Her royal patrons at last married their fair artist, now arrived to a
mature age, to Don Fabrizio de Moncada, a noble Sicilian, giving her a
dowry of 12,000 ducats and a pension of 1,000, besides many rich
presents in tapestries and jewels. The newly wedded pair retired to
Palermo, where the husband died some years after. Sofonisba was then
invited back to the court of Madrid, but excused herself on account of
her desire to see Cremona and her kindred once more. Embarking for this
purpose on board of a Genoese galley, she was entertained with such
gallant courtesy by the captain, Orazio Lomellini, one of the merchant
princes of the "city of Palaces," that she fell in love with him, and,
according to Soprani, offered him her hand in marriage, which he
accepted. On hearing of her second nuptials, their Catholic Majesties
added 400 crowns to her pension.