history of florence-第93节

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Carlo　had　not　been　secretly　supported　he　could　not　have　made　war　upon

them　with　such　perfect　security。　The　Florentines　denied　all

participation　in　the　proceedings　of　Carlo；　expressed　their　most

earnest　wish　to　do　everything　in　their　power　to　put　a　stop　to　them；

and　allowed　the　ambassadors　to　use　whatever　terms　they　pleased　in　the

name　of　the　Signory；　to　command　him　to　desist。　Carlo　complained　that

the　Florentines；　by　their　unwillingness　to　support　him；　had　deprived

themselves　of　a　most　valuable　acquisition　and　him　of　great　glory；　for

he　could　have　insured　them　the　possession　of　the　whole　territory　in　a

short　time；　from　the　want　of　courage　in　the　people　and　the　ineffectual

provision　they　had　made　for　their　defense。　He　then　withdrew　to　his

engagement　under　the　Venetians；　but　the　Siennese；　although　delivered

from　such　imminent　peril　by　the　Florentines；　were　still　very　indignant

against　them；　considering　themselves　under　no　obligation　to　those　who

had　delivered　them　from　an　evil　to　which　they　had　first　exposed　them。



While　the　transactions　between　the　king　and　the　pope　were　in　progress；

and　those　in　Tuscany　in　the　manner　we　have　related；　an　event　of

greater　importance　occurred　in　Lombardy。　Cola　Montano；　a　learned　and

ambitious　man；　taught　the　Latin　language　to　the　youth　of　the　principal

families　in　Milan。　Either　out　of　hatred　to　the　character　and　manners

of　the　duke；　or　from　some　other　cause；　he　constantly　deprecated　the

condition　of　those　who　live　under　a　bad　prince；　calling　those　glorious

and　happy　who　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　born　and　live　in　a　republic。

