history of florence-第22部分

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plunder　and　overrun　the　country　of　the　Lucchese。



About　this　time　the　emperor　left　Italy。　The　anti…pope；　by　means　of　the

Pisans；　became　a　prisoner　in　France；　and　the　Florentines　from　the

death　of　Castruccio；　which　occurred　in　1328；　remained　in　domestic

peace　till　1340；　and　gave　their　undivided　attention　to　external

affairs；　while　many　wars　were　carried　on　in　Lombardy；　occasioned　by

the　coming　of　John　king　of　Bohemia；　and　in　Tuscany；　on　account　of

Lucca。　During　this　period　Florence　was　ornamented　with　many　new

buildings；　and　by　the　advice　of　Giotto；　the　most　distinguished　painter

of　his　time；　they　built　the　tower　of　Santa　Reparata。　Besides　this；　the

waters　of　the　Arno　having；　in　1333；　risen　twelve　feet　above　their

ordinary　level；　destroyed　some　of　the　bridges　and　many　buildings；　all

which　were　restored　with　great　care　and　expense。



In　the　year　1340；　new　sources　of　disagreement　arose。　The　great　had　two

ways　of　increasing　or　preserving　their　power；　the　one；　so　to　restrain

the　emborsation　of　magistrates；　that　the　lot　always　fell　upon

themselves　or　their　friends；　the　other；　that　having　the　election　of

the　rectors；　they　were　always　favorable　to　their　party。　This　second

mode　they　considered　of　so　great　importance；　that　the　ordinary　rectors

not　being　sufficient　for　them；　they　on　some　occasions　elected　a　third；

and　at　this　time　they　had　made　an　extraordinary　appointment；　under　the

title　of　captain　of　the　guard；　of　Jacopo　Gabrielli　of　Agobbio；　and

endowed　him　with　unlimited　authority　over　the　citizens。　This　man；

under　the　sanction　of　those　who　governed；　committed　constant　outrages；

and　among　those　whom　he　injured　were　Piero　de'　Bardi　and　Bardo

Frescobaldi。　These　being　of　the　nobility；　and　naturally　proud；　could

not　endure　that　a　stranger；　supported　by　a　few　powerful　men；　should

without　cause　injure　them　with　impunity；　and　consequently　entered　into

a　conspiracy　against　him　and　those　by　whom　he　was　supported。　They　were

joined　by　many　noble　families；　and　some　of　the　people；　who　were

offended　with　the　tyranny　of　those　in　power。　Their　plan　was；　that　each

should　bring　into　his　house　a　number　of　armed　men；　and　on　the　morning

after　the　day　of　All　Saints；　when　almost　all　would　be　in　the　temples

praying　for　their　dead；　they　should　take　arms；　kill　the　Capitano　and

those　who　were　at　the　head　of　affairs；　and　then；　with　a　new　Signory

and　new　ordinances；　reform　the　government。



But；　as　the　more　a　dangerous　business　is　considered；　the　less

willingly　it　is　undertaken；　it　commonly　happens；　when　there　is　any

time　allowed　between　the　determining　upon　a　perilous　enterprise　and

its　execution；　that　the　conspiracy　by　one　means　or　another　becomes

known。　Andrea　de'　Bardi　was　one　of　the　conspirators；　and　upon

reconsideration　of　the　matter；　the　fear　of　the　punishment　operated

more　powerfully　upon　him　than　the　desire　of　revenge；　and　he　disclosed

the　affair　to　Jacopo　Alberti；　his　brother…in…law。　Jacopo　acquainted

the　Priors；　and　they　informed　the　government。　And　as　the　danger　was

near；　All　Saints'　day　being　just　at　hand；　many　citizens　met　together

in　the　palace；　and　thinking　their　peril　increased　by　delay；　they

insisted　that　the　Signory　should　order　the　alarm　to　be　rung；　and

called　the　people　together　in　arms。　Taldo　Valori　was　at　this　time

