soothe our woes, 
 But envious Death straight snatcheth it away. 
 The noble spirit that from mortal clay 
 Set free, on safer shore now seeks repose, 
 To our loved land, triumphant o'er her foes, 
 Might have fulfilled the so much sighed-for day, 
 
 And Tiber's ancient glories brought again ; 
 For had the fit reward his toils repaid, 
 With every grace and every virtue crown'd, 
 
 9 Non prima e da lontan picciola fronde 
 Scorgo di verde speme, ne si viva 
 Che agli occhi il pianto, e '1 duol al cor prescriva, 
 Ch' invida morte subito Y asconde. 
 Potean le grazie e le virtu profonde 
 DelP alma bella, di vil core schiva 
 Ch' or prese il volo a piii sicura riva, 
 Vincendo queste irate e torbid' onde 
 
 Rendere al Tebro ogni sua gloria antica ; 
 E air alma patria di trionfi ornata 
 Recar quel tanto sospirato giorno 
 
86 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Passing securely o'er the angry main, 
 
 This age of ours he happy might have made 
 
 By Peter's mighty mantle compass'd round. 
 
 Another blow fell on her and on Pole in the 
 fact of Ochino's full avowal of Luther's doc- 
 trines. Vittoria had upheld him to the utmost, 
 and in consequence the supervision kept over 
 her by the Inquisition was of the strictest. 
 She had to submit to the ruling powers, and 
 Ochino's apology, written to her at Viterbo as 
 to an old friend, she deemed prudent to send 
 to the authorities in Rome. 
 
 While absent from Rome she wrote often to 
 Michelangelo, and he on his part wrote so 
 frequently that she checked his too-fluent pen 
 in these words : " Should you continue our 
 correspondence with such ardour, you will 
 cause me to miss attending the service with 
 the sisters in the chapel of St. Catherine of an 
 evening, and yourself from starting early to 
 work at St. Peter's. And in this case, one will 
 
 Che, pareggiando il merto alia fatica, 
 Facesse questa eta nostra beata 
 Del gran manto di Pier coperta intorno. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 87 
 
 be wanting towards the brides of Christ, and the 
 other towards his vicar.'' * 
 
 She was also in the habit of sending him 
 any of her new writings, which he had bound 
 up in a volume of her poems which she had 
 presented to him w r hen departing for Viterbo. 
 It would appear to be this to which he refers 
 in the second of the sonnets he addressed to 
 her, the translation of which is as follows : 2 
 
 Seeking at least to be not all unfit 
 
 For thy sublime and boundless courtesy, 
 
 My lowly thoughts at first were fain to try 
 
 What they could yield for grace so infinite. 
 
 But now I know my unassisted wit 
 
 Is all too weak to make me soar so high ; 
 
 1 " Che volendo continuarla con tanto calore, essa manche- 
 rebbe di stare la sera con le suore nella cappella di Sta. 
 Caterina, ed egli di andare di buon' ora a lavorare a San 
 Pietro ; e cosi l'una mancherebbe alle spose di Cristo, e 
 1' altro al vicario." 
 
 2 By kind permission of Mr. Symonds. 
 
 3 Per esser manco almen, signioria, indegnio 
 
 Dell' immensa vostr' alta cortesia, 
 Prima, air incontro a quella, usar la mia 
 Con tutto il cor volse '1 mie basso ingegnio. 
 Ma vista poi c' ascendere a quel segnio 
 Proprio valor non e c' apra la via, 
 
88 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 For pardon, lady, for this fault I cry, 
 And wiser still I grow remembering it. 
 
 Yea, well I see what folly 'twere to think 
 
 That largess dropp'd from thee like dews from 
 
 heaven 
 Could e'er be paid by w r ork so frail as mine ! 
 To nothingness my art and talent sink ; 
 He fails who from his mortal stores hath given 
 A thousandfold to match one gift divine. 
 
 Her writings were eagerly looked for and 
 read in Italy. The first edition was published 
 during her lifetime, and without her know- 
 ledge, at Parma, in 1538. Five editions followed 
 in ten years, and the demand for fresh publica- 
 tions still continued. 
 
 Perdon domanda la mia colpa ria, 
 E del fallir piu saggio ognior divegnio. 
 
 E veggio ben com' erra, s 'alcun crede 
 
 La grazia, che da voi divina piove, 
 
 Pareggi V opra mia caduca e frale. 
 L' ingegnio e 1' arte e la memoria cede ; 
 
 C un don celeste mai con mille pruove 
 
 Pagar puo sol del suo chi e mortale.* 
 
 # "Le Rime di Michelangelo Buonarotti, cavate dagli 
 autographi e pubblicate da Cesare Guasti." Firenze, 1863. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 89 
 
 Towards the close of this year Vittoria left 
 Viterbo, and returned to Rome, where her meet- 
 ing with Michelangelo must have been a sad one. 
 She had gone through a severe illness, and 
 came with shattered health and spirits prostrated 
 by the ruin of her family, for though a real and 
 humble servant of God and the Church, she re- 
 mained to the last a Colonna, a daughter of one 
 of the first and proudest families of Italy. That 
 family were at this moment far from prosperous. 
 Paul III. had deprived Ascanio of most of his 
 territories, and the Papal War against the 
 Colonna in 1541, had been entirely to the 
 advantage of the Pope. Vittoria addressed a 
 sonnet to Paul, in which she endeavours to 
 instil milder thoughts in the mind of the 
 Pontiff. 
 
