and he seized upon several Germans, who (as he gave out) were agents in the business, but discharged them again; and he beheaded one of his secretaries[234] as having been a principal manager of that affair, and another for carrying messages betwixt them. Ludovic kept the captain a long while in prison, but at last he released him, stating that, when the Duchess Bona of Milan had once upon a time corrupted one of the captain’s brothers, and hired him to kill him as he was entering into the castle, the captain had prevented it; and upon that account he now spared his life.[235] Yet I am of opinion, had he been guilty of a design of delivering that castle to the emperor (who had a double title to it both as emperor[236] and as Duke of Austria, which family claims it likewise), he would scarce have pardoned him, for it would have produced great disturbance in Italy, and the whole state of Milan would have revolted in a day; for whilst they were under the dominion of the emperors, they paid only half a ducat taxes; but now, both clergy, nobility, and people are cruelly oppressed, and are, to speak the truth, under a perfect tyranny. CH. III.—How the Duchy of Milan is one of the finest and most valuable Territories in the World, if relieved from the heavy Tribute which oppresses it.—1492-3. The Lord Ludovic, being in possession of this castle, and finding all the soldiers belonging to the family devoted to his service, resolved to proceed; for he that is master of Milan has the whole government and signory at his mercy; because the principal senators, and those who have the charge of other places in that government, have their residence in that city. And, for the size of it, I never saw a richer or finer country than the duchy of Milan: and if the prince could content himself with a yearly revenue of five hundred thousand ducats, the subjects would grow only too wealthy, and the prince would be secure; but he raises six hundred and fifty or seven hundred thousand ducats every year, which is absolute tyranny, and makes the people prone to revolutions. Finding himself so near the completion of his wishes, as has been said before, the Lord Ludovic (who was married to the Duke of Ferrara’s daughter[237], by whom he had several children) took measures to strengthen himself with friends, both in Italy and abroad. He first entered into an alliance (for mutual preservation) with the Venetians[238], to whom he was a great friend, to the prejudice of his father-in-law, from whom, not long before, the Venetians had taken a small territory called the Polesan[239], encompassed entirely with water, and wonderfully fruitful; which place (though but half a league distant from Ferrara) the Venetians keep to this day, and in it there are two pretty towns, Rovigo and Labadio[240], which I have seen. This country was lost when the Duke of Ferrara made war upon the Venetians at first by himself; but before