history of florence-第100节

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sufficient　to　decide　the　fate　of　an　expedition。　This　defeat　loaded　the

king's　troops　with　booty；　and　filled　the　Florentines　with　dismay；　for

the　city；　besides　the　war；　was　afflicted　with　pestilence；　which

prevailed　so　extensively；　that　all　who　possessed　villas　fled　to　them

to　escape　death。　This　occasioned　the　defeat　to　be　attended　with

greater　horror；　for　those　citizens　whose　possessions　lay　in　the　Val　di

Pesa　and　the　Val　d'Elsa；　having　retired　to　them；　hastened　to　Florence

with　all　speed　as　soon　as　they　heard　of　the　disaster；　taking　with　them

not　only　their　children　and　their　property；　but　even　their　laborers；

so　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　enemy　were　expected　every　moment　in　the

city。　Those　who　were　appointed　to　the　management　of　the　war；

perceiving　the　universal　consternation；　commanded　the　victorious

forces　in　the　Perugino　to　give　up　their　enterprise　in　that　direction；

and　march　to　oppose　the　enemy　in　the　Val　d'Elsa；　who；　after　their

victory；　plundered　the　country　without　opposition；　and　although　the

Florentine　army　had　so　closely　pressed　the　city　of　Perugia　that　it　was

expected　to　fall　into　their　hands　every　instant；　the　people　preferred

defending　their　own　possessions　to　endeavoring　to　seize　those　of

others。　The　troops；　thus　withdrawn　from　the　pursuit　of　their　good

fortune；　were　marched　to　San　Casciano；　a　castle　within　eight　miles　of

Florence；　the　leaders　thinking　they　could　take　up　no　other　position

till　the　relics　of　the　routed　army　were　assembled。　On　the　other　hand；

the　enemy　being　under　no　further　restraint　at　Perugia；　and　emboldened

by　the　departure　of　the　Florentines；　plundered　to　a　large　amount　in

the　districts　of　Arezzo　and　Cortona；　while　those　who　under　Alfonso；

duke　of　Calabria；　had　been　victorious　near　Poggibonzi；　took　the　town

itself；　sacked　Vico　and　Certaldo；　and　after　these　conquests　and

pillagings　encamped　before　the　fortress　of　Colle；　which　was　considered

very　strong；　and　as　the　garrison　was　brave　and　faithful　to　the

Florentines；　it　was　hoped　they　would　hold　the　enemy　at　bay　till　the

republic　was　able　to　collect　its　forces。　The　Florentines　being　at

Santo　Casciano；　and　the　enemy　continuing　to　use　their　utmost　exertions

against　Colle；　they　determined　to　draw　nearer；　that　the　inhabitants

might　be　more　resolute　in　their　defense；　and　the　enemy　assail　them

less　boldly。　With　this　design　they　removed　their　camp　from　Santo

Casciano　to　Santo　Geminiano；　about　five　miles　from　Colle；　and　with

light　cavalry　and　other　suitable　forces　were　able　every　day　to　annoy

the　duke's　camp。　All　this；　however；　was　insufficient　to　relieve　the

people　of　Colle；　for；　having　consumed　their　provisions；　they　were

compelled　to　surrender　on　the　thirteenth　of　November；　to　the　great

grief　of　the　Florentines；　and　joy　of　the　enemy；　more　especially　of　the

Siennese；　who；　besides　their　habitual　hatred　of　the　Florentines；　had　a

particular　animosity　against　the　people　of　Colle。



It　was　now　the　depth　of　winter；　and　the　weather　so　unsuitable　for　war；

that　the　pope　and　the　king；　either　designing　to　hold　out　a　hope　of

peace；　or　more　quietly　to　enjoy　the　fruit　of　their　victories；　proposed

a　truce　for　three　months　to　the　Florentines；　and　allowed　them　ten　days

to　consider　the　reply。　The　offer　was　eagerly　accepted；　but　as　wounds

are　well　known　to　be　more　painful　after　the　blood　cools　than　when　they

were　first　received；　this　brief　repose　awakened　the　Florentines　to　a

consciousness　of　the　miseries　they　had　endured；　and　the　citizens

openly　laid　the　blame　upon　each　other；　pointing　out　the　errors

committed　in　the　management　of　the　war；　the　expenses　uselessly

incurred；　and　the　taxes　unjustly　imposed。　These　matters　were　boldly

discussed；　not　only　in　private　circles；　but　in　the　public　councils；

and　one　individual　even　ventured　to　turn　to　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　and

