and thither every City sent their Advocate:  and because he knew the rigors past had bred some hatred against him, to purge the minds of those people, and to gain them wholly to himself, he purpos’d to shew, that if there was any cruelty used, it proceeded not from any order of his, but from the harsh disposition of his Officers.  Whereupon laying hold on him, at this occasion, he caus’d his head to be struck off one morning early in the market place at Cesena, where he was left upon a gibbet, with a bloody sword by his side; the cruelty of which spectacle for a while satisfied and amaz’d those people.  But to return from whence we have digressd:  I say, that the Duke finding himself very strong, and in part out of doubt of the present dangers, because he was arm’d after his own manner, and had in some good measure suppress’d those forces, which, because of their vicinity, were able to annoy him, he wanted nothing else to go on with his Conquest, but the consideration of France:  for he knew, that the King, who now, though late, was advis’d of his error, would never suffer him:  and hereupon he began to seek after new allyances, and to waver with France, when the French came towards Naples against the Spaniards, who then besieged Gagetta; and his design was only to be out of their danger, which had been effected for him, had Pope Alexander lived.  And thus were his businesses carried touching his present estate.  As for the future, he had reason to doubt lest the new successor to the Papacy would not be his friend, and would endeavor to take that from him that Alexander had bestowed on him; and he thought to provide for this foure waies:  First by rooting out the races of all those Lords he had dispoyled, whereby to take those occasions from the Pope.  Secondly, by gaining all the gentlemen of Rome, whereby he might be able with those to keep the Pope in some awe.  Thirdly, to make the Colledge of Cardinals as much at his devotion as possibly might be.  Fourthly, by making of so large Conquests, before the Popes death, as that he might be able of himself to withstand the first fury of his enemies.  Three of these fowre at Pope Alexanders death he had effected, and the fourth he had neare brought to a point.  For of those Lords he had stript, he put to death as many as he could come at, and very few escap’d him:  he gaind him the Roman Gentlemen:  and in the Colledge he had made a great faction.  And touching his new Conquest, he had a designe to become Lord of Tuscany.  And he had possessed himself already of Perusia, and Pombin, and taken protection of Pisa:  and so soon as he should have cast off his respect to France (which now he meant to hold no longer) being the French were now driven out of the Kingdome of Naples by the Spaniards, so that each of them was forc’d to buy his friendship at any termes; he was then to leap into Pisa.  After this Lucca and Siena were presently to fall to him, partly for envy to the Florentines, and partly for fear.  The Florentines had no way to escape him: