Ferrara was then a gay and bustling town of 100,000 inhabitants, its prince Borso d'Este a most magnificent potentate.
He was a charming talker, with a gay humour and a quiet sarcasm and a telling use of anecdote for argument.
For some years Henrietta Maria's chief interests lay in her young family, and in the amusements of a gay and brilliant court.
He was kindly noticed by Henry Hervey, a gay officer of noble family, who happened to be quartered there.
It was a period of great men and great ideas, of dramatic Period of contrasts of character and opinionon the one side flohena broad humanitarianism combined with a gay enjoy- staufen ment of the world, on the other side an almost super- dynasty.
