history of florence-第53节

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assemble　the　Balia；　he　was　greatly　apprehensive　for　his　safety；　but

still　more　less　his　private　enemies　should　cause　him　to　be　put　to

death　in　some　unusual　manner。　He　scarcely　took　any　food；　so　that　in

four　days　he　ate　only　a　small　quantity　of　bread；　Federigo；　observing

his　anxiety；　said　to　him；　〃Cosmo；　you　are　afraid　of　being　poisoned；

and　are　evidently　hastening　your　end　with　hunger。　You　wrong　me　if　you

think　I　would　be　a　party　to　such　an　atrocious　act。　I　do　not　imagine

your　life　to　be　in　much　danger；　since　you　have　so　many　friends　both

within　the　palace　and　without；　but　if　you　should　eventually　lose　it；

be　assured　they　will　use　some　other　medium　than　myself　for　that

purpose；　for　I　will　never　imbue　my　hands　in　the　blood　of　any；　still

less　in　yours；　who　never　injured　me；　therefore　cheer　up；　take　some

food；　and　preserve　your　life　for　your　friends　and　your　country。　And

that　you　may　do　so　with　greater　assurance；　I　will　partake　of　your

meals　with　you。〃　These　words　were　of　great　relief　to　Cosmo；　who；　with

tears　in　his　eyes；　embraced　and　kissed　Federigo；　earnestly　thanking

him　for　so　kind　and　affectionate　conduct；　and　promising；　if　ever　the

opportunity　were　given　him；　he　would　not　be　ungrateful。







CHAPTER　VII



　　Cosmo　is　banished　to　PaduaRinaldo　degli　Albizzi　attempts　to

　　restore　the　nobilityNew　disturbances　occasioned　by　Rinaldo　degli

　　AlbizziRinaldo　takes　arms　against　the　SignoryHis　designs　are

　　disconcertedPope　Eugenius　in　FlorenceHe　endeavors　to　reconcile

　　the　partiesCosmo　is　recalledRinaldo　and　his　party　banished

　　Glorious　return　of　Cosmo。



Cosmo　in　some　degree　recovered　his　spirits；　and　while　the　citizens

were　disputing　about　him；　Federigo；　by　way　of　recreation；　brought　an

acquaintance　of　the　Gonfalonier　to　take　supper　with　him；　an　amusing

and　facetious　person；　whose　name　was　Il　Farnagaccio。　The　repast　being

nearly　over；　Cosmo；　who　thought　he　might　turn　this　visit　to　advantage；

for　he　knew　the　man　very　intimately；　gave　a　sign　to　Federigo　to　leave

the　apartment；　and　he；　guessing　the　cause；　under　pretense　of　going　for

something　that　was　wanted　on　the　table；　left　them　together。　Cosmo；

after　a　few　friendly　expressions　addressed　to　Il　Farnagaccio；　gave　him

a　small　slip　of　paper；　and　desired　him　to　go　to　the　director　of　the

hospital　of　Santa　Maria　Nuova；　for　one　thousand　one　hundred　ducats；　he

was　to　take　the　hundred　for　himself；　and　carry　the　thousand　to　the

Gonfalonier；　and　beg　that　he　would　take　some　suitable　occasion　of

coming　to　see　him。　Farnagaccio　undertook　the　commission；　the　money　was

paid；　Bernardo　became　more　humane；　and　Cosmo　was　banished　to　Padua；

contrary　to　the　wish　of　Rinaldo；　who　earnestly　desired　his　death。

Averardo　and　many　others　of　the　house　of　Medici　were　also　banished；

and　with　them　Puccio　and　Giovanni　Pucci。　To　silence　those　who　were

dissatisfied　with　the　banishment　of　Cosmo；　they　endowed　with　the　power

of　a　Balia；　the　Eight　of　War　and　the　Capitano　of　the　People。　After　his

sentence；　Cosmo　on　the　third　of　October；　1433；　came　before　the

Signory；　by　whom　the　boundary　to　which　he　was　restricted　was

specified；　and　they　advised　him　to　avoid　passing　it；　unless　he　wished

them　to　proceed　with　greater　severity　both　against　himself　and　his

property。　Cosmo　received　his　sentence　with　a　cheerful　look；　assuring

the　Signory　that　wherever　they　determined　to　send　him；　he　would

willingly　remain。　He　earnestly　begged；　that　as　they　had　preserved　his

life　they　would　protect　it；　for　he　knew　there　were　many　in　the　piazza

who　were　desirous　to　take　it；　and　assured　them；　that　wherever　he　might

be；　himself　and　his　means　were　entirely　at　the　service　of　the　city；

the　people；　and　the　Signory。　He　was　respectfully　attended　by　the

Gonfalonier；　who　retained　him　in　the　palace　till　night；　then　conducted

him　to　his　own　house　to　supper；　and　caused　him　to　be　escorted　by　a

strong　armed　force　to　his　place　of　banishment。　Wherever　the　cavalcade

passed；　Cosmo　was　honorably　received；　and　was　publicly　visited　by　the

Venetians；　not　as　an　exile；　but　with　all　the　respect　due　to　one　in　the

highest　station。



Florence；　widowed　of　so　great　a　citizen；　one　so　generally　beloved；

seemed　to　be　universally　sunk　in　despondency；　victors　and　the

vanquished　were　alike　in　fear。　Rinaldo；　as　if　inspired　with　a　presage

of　his　future　calamities；　in　order　not　to　appear　deficient　to　himself

or　his　party；　assembled　many　citizens；　his　friends；　and　informed　them

