history of florence-第32部分

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

previous　days　were　perpetrated　by　the　very　lowest　of　the　people；　and

those　who　had　been　the　most　audacious；　were　afraid　that　when　the

greater　differences　were　composed；　they　would　be　punished　for　the

crimes　they　had　committed；　and　that　as　usual；　they　would　be　abandoned

by　those　who　had　instigated　them　to　the　commission　of　crime。　To　this

may　be　added；　the　hatred　of　the　lower　orders　toward　the　rich　citizens

and　the　principals　of　the　arts；　because　they　did　not　think　themselves

remunerated　for　their　labor　in　a　manner　equal　to　their　merits。　For　in

the　time　of　Charles　I。；　when　the　city　was　divided　into　arts；　a　head　or

governor　was　appointed　to　each；　and　it　was　provided　that　the

individuals　of　each　art；　should　be　judged　in　civil　matters　by　their

own　superiors。　These　arts；　as　we　have　before　observed；　were　at　first

twelve；　in　the　course　of　time　they　were　increased　to　twenty…one；　and

attained　so　much　power；　that　in　a　few　years　they　grasped　the　entire

government　of　the　city；　and　as　some　were　in　greater　esteem　than

others；　they　were　divided　into　MAJOR　and　MINOR；　seven　were　called

〃major；〃　and　fourteen；　the　〃minor　arts。〃　From　this　division；　and　from

other　causes　which　we　have　narrated　above；　arose　the　arrogance　of　the

Capitani　di　Parte；　for　those　citizens　who　had　formerly　been　Guelphs；

and　had　the　constant　disposal　of　that　magistracy；　favored　the

followers　of　the　major　and　persecuted　the　minor　arts　and　their

patrons；　and　hence　arose　the　many　commotions　already　mentioned。　When

the　companies　of　the　arts　were　first　organized；　many　of　those　trades；

followed　by　the　lowest　of　the　people　and　the　plebeians；　were　not

incorporated；　but　were　ranged　under　those　arts　most　nearly　allied　to

them；　and；　hence；　when　they　were　not　properly　remunerated　for　their

labor；　or　their　masters　oppressed　them；　they　had　no　one　of　whom　to

seek　redress；　except　the　magistrate　of　the　art　to　which　theirs　was

subject；　and　of　him　they　did　not　think　justice　always　attainable。　Of

the　arts；　that　which　had　always　had；　and　now　has；　the　greatest　number

of　these　subordinates；　is　the　woolen；　which　being　both　then；　and

still；　the　most　powerful　body；　and　first　in　authority；　supports　the

greater　part　of　the　plebeians　and　lowest　of　the　people。



The　lower　classes；　then；　the　subordinates　not　only　of　the　woolen；　but

also　of　the　other　arts；　were　discontented；　from　the　causes　just

mentioned；　and　their　apprehension　of　punishment　for　the　burnings　and

robberies　they　had　committed；　did　not　tend　to　compose　them。　Meetings

took　place　in　different　parts　during　the　night；　to　talk　over　the　past；

and　to　communicate　the　danger　in　which　they　were；　when　one　of　the　most

daring　and　experienced；　in　order　to　animate　the　rest；　spoke　thus：



〃If　the　question　now　were；　whether　we　should　take　up　arms；　rob　and

burn　the　houses　of　the　citizens；　and　plunder　churches；　I　am　one　of

those　who　would　think　it　worthy　of　further　consideration；　and　should；

perhaps；　prefer　poverty　and　safety　to　the　dangerous　pursuit　of　an

uncertain　good。　But　as　we　have　already　armed；　and　many　offenses　have

been　committed；　it　appears　to　me　that　we　have　to　consider　how　to　lay

them　aside；　and　secure　ourselves　from　the　consequences　of　what　is

already　done。　I　certainly　think；　that　if　nothing　else　could　teach　us；

