history of florence-第104节

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　　the　king。



During　these　events　in　Lombardy；　the　pope　sent　Lorenzo　to　invest　Citta

di　Castello；　for　the　purpose　of　expelling　Niccolo　Vitelli；　the　place

having　been　abandoned　to　him　by　the　League；　for　the　purpose　of

inducing　the　pontiff　to　join　them。　During　the　siege；　Niccolo's　troops

were　led　out　against　the　papal　forces　and　routed　them。　Upon　this　the

pope　recalled　the　Count　Girolamo　from　Lombardy　with　orders　first　to

recruit　his　army　at　Rome；　and　then　proceed　against　Citta　di　Castello。

But　thinking　afterward；　that　it　would　be　better　to　obtain　Niccolo

Vitello　as　his　friend　than　to　renew　hostilities　with　him；　an

arrangement　was　entered　into　by　which　the　latter　retained　Citta　di

Castello；　and　the　pope　pacified　Lorenzo　as　well　as　he　could。　He　was

induced　to　both　these　measures　rather　by　his　apprehension　of　fresh

troubles　than　by　his　love　of　peace；　for　he　perceived　dissensions

arising　between　the　Colonessi　and　the　Orsini。



In　the　war　between　the　king　of　Naples　and　the　pope；　the　former　had

taken　the　district　of　Tagliacozzo　from　the　Orsini；　and　given　it　to　the

Colonnesi；　who　had　espoused　his　cause。　Upon　the　establishment　of

peace；　the　Orsini　demanded　its　restoration　by　virtue　of　the　treaty。

The　pope　had　frequently　intimated　to　the　Colonnesi　that　it　ought　to　be

restored；　but　they；　instead　of　complying　with　the　entreaties　of　the

Orsini；　or　being　influenced　by　the　pope's　threats；　renewed　hostilities

against　the　former。　Upon　this　the　pontiff；　unable　to　endure　their

insolence；　united　his　own　forces　with　those　of　the　Orsini；　plundered

the　houses　they　possessed　in　Rome；　slew　or　made　prisoners　all　who

defended　them；　and　seized　most　of　their　fortresses。　So　that　when　these

troubles　were　composed；　it　was　rather　by　the　complete　subjugation　of

one　party　than　from　any　desire　for　peace　in　the　other。



Nor　were　the　affairs　of　Genoa　or　of　Tuscany　in　repose；　for　the

Florentines　kept　the　Count　Antonio　da　Marciano　on　the　borders　of

Serezana；　and　while　the　war　continued　in　Lombardy；　annoyed　the　people

of　Serezana　by　inroads　and　light　skirmishes。　Battistino　Fregoso；　doge

of　Genoa；　trusting　to　Pagolo　Fregoso；　the　archbishop；　was　taken

prisoner；　with　his　wife　and　children；　by　the　latter；　who　assumed　the

sovereignty　of　the　city。　The　Venetian　fleet　had　attacked　the　kingdom

of　Naples；　taken　Gallipoli；　and　harassed　the　neighboring　places。　But

upon　the　peace　of　Lombardy；　all　tumults　were　hushed　except　those　of

Tuscany　and　Rome；　for　the　pope　died　in　five　days　after　its

declaration；　either　in　the　natural　course　of　things；　or　because　his

grief　for　peace；　to　which　he　was　always　opposed；　occasioned　his　end。



Upon　the　decease　of　the　pontiff；　Rome　was　immediately　in　arms。　The

Count　Girolamo　withdrew　his　forces　into　the　castle；　and　the　Orsini

feared　the　Colonnesi　would　avenge　the　injuries　they　had　recently

sustained。　The　Colonnesi　demanded　the　restitution　of　their　houses　and

castles；　so　that　in　a　few　days　robberies；　fires；　and　murders　prevailed

in　several　parts　of　the　city。　The　cardinals　entreated　the　count　to

give　the　castle　into　the　hands　of　the　college；　withdraw　his　troops；

and　deliver　Rome　from　the　fear　of　his　forces；　and　he；　by　way　of

ingratiating　himself　with　the　future　pontiff　obeyed；　and　retired　to

Imola。　The　cardinals；　being　thus　divested　of　their　fears；　and　the

barons　hopeless　of　assistance　in　their　quarrels；　proceeded　to　create　a

new　pontiff；　and　after　some　discussion；　Giovanni　Batista　Cibo；　a

Genoese；　cardinal　of　Malfetta；　was　elected；　and　took　the　name　of

Innocent　VIII。　By　the　mildness　of　his　disposition　（for　he　was

peaceable　and　humane）　he　caused　a　cessation　of　hostilities；　and　for

the　present　restored　peace　to　Rome。



The　Florentines；　after　the　pacification　of　Lombardy；　could　not　remain

quiet；　for　it　appeared　disgraceful　that　a　private　gentleman　should

deprive　them　of　the　fortress　of　Serezana；　and　as　it　was　allowed　by　the

conditions　of　peace；　not　only　to　demand　lost　places；　but　to　make　war

upon　any　who　should　impede　their　restoration；　they　immediately

provided　men　and　money　to　undertake　its　recovery。　Upon　this；　Agostino

Fregoso；　who　had　seized　Serezana；　being　unable　to　defend　it；　gave　the

fortress　to　the　Bank　of　St。　Giorgio。　As　we　shall　have　frequent

occasion　to　speak　of　St。　Giorgio　and　the　Genoese；　it　will　not　be

improper；　since　Genoa　is　one　of　the　principal　cities　of　Italy；　to　give

some　account　of　the　regulations　and　usages　prevailing　there。　When　the

