history of florence-第67节

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horses　could　not　eat　stones；〃　and　went　to　the　Borgo　San　Sepolcro；

where　he　was　amicably　received；　but　found　that　the　people　of　Citta　di

Castello；　who　were　friendly　to　the　Florentines；　could　not　be　induced

to　yield　to　his　overtures。　Wishing　to　have　Perugia　at　his　disposal；　he

proceeded　thither　with　forty　horse；　and　being　one　of　her　citizens；　met

with　a　kind　reception。　But　in　a　few　days　he　became　suspected；　and

having　attempted　unsuccessfully　to　tamper　with　the　legate　and　people

of　Perugia；　he　took　eight　thousand　ducats　from　them；　and　returned　to

his　army。　He　then　set　on　foot　secret　measures；　to　seduce　Cortona　from

the　Florentines；　but　the　affair　being　discovered；　his　attempts　were

fruitless。　Among　the　principal　citizens　was　Bartolomeo　di　Senso；　who

being　appointed　to　the　evening　watch　of　one　of　the　gates；　a

countryman；　his　friend；　told　him；　that　if　he　went　he　would　be　slain。

Bartolomeo；　requesting　to　know　what　was　meant；　he　became　acquainted

with　the　whole　affair；　and　revealed　it　to　the　governor　of　the　place；

who；　having　secured　the　leaders　of　the　conspiracy；　and　doubled　the

guards　at　the　gates；　waited　till　the　time　appointed　for　the　coming　of

Niccolo；　who　finding　his　purpose　discovered；　returned　to　his

encampment。







CHAPTER　VII



　　Brescia　relieved　by　SforzaHis　other　victoriesPiccinino　is

　　recalled　into　LombardyHe　endeavors　to　bring　the　Florentines　to

　　an　engagementHe　is　routed　before　AnghiariSerious　disorders　in

　　the　camp　of　the　Florentines　after　the　victoryDeath　of　Rinaldo

　　degli　AlbizziHis　characterNeri　Capponi　goes　to　recover　the

　　CasentinoThe　Count　di　Poppi　surrendersHis　discourse　upon

　　quitting　his　possessions。



While　these　events　were　taking　place　in　Tuscany；　so　little　to　the

advantage　of　the　duke；　his　affairs　in　Lombardy　were　in　a　still　worse

condition。　The　Count　Francesco；　as　soon　as　the　season　would　permit；

took　the　field　with　his　army；　and　the　Venetians　having　again　covered

the　lake　with　their　galleys；　he　determined　first　of　all　to　drive　the

duke　from　the　water；　judging；　that　this　once　effected；　his　remaining

task　would　be　easy。　He　therefore；　with　the　Venetian　fleet；　attacked

that　of　the　duke；　and　destroyed　it。　His　land　forces　took　the　castles

held　for　Filippo；　and　the　ducal　troops　who　were　besieging　Brescia；

being　informed　of　these　transactions；　withdrew；　and　thus；　the　city；

after　standing　a　three　years'　siege；　was　at　length　relieved。　The　count

then　went　in　quest　of　the　enemy；　whose　forces　were　encamped　before

Soncino；　a　fortress　situated　upon　the　River　Oglio；　these　he　dislodged

and　compelled　to　retreat　to　Cremona；　where　the　duke　again　collected

his　forces；　and　prepared　for　his　defense。　But　the　count　constantly

pressing　him　more　closely；　he　became　apprehensive　of　losing　either　the

whole；　or　the　greater　part；　of　his　territories；　and　perceiving　the

unfortunate　step　he　had　taken；　in　sending　Niccolo　into　Tuscany；　in

order　to　correct　his　error；　he　wrote　to　acquaint　him　with　what　had

transpired；　desiring　him；　with　all　possible　dispatch；　to　leave　Tuscany

and　return　to　Lombardy。



In　the　meantime；　the　Florentines；　under　their　commissaries；　had　drawn

together　their　forces；　and　being　joined　by　those　of　the　pope；　halted

at　Anghiari；　a　castle　placed　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains　that　divide

