of forty days, the fortresses of
Cesena and Bertinoro, and authorise the surrender of Forli. This
arrangement was guaranteed by two bankers in Rome who were to be
responsible for 15,000 ducats, the sum total of the expenses which the
governor pretended he had incurred in the place on the duke's account.
The pope on his part engaged to send Caesar to Ostia under the sole guard
of the Cardinal of Santa Croce and two officers, who were to give him his
full liberty on the very day when his engagements were fulfilled: should
this not happen, Caesar was to be taken to Rome and imprisoned in the
Castle of Sant' Angelo. In fulfilment of this treaty, Caesar went down
the Tiber as far as Ostia, accompanied by the pope's treasurer and many
of his servants. The Cardinal of Santa Croce followed, and the next day
joined him there.

But as Caesar feared that Julius II might keep him a prisoner, in spite
of his pledged word, after he had yielded up the fortresses, he asked,
through the mediation of Cardinals Borgia and Remolina, who, not feeling
safe at Rome, had retired to Naples, for a safe-conduct to Gonzalva of
Cordova, and for two ships to take him there; with the return of the
courier the safe-conduct arrived, announcing that the ships would shortly
follow.

In the midst of all this, the Cardinal of Santa Croce, learning that by
the duke's orders the governors of Cesena and Bertinoro had surrendered
their fortresses to the captains of His Holiness, relaxed his rigour, and
knowing that his prisoner would some day or other be free, began to let
him go out without a guard. Then Caesar, feeling some fear lest when he
started with Gonzalvo's ships the same thing might happen as on the
occasion of his embarking on the pope's vessel--that is, that he might be
arrested a second time--concealed himself in a house outside the town;
and when night came on, mounting a wretched horse that belonged to a
peasant, rode as far as Nettuno, and there hired a little boat, in which
he embarked for Monte Dragone, and thence gained Naples. Gonzalvo
received him with such joy that Caesar was deceived as to his intention,
and this time believed that he was really saved. His confidence was
redoubled when, opening his designs to Gonzalvo, and telling him that he
counted upon gaining Pisa and thence going on into Romagna, Ganzalva
allowed him to recruit as many soldiers at Naples as he pleased,
promising him two ships to embark with. Caesar, deceive