history of florence-第34节

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regular　sittings）；　as　to　guard　the　state；　correct　the　insolence　of　the

powerful；　and　ameliorate　those　laws　by　the　influence　of　which　the

republic　was　being　ruined；　he　had　carefully　attended　to　both　these

duties；　and　to　his　utmost　ability　provided　for　them；　but　found　the

perversity　of　some　so　much　opposed　to　his　just　designs　as　to　deprive

him　of　all　opportunity　of　doing　good；　and　them　not　only　of　the　means

of　assisting　him　with　their　counsel；　but　even　hearing　him。　Therefore

finding　he　no　longer　contributed　either　to　the　benefit　of　the　republic

or　of　the　people　generally；　he　could　not　perceive　any　reason　for　his

longer　holding　the　magistracy；　of　which　he　was　either　undeserving；　or

others　thought　him　so；　and　would　therefore　retire　to　his　house；　that

the　people　might　appoint　another　in　his　stead；　who　would　either　have

greater　virtue　or　better　fortune　than　himself。〃　And　having　said　this；

he　left　the　room　as　if　to　return　home。



Those　of　the　council　who　were　in　the　secret；　and　others　desirous　of

novelty；　raised　a　tumult；　at　which　the　Signory　and　the　Colleagues　came

together；　and　finding　the　Gonfalonier　leaving　them；　entreatingly　and

authoritatively　detained　him；　and　obliged　him　to　return　to　the　council

room；　which　was　now　full　of　confusion。　Many　of　the　noble　citizens　were

threatened　in　opprobrious　language；　and　an　artificer　seized　Carlo

Strozzi　by　the　throat；　and　would　undoubtedly　have　murdered　him；　but

was　with　difficulty　prevented　by　those　around。　He　who　made　the

greatest　disturbance；　and　incited　the　city　to　violence；　was　Benedetto

degli　Alberti；　who；　from　a　window　of　the　palace；　loudly　called　the

people　to　arms；　and　presently　the　courtyards　were　filled　with　armed

men；　and　the　Colleagues　granted　to　threats；　what　they　had　refused　to

entreaty。　The　Capitani　di　Parte　had　at　the　same　time　drawn　together　a

great　number　of　citizens　to　their　hall　to　consult　upon　the　means　of

defending　themselves　against　the　orders　of　the　Signors；　but　when　they

heard　the　tumult　that　was　raised；　and　were　informed　of　the　course　the

Councils　had　adopted；　each　took　refuge　in　his　own　house。



Let　no　one；　when　raising　popular　commotions；　imagine　he　can　afterward

control　them　at　his　pleasure；　or　restrain　them　from　proceeding　to　the

commission　of　violence。　Salvestro　intended　to　enact　his　law；　and

compose　the　city；　but　it　happened　otherwise；　for　the　feelings　of　all

had　become　so　excited；　that　they　shut　up　the　shops；　the　citizens

fortified　themselves　in　their　houses；　many　conveyed　their　valuable

property　into　the　churches　and　monasteries；　and　everyone　seemed　to

apprehend　something　terrible　at　hand。　The　companies　of　the　Arts　met；

and　each　appointed　an　additional　officer　or　Syndic；　upon　which　the

Priors　summoned　their　Colleagues　and　these　Syndics；　and　consulted　a

whole　day　how　the　city　might　be　appeased　with　satisfaction　to　the

different　parties；　but　much　difference　of　opinion　prevailed；　and　no

conclusion　was　come　to。　On　the　following　day　the　Arts　brought　forth

their　banners；　which　the　Signory　understanding；　and　being　apprehensive

of　evil；　called　the　Council　together　to　consider　what　course　to　adopt。

But　scarcely　were　they　met；　when　the　uproar　recommenced；　and　soon　the

ensigns　of　the　Arts；　surrounded　by　vast　numbers　of　armed　men；　occupied

the　courts。　Upon　this　the　Council；　to　give　the　Arts　and　the　people

hope　of　redress；　and　free　themselves　as　much　as　possible　from　the

charge　of　causing　the　mischief；　gave　a　general　power；　which　in

Florence　is　called　/Balia/；　to　the　Signors；　the　Colleagues；　the　Eight；

the　Capitani　di　Parte；　and　to　the　Syndics　of　the　Arts；　to　reform　the

government　of　the　city；　for　the　common　benefit　of　all。　While　this　was

being　arranged；　a　few　of　the　ensigns　of　the　Arts　and　some　of　the　mob；

desirous　of　avenging　themselves　for　the　recent　injuries　they　had

received　from　the　Guelphs；　separated　themselves　from　the　rest；　and

sacked　and　burnt　the　house　of　Lapo　da　Castiglionchio；　who；　when　he

learned　the　proceedings　of　the　Signory　against　the　Guelphs；　and　saw

the　people　in　arms；　having　no　other　resource　but　concealment　or

flight；　first　took　refuge　in　Santa　Croce；　and　afterward；　being

disguised　as　a　monk；　fled　into　the　Casentino；　where　he　was　often　heard

to　blame　himself　for　having　consented　to　wait　till　St。　John's　day；

before　they　had　made　themselves　sure　of　the　government。　Piero　degli

Albizzi　and　Carlo　Strozzi　hid　themselves　upon　the　first　outbreak　of

