gelo, who
had been poisoned, was condemned to death, and in a loud voice he
proclaimed that he had committed the murder on the explicit command of
Alexander and Caesar.[234] Cardinals Romolini and Ludovico Borgia at once
fled to Naples. Don Micheletto, the man who executed Caesar's bloody
orders, was a prisoner in the castle of S. Angelo. The Venetian
ambassador, Giustinian, informed his government in May, 1504, that
Micheletto was charged with having caused the death of a number of
persons, among them the Duke of Gandia, Varano of Camerino, Astorre and
Ottaviano Manfredi, the Duke of Biselli, the youthful Bernardino of
Sermoneta, and the Bishop of Cagli. Micheletto was brought before the
representatives of the Senate for examination. He was placed upon the
rack and confessed, among other things, that it was the Pope Alexander
himself who had given the command for the murder of the youthful Alfonso
of Biselli. This the magistrate immediately reported to Ferrara.[235]

As Caesar was out of the way, Vannozza was still able to reckon on the
protection of certain powerful friends, especially the Farnese, the
Cesarini, and several cardinals. She feared her property would be
confiscated, for the title to much of it was questionable. Early in 1504
Ludovico Mattei charged her with having stolen, in March, 1503, through
her paid servants, eleven hundred and sixty sheep while Caesar was
carrying on his war against the Orsini. These sheep had been sent by
Maria d'Aragona, wife of Giovanni Giordano Orsini, to Mattei's pastures
for safety. Vannozza was found guilty.[236]

She endeavored in every way to save her property. December 4, 1503, she
gave the Church of S. Maria del Popolo a deed of her house on the Piazza
Pizzo di Merlo and of her family chapel, reserving the use of it during
her life. The Augustinians on their part bound themselves to say a mass
for Carlo Canale March 24th, another October 13th for Giorgio di Croce,
and a third on the day of Vannozza's own death. In this instrument she
calls herself widow of Carlo Canale of Mantua, apostolic secretary of
the deceased Alexander VI, and she speaks of Giorgio di Croce as her
first husband. This deed was executed in the Borgo of St. Peter's in the
residence of Agapitus of Emelia.[237] From this it appears that at the
close of December Vannozza was still living in the Borgo, and under the
protection of her son's own chancellor, while Caesar himself was a
prisoner in the Torre