It was at this juncture that Alexander VI received his answer from
Bajazet II: the reason of so long a delay was that the pope's envoy and
the Neapolitan ambassador had been stopped by Gian della Rovere, the
Cardinal Giuliano's brother, just as they were disembarking at
Sinigaglia. They were charged with a verbal answer, which was that the
sultan at this moment was busied with a triple war, first with the Sultan
of Egypt, secondly with the King of Hungary, and thirdly with the Greeks
of Macedonia and Epirus; and therefore he could not, with all the will in
the world, help His Holiness with armed men. But the envoys were
accompanied by a favourite of the sultan's bearing a private letter to
Alexander VI, in which Bajazet offered on certain conditions to help him
with money. Although, as we see, the messengers had been stopped on the
way, the Turkish envoy had all the same found a means of getting his
despatch sent to the pope: we give it here in all its naivete.

"Bajazet the Sultan, son of the Sultan Mahomet II, by the grace of God
Emperor of Asia and Europe, to the Father and Lord of all the Christians,
Alexander VI, Roman pontiff and pope by the will of heavenly Providence,
first, greetings that we owe him and bestow with all our heart. We make
known to your Highness, by the envoy of your Mightiness, Giorgio
Bucciarda, that we have been apprised of your convalescence, and received
the news thereof with great joy and comfort. Among other matters, the
said Bucciarda has brought us word that the King of France, now marching
against your Highness, has shown a desire to take under his protection
our brother D'jem, who is now under yours--a thing which is not only
against our will, but which would also be the cause of great injury to
your Highness and to all Christendom. In turning the matter over with
your envoy Giorgio we have devised a scheme most conducive to peace and
most advantageous and honourable for your Highness; at the same time
satisfactory to ourselves personally; it would be well if our aforesaid