say；　〃The　city　is　exhausted；　and　can　endure　no　more　war；　it　is

therefore　necessary　to　think　of　peace。〃　Lorenzo　was　himself　aware　of

the　necessity；　and　assembled　the　friends　in　whose　wisdom　and　fidelity

he　had　the　greatest　confidence；　when　it　was　at　once　concluded；　that　as

the　Venetians　were　lukewarm　and　unfaithful；　and　the　duke　in　the　power

of　his　guardians；　and　involved　in　domestic　difficulties；　it　would　be

desirable　by　some　new　alliance　to　give　a　better　turn　to　their　affairs。

They　were　in　doubt　whether　to　apply　to　the　king　or　to　the　pope；　but

having　examined　the　question　in　all　sides；　they　preferred　the

friendship　of　the　king　as　more　suitable　and　secure；　for　the　short

reigns　of　the　pontiffs；　the　changes　ensuing　upon　each　succession；　the

disregard　shown　by　their　church　toward　temporal　princes；　and　the　still

greater　want　of　respect　for　them　exhibited　in　her　determinations；

render　it　impossible　for　a　secular　prince　to　trust　a　pontiff；　or

safely　to　share　his　fortune；　for　an　adherent　of　the　pope　will　have　a

companion　in　victory；　but　in　defeat　must　stand　alone；　while　the

pontiff　is　sustained　by　his　spiritual　power　and　influence。　Having

therefore　decided　that　the　king's　friendship　would　be　of　the　greatest

utility　to　them；　they　thought　it　would　be　most　easily　and　certainly

obtained　by　Lorenzo's　presence；　for　in　proportion　to　the　confidence

they　evinced　toward　him；　the　greater　they　imagined　would　be　the

probability　of　removing　his　impressions　of　past　enmities。　Lorenzo

having　resolved　to　go　to　Naples；　recommended　the　city　and　government

to　the　care　of　Tommaso　Soderini；　who　was　at　that　time　Gonfalonier　of

Justice。　He　left　Florence　at　the　beginning　of　December；　and　having

arrived　at　Pisa；　wrote　to　the　government　to　acquaint　them　with　the

cause　of　his　departure。　The　Signory；　to　do　him　honor；　and　enable　him

the　more　effectually　to　treat　with　the　king；　appointed　him　ambassador

from　the　Florentine　people；　and　endowed　him　with　full　authority　to

make　such　arrangements　as　he　thought　most　useful　for　the　republic。



At　this　time　Roberto　da　San　Severino；　with　Lodovico　and　Ascanio

（Sforza　their　elder　brother　being　dead）　again　attacked　Milan；　in　order

to　recover　the　government。　Having　taken　Tortona；　and　the　city　and　the

whole　state　being　in　arms；　the　duchess　Bona　was　advised　to　restore　the

Sforzeschi；　and　to　put　a　stop　to　civil　contentions　by　admitting　them

to　the　government。　The　person　who　gave　this　advice　was　Antonio

Tassino；　of　Ferrara；　a　man　of　low　origin；　who；　coming　to　Milan；　fell

into　the　hands　of　the　duke　Galeazzo；　and　was　given　by　him　to　his

duchess　for　her　valet。　He；　either　from　his　personal　attractions；　or

some　secret　influence；　after　the　duke's　death　attained　such　influence

over　the　duchess；　that　he　governed　the　state　almost　at　his　will。　This

greatly　displeased　the　minister　Cecco；　whom　prudence　and　long

experience　had　rendered　invaluable；　and　who；　to　the　utmost　of　his

power；　endeavored　to　diminish　the　authority　of　Tassino　with　the

duchess　and　other　members　of　the　government。　The　latter；　aware　of

this；　to　avenge　himself　for　the　injury；　and　secure　defenders　against

Cecco；　advised　the　duchess　to　recall　the　Sforzeschi；　which　she　did；

without　communicating　her　design　to　the　minister；　who；　when　it　was

done；　said　to　her；　〃You　have　taken　a　step　which　will　deprive　me　of　my

life；　and　you　of　the　government。〃　This　shortly　afterward　took　place；

for　Cecco　was　put　to　death　by　Lodovico；　and　Tassino；　being　expelled

from　the　dukedom；　the　duchess　was　so　enraged　that　she　left　Milan；　and

gave　up　the　care　of　her　son　to　Lodovico；　who；　becoming　sole　governor

of　the　dukedom；　caused；　as　will　be　hereafter　seen；　the　ruin　of　Italy。



Lorenzo　de'　Medici　had　set　out　for　Naples；　and　the　truce　between　the

parties　was　in　force；　when；　quite　unexpectedly；　Lodovico　Fregoso；

being　in　correspondence　with　some　persons　of　Serezana；　entered　the

place　by　stealth；　took　possession　of　it　with　an　armed　force；　and

imprisoned　the　Florentine　governor。　This　greatly　offended　the　Signory；

for　they　thought　the　whole　had　been　concerted　with　the　connivance　of

King　Ferrando。　They　complained　to　the　duke　of　Calabria；　who　was　with

the　army　at　Sienna；　of　a　breach　of　the　truce；　and　he　endeavored　to

prove；　by　letters　and　embassies；　that　it　had　occurred　without　either

his　own　or　his　father's　knowledge。　The　Florentines；　however；　found

themselves　in　a　very　awkward　predicament；　being　destitute　of　money；

the　head　of　the　republic　in　the　power　of　the　king；　themselves　engaged

in　a　long…standing　war　with　the　latter　and　the　pope；　in　a　new　one　with

the　Genoese；　and　entirely　without　friends；　for　they　had　no　confidence

in　the　Venetians；　and　on　account　of　its　changeable　and　unsettled　state

they　were　rather　apprehensive　of　Milan。　They　had　thus　only　one　hope；

and　that　depended　upon　Lorenzo's　success　with　the　king。



Lorenzo　arrived　at　Naples　by　sea；　and　was　most　honorably　received；　not

only　by　Ferrando；　but　by　the　whole　city；　his　coming　having　excited　the

greatest　expectation；　for　it　being　generally　understood　that　the　war

was　undertaken　for　the　sole　purpose　of　effecting　his　destruction；　the

power　of　his　enemies　in