history of florence-第24节

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length　the　people　of　Pistoia　were　compelled　to　receive　him　for　their

sovereign；　but　this　event；　although　greatly　to　his　glory；　proved　but

little　to　his　advantage；　for　upon　his　return　to　Lucca　he　died。　And　as

one　event　either　of　good　or　evil　seldom　comes　alone；　at　Naples　also

died　Charles　duke　of　Calabria　and　lord　of　Florence；　so　that　in　a　short

time；　beyond　the　expectation　of　their　most　sanguine　hopes；　the

Florentines　found　themselves　delivered　from　the　domination　of　the　one

and　the　fear　of　the　other。　Being　again　free；　they　set　about　the

reformation　of　the　city；　annulled　all　the　old　councils；　and　created

two　new　ones；　the　one　composed　of　300　citizens　from　the　class　of　the

people；　the　other　of　250　from　the　nobility　and　the　people。



The　first　was　called　the　Council　of　the　People；　the　other　the　Council

of　the　Commune。







CHAPTER　VII



　　The　Emperor　at　RomeThe　Florentines　refuse　to　purchase　Lucca；　and

　　repent　of　itEnterprises　of　the　FlorentinesConspiracy　of　the

　　Bardi　and　the　FrescobaldiThe　conspiracy　discovered　and　checked

　　Maffeo　da　Marradi　appeases　the　tumultLucca　is　purchased　by　the

　　Florentines　and　taken　by　the　PisansThe　duke　of　Athens　at

　　FlorenceThe　nobility　determine　to　make　him　prince　of　the　city。



The　emperor；　being　arrived　at　Rome；　created　an　anti…pope；　did　many

things　in　opposition　to　the　church；　and　attempted　many　others；　but

without　effect；　so　that　at　last　he　retired　with　disgrace；　and　went　to

Pisa；　where；　either　because　they　were　not　paid；　or　from　disaffection；

about　800　German　horse　mutinied；　and　fortified　themselves　at

Montechiaro　upon　the　Ceruglio；　and　when　the　emperor　had　left　Pisa　to

go　into　Lombardy；　they　took　possession　of　Lucca　and　drove　out

Francesco　Castracani；　whom　he　had　left　there。　Designing　to　turn　their

conquest　to　account；　they　offered　it　to　the　Florentines　for　80；000

florins；　which；　by　the　advice　of　Simone　della　Tosa；　was　refused。　This

resolution；　if　they　had　remained　in　it；　would　have　been　of　the

greatest　utility　to　the　Florentines；　but　as　they　shortly　afterward

changed　their　minds；　it　became　most　pernicious；　for　although　at　the

time　they　might　have　obtained　peaceful　possession　of　her　for　a　small

sum　and　would　not；　they　afterward　wished　to　have　her　and　could　not；

even　for　a　much　larger　amount；　which　caused　many　and　most　hurtful

changes　to　take　place　in　Florence。　Lucca；　being　refused　by　the

Florentines；　was　purchased　by　Gherardino　Spinoli；　a　Genoese；　for

30；000　florins。　And　as　men　are　often　less　anxious　to　take　what　is　in

their　power　than　desirous　of　that　which　they　cannot　attain；　as　soon　as

the　purchase　of　Gherardino　became　known；　and　for　how　small　a　sum　it

had　been　bought；　the　people　of　Florence　were　seized　with　an　extreme

desire　to　have　it；　blaming　themselves　and　those　by　whose　advice　they

had　been　induced　to　reject　the　offer　made　to　them。　And　in　order　to

obtain　by　force　what　they　had　refused　to　purchase；　they　sent　troops　to

plunder　and　overrun　the　country　of　the　Lucchese。



About　this　time　the　emperor　left　Italy。　The　anti…pope；　by　means　of　the

Pisans；　became　a　prisoner　in　France；　and　the　Florentines　from　the

death　of　Castruccio；　which　occurred　in　1328；　remained　in　domestic

peace　till　1340；　and　gave　their　undivided　attention　to　external

affairs；　while　many　wars　were　carried　on　in　Lombardy；　occasioned　by

the　coming　of　John　king　of　Bohemia；　and　in　Tuscany；　on　account　of

Lucca。　During　this　period　Florence　was　ornamented　with　many　new

buildings；　and　by　the　advice　of　Giotto；　the　most　distinguished　painter

of　his　time；　they　built　the　tower　of　Santa　Reparata。　Besides　this；　the

waters　of　the　Arno　having；　in　1333；　risen　twelve　feet　above　their

ordinary　level；　destroyed　some　of　the　bridges　and　many　buildings；　all

which　were　restored　with　great　care　and　expense。



In　the　year　1340；　new　sources　of　disagreement　arose。　The　great　had　two

ways　of　increasing　or　preserving　their　power；　the　one；　so　to　restrain

the　emborsation　of　magistrates；　that　the　lot　always　fell　upon

themselves　or　their　friends；　the　other；　that　having　the　election　of

the　rectors；　they　were　always　favorable　to　their　party。　This　second

mode　they　considered　of　so　great　importance；　that　the　ordinary　rectors

not　being　sufficient　for　them；　they　on　some　occasions　elected　a　third；

and　at　this　time　they　had　made　an　extraordinary　appointment；　under　the

title　of　captain　of　the　guard；　of　Jacopo　Gabrielli　of　Agobbio；　and

