history of florence-第51节

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keys　of　the　city　and　the　treasure。　Pagolo　said　the　treasure　was

consumed；　but　the　keys　and　himself　were　in　their　power；　he　only　begged

that　as　his　command　had　begun　and　continued　without　bloodshed；　it

might　conclude　in　the　same　manner。　Count　Francesco　conducted　Pagolo

and　his　son　to　the　duke；　and　they　afterward　died　in　prison。



The　departure　of　the　count　having　delivered　Lucca　from　her　tyrant；　and

the　Florentines　from　their　fear　of　his　soldiery；　the　former　prepared

for　her　defense；　and　the　latter　resumed　the　siege。　They　appointed　the

count　of　Urbino　to　conduct　their　forces；　and　he　pressed　the　Lucchese

so　closely；　that　they　were　again　compelled　to　ask　the　assistance　of

the　duke；　who　dispatched　Niccolo　Piccinino；　under　the　same　pretense　as

he　previously　sent　Count　Francesco。　The　Florentine　forces　met　him　on

his　approach　to　Lucca；　and　at　the　passage　of　the　Serchio　a　battle

ensued；　in　which　they　were　routed；　the　commissary　with　a　few　of　his

men　escaping　to　Pisa。　This　defeat　filled　the　Florentines　with　dismay；

and　as　the　enterprise　had　been　undertaken　with　the　entire　approbation

of　the　great　body　of　the　people；　they　did　not　know　whom　to　find　fault

with；　and　therefore　railed　against　those　who　had　been　appointed　to　the

management　of　the　war；　reviving　the　charges　made　against　Rinaldo。　They

were；　however；　more　severe　against　Giovanni　Guicciardini　than　any

other；　declaring　that　if　he　had　wished；　he　might　have　put　a　period　to

the　war　at　the　departure　of　Count　Francesco；　but　that　he　had　been

bribed　with　money；　for　he　had　sent　home　a　large　sum；　naming　the　party

who　had　been　intrusted　to　bring　it；　and　the　persons　to　whom　it　had

been　delivered。　These　complaints　and　accusations　were　carried　to　so

great　a　length　that　the　captain　of　the　people；　induced　by　the　public

voice；　and　pressed　by　the　party　opposed　to　the　war；　summoned　him　to

trial。　Giovanni　appeared；　though　full　of　indignation。　However　his

friends；　from　regard　to　their　own　character；　adopted　such　a　course

with　the　Capitano　as　induced　him　to　abandon　the　inquiry。



After　this　victory；　the　Lucchese　not　only　recovered　the　places　that

had　belonged　to　them；　but　occupied　all　the　country　of　Pisa　except

Beintina；　Calcinaja；　Livorno；　and　Librafatta；　and；　had　not　a

conspiracy　been　discovered　that　was　formed　in　Pisa；　they　would　have

secured　that　city　also。　The　Florentines　again　prepared　for　battle；　and

appointed　Micheletto；　a　pupil　of　Sforza；　to　be　their　leader。　The　duke；

on　the　other　hand；　followed　up　this　victory；　and　that　he　might　bring　a

greater　power　against　the　Florentines；　induced　the　Genoese；　the

Siennese；　and　the　governor　of　Piombino；　to　enter　into　a　league　for　the

defense　of　Lucca；　and　to　engage　Niccolo　Piccinino　to　conduct　their

forces。　Having　by　this　step　declared　his　design；　the　Venetians　and　the

Florentines　renewed　their　league；　and　the　war　was　carried　on　openly　in

Tuscany　and　Lombardy；　in　each　of　which　several　battles　were　fought

with　variety　of　fortune。　At　length；　both　sides　being　wearied　out；　they

came　to　terms　for　the　cessation　of　hostilities；　in　May；　1433。　By　this

arrangement　the　Florentines；　Lucchese；　and　Siennese；　who　had　each

occupied　many　fortresses　belonging　to　the　others；　gave　them　all　up；

and　each　party　resumed　its　original　possessions。







CHAPTER　VI



　　Cosmo　de'　Medici；　his　character　and　mode　of　proceedingsThe

　　greatness　of　Cosmo　excites　the　jealousy　of　the　citizensThe

　　opinion　of　Niccolo　da　UzzanoScandalous　divisions　of　the

　　FlorentinesDeath　of　Niccolo　da　UzzanoBernardo　Guadagni；

　　Gonfalonier；　adopts　measures　against　CosmoCosmo　arrested　in　the

　　palaceHe　is　apprehensive　of　attempts　against　his　life。



During　the　war　the　malignant　humors　of　the　city　were　in　constant

activity。　Cosmo　de'　Medici；　after　the　death　of　Giovanni；　engaged　more

earnestly　in　public　affairs；　and　conducted　himself　with　more　zeal　and

boldness　in　regard　to　his　friends　than　his　father　had　done；　so　that

those　who　rejoiced　at　Giovanni's　death；　finding　what　the　son　was

likely　to　become；　perceived　they　had　no　cause　for　exultation。　Cosmo

was　one　of　the　most　prudent　of　men；　of　grave　and　courteous　demeanor；

extremely　liberal　and　humane。　He　never　attempted　anything　against

parties；　or　against　rulers；　but　was　bountiful　to　all；　and　by　the

unwearied　generosity　of　his　disposition；　made　himself　partisans　of　all

ranks　of　the　citizens。　This　mode　of　proceeding　increased　the

difficulties　of　those　who　were　in　the　government；　and　Cosmo　himself

