A TOMB AT RAVENNA 



infantry. But the increasing severity of the winter 

 forced him to abandon the siege, and on November 23 

 he broke up his camp and left Fortt abruptly. " The 

 Duke's camp has been suddenly raised," joyfully wrote 

 Astorre Manfredi to the Signory of Venice, "owing 

 to the bad weather, and Faenza is saved as it were by 

 a divine miracle." l 



The besieging army was disbanded and ordered into 

 winter quarters. Caesar himself went to Cesena, Paolo 

 Orsini to Imola, and the remaining leaders and men- 

 at-arms were sent to Rimini, Pesaro, and Fano in 

 order to relieve Forli. " Guidarello Guidarelli," 

 writes the Podesta of Ravenna, " has been appointed 

 chief of the lodgings, and superintended the disposal 

 of the forces in their separate quarters." 2 That he 

 made some attempt to maintain order and protect the 

 defenceless citizens from the depredations of the 

 soldiery is evident from the decree which he issued 

 at Forli, in which it is expressly stated that the 

 garrison is only to be provided with fuel and lodging 

 by the inhabitants. But this was no easy task, for 

 Borgia's lawless troops were the terror of the whole 

 district. They seized cattle and corn, plundered 

 houses, and put to the sword owners who dared to 

 resist their greed and insolence. Again and again in 

 Sanudo's pages we find reports of their violence and 



1 Marino Sanudo Diarii, Hi. 1125. * Ibid., iii. 1241. 



2 43 



