n, and,
despite the pouring rain under which he entered the city, the people of
Pesaro thronged the streets to acclaim him as he rode.

He took up his lodgings at the Sforza Palace, so lately vacated by
Giovanni--the palace where Lucrezia Borgia had held her Court when, as
Giovanni's wife, she had been Countess of Pesaro and Cotignola. Early on
the morrow he visited the citadel, which was one of the finest in Italy,
rivalling that of Rimini for strength. On his arrival there, a flourish
of trumpets imposed silence, while the heralds greeted him formally as
Lord of Pesaro. He ordered one of the painters in his train to draw up
plans of the fortress to be sent to the Pope, and issued instructions
for certain repairs and improvements which he considered desirable.

Here in Pesaro came to him the famous Pandolfo Collenuccio, as envoy
from the Duke of Ferrara, to congratulate Cesare upon the victory.
In sending Collenuccio at such a time Ercole d'Este paid the Duke of
Valentinois a subtle, graceful compliment. This distinguished poet,
dramatist, and historian was a native of Pesaro who had been exiled ten
years earlier by Giovanni--which was the tyrant's way of showing his
gratitude to the man who, more than any other, had contributed to
the bastard Sforza's succession to his father as Lord of Pesaro and
Cotignola.

Collenuccio was one of the few literary men of his day who was not above
using the Italian tongue, treating it seriously as a language and not
merely as a debased form of Latin. He was eminent as a juris-consult,
and, being a man of action as well as a man of letters, he had filled
the office of Podesta in various cities; he had found employment under
Lorenzo dei Medici, and latterly under Ercole d'Este, whom we now see
him representing.

Cesare received him with all honour, sending the master of his
household, Ramiro de Lorqua, to greet him on his arrival and to bear
him the usual gifts of welcome, of barley, wine, capons, candles,
sweet-meats, etc., whilst on the morrow the duke gave him audience,
treating him in the friendliest manner, as we see from Collenuccio's
own report to the Duke of Ferrara. In this he says of Cesare: "He is
accounted valiant, joyous, and open-handed, and it is believed that he
holds honest men in great esteem. Harsh in his vengeance, according to
many, he is great of spirit and of ambition, athirst for eminence and
fame."

Collenuccio was reinstated by Cesare in the possessions o