reat
joy of every one, as Duke Ercole wrote to Rome. Alfonso even went to
Loretto in fulfilment of a vow he had made for the recovery of his wife.
The solicitude which was displayed for Lucretia on this occasion shows
that she had begun to make herself beloved in Ferrara.[183]

In this same month of October occurred the disaffection of Caesar's
condottieri which nearly ended in his overthrow. In consequence of the
desertion of his generals, the country about Urbino rose, and Guidobaldo
even succeeded in reentering his capital city, October 18th. The
protection of France and the lack of decision on the part of his
enemies, however, saved the Duke of Romagna from the danger which
threatened him. December 31st he relieved himself of the barons by the
well-known coup of Sinigaglia. This was his masterstroke. He had
Vitellozzo and Oliverotto strangled forthwith; the Orsini--Paolo,
father-in-law of Girolama Borgia, and Francesco, Duke of Gravina, who
had once been mentioned as a possible husband for Lucretia--suffered the
same fate January 18, 1503.

The Duke of Ferrara congratulated Caesar, as did also the Gonzaga. Even
Isabella did not hesitate to write a graceful letter to the man that had
driven her dear sister-in-law,--whose husband had been forced to flee a
second time,--from Urbino. The Gonzaga, who were anxious to marry the
little hereditary Prince Federico to his daughter Luisa, were
endeavoring to secure this end with the help of Francesco Trochio in
Rome. Isabella's contemptible letter to Caesar is as follows:

TO HIS HIGHNESS, THE DUKE OF VALENTINO.

ILLUSTRIOUS SIR: The happy progress of which your
Excellency has been good enough to inform us in your amiable letter
has caused us all the liveliest joy, owing to the friendship and
interest which you and my illustrious husband feel for each other.
We, therefore, congratulate you in his and our own name for the
good fortune which has befallen you, and for your safety, and we
thank you for informing us of it and for your offer to keep us
advised of future events, which we hope will be no less favorable,
for, loving you as we do, we hope to hear from you often regarding
your plans so that we may be able to rejoice with you at the
success and advancement of your Excellency. Believing that you,
after the excitement and fatigue which you have suffered while
engaged in your glorious undertakings, wil