, within the
measure of your love, and overwhelmed all with presents, favors,
mercy, and benevolence on my son's arrival in Rome and during his
stay there. Therefore I acknowledge that I have for a long time
been indebted to your Holiness, and now am still more so on account
of this. My obligation is more than I can ever repay, and I promise
that my gratitude shall be eternal and measureless like the world.
As your most dutiful servant I shall always be ready to perform
anything which may be acceptable to your Holiness, to whom I
recommend myself and mine in all humility. Your Holiness's son and
servant,

ERCOLE,
Duke of Ferrara.
[FERRARA, _January 3, 1493_.]

The letter shows how great was the duke's anxiety to remain on good
terms with the Pope.

He was a vassal in Ferrara of the Roman Church, which was endeavoring
to transform itself into a monarchy. The princes, as well as the
republicans of Italy,--at least those whose possessions were close to
the sphere of action of the Holy See or were its vassals,--studied every
new pope with suspicion and fear, and also with curiosity to see in what
direction nepotism would develop under him. How easily Alexander VI
might have again taken up the plans of the house of Borgia where they
had been interrupted by the death of his uncle Calixtus, and have
followed in the footsteps of Sixtus IV!

Moreover, it was only ten years since the last named pope had, in
conjunction with Venice, waged war on Ferrara.

Ercole had maintained friendly relations with Alexander VI when he was
only a cardinal; Rodrigo Borgia had even been godfather to his son
Alfonso when he was baptized. For his other son, Ippolito, the duke,
through his ambassador in Rome, Gianandrea Boccaccio, endeavored to
secure a cardinal's cap. The ambassador applied to the most influential
of Alexander's confidants, Ascanio Sforza, the chamberlain Marades, and
Madonna Adriana. The Pope desired to make his son Caesar a cardinal, and
Boccaccio hoped that the youthful Ippolito would be his companion in
good fortune. The ambassador gave Marades to understand that the two
young men, one of whom was Archbishop of Valencia, the other of Gran,
would make a good pair. "Their ages are about the same; I believe that
Valencia is not more than sixteen years old, while our Strigonia (Gran)
is near that age." Marades replied that this was not quite correct, as
Ippolito was not