* * * * *

Lucretia would have been frightened had she read a letter which Ercole
wrote to Giangiorgio Seregni, then his ambassador in Milan, which at
that time was under French control, and in which he disclosed his real
feelings on the Pope's demise.

GIANGIORGIO: Knowing that many will ask you how we are
affected by the Pope's death, this is to inform you that he was in
no way displeasing to us. At one time we wished, for the honor of
God, our Master, and for the general good of Christendom, that God
in his goodness and foresight would provide a worthy shepherd, and
that his Church would be relieved of this great scandal. Personally
we had nothing to wish for; we were concerned chiefly with the
honor of God and the general welfare. We may add, however, that
there was never a Pope from whom we received fewer favors than from
this one, and this, even after concluding an alliance with him. It
was only with the greatest difficulty that we secured from him what
he had promised, but beyond this he never did anything for us. For
this we hold the Duke of Romagna responsible; for, although he
could not do with us as he wished, he treated us as if we were
perfect strangers. He was never frank with us; he never confided
his plans to us, although we always informed him of ours. Finally
as he inclined to Spain, and we remained good Frenchmen, we had
little to look for either from the Pope or his Majesty. Therefore
his death caused us little grief, as we had nothing but evil to
expect from the advancement of the above-named duke. We want you to
give this our confidential statement to Chaumont, word for word, as
we do not wish to conceal our true feelings from him--but speak
cautiously to others about the subject and then return this letter
to our worthy councilor Gianluca.

BELRIGUARDO, _August 24, 1503_.

This statement was very candid. In view of the advantages which had
accrued to Ercole's State through the marriage with Lucretia, he might
be regarded as ungrateful; he had, however, never looked upon this
alliance as anything more than a business transaction, and so far as his
relations with Caesar were concerned his view was entirely correct.

Let us now hear what another famous prince--one who was in the
confidence of the Borgias--says regarding the Pope's death. At the t