history of florence-第47节

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that　the　new　method　would　press　heavily　upon　the　powerful　classes；

they　used　their　utmost　endeavors　to　prevent　it　from　becoming　law。

Giovanni　de'　Medici　alone　declared　himself　in　favor　of　it；　and　by　his

means　it　was　passed。　In　order　to　determine　the　amount　each　had　to　pay；

it　was　necessary　to　consider　his　property　in　the　aggregate；　which　the

Florentines　call　/accatastare/；　in　which　in　this　application　of　it

would　signify　TO　RATE　or　VALUE；　and　hence　this　tax　received　the　name

of　/catasto/。　The　new　method　of　rating　formed　a　powerful　check　to　the

tyranny　of　the　great；　who　could　no　longer　oppress　the　lower　classes；

or　silence　them　with　threats　in　the　council　as　they　had　formerly　done；

and　it　therefore　gave　general　satisfaction；　though　to　the　wealthy

classes　it　was　in　the　highest　degree　offensive。　But　as　it　is　found　men

are　never　satisfied；　but　that　the　possession　of　one　advantage　only

makes　them　desire　more；　the　people；　not　content　with　the　equality　of

taxation　which　the　new　law　produced；　demanded　that　the　same　rule

should　be　applied　to　past　years；　that　in　investigation　should　be　made

to　determine　how　much；　according　to　the　Catasto；　the　rich　had　paid

less　than　their　share；　and　that　they　should　now　pay　up　to　an　equality

with　those　who；　in　order　to　meet　the　demand　unjustly　made；　had　been

compelled　to　sell　their　possessions。　This　proposal　alarmed　the　great

more　than　the　Catasto　had　done；　and　in　self…defense　they　unceasingly

decried　it；　declaring　it　in　the　highest　degree　unjust　in　being　laid

not　only　on　immovable　but　movable　property；　which　people　possess

to…day　and　lose　to…morrow；　that　many　persons　have　hidden　wealth　which

the　Catasto　cannot　reach；　that　those　who　leave　their　own　affairs　to

manage　those　of　the　republic　should　be　less　burdened　by　her；　it　being

enough　for　them　to　give　their　labour；　and　that　it　was　unjust　of　the

city　to　take　both　their　property　and　their　time；　while　of　others　she

only　took　money。　The　advocates　of　the　Catasto　replied；　that　if　movable

property　varies；　the　taxes　would　also　vary；　and　frequently　rating　it

would　remedy　the　evil　to　which　it　was　subject；　that　it　was　unnecessary

to　mention　those　who　possessed　hidden　property；　for　it　would　be

unreasonable　to　take　taxes　for　that　which　produced　no　interest；　and

that　if　it　paid　anything；　it　could　not　fail　to　be　discovered：　that

those　who　did　not　like　to　labor　for　the　republic　might　cease　to　do　so；

for　no　doubt　she　would　find　plenty　of　loving　citizens　who　would　take

pleasure　in　assisting　her　with　both　money　and　counsel：　that　the

advantages　and　honors　of　a　participation　in　the　government　are　so

great；　that　of　themselves　they　are　a　sufficient　remuneration　to　those

who　thus　employ　themselves；　without　wishing　to　be　excused　from　paying

their　share　of　taxes。　But；　they　added；　the　real　grievance　had　not　been

mentioned：　for　those　who　were　offended　with　the　Catasto；　regretted

they　could　no　longer　involve　the　city　in　all　the　difficulties　of　war

without　injury　to　themselves；　now　that　they　had　to　contribute　like　the

rest；　and　that　if　this　law　had　then　been　in　force　they　would　not　have

gone　to　war　with　King　Ladislaus；　or　the　Duke　Filippo；　both　which

enterprises　had　been　not　through　necessity；　but　to　impoverish　the

citizens。　The　excitement　was　appeased　by　Giovanni　de'　Medici；　who

said；　〃It　is　not　well　to　go　into　things　so　long　past；　unless　to　learn

something　for　our　present　guidance；　and　if　in　former　times　the

taxation　has　been　unjust；　we　ought　to　be　thankful；　that　we　have　now

discovered　a　method　of　making　it　equitable；　and　hope　that　this　will　be

the　means　of　uniting　the　citizens；　not　of　dividing　them；　which　would

certainly　be　the　case　were　they　to　attempt　the　recovery　of　taxes　for

the　past；　and　make　them　equal　to　the　present；　and　that　he　who　is

content　with　a　moderate　victory　is　always　most　successful；　for　those

who　would　more　than　conquer；　commonly　lose。〃　With　such　words　as　these

he　calmed　the　disturbance；　and　this　retrospective　equalization　was　no

longer　contemplated。



The　war　with　the　duke　still　continued；　but　peace　was　at　length

restored　by　means　of　a　legate　of　the　pope。　The　duke；　however；　from　the

first　disregarded　the　conditions；　so　that　the　league　again　took　arms；

and　meeting　the　enemy's　forces　at　Maclovio　routed　them。　After　this

defeat　the　duke　again　made　proposals　for　peace；　to　which　the

Florentines　and　Venetians　both　agreed；　the　former　from　jealousy　of　the

Venetians；　thinking　they　had　spent　quite　enough　money　in　the

