history of florence-第87部分

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Archbishop　de'　Salviati；　going　to　seize　the　palace；　together　with

Jacopo　di　Poggio；　and　the　Salviati；　his　friends；　took　these　Perugini

with　him。　Having　arrived；　he　left　part　of　his　people　below；　with

orders　that　when　they　heard　a　noise　they　should　make　themselves

masters　of　the　entrance；　while　himself；　with　the　greater　part　of　the

Perugini；　proceeded　above；　and　finding　the　Signory　at　dinner　（for　it

was　now　late）；　was　admitted　after　a　short　delay；　by　Cesare　Petrucci；

the　Gonfalonier　of　Justice。　He　entered　with　only　a　few　of　his

followers；　the　greater　part　of　them　being　shut　up　in　the　cancelleria

into　which　they　had　gone；　whose　doors　were　so　contrived；　that　upon

closing　they　could　not　be　opened　from　either　side；　without　the　key。

The　archbishop　being　with　the　gonfalonier；　under　pretense　of　having

something　to　communicate　on　the　part　of　the　pope；　addressed　him　in

such　an　incoherent　and　hesitating　manner；　that　the　gonfalonier　at　once

suspected　him；　and　rushing　out　of　the　chamber　to　call　assistance；

found　Jacopo　di　Poggio；　whom　he　seized　by　the　hair　of　the　head；　and

gave　into　the　custody　of　his　attendants。　The　Signory　hearing　the

tumult；　snatched　such　arms　as　they　could　at　the　moment　obtain；　and　all

who　had　gone　up　with　the　archbishop；　part　of　them　being　shut　up；　and

part　overcome　with　terror；　were　immediately　slain　or　thrown　alive　out

of　the　windows　of　the　palace；　at　which　the　archbishop；　the　two　Jacopi

Salviati；　and　Jacopodi　Poggio　were　hanged。　Those　whom　the　archbishop

left　below；　having　mastered　the　guard　and　taken　possession　of　the

entrance　occupied　all　the　lower　floors；　so　that　the　citizens；　who　in

the　uproar；　hastened　to　the　palace；　were　unable　to　give　either　advice

or　assistance　to　the　Signory。



Francesco　de'　Pazzi　and　Bernardo　Bandini；　perceiving　Lorenzo's　escape；

and　the　principal　agent　in　the　enterprise　seriously　wounded；　became

immediately　conscious　of　the　imminent　peril　of　their　position。

Bernardo；　using　the　same　energy　in　his　own　behalf　that　had　served　him

against　the　Medici；　finding　all　lost；　saved　himself　by　flight。

Francesco；　wounded　as　he　was；　got　to　his　house；　and　endeavored　to　get

on　horseback；　for　it　had　been　arranged　they　should　ride　through　the

city　and　call　the　people　to　arms　and　liberty；　but　he　found　himself

unable；　from　the　nature　of　his　wound；　and；　throwing　himself　naked　upon

his　bed；　begged　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　to　perform　the　part　for　which　he　was

himself　incapacitated。　Jacopo；　though　old　and　unaccustomed　to　such

business；　by　way　of　making　a　last　effort；　mounted　his　horse；　and；　with

about　a　hundred　armed　followers；　collected　without　previous

preparation；　hastened　to　the　piazza　of　the　palace；　and　endeavored　to

assemble　adherents　by　cries　of　〃people；〃　and　〃liberty〃；　but　the

former；　having　been　rendered　deaf　by　the　fortune　and　liberty　of　the

Medici；　the　latter　was　unknown　in　Florence；　and　he　found　no　followers。

The　signors；　who　held　the　upper　part　of　the　palace；　saluted　him　with

stones　and　threats。　Jacopo；　while　hesitating；　was　met　by　Giovanni

Seristori；　his　brother…in…law；　who　upbraided　him　with　the　troubles　he

had　occasioned；　and　then　advised　him　to　go　home；　for　the　people　and

liberty　were　as　dear　to　other　citizens　as　to　himself。　Thus　deprived　of

every　hope；　Lorenzo　being　alive；　Francesco　seriously　wounded；　and　none

disposed　to　follow　him；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　he　resolved；　if

possible；　to　escape　by　flight；　and；　accompanied　by　those　whom　he　had

led　into　the　piazza；　left　Florence　with　the　intention　of　going　into

Romagna。



In　the　meantime　the　whole　city　was　roused　to　arms；　and　Lorenzo　de'

