Two days later came Pope Pius II. on his way to the Congress he had summoned at Mantua to arrange for another crusade. He was received with great honour, and young Sforza made an oration, kneeling in the dust before the Pope. Then Pius seated himself on a gestatory chair and was borne into the city on the shoulders of the lords of Faenza, Rimini, Carpi, and Forli, instead of riding on a mule, which was the usual practice. “This,” observes Cambi, “was a proof of pride, not of holiness.” The old chronicler then describes a tournament in the Piazza S. Croce “for the temporal lords, but many ecclesiastics also went. And on 29th April there was a ball in the Mercato Nuovo, which was enclosed with a stockade surrounded by seats covered with tapestry. Sixty young Florentine gentlemen, who were expert dancers, richly adorned with pearls and jewels, and many pretty maidens and girls who were good dancers, danced; and they changed their dresses several times. All the ambassadors were there and some of the cardinals, and it was calculated that in the seats, in the houses round, and on foot, there were more than 60,000 persons. There was also a great hunt in the Piazza de’ Signori, which was closed all round with a stockade, and inside were turned loose two lions, two horses, four bulls, two young buffaloes, a cow and a calf, a wild boar, a giraffe, with twenty men and a large ball of wood, so made that a man could stand upright inside and roll it about in order to exasperate the animals. But the loud shouts of the people so frightened the lions that they were as though stupefied, many men broke into the enclosure and the lions were as lambs among them. The preparations had been great, and the expense large, but the pleasure given was small.”[69] Contessina de’ Medici _to her son_ Piero _at Venice_ Dearest Son,--This day I have received thy letter saying that thou art well and improving every day, which rejoices me. I think thou must wish for news of Cosimo. Some days ago he had a bad attack of plague. He is ill in bed, but this time he has escaped and now the fever is slight. I hear that thou hast bought the quilts and the ticking, which is well done. If thou wouldst like to send them to Careggi, I [will keep them][70] until thy return. Do as thou wilt. The other family is quite well. It seems to me a thousand years until thy return, and I hear no rumour of it; I do not know how long thy absence will last, which is a grief to me. I say no more at present. May God guard thee.--In Florence on the 21st day June 1459. Mona Contessina.[71] Cosimo de’ Medici _to his son_ Giovanni _at the Baths of Petriolo_