history of florence-第69部分

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hereditary　feuds　were　opposed　to　every　kind　of　civil　government；　so

that　it　was　necessary；　either　that　the　count　should　become　duke　of

Milan；　or　the　Venetians　her　lords。　And　surely　under　such

circumstances；　no　one　could　doubt　which　would　be　most　to　their

advantage；　to　have　for　their　neighbor　a　powerful　friend　or　a　far　more

powerful　foe。　Neither　need　it　be　apprehended　that　the　Milanese；　while

at　war　with　the　count；　would　submit　to　the　Venetians；　for　the　count

had　a　stronger　party　in　the　city；　and　the　Venetians　had　not；　so　that

whenever　they　were　unable　to　defend　themselves　as　freemen；　they　would

be　more　inclined　to　obey　the　count　than　the　Venetians。



These　diverse　views　kept　the　city　long　in　suspense；　but　at　length　it

was　resolved　to　send　ambassadors　to　the　count　to　settle　the　terms　of

agreement；　with　instructions；　that　if　they　found　him　in　such　a

condition　as　to　give　hopes　of　his　ultimate　success；　they　were　to　close

with　him；　but；　if　otherwise；　they　were　to　draw　out　the　time　in

diplomacy。







CHAPTER　V



　　Prosecution　of　the　war　between　the　count　and　the　MilaneseThe

　　Milanese　reduced　to　extremityThe　people　rise　against　the

　　magistratesMilan　surrenders　to　the　countLeague　between　the　new

　　duke　of　Milan　and　the　Florentines；　and　between　the　king　of　Naples

　　and　the　VenetiansVenetian　and　Neapolitan　ambassadors　at　Florence

　　Answer　of　Cosmo　de'　Medici　to　the　Venetian　ambassador

　　Preparations　of　the　Venetians　and　the　king　of　Naples　for　the　war

　　The　Venetians　excite　disturbances　in　BolognaFlorence　prepares

　　for　warThe　emperor；　Frederick　III。　at　FlorenceWar　in　Lombardy

　　between　the　duke　of　Milan　and　the　VenetiansFerrando；　son　of　the

　　king　of　Naples；　marches　into　Tuscany　against　the　Florentines。



The　ambassadors　were　at　Reggio　when　they　heard　that　the　count　had

become　lord　of　Milan；　for　as　soon　as　the　truce　had　expired；　he

approached　the　city　with　his　forces；　hoping　quickly　to　get　possession

of　it　in　spite　of　the　Venetians；　who　could　bring　no　relief　except　from

the　side　of　the　Adda；　which　route　he　could　easily　obstruct；　and

therefore　had　no　apprehension　（being　then　winter）　of　their　arrival；

and　he　trusted　that；　before　the　return　of　spring；　he　would　be

victorious；　particularly；　as　by　the　death　of　Francesco　Piccinino；

there　remained　only　Jacopo　his　brother；　to　command　the　Milanese。　The

Venetians　had　sent　an　ambassador　to　Milan　to　confirm　the　citizens　in

their　resolution　of　defense；　promising　them　powerful　and　immediate

aid。　During　the　winter　a　few　slight　skirmishes　had　taken　place　between

the　count　and　the　Venetians；　but　on　the　approach　of　milder　weather；

the　latter；　under　Pandolfo　Malatesti；　halted　with　their　army　upon　the

Adda；　and　considering　whether；　in　order　to　succor　the　Milanese；　they

ought　to　risk　a　battle；　Pardolfo；　their　general；　aware　of　the　count's

abilities；　and　the　courage　of　his　army；　said　it　would　be　unadvisable

to　do　so；　and　that；　under　the　circumstances；　it　was　needless；　for　the

count；　being　in　great　want　of　forage；　could　not　keep　the　field；　and

must　soon　retire。　He　therefore　advised　them　to　remain　encamped；　to

keep　the　Milanese　in　hope；　and　prevent　them　from　surrendering。　This

advice　was　approved　by　the　Venetians；　both　as　being　safe；　and　because；

