--this
prince whom, Yriarte tells us, "rendered sweet the lives of his
subjects." The nobility and the proletariate of Pesaro abhorred him;
the trader classes stood neutral, anxious to avoid the consequences of
partisanship, since it was the class most exposed to those consequences.

On Sunday, October 11--the day after Pandolfo Malatesta had relinquished
Rimini--news reached Pesaro that Ercole Bentivogli's horse was marching
upon the town, in advance of the main body of Cesare's army. Instantly
there was an insurrection against Giovanni, and the people, taking
to arms, raised the cry of "Duca!" in acclamation of the Duke of
Valentinois, under the very windows of their ruler's palace.

Getting together the three hundred men that constituted his army,
Giovanni beat a hasty retreat to Pesaro's magnificent fortress, and that
same night he secretly took ship to Ravenna accompanied by the Albanian
Giacopo, and leaving his half-brother, Galeazzo Sforza di Cotignola,
in command of the citadel. Thence Giovanni repaired to Bologna, and,
already repenting his precipitate flight, he appealed for help to
Bentivogli, who was himself uneasy, despite the French protection
he enjoyed. Similarly, Giovanni addressed fresh appeals to Francesco
Gonzaga; but neither of these tyrants could or dared avail him, and,
whilst he was still imploring their intervention his fief had fallen
into Cesare's power.

Ercole Bentivogli, with a small body of horse, had presented himself at
the gates of Pesaro on October 21, and Galeazzo Sforza, having obtained
safe-conduct for the garrison, surrendered.

Cesare, meanwhile, was at Fano, where he paused to allow his army to
come up with him, for he had outridden it from Fossate, through foul
wintry weather, attended only by his light horse. It was said that
he hoped that Fano might offer itself to him as other fiefs had done,
and--if Pandolfo Collenuccio is correct--he had been counselled by the
Pope not to attempt to impose himself upon Fano, but to allow the town
a free voice in the matter. If his hopes were as stated, he was
disappointed in them, for Fano made no offer to him, and matters
remained for the present as they were.

On the 27th, with the banners of the bull unfurled, he rode into Pesaro
at the head of two thousand men, making his entrance with his wonted
pomp, of whose dramatic values he was so fully aware. He was met at the
gates by the Council, which came to offer him the keys of the tow