history of florence-第90节

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throughout　all　Italy；　so　many　and　such　shocking　examples　of　violence

and　avarice　as　in　this　city。　Has　our　country　fostered　us　only　to　be

her　destroyer？　Have　we　been　victorious　only　to　effect　her　ruin？　Has

she　honored　us　that　we　may　overwhelm　her　with　disgrace？　Now；　by　that

faith　which　is　binding　upon　all　good　men；　I　promise　you；　that　if　you

still　conduct　yourselves　so　as　to　make　me　regret　my　victory；　I　will

adopt　such　measures　as　shall　cause　you　bitterly　to　repent　of　having

misused　it。〃　The　reply　of　the　citizens　accorded　with　the　time　and

circumstances；　but　they　did　not　forego　their　evil　practices；　so　that；

in　consequence；　Piero　sent　for　Agnolo　Acciajuoli　to　come　secretly　to

Cafaggiolo；　and　discussed　with　him　at　great　length　the　condition　of

the　city；　and　doubtless；　had　he　not　been　prevented　by　death；　he　would

have　called　home　the　exiles　as　a　check　upon　the　rapine　of　the　opposite

party。　But　these　honorable　designs　were　frustrated；　for；　sinking　under

bodily　infirmities　and　mental　anguish；　he　expired　in　the　fifty…third

year　of　his　age。　His　goodness　and　virtue　were　not　duly　appreciated　by

his　country；　principally　from　his　having；　until　almost　the　close　of

his　life；　been　associated　with　Cosmo；　and　the　few　years　he　survived

being　spent　in　civil　discord　and　constant　debility。　Piero　was　buried

in　the　church　of　St。　Lorenzo；　near　his　father；　and　his　obsequies　were

performed　with　all　the　pomp　and　solemnity　due　to　his　exalted　station。

He　left　two　sons；　Lorenzo　and　Guiliano；　whose　extreme　youth　excited

alarm　in　the　minds　of　thinking　men；　though　each　gave　hopes　of　future

usefulness　to　the　republic。



Among　the　principal　citizens　in　the　government　of　Florence；　and　very

superior　to　the　rest；　was　Tommaso　Soderini；　whose　prudence　and

authority　were　well　known　not　only　at　home；　but　throughout　Italy。

After　Piero's　death；　the　whole　city　looked　up　to　him；　many　citizens

waited　upon　him　at　his　own　house；　as　the　head　of　the　government；　and

several　princes　addressed　him　by　letter；　but　he；　impartially

estimating　his　own　fortune　and　that　of　the　house　of　Medici；　made　no

reply　to　the　princes'　communications；　and　told　the　citizens；　it　was

not　his　house；　but　that　of　the　Medici　they　ought　to　visit。　To

demonstrate　by　his　actions　the　sincerity　and　integrity　of　his　advice

he　assembled　all　the　heads　of　noble　families　in　the　convent　of　St。

Antonio；　whither　he　also　brought　Lorenzo　and　Guiliano　de'　Medici；　and

in　a　long　and　serious　speech　upon　the　state　of　the　city；　the　condition

of　Italy；　and　the　views　of　her　princes；　he　assured　them；　that　if　they

wished　to　live　in　peace　and　unity　in　Florence；　free　both　from　internal

dissensions　and　foreign　wars；　it　would　be　necessary　to　respect　the

sons　of　Piero　and　support　the　reputation　of　their　house；　for　men　never

regret　their　continuance　in　a　course　sanctioned　by　custom　while　new

methods　are　soon　adopted　and　as　speedily　set　aside；　and　it　has　always

been　found　easier　to　maintain　a　power　which　by　its　continuance　has

outlived　envy；　than　to　raise　a　new　one；　which　innumerable　unforeseen

causes　may　overthrow。　When　Tommaso　had　concluded；　Lorenzo　spoke；　and；

though　young；　with　such　modesty　and　discretion　that　all　present　felt　a

presentiment　of　his　becoming　what　he　afterward　proved　to　be；　and

before　the　citizens　departed　they　swore　to　regard　the　youths　as　their

sons；　and　the　brothers　promised　to　look　upon　them　as　their　parents。

After　this；　Lorenzo　and　Guiliano　were　honored　as　princes；　and　resolved

to　be　guided　by　the　advice　of　Tommaso　Soderini。



While　profound　tranquillity　prevailed　both　at　home　and　abroad；　no　wars

disturbing　the　general　repose；　there　arose　an　unexpected　disturbance；

which　came　like　a　presage　of　future　evils。　Among　the　ruined　families

of　the　party　of　Luca　Pitti；　was　that　of　the　Nardi；　for　Salvestro　and

his　brothers；　the　heads　of　the　house；　were　banished　and　afterward

declared　rebels　for　having　taken　part　in　the　war　under　Bartolommeo

Coglione。　Bernardo；　the　brother　of　Salvestro；　was　young；　prompt；　and

bold；　and　on　account　of　his　poverty　being　unable　to　alleviate　the

sorrows　of　exile；　while　the　peace　extinguished　all　hopes　of　his　return

to　the　city；　he　determined　to　attempt　some　means　of　rekindling　the

war；　for　a　trifling　commencement　often　produces　great　results；　and　men

more　readily　prosecute　what　is　already　begun　than　originate　new

enterprises。　Bernardo　had　many　acquaintances　at　Prato；　and　still　more