 4 My country's open plains gleam on my view 
 With war overspread. Laughter is turn'd to woe, 
 And happy song to cadence sad and slow 
 There where the earliest breath of life I drew. 
 
 4 Veggio rilucer sol di armate squadre 
 
 I miei si larghi cam pi, ed odo il canto 
 Rivolto in grido e '1 dolce riso in pianto 
 La Ve io prima toccai l'.antica madre. 
 
90 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 By noble deeds, cause that thy heart anew 
 With mild desires, O shepherd wise, may flow, 
 Thy sacerdotal robe put on to show 
 Thyself the first Pope's own successor true. 
 
 If wrath does not conceal the truth from thee, 
 We 'mongst your oldest sons may claim a place, 
 And for our worth were wont beloved to be. 
 Born of one womb, 'neath one sky's starry space, 
 Under the self-same city's pleasant shade 
 Our common ancestors one home have made. 
 
 Vittoria found none of her kinsfolk in Rome, 
 and so retired to the convent of St. Anna 
 de* Fumari (now de' Falegnami), and here, 
 says Visconti, " In religious silence, absorbed 
 more than ever in contemplation of divine 
 
 Deh, mostrate con 1' opre alte e leggiadre 
 Le voglie umili, o pastor saggio e santo ! 
 Vestite il sacro glorioso manto, 
 Come buon successor del primo padre. 
 
 Semo, se '1 vero in voi non copre o adombra 
 Lo sdegno, pur di quei piu antichi vostri 
 Figli, e da' buoni per lungo uso amati ! 
 
 Sotto un sol cielo, entro un sol grembo nati 
 Sono e nudriti insieme alia dolce ombra 
 D' una sola cittfi gli avoli nostri. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 91 
 
 sweetness, she composed her last poems, which 
 breathe truly an air of blessed happiness. " The 
 last years of her life were passed in this con- 
 vent, and during this time w T ere composed the 
 greater part of the u Rime Sacre e Morali." 
 
 Her health, which had been failing for some 
 time, received a cruel shock in the death of 
 her adopted son the Marchese del Vasto. 5 This 
 happened in March, 1546. The Marchese had 
 been appointed to the command of the infantry 
 on that ill-advised expedition which Charles V. 
 led in person into Africa, and there, in the 
 flower of his age, he died. Vittoria wrote the 
 following sonnet on his death, and we seem to 
 trace her prostration of mind and body in the 
 less poetic rendering of the sonnet : 
 
 6 If your own mother true, my Lord and Son, 
 A captive lived, from her would not be ta'en 
 
 5 According to Brantome, the Marchese del Vasto was : 
 11 A handsome man, and exceeding gallant ; very particular 
 as to dress, and, whether at peace or at war, made so strong 
 a use of perfumes that even his horse's saddle smelt of 
 essences." 
 
 6 Figlio e signor, se la tua prima e vera 
 
 Madre vive prigion, non V e gia tolto 
 
92 V it to Ha Co Ion net. 
 
 Her soul and spirit wise, and in their train 
 Th' unconquered host of virtues every one. 
 But I, who with such links for aye have done, 
 While earth's most narrow plot does now retain 
 My heart, I crave a glance from thee again, 
 Lest thy new mother should by death be won. 
 
 Thou in the spacious fields of heaven dost now 
 In glory walk ; no darkness there can be, 
 To hinder or retard thy speedy race. 
 Old and enfeebled am I grown. Do thou, 
 Who art with heavenly radiance fill'd, for me 
 Humbly implore th' Eternal Father's grace. 
 
 Her health was most seriously affected by 
 this blow, and early in the next year she was 
 removed in an almost dying condition from the 
 
 L' anima saggia, o '1 chiaro spirto sciolto, 
 Ne di tante virtu V invitta schiera. 
 A me, che sembro andar scarca e leggiera 
 E'n poca terra ho il cor chiuso e sepolto, 
 Convien ch' abbi talor V occhio rivolto, 
 Che la novella tua madre non pera. 
 
 Tu par gli aperti spaziosi cam pi 
 
 Del ciel camming e non piii nebbia o pietra 
 Ritarda o ingombra il tuo spedito corso. 
 
 Io grave d' anni agghiaccio. Or tu ch' avvampi 
 D' alma fiamma celeste, umil m' impetra 
 Dal comun Padre eterno omai soccorso.- 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 93 
 
 convent to the palace of Giuliano Cesarini, 
 husband of Giulia Colonna, and the only one 
 of her family then in Rome. Cardinal Pole, 
 whom she had named as one of her executors, 
 had been sent for, but before he came, she 
 breathed her last on the 25th February, 1547. 
 
