history of florence-第96节

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

sufficient　to　commit　such　a　deed　in　a　church；　and　thus　add　sacrilege

to　treachery。　This　caused　the　failure　of　their　undertaking；　for　time

pressing；　they　were　compelled　to　substitute　Antonio　da　Volterra　and

Stefano；　the　priest；　two　men；　who；　from　nature　and　habit；　were　the

most　unsuitable　of　any；　for　if　firmness　and　resolution　joined　with

experience　in　bloodshed　be　necessary　upon　any　occasion；　it　is　on　such

as　these；　and　it　often　happens　that　those　who　are　expert　in　arms；　and

have　faced　death　in　all　forms　on　the　field　of　battle；　still　fail　in　an

affair　like　this。　Having　now　decided　upon　the　time；　they　resolved　that

the　signal　for　the　attack　should　be　the　moment　when　the　priest　who

celebrated　high　mass　should　partake　of　the　sacrament；　and　that；　in　the

meantime；　the　Archbishop　de'　Salviati；　with　his　followers；　and　Jacopo

di　Poggio；　should　take　possession　of　the　palace；　in　order　that　the

Signory；　after　the　young　men's　death；　should　voluntarily；　or　by　force；

contribute　to　their　assistance。







CHAPTER　II



　　Giuliano　de'　Medici　slainLorenzo　escapesThe　archbishop

　　Salviati　endeavors　to　seize　the　palace　of　the　SignoryHe　is　taken

　　and　hangedThe　enterprise　of　the　conspirators　entirely　fails

　　Manifestations　of　the　Florentines　in　favor　of　Lorenzo　de'　Medici

　　The　conspirators　punishedThe　funeral　of　GiulianoThe　pope　and

　　the　king　of　Naples　make　war　upon　the　FlorentinesFlorence

　　excommunicatedSpeech　of　Lorenzo　de'　Medici　to　the　citizens　of

　　Florence。



The　conspirators　proceeded　to　Santa　Reparata；　where　the　cardinal　and

Lorenzo　had　already　arrived。　The　church　was　crowded；　and　divine

service　commenced　before　Giuliano's　arrival。　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　and

Bernardo　Bandini；　who　were　appointed　to　be　his　murderers；　went　to　his

house；　and　finding　him；　they；　by　earnest　entreaties；　prevailed　upon

him　to　accompany　them。　It　is　surprising　that　such　intense　hatred；　and

designs　so　full　of　horror　as　those　of　Francesco　and　Bernardo；　could　be

so　perfectly　concealed；　for　while　conducting　him　to　the　church；　and

after　they　had　reached　it；　they　amused　him　with　jests　and　playful

discourse。　Nor　did　Francesco　forget；　under　pretense　of　endearment；　to

press　him　in　his　arms；　so　as　to　ascertain　whether　under　his　apparel　he

wore　a　cuirass　or　other　means　of　defense。　Giuliano　and　Lorenzo　were

both　aware　of　the　animosity　of　the　Pazzi；　and　their　desire　to　deprive

them　of　the　government；　but　they　felt　assured　that　any　design　would　be

attempted　openly；　and　in　conjunction　with　the　civil　authority。　Thus

being　free　from　apprehension　for　their　personal　safety　both　affected

to　be　on　friendly　terms　with　them。　The　murderers　being　ready；　each　in

his　appointed　station；　which　they　could　retain　without　suspicion；　on

account　of　the　vast　numbers　assembled　in　the　church；　the　preconcerted

moment　arrived；　and　Bernardo　Bandini；　with　a　short　dagger　provided　for

the　purpose；　struck　Giuliano　in　the　breast；　who；　after　a　few　steps；

fell　to　the　earth。　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　threw　himself　upon　the　body　and

