history of florence-第58节

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concluded　with　so　much　solemnity；　to　enter　into　league　with　those　who

have　rebelled　against　you；　so　that　if　our　cause　is　insufficient　to

excite　you　against　them；　let　your　own　just　indignation　do　so；　and　the

more　so；　seeing　the　facility　of　the　undertaking。　You　need　be　under　no

apprehension　from　the　memory　of　the　past；　in　which　you　may　have

observed　the　power　of　that　people　and　their　pertinency　in　self…

defense；　though　these　might　reasonably　excite　fear；　if　they　were　still

animated　by　the　valor　of　former　times。　But　now；　all　is　entirely　the

reverse；　for　what　power　can　be　expected　in　a　city　that　has　recently

expelled　the　greatest　part　of　her　wealth　and　industry？　What

indomitable　resolution　need　be　apprehended　from　the　people　whom　so

many　and　such　recent　enmities　have　disunited？　The　disunion　which　still

prevails　will　prevent　wealthy　citizens　advancing　money　as　they　used　to

do　on　former　occasions；　for　though　men　willingly　contribute　according

to　their　means；　when　they　see　their　own　credit；　glory；　and　private

advantage　dependent　upon　it；　or　when　there　is　a　hope　of　regaining　in

peace　what　has　been　spent　in　war；　but　not　when　equally　oppressed　under

all　circumstances；　when　in　war　they　suffer　the　injuries　of　the　enemy；

and　in　peace；　the　insolence　of　those　who　govern　them。　Besides　this；

the　people　feel　more　deeply　the　avarice　of　their　rulers；　than　the

rapacity　of　the　enemy；　for　there　is　hope　of　being　ultimately　relieved

from　the　latter　evil；　but　none　from　the　former。　Thus；　in　the　last　war；

you　had　to　contend　with　the　whole　city；　but　now　with　only　a　small

portion。　You　attempted　to　take　the　government　from　many　good　citizens；

but　now　you　oppose　only　a　few　bad　ones。　You　then　endeavored　to　deprive

a　city　of　her　liberty；　now　you　come　to　restore　it。　As　it　is

unreasonable　to　suppose　that　under　such　disparity　of　circumstances；

the　result　should　be　the　same；　you　have　now　every　reason　to　anticipate

an　easy　victory；　and　how　much　it　will　strengthen　your　own　government；

you　may　easily　judge；　having　Tuscany　friendly；　and　bound　by　so

powerful　an　obligation；　in　your　enterprises；　she　will　be　even　of　more

service　to　you　than　Milan。　And；　although；　on　former　occasions；　such　an

acquisition　might　be　looked　upon　as　ambitious　and　unwarrantable；　it

will　now　be　considered　merciful　and　just。　Then　do　not　let　this

opportunity　escape；　and　be　assured；　that　although　your　attempts

against　the　city　have　been　attended　with　difficulty；　expense；　and

disgrace；　this　will　with　facility　procure　you　incalculable　advantage

and　an　honorable　renown。〃



Many　words　were　not　requisite　to　induce　the　duke　to　hostilities

against　the　Florentines；　for　he　was　incited　to　it　by　hereditary　hatred

and　blind　ambition；　and　still　more；　by　the　fresh　injuries　which　the

league　with　the　Genoese　involved；　yet　his　past　expenses；　the　dangerous

measures　necessary；　the　remembrance　of　his　recent　losses；　and　the　vain

hopes　of　the　exiles；　alarmed　him。　As　soon　as　he　had　learned　the　revolt

of　Genoa；　he　ordered　Niccolo　Piccinino　to　proceed　thither　with　all　his

cavalry　and　whatever　infantry　he　could　raise；　for　the　purpose　of

recovering　her；　before　the　citizens　had　time　to　become　settled　and

establish　a　government；　for　he　trusted　greatly　in　the　fortress　within

the　city；　which　was　held　for　him。　And　although　Niccolo　drove　the

Genoese　from　the　mountains；　took　from　them　the　valley　of　Pozeveri；

where　they　had　entrenched　themselves；　and　obliged　them　to　seek　refuge

within　the　walls　of　the　city；　he　still　found　such　an　insurmountable

obstacle　in　the　resolute　defense　of　the　citizens；　that　he　was

compelled　to　withdraw。　On　this；　at　the　suggestion　of　the　Florentine

exiles；　he　commanded　Niccolo　to　attack　them　on　the　eastern　side；　upon

the　confines　of　Pisa　in　the　Genoese　territory；　and　to　push　the　war

with　his　utmost　vigor；　thinking　this　plan　would　manifest　and　develop

the　course　best　to　be　adopted。　Niccolo　therefore　besieged　and　took

Serezana；　and　having　committed　great　ravages；　by　way　of　further

alarming　the　Florentines　he　proceeded　to　Lucca；　spreading　a　report

that　it　was　his　intention　to　go　to　Naples　to　render　assistance　to　the

king　of　Aragon。　Upon　these　new　events　Pope　Eugenius　left　Florence　and

proceeded　to　Bologna；　where　he　endeavored　to　effect　an　amicable

arrangement　between　the　league　and　the　duke；　intimating　to　the　latter；

that　if　he　would　not　consent　to　some　treaty；　the　pontiff　must　send

