history of florence-第94部分

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in　several　parts　of　the　city。　The　cardinals　entreated　the　count　to

give　the　castle　into　the　hands　of　the　college；　withdraw　his　troops；

and　deliver　Rome　from　the　fear　of　his　forces；　and　he；　by　way　of

ingratiating　himself　with　the　future　pontiff　obeyed；　and　retired　to

Imola。　The　cardinals；　being　thus　divested　of　their　fears；　and　the

barons　hopeless　of　assistance　in　their　quarrels；　proceeded　to　create　a

new　pontiff；　and　after　some　discussion；　Giovanni　Batista　Cibo；　a

Genoese；　cardinal　of　Malfetta；　was　elected；　and　took　the　name　of

Innocent　VIII。　By　the　mildness　of　his　disposition　（for　he　was

peaceable　and　humane）　he　caused　a　cessation　of　hostilities；　and　for

the　present　restored　peace　to　Rome。



The　Florentines；　after　the　pacification　of　Lombardy；　could　not　remain

quiet；　for　it　appeared　disgraceful　that　a　private　gentleman　should

deprive　them　of　the　fortress　of　Serezana；　and　as　it　was　allowed　by　the

conditions　of　peace；　not　only　to　demand　lost　places；　but　to　make　war

upon　any　who　should　impede　their　restoration；　they　immediately

provided　men　and　money　to　undertake　its　recovery。　Upon　this；　Agostino

Fregoso；　who　had　seized　Serezana；　being　unable　to　defend　it；　gave　the

fortress　to　the　Bank　of　St。　Giorgio。　As　we　shall　have　frequent

occasion　to　speak　of　St。　Giorgio　and　the　Genoese；　it　will　not　be

improper；　since　Genoa　is　one　of　the　principal　cities　of　Italy；　to　give

some　account　of　the　regulations　and　usages　prevailing　there。　When　the

Genoese　had　made　peace　with　the　Venetians；　after　the　great　war；　many

years　ago；　the　republic；　being　unable　to　satisfy　the　claims　of　those

who　had　advanced　large　sums　of　money　for　its　use；　conceded　to　them　the

revenue　of　the　Dogano　or　customhouse；　so　that　each　creditor　should

participate　in　the　receipts　in　proportion　to　his　claim；　until　the

whole　amount　should　be　liquidated；　and　as　a　suitable　place　for　their

assembling；　the　palace　over　the　Dogano　was　assigned　for　their　use。

These　creditors　established　a　form　of　government　among　themselves；

appointing　a　council　of　one　hundred　persons　for　the　direction　of　their

affairs；　and　a　committee　of　eight；　who；　as　the　executive　body；　should

carry　into　effect　the　determinations　of　the　council。　Their　credits

were　divided　into　shares；　called　/Luoghi/；　and　they　took　the　title　of

the　Bank；　or　Company　of　St。　Giorgio。　Having　thus　arranged　their

government；　the　city　fell　into　fresh　difficulties；　and　applied　to　San

Giorgio　for　assistance；　which；　being　wealthy　and　well　managed；　was

able　to　afford　the　required　aid。　On　the　other　hand；　as　the　city　had　at

first　conceded　the　customs；　she　next　began　to　assign　towns；　castles；

or　territories；　as　security　for　moneys　received；　and　this　practice　has

proceeded　to　such　a　length；　from　the　necessities　of　the　state；　and　the

accommodation　by　the　San　Giorgio；　that　the　latter　now　has　under　its

administration　most　of　the　towns　and　cities　in　the　Genoese　dominion。

These　the　Bank　governs　and　protects；　and　every　year　sends　its

deputies；　appointed　by　vote；　without　any　interference　on　the　part　of

the　republic。　Hence　the　affections　of　the　citizens　are　transferred

from　the　government　to　the　San　Giorgio；　on　account　of　the　tyranny　of

the　former；　and　the　excellent　regulations　adopted　by　the　latter。　Hence

also　originate　the　frequent　changes　of　the　republic；　which　is

sometimes　under　a　citizen；　and　at　other　times　governed　by　a　stranger；

for　the　magistracy；　and　not　the　San　Giorgio；　changes　the　government。

So　when　the　Fregosi　and　the　Adorni　were　in　opposition；　as　the

government　of　the　republic　was　the　prize　for　which　they　strove；　the

greater　part　of　the　citizens　withdrew　and　left　it　to　the　victor。　The

only　interference　of　the　Bank　of　St。　Giorgio　is　when　one　party　has

obtained　a　superiority　over　the　other；　to　bind　the　victor　to　the

observance　of　its　laws；　which　up　to　this　time　have　not　been　changed；

for　as　it　possesses　arms；　money；　and　influence；　they　could　not　be

altered　without　incurring　the　imminent　risk　of　a　dangerous　rebellion。

This　establishment　presents　an　instance　of　what　in　all　the　republics；

either　described　or　imagined　by　philosophers；　has　never　been　thought

of；　exhibiting　within　the　same　community；　and　among　the　same　citizens；

liberty　and　tyranny；　integrity　and　corruption；　justice　and　injustice；

for　this　establishment　preserves　in　the　city　many　ancient　and

venerable　customs；　and　should　it　happen　（as　in　time　it　easily　may）

that　the　San　Giorgio　should　have　possession　of　the　whole　city；　the

republic　will　become　more　distinguished　than　that　of　Venice。



Agostino　Fregoso　conceded　Serezana　to　the　San　Giorgio；　which　readily

accepted　it；　undertook　its　defense；　put　a　fleet　to　sea；　and　sent

forces　to　Pietra　Santa　to　prevent　all　attempts　of　the　Florentines；

whose　camp　was　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　The　Florentines　found　it