Medici；　accompanied　by　a　numerous　escort；　returned　to　his　house。　The

palace　was　recovered　from　its　assailants；　all　of　whom　were　either

slain　or　made　prisoners。　The　name　of　the　Medici　echoed　everywhere；　and

portions　of　dead　bodies　were　seen　borne　on　spears　and　scattered

through　the　streets；　while　everyone　was　transported　with　rage　against

the　Pazzi；　and　pursued　them　with　relentless　cruelty。　The　people　took

possession　of　their　houses；　and　Francesco；　naked　as　they　found　him；

was　led　to　the　palace；　and　hanged　beside　the　archbishop　and　the　rest。

He　could　not　be　induced；　by　any　injurious　words　or　deeds；　to　utter　a

syllable；　but　regarding　those　around　with　a　steady　look；　he　silently

sighed。　Guglielmo　de'　Pazzi；　brother…in…law　to　Lorenzo；　fled　to　the

latter's　house；　and　by　his　innocence　and　the　intercession　of　his　wife；

Bianca；　he　escaped　death。　There　was　not　a　citizen　of　any　rank　whatever

who　did　not；　upon　this　occasion；　wait　upon　Lorenzo　with　an　offer　of

his　services；　so　great　were　the　popularity　and　good　fortune　which　this

family　had　acquired　by　their　liberality　and　prudence。　Rinato　de'　Pazzi

was　at　his　villa　when　the　event　took　place；　and　on　being　informed　of

it；　he　endeavored　to　escape　in　disguise；　but　was　arrested　upon　the

road　and　brought　to　Florence。　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　was　taken　while

crossing　the　mountains　of　Romagna；　for　the　inhabitants　of　these　parts

having　heard　what　had　occurred；　and　seeing　him　in　flight；　attacked　and

brought　him　back　to　the　city；　nor　could　he；　though　he　frequently

endeavored；　prevail　with　them　to　put　him　to　death　upon　the　road。

Jacopo　and　Rinato　were　condemned　within　four　days　after　the　murder　of

Giuliano。　And　though　so　many　deaths　had　been　inflicted　that　the　roads

were　covered　with　fragments　of　human　bodies；　not　one　excited　a　feeling

of　regret；　except　that　of　Rinato；　for　he　was　considered　a　wise　and

good　man；　and　possessed　none　of　the　pride　for　which　the　rest　of　his

family　were　notorious。　As　if　to　mark　the　event　by　some　extraordinary

circumstance；　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi；　after　having　been　buried　in　the　tomb

