hands. Having taken this resolution, they sounded the count, and found
him quite disposed for peace, evidently desirous that the honor and
advantage of the victory at Caravaggio should be his own, and not accrue
to the Milanese. The parties therefore entered into an agreement, in
which the Venetians undertook to pay the count thirteen thousand florins
per month, till he should obtain Milan, and to furnish him, during the
continuance of the war, four thousand horse and two thousand foot. The
count engaged to restore to the Venetians the towns, prisoners, and
whatever else had been taken by him during the late campaigns, and
content himself with those territories which the duke possessed at the
time of his death.

When this treaty became known at Milan, it grieved the citizens more
than the victory at Caravaggio had exhilarated them. The rulers of the
city mourned, the people complained, women and children wept, and all
exclaimed against the count as false and perfidious. Although they
could not hope that either prayers or promises would divert him from his
ungrateful design, they sent ambassadors to see with what kind of color
he would invest his unprincipled proceedings, and being admitted to his
presence, one of them spoke to the following effect;--"It is customary
with those who wish to obtain a favor, to make use either of prayers,
presents, or threats, that pity, convenience, or fear, may induce a
compliance with their requests. But as with cruel, avaricious, or, in
their own conceit, powerful men, these arguments have no weight, it is
vain to hope, either to soften them by prayers, win them by presents, or
alarm them by menaces. We, therefore, being now, though late, aware of
thy pride, cruelty, and ambition, come hither, not to ask aught, nor
with the hope, even if we were so disposed, of obtaining it, but to
remind thee of the benefits thou hast received from the people of Milan,
and to prove with what heartless ingratitude thou hast repaid them,