necessity　might。　You　see　the　whole　city　full　of　complaint　and

indignation　against　us；　the　citizens　are　closely　united；　and　the

signors　are　constantly　with　the　magistrates。　You　may　be　sure　they　are

contriving　something　against　us；　they　are　arranging　some　new　plan　to

subdue　us。　We　ought　therefore　to　keep　two　things　in　view；　and　have　two

points　to　consider；　the　one　is；　to　escape　with　impunity　for　what　has

been　done　during　the　last　few　days；　and　the　other；　to　live　in　greater

comfort　and　security　for　the　time　to　come。　We　must；　therefore；　I

think；　in　order　to　be　pardoned　for　our　faults；　commit　new　ones；

redoubling　the　mischief；　and　multiplying　fires　and　robberies；　and　in

doing　this；　endeavor　to　have　as　many　companions　as　we　can；　for　when

many　are　in　fault；　few　are　punished；　small　crimes　are　chastised；　but

great　and　serious　ones　rewarded。　When　many　suffer；　few　seek　vengeance；

for　general　evils　are　endured　more　patiently　than　private　ones。　To

increase　the　number　of　misdeeds　will；　therefore；　make　forgiveness　more

easily　attainable；　and　will　open　the　way　to　secure　what　we　require　for

our　own　liberty。　And　it　appears　evident　that　the　gain　is　certain；　for

our　opponents　are　disunited　and　rich；　their　disunion　will　give　us　the

victory；　and　their　riches；　when　they　have　become　ours；　will　support

us。　Be　not　deceived　about　that　antiquity　of　blood　by　which　they　exalt

themselves　above　us；　for　all　men　having　had　one　common　origin；　are　all

equally　ancient；　and　nature　has　made　us　all　after　one　fashion。　Strip

us　naked；　and　we　shall　all　be　found　alike。　Dress　us　in　their　clothing；

and　they　in　ours；　we　shall　appear　noble；　they　ignoblefor　poverty　and

riches　make　all　the　difference。　It　grieves　me　much　to　think　that　some

of　you　are　sorry　inwardly　for　what　is　done；　and　resolve　to　abstain

from　anything　more　of　the　kind。　Certainly；　if　it　be　so；　you　are　not

the　men　I　took　you　for；　because　neither　shame　nor　conscience　ought　to

have　any　influence　with　you。　Conquerors；　by　what　means　soever；　are

never　considered　aught　but　glorious。　We　have　no　business　to　think

about　conscience；　for　when；　like　us；　men　have　to　fear　hunger；　and

imprisonment；　or　death；　the　fear　of　hell　neither　can　nor　ought　to　have

any　influence　upon　them。　If　you　only　notice　human　proceedings；　you　may

observe　that　all　who　attain　great　power　and　riches；　make　use　of　either

force　or　fraud；　and　what　they　have　acquired　either　by　deceit　or

violence；　in　order　to　conceal　the　disgraceful　methods　of　attainment；

they　endeavor　to　sanctify　with　the　false　title　of　honest　gains。　Those

who　either　from　imprudence　or　want　of　sagacity　avoid　doing　so；　are

always　overwhelmed　with　servitude　and　poverty；　for　faithful　servants

are　always　servants；　and　honest　men　are　always　poor；　nor　do　any　ever

escape　from　servitude　but　the　bold　and　faithless；　or　from　poverty；　but

the　rapacious　and　fraudulent。　God　and　nature　have　thrown　all　human

fortunes　into　the　midst　of　mankind；　and　they　are　thus　attainable

rather　by　rapine　than　by　industry；　by　wicked　actions　rather　than　by

good。　Hence　it　is　that　men　feed　upon　each　other；　and　those　who　cannot

defend　themselves　must　be　worried。　Therefore　we　must　use　force　when

the　opportunity　offers；　and　fortune　cannot　present　us　one　more

favorable　than　the　present；　when　the　citizens　are　still　disunited；　the

