history of florence-第95节

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being　more　sensitive　and　resolute　than　the　others；　determined　either

to　obtain　what　was　withheld　from　him；　or　lose　what　he　still　possessed。

As　the　government　of　Florence　gave　him　great　offense；　he　resided

almost　constantly　at　Rome；　where；　like　other　Florentine　merchants；　he

conducted　extensive　commercial　operations；　and　being　a　most　intimate

friend　of　Count　Girolamo；　they　frequently　complained　to　each　other　of

the　conduct　of　the　Medici。　After　a　while　they　began　to　think　that　for

the　count　to　retain　his　estates；　or　the　Pazzi　their　rights　in　the

city；　it　would　be　necessary　to　change　the　government　of　Florence；　and

this　they　considered　could　not　be　done　without　the　death　of　Giuliano

and　Lorenzo。　They　imagined　the　pope　and　the　king　would　be　easily

induced　to　consent；　because　each　could　be　convinced　of　the　facility　of

the　enterprise。　Having　acquired　these　ideas；　they　communicated　them　to

Francesco　Salviati；　archbishop　of　Pisa；　who；　being　ambitious　and

recently　offended　by　the　Medici；　willingly　adopted　their　views。

Considering　their　next　step；　they　resolved；　in　order　to　facilitate　the

design；　to　obtain　the　consent　of　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi；　without　whose

concurrence　they　feared　it　would　be　impracticable。　With　this　view；　it

was　resolved　that　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　should　go　to　Florence；　while　the

archbishop　and　the　count　were　to　remain　at　Rome；　to　be　ready　to

communicate　with　the　pope　when　a　suitable　opportunity　occurred。

Francesco　found　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　more　cautious　and　difficult　to

persuade　than　he　could　have　wished；　and　on　imparting　this　to　his

friends　at　Rome；　it　was　thought　he　desired　the　sanction　of　some

greater　authority　to　induce　him　to　adopt　their　views。　Upon　this；　the

archbishop　and　the　count　communicated　the　whole　affair　to　Giovanni

Batista　da　Montesecco；　a　leader　of　the　papal　forces；　possessing

military　reputation；　and　under　obligations　to　the　pope　and　the　count。

To　him　the　affair　seemed　difficult　and　dangerous；　while　the　archbishop


endeavored　to　obviate　his　objections　by　showing　how　much　assistance

the　pope　and　the　king　would　lend　to　the　enterprise；　the　hatred　of　the

Florentines　toward　the　Medici；　the　numerous　friends　the　Salviati　and

the　Pazzi　would　bring　with　them；　the　readiness　with　which　the　young

men　might　be　slain；　on　account　of　their　going　about　the　city

unaccompanied　and　without　suspicion；　and　the　facility　with　which　the

government　might　then　be　changed。　These　things　Giovanni　Batista　did

not　in　reality　believe；　for　he　had　heard　from　many　Florentines　quite

contrary　statements。



While　occupied　with　these　deliberations；　Carlo；　lord　of　Faenza；　was

taken　ill；　and　tears　were　entertained　for　his　life。　This　circumstance

seemed　to　the　archbishop　and　the　count　to　offer　an　opportunity　for

sending　Giovanni　Batista　to　Florence；　and　thence　to　Romagna；　under

pretence　of　recovering　certain　territories　belonging　to　the　latter；　of

which　the　lord　of　Faenza　had　taken　possession。　The　count　therefore

commissioned　Giovanni　Batista　to　have　an　interview　with　Lorenzo　de'

Medici；　and　on　his　part　request　his　advice　how　to　proceed　with　respect

to　the　affair　of　Romagna；　that　he　should　then　see　Francesco　de'　Pazzi；

and　in　conjunction　with　him　endeavor　to　induce　his　uncle　Jacopo　to

adopt　their　ideas。　To　render　the　pope's　authority　available　in　their

behalf；　Giovanni　Batista　was　ordered；　before　his　departure；　to

communicate　with　the　pontiff；　who　offered　every　means　at　his　disposal

in　favor　of　their　enterprise。　Giovanni　Batista；　having　arrived　at

Florence；　obtained　an　interview　with　Lorenzo；　by　whom　he　was　most

graciously　received；　and　with　regard　to　the　advice　he　was　commissioned

to　ask；　obtained　a　wise　and　friendly　answer；　so　that　he　was　astonished

at　finding　him　quite　a　different　character　from　what　he　had　been

represented；　and　considered　him　to　possess　great　sagacity；　an

affectionate　heart；　and　most　amicably　disposed　toward　the　count。　He

found　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　had　gone　to　Lucca；　and　spoke　to　Jacopo；　who

was　at　first　quite　opposed　to　their　design；　but　before　they　parted　the

pope's　authority　seemed　to　have　influenced　him；　for　he　told　Giovanni

Batista；　that　he　might　go　to　Romagna；　and　that　before　his　return

Francesco　would　be　with　him；　and　they　would　then　consult　more

particularly　upon　the　subject。　Giovanni　Batista　proceeded　to　Romagna；

and　soon　returned　to　Florence。　After　a　pretended　consultation　with

Lorenzo；　upon　the　count's　affairs；　he　obtained　an　interview　with

Francesco　and　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi；　when　the　latter　gave　his　consent　to

