hen we consider that, as we have
already said, it is in this same relation that the fiction about Pedro
Caldes finds place and that the guilt of the murder of the Duke of
Gandia is definitely fixed upon Cesare.

(ii) "He ran to the Pope ['Corse dal Papa'] saying that he had been
wounded, and that he knew by whom." A man with a wound in his head
which endangered his life for over a week would hardly be conscious on
receiving it, nor is it to be supposed that, had he been conscious, his
assailants would have departed. It cannot be doubted that they left him
for dead. He was carried into the palace, and we know, from Burchard,
that the Cardinal of Capua gave him absolution in articulo mortis, which
abundantly shows his condition. It is unthinkable that he should have
been able to "run to the Pope," doubtful that he should have been able
to speak; and, if he did, who was it reported his words to the Venetian
ambassador? Capello wisely refrains from saying.

(iii) Lucrezia and Sancia attempt to protect him from poison by
cooking his food in his room. This is quite incredible. Even admitting
the readiness to do so on the part of these princesses, where was the
need, considering the presence of the doctor--admitted by Capello--sent
from Naples and his hunchback assistant?

(iv) "The Pope had him guarded by sixteen men for fear the duke should
kill him." Yet when, according to Capello, the duke comes on his
murderous errand, attended only by Michieli (who has been generally
assumed by writers to have been Don Michele da Corella, one of Cesare's
captains), where were these sixteen guards? Capello mentions the
dismissal only of Lucrezia and Sancia.

(v) "Valentinois...said that what had not been done at breakfast might
be done at supper." It will be observed that Capello never once
considers it necessary to give his authorities for anything that he
states. It becomes, perhaps, more particularly noteworthy than usual in
the case of this reported speech of Cesare's. He omits to say to whom
Cesare addressed those sinister words, and who reported them to him.
The statement is hardly one to be accepted without that very necessary
mention of authorities, nor can we conceive Capello omitting them had he
possessed them.

It will be seen that it is scarcely necessary to go outside of Capello's
own relation for the purpose of traversing the statements contained in
it, so far as the death of Alfonso of Aragon is concerned.