would　be　essentially　necessary　to　gain　possession　of　Pietra　Santa；　for

without　it　the　acquisition　of　Serezana　lost　much　of　its　value；　being

situated　between　the　latter　place　and　Pisa；　but　they　could　not；

consistently　with　the　treaty；　besiege　it；　unless　the　people　of　Pietra

Santa；　or　its　garrison；　were　to　impede　their　acquisition　of　Serezana。

To　induce　the　enemy　to　do　this；　the　Florentines　sent　from　Pisa　to　the

camp　a　quantity　of　provisions　and　military　stores；　accompanied　by　a

very　weak　escort；　that　the　people　of　Pietra　Santa　might　have　little

cause　for　fear；　and　by　the　richness　of　the　booty　be　tempted　to　the

attack。　The　plan　succeeded　according　to　their　expectation；　for　the

inhabitants　of　Pietra　Santa；　attracted　by　the　rich　prize　took

possession　of　it。



This　gave　legitimate　occasion　to　the　Florentines　to　undertake

operations　against　them；　so　leaving　Serezana　they　encamped　before

Pietra　Santa；　which　was　very　populous；　and　made　a　gallant　defense。　The

Florentines　planted　their　artillery　in　the　plain；　and　formed　a　rampart

upon　the　hill；　that　they　might　also　attack　the　place　on　that　side。

Jacopo　Guicciardini　was　commissary　of　the　army；　and　while　the　siege　of

Pietra　Santa　was　going　on；　the　Genoese　took　and　burned　the　fortress　of

Vada；　and；　landing　their　forces；　plundered　the　surrounding　country。

Biongianni　Gianfigliazzi　was　sent　against　them；　with　a　body　of　horse

and　foot；　and　checked　their　audacity；　so　that　they　pursued　their

depredations　less　boldly。　The　fleet　continuing　its　efforts　went　to

Livorno；　and　by　pontoons　and　other　means　approached　the　new　tower；

playing　their　artillery　upon　it　for　several　days；　but　being　unable　to

make　any　impression　they　withdrew。



In　the　meantime　the　Florentines　proceeded　slowly　against　Pietra　Santa；

and　the　enemy　taking　courage　attacked　and　took　their　works　upon　the

hill。　This　was　effected　with　so　much　glory；　and　struck　such　a　panic

into　the　Florentines；　that　they　were　almost　ready　to　raise　the　siege；

and　actually　retreated　a　distance　of　four　miles；　for　their　generals

thought　that　they　would　retire　to　winter　quarters；　it　being　now

October；　and　make　no　further　attempt　till　the　return　of　spring。



When　the　discomfiture　was　known　at　Florence；　the　government　was　filled

with　indignation；　and；　to　impart　fresh　vigor　to　the　enterprise；　and

restore　the　reputation　of　their　forces；　they　immediately　appointed

Antonio　Pucci　and　Bernardo　del　Neri　commissaries；　who；　with　vast　sums

of　money；　proceeded　to　the　army；　and　intimated　the　heavy　displeasure

of　the　Signory；　and　of　the　whole　city；　if　they　did　not　return　to　the

