Aragon, Count of Cotignola and Pesaro.

October 19th he again wrote from Bologna, saying he was going to
Ravenna, and intended to return from there to Pesaro, where the castle
was still bravely holding out; he also asked the marquis to send him
three hundred men. Three days later, however, he reported from Ravenna
that the castle had capitulated.

Caesar Borgia had taken the city of Pesaro, not only without resistance,
but with the full consent of the people, and with public honors he
entered the Sforza palace, where only four years before his sister had
held her court. He took possession of the castle October 28th, summoned
a painter and commanded him to draw a picture of it on paper for him to
send the Pope. From the battlements of the castle of the Sforza twelve
trumpeters sounded the glad tidings, and the heralds saluted Caesar as
Lord of Pesaro. October 29th he set out for the castle of Gradara.[83]

Among those who witnessed his entry into Pesaro was Pandolfo
Collenuccio. On receiving news of the fall of the city, Duke Ercole,
owing to fear, and also on account of a certain bargain between himself
and the Pope, of which we shall soon speak, sent this man, whom Sforza
had banished, and who had found an asylum in Ferrara, to Caesar to
congratulate him. Collenuccio gave the duke a report of his mission,
October 29th, in the following remarkable letter:

MY ILLUSTRIOUS MASTER: Having left your Excellency, I
reached Pesaro two and a half days ago, arriving there Thursday at
the twenty-fourth hour. At exactly the same time the Duke of
Valentino made his entry. The entire populace was gathered about
the city gate, and he was received during a heavy fall of rain, and
was presented with the keys of the city. He took up his abode in
the palace, in the room formerly occupied by Signor Giovanni. His
entry, according to the reports of some of my people who witnessed
it, was very impressive. It was orderly, and he was accompanied by
numerous horse and foot soldiers. The same evening I notified him
of my arrival, and requested an audience whenever it should suit
his Majesty's convenience. About two o'clock at night (eight
o'clock in the evening) he sent Signor Ramiro and his majordomo to
call upon me and to ask, in the most courteous manner, whether I
was comfortably lodged, and whether, owing to the great number of
people in the city, I lacked fo