that he should not only be able
to restrain them, but to recover the places he had lost, if the pope,
the Florentines, and the count could be induced to forego the Venetian
alliance. He therefore resolved to take Romagna from the pontiff,
imagining that his holiness could not injure him, and that the
Florentines, finding the conflagration so near, either for their own
sake would refrain from interference, or if they did not, could not
conveniently attack him. The duke was also aware of the resentment
of the Florentines against the Venetians, on account of the affair of
Lucca, and he therefore judged they would be the less eager to take
arms against him on their behalf. With regard to the Count Francesco,
he trusted that their new friendship, and the hope of his alliance would
keep him quiet. To give as little color as possible for complaint, and
to lull suspicion, particularly, because in consequence of his treaty
with the count, the latter could not attack Romagna, he ordered Niccolo
Piccinino, as if instigated by his own ambition to do so.

When the agreement between the duke and the count was concluded, Niccolo
was in Romagna, and in pursuance of his instructions from the duke,
affected to be highly incensed, that a connection had been established
between him and the count, his inveterate enemy. He therefore withdrew
himself and his forces to Camurata, a place between Furli and Ravenna,
which he fortified, as if designing to remain there some time, or till a
new enterprise should present itself. The report of his resentment being
diffused, Niccolo gave the pope to understand how much the duke was
under obligation to him, and how ungrateful he proved; and he was
persuaded that, possessing nearly all the arms of Italy, under the
two principal generals, he could render himself sole ruler: but if
his holiness pleased, of the two principal generals whom he fancied
he possessed, one would become his enemy, and the other be rendered
useless; for, if money were provided him, and he were kept in pay, he
would attack the territories held of the church by the count, who being
compelled to look to his own interests, could not subserve the ambition
of Filippo. The pope giving entire credence to this representation,
on account of its apparent reasonableness, sent Niccolo five thousand
ducats and loaded him with promises of states for himself and his
children. And though many informed him of the deception, he could not
give credit