n. He may, to some extent, have
counted upon the fact that, of Cardinal della Rovere's bastard children,
only a daughter--Felice della Rovere--survived. Raffaele, the last of
his bastard boys, had died a year ago. Thus, Cesare may have concluded
that the cardinal having no sons whose fortunes he must advance, would
lack temptation to break faith with him.

From all this it resulted that, at the Conclave of November 1, Giuliano
della Rovere was elected Pope, and took the name of Julius II; whilst
Valentinois, confident now that his future was assured, left the
Castle of Sant' Angelo to take up his residence at the Vatican, in the
Belvedere, with forty gentlemen constituting his suite.

On November 3 Julius II issued briefs to the Romagna, ordering obedience
to Cesare, with whom he was now in daily and friendliest intercourse.

In the Romagna, meanwhile, the disturbances had not only continued, but
they had taken a fresh turn. Venice, having reseated Malatesta on the
throne, now vented at last the covetousness she had ever, herself,
manifested of that dominion, and sent a force to drive him out again and
conquer Rimini for the Republic.

Florence, in a spasm of jealous anger at this, inquired was the Pope to
become the chaplain of Venice, and dispatched Macchiavelli to bear the
tale of these doings to Julius.

Under so much perpetual strife the strength of the Romagna was gradually
crumbling, and Cesare, angry with Florence for never going beyond
lip-service, expressed that anger to Macchiavelli, informing the
ambassador that the Signory could have saved the Romagna for him with a
hundred men-at-arms.

The duke sent for Giustiniani, the ambassador of Venice, who, however,
excused himself and did not go. This within a week of the new Pope's
election, showing already how men discerned what was in store for
Valentinois. Giustiniani wrote to his Government that he had not gone
lest his going should give the duke importance in the eyes of others.(1)
The pettiness and meanness of the man, revealed in that dispatch, will
enable you to attach to Giustiniani the label that belongs to him.

1 "Per non dar materia ad altri che fazino un po di lui mazor estimazion
di quel che fanno quando lo vedessero in parte alcuna
favorito."--Giustiniani, Dispatch of November 6, 1503.

To cheer Valentinois in those days of depression came news that his
subjects of Imola had successfully resisted an attack on the part of the
Venetia