history of florence-第77节

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together　near　the　Porta　Nuova　of　the　calamities　of　the　city；　their　own

misery；　and　the　means　that　might　be　adopted　for　their　relief；　others

beginning　to　congregate；　there　was　soon　collected　a　large　crowd；　in

consequence　of　it　a　report　was　spread　that　the　neighborhood　of　Porta

Nuova　had　risen　against　the　government。　Upon　this；　all　the　lower

orders；　who　only　waited　for　an　example；　assembled　in　arms；　and　chose

Gasparre　da　Vicomercato　to　be　their　leader。　They　then　proceeded　to　the

place　where　the　magistrates　were　assembled；　and　attacked　them　so

impetuously　that　all　who　did　not　escape　by　flight　were　slain：　among

the　number；　as　being　considered　a　principal　cause　of　the　famine；　and

gratified　at　their　distress；　fell　Lionardo　Veniero；　the　Venetian

ambassador。　Having　thus　almost　become　masters　of　the　city；　they

considered　what　course　was　next　to　be　adopted　to　escape　from　the

horrors　surrounding　them；　and　to　procure　peace。　A　feeling　universally

prevailed；　that　as　they　could　not　preserve　their　own　liberty；　they

ought　to　submit　to　a　prince　who　could　defend　them。　Some　proposed　King

Alfonso；　some　the　duke　of　Savoy；　and　others　the　king　of　France；　but

none　mentioned　the　count；　so　great　was　the　general　indignation　against

him。　However；　disagreeing　with　the　rest；　Gasparre　da　Vicomercato

proposed　him；　and　explained　in　detail　that　if　they　desired　relief　from

war；　no　other　plan　was　open；　since　the　people　of　Milan　required　a

certain　and　immediate　peace；　and　not　a　distant　hope　of　succor。　He

apologized　for　the　count's　proceedings；　accused　the　Venetians；　and　all

the　powers　of　Italy；　of　which　some　from　ambition　and　others　from

avarice　were　averse　to　their　possessing　freedom。　Having　to　dispose　of

their　liberty；　it　would　be　preferable；　he　said；　to　obey　one　who　knew

and　could　defend　them；　so　that；　by　their　servitude　they　might　obtain

peace；　and　not　bring　upon　themselves　greater　evils　and　more　dangerous

wars。　He　was　listened　to　with　the　most　profound　attention；　and；　having

concluded　his　harangue；　it　was　unanimously　resolved　by　the　assembly；

that　the　count　should　be　called　in；　and　Gasparre　was　appointed　to　wait

upon　him　and　signify　their　desire。　By　the　people's　command　he　conveyed

the　pleasing　and　happy　intelligence　to　the　count；　who　heard　it　with

the　utmost　satisfaction；　and　entered　Milan　as　prince　on　the　twenty…

sixth　of　February；　1450；　where　he　was　received　with　the　greatest

possible　joy　by　those　who；　only　a　short　time　previously　had　heaped　on

him　all　the　slanders　that　hatred　could　inspire。



The　news　of　this　event　reaching　Florence；　orders　were　immediately　sent

to　the　envoys　who　were　upon　the　way　to　Milan；　that　instead　of　treating

for　his　alliance　with　the　count；　they　should　congratulate　the　duke

upon　his　victory；　they；　arranging　accordingly；　had　a　most　honorable

reception；　and　were　treated　with　all　possible　respect；　for　the　duke

well　knew　that　in　all　Italy　he　could　not　find　braver　or　more　faithful

friends；　to　defend　him　against　the　power　of　the　Venetians；　than　the

Florentines；　who；　being　no　longer　in　fear　of　the　house　of　Visconti；

found　themselves　opposed　by　the　Aragonese　and　Venetians；　for　the

Aragonese　princes　of　Naples　were　jealous　of　the　friendship　which　the

Florentines　had　always　evinced　for　the　family　of　France；　and　the

Venetians　seeing　the　ancient　enmity　of　the　Florentines　against　the

Visconti　transferred　to　themselves；　resolved　to　injure　them　as　much　as

possible；　for　they　knew　how　pertinaciously　and　invariably　they　had

persecuted　the　Lombard　princes。　These　considerations　caused　the　new

duke　willingly　to　join　the　Florentines；　and　united　the　Venetians　and

King　Alfonso　against　their　common　enemies；　impelling　them　at　the　same

time　to　hostilities；　the　king　against　the　Florentines；　and　the

Venetians　against　the　duke；　who；　being　fresh　in　the　government；　would；

they　imagined；　be　unable　to　resist　them；　even　with　all　the　aid　he

could　obtain。



But　as　the　league　between　the　Florentines　and　the　Venetians　still

continued；　and　as　the　king；　after　the　war　of　Piombino；　had　made　peace

with　the　former；　it　seemed　indecent　to　commence　an　open　rupture　until

some　plausible　reason　could　be　assigned　in　justification　of　offensive

measures。　On　this　account　each　sent　ambassadors　to　Florence；　who；　on

the　part　of　their　sovereigns；　signified　that　the　league　formed　between

them　was　made　not　for　injury　to　any；　but　solely　for　the　mutual　defense

of　their　states。　The　Venetian　ambassador　then　complained　that　the

