history of florence-第49节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



never　entered　on　a　more　unjust　or　more　dangerous　project；　or　one　more

pregnant　with　evil；　than　this。　In　the　first　place　they　were　going　to

attack　a　Guelphic　city；　that　had　always　been　friendly　to　the

Florentine　people；　and　had　frequently；　at　great　hazard；　received　the

Guelphs　into　her　bosom　when　they　were　expelled　from　their　own　country。

That　in　the　history　of　the　past　there　was　not　an　instance；　while　Lucca

was　free；　of　her　having　done　an　injury　to　the　Florentines；　and　that　if

they　had　been　injured　by　her　enslavers；　as　formerly　by　Castruccio；　and

now　by　the　present　governor；　the　fault　was　not　in　the　city；　but　in　her

tyrant。　That　if　they　could　assail　the　latter　without　detriment　to　the

people；　he　should　have　less　scruple；　but　as　this　was　impossible；　he

could　not　consent　that　a　city　which　had　been　friendly　to　Florence

should　be　plundered　of　her　wealth。　However；　as　it　was　usual　at　present

to　pay　little　or　no　regard　either　to　equity　or　injustice；　he　would

consider　the　matter　solely　with　reference　to　the　advantage　of

Florence。　He　thought　that　what　could　not　easily　be　attended　by

pernicious　consequences　might　be　esteemed　useful；　but　he　could　not

imagine　how　an　enterprise　should　be　called　advantageous　in　which　the

evils　were　certain　and　the　utility　doubtful。　The　certain　evils　were

the　expenses　with　which　it　would　be　attended；　and　these；　he　foresaw；

would　be　sufficiently　great　to　alarm　even　a　people　that　had　long　been

in　repose；　much　more　one　wearied；　as　they　were；　by　a　tedious　and

expensive　war。　The　advantage　that　might　be　gained　was　the　acquisition

of　Lucca；　which　he　acknowledged　to　be　great；　but　the　hazards　were　so

enormous　and　immeasurable；　as　in　his　opinion　to　render　the　conquest

quite　impossible。　He　could　not　induce　himself　to　believe　that　the

Venetians；　or　Filippo；　would　willingly　allow　them　to　make　the

acquisition；　for　the　former　only　consented　in　appearance；　in　order　to

avoid　the　semblance　of　ingratitude；　having　so　lately；　with　Florentine

money；　acquired　such　an　extent　of　dominion。　That　as　regarded　the　duke；

it　would　greatly　gratify　him　to　see　them　involved　in　new　wars　and

expenses；　for；　being　exhausted　and　defeated　on　all　sides；　he　might

again　assail　them；　and　that　if；　after　having　undertaken　it；　their

enterprise　against　Lucca　were　to　prove　successful；　and　offer　them　the

fullest　hope　of　victory；　the　duke　would　not　want　an　opportunity　of

frustrating　their　labors；　either　by　assisting　the　Lucchese　secretly

with　money；　or　by　apparently　disbanding　his　own　troops；　and　then

sending　them；　as　if　they　were　soldiers　of　fortune；　to　their　relief。　He

therefore　advised　that　they　should　give　up　the　idea；　and　behave　toward

the　tyrant　in　such　a　way　as　to　create　him　as　many　enemies　as　possible；

for　there　was　no　better　method　of　reducing　Lucca　than　to　let　them　live

under　the　tyrant；　oppressed　and　exhausted　by　him；　for；　if　prudently

managed；　that　city　would　soon　get　into　such　a　condition　that　he　could

not　retain　it；　and　being　ignorant　or　unable　to　govern　itself；　it　must

of　necessity　fall　into　their　power。　But　he　saw　that　his　discourse　did

not　please　them；　and　that　his　words　were　unheeded；　he　would；　however；

predict　this　to　them；　that　they　were　about　to　commence　a　war　in　which

they　would　expend　vast　sums；　incur　great　domestic　dangers；　and　instead

of　becoming　masters　of　Lucca；　they　would　deliver　her　from　her　tyrant；

and　of　a　friendly　city；　feeble　and　oppressed；　they　would　make　one　free

and　hostile；　and　that　in　time　she　would　become　an　obstacle　to　the

greatness　of　their　own　republic。



The　question　having　been　debated　on　both　sides；　they　proceeded　to

vote；　as　usual；　and　of　the　citizens　present　only　ninety…eight　were

against　the　enterprise。　Thus　determined　in　favor　of　war；　they

appointed　a　Council　of　Ten　for　its　management；　and　hired　forces；　both

horse　and　foot。　Astorre　Gianni　and　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi　were

