on Charles to remove him from the throne. Charles and Alexander reach an accord. The Chorus tells us that after this, Charles dies, territory changes hands a couple times, and the rest of the play really only concerns the Pope and Caesar. The Pope sends a messenger with a ruby to Astor bidding him to come visit. Astor is the Pope's captive for sexual reasons. Astor is insulted by this request. The Pope comes out of a casement to beg/woo Astor to come to him. Astor resists and resists and then excuses himself for mass. The Pope tells his servant to make sure Astor visits after mass because he cannot breathe without him. Caesar hires Frescobaldi, a ruffian, to do some nefarious work. Frescobaldi recites his qualifications, his mettle in battle, etc. Candy suspects that his sister Lucretia murdered her husband Gismond and calls her in for questioning. Frescobaldi sets up his post to do his dirty work. Baglioni stumbles across him and the two become friends. Frescobaldi dismisses Baglioni and gets back to work. Caesar and Frescobaldi trip and stab Candy. Frescobaldi hauls Candy's body up to toss it over the bridge, and Caesar pushes Frescobaldi after. Caesar crows about how no one will suspect his crimes since he's a cardinal. He plots to frame Sforza for the murder and to kill his sister Lucretia next. The Pope conjures devils to find out who murdered Candy and Gismond, and is horrified when he finds out Caesar and Lucretia are responsible. He vows that they (and Astor) must die. The Pope accuses Caesar of murdering Candy, and Caesar accuses the Pope of incest, murder, sodomy, lust, etc. They both agree to conceal the other's sins in order to keep the status quo. Lucretia puts on poisoned makeup and dies. Caesar lays siege to Countess Katharine of Furli, Sforza's daughter. She refuses to yield and he reveals that he has kidnapped her two sons. She still refuses to yield even to save their lives and Caesar orders their execution. They fight in battle and Katharine is captured. Caesar reveals that her sons are alive and her fortune is intact, and orders the three of them sent to Rome. Barbarossa is instructed to govern Furli without restriction and give the people their liberty. The Pope arranges for Astor and his brother Philippo to be drugged to sleep, then places an asp on