in　the　district　of　Pistoia；　particularly　among　the　Palandra；　a　family

which；　though　rustic；　was　very　numerous；　and；　like　the　rest　of　the

Pistolesi；　brought　up　to　slaughter　and　war。　These　he　knew　to　be

discontented；　on　account　of　the　Florentine　magistrates　having

endeavored；　perhaps　too　severely；　to　check　their　partiality　for

inveterate　feuds　and　consequence　bloodshed。　He　was　also　aware　that　the

people　of　Prato　considered　themselves　injured　by　the　pride　and　avarice

of　their　governors；　and　that　some　were　ill　disposed　toward　Florence；

therefore　all　things　considered；　he　hoped　to　be　able　to　kindle　a　fire

in　Tuscany　（should　Prato　rebel）　which　would　be　fostered　by　so　many；

that　those　who　might　wish　to　extinguish　it　would　fail　in　the　attempt。

He　communicated　his　ideas　to　Diotisalvi　Neroni；　and　asked　him；　in　case

they　should　succeed　in　taking　possession　of　Prato；　what　assistance

might　be　expected　from　the　princes　of　Italy；　by　his　means？　Diotisalvi

considered　the　enterprise　as　imminently　dangerous；　and　almost

impracticable；　but　since　it　presented　a　fresh　chance　of　attaining　his

object；　at　the　risk　of　others；　he　advised　him　to　proceed；　and　promised

certain　assistance　from　Bologna　and　Ferrara；　if　he　could　retain　Prato

not　less　than　fifteen　days。　Bernardo；　whom　this　promise　inspired　with

a　lively　hope　of　success；　proceeded　secretly　to　Prato；　and

communicated　with　those　most　disposed　to　favor　him；　among　whom　were

the　Palandra；　and　having　arranged　the　time　and　plan；　informed

Diotisalvi　of　what　had　been　done。







CHAPTER　V



　　Bernardo　takes　possession　of　Prato；　but　is　not　assisted　by　the

　　inhabitantsHe　is　taken；　and　the　tumult　appeasedCorruption　of

　　FlorenceThe　duke　of　Milan　in　FlorenceThe　church　of　Santo

　　Spirito　destroyed　by　fireThe　rebellion　of　Volterra；　and　the

　　cause　of　itVolterra　reduced　to　obedience　by　force；　in　accordance

　　with　the　advice　of　Lorenzo　de'　MediciVolterra　pillaged。



Cesare　Petrucci　held　the　office　of　Provost　of　Prato　for　the　Florentine

people；　at　this　period。　It　is　customary　with　governors　of　towns；

similarly　situated；　to　keep　the　keys　of　the　gates　near　their　persons；

and　whenever；　in　peaceful　times；　they　are　required　by　any　of　the

inhabitants；　for　entrance　or　exit；　they　are　usually　allowed　to　be

taken。　Bernardo　was　aware　of　this　custom；　and　about　daybreak；

presented　himself　at　the　gate　which　looks　toward　Pistoia；　accompanied

by　the　Palandra　and　about　one　hundred　persons；　all　armed。　Their

confederates　within　the　town　also　armed　themselves；　and　one　of　them

asked　the　governor　for　the　keys；　alleging；　as　a　pretext；　that　some　one

from　the　country　wished　to　enter。　The　governor　not　entertaining　the

slightest　suspicion；　sent　a　servant　with　them。　When　at　a　convenient

distance；　they　were　taken　by　the　conspirators；　who；　opening　the　gates；

introduced　Bernardo　and　his　followers。　They　divided　themselves　into

two　parties；　one　of　which；　led　by　Salvestro；　an　inhabitant　of　Prato；

took　possession　of　the　citadel；　the　other　following　Bernardo；　seized

the　palace；　and　placed　Cesare　with　all　his　family　in　the　custody　of

some　of　their　number。　They　then　raised　the　cry　of　liberty；　and

proceeded　through　the　town。　It　was　now　day；　and　many　of　the

inhabitants　hearing　the　disturbance；　ran　to　the　piazza　where；　learning

that　the　fortress　and　the　palace　were　taken　and　the　governor　with　all

his　people　made　prisoners；　they　were　utterly　astonished；　and　could　not

imagine　how　it　had　occurred。　The　eight　citizens；　possessing　the

supreme　authority；　assembled　in　their　palace　to　consider　what　was　best

to　be　done。　In　the　meantime；　Bernardo　and　his　followers；　on　going

round　the　town；　found　no　encouragement；　and　being　told　that　the　Eight

had　assembled；　went　and　declared　the　nature　of　their　enterprise；　which

he　said　was　to　deliver　the　country　from　slavery；　reminding　them　how

glorious　it　would　be　for　those　who　took　arms　to　effect　such　an

honorable　object；　for　they　would　thus　obtain　permanent　repose　and

everlasting　fame。　He　called　to　recollection　their　ancient　liberty　and

present　condition；　and　assured　them　of　certain　assistance；　if　they

would　only；　for　a　few　days；　aid　in　resisting　the　forces　the

Florentines　might　send　against　them。　He　said　he　had　friends　in

Florence　who　would　join　them　as　soon　as　they　found　the　inhabitants

resolved　to　support　him。　His　speech　did　not　produce　the　desired　effect

upon　the　Eight；　who　replied　that　they　knew　not　whether　Florence　was

free　or　enslaved；　for　that　was　a　matter　which　they　were　not　called

upon　to　decide；　but　this　they　kne