history of florence-第41节

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

might　always　be　two　of　the　signors　particularly　devoted　to　the

government；　they　gave　authority　to　the　Gonfalonier　of　Justice；　and

four　others；　to　form　a　ballot…purse　of　select　citizens；　from　which；　in

every　Signory；　two　should　be　drawn。



This　government　from　its　establishment　in　1381；　till　the　alterations

now　made；　had　continued　six　years；　and　the　internal　peace　of　the　city

remained　undisturbed　until　1393。　During　this　time；　Giovanni　Galeazzo

Visconti；　usually　called　the　Count　of　Virt？　imprisoned　his　uncle

Bernabo；　and　thus　became　sovereign　of　the　whole　of　Lombardy。　As　he　had

become　duke　of　Milan　by　fraud；　he　designed　to　make　himself　king　of

Italy　by　force。　In　1391　he　commenced　a　spirited　attack　upon　the

Florentines；　but　such　various　changes　occurred　in　the　course　of　the

war；　that　he　was　frequently　in　greater　danger　than　the　Florentines

themselves；　who；　though　they　made　a　brave　and　admirable　defense；　for　a

republic；　must　have　been　ruined；　if　he　had　survived。　As　it　was；　the

result　was　attended　with　infinitely　less　evil　than　their　fears　of　so

powerful　an　enemy　had　led　them　to　apprehend；　for　the　duke　having　taken

Bologna；　Pisa；　Perugia；　and　Sienna；　and　prepared　a　diadem　with　which

to　be　crowned　king　of　Italy　at　Florence；　died　before　he　had　tasted　the

fruit　of　his　victories；　or　the　Florentines　began　to　feel　the　effect　of

their　disasters。







CHAPTER　VII



　　Maso　degli　AlbizziHis　violence　excites　the　anger　of　the　people

　　They　have　recourse　to　Veri　de'　MediciThe　modesty　of　VeriHe

　　refuses　to　assume　the　dignity　of　prince；　and　appeases　the　people

　　Discourse　of　Veri　to　the　SignoryThe　banished　Florentines

　　endeavor　to　returnThey　secretly　enter　the　city　and　raise　a

　　tumultSome　of　them　slain；　others　taken　to　the　church　of　St。

　　ReparataA　conspiracy　of　exiles　supported　by　the　duke　of　Milan

　　The　conspiracy　discovered　and　the　parties　punishedVarious

　　enterprises　of　the　FlorentinesTaking　of　PisaWar　with　the　king

　　of　NaplesAcquisition　of　Cortona。



During　the　war　with　the　duke　of　Milan　the　office　of　Gonfalonier　of

Justice　fell　to　Maso　degli　Albizzi；　who　by　the　death　of　Piero　in　1379；

had　become　the　inveterate　enemy　of　the　Alberti：　and　as　party　feeling

is　incapable　either　of　repose　or　abatement；　he　determined；

notwithstanding　Benedetto　had　died　in　exile；　that　before　the

expiration　of　his　magistracy；　he　would　revenge　himself　on　the

remainder　of　that　family。　He　seized　the　opportunity　afforded　by　a

person；　who　on　being　examined　respecting　correspondence　maintained

with　the　rebels；　accused　Andrea　and　Alberto　degli　Alberti　of　such

practices。　They　were　immediately　arrested；　which　so　greatly　excited

the　people；　that　the　Signory；　having　provided　themselves　with　an　armed

force；　called　the　citizens　to　a　general　assembly　or　parliament；　and

appointed　a　Balia；　by　whose　authority　many　were　banished；　and　a　new

ballot　for　the　offices　of　government　was　made。　Among　the　banished　were

nearly　all　the　Alberti；　many　members　of　the　trades　were　admonished；

and　some　put　to　death。　Stung　by　these　numerous　injuries；　the　trades

and　the　lowest　of　the　people　rose　in　arms；　considering　themselves

despoiled　both　of　honor　and　life。　One　body　of　them　assembled　in　the

piazza；　another　ran　to　the　house　of　Veri　de'　Medici；　who；　after　the

death　of　Salvestro；　was　head　of　the　family。　The　Signory；　in　order　to

appease　those　who　came　to　the　piazza　or　court　of　the　palace；　gave　them

for　leaders；　with　the　ensigns　of　the　Guelphs　and　of　the　people　in

their　hands；　Rinaldo　Gianfigliazzi；　and　Donato　Acciajuoli；　both　men　of

the　popular　class；　and　more　attached　to　the　interests　of　the　plebeians

than　any　other。　Those　who　went　to　the　house　of　Veri　de'　Medici；　begged

that　he　would　be　pleased　to　undertake　the　government；　and　free　them

from　the　tyranny　of　those　citizens　who　were　destroying　the　peace　and

safety　of　the　commonwealth。



It　is　agreed　by　all　who　have　written　concerning　the　events　of　this

period；　that　if　Veri　had　had　more　ambition　than　integrity　he　might

without　any　impediment　have　become　prince　of　the　city；　for　the

unfeeling　treatment　which；　whether　right　or　wrong；　had　been　inflicted

upon　the　trades　and　their　friends；　had　so　excited　the　minds　of　men　to

vengeance；　that　all　they　required　was　some　one　to　be　their　leader。　Nor

were　there　wanting　those　who　could　inform　him　of　the　state　of　public

feeling；　for　Antonio　de'　Medici　with　whom　he　had　for　some　time　been

