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"I send you," wrote Calmeta to the Marchioness of Mantua in 1502, in a letter enclosing Pistoia's verses, "an invective against Sasso for certain sonnets and epigrams which he printed at Bologna against our Duke Lodovico Sforza, and which some people say that I wrote.

Rodrigo was Duke of Biselli, and as such under the protection of Spain, Alexander having succeeded in obtaining, May 20, 1502, from Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile, a diploma by virtue of which the royal house of Spain confirmed the Borgia family in the possession of all their Neapolitan estates.

In obedience to your Majesty's commands I am compelled, and I also desire, to let you know that I, by God's mercy, am well, and shall ever be disposed to serve you. Your devoted sister, who is anxious to serve you, FERRARA, February 22, 1502.

The fact, that the goats and hogs destroyed all the young trees as they sprang up, and that in the course of time the old ones, which were safe from their attacks, perished from age, seems clearly made out. Goats were introduced in the year 1502; eighty-six years afterwards, in the time of Cavendish, it is known that they were exceedingly numerous.

Once, it is true, he is misled by his imagination and the pressure of events into unqualified praise of the people, which chooses its officers, he says, better than any prince, and which can be cured of its errors by 'good advice. With regard to the Government of Tuscany, he has no doubt that it belongs to his native city, and maintains, in a special 'Discorso' that the reconquest of Pisa is a question of life or death; he deplores that Arezzo, after the rebellion of 1502, was not razed to the ground; he admits in general that Italian republics must be allowed to expand freely and add to their territory in order to enjoy peace at home, and not to be themselves attacked by others, but declares that Florence had un at the wrong end, and from the first made deadly Pisa, Lucca, and Siena, while Pistoia, 'treated like a brother, had voluntarily submitted to her.

During this time until the year 1502, a period of ten years, had there been no other evidence, there was sufficient time and opportunity, to give full practical demonstrations of the capacity of this people to endure toil, especially in the mining operations, and for this cause and this alone, were they selected in preference to any other race of men, to do the labor of the New World.

When this man's father lost his crown, the Borgias, not caring to be connected with an ex-royal family, caused Alfonso to be stabbed on the steps of S. Peter's in 1501; and while he lingered between life and death, they had him strangled in his sick-bed, by Michellozzo, Cesare's assassin in chief. Finally Lucrezia was wedded to Alfonso, crown-prince of Ferrara, in 1502.

Columbus sails from Cadiz the 9th of May, 1502, in command of four caravels Reaches Martinico, and steers for San Domingo to change one of his vessels finds Bobadilla about to sail Refused admission to the port Warns the Governor of an impending hurricane Keeps close in with the land Escapes Bobadilla's ship founders Only one with the treasure of Columbus reaches Spain Touching at Jamaica, stands across to Bonacca off the coast of Honduras Visited by a cacique in a large canoe laden with numerous articles Search for the supposed strait Goes on shore on the mainland The natives bring presents Sails along the coast Stormy weather continues Columbus suffers from illness Fine weather Off the Mosquito shore Natives offended at their presents not being accepted Hostages brought Frightened at seeing the notary write Natives carried off as guides Ships anchor in the Bay of Caribaro Large quantities of gold seen among the natives Reaches the coast of Veragua Hostility of natives Frightened into friendship Much gold obtained Columbus quits the gold region in search of the straits Hears of the gold region of Ciguere Anchors in Puerto Bello Passes Nombre de Dios Anchors in Cabinet Harbour The seamen insult the natives, who attack the ships Put to flight by the guns Columbus sails in search of the gold-mines of Veragua.

On August 12, 1502, Michael Angelo undertook another commission for the Republicanother giant David. This time it was to be in bronze, two cubits and a quarter in height; in the casting he was to be assisted by Benedetto da Rovezzano.

Some officials became jealous of him, bound him with chains, and sent him back to Spain a prisoner. Ferdinand and Isabella were much displeased at this treatment of Columbus, and set him free. A fourth voyage was made by Columbus in 1502, during which he explored the coast of Honduras in search of a strait leading to the Indian Ocean. In this venture he was unsuccessful.