history of florence-第40节

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the　people　and　the　Guelphs　repossessed　themselves　of　the　government；

which　was　lost　by　the　plebeians　after　it　had　been　in　their　possession

from　1378　to　1381；　when　these　changes　took　place。



The　new　establishment　was　not　less　injurious　to　the　citizens；　or　less

troublesome　at　its　commencement　than　that　of　the　plebeians　had　been；

for　many　of　the　nobles　of　the　people；　who　had　distinguished　themselves

as　defenders　of　the　plebeians；　were　banished；　with　a　great　number　of

the　leaders　of　the　latter；　among　whom　was　Michael　di　Lando；　nor　could

all　the　benefits　conferred　upon　the　city　by　his　authority；　when　in

danger　from　the　lawless　mob；　save　him　from　the　rabid　fury　of　the　party

that　was　now　in　power。　His　good　offices　evidently　excited　little

gratitude　in　his　countrymen。　The　neglect　of　their　benefactors　is　an

error　into　which　princes　and　republics　frequently　fall；　and　hence

mankind；　alarmed　by　such　examples；　as　soon　as　they　begin　to　perceive

the　ingratitude　of　their　rulers；　set　themselves　against　them。



As　these　banishments　and　executions　had　always　been　offensive　to

Benedetto　Alberti；　they　continued　to　disgust　him；　and　he　censured　them

both　publicly　and　privately。　The　leaders　of　the　government　began　to

fear　him；　for　they　considered　him　one　of　the　most　earnest　friends　of

the　plebeians；　and　thought　he　had　not　consented　to　the　death　of

Giorgio　Scali　from　disapprobation　of　his　proceeding；　but　that　he　might

be　left　himself　without　a　rival　in　the　government。　His　discourse　and

his　conduct　alike　served　to　increase　their　suspicions；　so　that　all　the

ruling　party　had　their　eyes　upon　him；　and　eagerly　sought　an

opportunity　of　crushing　him。



During　this　state　of　things；　external　affairs　were　not　of　serious

importance；　for　some　which　ensued　were　productive　of　apprehension

rather　than　of　injury。　At　this　time　Louis　of　Anjou　came　into　Italy；　to

recover　the　kingdom　of　Naples　for　Queen　Giovanna；　and　drive　out

Charles　of　Durazzo。　His　coming　terrified　the　Florentines；　for　Charles；

according　to　the　custom　of　old　friends；　demanded　their　assistance；　and

Louis；　like　those　who　seek　new　alliances；　required　their　neutrality。

The　Florentines；　that　they　might　seem　to　comply　with　the　request　of

Louis；　and　at　the　same　time　assist　Charles；　discharged　from　their

service　Sir　John　Hawkwood；　and　transferred　him　to　that　of　Pope　Urban；

who　was　friendly　to　Charles；　but　this　deceit　was　at　once　detected；　and

Louis　considered　himself　greatly　injured　by　the　Florentines。　While　the

war　was　carried　on　between　Louis　and　Charles　in　Puglia；　new　forces

were　sent　from　France　in　aid　of　Louis；　and　on　arriving　in　Tuscany；

were　by　the　emigrants　of　Arezzo　conducted　to　that　city；　and　took　it

from　those　who　held　possession　for　Charles。　And　when　they　were　about

to　change　the　government　of　Florence；　as　they　had　already　done　that　of

Arezzo；　Louis　died；　and　the　order　of　things　in　Puglia　and　in　Tuscany

was　changed　accordingly；　for　Charles　secured　the　kingdom；　which　had

been　all　but　lost；　and　the　Florentines；　who　were　apprehensive　for

their　own　city；　purchased　Arezzo　from　those　who　held　it　for　Louis。

Charles；　having　secured　Puglia；　went　to　take　possession　of　Hungary；　to

which　he　was　heir；　leaving；　with　his　wife；　his　children　Ladislaus　and

Giovanna；　who　were　yet　infants。　He　took　possession　of　Hungary；　but　was

soon　after　slain　there。



As　great　rejoicings　were　made　in　Florence　on　account　of　this

acquisition　as　ever　took　place　in　any　city　for　a　real　victory；　which

served　to　exhibit　the　public　and　private　wealth　of　the　people；　many

families　endeavoring　to　vie　with　the　state　itself　in　displays　of

magnificence。　The　Alberti　surpassed　all　others；　the　tournaments　and

exhibitions　made　by　them　were　rather　suitable　for　a　sovereign　prince

than　for　any　private　individuals。　These　things　increased　the　envy　with

which　the　family　was　regarded；　and　being　joined　with　suspicions　which

the　state　entertained　of　Benedetto；　were　the　causes　of　his　ruin。　The

rulers　could　not　endure　him；　for　it　appeared　as　if；　at　any　moment；

something　might　occur；　which；　with　the　favor　of　his　friends；　would

enable　him　to　recover　his　authority；　and　drive　them　out　of　the　city。

While　in　this　state　of　suspicion　and　jealousy；　it　happened　that　while

he　was　Gonfalonier　of　the　Companies；　his　son…in…law；　Filippo

Magalotti；　was　drawn　Gonfalonier　of　Justice；　and　this　circumstance

increased　the　fears　of　the　government；　for　they　thought　it　would

