From Forli he passed to Faenza, which City he took by force, putting to death Astorre Manfredi, who was Lord of it.
He did the same by Arimino and Pesaro, forcing Nulatesta, and John Sforza, to avoid by flight, the infamy and cruelty of the death they were sure to undergo, if they fell into his hands.
After this, he besieged Sinigaglia, and took it by force, committing infinite acts of inhumanity in it.
With the same course of Victory, though with craft and deceit mingled with force, he deprived Guido Ubaldo di Feltro of his Dutchy of Urbin, making him fly to Mantua, not without danger of falling into his net by the way.
After this, he lead his Army against the City of Camerino, which he took by force, and put to a cruel death Giulio Cesare, and Venantio Varrani, who were, and had been, long in possession of it. And with the same ardour and ambition, he fell to persecuting all the neighbouring Princes, in hopes to deprive them of their States.
At last, he turned his rage upon the chiefest Families of Rome, beginning with the noble Family of the Gaetani, who were in possession of great Estates in the Country of the Volai, putting to death Honorato and Cola Gaetani.
Next, he fell upon the Colonna’s Family, and having dispossessed them of their Lands, forced them to fly to Apulia, and Sicily, where they were extremely pitied by that people, who had a perfect knowledge of their rare deserts.
But while he thought to do the same to the Ursins, they having leagued themselves with other Princes, raised an Army in their defence; and having at last encountred his, defeated it, and forced him to fly to Imola, or, as some say, to Rome, where the Pope, being frightned with this sudden blow, had recourse to craft and dissimulation; he treats with the Confederates; gives them such Conditions, that they themselves, even triumphant, could hardly expect: And having thus lull’d them asleep, and made them lay down Armes; in the mean while, Borgia having recovered himself, and got a new Army, fell upon them most cruelly; and persecuting them separately, put to death some, banish’d others; and in a word, used all barbarous means to compass their ruine.
All this while the Pope was taking his delight in the Vatican, in Vanoccia’s armes; receiving every day, with new joy and satisfaction, the news of his Sons crimes.
The Revenue of the Church being not sufficient to maintain such an Army as Cesar Borgia’s was, and withall, to supply the expence of his Court, which was truly Royal and Prince-like; Alexander made a new Colledge of fourscore Writers of Briefs, selling every place for two hundred and fifty Crowns of Gold; receiving besides into Rome those Moors, that the King of Spain had driven out of his Dominions, who to enjoy their liberty, gave him great sums of money: And yet all this seeming inconsiderable, he sold divers Cardinals Caps, and at last, for fear of being unprovided of money in some urgent necessity, he resolved to dispatch with poyson, the richest Prelates of the Court, and amongst them some very rich Cardinals, whose Estates he intended to make himself heir to, and so satiate the barbarous greediness of his son.