history of florence-第54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！



measures　might　be　found　necessary　for　the　common　good；　which　being

done　upon　necessity；　would　occasion　less　excitement　among　the　people

and　less　danger　to　themselves。　It　was　therefore　concluded；　that　the

new　Signory　should　come　in；　that　their　proceedings　should　be　watched；

and　if　they　were　found　attempting　anything　against　the　party；　each

should　take　arms；　and　meet　in　the　piazza　of　San　Pulinari；　situated

near　the　palace；　and　whence　they　might　proceed　wherever　it　was　found

necessary。　Having　come　to　this　conclusion；　Rinaldo's　friends

separated。



The　new　Signory　entered　upon　their　office；　and　the　Gonfalonier；　in

order　to　acquire　reputation；　and　deter　those　who　might　intend　to

oppose　him；　sent　Donato　Velluti；　his　predecessor；　to　prison；　upon　the

charge　of　having　applied　the　public　money　to　his　own　use。　He　then

endeavored　to　sound　his　colleagues　with　respect　to　Cosmo：　seeing　them

desirous　of　his　return；　he　communicated　with　the　leaders　of　the　Medici

party；　and；　by　their　advice；　summoned　the　hostile　chiefs；　Rinaldo

degli　Albizzi；　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　and　Niccolo　Barbadoro。　After　this

citation；　Rinaldo　thought　further　delay　would　be　dangerous：　he

therefore　left　his　house　with　a　great　number　of　armed　men；　and　was

soon　joined　by　Ridolfo　Peruzzi　and　Niccolo　Barbadoro。　The　force

accompanying　them　was　composed　of　several　citizens　and　a　great　number

of　disbanded　soldiers　then　in　Florence：　and　all　assembled　according　to

appointment　in　the　piazza　of　San　Pulinari。　Palla　Strozzi　and　Giovanni

Guicciardini；　though　each　had　assembled　a　large　number　of　men；　kept　in

their　houses；　and　therefore　Rinaldo　sent　a　messenger　to　request　their

attendance　and　to　reprove　their　delay。　Giovanni　replied；　that　he

should　lend　sufficient　aid　against　their　enemies；　if　by　remaining　at

home　he　could　prevent　his　brother　Piero　from　going　to　the　defense　of

the　palace。　After　many　messages　Palla　came　to　San　Pulinari　on

horseback；　accompanied　by　two　of　his　people　on　foot；　and　unarmed。

Rinaldo；　on　meeting　him；　sharply　reproved　him　for　his　negligence；

declaring　that　his　refusal　to　come　with　the　others　arose　either　from

defect　of　principle　or　want　of　courage；　both　of　which　charges　should

be　avoided　by　all　who　wished　to　preserve　such　a　character　as　he　had

hitherto　possessed；　and　that　if　he　thought　this　abominable　conduct　to

his　party　would　induce　their　enemies　when　victorious　to　spare　him　from

death　or　exile；　he　deceived　himself；　but　for　himself　（Rinaldo）

whatever　might　happen；　he　had　the　consolation　of　knowing；　that

previously　to　the　crisis　he　had　never　neglected　his　duty　in　council；

and　that　when　it　occurred　he　had　used　every　possible　exertion　to　repel

it　with　arms；　but　that　Palla　and　the　others　would　experience

aggravated　remorse　when　they　considered　they　had　upon　three　occasions

betrayed　their　country；　first　when　they　saved　Cosmo；　next　when　they

disregarded　his　advice；　and　now　the　third　time　by　not　coming　armed　in

her　defense　according　to　their　engagement。　To　these　reproaches　Palla

made　no　reply　audible　to　those　around；　but；　muttering　something　as　he

left　them；　returned　to　his　house。



The　Signory；　knowing　Rinaldo　and　his　party　had　taken　arms；　finding

themselves　abandoned；　caused　the　palace　to　be　shut　up；　and　having　no

one　to　consult　they　knew　not　what　course　to　adopt。　However；　Rinaldo；

by　delaying　his　coming　to　the　piazza；　having　waited　in　expectation　of

forces　which　did　not　join　him；　lost　the　opportunity　of　victory；　gave

them　courage　to　provide　for　their　defense；　and　allowed　many　others　to

join　them；　who　advised　that　means　should　be　used　to　induce　their

adversaries　to　lay　down　their　arms。　Thereupon；　some　of　the　least

suspected；　went　on　the　part　of　the　Signory　to　Rinaldo；　and　said；　they

did　not　know　what　occasion　they　had　given　his　friends　for　thus

assembling　in　arms；　that　they　never　had　any　intention　of　offending

him；　and　if　they　had　spoken　of　Cosmo；　they　had　no　design　of　recalling

him；　so　if　their　fears　were　thus　occasioned　they　might　at　once　be

dispelled；　for　that　if　they　came　to　the　palace　they　would　be

graciously　received；　and　all　their　complaints　attended　to。　These　words

produced　no　change　in　Rinaldo's　purpose；　he　bade　them　provide　for

their　safety　by　resigning　their　offices；　and　said　that　then　the

government　of　the　city　would　be　reorganized；　for　the　mutual　benefit　of

all。



It　rarely　happens；　where　authorities　are　equal　and　opinions　contrary；

that　any　good　resolution　is　adopted。　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　moved　by　the