He　endeavored　to　show　that　the　most　celebrated　men　had　been　produced

in　republics；　and　not　reared　under　princes；　that　the　former　cherish

virtue；　while　the　latter　destroy　it；　the　one　deriving　advantage　from

virtuous　men；　while　the　latter　naturally　fear　them。　The　youths　with

whom　he　was　most　intimate　were　Giovanni　Andrea　Lampognano；　Carlo

Visconti；　and　Girolamo　Ogliato。　He　frequently　discussed　with　them　the

faults　of　their　prince；　and　the　wretched　condition　of　those　who　were

subject　to　him；　and　by　constantly　inculcating　his　principles；　acquired

such　an　ascendancy　over　their　minds　as　to　induce　them　to　bind

themselves　by　oath　to　effect　the　duke's　destruction；　as　soon　as　they

became　old　enough　to　attempt　it。　Their　minds　being　fully　occupied　with

this　design；　which　grew　with　their　years；　the　duke's　conduct　and　their

own　private　injuries　served　to　hasten　its　execution。　Galeazzo　was

licentious　and　cruel；　of　both　which　vices　he　had　given　such　repeated

proofs；　that　he　became　odious　to　all。　Not　content　with　corrupting　the

wives　of　the　nobility；　he　also　took　pleasure　in　making　it　notorious；

nor　was　he　satisfied　with　murdering　individuals　unless　he　effected

their　deaths　by　some　unusual　cruelty。　He　was　suspected　of　having

destroyed　his　own　mother；　for；　not　considering　himself　prince　while

she　was　present；　he　conducted　himself　in　such　a　manner　as　induced　her

to　withdraw　from　his　court；　and；　travelling　toward　Cremona；　which　she

obtained　as　part　of　her　marriage　portion；　she　was　seized　with　a　sudden

illness；　and　died　upon　the　road；　which　made　many　think　her　son　had

caused　her　death。　The　duke　had　dishonored　both　Carlo　and　Girolamo　in

respect　to　their　wives　or　other　female　relatives；　and　had　refused　to

concede　to　Giovanandrea　possession　of　the　monastery　of　Miramondo；　of

which　he　had　obtained　a　grant　from　the　pope　for　a　near　relative。　These

private　injuries　increased　the　young　men's　desire　for　vengeance；　and

the　deliverance　of　their　country　from　so　many　evils；　trusting　that

whenever　they　should　succeed　in　destroying　the　duke；　many　of　the

nobility　and　all　the　people　would　rise　in　their　defense。　Being

resolved　upon　their　undertaking；　they　were　often　together；　which；　on

account　of　their　long　intimacy；　did　not　excite　any　suspicion。　They

frequently　discussed　the　subject；　and　in　order　to　familiarize　their

minds　with　the　deed　itself；　they　practiced　striking　each　other　in　the

breast　and　in　the　side　with　the　sheathed　daggers　intended　to　be　used

for　the　purpose。　On　considering　the　most　suitable　time　and　place；　the

castle　seemed　insecure；　during　the　chase；　uncertain　and　dangerous；

while　going　about　the　city　for　his　own　amusement；　difficult　if　not

impracticable；　and；　at　a　banquet；　of　doubtful　result。　They；　therefore；

determined　to　kill　him　upon　the　occasion　of　some　procession　or　public

festivity　when　there　would　be　no　doubt　of　his　presence；　and　where　they

might；　under　various　pretexts；　assemble　their　friends。　It　was　also

resolved　that　if　one　of　their　number　were　prevented　from　attending；　on

any　account　whatever；　the　rest　should　put　him　to　death　in　the　midst　of

their　armed　enemies。



It　was　now　the　close　of　the　year　1476；　near　Christmas；　and　as　it　was

customary　for　the　duke　to　go　upon　St。　Stephen's　day；　in　great

solemnity；　to　the　church　of　that　martyr；　they　considered　this　the　most

suitable　opportunity　for　the　execution　of　their　design。　Upon　the

morning　of　that　day　they　ordered　some　of　their　most　trusty　friends　and

servants　to　arm；　telling　them　they　wished　to　go　to　the　assistance　of

Giovanandrea；　who；　contrary　to　the　wish　of　some　of　his　neighbors；

intended　to　turn　a　watercourse　into　his　estate；　but　that　before　they

went　they　wished　to　take　leave　of　the　prince。　They　also　assembled；

under　various　pretenses；　other　friends　and　relatives；　trusting　that

when　the　deed　was　accomplished；　everyone　would　join　them　in　the

completion　of　their　enterprise。　It　was　their　intention；　after　the

duke's　death；　to　collect　their　followers　together　and　proceed　to　those

parts　of　the　city　where　they　imagined　the　plebeians　would　be　most

disposed　to　take　arms　against　the　duchess　and　the　principal　ministers

of　state；　and　they　thought　the　people；　on　account　of　the　famine　which

then　prevailed；　would　easily　be　induced　to　follow　them；　for　it　was

their　design　to　give　up　the　houses　of　Cecco　Simonetta；　Giovanni　Botti；

and　Francesco　Lucani；　all　leading　men　in　the　government；　to　be

plundered；　and　by　this　means　gain　over　the　populace　and　restore

liberty　to　the　community。　With　these　ideas；　and　with　minds　resolved

upon　their　execution；　Giovanandrea；　together　with　the　rest；　were　early

at　the　church；　and　heard　mass　together；　after　which；　Giovanandrea；

turning　to　a　statue　of　St。　Ambrose；　said；　〃O　patron　of　our　city！　thou

knowest　our　intention；　and　the　end　we　would　attain；　by　so　many

dangers；　favor　our　enterprise；　and　prove；　by　protecting　the　oppressed；

that　tyranny　is　offensive　to　thee。〃　To　the　duke；　on　the　other　hand；

when　intending　to　go　to　the　church；　many　omens　occurred　of　his

approaching　death；　for　in　the　morning；　having　put　on　a　cuirass；　as　was

his　frequent　custom；　he　immediately　took　it　off　again；　either　because

it　inconvenienced　him；　or　that　he　did　not　like　its　appearance。　He　then

wished　to　hear　mass　in　the　castle；　and　found　that　the　priest　who

officiated　in　the　chapel　had　gone　to　St。　Stephen's；　and　had　taken　with

him　the　sacred　utensils。　On　this　he　desired　the　service　to　be

performed　by　the　bishop　of　Como；　who　acquainted　him　with　preventing

circumstances。　Thus；　almost　compelled；　he　determined　to　go　to　the

church；　but　before　his　departure；　caused　his　sons；　Giovan　Galeazzo　and

Ermes；　to　be　brought　to　him；　whom　he　embraced　and　kissed　several

times；　seeming　reluctant　to　part　with　them。　He　then　left　the　castle；

and；　with　the　ambassadors　of　Ferrara　and　Mantua　on　either　hand；

proceeded　to　St。　Stephen's。　The　conspirators；　to　avoid　exciting

suspicion；　and　to　escape　the　cold；　which　was　very　severe；　had

withdrawn　to　an　apartment　of　the　archpriest；　who　was　a　friend　of

theirs；　but　hearing　the　duke's　approach；　they　came　into　the　church；

Giovanandrea　and　Girolamo　placing　themselves　upon　the　right　hand　of

the　entrance；　and　Carlo　on　the　left。　Those　who　led　the　procession　had

already　entered；　and　were　followed　by　the　duke；　surrounded　by　such　a

multitude　as　is　usual　on　similar　occasions。　The　first　attack　was　made

by　Lampognano　and　Girolamo；　who；　pretending　to　clear　the　way　for　the

prince；　came　close　to　him；　and　grasping　their　daggers；　which；　being

short　and　sharp；　were　concealed　in　the　sleeves　of　their　vests；　struck

at　him。　Lampognano　gave　him　two　wounds；　one　in　the　belly；　the　other　in

the　throat。　Girolamo　struck　him　in　the　throat　and　breast。　Carlo

Visconti；　being　nearer　the　door；　and　the　duke　having　passed；　could　not

wound　him　in　front：　but　with　two　strokes；　transpierced　his　shoulder

and　spine。　These　six　wounds　were　inflicted　so　instantaneously；　that

the　duke　had　fallen　before　anyone　was　aware　of　what　had　happened；　and

he　expired；　having　only　once　ejaculated　the　name　of　the　Virgin；　as　if

imploring　her　assistance。　A　great　tumult　immediately　ensued；　several

swords　were　drawn；　and　as　often　happens　in　sudden　emergencies；　some

fled　from　the　church；　and　others　ran　toward　the　scene　of　tumult；　both

without　any　definite　motive　or　knowledge　of　what　had　occurred。　Those；

however；　who　were　near