history of florence-第38节

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respect　he　had　shown　toward　them。　Coming　to　threats　toward　the　end　of

their　discourse；　Michael　could　not　endure　their　arrogance；　and

sensible　rather　of　the　dignity　of　the　office　he　held　than　of　the

meanness　of　his　origin；　determined　by　extraordinary　means　to　punish

such　extraordinary　insolence；　and　drawing　the　sword　with　which　he　was

girt；　seriously　wounded；　and　cause　them　to　be　seized　and　imprisoned。



When　the　fact　became　known；　the　multitude　were　filled　with　rage；　and

thinking　that　by　their　arms　they　might　ensure　what　without　them　they

had　failed　to　effect；　they　seized　their　weapons　and　with　the　utmost

fury　resolved　to　force　the　Signory　to　consent　to　their　wishes。

Michael；　suspecting　what　would　happen；　determined　to　be　prepared；　for

he　knew　his　credit　rather　required　him　to　be　first　to　the　attack　than

to　wait　the　approach　of　the　enemy；　or；　like　his　predecessors；　dishonor

both　the　palace　and　himself　by　flight。　He　therefore　drew　together　a

good　number　of　citizens　（for　many　began　to　see　their　error）；　mounted

on　horseback；　and　followed　by　crowds　of　armed　men；　proceeded　to　Santa

Maria　Novella；　to　encounter　his　adversaries。　The　plebeians；　who　as

before　observed　were　influenced　by　a　similar　desire；　had　set　out　about

the　same　time　as　Michael；　and　it　happened　that　as　each　took　a

different　route；　they　did　not　meet　in　their　way；　and　Michael；　upon　his

return；　found　the　piazza　in　their　possession。　The　contest　was　now　for

the　palace；　and　joining　in　the　fight；　he　soon　vanquished　them；　drove

part　of　them　out　of　the　city；　and　compelled　the　rest　to　throw　down

their　arms　and　escape　or　conceal　themselves；　as　well　as　they　could。

Having　thus　gained　the　victory；　the　tumults　were　composed；　solely　by

the　talents　of　the　Gonfalonier；　who　in　courage；　prudence；　and

generosity　surpassed　every　other　citizen　of　his　time；　and　deserves　to

be　enumerated　among　the　glorious　few　who　have　greatly　benefited　their

country；　for　had　he　possessed　either　malice　or　ambition；　the　republic

would　have　been　completely　ruined；　and　the　city　must　have　fallen　under

greater　tyranny　than　that　of　the　duke　of　Athens。　But　his　goodness

never　allowed　a　thought　to　enter　his　mind　opposed　to　the　universal

welfare：　his　prudence　enabled　him　to　conduct　affairs　in　such　a　manner；

that　a　great　majority　of　his　own　faction　reposed　the　most　entire

confidence　in　him；　and　he　kept　the　rest　in　awe　by　the　influence　of　his

authority。　These　qualities　subdued　the　plebeians；　and　opened　the　eyes

of　the　superior　artificers；　who　considered　how　great　must　be　the　folly

of　those；　who　having　overcome　the　pride　of　the　nobility；　could　endure

to　submit　to　the　nauseous　rule　of　the　rabble。







CHAPTER　V



　　New　regulations　for　the　elections　of　the　SignoryConfusion　in　the

　　CityPiero　degli　Albizzi　and　other　citizens　condemned　to　death

　　The　Florentines　alarmed　by　the　approach　of　Charles　of　DurazzoThe

　　measures　adopted　in　consequence　thereofInsolent　Conduct　of

　　Giorgio　ScaliBenedetto　AlbertiGiorgio　Scali　beheaded。



By　the　time　Michael　di　Lando　had　subdued　the　plebeians；　the　new

Signory　was　drawn；　and　among　those　who　composed　it；　were　two　persons

of　such　base　and　mean　condition；　that　the　desire　increased　in　the

minds　of　the　people　to　be　freed　from　the　ignominy　into　which　they　had

fallen；　and　when；　upon　the　first　of　September；　the　new　Signory　entered

office　and　the　retiring　members　were　still　in　the　palace；　the　piazza

being　full　of　armed　men；　a　tumultuous　cry　arose　from　the　midst　of

them；　that　none　of　the　lowest　of　the　people　should　hold　office　among

the　Signory。　The　obnoxious　two　were　withdrawn　accordingly。　The　name　of

one　was　Il　Tira；　of　the　other　Baroccio；　and　in　their　stead　were

elected　Giorgio　Scali　and　Francesco　di　Michele。　The　company　of　the

lowest　trade　was　also　dissolved；　and　its　members　deprived　of　office；

except　Michael　di　Lando；　Lorenzo　di　Puccio　and　a　few　others　of　better

quality。　The　honors　of　government　were　divided　into　two　parts；　one　of

which　was　assigned　to　the　superior　trades；　the　other　to　the　inferior；

except　that　the　latter　were　to　furnish　five　Signors；　and　the　former

only　four。　The　Gonfalonier　was　to　be　chosen　alternately　from　each。



The　government　thus　composed；　restored　peace　to　the　city　for　the　time；

but　though　the　republic　was　rescued　from　the　power　of　the　lowest

plebeians；　the　inferior　trades　were　still　more　influential　than　the

nobles　of　the　people；　who；　however；　were　obliged　to　submit　for　the