hoped　that　by　its　pursuit　he　might　be　able　to　live　in　Florence　as　much

respected　and　as　secure　as　any　other　citizen；　or　if　the　ambition　of

his　adversaries　compelled　him　to　adopt　a　different　course；　arms　and

the　favor　of　his　friends　would　enable　him　to　become　more　so。　Averardo

de'　Medici　and　Puccio　Pucci　were　greatly　instrumental　in　the

establishment　of　his　power；　the　former　by　his　boldness；　the　latter　by

unusual　prudence　and　sagacity；　contributed　to　his　aggrandizement。

Indeed　the　advice　of　wisdom　of　Puccio　were　so　highly　esteemed；　that

Cosmo's　party　was　rather　distinguished　by　the　name　of　Puccio　than　by

his　own。



By　this　divided　city　the　enterprise　against　Lucca　was　undertaken；　and

the　bitterness　of　party　spirit；　instead　of　being　abated；　increased。

Although　the　friends　of　Cosmo　had　been　in　favor　of　it；　many　of　the

adverse　faction　were　sent　to　assist　in　the　management；　as　being　men　of

greater　influence　in　the　state。　Averardo　de'　Medici　and　the　rest　being

unable　to　prevent　this；　endeavored　with　all　their　might　to　calumniate

them；　and　when　any　unfavorable　circumstance　occurred　（and　there　were

many）；　fortune　and　the　exertions　of　the　enemy　were　never　supposed　to

be　the　causes；　but　solely　the　want　of　capacity　in　the　commissary。　This

disposition　aggravated　the　offenses　of　Astorre　Gianni；　this　excited

the　indignation　of　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi；　and　made　him　resign　his

commission　without　leave；　this；　too；　compelled　the　captain　of　the

people　to　require　the　appearance　of　Giovanni　Guicciardini；　and　from

this　arose　all　the　other　charges　which　were　made　against　the

magistrates　and　the　commissaries。　Real　evils　were　magnified；　unreal

ones　feigned；　and　the　true　and　the　false　were　equally　believed　by　the

people；　who　were　almost　universally　their　foes。



All　these　events　and　extraordinary　modes　of　proceeding　were　perfectly

known　to　Niccolo　da　Uzzano　and　the　other　leaders　of　the　party；　and

they　had　often　consulted　together　for　the　purpose　of　finding　a　remedy；

but　without　effect；　though　they　were　aware　of　the　danger　of　allowing

them　to　increase；　and　the　great　difficulty　that　would　attend　any

attempt　to　remove　or　abate　them。　Niccolo　da　Uzzano　was　the　earliest　to

take　offense；　and　while　the　war　was　proceeding　without；　and　these

troubles　within；　Niccolo　Barbadoro　desirous　of　inducing　him　to　consent

to　the　ruin　of　Cosmo；　waited　upon　him　at　his　house；　and　finding　him

alone　in　his　study；　and　very　pensive；　endeavored；　with　the　best

reasons　he　could　advance；　to　persuade　him　to　agree　with　Rinaldo　on

Cosmo's　expulsion。　Niccolo　da　Uzzano　replied　as　follows：　〃It　would　be

better　for　thee　and　thy　house；　as　well　as　for　our　republic；　if　thou

and　those　who　follow　thee　in　this　opinion　had　beards　of　silver　instead

of　gold；　as　is　said　of　thee；　for　advice　proceeding　from　the　hoary　head

of　long　experience　would　be　wiser　and　of　greater　service　to　all。　It

appears　to　me；　that　those　who　talk　of　driving　Cosmo　out　of　Florence

would　do　well　to　consider　what　is　their　strength；　and　what　that　of

Cosmo。　You　have　named　one　party；　that　of　the　nobility；　the　other　that

of　the　plebeians。　If　the　fact　corresponded　with　the　name；　the　victory

would　still　be　most　uncertain；　and　the　example　of　the　ancient　nobility

of　this　city；　who　were　destroyed　by　the　plebeians；　ought　rather　to

impress　us　with　fear　than　with　hope。　We　have；　however；　still　further

cause　for　apprehension　from　the　division　of　our　party；　and　the　union

of　our　adversaries。　In　the　first　place；　Neri　di　Gino　and　Nerone　di

Nigi；　two　of　our　principal　citizens；　have　never　so　fully　declared

their　sentiments　as　to　enable　us　to　determine　whether　they　are　most

our　friends　our　those　of　our　opponents。　There　are　many　families；　even

many　houses；　divided；　many　are　opposed　to　us　through　envy　of　brothers

or　relatives。　I　will　recall　to　your　recollection　two　or　three　of　the

most　important；　you　may　think　of　the　others　at　your　leisure。　Of　the

sons　of　Maso　degli　Albizzi；　Luca；　from　envy　of　Rinaldo；　has　thrown

himself　into　their　hands。　In　the　house　of　Guicciardini；　of　the　sons　of

Luigi；　Piero　is　the　enemy　of　Giovanni　and　in　favor　of　our　adversaries。

Tommaso　and　Niccolo　Soderini　openly　oppose　us　on　account　of　their

hatred　of　their　uncle　Francesco。　So　that　if　we　consider　well　what　we

are；　and　what　our　enemies；　I　cannot　see　why　we　should　be　called　NOBLE

any　more　than　they。　If　it　is　because　they　are　followed　by　the

plebeians；　we　are　in　a　worse　condition　on　that　account；　and　they　in　a

better；　for　were　it　t