history of florence-第31部分

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conclusion　was　come　to。　On　the　following　day　the　Arts　brought　forth

their　banners；　which　the　Signory　understanding；　and　being　apprehensive

of　evil；　called　the　Council　together　to　consider　what　course　to　adopt。

But　scarcely　were　they　met；　when　the　uproar　recommenced；　and　soon　the

ensigns　of　the　Arts；　surrounded　by　vast　numbers　of　armed　men；　occupied

the　courts。　Upon　this　the　Council；　to　give　the　Arts　and　the　people

hope　of　redress；　and　free　themselves　as　much　as　possible　from　the

charge　of　causing　the　mischief；　gave　a　general　power；　which　in

Florence　is　called　/Balia/；　to　the　Signors；　the　Colleagues；　the　Eight；

the　Capitani　di　Parte；　and　to　the　Syndics　of　the　Arts；　to　reform　the

government　of　the　city；　for　the　common　benefit　of　all。　While　this　was

being　arranged；　a　few　of　the　ensigns　of　the　Arts　and　some　of　the　mob；

desirous　of　avenging　themselves　for　the　recent　injuries　they　had

received　from　the　Guelphs；　separated　themselves　from　the　rest；　and

sacked　and　burnt　the　house　of　Lapo　da　Castiglionchio；　who；　when　he

learned　the　proceedings　of　the　Signory　against　the　Guelphs；　and　saw

the　people　in　arms；　having　no　other　resource　but　concealment　or

flight；　first　took　refuge　in　Santa　Croce；　and　afterward；　being

disguised　as　a　monk；　fled　into　the　Casentino；　where　he　was　often　heard

to　blame　himself　for　having　consented　to　wait　till　St。　John's　day；

before　they　had　made　themselves　sure　of　the　government。　Piero　degli

Albizzi　and　Carlo　Strozzi　hid　themselves　upon　the　first　outbreak　of

the　tumult；　trusting　that　when　it　was　over；　by　the　interest　of　their

numerous　friends　and　relations；　they　might　remain　safely　in　Florence。



The　house　of　Lapo　being　burnt；　as　mischief　begins　with　difficulty　but

easily　increases；　many　other　houses；　either　through　public　hatred；　or

private　malice；　shared　the　same　fate；　and　the　rioters；　that　they　might

have　companions　more　eager　than　themselves　to　assist　them　in　their

work　of　plunder；　broke　open　the　public　prisons；　and　then　sacked　the

monastery　of　the　Agnoli　and　the　convent　of　S。　Spirito；　whither　many

citizens　had　taken　their　most　valuable　goods　for　safety。　Nor　would　the

public　chambers　have　escaped　these　destroyers'　hands；　except　out　of

reverence　for　one　of　the　Signors；　who　on　horseback；　and　followed　by

many　citizens　in　arms；　opposed　the　rage　of　the　mob。







CHAPTER　III



　　Contrary　measures　adopted　by　the　magistrates　to　effect　a

　　pacificationLuigi　Guicciardini　the　Gonfalonier　entreats　the

　　magistrates　of　the　Arts　to　endeavor　to　pacify　the　peopleSerious

　　riot　caused　by　the　plebeiansThe　woolen　ArtThe　plebeians

　　assembleThe　speech　of　a　seditious　plebeianTheir　resolution

　　thereuponThe　Signory　discover　the　designs　of　the　plebeians

　　Measures　adopted　to　counteract　them。



This　popular　fury　being　abated　by　the　authority　of　the　Signors　and　the

approach　of　night；　on　the　following　day；　the　Balia　relieved　the

admonished；　on　condition　that　they　should　not　for　three　years　be

capable　of　holding　any　magistracy。　They　annulled　the　laws　made　by　the

Guelphs　to　the　prejudice　of　the　citizens；　declared　Lapo　da

Castiglionchio　and　his　companions；　rebels；　and　with　them　many　others；

who　were　the　objects　of　universal　detestation。　After　these

resolutions；　the　new　Signory　were　drawn　for；　and　Luigi　Guicciardini

