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To this the duke replied that he did not wish to enter into war

with Tuscany, and thus become hostile to the Florentines, but

that he was very willing to proceed against Sinigalia.

It happened that not long afterwards the town surrendered, but

the fortress would not yield to them because the castellan would

not give it up to any one but the duke in person; therefore they

exhorted him to come there. This appeared a good opportunity to

the duke, as, being invited by them, and not going of his own

will, he would awaken no suspicions. And the more to reassure

them, he allowed all the French men-at-arms who were with him in

Lombardy to depart, except the hundred lancers under Mons. di

Candales, his brother-in-law. He left Cesena about the middle of

December, and went to Fano, and with the utmost cunning and

cleverness he persuaded the Vitelli and Orsini to wait for him at

Sinigalia, pointing out to them that any lack of compliance would

cast a doubt upon the sincerity and permanency of the

reconciliation, and that he was a man who wished to make use of

the arms and councils of his friends.