Shortly after this date, we find him attached to the person of Ferrante Sanseverino, Prince of Salerno, one of the chief feudatories and quasi-independent vassals of the Crown of Naples.

In the quality of secretary he attended this patron through the campaign of Tunis in 1535, and accompanied him on all his diplomatic expeditions.
[Footnote 2: He speaks in his letters of the difficulty 'di sottrarre il collo all difficile noioso arduo giogo della servitu dei Principi.' _Lettere Ined._ Bologna, Romagnoli, p.

34.] The Prince of Salerno treated him more as an honored friend and confidential adviser than as a paid official.

His income was good, and leisure was allowed him for the prosecution of his literary studies.

In this flourishing state of his affairs, Bernardo contracted an alliance with Porzia de'Rossi, a lady of a noble house, which came originally from Pistoja, but had been established for some generations in Naples.
She was connected by descent or marriage with the houses of Gambacorti, Caracciolo, and Caraffa.