 Michelangelo saw her up to the last, and 
 was so affected by her death, that, as Condivi 
 relates, he nearly lost his senses. (Per la 
 costei morte piii se ne stette sbigottito e come 
 insensate) The last thing he had drawn for 
 her was a Madonna, sitting at the foot of the 
 cross, while upon the triangle above it denoting 
 the Trinity, were inscribed those words of 
 Dante, " Non vi si pensa quanto sangue costa." 6 
 He composed four sonnets on her death, the 
 first of which we select 7 : 
 
 9 When my rude hammer to the stubborn stone 
 Gives human shape, now that, now this, at will ; 
 
 7 " They think not there how much of blood it costs." Par. 
 xxix. 91. Longfellow's translation. 
 
 8 Mr. Symonds's translation. 
 
 9 Se '1 mie rozzo martello i duri sassi 
 
 Forma d' uman aspetto or questo, or quello, 
 
94 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Following his hand who wields and guides it still, 
 
 It moves upon another's feet alone : 
 
 But that which dwells in Heaven, the world doth fill 
 
 With beauty by pure motions of its own ; 
 
 And since tools fashion tools which else were none, 
 
 Its life makes all that lives with living skill. 
 
 Now, for that every stroke excels the more 
 
 The higher at the forge it doth ascend, 
 
 Her soul that fashioned mine hath sought the skies: 
 
 Wherefore unfinished I must meet my end, 
 
 If God, the great Artificer, denies 
 
 That aid which was unique on earth before. 
 
 As we have seen from Condivi, he went to 
 see her on her deathbed, and came away in 
 tears lamenting that he had only kissed her 
 
 Dal ministro, ch' el guida iscorgie e tiello, 
 Prendendo il moto, va con gli altrui passi : 
 Ma quel divin, ch' in cielo alberga e stassi, 
 Altri, e se piti, col proprio andar fa bello ; 
 E se nessun martel senza martello 
 Si pub far, da quel vivo ogni altro fassi. 
 
 E perche '1 colpo e di valor piu pieno 
 Quant' alza piu se stesso alia fucina, 
 Sopra '1 mie, questo a ciel n' e gito a volo. 
 
 Onde a me non finito verrk meno, 
 S' or non gli dk la fabbrica divina 
 Aiuto a farlo, c' al mondo era solo. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 95 
 
 hand, and not her face and forehead as well. 
 The only thought that consoled him was that 
 his own career was near its close. He was 
 seventy years old, and nothing could com- 
 pensate for the loss of such a friend as Vittoria 
 had been to him. Their lives had journeyed 
 on through ten years together, and the ex- 
 periences and troubles that befell him had been 
 known and shared by her. So the darkness 
 fell with redoubled gloom, and settled for ever 
 on the waning days of his earthly life. 
 
 Vittoria appointed her brother Ascanio her 
 chief heir; Cardinal Pole being, as we have 
 said, one of the executors. In her will she 
 provided for her servants. She bequeathed 
 legacies of a thousand scudi * to the four con- 
 vents which had sheltered her at different times, 
 St. Anna and St. Silvestro in Rome, St. Paolo 
 at Orvieto, and Sta. Caterina at Viterbo. To 
 Cardinal Pole she left nine thousand scudi. 2 " Ita 
 
 1 The Roman scudo was worth five francs. 
 
 2 This legacy the " Cardinal of England/' as he was 
 styled by his contemporaries, Pole presented to Vittoria's 
 niece, who was also called Vittoria. She was the daughter 
 
96 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 testavi ego Vittoria Colonna," is written in her 
 own hand at the end of this document. Her 
 letters were always signed, " Marchesa di Pes- 
 cara. p 
 
 With meekness and humility she desired to 
 be buried without pomp or ceremony, and 
 directed only that her a funeral should be after 
 the manner of those who die in convents." 
 Her wishes were acceded to, and she was laid 
 in the common burial-ground of the nuns of 
 Sant' Anna. No stone points out the spot of 
 her grave, and we may seek in vain for some 
 record of her last resting-place. But an eternal 
 monument exists for us in her poems and 
 writings, and we can ask for no lovelier epitaph 
 than the following sonnet, which sums up in 
 touching words all that we owe to Vittoria 
 Colonna ' 
 
 " Serene, and sad, and still, she sat apart 
 In widow'd saintliness, an unvowed nun, 
 Whose duty to the world without was done ; 
 And yet concealing with unselfish art 
 
 of Ascanio Colonna, and afterwards wife of Don Garzia 
 di Toledo. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 97 
 
 The scars of grief, the pangs of loss, the smart 
 
 Of pain, she sufifer'd not herself to shun 
 
 The hurt, and bruised, and wrong'd, who one by 
 
 one 
 Sought sanctuary of her cloister'd heart. 
 
 But to that loneliest soul who found in her 
 His type of womanhood, supremest set, 
 And knew not whether he should kneel or no, 
 Such sweet strange comfort did she minister, 
 That, were this deed her all, the world would yet 
 Have loved her for the love of Angelo ! " 
 
 H 
 
98 Vittoria Colo 1111a . 
 
 in. 
 