the　tumult；　trusting　that　when　it　was　over；　by　the　interest　of　their

numerous　friends　and　relations；　they　might　remain　safely　in　Florence。



The　house　of　Lapo　being　burnt；　as　mischief　begins　with　difficulty　but

easily　increases；　many　other　houses；　either　through　public　hatred；　or

private　malice；　shared　the　same　fate；　and　the　rioters；　that　they　might

have　companions　more　eager　than　themselves　to　assist　them　in　their

work　of　plunder；　broke　open　the　public　prisons；　and　then　sacked　the

monastery　of　the　Agnoli　and　the　convent　of　S。　Spirito；　whither　many

citizens　had　taken　their　most　valuable　goods　for　safety。　Nor　would　the

public　chambers　have　escaped　these　destroyers'　hands；　except　out　of

reverence　for　one　of　the　Signors；　who　on　horseback；　and　followed　by

many　citizens　in　arms；　opposed　the　rage　of　the　mob。







CHAPTER　III



　　Contrary　measures　adopted　by　the　magistrates　to　effect　a

　　pacificationLuigi　Guicciardini　the　Gonfalonier　entreats　the

　　magistrates　of　the　Arts　to　endeavor　to　pacify　the　peopleSerious

　　riot　caused　by　the　plebeiansThe　woolen　ArtThe　plebeians

　　assembleThe　speech　of　a　seditious　plebeianTheir　resolution

　　thereuponThe　Signory　discover　the　designs　of　the　plebeians

　　Measures　adopted　to　counteract　them。



This　popular　fury　being　abated　by　the　authority　of　the　Signors　and　the

approach　of　night；　on　the　following　day；　the　Balia　relieved　the

admonished；　on　condition　that　they　should　not　for　three　years　be

capable　of　holding　any　magistracy。　They　annulled　the　laws　made　by　the

Guelphs　to　the　prejudice　of　the　citizens；　declared　Lapo　da

Castiglionchio　and　his　companions；　rebels；　and　with　them　many　others；

who　were　the　objects　of　universal　detestation。　After　these

resolutions；　the　new　Signory　were　drawn　for；　and　Luigi　Guicciardini

appointed　Gonfalonier；　which　gave　hope　that　the　tumults　would　soon　be

appeased；　for　everyone　thought　them　to　be　peaceable　men　and　lovers　of

order。　Still　the　shops　were　not　opened；　nor　did　the　citizens　lay　down

their　arms；　but　continued　to　patrol　the　city　in　great　numbers；　so　that

the　Signory　did　not　assume　the　magistracy　with　the　usual　pomp；　but

merely　assembled　within　the　palace；　omitting　all　ceremony。



This　Signory；　considering　nothing　more　advisable　in　the　beginning　of

their　magistracy　than　to　restore　peace；　caused　a　relinquishment　of

arms；　ordered　the　shops　to　be　opened；　and　the　strangers　who　had　been

called　to　their　aid；　to　return　to　their　homes。　They　appointed　guards

in　many　parts　of　the　city；　so　that　if　the　admonished　would　only　have

remained　quiet；　order　would　soon　have　been　re…established。　But　they

were　not　satisfied　to　wait　three　years　for　the　recovery　of　their

honours；　so　that　to　gratify　them　the　Arts　again　met；　and　demanded　of

the　Signory；　that　for　the　benefit　and　quiet　of　the　city；　they　would

ordain　that　no　citizens　should　at　any　time；　whether　Signor；　Colleague；

Capitano　di　Parte；　or　Consul　of　any　art　whatever；　be　admonished　as　a

Ghibelline；　and　further；　that　new　ballots　of　the　Guelphic　party　should

be　made；　and　the　old　ones　burned。　These　demands　were　at　once　acceded

to；　not　only　by　the　Signors；　but　by　all　the　Councils；　and　thus　it　was

hoped　the　tumults　newly　excited　would　be　settled。



But　since　men　are　not　satisfied　with　recovering　what　is　their　own；　but

wish　to　possess　the　property　of　others　and　to　revenge　themselves；

those　who　were　in　hopes　of　benefiting　by　these　disorders　persuaded　the

artificers　that　they　would　never　be　safe；　if　several　of　their　enemies

were　not　expelled　from　the　city　or　destroyed。　This　terrible　doctrine

coming　to　the　knowledge　of　the　Signory；　they　caused　the　magistrates　of

the　Arts　and　their　Syndics　to　be　brought　before　them；　and　Luigi

Guicciardini；　the　Gonfalonier；　addressed　them　in　the　following　words：

〃If　these　Signors；　and　I　with　them；　had　not　long　been　acquainted　with

the　fate　of　this　city；　that　as　soon　as　external　wars　have　ceased　the

internal　commence；　we　should　have　been　more　surprised；　and　our

displeasure　would　have　been　greater。　But　as　evils　to　which　we　are

accustomed　are　less　annoying；　we　have　endured　past　disturbances

patiently；　they　having　arisen　for　the　most　part　without　our　fault；　and

we　hoped　that；　like　former　troubles；　they　would　soon　have　an　end；

after　the　many　and　great　concessions　we　had　made　at　your　suggestion。

But　finding　that　you　are　yet　unsettled；　that　you　contemplate　the

commission　of　new　crimes　against　your　fellow…citizens；　and　are

desirous　of　making　new　exiles；　our　displeasure　increases　in　proportion

to　your　misco