202 JEROME CARDAN 



to pass by means of which I was able, with a single word, 

 to free myself from all suspicion upon either charge, and 

 to prove my innocence. Moreover, I forced them to 

 admit that no mention of this affair had ever been made 

 before the Senate, although two graduates had informed 

 me that it had been discussed." l 



The Senate, however, was reluctant to stultify its late 

 action, and refused to restore Cardan's name to the list 

 of teachers. But he was put right in the sight of the 

 world by the sharp censure pronounced by the Senate 

 upon those busy-bodies who had ventured to speak in 

 its name. Cardan's last days in Milan were cheered 

 with a brief gleam of good fortune. His foes seem to 

 have overshot the mark, and to have aroused sympathy 

 for the old man, who, whatever his faults, was alike an 

 honour to his country and the victim of fortune singu- 

 larly cruel. The city took him under its protection, 

 assured of his innocence as to the widespread charges 

 against him, and pitying his misfortunes. His friend 

 Borromeo had probably been forwarding his interests 

 at the Papal Court, for he records that, just at this 

 time, certain Cardinals and men of weight wrote to 

 him from Rome in kindly and flattering terms. On 

 November 16, 1562, the messenger from the Senate of 

 Bologna arrived at Milan, bearing an offer of slightly 

 more liberal terms. They were not so favourable as 

 Cardan wished for ; but, even had they been worse, he 

 would probably have closed with them. In spite of the 

 benevolent attitude of his well-wishers in Milan, it 

 irked him to be there ; the faces in the streets, the 

 town gossip, all tended to recall to him the death of 

 his son, so he departed at once to take up his duties. 



At Bologna Cardan went first to live in a hired house 

 1 Opera, torn. x. p. 462. 