Gonfalonier；　and　Francesco　Salviati　one　of　the　Signory；　who；　being

relatives　of　the　Bardi；　were　unwilling　to　summon　the　people　with　the

bell；　alleging　as　a　reason　that　it　is　by　no　means　well　to　assemble

them　in　arms　upon　every　slight　occasion；　for　power　put　into　the　hands

of　an　unrestrained　multitude　was　never　beneficial；　that　it　is　an　easy

matter　to　excite　them　to　violence；　but　a　difficult　thing　to　restrain

them；　and　that；　therefore；　it　would　be　taking　a　more　prudent　course　if

they　were　to　inquire　into　the　truth　of　the　affair；　and　punish　the

delinquents　by　the　civil　authority；　than　to　attempt；　upon　a　simple

information；　to　correct　it　by　such　a　tumultuous　means；　and　thus　hazard

the　safety　of　the　city。　None　would　listen　to　these　remarks；　the

Signory　were　assailed　with　insolent　behavior　and　indecent　expressions；

and　compelled　to　sound　the　alarm；　upon　which　the　people　presently

assembled　in　arms。　On　the　other　hand；　the　Bardi　and　the　Frescobaldi；

finding　themselves　discovered；　that　they　might　conquer　with　glory　or

die　without　shame；　armed　themselves；　in　the　hope　that　they　would　be

able　to　defend　that　part　of　the　city　beyond　the　river；　where　their

houses　were　situated；　and　they　fortified　the　bridge　in　expectation　of

assistance；　which　they　expected　from　the　nobles　and　their　friends　in

the　country。　Their　design　was　frustrated　by　the　people　who；　in　common

with　themselves；　occupied　this　part　of　the　city；　for　these　took　arms

in　favor　of　the　Signory；　so　that；　seeing　themselves　thus

circumstanced；　they　abandoned　the　bridges；　and　betook　themselves　to

the　street　in　which　the　Bardi　resided；　as　being　a　stronger　situation

than　any　other；　and　this　they　defended　with　great　bravery。



Jacopo　d'Agobbio；　knowing　the　whole　conspiracy　was　directed　against

himself；　in　fear　of　death；　terrified　and　vanquished；　kept　himself

surrounded　with　forces　near　the　palace　of　the　Signory；　but　the　other

rectors；　who　were　much　less　blamable；　discovered　greater　courage；　and

especially　the　podesta　or　provost；　whose　name　was　Maffeo　da　Marradi。

He　presented　himself　among　the　combatants　without　any　fear；　and

passing　the　bridge　of　the　Rubaconte　amid　the　swords　of　the　Bardi；　made

a　sign　that　he　wished　to　speak　to　them。　Upon　this；　their　reverence　for

the　man；　his　noble　demeanor；　and　the　excellent　qualities　he　was　known

to　possess；　caused　an　immediate　cessation　of　the　combat；　and　induced

them　to　listen　to　him　patiently。　He　very　gravely；　but　without　the　use

of　any　bitter　or　aggravating　expressions；　blamed　their　conspiracy；

showed　the　danger　they　would　incur　if　they　still　contended　against　the

popular　feeling；　gave　them　reason　to　hope　their　complaints　would　be

heard　and　mercifully　considered；　and　promised　that　he　himself　would

use　his　endeavors　in　their　behalf。　He　then　returned　to　the　Signory；

and　implored　them　to　spare　the　blood　of　the　citizens；　showing　the

impropriety　of　judging　them　unheard；　and　at　length　induced　them　to

consent　that　the　Bardi　and　the　Frescobaldi；　with　their　friends；　should

leave　the　city；　and　without　impediment　be　allowed　to　retire　to　their

castles。　Upon　their　departure　the　people　being　again　disarmed；　the

Signory　proceeded　against　those　only　of　the　Bardi　and　Frescobaldi

families　who　had　taken　arms。　To　lessen　their　power；　they　bought　of　the