their　enterprise。　They　then　discussed　the　means　of　carrying　it　into

effect。　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　was　of　opinion　that　it　could　not　be　effected

while　both　the　brothers　remained　at　Florence；　and　therefore　it　would

be　better　to　wait　till　Lorenzo　went　to　Rome；　whither　it　was　reported

he　had　an　intention　of　going；　for　then　their　object　would　be　more

easily　attained。　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　had　no　objection　to　Lorenzo　being

at　Rome；　but　if　he　were　to　forego　the　journey；　he　thought　that　both

the　brothers　might　be　slain；　either　at　a　marriage；　or　at　a　play；　or　in

a　church。　With　regard　to　foreign　assistance；　he　supposed　the　pope

might　assemble　forces　for　the　conquest　of　the　fortress　of　Montone；

being　justified　in　taking　it　from　Count　Carlo；　who　had　caused　the

tumults　already　spoken　of　in　Sienna　and　Perugia。



Still　no　definite　arrangement　was　made；　but　it　was　resolved　that

Giovanni　Batista　and　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　should　go　to　Rome　and　settle

everything　with　the　pontiff。　The　matter　was　again　debated　at　Rome；　and

at　length　it　was　concluded　that　besides　an　expedition　against　Montone；

Giovan　Francesco　da　Tolentino；　a　leader　of　the　papal　troops；　should　go

into　Romagna；　and　Lorenzo　da　Castello　to　the　Val　di　Tavere；　that　each；

with　the　forces　of　the　country；　should　hold　himself　in　readiness　to

perform　the　commands　of　the　archbishop　de'　Salviati　and　Francesco　de

Pazzi；　both　of　whom　were　to　come　to　Florence；　and　provide　for　the

execution　of　their　design；　with　the　assistance　of　Giovanni　Batista　da

Montesecco。　King　Ferrando　promised；　by　his　ambassador；　to　contribute

all　in　his　power　to　the　success　of　their　undertaking。　Francesco　de'

Pazzi　and　the　archbishop　having　arrived　at　Florence；　prevailed　upon

Jacopo　di　Poggio；　a　well　educated　youth；　but　ambitious　and　very

desirous　of　change；　to　join　them；　and　two　others；　each　of　the　name　of

Jacopo　Salviati；　one　a　brother；　the　other　a　kinsman；　of　the

archbishop。　They　also　gained　over　Bernardo　Bandini　and　Napoleone

Franzeni；　two　bold　young　men；　under　great　obligations　to　the　family　of

the　Pazzi。　Besides　those　already　mentioned；　they　were　joined　by

Antonio　da　Volterra　and　a　priest　named　Stefano；　who　taught　Latin　to

the　daughter　of　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi。　Rinato　de'　Pazzi；　a　grave　and

prudent　man；　being　quite　aware　of　the　evils　resulting　from　such

undertakings；　refused　all　participation　in　the　conspiracy；　he　held　it

in　abhorrence；　and　as　much　as　possible；　without　betraying　his　kinsmen；

endeavored　to　counteract　it。



The　pope　had　sent　Raffaello　di　Riario；　a　nephew　of　Count　Girolamo；　to

the　college　of　Pisa；　to　study　canon　law；　and　while　there；　had　advanced

him　to　the　dignity　of　a　cardinal。　The　conspirators　determined　to　bring

this　cardinal　to　Florence；　as　they　would　thus　be　better　able　to

conceal　their　design；　since　any　persons　requisite　to　be　introduced

into　the　city　might　easily　be　made　to　appear　as　a　part　of　his　retinue；

and　his　arrival　might　facilitate　the　completion　of　their　enterprise。

The　cardinal　came；　and　was　received　by　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　at　his　villa

of　Montughi；　near　Florence。　By　his　means　it　was　also　intended　to　bring

together　Giuliano　and　Lorenzo；　and　whenever　this　happened；　to　put　them

both　to　death。　They　therefore　invited　them　to　meet　the　cardinal　at

their　villa　of　Fiesole；　but　Giuliano；　either　intentionally　or　through

some　preventing　cause；　did　not　attend；　and　this　design　having　failed；

they　thought　that　if　asked　to　an　entertainment　at　Florence；　both

brothers　would　certainly　be　present。　With　this　intention　they

appointed　Sunday；　the　twenty…sixth　of　April；　1478；　to　give　a　great

feast；　and；　resolving　to　assassinate　them　at　table；　the　conspirators

met　on　the　Saturday　evening　to　arrange　all　proceedings　for　the

following　day。　In　the　morning　it　was　intimated　to　Francesco　that

Giuliano　would　be　absent；　on　which　the　conspirators　again　assembled

and　finding　they　could　no　longer　defer　the　execution　of　their　design；

since　it　would　be　impossible　among　so　many　to　preserve　secrecy；　they

determined　to　complete　it　in　the　cathedral　church　of　Santa　Reparata；

where　the　cardinal　attending；　the　two　brothers　would　be　present　as

usual。　They　wished　Giovanni　Batista　da　Montesecco　to　undertake　the

murder　of　Lorenzo；　while　that　of　Giuliano　was　assigned　to　Francesco

de'　Pazzi　and　Bernardo　Bandini。　Giovanni　Batista　refused；　either

because　his　familiarity　with　Lorenzo　had　created　feelings　in　his

favor；　or　from　some　other　reason；　saying　he　should　not