gratification　of　the　trades；　of　whose　favor　they　wished　to　deprive　the

plebeians。　The　new　establishment　was　supported　by　all　who　wished　the

continued　subjugation　of　those　who；　under　the　name　of　the　Guelphic

party；　had　practiced　such　excessive　violence　against　the　citizens。　And

as　among　others；　thus　disposed；　were　Giorgio　Scali；　Benedetto　Alberti；

Salvestro　di　Medici；　and　Tommaso　Strozzi；　these　four　almost　became

princes　of　the　city。　This　state　of　the　public　mind　strengthened　the

divisions　already　commenced　between　the　nobles　of　the　people；　and　the

minor　artificers；　by　the　ambition　of　the　Ricci　and　the　Albizzi；　from

which；　as　at　different　times　very　serious　effects　arose；　and　as　they

will　hereafter　be　frequently　mentioned；　we　shall　call　the　former　the

popular　party；　the　latter　the　plebeian。　This　condition　of　things

continued　three　years；　during　which　many　were　exiled　and　put　to　death；

for　the　government　lived　in　constant　apprehension；　knowing　that　both

within　and　without　the　city　many　were　dissatisfied　with　them。　Those

within；　either　attempted　or　were　suspected　of　attempting　every　day

some　new　project　against　them；　and　those　without；　being　under　no

restraint；　were　continually；　by　means　of　some　prince　or　republic；

spreading　reports　tending　to　increase　the　disaffection。



Gianozzo　da　Salerno　was　at　this　time　in　Bologna。　He　held　a　command

under　Charles　of　Durazzo；　a　descendant　of　the　kings　of　Naples；　who；

designing　to　undertake　the　conquest　of　the　dominions　of　Queen

Giovanna；　retained　his　captain　in　that　city；　with　the　concurrence　of

Pope　Urban；　who　was　at　enmity　with　the　queen。　Many　Florentine

emigrants　were　also　at　Bologna；　in　close　correspondence　with　him　and

Charles。　This　caused　the　rulers　in　Florence　to　live　in　continual

alarm；　and　induced　them　to　lend　a　willing　ear　to　any　calumnies　against

the　suspected。　While　in　this　disturbed　state　of　feeling；　it　was

disclosed　to　the　government　that　Gianozzo　da　Salerno　was　about　to

march　to　Florence　with　the　emigrants；　and　that　great　numbers　of　those

within　were　to　rise　in　arms；　and　deliver　the　city　to　him。　Upon　this

information　many　were　accused；　the　principal　of　whom　were　Piero　degli

Albizzi　and　Carlo　Strozzi：　and　after　these　Cipriano　Mangione；　Jacopo

Sacchetti；　Donato　Barbadori；　Filippo　Strozzi；　and　Giovanni　Anselmi；

the　whole　of　whom；　except　Carlo　Strozzi　who　fled；　were　made　prisoners；

and　the　Signory；　to　prevent　any　one　from　taking　arms　in　their　favor；

appointed　Tommaso　Strozzi　and　Benedetto　Alberti　with　a　strong　armed

force；　to　guard　the　city。　The　arrested　citizens　were　examined；　and

although　nothing　was　elicited　against　them　sufficient　to　induce　the

Capitano　to　find　them　guilty；　their　enemies　excited　the　minds　of　the

populace　to　such　a　degree　of　outrageous　and　overwhelming　fury　against

them；　that　they　were　condemned　to　death；　as　it　were；　by　force。　Nor　was

the　greatness　of　his　family；　or　his　former　reputation　of　any　service

to　Piero　degli　Albizzi；　who　had　once　been；　of　all　the　citizens；　the

man　most　feared　and　honored。　Some　one；　either　as　a　friend　to　render

him　wise　in　his　prosperity；　or　an　enemy　to　threaten　him　with　the

fickleness　of　fortune；　had　upon　the　occasion　of　his　making　a　feast　for

many　citizens；　sent　him　a　silver　bowl　full　of　sweetmeats；　among　which

a　large　nail　was　found；　and　being　seen　by　many　present；　was　taken　for

a　hint　to　him　to　fix　the　wheel　of　fortune；　which；　having　conveyed　him

to　the　top；　must　if　the　rotation　continued；　also　bring　him　to　the

bottom。　This　interpretation　was　verified；　first　by　his　ruin；　and

afterward　by　his　death。



After　this　execution　the　city　was　full　of　consternation；　for　both

victors　and　vanquished　were　alike　in　fear；　but　the　worst　effects　arose

from　the　apprehensions　of　those　possessing　the　management　of　affairs；

for　every　accident；　however　trivial；　caused　them　to　commit　fresh

outrages；　either　by　condemnations；　admonitions；　or　banishment　of

citizens；　to　which　must　be　added；　as　scarcely　less　pernicious；　the

frequent　new　laws　and　regulations　which　were　made　for　defense　of　the

government；　all　of　which　were　put　in　execution　to　the　injury　of　those

opposed　to　their　faction。　They　appointed　forty…six　persons；　who；　with

the　Signory；　were　to　purge　the　republic　of　all　suspected　by　the

government。　They　admonished　thirty…nine　citizens；　ennobled　many　of　the

people；　and　degraded　many　nobles　to　the　popular　rank。　To　strengthen

themselves　against　external　foes；　they　took　into　their　pay　John

Hawkwood；　an　Englishman　of　great　military　rep