 The " Rivista Moderna," for the year 1878, 
 contains an article of Conte Giuseppe Cam- 
 pori's, in which, speaking of Vittoria Colonna's 
 writings, he says, " that in order to form a fair 
 judgment of her poetical merits, one must 
 equally avoid the exaggerated praises of the 
 * litterati ' of her age, and the severe criticism 
 that has been passed in modern times. Not 
 all her compositions," he goes on to say, "are 
 first rate, some indeed do not rise above medio- 
 crity, added to which, the want of variety is 
 apt to engender weariness to the reader. On 
 the other hand, the elegance of the versifica- 
 tion, the delicacy, and sometimes the origina- 
 lity of ideas, the blending of passionate and 
 melancholy sentiment in her poems, explain the 
 esteem in which they were held by contem- 
 poraries, together with the frequent demands 
 made for new editions. Of her prose com- 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 99 
 
 positions, two only are known to us, and are 
 short works on religious subjects. Her letters 
 are written in haste, without date, and, with 
 few exceptions, without study or care. 1 
 
 In order that the reader may form his own 
 opinion on Vittoria's sonnets, I have endea- 
 voured to give some of those which seem to 
 justify Campori's judgment, for " elegance " 
 and " delicacy of idea," but which were omitted 
 from her history, as having no bearing on the 
 events of her life. The influence exercised on 
 her by Petrarch is visible in many of her son- 
 nets, perhaps nowhere so strongly as in the 
 following : 
 
 2 How limpid were the waves, how smooth the sea, 
 What time my bark sped forth upon her way ! 
 Within her hold what priceless treasures lay ! 
 Pure was the air, the breezes follow'd free : 
 
 1 " Atti e Memorie delle R. R. Deputazioni di Storia 
 Patria, per le provincie dell' Emilia. " Vol. iii. Parte 
 Seconda. Modena, 1878. 
 
 2 Oh che tranquillo mar, oh che chiare onde 
 Solcava gia la mia spalinata barca, 
 Di ricca e nobil merce adorna e carca, 
 Con V aer puro e con 1' aure seconde i 
 
 H 2 
 
ioo Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Heaven that now hides her glorious lights from me 
 Serene and cloudless usher'd in the day. 
 Needs must he fear whose life's dawn breaks too gay : 
 Setting with rising seldom shall agree. 
 
 And lo ! how Fortune, fickle and unkind, 
 A frowning, angry visage towards me shows, 
 Whose fury sets the elements at war ; 
 Lightnings she joins with rain and raging wind, 
 The monsters of the deep around me close : 
 Yet still my soul discerns the faithful star. 
 
 That Vittoria was also influenced by Dante 
 is visible in some of her sonnets, and I have 
 selected one which echoes almost the same 
 words and ideas that Francesca da Rimini has 
 made familiar to every reader of the Divine 
 Comedy : 
 
 II ciel, ch' ora i bei vaghi lumi asconde, 
 Porgea serena luce e d' ombra scarca ; 
 Ahi quanto ha da temer chi lieto varca ! 
 Che non sempre al principio il fin risponde. 
 
 Ecco 1' empia e volubile fortuna 
 Scoperse poi V irata iniqua fronte, 
 Dal cui furor s\ gran procella insorge. 
 
 Venti, pioggia, saette, insieme aduna, 
 E fiere intorno a divorarmi pronte : 
 Ma 1' alma ancor la fida Stella scorge. 
 
Vittoj'ia Colonna. 101 
 
 What lofty aims, what dulcet thoughts and dear 
 Nourish'd in me that sun, that drove away 
 The gathering clouds, and radiant made the day 
 Which now where'er I turn shows dull and drear. 
 How grateful was the sigh, how sweet the tear 
 That came to me in this his transient stay ; 
 For then his parlance wise, his aspect gay, 
 Solaced my hopes, and well-nigh quell'd my fear. 
 
 Quench'd now I see that valour, spent and dead 
 That genial worth, and in the common woe 
 Confused and sad the noblest minds are left. 
 For when from earth he pass'd, there with him fled 
 The high heroic aims of long ago ; 
 And of all good my spirit was bereft. 
 
 3 Quanti dolci pensieri, alti disiri 
 
 Nodriva in me quel sol che d' ogn' intorno 
 Sgombro le nubi, e fe' qui chiaro il giorno, 
 Ch' or tenebroso scorgo ovunque io miri ! 
 Soave il lagrimar, grati i sospiri 
 
 Mi rese in questo suo breve soggiorno ; 
 Che al parlar saggio ed alio sguardo adorno 
 S' acquetavano in parte i miei martiri. 
 
 Veggio or spento il valor, morte e smarrite 
 L' alme virtuti, e le piu nobil menti 
 Per lo danno comun meste e confuse. 
 
 Al suo sparir dal mondo son fuggite 
 Di quel' antico onor le voglie ardenti, 
 E le mie d' ogni ben per sempre escluse. 
 
102 Vittoria Colo una. 
 
 " Her sonnets," says Symonds, u penetrated 
 by genuine feeling, and almost wholly free 
 from literary affectation, have that dignity and 
 sweetness which belong to the spontaneous 
 utterance of a noble heart." And he further 
 goes on to say, how those of a religious 
 character " have in general the same simplicity 
 and sincerity of style." 4 In some of them the 
 proof of her Romanism is clearly set forth by 
 her invocation of the Madonna and St. Francis ; 
 in others again (and of these I add two 
 examples) she turns to the cross of Christ with 
 all the fervour of deep piety : 
 
 5 When on my many sins I gaze intent, 
 From God the Father then my face I hide 
 In shame, and unto Thee, who for us died 
 On cross of Calvary, my heart is bent. 
 Thy love and wounds to me a shield have lent 
 To turn all past and present wrath aside. 
 
