history of florence-第106节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



earnestly　the　Florentines　adhered　to　their　alliances；　although　he　had

previously　been　opposed　to　them　from　his　attachment　to　the　Genoese；

and　the　assistance　they　had　rendered　to　the　king；　now　evinced　a　more

amicable　disposition；　and　received　their　ambassadors　with　greater

favor　than　previously。　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　being　made　acquainted　with

this　change　of　feeling；　encouraged　it　with　the　utmost　solicitude；　for

he　thought　it　would　be　of　great　advantage；　if　to　the　friendship　of　the

king　he　could　add　that　of　the　pontiff。　The　pope　had　a　son　named

Francesco；　upon　whom　designing　to　bestow　states　and　attach　friends　who

might　be　useful　to　him　after　his　own　death；　saw　no　safer　connection　in

Italy　than　Lorenzo's；　and　therefore　induced　the　latter　to　give　him　one

of　his　daughters　in　marriage。　Having　formed　this　alliance；　the　pope

desired　the　Genoese　to　concede　Serezana　to　the　Florentines；　insisting

that　they　had　no　right　to　detain　what　Agostino　had　sold；　nor　was

Agostino　justified　in　making　over　to　the　Bank　of　San　Giorgio　what　was

not　his　own。　However；　his　holiness　did　not　succeed　with　them；　for　the

Genoese；　during　these　transactions　at　Rome；　armed　several　vessels；

and；　unknown　to　the　Florentines；　landed　three　thousand　foot；　attacked

Serezanello；　situated　above　Serezana；　plundered　and　burnt　the　town

near　it；　and　then；　directing　their　artillery　against　the　fortress；

fired　upon　it　with　their　utmost　energy。　This　assault　was　new　and

unexpected　by　the　Florentines；　who　immediately　assembled　their　forces

under　Virginio　Orsino；　at　Pisa；　and　complained　to　the　pope；　that　while

he　was　endeavoring　to　establish　peace；　the　Genoese　had　renewed　their

attack　upon　them。　They　then　sent　Piero　Corsini　to　Lucca；　that　by　his

presence　he　might　keep　the　city　faithful；　and　Pagolantonio　Soderini　to

Venice；　to　learn　how　that　republic　was　disposed。　They　demanded

assistance　of　the　king　and　of　Signor　Lodovico；　but　obtained　it　from

neither；　for　the　king　expressed　apprehensions　of　the　Turkish　fleet；

and　Lodovico　made　excuses；　but　sent　no　aid。　Thus　the　Florentines　in

their　own　wars　are　almost　always　obliged　to　stand　alone；　and　find　no

friends　to　assist　them　with　the　same　readiness　they　practice　toward

others。　Nor　did　they；　on　this　desertion　of　their　allies　（it　being

nothing　new　to　them）　give　way　to　despondency；　for　having　assembled　a

large　army　under　Jacopo　Guicciardini　and　Pietro　Vettori；　they　sent　it

against　the　enemy；　who　had　encamped　upon　the　river　Magra；　at　the　same

time　pressing　Serezanello　with　mines　and　every　species　of　attack。　The

commissaries　being　resolved　to　relieve　the　place；　an　engagement

ensued；　when　the　Genoese　were　routed；　and　Lodovico　dal　Fiesco；　with

several　other　principal　men；　made　prisoners。　The　Serezanesi　were　not

so　depressed　at　their　defeat　as　to　be　willing　to　surrender；　but

obstinately　prepared　for　their　defense；　while　the　Florentine

commissaries　proceeded　with　their　operations；　and　instances　of　valor

occurred　on　both　sides。　The　siege　being　protracted　by　a　variety　of

fortune；　Lorenzo　de'　Medici　resolved　to　go　to　the　camp；　and　on　his

arrival　the　troops　acquired　fresh　courage；　while　that　of　the　enemy

seemed　to　fail；　for　perceiving　the　obstinacy　of　the　Florentines'

attack；　and　the　delay　of　the　Genoese　in　coming　to　their　relief；　they

surrendered　to　Lorenzo；　without　asking　conditions；　and　none　were

treated　with　severity　except　two　or　three　who　were　leaders　of　the

rebellion。　During　the　siege；　Lodovico　had　sent　troops　to　Pontremoli；

as　if　with　an　intention　of　assisting　the　Florentines；　but　having

secret　correspondence　in　Genoa；　a　party　was　raised　there；　who；　by　the

aid　of　these　forces；　gave　the　city　to　the　duke　of　Milan。



At　this　time　the　Dutch　made　war　upon　the　Venetians；　and　Boccolino　of

Osimo；　in　the　Marca；　caused　that　place　to　revolt　from　the　pope；　and

assumed　the　sovereignty。　After　a　variety　of　fortune；　he　was　induced　to

restore　the　city　to　the　pontiff　and　come　to　Florence；　where；　under　the

protection　of　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　by　whose　advice　he　had　been