appointed　Gonfalonier；　which　gave　hope　that　the　tumults　would　soon　be

appeased；　for　everyone　thought　them　to　be　peaceable　men　and　lovers　of

order。　Still　the　shops　were　not　opened；　nor　did　the　citizens　lay　down

their　arms；　but　continued　to　patrol　the　city　in　great　numbers；　so　that

the　Signory　did　not　assume　the　magistracy　with　the　usual　pomp；　but

merely　assembled　within　the　palace；　omitting　all　ceremony。



This　Signory；　considering　nothing　more　advisable　in　the　beginning　of

their　magistracy　than　to　restore　peace；　caused　a　relinquishment　of

arms；　ordered　the　shops　to　be　opened；　and　the　strangers　who　had　been

called　to　their　aid；　to　return　to　their　homes。　They　appointed　guards

in　many　parts　of　the　city；　so　that　if　the　admonished　would　only　have

remained　quiet；　order　would　soon　have　been　re…established。　But　they

were　not　satisfied　to　wait　three　years　for　the　recovery　of　their

honours；　so　that　to　gratify　them　the　Arts　again　met；　and　demanded　of

the　Signory；　that　for　the　benefit　and　quiet　of　the　city；　they　would

ordain　that　no　citizens　should　at　any　time；　whether　Signor；　Colleague；

Capitano　di　Parte；　or　Consul　of　any　art　whatever；　be　admonished　as　a

Ghibelline；　and　further；　that　new　ballots　of　the　Guelphic　party　should

be　made；　and　the　old　ones　burned。　These　demands　were　at　once　acceded

to；　not　only　by　the　Signors；　but　by　all　the　Councils；　and　thus　it　was

hoped　the　tumults　newly　excited　would　be　settled。



But　since　men　are　not　satisfied　with　recovering　what　is　their　own；　but

wish　to　possess　the　property　of　others　and　to　revenge　themselves；

those　who　were　in　hopes　of　benefiting　by　these　disorders　persuaded　the

artificers　that　they　would　never　be　safe；　if　several　of　their　enemies

were　not　expelled　from　the　city　or　destroyed。　This　terrible　doctrine

coming　to　the　knowledge　of　the　Signory；　they　caused　the　magistrates　of

the　Arts　and　their　Syndics　to　be　brought　before　them；　and　Luigi

Guicciardini；　the　Gonfalonier；　addressed　them　in　the　following　words：

〃If　these　Signors；　and　I　with　them；　had　not　long　been　acquainted　with

the　fate　of　this　city；　that　as　soon　as　external　wars　have　ceased　the

internal　commence；　we　should　have　been　more　surprised；　and　our

displeasure　would　have　been　greater。　But　as　evils　to　which　we　are

accustomed　are　less　annoying；　we　have　endured　past　disturbances

patiently；　they　having　arisen　for　the　most　part　without　our　fault；　and

we　hoped　that；　like　former　troubles；　they　would　soon　have　an　end；

after　the　many　and　great　concessions　we　had　made　at　your　suggestion。

But　finding　that　you　are　yet　unsettled；　that　you　contemplate　the

commission　of　new　crimes　against　your　fellow…citizens；　and　are

desirous　of　making　new　exiles；　our　displeasure　increases　in　proportion

to　your　misconduct。　And　certainly；　could　we　have　believed　that　during

our　magistracy　the　city　was　to　be　ruined；　whether　with　or　without　your

concurrence；　we　should　certainly；　either　by　flight　or　exile；　have

avoided　these　horrors。　But　trusting　that　we　had　to　do　with　those　who

possessed　some　feelings　of　humanity　and　some　love　of　their　country；　we

willingly　accepted　the　magistracy；　thinking　that　by　our　gentleness　we

should　overcome　your　ambition。　But　we　perceive　from　experience　that

the　more　humble　our　behavior；　the　more　concessions　we　make；　the

