panied by her mother, Vannozza, Giulia Farnese, and Madonna
Adriana. Alexander himself, through fear of the plague, which had
appeared, commanded them to depart. The Mantuan ambassador in Rome
reported this to the Marchese Gonzaga, May 6th, and also wrote him on
the fifteenth as follows: "The illustrious Lord Giovanni will certainly
set out Monday or Tuesday accompanied by all three ladies, who, by the
Pope's order, will remain in Pesaro until August, when they will
return."[32]

Sforza's departure must have taken place early in June, for on the
eleventh of that month a letter from Ascanio was sent to his brother in
Milan informing him that the lord of Pesaro with his wife and Madonna
Giulia, the Pope's mistress, together with the mother of the Duke of
Gandia, and Giuffre, had set out from Rome for Pesaro, and that his
Holiness had begged Madonna Giulia to come back soon.[33]

Alexander had returned to Rome from Vicovaro, July 18th, and on the 24th
he wrote his daughter the following letter:

Alexander VI, Pope; by his own hand.

DONNA LUCRETIA, DEAREST DAUGHTER: For several days we have
had no letter from you. Your neglect to write us often and tell us
how you and Don Giovanni, our beloved son, are, causes us great
surprise. In future be more heedful and more diligent. Madonna
Adriana and Giulia have reached Capodimonte, where they found the
latter's brother dead. His death caused the cardinal and Giulia
such distress that both fell sick of the fever. We have sent Pietro
Caranza to look after them, and have provided physicians and
everything necessary. We pray to God and the glorious Madonna that
they will soon be restored. Of a truth Don Giovanni and yourself
have displayed very little thought for me in this departure of
Madonna Adriana and Giulia, since you allowed them to leave without
our permission; for you should have remembered--it was your
duty--that such a sudden departure without our knowledge would
cause us the greatest displeasure. And if you say that they did so
because Cardinal Farnese commanded it, you ought to have asked
yourself whether it would please the Pope. However, it is done; but
another time we will be more careful, and will look about to see
where our interest lies. We are, thanks to God and the glorious
Virgin, very well. We have had an interview with the illustrious
King Alfonso,