history of florence-第18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！



again　fell　into　the　same　disorders　as　before；　and　the　tyranny

exercised　against　the　people　was　as　great　as　ever；　for　the　decisions

of　justice　were　either　prevented　or　delayed；　and　sentences　were　not

carried　into　execution。



In　this　unhappy　state；　the　people　not　knowing　what　to　do；　Giano　della

Bella；　of　a　very　noble　family；　and　a　lover　of　liberty；　encouraged　the

heads　of　the　Arts　to　reform　the　constitution　of　the　city；　and　by　his

advice　it　was　ordered　that　the　Gonfalonier　should　reside　with　the

Priors；　and　have　four　thousand　men　at　his　command。　They　deprived　the

nobility　of　the　right　to　sit　in　the　Signory。　They　condemned　the

associates　of　a　criminal　to　the　same　penalty　as　himself；　and　ordered

that　public　report　should　be　taken　as　evidence。　By　these　laws；　which

were　called　the　ordinations　of　justice；　the　people　acquired　great

influence；　and　Giano　della　Bella　not　a　small　share　of　trouble；　for　he

was　thoroughly　hated　by　the　great；　as　the　destroyer　of　their　power；

while　the　opulent　among　the　people　envied　him；　for　they　thought　he

possessed　too　great　authority。　This　became　very　evident　upon　the　first

occasion　that　presented　itself。



It　happened　that　a　man　from　the　class　of　the　people　was　killed　in　a

riot；　in　which　several　of　the　nobility　had　taken　a　part；　and　among　the

rest　Corso　Donati；　to　whom；　as　the　most　forward　of　the　party；　the

death　was　attributed。　He　was；　therefore；　taken　by　the　captain　of　the

people；　and　whether　he　was　really　innocent　of　the　crime　or　the

Capitano　was　afraid　of　condemning　him；　he　was　acquitted。　This

acquittal　displeased　the　people　so　much；　that；　seizing　their　arms；

they　ran　to　the　house　of　Giano　della　Bella；　to　beg　that　he　would

compel　the　execution　of　those　laws　which　he　had　himself　made。　Giano；

who　wished　Corso　to　be　punished；　did　not　insist　upon　their　laying　down

their　arms；　as　many　were　of　opinion　he　ought　to　have　done；　but　advised

them　to　go　to　the　Signory；　complain　of　the　fact；　and　beg　that　they

would　take　it　into　consideration。　The　people；　full　of　wrath；　thinking

themselves　insulted　by　the　Capitano　and　abandoned　by　Giano　della

Bella；　instead　of　going　to　the　Signory　went　to　the　palace　of　the

Capitano；　of　which　they　made　themselves　masters；　and　plundered　it。



This　outrage　displeased　the　whole　city；　and　those　who　wished　the　ruin

of　Giano　laid　the　entire　blame　upon　him；　and　as　in　the　succeeding

Signory　there　was　an　enemy　of　his；　he　was　accused　to　the　Capitano　as

the　originator　of　the　riot。　While　the　case　was　being　tried；　the　people

took　arms；　and；　proceeding　to　his　house；　offered　to　defend　him　against

the　Signory　and　his　enemies。　Giano；　however；　did　not　wish　to　put　this

burst　of　popular　favor　to　the　proof；　or　trust　his　life　to　the

magistrates；　for　he　feared　the　malignity　of　the　latter　and　the

instability　of　the　former；　so；　in　order　to　remove　an　occasion　for　his

enemies　to　injure　him；　or　his　friends　to　offend　the　laws；　he

determined　to　withdraw；　deliver　his　countrymen　from　the　fear　they　had

of　him；　and；　leaving　the　city　which　at　his　own　charge　and　peril　he　had

delivered　from　the　servitude　of　the　great；　become　a　voluntary　exile。



After　the　departure　of　Giano　della　Bella　the　nobility　began　to

entertain　hopes　of　recovering　their　authority；　and　judging　their

misfortune　to　have　arisen　from　their　divisions；　they　sent　two　of　their

body　to　the　Signory；　which　they　thought　was　favorable　to　them；　to　beg

they　would　be　pleased　to　moderate　the　severity　of　the　laws　made

against　them。　As　soon　as　their　demand　became　known；　the　minds　of　the

people　were　much　excited；　for　they　were　afraid　the　Signors　would

submit　to　them；　and　so；　between　the　desire　of　the　nobility　and　the

jealousy　of　the　people；　arms　were　resorted　to。　The　nobility　were　drawn

together　in　three　places：　near　the　church　of　St。　John；　in　the　New

Market；　and　in　the　Piazza　of　the　Mozzi；　under　three　leaders；　Forese

Adimari；　Vanni　de　Mozzi；　and　Geri　Spini。　The　people　assembled　in

immense　numbers；　under　their　ensigns；　before　the　palace　of　the

Signory；　which　at　that　time　was　situated　near　St。　Procolo；　and；　as

they　suspected　the　integrity　of　the　Signory；　they　added　six　citizens

to　their　number　to　take　part　in　the　management　of　affairs。



While　both　parties　were　preparing　for　the　fight；　some　individuals；　as

well　of　the　people　as　of　the　nobility；　accompanied　by　a　few　priests　of

respectable　character；　mingled　among　them　for　the　purpose　of　effecting