discourse　of　the　citizens；　said；　that　all　he　desired　was　to　prevent

the　return　of　Cosmo；　and　this　being　granted　to　them　seemed　a

sufficient　victory；　nor　would　he；　to　obtain　a　greater；　fill　the　city

with　blood；　he　would　therefore　obey　the　Signory；　and　accordingly　went

with　his　people　to　the　palace；　where　he　was　received　with　a　hearty

welcome。　Thus　Rinaldo's　delay　at　San　Pulinari；　Palla's　want　of

courage；　and　Ridolfo's　desertion；　deprived　their　party　of　all　chance

of　success；　while　the　ardor　of　the　citizens　abated；　and　the　pope's

authority　did　not　contribute　to　its　revival。



Pope　Eugenius　was　at　this　time　at　Florence；　having　been　driven　from

Rome　by　the　people。　These　disturbances　coming　to　his　knowledge；　he

thought　it　a　duty　suitable　to　his　pastoral　office　to　appease　them；　and

sent　the　patriarch　Giovanni　Vitelleschi；　Rinaldo's　most　intimate

friend；　to　entreat　the　latter　to　come　to　an　interview　with　him；　as　he

trusted　he　had　sufficient　influence　with　the　Signory　to　insure　his

safety　and　satisfaction；　without　injury　or　bloodshed　to　the　citizens。

By　his　friend's　persuasion；　Rinaldo　proceeded　with　all　his　followers

to　Santa　Maria　Nuova；　where　the　pope　resided。　Eugenius　gave　him　to

understand；　that　the　Signory　had　empowered　him　to　settle　the

differences　between　them；　and　that　all　would　be　arranged　to　his

satisfaction；　if　he　laid　down　his　arms。　Rinaldo；　having　witnessed

Palla's　want　of　zeal；　and　the　fickleness　of　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　and　no

better　course　being　open　to　him；　placed　himself　in　the　pope's　hands；

thinking　that　at　all　events　the　authority　of　his　holiness　would　insure

his　safety。　Eugenius　then　sent　word　to　Niccolo　Barbadoro；　and　the　rest

who　remained　without；　that　they　were　to　lay　down　their　arms；　for

Rinaldo　was　remaining　with　the　pontiff；　to　arrange　terms　of　agreement

with　the　signors；　upon　which　they　immediately　dispersed；　and　laid

aside　their　weapons。



The　Signory；　seeing　their　adversaries　disarmed；　continued　to　negotiate

an　arrangement　by　means　of　the　pope；　but　at　the　same　time　sent

secretly　to　the　mountains　of　Pistoia　for　infantry；　which；　with　what

other　forces　they　could　collect；　were　brought　into　Florence　by　night。

Having　taken　possession　of　all　the　strong　positions　in　the　city；　they

assembled　the　people　in　the　piazza　and　created　a　new　balia；　which；

without　delay；　restored　Cosmo　and　those　who　had　been　exiled　with　him

to　their　country；　and　banished；　of　the　opposite　party；　Rinaldo　degli

Albizzi；　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　Niccolo　Barbadoro；　and　Palla　Strozzi；　with

so　many　other　citizens；　that　there　were　few　places　in　Italy　which　did

not　contain　some；　and　many　others　beyond　her　limits　were　full　of　them。

By　this　and　similar　occurrences；　Florence　was　deprived　of　men　of

worth；　and　of　much　wealth　and　industry。



The　pope；　seeing　such　misfortunes　befall　those　who　by　his　entreaties

were　induced　to　lay　down　their　arms；　was　greatly　dissatisfied；　and

condoled　with　Rinaldo　on　the　injuries　he　had　received　through　his

confidence　in　him；　but　advised　him　to　be　patient；　and　hope　for　some

favorable　turn　of　fortune。　Rinaldo　replied；　〃The　want　of　confidence　in

those　who　ought　to　have　trusted　me；　and　the　great　trust　I　have　reposed

in　you；　have　ruined　both　me　and　my　party。　But　I　blame　myself

principally　for　having　thought　that　you；　who　were　expelled　from　your

own　country；　could　preserve　me　in　mine。　I　have　had　sufficient

experience　of　the　freaks　of　fortune；　and　as　I　have　never　trusted

greatly　to　prosperity；　I　shall　suffer　less　inconvenience　from

adversity；　and　I　know　that　when　she　pleases　she　can　become　more

favorable。　But　if　she　should　never　change；　I　shall　not　be　very

desirous　of　living　in　a　city　in　which　individuals　are　more　powerful

than　the　laws；　for　that　country　alone　is　desirable　in　which　property

and　friends　may　be　safely　enjoyed；　not　one　where　they　may　easily　be

taken　from　us；　and　where　friends；　from　fear　of　losing　their　property；

are　compelled　to　abandon　each　other　in　their　greatest　need。　Besides；

it　has　always　been　less　painful　to　good　men　to　hear　of　the　misfortunes

of　their　country　than　to　witness　them；　and　an　honorable　exile　is

always　held　in　greater　esteem　than　slavery　at　home。〃　He　then　left　the

pope；　and；　full　of　indignation；　blaming　himself；　his　own　measures；　and

the　coldness　of　his　friends；　went　into　exile。



Cosmo；　on　the　other　hand；　being　informed　of　his　recall；　returned　to

Florence；　and　it　has　seldom　occurred　that　any　citizen；　coming　home

triumphant　from　victory；　was　re