netian
merchant; Alessandro Parrasio of Ancona, outlawed for the murder of his
uncle; a priest, Michele Viti of Bergamo; and two soldiers of adventure,
Giovanni di Fiorenza and Pasquale di Bitonto. Having escaped to the
Lido, they took ship for Ravenna and arrived in due course at Ancona,
where they drew 1000 crowns from the Papal Camera, and proceeded to make
triumphal progress through Romagna. Their joy was dashed by hearing that
Fra Paolo had not been killed. The Venetian _bando_ filled them with
fears and mutual suspicions, each man's hand being now set against his
comrade, and every ruffian on the road having an interest in their
capture. Yet after some time they continued their journey to Rome, and
sought sanctuary in the palace of Cardinal Colonna. Here their reception
was not what they had anticipated. Having failed in the main object and
brought scandal on the Church, they were maintained for some months in
obscurity, and then coldly bidden to depart with scanty recompense. All
this while their lives remained exposed to the Venetian ban. Under these
circumstances it is not strange that the men were half-maddened. Poma
raged like a wild beast, worshiping the devil in his private chamber,
planning schemes of piracy and fresh attacks on Sarpi, even
contemplating a last conspiracy against the person of the Pope. He was
seized in Rome by the _sbirri_ of the government, and one of his sons
perished in the scuffle. Another returned to Venice, and ended his days
there as a vagrant lunatic. Poma himself died mad in the prison of
Civita Vecchia. Viti also died mad in the same prison. Parrasio died in
prison at Rome. One of the soldiers was beheaded at Perugia, and the
other fell a victim to cut-throats on the high road. Such was the end of
the five conspirators against Fra Paolo Sarpi's life.[146] A priest,
Franceschi, who had aided and abetted their plot, disappeared soon after
the explosion; and we may rest tolerably assured that his was no natural
removal to another world.

It is just to add that the instigation of this murderous plot was never
brought home by direct testimony to any members of the Papal Court. But
the recourse which the assassins first had to the asylum of the Nuncio
in Venice, their triumphal progress through cities of the Church, the
moneys they drew on several occasions, the interest taken in them by
Cardinal Borghese when they finally reached Rome, and their deaths in
Papal dungeons, are circumst