A TOMB AT RAVENNA 
and the Duke danced.” Three weeks later letters 
from Ravenna informed the Signory that Duke 
Valentino was still at Imola, “ taking his pleasures 
and enjoying himself after his wonted fashion, in 
the old way.” 1 Now and then darker rumours 
reach our ears. A fair Venetian lady, the wife of 
the captain of infantry at Cervia, was suddenly 
carried off to the Rocca of Forli one night by a 
Spanish officer acting under the Duke’s orders. The 
injured husband appealed to the Doge for redress, 
and appeared in the College “very melancholy and 
almost in tears ” to beg for help. Nothing had 
been heard of his wife for a fortnight, and the most 
sinister reports were abroad. Great was the indig¬ 
nation aroused on all sides, and many the letters 
that were exchanged on the subject between Ambassa¬ 
dors at Venice and Rome. The Pope himself pro¬ 
nounced the act to be “infamous” and pressed his 
son for explanations, while he publicly maintained 
the Duke’s innocence. But Caesar kept silence and 
the matter was allowed to drop. Only it served 
to increase the hatred of the people throughout 
Romagna for their oppressor. “ Cesena, Forli, and 
Imola,” we learn, “bitterly resent the wrong that 
has been done, and impatiently await the Duke’s 
ruin.” 2 1 he star of the Borgia, however, was still 
1 Marino Sanudo Diarii, iii. 1616. 
2 45 
Ibid., iii. 1530. 