Francesco　Sforza　to　assist　the　league；　for　the　latter　was　now　his

confederate；　and　served　in　his　pay。　Although　the　pope　greatly　exerted

himself　in　this　affair；　his　endeavors　were　unavailing；　for　the　duke

would　not　listen　to　any　proposal　that　did　not　leave　him　the　possession

of　Genoa；　and　the　league　had　resolved　that　she　should　remain　free；

and；　therefore；　each　party；　having　no　other　resource；　prepared　to

continue　the　war。



In　the　meantime　Niccolo　Piccinino　arrived　at　Lucca；　and　the

Florentines；　being　doubtful　what　course　to　adopt；　ordered　Neri　di　Gino

to　lead　their　forces　into　the　Pisan　territory；　induced　the　pontiff　to

allow　Count　Francesco　to　join　him；　and　with　their　forces　they　halted

at　San　Gonda。　Piccinino　then　demanded　admission　into　the　kingdom　of

Naples；　and　this　being　refused；　he　threatened　to　force　a　passage。　The

armies　were　equal；　both　in　regard　of　numbers　and　the　capacity　of　their

leaders；　and　unwilling　to　tempt　fortune　during　the　bad　weather；　it

being　the　month　of　December；　they　remained　several　days　without

attacking　each　other。　The　first　movement　was　made　by　Niccolo

Piccinino；　who　being　informed　that　if　he　attacked　Vico　Pisano　by

night；　he　could　easily　take　possession　of　the　place；　made　the　attempt；

and　having　failed；　ravaged　the　surrounding　country；　and　then　burned

and　plundered　the　town　of　San　Giovanni　alla　Vena。　This　enterprise；

though　of　little　consequence；　excited　him　to　make　further　attempts；

the　more　so　from　being　assured　that　the　count　and　Neri　were　yet　in

their　quarters；　and　he　attacked　Santa　Maria　in　Castello　and　Filetto；

both　which　places　he　took。　Still　the　Florentine　forces　would　not　stir；

not　that　the　count　entertained　any　fear；　but　because；　out　of　regard　to

the　pope；　who　still　labored　to　effect　an　accommodation；　the　government

of　Florence　had　deferred　giving　their　final　consent　to　the　war。　This

course；　which　the　Florentines　adopted　from　prudence；　was　considered　by

the　enemy　to　be　only　the　result　of　timidity；　and　with　increased

boldness　they　led　their　forces　up　to　Barga；　which　they　resolved　to

besiege。　This　new　attack　made　the　Florentines　set　aside　all　other

considerations；　and　resolve　not　only　to　relieve　Barga；　but　to　invade

the　Lucchese　territory。　Accordingly　the　count　proceeded　in　pursuit　of

Niccolo；　and　coming　up　with　him　before　Barga；　an　engagement　took

place；　in　which　Piccinino　was　overcome；　and　compelled　to　raise　the

siege。



The　Venetians　considering　the　duke　to　have　broken　the　peace；　send

Giovan　Francesco　da　Gonzaga；　their　captain；　to　Ghiaradadda；　who；　by

severely　wasting　the　duke's　territories；　induced　him　to　recall　Niccolo

Piccinino　from　Tuscany。　This　circumstance；　together　with　the　victory

obtained　over　Niccolo；　emboldened　the　Florentines　to　attempt　the

recovery　of　Lucca；　since　the　duke；　whom　alone　they　feared；　was　engaged

with　the　Venetians；　and　the　Lucchese　having　received　the　enemy　into

their　city；　and　allowed　him　to　attack　them；　would　have　no　ground　of

complaint。







CHAPTER　III



　　The　Florentines　go　to　war　with　LuccaDiscourse　of　a　citizen　of

　　Lucca　to　animate　the　plebeians　against　the　FlorentinesThe

　　Lucchese　resolve　to　defend　themselvesThey　are　assisted　by　the

　　duke　of　MilanTreaty　between　the　Florentines　and　the　Venetians

　　Francesco　Sforza；　captain　of　the　league；　refuses　to　cross　the　Po

　　in　the　service　of　the　Venetians　and　returns　to　TuscanyThe　bad

　　faith　of　the　Venetians　toward　the　FlorentinesCosmo　de'　Medici　at

　　VenicePeace　between　the　Florentines　and　the　LuccheseThe

　　Florentines　effect　a　reconciliation　between　the　pope　and　the　Count

　　di　PoppiThe　pope　consecrates　the　church　of　Santa　Reparata

　　Council　of　Florence。



The　count　commenced　operations　against　Lucca　in　April；　1437；　and　the

Florentines；　desirous　of　recovering　what　they　had　themselves　lost

before　they　attacked　others；　retook　Santa　Maria　in　Castello；　and　all

the　places　which　Piccinino　had　occupied。　Then；　entering　the　Lucchese

territory；　they　besieged　Camaiore；　the　inhabitants　of　which；　although

faithful　to　their　rulers；　being　influenced　more　by　immediate　danger

than　by　attachment　to　their　distant　friends；　surrendered。　In　the　same

manner；　they　obtained　Massa　and　Serezana。　Toward　the　end　of　May　they

proceeded　in　the　direction　of　Lucca；　burning　the　towns；　destroying　the

growing　crops；　grain；　trees；　and　vines；　driving　away　the　cattle；　and

leaving　nothing　undone　to　injure　the　enemy。　The　Lucchese；　finding

themselves　abandoned　by　the　duke；　and　hopeless　of　defending　the　open

country；　forsook　it；　entrenched　and　fortified　th