history of florence-第61节

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the　Signory；　not　to　appear　less　gracious　than　the　pope；　granted　to　the

new　created　knight　the　government　of　Pisa　for　one　year。



There　were　at　that　time　certain　differences　between　the　Roman　and　the

Greek　churches；　which　prevented　perfect　conformity　in　divine　service；

and　at　the　last　council　of　B鈒e；　the　prelates　of　the　Western　church

having　spoken　at　great　length　upon　the　subject；　it　was　resolved　that

efforts　should　be　made　to　bring　the　emperor　and　the　Greek　prelates　to

the　council　at　B鈒e；　to　endeavor　to　reconcile　the　Greek　church　with

the　Roman。　Though　this　resolution　was　derogatory　to　the　majesty　of　the

Greek　empire；　and　offensive　to　its　clergy；　yet　being　then　oppressed　by

the　Turks；　and　fearing　their　inability　for　defense；　in　order　to　have　a

better　ground　for　requesting　assistance；　they　submitted；　and

therefore；　the　emperor；　the　patriarch；　with　other　prelates　and　barons

of　Greece；　to　comply　with　the　resolution　of　the　council；　assembled　at

B鈒e；　came　to　Venice；　but　being　terrified　by　the　plague　then

prevailing；　it　was　resolved　to　terminate　their　differences　at

Florence。　The　Roman　and　Greek　prelates　having　held　a　conference　during

several　days；　in　which　many　long　discussions　took　place；　the　Greeks

yielded；　and　agreed　to　adopt　the　ritual　of　the　church　of　Rome。







CHAPTER　IV



　　New　wars　in　ItalyNiccolo　Piccinino；　in　concert　with　the　duke　of

　　Milan；　deceives　the　pope；　and　takes　many　places　from　the　church

　　Niccolo　attacks　the　VenetiansFears　and　precautions　of　the

　　FlorentinesThe　Venetians　request　assistance　of　the　Florentines

　　and　of　SforzaLeague　against　the　duke　of　MilanThe　Florentines

　　resolve　to　send　the　count　to　assist　the　VenetiansNeri　di　Gino

　　Capponi　at　VeniceHis　discourse　to　the　senateExtreme　joy　of　the

　　Venetians。



Peace　being　restored　between　the　Lucchese　and　Florentines；　and　the

duke　and　the　count　having　become　friends；　hopes　were　entertained　that

the　arms　of　Italy　would　be　laid　aside；　although　those　in　the　kingdom

of　Naples；　between　Ren？of　Anjou　and　Alfonso　of　Aragon；　could　find

repose　only　by　the　ruin　of　one　party　or　the　other。　And　though　the　pope

was　dissatisfied　with　the　loss　of　so　large　a　portion　of　his

territories；　and　the　ambition　of　the　duke　and　the　Venetians　was

obvious；　still　it　was　thought　that　the　pontiff；　from　necessity；　and

the　others　from　weariness；　would　be　advocates　of　peace。　However；　a

different　state　of　feeling　prevailed；　for　neither　the　duke　nor　the

Venetians　were　satisfied　with　their　condition；　so　that　hostilities

were　resumed；　and　Lombardy　and　Tuscany　were　again　harassed　by　the

horrors　of　war。　The　proud　mind　of　the　duke　could　not　endure　that　the

Venetians　should　possess　Bergamo　and　Brescia；　and　he　was　still　further

annoyed；　by　hearing；　that　they　were　constantly　in　arms；　and　in　the

daily　practice　of　annoying　some　portion　of　his　territories。　He

thought；　however；　that　he　should　not　only　be　able　to　restrain　them；

but　to　recover　the　places　he　had　lost；　if　the　pope；　the　Florentines；

and　the　count　could　be　induced　to　forego　the　Venetian　alliance。　He

therefore　resolved　to　take　Romagna　from　the　pontiff；　imagining　that

his　holiness　could　not　injure　him；　and　that　the　Florentines；　finding

the　conflagration　so　near；　either　for　their　own　sake　would　refrain

from　interference；　or　if　they　did　not；　could　not　conveniently　attack

him。　The　duke　was　also　aware　of　the　resentment　of　the　Florentines

against　the　Venetians；　on　account　of　the　affair　of　Lucca；　and　he

therefore　judged　they　would　be　the　less　eager　to　take　arms　against　him

on　their　behalf。　With　regard　to　the　Count　Francesco；　he　trusted　that

their　new　friendship；　and　the　hope　of　his　alliance　would　keep　him

quiet。　To　give　as　little　color　as　possible　for　complaint；　and　to　lull

suspicion；　particularly；　because　in　consequence　of　his　treaty　with　the

count；　the　latter　could　not　attack　Romagna；　he　ordered　Niccolo

Piccinino；　as　if　instigated　by　his　own　ambition　to　do　so。



When　the　agreement　between　the　duke　and　the　count　was　concluded；

Niccolo　was　in　Romagna；　and　in　pursuance　of　his　instructions　from　the

duke；　affected　to　be　highly　incensed；　that　a　connection　had　been

established　between　him　and　the　count；　his　inveterate　enemy。　He

therefore　withdrew　himself　and　his　forces　to　Camurata；　a　place　between

Furli　and　Ravenna；　which　he　fortified；　as　if　designing　to　remain　there

some　time；　or　till　a　new　enterprise　should　present　itself。　The　report

