Secret Societies Of The Middle Ages.—Iv.

a-nd hastened to Rome , where Alexander received him with such formality and coldness as greatly disappointed him . His mother , however , whose special favourite he was , consoled him , by telling him that she knew his holiness ' s mind much better than any one else , and for what reasons he had given him that reception . Caesar was soon after appointed to the archbishopric of Valeutia , and raised to the

carclinalate . From this time there was nothing too atrocious for him to attempt to promote his insatiable ambition . This is said to have even incited him to murder his elder brother , Francesco , Duke of Gandia — all the secular dignities were heaped . upon his brother , which obstructed his own views ; he resolved to remove him , and succeeded to his brother ' s fortunes aud honours . Tired of ecclesiastical

honours , and even of the ( hguity of the cardinalate , he resolved to get rid of both together with the least possible delay . We find him , according to Dumas , ' * closeted with tho Archbishop of Cosenza ( whose imprisonment he had procured ) in his prison , proposing certain terms to him , and easily carrying his point for ( says Dumas ) the archbishop well knew the characters of the men he had

to deal with ; he knew that they would go any lengths to carry their point . He Isnew that they possessed si certain powder , which had the taste and smell of sugar , which could be easily mixed with food , and which would carry off its intended victim by a speedy or lingering death , as might suit their purpose , and leave no trace behind . He knew the secret of the poisoned key which the pope always kept by

him , with which any obnoxious person was politely requested to open a certain press ; the lock requiring some considerable force to open , by this means a small sharp point left a slight scratch on the hand , which was speedily fatal . He knew of the ring with the lion ' s head , worn by Ctesar , with which he would occasionally give any friend whom he wished out of the way an unusually warm shake of the hand ; for the teeth of the lion could become the teeth of a viper when the ornament was turned inwards .

Ctesar soon entreated the pope to allow him , as his inclinations from his youth had been far more towards secular than ecclesiastical pursuits , to resign his ecclesiastical dignities , that ho mi ght re-enter the world , and enter into the married state ; at the same time begging the cardinals to intercede for him , and tendering the resignation , of his own accord , of all the churches , abbeys , benefices , and all other dignities to which he had been preferred b y the pope . His resignation was accepted , and we may from this period consider him as the Duke of Valentinois .

We must now explain the allusion to a certain chamber in the mansion of the Borgias at Venice , mentioned in a conversation between Caesar and Anselm , another chief of the Vehm . as having been penetrated by a stranger , who , in consequence of his having seen more than they . approved of , was consigned b y the former to the custody of the hitter , in a stronghold of the Vehm , in the Julian Alps .