appointed　commissaries；　and　Niccolo　Fortebraccio；　on　agreeing　to　give

up　to　the　Florentines　the　places　he　had　taken；　was　engaged　to　conduct

the　enterprise　as　their　captain。　The　commissaries　having　arrived　with

the　army　in　the　country　of　the　Lucchese；　divided　their　forces；　one

part　of　which；　under　Astorre；　extended　itself　along　the　plain；　toward

Camaiore　and　Pietrasanta；　while　Rinaldo；　with　the　other　division；　took

the　direction　of　the　hills；　presuming　that　when　the　citizens　found

themselves　deprived　of　the　surrounding　country；　they　would　easily

submit。　The　proceedings　of　the　commissaries　were　unfortunate；　not　that

they　failed　to　occupy　many　places；　but　from　the　complaints　made

against　them　of　mismanaging　the　operations　of　the　war；　and　Astorre

Gianni　had　certainly　given　very　sufficient　cause　for　the　charges

against　him。



There　is　a　fertile　and　populous　valley　near　Pietrasanta；　called

Seravezza；　whose　inhabitants；　on　learning　the　arrival　of　the

commissary；　presented　themselves　before　him　and　begged　he　would

receive　them　as　faithful　subjects　of　the　Florentine　republic。　Astorre

pretended　to　accept　their　proposal；　but　immediately　ordered　his　forces

to　take　possession　of　all　the　passes　and　strong　positions　of　the

valley；　assembled　the　men　in　the　principal　church；　took　them　all

prisoners；　and　then　caused　his　people　to　plunder　and　destroy　the　whole

country；　with　the　greatest　avarice　and　cruelty；　making　no　distinction

in　favor　of　consecrated　places；　and　violating　the　women；　both　married

and　single。　These　things　being　known　in　Florence；　displeased　not　only

the　magistracy；　but　the　whole　city。







CHAPTER　V



　　The　inhabitants　of　Seravezza　appeal　to　the　SignoryComplaints

　　against　Rinaldo　degli　AlbizziThe　commissaries　changedFilippo

　　Brunelleschi　proposes　to　submerge　the　country　about　LuccaPagolo

　　Guinigi　asks　assistance　of　the　duke　of　MilanThe　duke　sends

　　Francesco　SforzaPagolo　Guinigi　expelledThe　Florentines　routed

　　by　the　forces　of　the　dukeThe　acquisitions　of　the　Lucchese　after

　　the　victoryConclusion　of　the　war。



A　few　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　valley　of　Seravezza；　having　escaped

the　hands　of　the　commissary；　came　to　Florence　and　acquainted　every　one

in　the　streets　with　their　miserable　situation；　and　by　the　advice　of

those　who；　either　through　indignation　at　his　wickedness　or　from　being

of　the　opposite　party；　wished　to　punish　the　commissary；　they　went　to

the　Council　of　Ten；　and　requested　an　audience。　This　being　granted；　one

of　them　spoke　to　the　following　effect：　〃We　feel　assured；　magnificent

lords；　that　we　shall　find　credit　and　compassion　from　the　Signory；　when

you　learn　how　your　commissary　has　taken　possession　of　our　country；　and

in　what　manner　he　has　treated　us。　Our　valley；　as　the　memorials　of　your

ancient　houses　abundantly　testify；　was　always　Guelphic；　and　has　often

proved　a　secure　retreat　to　your　citizens　when　persecuted　by　the

Ghibellines。　Our　forefathers；　and　ourselves　too；　have　always　revered

the　name　of　this　noble　republic　as　the　leader　and　head　of　their　party。

While　the　Lucchese　were　Guelphs　we　willingly　submitted　to　their

government；　but　when　enslaved　by　the　tyrant；　who　forsook　his　old

friends　to　join　the　Ghibelline　faction；　we　have　obeyed　him　more

through　force　than　good　will。　And　God　knows　how　often　we　have　prayed；

that　we　might　have　an　opportunity　of　showing　our　attachment　to　our

ancient　party。　But　how　blind　are　mankind　in　their　wishes！　That　which

we　desired　for　our　safety　has　proved　our　destruction。　As　soon　as　we

learned　that　your　ensigns　were　approaching；　we　hastened　to　meet　your

commissary；　not　as　an　enemy；　but　as　the　representative　of　our　ancient

lords；　placed　our　valley；　our　persons；　and　our　fortunes　in　his　hands；

and　commended　them　to　his　good　faith；　believing　him　to　possess　the

soul；　if　not　of　a　Florentine；　at　least　of　a　man。　Your　lordships　will

forgive　us；　for；　unable　to　support　his　cruelties；　we　are　compelled　to

speak。　Your　commissary　has　nothing　of　the　man　but　the　shape；　nor　of　a

Florentine　but　the　name；　a　more　deadly　pest；　a　more　savage　beast；　a

more　horrid　monster　never　was　imagined　in　the　human　mind；　for；　having

assembled　us　in　our　church　under　pretense　of　wishing　to　speak　with　us；

he　made　us　prisoners。　He　then　burned　and　destroyed　the　whole　valley；

carried　off　our　property；　ravaged　every　place；　destroyed　everything；

violated　the　women；　dishonored　the　virgins；　and　dragging　them　from　the

arms　of　their　mothers；　gave　them　up　to　the　brutality　of　his　soldiery。

If　by　any　injury　to　the　Florentine　people　we　merited　such　treatment；

or　if　he　had　vanquished　us　armed　in　our　defense；　we　should　have　less

reason　for　complaint；　we　should　have　accused　ourselves；　and　thought

that　either　our　mismanagement　or　our　arrogance　had　deservedly　brought

the　calamity　upon　us；　but　after　having　freely　presented　ourselves　to

him　unarmed；　to　be　robbed　and　plundered　with　such　unfeeling　barbarity；

is　more　than　we　can　bear。　And　though　we　might　have　filled　Lombardy

with　complaints　and　charges　against　this　city；　and　spread　the　story　of

our　misfortunes　over　the　whol