ts were of
the most sparing--to which, no doubt, his Holiness owed the wonderful,
almost youthful vigour which he still enjoyed in this his seventieth
year. It was notorious that ambassadors cared little for invitations to
the Pope's table, where the meal never consisted of more than one dish.

On Christmas Day the duke attended Mass at the Church of San Giovanni
Evangelista with great pomp, arrayed in the ducal chlamys and followed
by his gentlemen. With these young patricians Cesare made merry during
the days that followed. The time was spent in games and joustings,
in all of which the duke showed himself freely, making display of his
physical perfections, fully aware, no doubt, of what a short cut these
afforded him to the hearts of the people, ever ready to worship physical
beauty, prowess, and address.

Yet business was not altogether neglected, for on January 4 he went
to Porto Cesenatico, and there published an edict against all who had
practised with the fuorusciti from his States, forbidding the offence
under pain of death and forfeiture of possessions.

He remained in winter quarters until the following April, from which,
however, it is not to be concluded that Faenza was allowed to be at
peace for that spell. The orders which he had left behind him, that the
town was constantly to be harassed, were by no means neglected. On the
night of January 21, by arrangement with some of the inhabitants of the
beleaguered city, the foot surrounding Faenza attempted to surprise the
garrison by a secret escalade. They were, however, discovered betimes in
the attempt and repulsed, some who had the mischance--as it happened--to
gain the battlements before the alarm was raised being taken and hanged.
The duke's troops, however, consoled themselves by capturing Russi
and Solarolo, the last two strongholds in the valley that had held for
Astorre.

Meanwhile, Cesare and his merry young patricians spent the time as
agreeably as might be in Cesena during that carnival. The author of
the Diario Cesenate is moved by the duke's pastimes to criticize him
severely as indulging in amusements unbecoming the dignity of his
station. He is particularly shocked to know that the duke should have
gone forth in disguise with a few companions to repair to carnival
festivities in the surrounding villages and there to wrestle with the
rustics. It is not difficult to imagine the discomfiture suffered by
many a village Hercules at the hands of t