rance himself. The news from Naples was
disquieting; serious differences had already occurred between the Count
of Armagnac and Gonzalva di Cordova, and Louis might any day need
Florence, whom he had always found loyal and faithful. He therefore
resolved to check Caesar's progress, and not only sent him orders to
advance no further step forwards, but also sent off, to give effect to
his injunction, the captain Imbaut with 400 lances. The Duke of
Valentinais on the frontier of Tuscany received a copy of the treaty
signed between the republic and the King of France, a treaty in which the
king engaged to help his ally against any enemy whatsoever, and at the
same moment the formal prohibition from Louis to advance any further.
Caesar also learned that beside the 400 lances with the captain Imbaut,
which were on the road to Florence, Louis XII had as soon as he reached
Asti sent off to Parma Louis de la Trimouille and 200 men-at-arms, 3000
Swiss, and a considerable train of artillery. In these two movements
combined he saw hostile intentions towards himself, and turning right
about face with his usual agility, he profited by the fact that he had
given nothing but verbal instructions to all his lieutenants, and wrote a
furious letter to Vitellozzo, reproaching him for compromising his master
with a view to his own private interest, and ordering the instant
surrender to the Florentines of the towns and fortresses he had taken,
threatening to march down with his own troops and take them if he
hesitated for a moment.

As soon as this letter was written, Caesar departed for Milan, where
Louis XII had just arrived, bringing with him proof positive that he had
been calumniated in the evacuation of the conquered towns. He also was
entrusted with the pope's mission to renew for another eighteen months
the title of legate 'a latere' in France to Cardinal dumbest, the friend
rather than the minister of Louis XII. Thus, thanks to the public proof
of his innocence and the private use of his influence, Caesar soon made
his peace with the King of France.

But this was not all. It was in the nature of Caesar's genius to divert
an impending calamity that threatened his destruction so as to come out
of it better than before, and he suddenly saw the advantage he might take
from the pretended disobedience of his lieutenants. Already he had been
disturbed now and again by their growing power, and coveted their towns,
now he thought the