Signory　doubtful；　and　the　magistrates　terrified；　for　we　may　easily

conquer　them　before　they　can　come　to　any　settled　arrangement。　By　this

means　we　shall　either　obtain　the　entire　government　of　the　city；　or　so

large　a　share　of　it；　as　to　be　forgiven　past　errors；　and　have

sufficient　authority　to　threaten　the　city　with　a　renewal　of　them　at

some　future　time。　I　confess　this　course　is　bold　and　dangerous；　but

when　necessity　presses；　audacity　becomes　prudence；　and　in　great

affairs　the　brave　never　think　of　dangers。　The　enterprises　that　are

begun　with　hazard　always　have　a　reward　at　last；　and　no　one　ever

escaped　from　embarrassment　without　some　peril。　Besides；　it　is　easy　to

see　from　all　their　preparations　of　prisons；　racks；　and　instruments　of

death；　that　there　is　more　danger　in　inaction　than　in　endeavoring　to

secure　ourselves；　for　in　the　first　case　the　evils　are　certain；　in　the

latter　doubtful。　How　often　have　I　heard　you　complain　of　the　avarice　of

your　superiors　and　the　injustice　of　your　magistrates。　Now　then　is　the

time；　not　only　to　liberate　yourself　from　them；　but　to　become　so　much

superior；　that　they　will　have　more　causes　of　grief　and　fear　from　you；

than　you　from　them。　The　opportunity　presented　by　circumstances　passes

away；　and　when　gone；　it　will　be　vain　to　think　it　can　be　recalled。　You

see　the　preparations　of　our　enemies；　let　us　anticipate　them；　and　those

who　are　first　in　arms　will　certainly　be　victors；　to　the　ruin　of　their

enemies　and　their　own　exaltation；　and　thus　honors　will　accrue　to　many

of　us　and　security　to　all。〃　These　arguments　greatly　inflamed　minds

already　disposed　to　mischief；　so　that　they　determined　to　take　up　arms

as　soon　as　they　had　acquired　a　sufficient　number　of　associates；　and

bound　themselves　by　oath　to　mutual　defense；　in　case　any　of　them　were

subdued　by　the　civil　power。



While　they　were　arranging　to　take　possession　of　the　republic；　their

design　became　known　to　the　Signory；　who；　having　taken　a　man　named

Simone；　learned　from　him　the　particulars　of　the　conspiracy；　and　that

the　outbreak　was　to　take　place　on　the　following　day。　Finding　the

danger　so　pressing；　they　called　together　the　colleagues　and　those

citizens　who　with　the　syndics　of　the　arts　were　endeavoring　to　effect

the　union　of　the　city。　It　was　then　evening；　and　they　advised　the

signors　to　assemble　the　consuls　of　the　trades；　who　proposed　that

whatever　armed　force　was　in　Florence　should　be　collected；　and　with　the

Gonfaloniers　of　the　people　and　their　companies；　meet　under　arms　in　the

piazza　next　morning。　It　happened　that　while　Simone　was　being　tortured；

a　man　named　Niccolo　da　San　Friano　was　regulating　the　palace　clock；　and

becoming　acquainted　with　what　was　going　on；　returned　home　and　spread

the　report　of　it　in　his　neighborhood；　so　that　presently　the　piazza　of

St。　Spirito　was　occupied　by　above　a　thousand　men。　This　soon　became

known　to　the　other　conspirators；　and　San　Pietro　Maggiore　and　St。

Lorenzo；　their　places　of　assembly；　were　presently　full　of　them；　all

under　arms。







CHAPTER　IV



　　Proceedings　of　the　plebeiansThe　demand　they　make　of　the　Signory

　　They　insist　that　the　Signory　leave　the　palaceThe　Signory　leave

　　the　palaceMichael　di　Lando　GonfalonierComplaints　and　movements

　　of　the　plebeians　against　Michael　di　LandoMichael　di　Lando

　　proceeds　against　the