endowed　him　with　unlimited　authority　over　the　citizens。　This　man；

under　the　sanction　of　those　who　governed；　committed　constant　outrages；

and　among　those　whom　he　injured　were　Piero　de'　Bardi　and　Bardo

Frescobaldi。　These　being　of　the　nobility；　and　naturally　proud；　could

not　endure　that　a　stranger；　supported　by　a　few　powerful　men；　should

without　cause　injure　them　with　impunity；　and　consequently　entered　into

a　conspiracy　against　him　and　those　by　whom　he　was　supported。　They　were

joined　by　many　noble　families；　and　some　of　the　people；　who　were

offended　with　the　tyranny　of　those　in　power。　Their　plan　was；　that　each

should　bring　into　his　house　a　number　of　armed　men；　and　on　the　morning

after　the　day　of　All　Saints；　when　almost　all　would　be　in　the　temples

praying　for　their　dead；　they　should　take　arms；　kill　the　Capitano　and

those　who　were　at　the　head　of　affairs；　and　then；　with　a　new　Signory

and　new　ordinances；　reform　the　government。



But；　as　the　more　a　dangerous　business　is　considered；　the　less

willingly　it　is　undertaken；　it　commonly　happens；　when　there　is　any

time　allowed　between　the　determining　upon　a　perilous　enterprise　and

its　execution；　that　the　conspiracy　by　one　means　or　another　becomes

known。　Andrea　de'　Bardi　was　one　of　the　conspirators；　and　upon

reconsideration　of　the　matter；　the　fear　of　the　punishment　operated

more　powerfully　upon　him　than　the　desire　of　revenge；　and　he　disclosed

the　affair　to　Jacopo　Alberti；　his　brother…in…law。　Jacopo　acquainted

the　Priors；　and　they　informed　the　government。　And　as　the　danger　was

near；　All　Saints'　day　being　just　at　hand；　many　citizens　met　together

in　the　palace；　and　thinking　their　peril　increased　by　delay；　they

insisted　that　the　Signory　should　order　the　alarm　to　be　rung；　and

called　the　people　together　in　arms。　Taldo　Valori　was　at　this　time

Gonfalonier；　and　Francesco　Salviati　one　of　the　Signory；　who；　being

relatives　of　the　Bardi；　were　unwilling　to　summon　the　people　with　the

bell；　alleging　as　a　reason　that　it　is　by　no　means　well　to　assemble

them　in　arms　upon　every　slight　occasion；　for　power　put　into　the　hands

of　an　unrestrained　multitude　was　never　beneficial；　that　it　is　an　easy

matter　to　excite　them　to　violence；　but　a　difficult　thing　to　restrain

them；　and　that；　therefore；　it　would　be　taking　a　more　prudent　course　if

they　were　to　inquire　into　the　truth　of　the　affair；　and　punish　the

delinquents　by　the　civil　authority；　than　to　attempt；　upon　a　simple

information；　to　correct　it　by　such　a　tumultuous　means；　and　thus　hazard

the　safety　of　the　city。　None　would　listen　to　these　remarks；　the

Signory　were　assailed　with　insolent　behavior　and　indecent　expressions；

and　compelled　to　sound　the　alarm；　upon　which　the　people　presently

assembled　in　arms。　On　the　other　hand；　the　Bardi　and　the　Frescobaldi；

finding　themselves　discovered；　that　they　might　conquer　with　glory　or

die　without　shame；　armed　themselves；　in　the　hope　that　they　would　be

able　to　defend　that　part　of　the　city　beyond　the　river；　where　their

houses　were　situated；　and　they　fortified　the　bridge　in　expectation　of

assistance；　which　they　expected　from　the　nobles　and　their　friends　in

the　country。　Their　design　was　frustrated　by　the　people　who；　in　common

with　themselves；　occupied　this　part　of　the　city；　for　these　took　arms

in　favor　of　the　Signory；　so　that；　seeing　themselves　thus

circumstanced；　they　abandoned　the　bridges；　and　betook　themselves　to

the　street　in　which　the　Bardi　resided；　as　being　a　stronger　situation

than　any　other；　and　this　they　defended　with　great　bravery。



Jacopo　d'Agobbio；　knowing　the　whole　conspiracy　was　directed　against

himself；　in　fear　of　death；　terrified　and　vanquished；　kept　himself

surrounded　with　forces　near　the　palace　of　the　Signory；　but　the　other

rectors；　who　were　much　less　blamable；　discovered　greater　courage；　and

especially　the　podesta　or　provost；　whose　name　was　Maffeo　da　Marradi。

He　presented　himself　among　the　combatants　without　any　fear；　and

passing　the　bridge　of　the　Rubaconte　amid　the　swords　of　the　Bardi；　made

a　sign　that　he　wished　to　speak　to　them。　Upon　this；　their　reverence　for

the　man；　his　noble　demeanor；　and　the　excellent　qualities　he　was　known

to　possess；　caused　an　immediate　cessation　of　the　combat；　and　induced

them　to　listen　to　him　patiently。　He　very　gravely；　but　without　the　use

of　any　bitter　or　aggravating　expressions；　blamed　their　conspiracy；

showed　the　danger　they　would　incur　if　they　still　contended　against　the

popular　feeling；　gave　them　reason　to　hope　their　complaints　would　be

heard　and　mercifully　considered；　and　promised　that　he　him