aggrandizement　of　others；　the　latter；　because　they　found　Carmignuola；

after　the　defeat　of　the　duke；　proceed　but　coldly　in　their　cause；　so

that　they　thought　it　no　longer　safe　to　trust　him。　A　treaty　was

therefore　concluded　in　1428；　by　which　the　Florentines　recovered　the

places　they　had　lost　in　Romagna；　and　the　Venetians　kept　Brescia；　to

which　the　duke　added　Bergamo　and　the　country　around　it。　In　this　war

the　Florentines　expended　three　millions　and　a　half　of　ducats；　extended

the　territory　and　power　of　the　Venetians；　and　brought　poverty　and

disunion　upon　themselves。



Being　at　peace　with　their　neighbors；　domestic　troubles　recommenced。

The　great　citizens　could　not　endure　the　Catasto；　and　not　knowing　how

to　set　it　aside；　they　endeavored　to　raise　up　more　numerous　enemies　to

the　measure；　and　thus　provide　themselves　with　allies　to　assist　them　in

annulling　it。　They　therefore　instructed　the　officers　appointed　to　levy

the　tax；　that　the　law　required　them　to　extend　the　Catasto　over　the

property　of　their　nearest　neighbors；　to　see　if　Florentine　wealth　was

concealed　among　it。　The　dependent　states　were　therefore　ordered　to

present　a　schedule　of　their　property　against　a　certain　time。　This　was

extremely　offensive　to　the　people　of　Volterra；　who　sent　to　the　Signory

to　complain　of　it；　but　the　officers；　in　great　wrath；　committed

eighteen　of　the　complainants　to　prison。　The　Volterrani；　however；　out

of　regard　for　their　fellow…countrymen　who　were　arrested；　did　not

proceed　to　any　violence。







CHAPTER　IV



　　Death　of　Giovanni　de'　MediciHis　characterInsurrection　of

　　VolterraVolterra　returns　to　her　allegianceNiccolo　Fortebraccio

　　attacks　the　LuccheseDiversity　of　opinion　about　the　Lucchese　war

　　War　with　LuccaAstore　Gianni　and　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi

　　appointed　commissariesViolence　of　Astorre　Gianni。



About　this　time　Giovanni　de'　Medici　was　taken　ill；　and　finding　his　end

approach；　called　his　sons　Cosmo　and　Lorenzo　to　him；　to　give　them　his

last　advice；　and　said；　〃I　find　I　have　nearly　reached　the　term　which

God　and　nature　appointed　at　my　birth；　and　I　die　content；　knowing　that

I　leave　you　rich；　healthy；　and　of　such　standing　in　society；　that　if

you　pursue　the　same　course　that　I　have；　you　will　live　respected　in

Florence；　and　in　favor　with　everyone。　Nothing　cheers　me　so　much　at

this　moment；　as　the　recollection　that　I　have　never　willfully　offended

anyone；　but　have　always　used　my　utmost　endeavors　to　confer　benefits

upon　all。　I　would　have　you　do　so　too。　With　regard　to　state　affairs；　if

you　would　live　in　security；　take　just　such　a　share　as　the　laws　and

your　countrymen　think　proper　to　bestow；　thus　you　will　escape　both

danger　and　envy；　for　it　is　not　what　is　given　to　any　individual；　but

what　he　has　determined　to　possess；　that　occasions　odium。　You　will　thus

have　a　larger　share　than　those　who　endeavor　to　engross　more　than

belongs　to　them；　for　they　thus　usually　lose　their　own；　and　before　they

lose　it；　live　in　constant　disquiet。　By　adopting　this　method；　although

among　so　many　enemies；　and　surrounded　by　so　many　conflicting

interests；　I　have　not　only　maintained　my　reputation　but　increased　my

influence。　If　you　pursue　the　same　course；　you　will　be　attended　by　the

same　good　fortune；　if　otherwise；　you　may　be　assured；　your　end　will

resemble　that　of　those　who　in　our　own　times　have　brought　ruin　both

upon　themselves　and　their　families。〃　Soon　after　this　interview　with

his　sons；　Giovanni　died；　regretted　by　everyone；　as　his　many

excellencies　deserved。　He　was　compassionate；　not　only　bestowing　alms

on　those　who　asked　them；　but　very　frequently　relieving　the　necessities

of　the　poor；　without　having　been　solicited　so　to　do。　He　loved　all；

praised　the　good；　and　pitied　the　infirmities　of　the　wicked。　He　never

sought　the　honors　of　government；　yet　enjoyed　them　all；　and　never　went

to　the　palace　unless　by　request。　He　loved　peace　and　shunned　war；

relieved　mankind　in　adversity；　and　assisted　them　in　prosperity；　never

applied　the　public　money　to　his　own　uses；　but　contributed　to　the

public　wealth。　He　was　courteous　in　office；　not　a　man　of　great

eloquence；　but　possessed　of　extraordinary　prudence。　His　demeanor

expressed　melancholy；　but　after　a　short　time　his　conversation　became

pleasant　and　facetious。　He　died　exceedingly　rich　in　money；　but　still

more　in　good　fame　and　the　best　wishes　of　mankind；　and　the　wealth　and

respect　he　left　behind　him　were　not　only　preserved　but　increased　by

his　son　Cosmo。



The　Volterran　ambassadors　grew　weary　of　lyi