To these words he significantly added that, even in the Pope's grasp, a man was always 'master over his own life'-- a sentence which seems to indicate suicide as the last resort of self-defense.

In September of the same year the Venetian ambassador at Rome received private information regarding some mysterious design against a person or persons unknown, at Venice, in which the Papal Court was implicated, and which was speedily to take effect.[144] On October 5 Sarpi was returning about 5 o'clock in the afternoon to his convent at S.Fosca, when he was attacked upon a bridge by five ruffians.

It so happened that on this occasion he had no attendance but his servant Fra Marino; Fra Fulgenzio and a man of courage who usually accompanied him, having taken another route home.

The assassins were armed with harquebusses, pistols and poniards.

One of them went straight at Sarpi, while the others stood on guard and held down Fra Marino.