walls；　and　what　a　disgrace；　if　so　large　an　army　and　so　many　generals；

having　only　a　small　garrison　to　contend　with；　could　not　conquer　so

poor　and　weak　a　place。　They　explained　the　immediate　and　future

advantages　that　would　result　from　the　acquisition；　and　spoke　so

forcibly　upon　the　subject；　that　all　became　anxious　to　renew　the

attack。　They　resolved；　in　the　first　place；　to　recover　the　rampart　upon

the　hill；　and　here　it　was　evident　how　greatly　humanity；　affability；

and　condescension　influence　the　minds　of　soldiers；　for　Antonio　Pucci；

by　encouraging　one　and　promising　another；　shaking　hands　with　this　man

and　embracing　that；　induced　them　to　proceed　to　the　charge　with　such

impetuosity；　that　they　gained　possession　of　the　rampart　in　an　instant。

However；　the　victory　was　not　unattended　by　misfortune；　for　Count

Antonio　da　Marciano　was　killed　by　a　cannon　shot。　This　success　filled

the　townspeople　with　so　much　terror；　that　they　began　to　make　proposals

for　capitulation；　and　to　invest　the　surrender　with　imposing　solemnity；

Lorenzo　de'　Medici　came　to　the　camp；　when；　after　a　few　days；　the

fortress　was　given　up。　It　being　now　winter；　the　leaders　of　the

expedition　thought　it　unadvisable　to　make　any　further　effort　until　the

return　of　spring；　more　particularly　because　the　autumnal　air　had　been

so　unhealthy　that　numbers　were　affected　by　it。　Antonio　Pucci　and

Biongianni　Gianfigliazzi　were　taken　ill　and　died；　to　the　great　regret

of　all；　so　greatly　had　Antonio's　conduct　at　Pietra　Santa　endeared　him

to　the　army。



Upon　the　taking　of　Pietra　Santa；　the　Lucchese　sent　ambassadors　to

Florence；　to　demand　its　surrender　to　their　republic；　on　account　of　its

having　previously　belonged　to　them；　and　because；　as　they　alleged；　it

was　in　the　conditions　that　places　taken　by　either　party　were　to　be

restored　to　their　original　possessors。　The　Florentines　did　not　deny

the　articles；　but　replied　that　they　did　not　know　whether；　by　the

treaty　between　themselves　and　the　Genoese；　which　was　then　under

discussion；　it　would　have　to　be　given　up　or　not；　and　therefore　could

not　reply　to　that　point　at　present；　but　in　case　of　its　restitution；　it

would　first　be　necessary　for　the　Lucchese　to　reimburse　them　for　the

expenses　they　had　incurred　and　the　injury　they　had　suffered；　in　the

death　of　so　many　citizens；　and　that　when　this　was　satisfactorily

arranged；　they　might　entertain　hopes　of　obtaining　the　place。



The　whole　winter　was　consumed　in　negotiations　between　the　Florentines

and　Genoese；　which；　by　the　pope's　intervention；　were　carried　on　at

Rome；