228 JEROME CARDAN. 



Brand onia had made such a proclamation, and that my 

 son-in-law had poisoned her, though he had prepared the 

 poison a whole year before, I swear by the Throne in 

 Heaven that if he bade me to supper the day afterwards 

 I would go in to him. For what can be more vile? 

 What punishment can be too great for her who violates 

 the rights of her own offspring." Immediately Jerome 

 turned, however, from that strain of anger to allude to 

 letters in Brandonia's hand, and witnesses that had been 

 produced testifying that her parents were the cause of all 

 her sorrows; " she, perhaps, did not sin of her own will, 

 and did not merit so much misery." 



" But we are asked," he said, " to produce the evidences 

 of her guilt. Too much is known. The times are known 

 and the persons; they are known to the senate, if it will 

 recognise such common knowledge. We know more 

 than we should. We know the panders and the pro- 

 curesses, and the entire shame. I would that we knew 

 nothing. It is worse for us, perhaps, known than un- 

 known, the youth may deserve to be condemned." 



The advocate then turned to arguments for mercy. 

 Gianpietro di Meda, who upon mere suspicion of un- 

 faithfulness destroyed his wife with twenty-five wounds, 

 had been acquitted by the senate that was trying Cardan's 

 son. The son of the rich Gianpietro Solario, for the 

 sake of wealth, had attempted to poison his father, his 