the　Val　di　Tavere　from　the　Val　di　Chiane；　distant　four　miles　from　the

Borgo　San　Sepolcro；　on　a　level　road；　and　in　a　country　suitable　for　the

evolutions　of　cavalry　or　a　battlefield。　As　the　Signory　had　heard　of

the　count's　victory　and　the　recall　of　Niccolo；　they　imagined　that

without　again　drawing　a　sword　or　disturbing　the　dust　under　their

horses'　feet；　the　victory　was　their　own；　and　the　war　at　an　end；　they

wrote　to　the　commissaries；　desiring　them　to　avoid　an　engagement；　as

Niccolo　could　not　remain　much　longer　in　Tuscany。　These　instructions

coming　to　the　knowledge　of　Piccinino；　and　perceiving　the　necessity　of

his　speedy　return；　to　leave　nothing　unattempted；　he　determined　to

engage　the　enemy；　expecting　to　find　them　unprepared；　and　not　disposed

for　battle。　In　this　determination　he　was　confirmed　by　Rinaldo；　the

Count　di　Poppi；　and　other　Florentine　exiles；　who　saw　their　inevitable

ruin　in　the　departure　of　Niccolo；　and　hoped；　that　if　he　engaged　the

enemy；　they　would　either　be　victorious；　or　vanquished　without

dishonor。　This　resolution　being　adopted；　Niccolo　led　his　army；

unperceived　by　the　enemy；　from　Citta　di　Castello　to　the　Borgo；　where

he　enlisted　two　thousand　men；　who；　trusting　the　general's　talents　and

promises；　followed　him　in　hope　of　plunder。　Niccolo　then　led　his　forces

in　battle　array　toward　Anghiari；　and　had　arrived　within　two　miles　of

the　place；　when　Micheletto　Attendulo　observed　great　clouds　of　dust；

and　conjecturing　at　once；　that　it　must　be　occasioned　by　the　enemy's

approach；　immediately　called　the　troops　to　arms。　Great　confusion

prevailed　in　the　Florentine　camp；　for　the　ordinary　negligence　and　want

of　discipline　were　now　increased　by　their　presuming　the　enemy　to　be　at

a　distance；　and　they　were　more　disposed　to　fight　than　to　battle；　so

that　everyone　was　unarmed；　and　some　wandering　from　the　camp；　either

led　by　their　desire　to　avoid　the　excessive　heat；　or　in　pursuit　of

amusement。　So　great　was　the　diligence　of　the　commissaries　and　of　the

captain；　that　before　the　enemy's　arrival；　the　men　were　mounted　and

prepared　to　resist　their　attack；　and　as　Micheletto　was　the　first　to

observe　their　approach；　he　was　also　first　armed　and　ready　to　meet

them；　and　with　his　troops　hastened　to　the　bridge　which　crosses　the

river　at　a　short　distance　from　Anghiari。　Pietro　Giampagolo　having

previous　to　the　surprise；　filled　up　the　ditches　on　either　side　of　the

road；　and　leveled　the　ground　between　the　bridge　and　Anghiari；　and

Micheletto　having　taken　his　position　in　front　of　the　former；　the

legate　and　Simoncino；　who　led　the　troops　of　the　church；　took　post　on

the　right；　and　the　commissaries　of　the　Florentines；　with　Pietro

Giampagolo；　their　captain；　on　the　left；　the　infantry　being　drawn　up

along　the　banks　of　the　river。　Thus；　the　only　course　the　enemy　could

take；　was　the　direct　one　over　the　bridge；　nor　had　the　Florentines　any

other　field　for　their　exertions；　excepting　that　their　infantry　were

ordered；　in　case　their　cavalry　were　attacked　in　flank　by　the　hostile

infantry；　to　assail　them　with　their　cross　bows；　and　prevent　them　from

wounding　the　flanks　of　the　horses　crossing　the　bridge。　Micheletto

bravely　withstood　the　enemy's　charge　upon　the　bridge；　but　Astorre　and

Francesco　Piccinino　coming　up；　with　a　picked　body　of　men；　attacked　him

so　vigorously；　that　he　was　compelled　to　give　way；　and　was　pushed　as

far　as　the　foot　of　the　hill　which　rises　toward　the　Borgo　d'Anghiari；

but　they　were　in　turn　repulsed　and　driven　over　the　bridge；　by　the

troops　that　took　them　in　flank。　The　battle　continued　two　hours；　during

which　each　side　had　frequent　possession　of　the　bridge；　and　their

attempts　upon　it　were　attended　with　equal　success；　but　on　both　sides

of　the　river；　the　disadvantage　of　Niccolo　was　manifest；　for　when　his

people　crossed　the　bridge；　they　found　the　enemy　unbroken；　and　the

ground　being　leveled；　they　could　man渦vre　without　difficulty；　and　the

weary　be　relieved　by　such　as　were　fresh。　But　when　the　Florentines

crossed；　Niccolo　could　not　relieve　those　that　were　harassed；　on

account　of　the　hindrance　interposed　by　the　ditches　and　embankments　on

each　side　of　the　road；　thus　whenever　his　troops　got　possession　of　the

bridge；　they　were　soon　repulsed　by　the　fresh　forces　of　the

Florentines；　but　when　the　bridge　was　taken　by　the　Florentines；　and

they　passed　over　and　proceeded　upon　the　road；　Niccolo　having　no

opportunity　to　reinforce　his　troops；　being　prevented　by　the

impetuosity　of　the　enemy　and　the　inconvenience　of　the　ground；　the　rear

guard　became　mingled　with　the　van；　and　occasioned　the　utmost　confusion

and　disorder；　they　were　forced　to　flee；　and　hastened　at　full　speed

toward　the　Borgo。　The　Florentine　troops　fell　upon　the　plunder；　which

was　very　valuable　in　horses；　prisoners；　and　military　stores；　for　not

more　than　a　thousand　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　reached　the　town。　The

people　of　the　Borgo；　who　had　followed　Niccolo　in　the　hope　of　plunder；

became　booty　themselves；　all　of　them　being　taken；　and　obliged　to　pay　a

ransom。　The　colors　and　carriages　were　also　captured。　This　victory　was

much　more　advantageous　to　the　Florentines　than　injurious　to　the　duke；

for；　had　they　been　conquered；　Tuscany　would　have　been　his　own；　but　he；

by　his　defeat；　only　lost　the　horses　and　accoutrements　of　his　army；

which　could　be　replaced　without　any　very　serious　expense。　Nor　was

there　ever　an　instance　of　wars　being　carried　on　in　an　enemy's　country

with　less　injury　to　the　assailants　than　at　this；　for　in　so　great　a

defeat；　and　in　a　battle　which　continued　four　hours；　only　one　man　died；

and　he；　not　from　wounds　inflicted　by　hostile　weapons；　or　any　honorable

means；　but；　having　fallen　from　his　horse；　was　trampled　to　death。

Com