 4 u Italian Literature." Chap, xiii., pp. 294, 295. 
 
 5 Quand' io riguardo il mio si grave err ore, 
 
 Confusa al Padre Eterno il volto indegno 
 Non ergo allor, ma a te, che sovra il legno 
 Per noi moristi, volgo il fedel core. 
 Scudo delle tue piaghe e del tuo amore 
 Mi fo contra P antico e novo sdegno. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 103 
 
 Thou art to me a sure and precious guide, 
 Who our deep woes hast turn'd to glad content. 
 
 For us Thou didst entreat in death's dread hour 
 Saying, " I would, O Father, that above 
 Be those who trust in Me." Whence my soul free 
 From earthly fears acknowledges the power 
 Of that pure zeal, which led Thee in Thy love 
 To crucify my sins upon Thy tree. 
 
 Sometimes our thoughts are bent on the great Son 
 Upon the cross, by faith inspired, whence light 
 Calm and serene streams down in radiance bright, 
 Leading them glorious to th' Almighty's throne. 
 
 Tu sei mio vero prezioso pegno, 
 
 Che volgi in speme e gioia, ansia e timore. 
 
 Per noi su 1' ore estreme umil pregasti, 
 
 Dicendo : Io voglio, o Padre, unito in cielo 
 Chi crede in me, si ch' or 1' alma non teme. 
 
 Crede ella e scorge tua merce, quel zelo 
 Del quale ardesti si, che consumasti 
 Te stesso in croce e le mie colpe insieme. 
 
 Vanno i pensier talor carchi di vera 
 
 Fede al gran Figlio in croce ; ed indi quella 
 Luce, ch' ei porge lor serena e bella, 
 Gli guida al Padre in gloriosa schiera. 
 
104 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Now in the faithful soul, this favour done 
 Will cause no pride to dwell, who has in fight 
 Prevail'd, putting the world and self to flight, 
 But all the honour gives to God alone. 
 
 No wings unwafted by celestial wind 
 Can reach those far-off heights, no eye avail 
 To see the upward path without Heaven's ray. 
 Our works are vain, and all our wills are blind 
 At the first flight our mortal pinions fail, 
 Unless in Christ we find our help and stay. 
 
 The following sonnet will serve as an example 
 of Vittoria's lighter style, with greater play of 
 fancy than in the foregoing ones : 
 
 6 The hungry nestling when he sees and hears 
 His mother's wings beat round him as she flies 
 
 Ne quest' almo favor rende piu. altera 
 L' alma fedel, poiche fatta e rubella 
 Del mondo e di se stessa, anzi rende ella 
 A Dio dell' onor suo la gloria intera. 
 
 Non giungon V umane ali all' alto segno 
 Senza il vento divin, ne 1' occhio scopre 
 II bel destro sentier senza '1 gran lume. 
 
 Cieco e '1 nostro voler, vane son V opre, 
 Cadono al primo vol le mortal piume 
 Senza quel di Gesii fermo sostegno. 
 
 * Qual digiuno augellin, che vede ed ode 
 Batter 1' ali alia madre intorno, quando 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 105 
 
 To fetch him food, with glad and eager eyes 
 Welcomes her coming and the gift she bears ; 
 And to requite her for her tender cares, 
 Flapping and fluttering round the nest, he tries 
 To join her flight ; his tongue he then unties 
 And bursting into song his love declares. 
 
 So I, what time the warm and quickening ray 
 Of that fair sun, whereon my life is fed, 
 With more than wonted brightness on me shines, 
 Lost in delight, scarce knowing what I say, 
 With trembling pen by inward love am led 
 To write his praises in my faltering lines. 
 
 The following three sonnets, though not of 
 such grace as some others by Vittoria, are of 
 
 Gli reca il nutrimento, ond' egli, amando 
 II cibo e quella, si rallegra e gode, 
 E dentro al nido suo si strugge e rode 
 Per desio di seguirla anch' ei volando, 
 E la ringrazia in tal modo cantando 
 Che par ch' oltre '1 poter la lingua snode ; 
 
 Tal io qualor il caldo raggio e vivo 
 Del divin sole, onde nutrisco il core, 
 Piii dell' usato lucido lampeggia, 
 
 Muovo la penna spinta dalP amore 
 Interno ; e senza ch' io stessa m' avveggia 
 Di quel ch' io dico, le sue lodi scrivo 
 
io6 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 interest as being now published for the first 
 time. 7 
 
 8 Almighty Lord, whose loving care would show 
 To us the load of sin and all its stain ; 
 Whilst Thy blest zeal, which doth dispel our vain 
 Desires, and unto us would grace bestow 
 So full and free that every soul below 
 Self-honouring, Thy worship might attain 
 In purest faith. O gentle Sun, maintain 
 And succour this my soul by sin brought low. 
 
 And though my sins in youth I do confess 
 Have countless been, and in the days of old 
 The time misspent has caused Thee sore distress, 
 
 1 I owe these sonnets to the researches of Signor Pro- 
 fessore Wiel, and they are to be found in the Marciana 
 Codice CCC, Class IX., in the Appendix of the Italian 
 Catalogue, Venice. 
 