by　keeping　the　Milanese　in　this　necessity；　they　might　be　the　sooner

compelled　to　submit　to　their　dominion；　for　they　felt　quite　sure　that

the　injuries　they　had　received　would　always　prevent　their　submission

to　the　count。



In　the　meantime；　the　Milanese　were　reduced　to　the　utmost　misery；　and

as　the　city　usually　abounded　with　poor；　many　died　of　hunger　in　the

streets；　hence　arose　complaints　and　disturbances　in　several　parts；

which　alarmed　the　magistrates；　and　compelled　them　to　use　their　utmost

exertions　to　prevent　popular　meetings。　The　multitude　are　always　slow

to　resolve　on　commotion；　but　the　resolution　once　formed；　any　trivial

circumstance　excites　it　to　action。　Two　men　in　humble　life；　talking

together　near　the　Porta　Nuova　of　the　calamities　of　the　city；　their　own

misery；　and　the　means　that　might　be　adopted　for　their　relief；　others

beginning　to　congregate；　there　was　soon　collected　a　large　crowd；　in

consequence　of　it　a　report　was　spread　that　the　neighborhood　of　Porta

Nuova　had　risen　against　the　government。　Upon　this；　all　the　lower

orders；　who　only　waited　for　an　example；　assembled　in　arms；　and　chose

Gasparre　da　Vicomercato　to　be　their　leader。　They　then　proceeded　to　the

place　where　the　magistrates　were　assembled；　and　attacked　them　so

impetuously　that　all　who　did　not　escape　by　flight　were　slain：　among

the　number；　as　being　considered　a　principal　cause　of　the　famine；　and

gratified　at　their　distress；　fell　Lionardo　Veniero；　the　Venetian

ambassador。　Having　thus　almost　become　masters　of　the　city；　they

considered　what　course　was　next　to　be　adopted　to　escape　from　the

horrors　surrounding　them；　and　to　procure　peace。　A　feeling　universally

prevailed；　that　as　they　could　not　preserve　their　own　liberty；　they

ought　to　submit　to　a　prince　who　could　defend　them。　Some　proposed　King

Alfonso；　some　the　duke　of　Savoy；　and　others　the　king　of　France；　but

none　mentioned　the　count；　so　great　was　the　general　indignation　against

him。　However；　disagreeing　with　the　rest；　Gasparre　da　Vicomercato

proposed　him；　and　explained　in　detail　that　if　they　desired　relief　from

war；　no　other　plan　was　open；　since　the　people　of　Milan　required　a

certain　and　immediate　peace；　and　not　a　distant　hope　of　succor。　He

apologized　for　the　count's　proceedings；　accused　the　Venetians；　and　all

the　powers　of　Italy；　of　which　some　from　ambition　and　others　from

avarice　were　averse　to　their　possessing　freedom。　Having　to　dispose　of

their　liberty；　it　would　be　preferable；　he　said；　to　obey　one　who　knew

and　could　defend　them；　so　that；　by　their　servitude　they　might　obtain

peace；　and　not　bring　upon　themselves　greater　evils　and　more　dangerous

wars。　He　was　listened　to　with　the　most　profound　attention；　and；　having

concluded　his　harangue；　it　was　unanimously　resolved　by　the　assembly；

that　the　count　should　be　called　in；　and　Gasparre　was　appointed　to　wait

upon　him　and　signify　their　desire。　By　the　people's　command　he　conveyed

the　pleasing　and　happy　intelligence　to　the　count；　who　heard　it　with

the　utmost　satisfaction；　and　entered　Milan　as　prince　on　the　twenty…

sixth　of　February；　1450；　where　he　was　received　with　the　greatest

possible　joy　by　those　who；　only　a　short　time　previously　had　heaped　on

him　all　the　slanders　that　hatred　could　inspire。



The　news　of　this　event　reaching　Florence；　orders　were　immediately　sent

to　the　envoys　who　were　upon　the　way　to　Milan；　that　instead　of　treating

