The Duke views a sea battle entertainment, Sanudo prefers the sweets: Sanudo Diaries: October 23, 1530; (54:79-81)

nedits: It took almost two weeks to ready the mock sea battle for the Duke of Milan, but they did and Sanudo went into detail describing it.

Sanudo Diaries: October 23, 1530: (54:79-81); "It was the day designated for the festa and the naval battle [which took place] after dinner. First, the platform in front of the facade of the Ducal Palace that looks toward San Zorzi Mazor [San Giorgio Maggiore] was very nicely decorated, and above the little columns an enclosure was built for the doge and the duke, and both were covered with crimson silk. A beautiful wooden castle was brought on rafts to the middle of the canal and anchored there so it would not move. Soon about a hundred women gathered on the platform, however, their costumes did not exceed the sumptuary law. Then the doge arrived, well accompanied by all the young procurators and other senators both in the Senate and formerly in the Senate -- except that I, Marin Sanudo, did not wish to attend...."

Editor's Footnote: "Perhaps because one month earlier Sanudo's pride had once again been injured by the appointment of Pietro Bembo as historian of Venice. Nevertheless, he was evidently persuaded to join the observers..." p. 79

nedits: Notice also how quick Sanudo is to point out that the ladies' costumes did not exceed cost limitations. The great San Giorgi Maggiore got a complete make-over by none other than Andrea Palladio some forty years after the events here. But the little columns Sanudo refers to are seen along the south side of the Doge's Palace facing, at that time the old San Giorgi Maggiore across the Rialto.

Sanudo Diaries: October 23, 1530: (54:79-81); "Then the compagnia members went to fetch the Duke of Milan, who came with his companions, and when he arrived at the top of the palace stairs, the doge was there, and they went together to the appointed place. And I do not wish to omit from the written record that the whole Piazza was packed with people as far as the Terra Nuova and the entire quay of San Zacaria". [now referred to as Riva degli Schiavoni]

nedits: the editor's say the Terra Nuova, literally 'new land', is where the Sansovino Library is now. p.79

Editors note: "In the naval battle, twenty-four armed brigantines attacked a castle that was defended by a captain and his armed infantry. After the canonical stages of a request to surrender and the defence of the defenders, the assault took place. Clay pots were launched, and there were mock executions until the castle was taken." pp 79-80.

Sanudo Diaries: October 23, 1530: (54:79-81) con't: "Item: two ships were brought into the canal, one belonging to ser Mafio Bernardo del Banco --- and the other of 400 botte [a measure of displacement] belonging to ser Marco Bragadin and ser Nicolo Michiel. This ship is going to Barbary, and I boarded it, and together with this ser Marco Bragadin, I went to watch. These ships and many other watercraft were full of women and men, and so were other large vessels, so that it seemed an armada was gathered in front of San Giorgi Maggiore. There were so many people between there and San Marco and all about that the crowd was estimated at 100,000, not to speak of an infinite number of little boats full of people. The Duke of Ferrara in disguise stayed up above, together with his retinue, on the balcony of the Great Council.

Everyone having gathered, two members of the compagnia had charge of this naval battle: ser Etor Contarini and ser Michiel Salamon, who, wearing their [compagnia] jackets, were on little barges. They proceeded to organize the festa. there were twelve armed brigantines, that is, longboats, on each side, which made twenty-four, each containing artillery, and ladders to breach the castle, and each armada had a captain -- for one, Zuan Papa, and for the other, Francesco de Pozo, both sailors. And in the castle was a captain of infantry called Gatin da Bologna with infantry armed with wooden swords and artillery and enough powder and clay pots to fire.

