nesio congratulated him on his appointment,
January 13, 1494. Ibidem.

[30] In the earlier edition of this work I found some difficulty in the
passage: "Chredo che questa puta sia figlia del Papa, como Madonna
Luchretia e nipote di S. R. Signoria." I am now convinced that the e is
an error of the writer or the copyist and should be simply the
conduction e. Lorenzo Pucci's brother Giannozzo was married to Lucrezia
Bini, a Florentine, who is mentioned later in this same letter.

CHAPTER IX

LUCRETIA LEAVES ROME

By the end of the year 1493 Alexander had amply provided for all his
children. Caesar was a cardinal, Giovanni was a duke in Spain, and
Giuffre was soon to become a Neapolitan prince. The last, the Pope's
youngest son, was united in marriage, May 7, 1494, in Naples, to Donna
Sancia the same day on which his father-in-law, Alfonso, ascending the
throne as the successor of King Ferdinand, was crowned by the papal
legate, Giovanni Borgia. Don Giuffre remained in Naples and became
Prince of Squillace. Giovanni also received great fiefs in that kingdom,
where he called himself Duke of Suessa and Prince of Teano.

For some time longer Lucretia's spouse remained in Rome, where the Pope
had taken him into his pay in accordance with an agreement with Ludovico
il Moro under whom Sforza served. His position at Alexander's court,
however, soon became ambiguous. His uncles had married him to Lucretia
to make the Pope a confederate and accomplice in their schemes which
were directed toward the overthrow of the reigning family of Naples.
Alexander, however, clung closely to the Aragonese dynasty; he invested
King Alfonso with the title to the kingdom of Naples, and declared
himself opposed to the expedition of Charles VIII.

Sforza thereby was thrown into no slight perplexity, and early in April,
1494, he informed his uncle Ludovico of his dubious position in the
following letter:

Yesterday his Holiness said to me in the presence of Monsignor
(Cardinal Ascanio), "Well, Giovanni Sforza! What have you to say to
me?" I answered, "Holy Father, every one in Rome believes that your
Holiness has entered into an agreement with the King of Naples, who
is an enemy of the State of Milan. If this is so, I am in an
awkward position, as I am in the pay of your Holiness and also in
that of the State I have named. If things continue as they are, I
do not know how I can serve one party wit