 8 Alto Signor, la cui picta m' insegna 
 
 Quanto de' nostri error gl' incresce (sic /) e dole, 
 Mentre il tuo santo ardor, per err' ogni fole 
 Pensier lasciam, c' infondi ch* in noi vegna 
 Quella bonta, ch' ogni alma di se degna 
 Fece ch' il tuo bel nome onora, e cole 
 Con pura fede : o chiaro almo mio sole, 
 - Questa mia peccatrice erga e sostegna. 
 
 E quantunque infinite, ch' io nol nego 
 Fosser le giovanil mie colpe, e tanto 
 T' offendesser gli gia mal spesi giorni ; 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 107 
 
 May'st Thou in pardoning love our guilt enfold ; 
 Whilst I implore in penitence and tears 
 Thy grace to find Thee in my better years. 
 
 9 On the Death of Sannazzaro. 
 
 If in that age so wondrous and so fair, 
 Named for its worth the century of gold, 
 Virgil was born, and all that happy fold 
 Of souls, in glory wrapt and freed from care 
 The stars have given, in courteous grace to share, 
 To us Sannazzaro ; whose matchless, bold, 
 And varied style, excels all those of old 
 Who on their foreheads did the laurel wear. 
 
 Tu die si a' nostri error sei facil, priego 
 Mi dona, ond' io contrita in doglia, in pianto, 
 Almen nei miglior anni a te ritorni. 
 
 9 Nella Morte del Sannazzaro. 
 
 Se a quell a gloriosa e bella etade 
 Che '1 nome meritb del secol d' oro 
 Nacque Virgilio, e quel sacrato coro 
 Di tante altre felici alme beate, 
 
 Dato han le stelle a noi cortes' e grate 
 L' unico Sannazzaro, il cui sonoro 
 Leggiadro stil vince chi mai d' alloro 
 Fu degno aver ambe le tempie ornate. 
 
io8 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Death has removed him hence, and envious heaven 
 Adorned by him, is glad that to the state 
 Where Virgil has attained, he now is even. 
 This one his native town and stream made great, 
 And Naples by that other gains to fame ; 
 While Sebeto will sing his deathless name. 
 
 1 To the Duke of Mantua. 
 
 The Muses seek for wreaths of laurel bright, 
 And Helicon in hues of richest dyes 
 Apollo gilds, whilst flowers in sweet supplies 
 Life-giving Flora spreads on every height 
 For you, my lord ; so 'mid those minds of might 
 For whose renown with us Parnassus vies, 
 
 Morte 1' ha tolto poi, e '1 cielo avaro 
 Di lui s' adorna, ma piu ch' altro lieto, 
 Gode in vedersi al gran Virgilio eguale. 
 
 Quel Mantoa illustra, e fa '1 suo Mincio chiaro ; 
 Questi Napoli onora, e il bel Sebeto 
 Fara non men famoso ed immortale. 
 
 1 Al Duca di Mantova. 
 
 Cercan le Muse i piu pregiati allori, 
 Orna Apollo Elicona e V incolora 
 Delle piu rare gemme, e V alma Flora 
 Apre d' intorno ai monti i piu bei fiori 
 
 Per voi, Signor, poi tra quei grandi autori 
 Di cui Parnasso e nostra eta si onori, 
 
Vittoria Colonna. 109 
 
 Like to Aurora flashing through dark skies, 
 Our glorious heroes shine with lasting light. 
 
 So ere you quit this earth a double crown 
 Shall deck your brow, and unto you belong 
 A twofold gift of glory and renown ; 
 Fame, both in war, and history's bright song 
 Shall be your meed ; so that my sun on high 
 Will hear your praises reach the starry sky. 
 
 The following translation of Ariosto's 2 praises 
 of Vittoria (to which allusion has been made at 
 page 57) is that of Sir John Harington, from 
 the folio edition, London, 1634 : 
 
 Shall I then all omit ? that were not well, 
 Sith that to please them all I do desire : 
 Then will I chuse some one, that doth excell 
 The rest so farre, as none may dare envie her ; 
 
 Come nel ciel oscur fulge 1' Aurora, 
 Lampeggian nostri illustri eterni onori. 
 
 Del gemino valor perpetua gloria 
 Vi veggio aver, e pria di cangiar pelo 
 D' ambe corone ornar la tempie belle 
 E or la spada, or lo stil di chiara istoria 
 Vi faran degno, onde '1 mio sole 'n cielo 
 Sente che '1 vostro onor giugne alle stelle. 
 "Orlando Furioso," Canto xxxvii. stanzas 16 20 (in 
 the translation 10 14). 
 
1 10 Vittoria Colonna. 
 
 Whose name doth in such height of honour dwell, 
 As hard it is, for any to come nye her, 
 Whose learned pen such priviledge can give, 
 As it can make e'en those are dead to live. 
 
 For e'en as Phebus shines on ev'rie star, 
 Yet on his sister caste his fairest light, 
 So eloquence and grace ay shining are, 
 Much more on her, than any other wight ; 
 And maketh her to passe the rest as farre, 
 As Phebe doth the other starrs in night, 
 Her light so splendent is, and so divine, 
 As makes another Sunne on earth to shine. 
 