upon　terms　of　most　intimate　friendship；　endeavored　to　persuade　him　to

undertake　the　government　of　the　republic。　To　this　Veri　replied：　〃Thy

menaces　when　thou　wert　my　enemy；　never　alarmed　me；　nor　shall　thy

counsel；　now　when　thou　art　my　friend；　do　me　any　harm。〃　Then；　turning

toward　the　multitude；　he　bade　them　be　of　good　cheer；　for　he　would　be

their　defender；　if　they　would　allow　themselves　to　be　advised　by　him。

He　then　went；　accompanied　by　a　great　number　of　citizens；　to　the

piazza；　and　proceeded　directly　to　the　audience　chamber　of　the　Signory；

whom　he　addressed　to　this　effect：　That　he　could　not　regret　having

lived　so　as　to　gain　the　love　of　the　Florentines；　but　he　was　sorry　they

had　formed　an　opinion　of　him　which　his　past　life　had　not　warranted；

for　never　having　done　anything　that　could　be　construed　as　either

factious　or　ambitious；　he　could　not　imagine　how　it　had　happened；　that

they　should　think　him　willing　to　stir　up　strife　as　a　discontented

person；　or　usurp　the　government　of　his　country　like　an　ambitious　one。

He　therefore　begged　that　the　infatuation　of　the　multitude　might　not

injure　him　in　their　estimation；　for；　to　the　utmost　of　his　power；　their

authority　should　be　restored。　He　then　recommended　them　to　use　good

fortune　with　moderation；　for　it　would　be　much　better　to　enjoy　an

imperfect　victory　with　safety　to　the　city；　than　a　complete　one　at　her

ruin。　The　Signory　applauded　Veri's　conduct；　begged　he　would　endeavor

to　prevent　recourse　to　arms；　and　promised　that　what　he　and　the　other

citizens　might　deem　most　advisable　should　be　done。　Veri　then　returned

to　the　piazza；　where　the　people　who　had　followed　him　were　joined　by

those　led　by　Donato　and　Rinaldo；　and　informed　the　united　companies

that　he　had　found　the　Signory　most　kindly　disposed　toward　them；　that

many　things　had　been　taken　into　consideration；　which　the　shortness　of

time；　and　the　absence　of　the　magistrates；　rendered　incapable　of　being

finished。　He　therefore　begged　they　would　lay　down　their　arms　and　obey

the　Signory；　assuring　them　that　humility　would　prevail　rather　than

pride；　entreaties　rather　than　threats；　and　if　they　would　take　his

advice；　their　privileges　and　security　would　remain　unimpaired。　He　thus

induced　them　to　return　peaceably　to　their　homes。



The　disturbance　having　subsided；　the　Signory　armed　the　piazza；

enrolled　2；000　of　the　most　trusty　citizens；　who　were　divided　equally

by　Gonfalons；　and　ordered　to　be　in　readiness　to　give　their　assistance

whenever　required；　and　they　forbade　the　use　of　arms　to　all　who　were

not　thus　enrolled。　Having　adopted　these　precautionary　measures；　they

banished　and　put　to　death　many　of　those　members　of　the　trades　who　had

shown　the　greatest　audacity　in　the　late　riots；　and　to　invest　the

office　of　Gonfalonier　of　Justice　with　more　authoritative　majesty；　they

ordered　that　no　one　should　be　eligible　to　it；　under　forty…five　years

of　age。　Many　other　provisions　for　the　defense　of　the　state　were　made；

which　appeared　intolerable　to　those　against　whom　they　were　directed；

and　were　odious　even　to　the　friends　of　the　Signory　themselves；　for

they　could　not　believe　a　government　to　be　either　good　or　secure；　which

needed　so　much　violence　for　its　defense；　a　violence　excessively

offensive；　not　only　to　those　of　the　Alberti　who　remained　in　the　city；

and　to　the　Medici；　who　felt　themselves　injured　by　these　proceedings；

but　also　to　many　others。　The　first　who　attempted　resistance　was

Donato；　the　son　of　Jacopo　Acciajuoli；　who　thought　of　great　authority；

and　the　superior　rather　than　the　equal　of　Maso　degli　Albizzi　（who　on

account　of　the　events　which　took　place　while　he　was　Gonfalonier　of

Justice；　was　almost　at　the　head　of　the　republic）；　could　not　enjoy

repose　amid　such　general　discontent；　or；　like　many　others；　convert

social　evils　to　his　own　private　advantage；　and　therefore　resolved　to

attempt　the　restoration　of　the　exiles　to　their　country；　or　at　least

their　offices　to　the　admonished。　He　went　from　one　to　another；

disseminating　his　views；　showing　that　the　people　would　not　be

satisfied；　or　the　ferment　of　parties　subside；　without　the　changes　he

proposed；　and　declared　that　if　he　were　in　the　Signory；　he　would　soon

carry　them　into　effect。　In　human　affairs；　delay　causes　tedium；　and

haste　danger。　To　avoid　what　was　tedious；　Donato　Acciajuoli　resolved　to

attempt　what　involved　danger。　Michele　Acciajuoli　his　relative；　and

Niccolo　Ricoveri　his　friend；　were　of　the　Signory。　This　seemed　to

Donato　a　conjuncture　of　circumstances　too　f