that　he　foresaw　their　approaching　ruin　for　having　allowed　themselves

to　be　overcome　by　the　prayers；　the　tears；　and　the　money　of　their

enemies；　and　that　they　did　not　seem　aware　they　would　soon　themselves

have　to　entreat　and　weep；　when　their　prayers　would　not　be　listened　to；

or　their　tears　excite　compassion；　and　that　of　the　money　received；　they

would　have　to　restore　the　principal；　and　pay　the　interest　in　tortures；

exile；　and　death；　that　it　would　have　been　much　better　for　them　to　have

done　nothing　than　to　have　left　Cosmo　alive；　and　his　friends　in

Florence；　for　great　offenders　ought　either　to　remain　untouched；　or　be

destroyed；　that　there　was　now　no　remedy　but　to　strengthen　themselves

in　the　city；　so　that　upon　the　renewed　attempts　of　their　enemies；　which

would　soon　take　place；　they　might　drive　them　out　with　arms；　since　they

had　not　sufficient　civil　authority　to　expel　them。　The　remedy　to　be

adopted；　he　said；　was　one　that　he　had　long　before　advocated；　which　was

to　regain　the　friendship　of　the　grandees；　restoring　and　conceding　to

them　all　the　honors　of　the　city；　and　thus　make　themselves　strong　with

that　party；　since　their　adversaries　had　joined　the　plebeians。　That　by

this　means　they　would　become　the　more　powerful　side；　for　they　would

possess　greater　energy；　more　comprehensive　talent　and　an　augmented

share　of　influence；　and　that　if　this　last　and　only　remedy　were　not

adopted；　he　knew　not　what　other　means　could　be　made　use　of　to　preserve

the　government　among　so　many　enemies；　or　prevent　their　own　ruin　and

that　of　the　city。



Mariotto　Baldovinetti；　one　of　the　assembly；　was　opposed　to　this　plan；

on　account　of　the　pride　and　insupportable　nature　of　the　nobility；　and

said；　that　it　would　be　folly　to　place　themselves　again　under　such

inevitable　tyranny　for　the　sake　of　avoiding　imaginary　dangers　from　the

plebeians。　Rinaldo；　finding　his　advice　unfavorably　received；　vexed　at

his　own　misfortune　and　that　of　his　party；　imputed　the　whole　to　heaven

itself；　which　had　resolved　upon　it；　rather　than　to　human　ignorance　and

blunders。　In　this　juncture　of　affairs；　no　remedial　measure　being

attempted；　a　letter　was　found　written　by　Agnolo　Acciajuoli　to　Cosmo；

acquainting　him　with　the　disposition　of　the　city　in　his　favor；　and

advising　him；　if　possible；　to　excite　a　war；　and　gain　the　friendship　of

Neri　di　Gino；　for　he　imagined　the　city　to　be　in　want　of　money；　and　as

she　would　not　find　anyone　to　serve　her；　the　remembrance　of　him　would

be　revived　in　the　minds　of　the　citizens；　and　they　would　desire　his

return；　and　that　if　Neri　were　detached　from　Rinaldo；　the　party　of　the

latter　would　be　so　weakened；　as　to　be　unable　to　defend　themselves。

This　letter　coming　to　the　hands　of　the　magistrates；　Agnolo　was　taken；

put　to　the　torture；　and　sent　into　exile。　This　example；　however；　did

not　at　all　deter　Cosmo's　party。



It　was　now　almost　a　year　since　Cosmo　had　been　banished；　and　the　end　of

August；　1434；　being　come；　Niccolo　di　Cocco　was　drawn　Gonfalonier　for

the　two　succeeding　months；　and　with　him　eight　signors；　all　partisans

of　Cosmo。　This　struck　terror　into　Rinaldo　and　his　party；　and　as　it　is

usual　for　three　days　to　elapse　before　the　new　Signory　assume　the

magistracy　and　the　old　resign　their　authority；　Rinaldo　again　called

together　the　heads　of　his　party。　He　endeavored　to　show　them　their

certain　and　immediate　danger；　and　that　their　only　remedy　was　to　take

arms；　and　cause　Donato　Velluti；　who　was　yet　Gonfalonier；　to　assemble

the　people　in　the　piazza　and　create　a　Balia。　He　would　then　deprive　the

new　Signory　of　the　magistracy；　appoint　another；　burn　the　present

balloting　purses；　and　by　means　of　a　new　Squittini；　provide　themselves

with　friends。　Many　thought　this　course　safe　and　requisite；　others；

that　it　was　too　violent；　and　likely　to　be　attended　with　great　evil。

Among　those　who　disliked　it　was　Palla　Strozzi；　a　peaceable；　gentle；

and　humane　person；　better　adapted　for　literary　pursuits　than　for

restraining　a　party；　or　opposing　civil　strife。　He　said　that　bold　and

crafty　resolutions　seem　promising　at　their　commencement；　but　are

afterward　found　difficult　to　execute；　and　generally　pernicious　at

their　conclusion；　that　he　thought　the　fear　of　external　wars　（the

duke's　forces　being　upon　the　confines　of　Romagna）；　would　occupy　the

minds　of　the　Signory　more　than　internal　dissensions；　but；　still；　if

any　attempt　should　be　made；　and　it　could　not　take　place　unnoticed；

they　would　have　sufficient　time　to　take　arms；　and　adopt　whatever

measures　might　be　found　necessary　for　the　common　good；　which