Now, both armadas  having arrived and surrounded the castle, and those within saluting them by firing their m,muskets and doing other things, two brigantines were sent to request the castle [to surrender], and they responded by showing their weapons. Then one of the armadas approached on one side, and the other on the other, and they began to make general war on the castle, while those inside defended themselves by launching clay posts. And when the ones with the ladders attempted to scale the castle, two were captured and "hanged". After that, the battlements were destroyed, and those inside pushed down the attackers, who fell into the water. In the end, a few valiant ones climbed up the ramparts, and those within retreated with their ensigns to the citadel, which was also then attacked and captured."

Editor's note: "Elaborate as this event appears, it did not satisfy Sanudo's expectations. He was more impressed with the feast that followed and the display of sweets molded into political symbols, the sugared meringues in animal shapes, and the large number of servers:" pp 80-81.

Sanudo Diaries (con't): "And this did not last very long -- there should have been at least one more battle. The castle was taken, but it was in bad shape. After this was finished -- and in my opinion it wasn't successful, this thing that in Greek is called a neumachia and had never happened before -- they began to serve the meal, which was carried out through the main door of the palace. Each member of the compagna had, as presents for each guest, an infinite number of molded sweets. The first was ser Leonardo of Ca' Pesaro, and his was the molded sweet for the duke decorated with a large St Mark's lion an the [Visconti] snake with a Guelf [a longstanding papal supporter] in its mouth. Then came the doge's sweet, a large St Mark's lion bearing the Gritti coat of arms and the ducal corno. Then there were seven St Mark's lions ---. Afterwards, there followed the other members of the compagnia, with various kinds of sugared meringues and certain nymphs with the arms of all the members of the compagnia and other animals made of sugar and various confections: cookies, pine-nut cakes, filled pastries, pistachios, confections, ring-shaped cakes, wafers, flat-bread, etc.; so that there were twenty-three members of the compagnia, with servants in various liveries and especially hats. Among them was a compagnia of German bakers, well dressed, and everything in silver: goblets, salvers, candy dishes, large cups, wine jugs, pots, vessels, and other [containers]. Altogether those who served the meal numbered 250, which made it a magnificent and sumptuous  event, although it was difficult to make space [for the servers]. But the members of the compagnia vigorously wielded clubs, and two people died from the crush. Nevertheless the entire meal took place on the platform, and then, after the little columns had been removed, [the participants], using a stair from the platform, went above to the Signoria, where he [the duke] was presented to everyone, the senators as well as the ladies."

Editor's note: "Sanudo also notes the absence of all ambassadors save that of Milan, for reasons of diplomatic precedence...." p. 81

Sanudo Diaries (con't): "And it should be noted that not one of the ambassadors was at this festa except the Milanese. The reason for this I wrote above: the royal ambassadors did not wish to be seated beneath the duke. Not even the papal legate wished to come. The ambassador of Ferrara did not come; neither the ambassador of Mantua nor the ambassador of Urbino would give way. Before and after the meal, there was dancing on the platform, the women dancing with the members of the compagnia. After the meal, a difference arose between the two captains of the armada over who should get the castle, and it was decided that they should fight each other. And one armada fought the other with wooden swords, which was nice to watch for a while.

At sunset the doge left with the duke. 

A few members of the compagnia accompanied the duke to his lodging, with their trombones and shawms [Editor's Appendix B: "a double reed, straight-bodied wind instrument." p. 551] going on ahead, while the duke greeted everyone.... More than a hundred wax torches were brought onto the platform, where some of the women continued to dance and some took their leave. ... I do not wish to omit that a mot elegant collation was served, but badly apportioned, because the Milanese gentlemen seated on the ladies' viewing platform had nothing, while many senators stuffed their sleeves with confections, to the great chagrin of those who observed them, and among the others was ser Vetor Moresini da San Polo, who stowed away plenty of confections."

All quotes as Sanudo Diaries or Editor's notes or Editor's Footnotes, as well as appendix entries from Venice, Cita Excellentissima, Selection from the Renaissance Diaries of Marin Sanudo translated by Linda L Carroll,  editors: Patricia H LaBalme and Laura Sanguineti White, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008