covered　him　with　wounds；　while；　as　if　blinded　by　rage；　he　inflicted　a

deep　incision　upon　his　own　leg。　Antonio　and　Stefano；　the　priest；

attacked　Lorenzo；　and　after　dealing　many　blows；　effected　only　a　slight

incision　in　the　throat；　for　either　their　want　of　resolution；　the

activity　of　Lorenzo；　who；　finding　himself　attacked；　used　his　arms　in

his　own　defense；　or　the　assistance　of　those　by　whom　he　was　surrounded；

rendered　all　attempts　futile。　They　fled　and　concealed　themselves；　but

being　subsequently　discovered；　were　put　to　death　in　the　most

ignominious　manner；　and　their　bodies　dragged　about　the　city。　Lorenzo；

with　the　friends　he　had　about　him；　took　refuge　in　the　sacristy　of　the

church。　Bernardo　Bandini；　after　Giuliano's　death；　also　slew　Francesco

Nori；　a　most　intimate　friend　of　the　Medici；　either　from　some　previous

hatred　or　for　having　endeavored　to　render　assistance　to　Giuliano；　and

not　content　with　these　murders；　he　ran　in　pursuit　of　Lorenzo；

intending；　by　his　own　promptitude；　to　make　up　for　the　weakness　and

inefficiency　of　the　others；　but　finding　he　had　taken　refuge　in　the

vestry；　he　was　prevented。



In　the　midst　of　these　violent　and　fearful　deeds；　during　which　the

uproar　was　so　terrible；　that　it　seemed　almost　sufficient　to　bring　the

church　down　upon　its　inmates；　the　cardinal　Riario　remained　close　to

the　altar；　where　he　was　with　difficulty　kept　in　safety　by　the　priests；

until　the　Signory；　upon　the　abatement　of　the　disturbance；　could

conduct　him　to　their　palace；　where　he　remained　in　the　utmost　terror

till　he　was　set　at　liberty。



There　were　at　this　time　in　Florence　some　people　of　Perugia；　whom　party

feuds　had　compelled　to　leave　their　homes；　and　the　Pazzi；　by　promising

to　restore　them　to　their　country；　obtained　their　assistance。　The

Archbishop　de'　Salviati；　going　to　seize　the　palace；　together　with

Jacopo　di　Poggio；　and　the　Salviati；　his　friends；　took　these　Perugini

with　him。　Having　arrived；　he　left　part　of　his　people　below；　with

orders　that　when　they　heard　a　noise　they　should　make　themselves

masters　of　the　entrance；　while　himself；　with　the　greater　part　of　the

Perugini；　proceeded　above；　and　finding　the　Signory　at　dinner　（for　it

was　now　late）；　was　admitted　after　a　short　delay；　by　Cesare　Petrucci；

the　Gonfalonier　of　Justice。　He　entered　with　only　a　few　of　his

followers；　the　greater　part　of　them　being　shut　up　in　the　cancelleria

into　which　they　had　gone；　whose　doors　were　so　contrived；　that　upon

closing　they　could　not　be　opened　from　either　side；　without　the　key。

The　archbishop　being　with　the　gonfalonier；　under　pretense　of　having

something　to　communicate　on　the　part　of　the　pope；　addressed　him　in

such　an　incoherent　and　hesitating　manner；　that　the　gonfalonier　at　once

suspected　him；　and　rushing　out　of　the　chamber　to　call　assistance；

found　Jacopo　di　Poggio；　whom　he　seized　by　the　hair　of　the　head；　and

gave　into　the　custody　of　his　attendants。　The　Signory　hearing　the

tumult；　snatched　such　arms　as　they　could　at　the　moment　obtain；　and　all

who　had　gone　up　with　the　archbishop；　part　of　them　being　shut　up；　and

part　overcome　with　terror；　were　immediately　slain　or　thrown　alive　out

of　the　windows　of　the　palace；　at　which　the　archbishop；　the　two　Jacopi

Salviati；　and　Jacopodi　Poggio　were　hanged。　Those　whom　the　archbishop

left　below；　having　mastered　the　guard　and　taken　possession　of　the

entrance　occupied　all　the　lower　floors；　so　that　the　citizens；　who　in

the　uproar；　hastened　to　the　palace；　were　unable　to　give　either　advice

or　assistance　to　the　Signory。



Francesco　de'　Pazzi　and　Bernardo　Bandini；　perceiving　Lorenzo's　escape；

and　the　principal　agent　in　the　enterprise　seriously　wounded；　became

immediately　conscious　of　the　imminent　peril　of　their　position。

Bernardo；　using　the　same　energy　in　his　own　behalf　that　had　served　him

against　the　Medici；　finding　all　lost；　saved　himself　by　flight。

Francesco；　wounded　as　he　was；　got　to　his　house；　and　endeavored　to　get

on　horseback；　for　it　had　been　arranged　they　should　ride　through　the

city　and　call　the　people　to　arms　and　liberty；　but　he　found　himself

unable；　from　the　nature　of　his　wound；　and；　throwing　himself　naked　upon

his　bed；　begged　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　to　perform　the　part　for　which　he　was

himself　incapacitated。　Jacopo；　though　old　and　unaccustomed　to　such

business；　by　way　of　making　a　last　effort；　mounted　his　horse；　and；　with

about　a　hundred　armed　followers；　collected　without　previous

preparation；　hastened　to　the　piazza　of　the　palace；　and　endeavored　to

assemble　adherents　by　cries　of　〃people；〃　and　〃liberty〃；　but　the

former；　having　been　rendered　deaf　by　the　fortune　and　liberty　of　the

Medici；　the　latter　was　unknown　in　Florence；　and　he　found　no　followers。

The　signors；　who　held　the　upper　part　of　the　palace；　saluted　him　with

stones　and　threats。　Jacopo；　while　hesitating；　was　met　by　Giovanni

Seristori；　his　brother…in…law；　who　upbraided　him　with　the　troubles　he

had　occasioned；　and　then　advised　him　to　go　home；　for　the　people　and

liberty　were　as　dear　to　other　citizens　as　to　himself。　Thus　deprived　of

every　hope；　Lorenzo　being　alive；　Francesco　seriously　wounded；　and　none

disposed　to　follow　him；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　he　resolved；　if

possible；　to　escape　by　flight；　and；　accompanied　by　those　whom　he　had

led　into　the　piazza；　left　Florence　with　the　intention　of　going　into

Romagna。



In　the　meantime　the　whole　city　was　roused　to　arms；　and　Lorenzo　de'

Medici；　accompanied　by　a　numerous　escort；　returned　to　his　house。　The

palace　was　recovered　from　its　assailants；　all　of　whom　were　either

slain　or　made　prisoners。　The　name　of　the　Medici　echoed　everywhere；　and

portions　of　dead　bodies　were　seen　borne　on　spears　and　scattered

through　the　streets；　while　everyone　was　transported　with　rage　against

the　Pazzi；　and　pursued　them　with　relentless　cruelty。　The　people　took

possession　of　their　houses；　and　Francesco；　naked　as　they　found　him；

was　led　to　the　pal