history of florence-第35节

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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　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。