DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0372
TRIAL OF FRANCESCO
299
but as no allusion to the event appears in his letters,
it is more probable that he remained at the camp near
Cesena endeavouring to collect the remnants of the
army. It was, however, as usual, to him that Francesco
turned for help in his hour of need. His influence
counted for much with his lord, and both the Venetian
envoys and the Mantuan correspondents speak of him
as the Duke's chief minister and favourite—' the one
who can do everything with him/ Castiglione, on
his part, seems to have become attached to his young
master, and was too loyal a servant to say a word
against him even in private letters.
On July 21, three days after promulgating the
Bull convoking the Lateran Council, the Pope
summoned his nephew, the Duke of Urbino, to
appear before the Sacred College to answer for the
murder of Cardinal Alidosi, and declared him to
have forfeited all his dignities and possessions. At
first Francesco hesitated to obey the summons, but
yielding to the counsels of his aunt, the Duchess, and
his more prudent friends, he came to Rome with
Castiglione on August 9 and presented himself at the
Vatican.^ The Pope ordered him to remain under
arrest in the Duchess Elisabetta's house in the Via
Lata, while his trial was referred to a commission
of six Cardinals. Fortunately for Francesco, the chief
of this tribunal was Giovanni de' Medici, a Cardinal
closely connected by ties of friendship and gratitude
with the ducal family, and whose brother Giuliano
and secretary Bibbiena, as we know, were intimate
alike with the Duchess Elisabetta, Bembo, and Cas-
tiglione. The Duke's defence was confided to another
member of the same circle, Filippo Beroaldo, who
pleaded Francescos cause with a power and ability
* SanutO; xii. 371.
299
but as no allusion to the event appears in his letters,
it is more probable that he remained at the camp near
Cesena endeavouring to collect the remnants of the
army. It was, however, as usual, to him that Francesco
turned for help in his hour of need. His influence
counted for much with his lord, and both the Venetian
envoys and the Mantuan correspondents speak of him
as the Duke's chief minister and favourite—' the one
who can do everything with him/ Castiglione, on
his part, seems to have become attached to his young
master, and was too loyal a servant to say a word
against him even in private letters.
On July 21, three days after promulgating the
Bull convoking the Lateran Council, the Pope
summoned his nephew, the Duke of Urbino, to
appear before the Sacred College to answer for the
murder of Cardinal Alidosi, and declared him to
have forfeited all his dignities and possessions. At
first Francesco hesitated to obey the summons, but
yielding to the counsels of his aunt, the Duchess, and
his more prudent friends, he came to Rome with
Castiglione on August 9 and presented himself at the
Vatican.^ The Pope ordered him to remain under
arrest in the Duchess Elisabetta's house in the Via
Lata, while his trial was referred to a commission
of six Cardinals. Fortunately for Francesco, the chief
of this tribunal was Giovanni de' Medici, a Cardinal
closely connected by ties of friendship and gratitude
with the ducal family, and whose brother Giuliano
and secretary Bibbiena, as we know, were intimate
alike with the Duchess Elisabetta, Bembo, and Cas-
tiglione. The Duke's defence was confided to another
member of the same circle, Filippo Beroaldo, who
pleaded Francescos cause with a power and ability
* SanutO; xii. 371.