September 17, 1496,
the Mantuan agent in Rome, John Carolus, wrote to the Marchioness
Gonzaga: "Cardinal Farnese is shut up in his residence in the
Patrimonium, and will lose it unless he is saved by the prompt return of
Giulia."

The same ambassador reported to his sovereign as follows: "Although
every effort is made to conceal the fact that these sons of the Pope are
consumed with envy of each other, the life of the Cardinal of S. Giorgio
(Rafael Riario) is in danger; should he die, Caesar would be given the
office of chancellor and the palace of the dead Cardinal of Mantua,
which is the most beautiful in Rome, and also his most lucrative
benefices. Your Excellency may guess how this plot will terminate."[49]

The war against the Orsini ended with the ignominious defeat of the
papal forces at Soriano, January 23, 1497, whence Don Giovanni, wounded,
fled to Rome, and where Guidobaldo was taken prisoner. The victors
immediately forced a peace on most advantageous terms.

Not until the conclusion of the war did Lucretia's husband return to
Rome. We shall see him again there, for the last time, at the Easter
festivities of 1497, when, as Alexander's son-in-law, he assumed his
official place during the celebration in S. Peter's, and, standing near
Caesar and Gandia, received the Easter palm from the Pope's hand. His
position in the Vatican had, however, become untenable; Alexander was
anxious to dissolve his marriage with Lucretia. Sforza was asked to give
her up of his own free will, and, when he refused, was threatened with
extreme measures.

Flight alone saved him from the dagger or poison of his brothers-in-law.
According to statements of the chroniclers of Pesaro, it was Lucretia
herself who helped her husband to flee and thus caused the suspicion
that she was also a participant in the conspiracy. It is related that,
one evening when Jacomino, Lord Giovanni's chamberlain, was in Madonna's
room, her brother Caesar entered, and on her command the chamberlain
concealed himself behind a screen. Caesar talked freely with his sister,
and among other things said that the order had been given to kill
Sforza. When he had departed, Lucretia said to Jacomino: "Did you hear
what was said? Go and tell him." This the chamberlain immediately did,
and Giovanni Sforza threw himself on a Turkish horse and rode in
twenty-four hours to Pesaro, where the beast dropped dead.[50]

According to letters of the Venetian envoy in Rome, Sf