 Vittoria is her name, a most fit name, 
 
 For one in triumphs borne, in triumphs bred, 
 
 That passeth Artimesia in the fame 
 
 Of doing honour to her husband ded ; 
 
 For though she did erect a wondrous frame, 
 
 For her Mausolio, with a Pyramed, 
 
 Yet which is more, to lay the dead in grave 
 
 Or else from death, with learned pen to save. 
 
 If Laodamia, and if Brutus' wife, 
 Argia, Arria, and Evadne chaste, 
 Be to be praised, as they are so rife, 
 Because when as their husbands' dayes were past, 
 They willingly forsooke this mortall life : 
 Then in what height must she of right be plast ? 
 That such a gift unto her spouse doth give, 
 That being dead, she still doth make him live. 
 
Vittoria Colonna. m 
 
 And if the great Macedon envie bare 
 
 Unto Achilles, for Meonian Lyre, 
 
 Much more to noble Francis of Pescara, 
 
 He would have.borne, whose praise is founded hyre 
 
 By such a wife, so virtuous, chast, and rare 
 
 As ev'n thy soule itselfe could not desire 
 
 A louder trumpe thy praises out to sound, 
 
 Sith hardly can a match to this be found. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Lettera dell' Imperatore Carlo V. alla 
 slgnora vlttoria colonna, marchesa 
 di Pescara, per congratularsi della 
 vlttoria riportata dal marito alla bat- 
 taglia di pavia (24 febbo., 1 525) colla 
 risposta della sudditta marches a all' 
 Imperatore. 1 
 
 Estratto dal volume 38 dei Diarii autograft di Marin Sanuto 
 esistenti nella Biblioteca Marciana di Venezia. 
 
 Sanuto Marino Diarii, vol. xxxviii., Co. 260. 
 31 Maggio, 1525. 
 
 Exemplum litterarum Cesar ecz Majestatis ad Illustrissimam 
 Dominant Marchionissam JPischarice et responsio proefatce. 
 Marchionissoe. 
 
 Illustris consanguinea nostra carissima, quum 
 primum allatum nobis est de tarn insigni tarn 
 memorabili victoria quam Deus Optimus Maxi- 
 mus in Insubria nobis adversus Gallos conce- 
 dere dignatus est, certe preter alia multa quae 
 
 1 Published now for the first time. 
 
 I 
 
1 1 4 Appendix. 
 
 jucundissima nobis in mentem veniebant fuit 
 nominis tui recordatio, quam quidem et non 
 parum auxit qui hie agit pro illustri Marchione 
 Tuo conjuge Franciscus Quiterius, convenienti 
 gratulationis tuo nomine functus effecit, Tuum 
 Victoriae nomen auspicatissimum nobis semper 
 redderemus neque in merito cum ex eo genere 
 sis ex ea familia ex qua tarn nos quam maiores 
 nostri non vulgaria quocumque tempore officia 
 reportarunt. Tali vero cum marito coniuncta 
 cuius virtute et re bellica industria atque felici- 
 tate extimemus non minimam tantae victoriae 
 partem constitisse merito, itaque Victoriae victoria 
 gratularis, ex qua intelligere potes tantum in te 
 amplitudinis tantum potentiae et gloriae redun- 
 dare et comodecum nihil tarn magnum sit quod 
 Marchio ipse de nostra gratitudine et liberalitate 
 spectare non possit, tanti vero animum Tuum 
 atque observantia ut pene mariti Tui merita 
 tecum communia judicemus tibique ob id quan- 
 tum est debemus. Vale. 
 
 A tergo : Illustri Victoriae Colonnae Mar- 
 chionissae Pischariae consanguineae nostras 
 carissimae. 
 
Appendix. 1 1 5 
 
 Answer of Letter from Vittoria 
 colonna to the emperor charles v., 
 after the battle of pavia, 1525. 
 
 If our Lord God, in regard of the supreme 
 merit of your Cesarean Majesty, deigned to 
 raise you in such an exalted degree that mighty 
 kings expect from you liberty, and are com- 
 pelled to entreat mercy from you, what boldness 
 should I not show in answering your most 
 kindly letter, did it not create within me light 
 to understand it, and a soul to deserve it. Nor 
 would any one arrogate to himself the desire to 
 serve you, from the need to acquire your favour, 
 but rather to ascribe to you your due, since in 
 you is the supreme summit of all perfection and 
 virtue, where they shine so brilliantly, the whole 
 world is bathed therein. In your goodness 
 every hope is placed, and mortals can look for 
 no higher sign. And since your worth and 
 intelligence suffice in themselves to make you 
 happy and blessed, one need implore only that 
 
 I 2 
 
1 1 6 Appendix. 
 
 you will vouchsafe your own greatness, the 
 fruition of every satisfied will, which all the 
 world owes to you, though it cannot give it. 
 Taking your immense kindness as an acknow- 
 ledged fact, a thing satisfactory to itself, and 
 which supplying the wants of mankind will make 
 you still more worthy of your noble empire. 
 