prouder　you　become；　and　the　more　exorbitant　are　your　demands。　And

though　we　speak　thus；　it　is　not　in　order　to　offend；　but　to　amend　you。

Let　others　tell　you　pleasing　tales；　our　design　is　to　communicate　only

what　is　for　your　good。　Now　we　would　ask　you；　and　have　you　answer　on

your　honor；　What　is　there　yet　ungranted；　that　you　can；　with　any

appearance　of　propriety；　require？　You　wished　to　have　authority　taken

from　the　Capitani　di　Parte；　and　it　is　done。　You　wished　that　the

ballotings　should　be　burned；　and　a　reformation　of　them　take　place；　and

we　consent。　You　desired　that　the　admonished　should　be　restored　to

their　honours；　and　it　is　permitted。　At　your　entreaty　we　have　pardoned

those　who　have　burned　down　houses　and　plundered　churches；　many

honorable　citizens　have　been　exiled　to　please　you；　and　at　your

suggestion　new　restraints　have　been　laid　upon　the　Great。　When　will

there　be　an　end　of　your　demands？　and　how　long　will　you　continue　to

abuse　our　liberality？　Do　you　not　observe　with　how　much　more　moderation

we　bear　defeat　than　you　your　victory？　To　what　end　will　your　divisions

bring　our　city？　Have　you　forgotten　that　when　disunited　Castruccio；　a

low　citizen　of　Lucca；　subdued　her？　or　that　a　duke　of　Athens；　your

hired　captain　did　so　too？　But　when　the　citizens　were　united　in　her

defense；　an　archbishop　of　Milan　and　a　pope　were　unable　to　subdue　it；

and；　after　many　years　of　war；　were　compelled　to　retire　with　disgrace。



〃Then　why　would　you；　by　your　discords；　reduce　to　slavery　in　a　time　of

peace；　that　city；　which　so　many　powerful　enemies　have　left　free；　even

in　war？　What　can　you　expect　from　your　disunion　but　subjugation？　or

from　the　property　of　which　you　already　have　plundered；　or　may　yet

plunder　us；　but　poverty？　for　this　property　is　the　means　by　which　we

furnish　occupation　for　the　whole　city；　and　if　you　take　it　from　us；　our

means　of　finding　that　occupation　is　withdrawn。　Besides；　those　who　take

it　will　have　difficulty　in　preserving　what　is　dishonestly　acquired；

and　thus　poverty　and　destitution　are　brought　upon　the　city。　Now；　I；

and　these　Signors　command；　and　if　it　were　consistent　with　propriety；

we　would　entreat　that　you　allow　your　minds　to　be　calmed；　be　content；

rest　satisfied　with　the　provisions　that　have　been　made　for　you；　and　if

you　should　be　found　to　need　anything　further；　make　your　request　with

decency　and　order；　and　not　with　tumult；　for　when　your　demands　are

reasonable　they　will　always　be　complied　with；　and　you　will　not　give

occasion　to　evil　designing　men　to　ruin　your　country　and　cast　the　blame

upon　yourselves。〃　These　words　conveying　nothing　but　the　truth；

produced　a　suitable　effect　upon　the　minds　of　the　citizens；　who

thanking　the　Gonfalonier　for　having　acted　toward　them　the　part　of　a

king　Signor；　and　toward　the　city　that　of　a　good　citizen；　offered　their

obedience　in　whatever　might　be　committed　to　them。　And　the　Signors；　to

prove　the　sincerity　of　their　intentions；　appointed　two　citizens　for

each　of　the　superior　magistracies；　who；　with　Syndics　of　the　arts；　were

to　consider　what　could　be　done　to　restore　quite；　and　report　their

resolutions　to　the　Signors。



While　these　things　were　in　progress；　a　disturbance　arose；　much　more

injurious　to　the　republic　than　anything　that　had　hitherto　occurred。

The　greatest　part　of　the　fires　and　robberies　which　took　place　on　the

previous　days　were　perpetrated　by　the　very　lowest　of