of　his　resentment　being　diffused；　Niccolo　gave　the　pope　to　understand

how　much　the　duke　was　under　obligation　to　him；　and　how　ungrateful　he

proved；　and　he　was　persuaded　that；　possessing　nearly　all　the　arms　of

Italy；　under　the　two　principal　generals；　he　could　render　himself　sole

ruler：　but　if　his　holiness　pleased；　of　the　two　principal　generals　whom

he　fancied　he　possessed；　one　would　become　his　enemy；　and　the　other　be

rendered　useless；　for；　if　money　were　provided　him；　and　he　were　kept　in

pay；　he　would　attack　the　territories　held　of　the　church　by　the　count；

who　being　compelled　to　look　to　his　own　interests；　could　not　subserve

the　ambition　of　Filippo。　The　pope　giving　entire　credence　to　this

representation；　on　account　of　its　apparent　reasonableness；　sent

Niccolo　five　thousand　ducats　and　loaded　him　with　promises　of　states

for　himself　and　his　children。　And　though　many　informed　him　of　the

deception；　he　could　not　give　credit　to　them；　nor　would　he　endure　the

conversation　of　any　who　seemed　to　doubt　the　integrity　of　Niccolo's

professions。　The　city　of　Ravenna　was　held　for　the　church　by　Ostasio　da

Polenta。　Niccolo　finding　further　delay　would　be　detrimental；　since　his

son　Francesco　had；　to　the　pope's　great　dishonor；　pillaged　Spoleto；

determined　to　attack　Ravenna；　either　because　he　judged　the　enterprise

easy；　or　because　he　had　a　secret　understanding　with　Ostasio；　for　in　a

few　days　after　the　attack；　the　place　capitulated。　He　then　took

Bologna；　Imola；　and　Furli；　and　（what　is　worthy　of　remark）　of　twenty

fortresses　held　in　that　country　for　the　pope；　not　one　escaped　falling

into　his　hands。　Not　satisfied　with　these　injuries　inflicted　on　the

pontiff；　he　resolved　to　banter　him　by　his　words　as　well　as　ridicule

him　by　his　deeds；　and　wrote；　that　he　had　only　done　as　his　holiness

deserved；　for　having　unblushingly　attempted　to　divide　two　such

attached　friends　as　the　duke　and　himself；　and　for　having　dispersed

over　Italy　letters　intimating　that　he　had　quitted　the　duke　to　take

part　with　the　Venetians。　Having　taken　possession　of　Romagna；　Niccolo

left　it　under　the　charge　of　his　son；　Francesco；　and　with　the　greater

part　of　his　troops；　went　into　Lombardy；　where　joining　the　remainder　of

the　duke's　forces；　he　attacked　the　country　about　Brescia；　and　having

soon　completely　conquered　it；　besieged　the　city　itself。



The　duke；　who　desired　the　Venetians　to　be　left　defenseless；　excused

himself　to　the　pope；　the　Florentines；　and　the　count；　saying；　that　if

the　doings　of　Niccolo　were　contrary　to　the　terms　of　the　treaty；　they

were　equally　contrary　to　his　wishes；　and　by　secret　messengers；　assured

them　that　when　an　occasion　presented　itself；　he　would　give　them　a

convincing　proof　that　they　had　been　performed　in　disobedience　to　his

instructions。　Neither　the　count　nor　the　Florentines　believed　him；　but

thought；　with　reason；　that　these　enterprises　had　been　carried　on　to

keep　them　at　bay；　till　he　had　subdued　the　Venetians；　who；　being　full

of　pride；　and　thinking　themselves　able　alone　to　resist　the　duke；　had

not　deigned　to　ask　for　any　assistance；　but　carried　on　the　war　under

their　captain；　Gattamelata。



Count　Francesco　would　have　wished；　with　the　consent　of　the

Florentines；　to　go　to　the　assistance　of　king　Ren？　if　the　events　of

Romagna　and　Lombardy　had　not　hindered　him；　and　the　Florentines　would

willingly　have　consented；　from　their　ancient　friendship　to　the　French

dynasty；　but　the　duke　was　entirely　in　favor　of　Alfonso。　Each　being

engaged　in　wars　near　home；　refrained　from　distant　undertakings。　The

Florentines；　finding　Romagna　occupied　with　the　duke's　forces；　and　the

Venetians　defeated；　as　if　foreseeing　their　own　ruin　in　that　of　others；

entreated　the　count　to　come　to　Tuscany；　where　they　might　consider　what

should　be　done　to　resist　Filippo's　power；　which　was　now　greater　than

it　had　ever　before　been；　assuring　him　that　if　his　insolence　were　not

in　some　way　curbed；　all　the　powers　of　Italy　would　soon　have　to　submit

to　him。　The　count　felt　the　force　of　the　fears　entertained　by　the

Florentines；　but　his　desire　to　secure　the　duke's　alliance　kept　him　in

suspense；　and　the　duke；　aware　of　this　desire；　gave　him　the　greatest

assurance　that　his　hopes　would　be　realized　as　shortly　as　possible；　if

he　abstained　from　hostilities　against　him。　As　the　lady　was　now　of

marriageable　age；　the　duke　had　frequently　made　all　suitable

preparations　for　the　celebration　of　the　ceremony；　but　on　one　pretext

or　another　they　had　always　been　wholly　set　aside。　He　now；　to　give　the

count　greater　confidence；　added　deeds　to　his　wor