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And the duke succeeded so well in this that they sent Signor

Pagolo to him to negotiate for a reconciliation, and they brought

their army to a standstill. But the duke did not stop his

preparations, and took every care to provide himself with cavalry

and infantry, and that such preparations might not be apparent to

the others, he sent his troops in separate parties to every part

of the Romagna. In the meanwhile there came also to him five

hundred French lancers, and although he found himself

sufficiently strong to take vengeance on his enemies in open war,

he considered that it would be safer and more advantageous to

outwit them, and for this reason he did not stop the work of

reconciliation.