Bardi　the　castle　of　Mangona　and　that　of　Vernia；　and　enacted　a　law

which　provided　that　no　citizen　should　be　allowed　to　possess　a　castle

or　fortified　place　within　twenty　miles　of　Florence。



After　a　few　months；　Stiatta　Frescobaldi　was　beheaded；　and　many　of　his

family　banished。　Those　who　governed；　not　satisfied　with　having　subdued

the　Bardi　and　the　Frescobaldi；　as　is　most　commonly　the　case；　the　more

authority　they　possessed　the　worse　use　they　made　of　it　and　the　more

insolent　they　became。　As　they　had　hitherto　had　one　captain　of　the

guard　who　afflicted　the　city；　they　now　appointed　another　for　the

country；　with　unlimited　authority；　to　the　end　that　those　whom　they

suspected　might　abide　neither　within　nor　without。　And　they　excited

them　to　such　excesses　against　the　whole　of　the　nobility；　that　these

were　driven　to　desperation；　and　ready　to　sell　both　themselves　and　the

city　to　obtain　revenge。　The　occasion　at　length　came；　and　they　did　not

fail　to　use　it。



The　troubles　of　Tuscany　and　Lombardy　had　brought　the　city　of　Lucca

under　the　rule　of　Mastino　della　Scala；　lord　of　Verona；　who；　though

bound　by　contract　to　assign　her　to　the　Florentines；　had　refused　to　do

so；　for；　being　lord　of　Parma；　he　thought　he　should　be　able　to　retain

her；　and　did　not　trouble　himself　about　his　breach　of　faith。　Upon　this

the　Florentines　joined　the　Venetians；　and　with　their　assistance

brought　Mastino　to　the　brink　of　ruin。　They　did　not；　however；　derive

any　benefit　from　this　beyond　the　slight　satisfaction　of　having

conquered　him；　for　the　Venetians；　like　all　who　enter　into　league　with

less　powerful　states　than　themselves；　having　acquired　Trevigi　and

Vicenza；　made　peace　with　Mastino　without　the　least　regard　for　the

Florentines。　Shortly　after　this；　the　Visconti；　lords　of　Milan；　having

taken　Parma　from　Mastino；　he　found　himself　unable　to　retain　Lucca；　and

therefore　determined　to　sell　it。　The　competitors　for　the　purchase　were

the　Florentines　and　the　Pisans；　and　in　the　course　of　the　treaty　the

Pisans；　finding　that　the　Florentines；　being　the　richer　people；　were

about　to　obtain　it；　had　recourse　to　arms；　and；　with　the　assistance　of

the　Visconti；　marched　against　Lucca。　The　Florentines　did　not；　on　that

account；　withdraw　from　the　purchase；　but　having　agreed　upon　the　terms

with　Mastino；　paid　part　of　the　money；　gave　security　for　the　remainder；

and　sent　Naddo　Rucellai；　Giovanni　di　Bernadino　de'　Medici；　and　Rosso

di　Ricciardo　de'　Ricci；　to　take　possession；　who　entered　Lucca　by

force；　and　Mastino's　people　delivered　the　city　to　them。　Nevertheless；

the　Pisans　continued　the　siege；　and　the　Florentines　used　their　utmost

endeavors　to　relieve　her；　but　after　a　long　war；　loss　of　money；　and

accumulation　of　disgrace；　they　were　compelled　to　retire；　and　the

Pisans　became　lords　of　Lucca。



The　loss　of　this　city；　as　in　like　cases　commonly　happens；　exasperated

the　people　of　Florence　against　the　members　of　the　government；　at　every

street　corner　and　public　place　they　were　openly　censured；　and　the

entire　misfortune　was　laid　to　the　charge　of　their　greediness　and

mismanagement。　At　the　beginning　of　the　war；　twenty　citizens　had　been

appointed　to　undertake　the　direction　of　it；　who　appointed　Malatesta　da

Rimini　to　the　command　of　the　forces。　He　having　exhibited　little　zeal

and　less　prudence；　they　requested　assistance　from　Robert　king　of

Naples；　and　he　sent　them　Walter　duke　o