But this design having taken no effect, because of the dispute, that rise between the French and the Spaniard, about the dividing of the Kingdom of Naples, which at last ended in the utter ruine of the French, the Spaniards remaining Masters of the whole Kingdom; the Pope thought it was easier for him to compass his ends, and establish the Grandeur of his Bastards by great and powerful Alliances.
From hence proceeded, that having promised his daughter Lucretia, while he was Cardinal, to a certain Spaniard; as soon as he was Pope, he took her away from him, and bestow’d her in marriage upon John Sforza, Lord of Pesaro, with whom being also fallen out, he took her away from him, and bestowed her upon Lewis of Arragon, natural son to King Alfonse; joyning thus two bastards, that they might not reproach one another: And he likewise dying some months after his marriage, he gave her to Alfonse d’Este, Duke of Ferrare, with whom she lived and dyed. ’Twas in the pomp of her Wedding, that the Pope caused to be celebrated in Rome, Turnaments and Tiltings, together with the representation of a hunting Match; and many say, that in the Ball and Dances the Pope danced every night, masked, with some of his intimate Friends.
Of his sons, he made Godfrey, the youngest Prince of Squillace, a City in Ulterior Calabria, and the Country of Saint Cassiodorus: He made Cesar, who was the second, Cardinal; and his eldest, named John, was by the great entreaties and instances of the Pope, made Duke of Candia in Spain, much against the inclination of the Catholick King; for this John he procured in marriage a bastard daughter of Alfonse, King of Naples; and thus he filled the Vatican with bastards, whereupon Pasquin, with a great deal of reason, call’d it, Il Bastardismo.
Cesar, his second son, being troubled to see his brother John above him, and more beloved by his Father, resolved to take him out of the way; so one night, as John was going in Rome about some business, he caused him to be set upon by some of his Confidents, who having stabb’d him, cast him half alive headlong into the Tyber; and the same evening (a barbarous action) they had supped together, very brotherly, at their Mother Vanoccias house.
The Pope, who was afraid of incurring the same danger from his son, whose temper he knew to be wicked enough for such an undertaking, was forced to dissemble this inhumane action of the Cardinal, and to make no pursuits nor informations about the death of his eldest son.
Cesar, being thus delivered of his brother, began to give himself up to the life of a Souldier, and the practise of Arms, without any consideration of his being a Cardinal: for his great motive in murdering his brother was, that he might attain to the dignity of Gonfalonier, or Standard-bearer of the Church, and Captain General of the Popes Armies; so that a little after his Fratricide, he layed off his Cardinals Habit, and the Pope invested him with all the honours of his dead brother.
Thus being made General of the Popes Army, he united with the French, and married Charlotte of Albret, and had for her portion the Dutchy of Valenza, from whence he was called over, after Duke Valentine, as being a particular acquisition of his own.
With the help of Lewis the twelfth, and of his Father the Pope, he gained a great estate in Italy; his Father being still ready to supply him with vast sums of money, which he spent to purchase greatness.
Having driven the Family of the Sforza’s out of Milan, and put them in prison; by the help of the French King, he made himself Master, with great cruelty, of all the Cities of La Romagna, except Bologna, banishing and murdering the ancient and true Lords and Masters of them.
The first seized upon Forli and Imola, causing the poor young Riarri, who were Lords of those places, to fly for safety; and taking prisoner their Mother Catharine, whom he carried in triumph to Rome; exposing to the eyes of the Romans his barbarous cruelties.