TULLIA D'ARAGONA.

Born, about 1510. Died, about 1570.

CHAPTER I.
	PAGE
My Lord Cardinal's daughter	1
CHAPTER II.
Aspasia rediviva	10
CHAPTER III.
"All's well, that ends well"	21

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OLYMPIA MORATA.

Born, 1526. Died, 1555.

CHAPTER I.
Good old times in Ferrara.—How a Pope's daughter became a Duchess; bygones were bygones; and Love was still the lord of all	30
CHAPTER II.
Troublous new times in Ferrara.—How a French King's daughter became a Duchess; bygones were aught but bygones; and Mitre and Cowl were lords of all	54
CHAPTER III.
How shall a Pope be saved? with the answer thereto.—How shall our Olympia be saved? To be taken into consideration in a subsequent chapter	77
CHAPTER IV.
"The whirligig of time brings in his revenges."—Still Undine.—The "salvation" question stands over	92
CHAPTER V.
Dark days.—The great question begins to be answered	108
CHAPTER VI.
The question fully answered at last.—Farewell, Ferrara!—Welcome inhospitable Caucasus.—Omne solum forti patria est	122
CHAPTER VII.
At Augsburg; and at WÜrzburg	143
CHAPTER VIII.
The home at Schweinfurth	154
CHAPTER IX.
The makers of history.—The flight from Schweinfurth	168
CHAPTER X.
A new home in Heidelberg; and a last home beneath it.—What is Olympia Morata to us?	182

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ISABELLA ANDREINI.

Born, 1562. Died, 1604.

Italian love for the Theatre.—Italian Dramatic Literature.—Tragedy.—Comedy.—Tiraboschi's notion of it.—Macchiavelli's Mandragola.—Isabella's high standing among her contemporaries.—Her husband.—Her high character.—Death, and Epitaph.—Her writings.—Nature and value of histrionic art	205

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BIANCA CAPPELLO.

Born, 1548. Died, 1587.

CHAPTER I.
The pretty version of the story; and the true version of the same.—St. Mark's Square at Florence.—Bianca's beauty.—The Medici en famille.—The Casino of St. Mark.—The proprieties.—"Cosa di Francesco"	220
CHAPTER II.
A favourite's husband.—The natural course of things.—Italian respectability.—The three brothers, Francesco, Ferdinand, and Pietro.—The ladies of the court.—Francesco's temper—his avarice—and wealth.—Frolicsome days at Florence.—The Cardinal recommends respectability.—The Duke ensures it.—A court dialogue	234
CHAPTER III.
Bianca balances her accounts.—Dangers in her path.—A bold step—and its consequences.—Facilis descensus.—A proud father.—Bianca's witchcraft.—The Cardinal is checkmated, for this game	257
CHAPTER IV.
The Duchess Giovanna and her sorrows.—An heir is born.—Bianca in the shade.—The "Orti Oricellari."—Bianca entertains the Court there.—A summer night's amusement in 1577.—The death of Giovanna	271
CHAPTER V.
What is Francesco to do now?—The Cardinal and Bianca try another fall.—Cardinal down again.—Francesco's vengeance.—What does the Church say?—Bianca at Bologna.—The marriage privately performed.—The Cardinal learns the secret.—The daughtership of St. Mark.—Venetian doings versus Venetian sayings.—Embassy to Florence.—Suppose we could have her crowned!—The marriage publicly solemnised	284
CHAPTER VI.
Bianca's new policy.—New phase of the battle between the woman and the priest.—Serene, or not serene! that is the question.—Bianca protests against sisters.—Death of the child Filippo.—Bianca's troubles and struggles.—The villa of Pratolino.—Francesco's extraordinary mode of life there	303
CHAPTER VII.
The family feeling in Italy.—Who shall be the heir?—Bianca at Cerreto.—Camilla di Martelli.—Don Pietro on the watch.—Bianca at her tricks again.—The Cardinal comes to look after matters.—Was Francesco dupe or accomplice?—Bianca's comedy becomes a very broad farce.—A "Villeggiatura" at Poggio–a–Cajano.—The Cardinal wins the game	317
CHAPTER VIII.
Three hypotheses respecting the deaths of Francesco and Bianca.—The official version of the story.—The Novelist's version of the story.—A third possibility.—Circumstances that followed the two deaths.—Bianca's grave; and epitaphs for it by the Florentines.—Ferdinand's final success	333

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OLYMPIA PAMFILI.

Born, 1594. Died, 1656.

Pope Joan rediviva.—Olympia's outlook on life.—Her mode of "opening the oyster."—She succeeds in opening it.—Olympia's son.—Olympia at home in the Vatican.—Her trade.—A Cardinal's escape from the purple.—Olympia under a cloud. Is once more at the head of the field; and in at the death.—A Conclave.—Olympia's star wanes.—Poena pede claudo	346

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ELISABETTA SIRANI.

Born, 1638. Died, 1665.

CHAPTER I.
Her life	366
CHAPTER II.
Her death	379

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LA CORILLA.

Born, 1740. Died, 1800.

CHAPTER I.
The apprenticeship to the laurel	393
CHAPTER II.
The coronation	403
Appendix	417
Notes	429
Index	437