 But what shall I say of my happiness at 
 having been in the memory of your Cesarean 
 Majesty at a moment w T hen you triumphed over 
 so many nations, when you disposed of so 
 many royal lives, divided kingdoms and pro- 
 vinces, and when the peace of all Christendom 
 and the consequent ruin of the Infidels depended 
 on your judgment ? 
 
 I could not presume to think, but that in 
 the same hour, you would show that you knew 
 how to put down the haughty and exalt the 
 lowly, nor could anything be found so great 
 that would not seem small (compared) to the 
 greatness of your soul, nor anything so minute 
 that your humanity would not accept as large, 
 following in this respect, as in others, that Lord 
 whom you, more than others, represent. 
 
Appendix. 1 1 7 
 
 The services, faith and sincerity of my Lord 
 Marquis, and of my house I hold for such, that 
 unworthy as they are, they should be acceptable 
 to your Cesarean Majesty, and the promise 
 given by you, I desire more as a proof of this 
 than for my unusual cupidity, although your 
 gratitude and liberality always precede every 
 just demand. Nor do I know whether most to 
 value or accept the reward from so great a 
 Prince, or the glory for which you say you are 
 endebted. 
 
 My name I hold in the greatest honour, it 
 having been held as a fortunate omen by your 
 Cesarean Majesty, nor had it been incongruously 
 bestow T ed on me, as I have experienced in past 
 victories obtained over myself. 
 
 Desiring that from such imminent and divers 
 perils, my Lord Marquis should speedily serve 
 your Majesty so as to bring you rest and quiet, 
 I shall ever pray our Lord God for the health of 
 your Cesarean Majesty, so necessary to all the 
 world, and particularly to us, who by this 
 light only are ruled and illuminated. 
 
1 1 8 Appendix. 
 
 RlSPOSTA ALLA DITTA LETTERA. 
 
 Sel nostro Signor Dio rispettando al superno 
 merito di Vostra Cesarea Maesta se degno 
 elevarla in si excelso grado che li potenti re ne 
 aspettano liberta et sono costretti supplicarli 
 mercede, che audacia teneria io de rispondere 
 alia humanissima lettera se da essa medesima 
 non nascesse in me luce per capirla et animo 
 per meritarla, ne hoggi niuno puo arrogarsi 
 tanto che volendo servirla non gli bisogni col 
 suo favore aquistare quanto ad essa vol resti- 
 tuire perche ivi e il sommo columme de ogni 
 perfectione, et virtuti si unite ivi rifulgeno che 
 tutto il mondo ne resta nudato, in la sua bonta 
 convien collocare ogni speranza che piu alto 
 segno non se concede a mortali, et perche in la 
 sola consideratione et intelligentia di se stessa 
 e felice e beata, non convien supplicarli altro 
 se non che poi se li concede la propria gran- 
 dezza, la fruitione d'ogni desiderata voglia qual 
 se deve tutto el mondo et non po darselo, te- 
 nerlo per la sua immensa benignitade per rice- 
 vuto, che cosi satisfera se stessa et supplendo 
 
Appendix. 119 
 
 al mancamento dell' universo lo fara piii merite- 
 vole del degno imperio suo. Ma che diro de la 
 felicita mia, essendo stata ne la memoria de la 
 Vostra Cesarea Maesta in tempo che triumfava 
 de tanti nationi, disponea de le regie vite, repar- 
 tiva le provincie et regni, pendeva dal suo 
 judicio la quiete de tutta la Christianita et la 
 necessaria ruina de infedeli ? Non presumero 
 creder altro se non che in una medesma hora, 
 volesse mostrare che como sapeva debellare li 
 superbi, cosi sapea exaltare li humili, ni cosa 
 cosi grande po trovarse che alia magnitudine 
 del suo animo non sia piccola ne si minima che 
 la humanita sua non la ricevi per grande volendo 
 essere conforme in questo effetto come negli 
 altri a quel signore che piu che mai altri facesse 
 rappresenta. 
 
 Li servicij fede et sincerita del marchese mio 
 signore, et de mia casa tengo per tali che 
 indegnamente sono a Vostra Cesarea Maesta 
 accetti, et la promessa, come dice, desidero piii 
 per testimonio di questo che per insolita 
 cupidita mia, benche la gratitudine et liberalita 
 sua, sempre previene ogni justa dimanda. Ne 
 
120 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 so qual sia piu da extimare o recevere ll premio 
 di tanto gran Principe, o la gloria che dica 
 esserne debitore. 
 
 II nome mio tengo in grandissima stima, 
 essendo da la Cesarea Maesta Vostra preso in 
 augurio felice, ne incongruamente essendomi sta 
 imposto per la vittoria de soi passati conosco 
 haver solo in vincer me stessa usato. De- 
 siderando piu presto con tanti imminentissimi 
 et diversi pericoli chel signor mio marchese 
 servi sua Maesta che venga ad aquietarsi, come 
 preghero sempre nostro Signor Dio per la 
 salute de la Cesarea Maesta Vostra, tanto 
 necessaria a tutto el mondo, et precipue a noi 
 che da solo questo lume siamo retti et illuminati. 
 
 _2Bl 
 
 GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LD., ST. JOHN'S HOUSE, CLERKENWELL ROAD, LONDON. 
 
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