ived
for twenty-one years with this lady, by whom he had twelve children.
Upon her death he remained a widower for nine years, and in 1593 he
married Lucrezia Petroni, widow of a Roman called Velli. Francesco's
conduct during his first marriage was not without blame. Twice, at
least, he had to pay fines for acts of brutality to servants; and once
he was prosecuted for an attempt to murder a cousin, also named
Francesco Cenci. On another occasion we find him outlawed from the
States of the Church. Yet these offences were but peccadilloes in a
wealthy Roman baron; and Francesco used to boast that, with money in his
purse, he had no dread of justice. After the death of his wife Ersilia,
his behavior grew more irregular. Three times between 1591 and 1594 he
was sued for violent attacks on servants; and in February of the latter
year he remained six months in prison on multiplied charges of unnatural
vice. There was nothing even here to single Francesco Cenci out from
other nobles of his age.[198] Scarcely a week passed in Rome without
some affair of the sort involving outrage, being brought before the
judges. Cardinals, prelates, princes, professional men and people of the
lowest rank were alike implicated. The only difference between the
culprits was that the rich bought themselves off, while the destitute
were burned. Eleven poor Spaniards and Portuguese were sent to the stake
in 1578 for an offence which Francesco Cenci compounded in 1594 by the
payment of 100,000 crowns. After this warning and the loss of so much
money, he grew more circumspect, married his second wife Lucrezia, and
settled down to rule his family. His sons caused him considerable
anxiety. Giacomo, the eldest, married against his father's will, and
supported himself by forging obligations and raising money. Francesco's
displeasure showed itself in several lawsuits, one of which accused
Giacomo of having plotted against his life. The second son, Cristoforo,
was assassinated by Paolo Bruno, a Corsican, in the prosecution of a
love affair with the wife of a Trasteverine fisherman. The third son,
Rocco, spent his time in street adventures, and on one occasion laid his
hands on all the plate and portable property that he could carry off
from his father's house. This young ruffian, less than twenty years of
age, found a devoted friend in Monsignore Querro, a cousin of the family
well placed at court, who assisted him in the burglary of the Cenci
palace. Rocco