a　pacification；　reminding　the　nobility　that　their　loss　of　power；　and

the　laws　which　were　made　against　them；　had　been　occasioned　by　their

haughty　conduct；　and　the　mischievous　tendency　of　their　proceedings；

that　resorting　to　arms　to　recover　by　force　what　they　had　lost　by

illiberal　measures　and　disunion；　would　tend　to　the　destruction　of

their　country　and　increase　the　difficulties　of　their　own　position；

that　they　should　bear　in　mind　that　the　people；　both　in　riches；

numbers；　and　hatred；　were　far　stronger　than　they；　and　that　their

nobility；　on　account　of　which　they　assumed　to　be　above　others；　did　not

contribute　to　win　battles；　and　would　be　found；　when　they　came　to　arms；

to　be　but　an　empty　name；　and　insufficient　to　defend　them　against　so

many。　On　the　other　hand；　they　reminded　the　people　that　it　is　not

prudent　to　wish　always　to　have　the　last　blow；　that　it　is　an

injudicious　step　to　drive　men　to　desperation；　for　he　who　is　without

hope　is　also　without　fear；　that　they　ought　not　to　forget　that　in　the

wars　the　nobility　had　always　done　honor　to　the　country；　and　therefore

it　was　neither　wise　nor　just　to　pursue　them　with　so　much　bitterness；

and　that　although　the　nobility　could　bear　with　patience　the　loss　of

the　supreme　magistracy；　they　could　not　endure　that；　by　the　existing

laws；　it　should　be　in　the　power　of　everyone　to　drive　them　from　their

country；　and；　therefore；　it　would　be　well　to　qualify　these　laws；　and；

in　furtherance　of　so　good　a　result；　be　better　to　lay　down　their　arms

than；　trusting　to　numbers；　try　the　fortune　of　a　battle；　for　it　is

often　seen　that　the　many　are　overcome　by　the　few。　Variety　of　opinion

was　found　among　the　people；　many　wished　to　decide　the　question　by　arms

at　once；　for　they　were　assured　it　would　have　to　be　done　some　time；　and

that　it　would　be　better　to　do　so　then　than　delay　till　the　enemy　had

acquired　greater　strength；　and　that　if　they　thought　a　mitigation　of

the　laws　would　satisfy　them；　that　then　they　would　be　glad　to　comply；

but　that　the　pride　of　the　nobility　was　so　great　they　would　not　submit

unless　they　were　compelled。　To　many　others；　who　were　more　peaceable

and　better　disposed；　it　appeared　a　less　evil　to　qualify　the　laws　a

little　than　to　come　to　battle；　and　their　opinion　prevailing；　it　was

provided　that　no　accusation　against　the　nobility　could　be　received

unless　supported　with　sufficient　testimony。



Although　arms　were　laid　aside；　both　parties　remained　full　of

suspicion；　and　each　fortified　itself　with　men　and　places　of　strength。

The　people　reorganized　the　government；　and　lessened　the　number　of　its

officers；　to　which　measure　they　were　induced　by　finding　that　the

Signors　appointed　from　the　families；　of　which　the　following　were　the

heads；　had　been　favorable　to　the　nobility；　viz。：　the　Mancini；

Magalotti；　Altoviti；　Peruzzi；　and　Cerretani。　Having　settled　the

government；　for　the　greater　magnificence　and　security　of　the　Signory；

they　laid　the　foundation　of　their　palace；　and　to　make　space　for　the

piazza；　removed　the　houses　that　had　belonged　to　the　Uberti；　they　also

at　the　same　period　commenced　the　public　prisons。　These　buildings　were

completed　in　a　few　years；　nor　did　our　city　ever　enjoy　a　greater　state

of　prosperity　than　in　those　times：　filled　with　men　of　great　wealth　and

reputation；　possessing　within　her　walls　30；000　men　capable　of　bearing

arms；　and　in　the　country　70；000；　while　the　whole　of　Tuscany；　either　as

subjects　or　friends；　owed　obedience　to　Florence。　And　although　there

might　be　some　indignation　and　jealousy　between　the　nobility　and　the

people；　they　did　not　produce　any　evil　effect；　but　all　lived　together

in　unity　and　peace。　And　if　this　peace　had　not　been　disturbed　by

internal　enmities　there　would　have　been　no　cause　of　apprehension

whatever；　for　the　city　had　nothing　to　fear　either　from　the　empire　or

from　those　citizens　whom　political　reasons　kept　from　their　homes；　and

was　in　condition　to　meet　all　the　states　of　Italy　with　her　own　forces。

The　evil；　however；　which　external　powers　could　not　effect；　was　brought

about　by　those　within。







CHAPTER　IV



　　The　Cerchi　and　the　DonatiOrigin　of　the　Bianca　and　Nera　factions

　　in　PistoiaThey　come　to　FlorenceOpen　enmity　of　the　Donati　and

　　the　CerchiTheir　first　conflictThe　Cerchi　head　the　Bianca

　　factionThe　Donati　take　part　with　the　NeraThe　pope's　legate　at

　　Florence　increases　the　confusion　with　an　interdictNew　affray

　　between　the　Cerchi　and　the　DonatiThe　Donati　and　others　of　the

　　Nera　faction　banished　by　the　advice　of　Dante　AlighieriCharles　of

　　Valois　sent　by　the　pope　to