prevailed　upon　to　submit；　he　lived　long　and　respected。　He　afterward

went　to　Milan；　but　did　not　experience　such　generous　treatment；　for

Lodovico　caused　him　to　be　put　to　death。　The　Venetians　were　routed　by

the　Dutch；　near　the　city　of　Trento；　and　Roberto　da　S。　Severino；　their

captain；　was　slain。　After　this　defeat；　the　Venetians；　with　their　usual

good　fortune；　made　peace　with　the　Dutch；　not　as　vanquished；　but　as

conquerors；　so　honorable　were　the　terms　they　obtained。



About　this　time；　there　arose　serious　troubles　in　Romagna。　Francesco

d'Orso；　of　Furli；　was　a　man　of　great　authority　in　that　city；　and

became　suspected　by　the　count　Girolamo；　who　often　threatened　him。　He

consequently；　living　under　great　apprehensions；　was　advised　by　his

friends　to　provide　for　his　own　safety；　by　the　immediate　adoption　of

such　a　course　as　would　relieve　him　from　all　further　fear　of　the　count。

Having　considered　the　matter　and　resolved　to　attempt　it；　they　fixed

upon　the　market　day；　at　Furli；　as　most　suitable　for　their　purpose；　for

many　of　their　friends　being　sure　to　come　from　the　country；　they　might

make　use　of　their　services　without　having　to　bring　them　expressly　for

the　occasion。　It　was　the　month　of　May；　when　most　Italians　take　supper

by　daylight。　The　conspirators　thought　the　most　convenient　hour　would

be　after　the　count　had　finished　his　repast；　for　his　household　being

then　at　their　meal；　he　would　remain　in　the　chamber　almost　alone。

Having　fixed　upon　the　hour；　Francesco　went　to　the　count's　residence；

left　his　companions　in　the　hall；　proceeded　to　his　apartment；　and

desired　an　attendant　to　say　he　wished　for　an　interview。　He　was

admitted；　and　after　a　few　words　of　pretended　communication；　slew　him；

and　calling　to　his　associates；　killed　the　attendant。　The　governor　of

the　place　coming　by　accident　to　speak　with　the　count；　and　entering　the

apartment　with　a　few　of　his　people；　was　also　slain。　After　this

slaughter；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　great　tumult；　the　count's　body　was

thrown　from　the　window；　and　with　the　cry　of　〃church　and　liberty；〃　they

roused　the　people　（who　hated　the　avarice　and　cruelty　of　the　count）　to

arms；　and　having　plundered　his　house；　made　the　Countess　Caterina　and

her　children　prisoners。　The　fortress　alone　had　to　be　taken　to　bring

the　enterprise　to　a　successful　issue；　but　the　Castellan　would　not

consent　to　its　surrender。　They　begged　the　countess　would　desire　him　to

comply　with　their　wish；　which　she　promised　to　do；　if　they　would　allow

her　to　go　into　the　fortress；　leaving　her　children　as　security　for　the

performance　of　her　promise。　The　conspirators　trusted　her；　and

permitted　her　to　enter；　but　as　soon　as　she　was　within；　she　threatened

them　with　death　and　every　kind　of　torture　in　revenge　for　the　murder　of

her　husband；　and　upon　their　menacing　her　with　the　death　of　her

children；　she　said　she　had　the　means　of　getting　more。　Finding　they

were　not　supported　by　the　pope；　and　that　Lodovico　Sforza；　uncle　to　the

countess；　had　sent　forces　to　her　assistance；　the　conspirators　became

terrified；　and　taking　with　them　whatever　property　they　could　carry

off；　they　fled　to　Citta　di　Castello。　The　countess　recovered　the　state；

and　avenged　the　death　of　her　husband　with　the　utmost　cruelty。　The

Florentines　hearing　of　the　count's　death；　took　occasion　to　recover　the

fortress　of　Piancaldoli；　of　which　he　had　formerly　deprived　them；　and；

on　sending　some　forces；　captured　it；　but　Cecco；　the　famous　engineer；

lost　his　life　during　the　siege。



To　this　disturbance　in　Romagna；　another　in　that　province；　no　less

important；　has　to　be　added。　Galeotto；　lord　of　Faenza；　had　married　the

daughter　of　Giovanni　Bentivogli；　prince　of　Bologna。　She；　either

through　jealousy　or　ill　treatment　by　her　husband；　or　from　the

depravity　of　her　own　nature；　hated　him　to　such　a　degree；　that　she

determined　to　deprive　him　of　his　possessions　and　his　life；　and

pretending　sickness；　she　took　to　her　bed；　where；　having　induced

Galeotto　to　visit　her；　he　was　slain　by　assassins；　whom　she　had

concealed　for　that　purpose　in　the　apartment。　She　had　acquainted　her

father　with　her　design；　and　he　hoped；　on　his　son…in…law's　death；　to

become　lord　of　Faenza。　A　great　tumult　arose　as　soon　as　the　murder　was

known；　the　widow；　with　an　infant　son；　fled　into　the　fortress；　the

people　took　up　arms；　Giovanni　Bentivogli；　with　a　condottiere　of　the

duke　of　Milan；　named　Bergamino；　engaged　for　the　occasion；　entered

Faenza　with　a　considerable　force；　and　Antonio　Boscoli；　the　Florentine

commissary；　was　also　there。　These　leaders　being　together；　and

discoursing　of　the　government　of　the　place；　the　men　of　Val　di　Lamona；

who　had　risen　unanimously　upon　learning　what　had　occurred；　attacked

Giovanni　and　Bergamino；　the　latter　of　whom　they　slew；　made　the　former

prisoner；　and　raising　the　cry　of　〃Astorre　and　the　Florentines；〃

offered　the　city　to　the　commissary。　These　events　being　known　at

Florence；　gave　general　offense；　however；　they　set　Giovanni　and　his

daughte