Thereafter, however, the Varani had to endure a siege; and the old story of the Romagna sieges was repeated.
Varano had given his subjects too much offence in the past, and it was for his subjects now to call the reckoning.
A strong faction, led by a patrician youth of Camerino, demanded the surrender of the State, and, upon being resisted, took arms and opened the gates to the troops of Valentinois.

The three Varani were taken prisoners.

Old Giulio Cesare was shut up in the Castle of Pergola, where he shortly afterwards died--which was not wonderful or unnatural at his time of life, and does not warrant Guicciardini for stating, without authority, that he was strangled.

Venanzio and Annibale were imprisoned in the fortress of Cattolica.
In connection with this surrender of Camerino, Cesare wrote the following affectionate letter to his sister Lucrezia--who was dangerously ill at Ferrara in consequence of her delivery of a still-born child: "Most Illustrious and most Excellent Lady, our very dear Sister,--Confident of the circumstance that there can be no more efficacious and salutary medicine for the indisposition from which you are at present suffering than the announcement of good and happy news, we advise you that at this very moment we have received sure tidings of the capture of Camerino.

We beg that you will do honour to this message by an immediate improvement, and inform us of it, because, tormented as we are to know you so ill, nothing, not even this felicitous event, can suffice to afford us pleasure.