strengthen　Benedetto's　influence；　and　place　the　state　in　the　greater

peril。　Anxious　to　provide　a　remedy；　without　creating　much　disturbance；

they　induced　Bese　Magalotti；　his　relative　and　enemy；　to　signify　to　the

Signory　that　Filippo；　not　having　attained　the　age　required　for　the

exercise　of　that　office；　neither　could　nor　ought　to　hold　it。



The　question　was　examined　by　the　signors；　and　part　of　them　out　of

hatred；　others　in　order　to　avoid　disunion　among　themselves；　declared

Filippo　ineligible　to　the　dignity；　and　in　his　stead　was　drawn　Bardo

Mancini；　who　was　quite　opposed　to　the　plebeian　interests；　and　an

inveterate　foe　of　Benedetto。　This　man；　having　entered　upon　the　duties

of　his　office；　created　a　/Balia/　for　the　reformation　of　the　state；

which　banished　Benedetto　Alberti　and　admonished　all　the　rest　of　his

family　except　Antonio。　Before　his　departure；　Benedetto　called　them

together；　and　observing　their　melancholy　demeanor；　said；　〃You　see；　my

fathers；　and　you　the　elders　of　our　house；　how　fortune　has　ruined　me

and　threatened　you。　I　am　not　surprised　at　this；　neither　ought　you　to

be　so；　for　it　always　happens　thus　to　those　who　among　a　multitude　of

the　wicked；　wish　to　act　rightly；　and　endeavor　to　sustain；　what　the

many　seek　to　destroy。　The　love　of　my　country　made　me　take　part　with

Salvestro　de　Medici　and　afterward　separated　me　from　Giorgio　Scali。　The

same　cause　compelled　me　to　detest　those　who　now　govern；　who　having

none　to　punish　them；　will　allow　no　one　to　reprove　their　misdeeds。　I　am

content　that　my　banishment　should　deliver　them　from　the　fears　they

entertain；　not　of　me　only；　but　of　all　who　they　think　perceives　or　is

acquainted　wit　their　tyrannical　and　wicked　proceedings；　and　they　have

aimed　their　first　blow　at　me；　in　order　the　more　easily　to　oppress　you。

I　do　not　grieve　on　my　own　account；　for　those　honors　which　my　country

bestowed　upon　me　while　free；　she　cannot　in　her　slavery　take　from　me；

and　the　recollection　of　my　past　life　will　always　give　me　greater

pleasure　than　the　pain　imparted　by　the　sorrows　of　exile。　I　deeply

regret　that　my　country　is　left　a　prey　to　the　greediness　and　pride　of

the　few　who　keep　her　in　subjection。　I　grieve　for　you；　for　I　fear　that

the　evils　which　this　day　cease　to　affect　me；　and　commence　with　you；

will　pursue　you　with　even　greater　malevolence　than　they　have　me。

Comfort；　then；　each　other；　resolve　to　bear　up　against　every

misfortune；　and　conduct　yourselves　in　such　a　manner；　that　when

disasters　befall　you　（and　there　will　be　many）；　every　one　may　know　they

have　come　upon　you　undeservedly。〃　Not　to　give　a　worse　impression　of

his　virtue　abroad　than　he　had　done　at　home；　he　made　a　journey　to　the

sepulcher　of　Christ；　and　while　upon　his　return；　died　at　Rhodes。　His

remains　were　brought　to　Florence；　and　interred　with　all　possible

honors；　by　those　who　had　persecuted　him；　when　alive；　with　every

species　of　calumny　and　injustice。



The　family　of　the　Alberti　was　not　the　only　injured　party　during　these

troubles　of　the　city；　for　many　others　were　banished　and　admonished。　Of

the　former　were　Piero　Benini；　Matteo　Alderotti；　Giovanni　and　Francesco

del　Bene；　Giovanni　Benci；　Andrea　Adimari；　and　with　them　many　members

of　the　minor　trades。　Of　the　admonished　were　the　Covini；　Benini；

Rinucci；　Formiconi；　Corbizzi；　Manelli；　and　Alderotti。　It　was　customary

to　create　the　Balia　for　a　limited　time；　and　when　the　citizens　elected

had　effected　the　purpose　of　their　appointment；　they　resigned　the

office　from　motives　of　good　feeling　and　decency；　although　the　time

allowed　might　not　have　expired。　In　conformity　with　this　laudable

practice；　the　Balia　of　that　period；　supposing　they　had　accomplished

all　that　was　expected　of　them；　wished　to　retire；　but　when　the

multitude　were　acquainted　with　their　intention；　they　ran　armed　to　the

palace；　and　insisted；　that　before　resigning　their　power；　many　other

persons　should　be　banished　and　admonished。　This　greatly　displeased　the

signors；　but　without　disclosing　the　extent　of　their　displeasure；　they

contrived　to　amuse　the　multitude　with　promises；　till　they　had

assembled　a　sufficient　body　of　armed　men；　and　then　took　such　measures；

that　fear　induced　the　people　to　lay　aside　the　weapons　which　madness

had　led　them　to　take　up。　Nevertheless；　in　some　degree　to　gratify　the

fury　of　the　mob；　and　to　reduce　the　authority　of　the　plebeian　trades；

it　was　provided；　that　as　the　latter　had　previously　possessed　a　third

of　the　honors；　they　should　in　future　have　only　a　fourth。　That　there

might　always　be　two　of　the　signors　particularly　devoted　t