Genoese　had　made　peace　with　the　Venetians；　after　the　great　war；　many

years　ago；　the　republic；　being　unable　to　satisfy　the　claims　of　those

who　had　advanced　large　sums　of　money　for　its　use；　conceded　to　them　the

revenue　of　the　Dogano　or　customhouse；　so　that　each　creditor　should

participate　in　the　receipts　in　proportion　to　his　claim；　until　the

whole　amount　should　be　liquidated；　and　as　a　suitable　place　for　their

assembling；　the　palace　over　the　Dogano　was　assigned　for　their　use。

These　creditors　established　a　form　of　government　among　themselves；

appointing　a　council　of　one　hundred　persons　for　the　direction　of　their

affairs；　and　a　committee　of　eight；　who；　as　the　executive　body；　should

carry　into　effect　the　determinations　of　the　council。　Their　credits

were　divided　into　shares；　called　/Luoghi/；　and　they　took　the　title　of

the　Bank；　or　Company　of　St。　Giorgio。　Having　thus　arranged　their

government；　the　city　fell　into　fresh　difficulties；　and　applied　to　San

Giorgio　for　assistance；　which；　being　wealthy　and　well　managed；　was

able　to　afford　the　required　aid。　On　the　other　hand；　as　the　city　had　at

first　conceded　the　customs；　she　next　began　to　assign　towns；　castles；

or　territories；　as　security　for　moneys　received；　and　this　practice　has

proceeded　to　such　a　length；　from　the　necessities　of　the　state；　and　the

accommodation　by　the　San　Giorgio；　that　the　latter　now　has　under　its

administration　most　of　the　towns　and　cities　in　the　Genoese　dominion。

These　the　Bank　governs　and　protects；　and　every　year　sends　its

deputies；　appointed　by　vote；　without　any　interference　on　the　part　of

the　republic。　Hence　the　affections　of　the　citizens　are　transferred

from　the　government　to　the　San　Giorgio；　on　account　of　the　tyranny　of

the　former；　and　the　excellent　regulations　adopted　by　the　latter。　Hence

also　originate　the　frequent　changes　of　the　republic；　which　is

sometimes　under　a　citizen；　and　at　other　times　governed　by　a　stranger；

for　the　magistracy；　and　not　the　San　Giorgio；　changes　the　government。

So　when　the　Fregosi　and　the　Adorni　were　in　opposition；　as　the

government　of　the　republic　was　the　prize　for　which　they　strove；　the

greater　part　of　the　citizens　withdrew　and　left　it　to　the　victor。　The

only　interference　of　the　Bank　of　St。　Giorgio　is　when　one　party　has

obtained　a　superiority　over　the　other；　to　bind　the　victor　to　the

observance　of　its　laws；　which　up　to　this　time　have　not　been　changed；

for　as　it　possesses　arms；　money；　and　influence；　they　could　not　be

altered　without　incurring　the　imminent　risk　of　a　dangerous　rebellion。

This　establishment　presents　an　instance　of　what　in　all　the　republics；

either　described　or　imagined　by　philosophers；　has　never　been　thought

of；　exhibiting　within　the　same　community；　and　among　the　same　citizens；

liberty　and　tyranny；　integrity　and　corruption；　justice　and　injustice；

for　this　establishment　preserves　in　the　city　many　ancient　and

venerable　customs；　and　should　it　happen　（as　in　time　it　easily　may）

that　the　San　Giorgio　should　have　possession　of　the　whole　city；　the

republic　will　become　more　distinguished　than　that　of　Venice。



Agostino　Fregoso　conceded　Serezana　to　the　San　Giorgio；　which　readily

accepted　it；　undertook　its　defense；　put　a　fleet　to　sea；　and　sent

forces　to　Pietra　Santa　to　prevent　all　attempts　of　the　Florentines；

whose　camp　was　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　The　Florentines　found　it

would　be　essentially　necessary　to　gain　possession　of　Pietra　Santa；　for

without　it　the　acquisition　of　Serezana　lost　much　of　its　value；　being

situated　between　the　latter　place　and　Pisa；　but　they　could　not；

consistently　with　the　treaty；　besiege　it；　unless　the　people　of　Pietra

Santa；　or　its　garrison；　were　to　impede　their　acquisition　of　Serezana。

To　induce　the　enemy　to　do　this；　the　Florentines　sent　from　Pisa　to　the

camp　a　quantity　of　provisions　and　military　stores；　accompanied　by　a

very　weak　escort；　that　the　people　of　Pietra　Santa　might　have　little

cause　for　fear；　and　by　the　richness　of　the　booty　be　tempted　to　the

attack。　The　plan　succeeded　according　to　their　expectation；　for　the

inhabitants　of　Pietra　Santa；　attracted　by　the　rich　prize　took

possession　of　it。



This　gave　legitimate　occasion　to　the　Florentines　to　undertake

operations　against　them；　so　leaving　Serezana　they　encamped　before

Pietra　Santa；　which　was　very　populous；　and　made　a　gallant　defense。　The

Florentines　planted　their　artillery　in　the　plain；　and　formed　a　rampart

upon　the　hill；　that　they　might　also　attack　the　place　on　that　side。

Jacopo　Guicciardini　was　commissary　of　the　army；　and　while　the