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THE PRINCE.
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who preferred slavery to the liberty of their country, and the assistance of Vitellozzo, to possess himself of Fermo, his native country. He wrote to John Fogliani, that having long been absent from home, he was resolved to return, see his country, and own his patrimony. That as he had laboured so hard to acquire a reputation, he hoped his fellow citizens would afford him some personal testimonies that his time had not been mispent, and consequently he intended to present himself before them in a distinguished manner, accompanied by an hundred horse of his friends and servants; and he prayed him to intreat the inhabitants of Fermo to receive him honourably, which would be equally grateful to himself and honourable to his uncle, who had superintended his education.

John Fogliani did not fail to fulfil his nephew's intentions; he caused him to be received in a distinguished manner by the inhabitants of Fermo, and lodged him in his own house. There Oliverotto employed several days to prepare every thing that could contribute to the success of his guilty designs: he gave a grand entertainment, to which he invited John Fogliani and the first people of the city. After dinner, and in the midst of the hilarity naturally attendant on such an occasion, Oliverotto suddenly changed the conversation to a serious subject: he spoke of the power of Pope Alexander, and of his son Borgia, and their several

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