As to the mischances which may befall, since these are unforeseen, they can only be instanced by examples which may make men more cautious.  Giulio Belanti of Siena, of whom I have spoken before, from the hate he bore Pandolfo Petrucci, who had given him his daughter to wife and afterwards taken her from him, resolved to murder him, and thus chose his time.  Almost every day Pandolfo went to visit a sick kinsman, passing the house of Giulio on the way, who, remarking this, took measures to have his accomplices ready in his house to kill Pandolfo as he passed.  Wherefore, placing the rest armed within the doorway, one he stationed at a window to give the signal of Pandolfo’s approach.  It so happened however, that as he came nigh the house, and after the look-out had given the signal, Pandolfo fell in with a friend who stopped him to converse; when some of those with him, going on in advance, saw and heard the gleam and clash of weapons, and so discovered the ambuscade; whereby Pandolfo was saved, while Giulio with his companions had to fly from Siena.  This plot accordingly was marred, and Giulio’s schemes baulked, in consequence of a chance meeting.  Against such accidents, since they are out of the common course of things, no provision can be made.  Still it is very necessary to take into account all that may happen, and devise what remedies you can.

It now only remains for us to consider those dangers which follow after the execution of a plot.  These in fact resolve themselves into one, namely, that some should survive who will avenge the death of the murdered prince.  The part of avenger is likely to be assumed by a son, a brother, or other kinsman of the deceased, who in the ordinary course of events might have looked to succeed to the princedom.  And such persons are suffered to live, either from inadvertence, or from some of the causes noted already, as when Giovann’ Andrea of Lampognano, with the help of his companions, put to death the Duke of Milan.  For the son and two brothers of the Duke, who survived him, were able to avenge his death.  In cases like this, indeed, the conspirators may be held excused, since there is nothing they can do to help themselves.  But when from carelessness and want of due caution some one is allowed to live whose death ought to have been secured, there is no excuse.  Certain conspirators, after murdering the lord, Count Girolamo of Forli, made prisoners of his wife and of his children who were still very young.  By thinking they could not be safe unless they got possession of the citadel, which the governor refused to surrender, they obtained a promise from Madonna Caterina, for so the Countess was named, that on their permitting her to enter the citadel she would cause it to be given up to them, her children in the mean time remaining with them as hostages.  On which undertaking they suffered her to enter the citadel.  But no sooner had she got inside than she fell to upbraid them from the walls with the murder of her husband, and to threaten them with every kind of vengeance; and to show them how little store she set upon her children, told them scoffingly that she knew how others could be got.  In the end, the rebels having no leader to advise them, and perceiving too late the error into which they had been betrayed, had to pay the penalty of their rashness by perpetual banishment.