of　his　ancestors；　was　disinterred　like　an　excommunicated　person；　and

thrown　into　a　hole　at　the　outside　of　the　city　walls；　from　this　grave

he　was　taken；　and　with　the　halter　in　which　he　had　been　hanged；　his

body　was　dragged　naked　through　the　city；　and；　as　if　unfit　for

sepulture　on　earth；　thrown　by　the　populace　into　the　Arno；　whose　waters

were　then　very　high。　It　was　an　awful　instance　of　the　instability　of

fortune；　to　see　so　wealthy　a　man；　possessing　the　utmost　earthly

felicity；　brought　down　to　such　a　depth　of　misery；　such　utter　ruin　and

extreme　degradation。　It　is　said　he　had　vices；　among　which　were　gaming


and　profane　swearing；　to　which　he　was　very　much　addicted；　but　these

seem　more　than　balanced　by　his　numerous　charities；　for　he　relieved

many　in　distress；　and　bestowed　much　money　for　pious　uses。　It　may　also

be　recorded　in　his　favor；　that　upon　the　Saturday　preceding　the　death

of　Giuliano；　in　order　that　none　might　suffer　from　his　misfortunes；　he

discharged　all　his　debts；　and　whatever　property　he　possessed　belonging

to　others；　either　in　his　own　house　or　his　place　of　business；　he　was

particularly　careful　to　return　to　its　owners。　Giovanni　Batista　da

Montesecco；　after　a　long　examination；　was　beheaded；　Napoleone　Franzesi

escaped　punishment　by　flight；　Giulielmo　de'　Pazzi　was　banished；　and

such　of　his　cousins　as　remained　alive　were　imprisoned　in　the　fortress

of　Volterra。　The　disturbances　being　over；　and　the　conspirators

punished；　the　funeral　obsequies　of　Giuliano　were　performed　amid

universal　lamentation；　for　he　possessed　all　the　liberality　and

humanity　that　could　be　wished　for　in　one　of　his　high　station。　He　left

a　natural　son；　born　some　months　after　his　death；　named　Giulio；　who　was

endowed　with　that　virtue　and　felicity　with　which　the　whole　world　is

now　acquainted；　and　of　which　we　shall　speak　at　length　when　we　come　to

our　own　times；　if　God　spare　us。　The　people　who　had　assembled　in　favor

of　the　Pazzi　under　Lorenzo　da　Castello　in　the　Val　di　Tavere；　and　under

Giovan　Francesco　da　Tolentino　in　Romagna；　approached　Florence；　but

having　heard　of　the　failure　of　the　conspiracy；　they　returned　home。



The　changes　desired　by　the　pope　and　the　king　in　the　government　of

Florence；　not　having　taken　place；　they　determined　to　effect　by　war

what　they　had　failed　to　accomplish　by　treachery；　and　both　assembled

forces　with　all　speed　to　attack　the　Florentine　states；　publicly

declaring　that　they　only　wished　the　citizens　to　remove　Lorenzo　de'

Medici；　who　alone　of　all　the　Florentines　was　their　enemy。　The　king's

forces　had　already　passed　the　Tronto；　and　the　pope's　were　in　Perugia；

and　that　the　citizens　might　feel　the　effect　of　spiritual　as　well　as

temporal　weapons；　the　pontiff　excommunicated　and　anathematized　them。

Finding　themselves　attacked　by　so　many　armies；　the　Florentines

prepared　for　their　defense　with　the　utmost　care。　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；

as　the　enemy's　operations　were　said　to　be　directed　against　himself

alone；　resolved　first　of　all　to　assemble　the　Signory；　and　the　most

influential　citizens；　in　the　palace；　to　whom；　being　above　three

hundred　in　number；　he　spoke　as　follows：〃Most　excellent　signors；　and

you；　magnificent　citizens；　I　know　not　whether　I　have　more　occasion　to

weep　with　you　for　the　events　which　have　recently　occurred；　or　to

rejoice　in　the　circumstances　with　which　they　have　been　attended。

Certainly；　when　I　think　with　what　virulence　of　united　deceit　and

hatred　I　have　been　attacked；　and　my　brother　murdered；　I　cannot　but

mourn　and　grieve　from　my　heart；　from　my　very　soul。　Yet　when　I　consider

with　what　promptitude；　anxiety；　love；　and　unanimity　of　the　whole　city

my　brother　has　been　avenged　and　myself　defended；　I　am　not　only

compelled　to　rejoice；　but　feel　myself　honored　and　exalted；　for　if

experience　has　shown　me　that　I　had　more　enemies　than　I　apprehended；　it

has　also　proved　that　I　possess　more　warm　and　resolute　friends　than　I

could　ever　have　hoped　for。　I　must　therefore　grieve　with　you　for　the

injuries　others　have　suffered；　and　rejoice　in　the　attachment　you　have

exhibited　toward　myself；　but　I　feel　more　aggrieved　by　the　injuries

committed；　since　they　are　so　unusual；　so　unexampled；　and　（as　I　trust

you　believe）　so　undeserved　on　our　part。　Think；　magnificent　citizens；

to　what　a　dreadful　point　ill　fortune　has　reduced　our　fa