for　his　alliance　with　the　count；　they　should　congratulate　the　duke

upon　his　victory；　they；　arranging　accordingly；　had　a　most　honorable

reception；　and　were　treated　with　all　possible　respect；　for　the　duke

well　knew　that　in　all　Italy　he　could　not　find　braver　or　more　faithful

friends；　to　defend　him　against　the　power　of　the　Venetians；　than　the

Florentines；　who；　being　no　longer　in　fear　of　the　house　of　Visconti；

found　themselves　opposed　by　the　Aragonese　and　Venetians；　for　the

Aragonese　princes　of　Naples　were　jealous　of　the　friendship　which　the

Florentines　had　always　evinced　for　the　family　of　France；　and　the

Venetians　seeing　the　ancient　enmity　of　the　Florentines　against　the

Visconti　transferred　to　themselves；　resolved　to　injure　them　as　much　as

possible；　for　they　knew　how　pertinaciously　and　invariably　they　had

persecuted　the　Lombard　princes。　These　considerations　caused　the　new

duke　willingly　to　join　the　Florentines；　and　united　the　Venetians　and

King　Alfonso　against　their　common　enemies；　impelling　them　at　the　same

time　to　hostilities；　the　king　against　the　Florentines；　and　the

Venetians　against　the　duke；　who；　being　fresh　in　the　government；　would；

they　imagined；　be　unable　to　resist　them；　even　with　all　the　aid　he

could　obtain。



But　as　the　league　between　the　Florentines　and　the　Venetians　still

continued；　and　as　the　king；　after　the　war　of　Piombino；　had　made　peace

with　the　former；　it　seemed　indecent　to　commence　an　open　rupture　until

some　plausible　reason　could　be　assigned　in　justification　of　offensive

measures。　On　this　account　each　sent　ambassadors　to　Florence；　who；　on

the　part　of　their　sovereigns；　signified　that　the　league　formed　between

them　was　made　not　for　injury　to　any；　but　solely　for　the　mutual　defense

of　their　states。　The　Venetian　ambassador　then　complained　that　the

Florentines　had　allowed　Alessandro；　the　duke's　brother；　to　pass　into

Lombardy　with　his　forces；　and　besides　this；　had　assisted　and　advised

in　the　treaty　made　between　the　duke　and　the　marquis　of　Mantua；　matters

which　he　declared　to　be　injurious　to　the　Venetians；　and　inconsistent

with　the　friendship　hitherto　subsisting　between　the　two　governments；

amicably　reminding　them；　that　one　who　inflicts　unmerited　injury；　gives

others　just　ground　of　hostility；　and　that　those　who　break　a　peace　may

expect　war。　The　Signory　appointed　Cosmo　de'　Medici　to　reply　to　what

had　been　said　by　the　Venetian　ambassador；　and　in　a　long　and　excellent

speech　he　recounted　the　numerous　advantages　conferred　by　the　city　on

the　Venetian　republic；　showed　what　an　extent　of　dominion　they　had

acquired　by　the　money；　forces；　and　counsel　of　the　Florentines；　and

reminded　him　that；　although　the　friendship　had　originated　with　the

Florentines；　they　had　never　given　occasion　of　enmity；　and　as　they

desired　peace；　they　greatly　rejoiced　when　the　treaty　was　made；　if　it

had　been　entered　into　for　the　sake　of　peace；　and　not　of　war。　True　it

was；　he　wondered　much　at　the　remarks　which　had　been　made；　seeing　that

such　light　and　trivial　matters　should　give　offense　to　so　great　a

republic；　but　if　they　were　worthy　of　notice　he　must　have　it

universally　understood；　that　the　Florentines　wished　their　country　to

be　free　and　open　to　all；　and　that　the　duke's　character　was　such；　that

if　he　desired　the　friendship　of　the　marquis　of　Mantua；　he　had　no　need

of　any