Florentines　had　allowed　Alessandro；　the　duke's　brother；　to　pass　into

Lombardy　with　his　forces；　and　besides　this；　had　assisted　and　advised

in　the　treaty　made　between　the　duke　and　the　marquis　of　Mantua；　matters

which　he　declared　to　be　injurious　to　the　Venetians；　and　inconsistent

with　the　friendship　hitherto　subsisting　between　the　two　governments；

amicably　reminding　them；　that　one　who　inflicts　unmerited　injury；　gives

others　just　ground　of　hostility；　and　that　those　who　break　a　peace　may

expect　war。　The　Signory　appointed　Cosmo　de'　Medici　to　reply　to　what

had　been　said　by　the　Venetian　ambassador；　and　in　a　long　and　excellent

speech　he　recounted　the　numerous　advantages　conferred　by　the　city　on

the　Venetian　republic；　showed　what　an　extent　of　dominion　they　had

acquired　by　the　money；　forces；　and　counsel　of　the　Florentines；　and

reminded　him　that；　although　the　friendship　had　originated　with　the

Florentines；　they　had　never　given　occasion　of　enmity；　and　as　they

desired　peace；　they　greatly　rejoiced　when　the　treaty　was　made；　if　it

had　been　entered　into　for　the　sake　of　peace；　and　not　of　war。　True　it

was；　he　wondered　much　at　the　remarks　which　had　been　made；　seeing　that

such　light　and　trivial　matters　should　give　offense　to　so　great　a

republic；　but　if　they　were　worthy　of　notice　he　must　have　it

universally　understood；　that　the　Florentines　wished　their　country　to

be　free　and　open　to　all；　and　that　the　duke's　character　was　such；　that

if　he　desired　the　friendship　of　the　marquis　of　Mantua；　he　had　no　need

of　anyone's　favor　or　advice。　He　therefore　feared　that　these　cavils

were　produced　by　some　latent　motive；　which　it　was　not　thought　proper

to　disclose。　Be　this　as　it　might；　they　would　freely　declare　to　all；

that　in　the　same　proportion　as　the　friendship　of　the　Florentines　was

beneficial　their　enmity　could　be　destructive。



The　matter　was　hushed　up；　and　the　ambassadors；　on　their　departure；

appeared　perfectly　satisfied。　But　the　league　between　the　king　and　the

Venetians　made　the　Florentines　and　the　duke　rather　apprehend　war　than

hope　for　a　long　continuance　of　peace。　They　therefore　entered　into　an

alliance；　and　at　the　same　time　the　enmity　of　the　Venetians　transpired

by　a　treaty　with　the　Siennese；　and　the　expulsion　of　all　Florentine

subjects　from　their　cities　and　territories。　Shortly　after　this；

Alfonso　did　the　same；　without　any　consideration　of　the　peace　made　the

year　previous；　and　not　having　even　the　shadow　of　an　excuse。　The

Venetians　attempted　to　take　Bologna；　and　having　armed　the　emigrants；

and　united　to　them　a　considerable　force；　introduced　them　into　the　city

by　night　through　one　of　the　common　sewers。　No　sooner　had　they　entered；

than　they　raised　a　cry；　by　which　Santi　Bentivogli；　being　awakened；　was

told　that　the　whole　city　was　in　possession　of　the　rebels。　But　though

many　advised　him　to　escape；　saying　that　he　could　not　save　the　city　by

his　stay；　he　determined　to　confront　the　danger；　and　taking　arms

encouraged　his　followers；　assembled　a　few　friends；　attacked　and　routed

part　of　the　rebels；　slew　many　more；　and　drove　the　remainder　out　of　the

city。　By　this　act　of　bravery　all　agreed　he　had　fully　proved　himself　a

genuine　scion　of　the　house　of　the　Bentivogli。



These　events　and　demonstrations　gave　the　Florentines　an　earnest　of

approaching　war；　they　consequently　followed　their　usual　practice　on

similar　occasions；　and　created　the　Council　of　Ten。　They　engaged　new

condottieri；　sent　ambassadors　to　Rome；　Naples；　Venice；　Milan；　and

Sienna；　to　demand　assistance　from　their　friends；　gain　information

about　those　they　suspected；　decide　such　as　were　wavering；　and　discover

the　designs　of　the　foe。　From　the　pope　they　obtained　only　general

expressions　of　an　amicable　disposition　and　admonitions　to　peace；　from

the　king；　empty　excuses　for　having　expelled　the　Florentines；　and

offers　of　safe　conduct　for　whoever　should　demand　it；　and　although　he

endeavored；　as　much　as　possible；　to　conceal　every　indication　of　his

hostile　designs；　the　ambassadors　felt　convinced　of　his　unfriendly

disposition；　and　observed　many　preparations　tending　to　the　injury　of

the　republic。　The　League　with　the　duke　was　strengthened　by　mutual

obligations；　and　through　his　means　they　became　friends　with　the

Genoese；　the　old　differences　with　them　respecting　reprisals；　and　other

small　matters　of　dispute；　being　composed；　although　the　Venetians　used

every　possible　means　to　prevent　it；　and　entreated　the　emperor　of

Constantinople　to　expel　all　Florentines　from　his　dominions；　so　fierce

was　th