en the bastard Girolamo Riario married to
Caterina Sforza--a natural daughter of the ducal House of Milan--and we
have seen the pair installed in the Tyranny of Imola and Forli. A score
of other instances might be added; but these should suffice.

The matter calls for the making of no philosophies, craves no
explaining, and, above all, needs no apology. It clears itself.
The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries--more just than our own more
enlightened times--attributed no shame to the men and women born out of
wedlock, saw no reason--as no reason is there, Christian or Pagan--why
they should suffer for a condition that was none of their contriving.

To mention it may be of help in visualizing and understanding that
direct and forceful epoch, and may even suggest some lenience in
considering a Pope's carnal paternity. To those to whom the point of
view of the Renaissance does not promptly suggest itself from this plain
statement of fact, all unargued as we leave it, we recommend a perusal
of Gianpietro de Crescenzi's Il Nobile Romano.

The marriage of Lucrezia Borgia to Giovanni Sforza tightened the
relations between the Pope and Milan, as the Pope intended. Meanwhile,
however, the crafty and mistrustful Lodovico, having no illusions as
to the true values of his allies, and realizing them to be self-seekers
like himself, with interests that were fundamentally different from his
own, perceived that they were likely only to adhere to him for just
so long as it suited their own ends. He bethought him, therefore, of
looking about him for other means by which to crush the power of Naples.
France was casting longing eyes upon Italy, and it seemed to Lodovico
that in France was a ready catspaw. Charles VIII, as the representative
of the House of Anjou, had a certain meagre claim upon the throne of
Naples; if he could be induced to ride south, lance on thigh, and press
that claim there would be an end to the dominion of the House of Aragon,
and so an end to Lodovico's fears of a Neapolitan interference with his
own occupation of the throne of Milan.

To an ordinary schemer that should have been enough; but as a schemer
Lodovico was wholly extraordinary. His plans grew in the maturing, and
took in side-issues, until he saw that Naples should be to Charles VIII
as the cheese within the mouse-trap. Let his advent into Italy to break
the power of Naples be free and open; but, once within, he should find
Milan and the northern allies