large a share of it, as to be forgiven past errors, and have
sufficient authority to threaten the city with a renewal of them at
some future time. I confess this course is bold and dangerous, but
when necessity presses, audacity becomes prudence, and in great
affairs the brave never think of dangers. The enterprises that are
begun with hazard always have a reward at last; and no one ever
escaped from embarrassment without some peril. Besides, it is easy to
see from all their preparations of prisons, racks, and instruments of
death, that there is more danger in inaction than in endeavoring to
secure ourselves; for in the first case the evils are certain, in the
latter doubtful. How often have I heard you complain of the avarice of
your superiors and the injustice of your magistrates. Now then is the
time, not only to liberate yourself from them, but to become so much
superior, that they will have more causes of grief and fear from you,
than you from them. The opportunity presented by circumstances passes
away, and when gone, it will be vain to think it can be recalled. You
see the preparations of our enemies; let us anticipate them; and those
who are first in arms will certainly be victors, to the ruin of their
enemies and their own exaltation; and thus honors will accrue to many
of us and security to all." These arguments greatly inflamed minds
already disposed to mischief, so that they determined to take up arms
as soon as they had acquired a sufficient number of associates, and
bound themselves by oath to mutual defense, in case any of them were
subdued by the civil power.
While they were arranging to take possession of the republic, their
design became known to the Signory, who, having taken a man named
Simone, learned from him the particulars of the conspiracy, and that
the outbreak was to take place on the following day. Finding the
danger so pressing, they called together the colleagues and those
citizens who with the syndics of the arts were endeavoring to effect
the union of the city. It was then evening, and they advised the
signors to assemble the consuls of the trades, who proposed that
whatever armed force was in Florence should be collected, and with the
Gonfaloniers of the people and their companies, meet under arms in the
piazza next morning. It happened that while Simone was being tortured,
a man named Niccolo da San Friano was regulating the palace clock, and
becoming acquainted with what was going on, returned home and spread
the report of it in his neighborhood, so that presently the piazza of
St. Spirito was occupied by above a thousand men. This soon became
known to the other conspirators, and San Pietro Maggiore and St.
Lorenzo, their places of assembly, were presently full of them, all
under arms.
CHAPTER IV
Proceedings of the plebeians--The demand they make of the Signory
--They insist that the Signory leave the palace--The Signory leave
the palace--Michael di Lando Gonfalonier--Complaints and movements
of the plebeians against Michael di Lando--Michael di Lando
proceeds against the plebeians and reduces them to order--
Character of Michael di Lando.
At daybreak on the 21st of July, there did not appear in the piazza
above eighty men in arms friendly to the Signory, and not one of the
Gonfaloniers; for knowing the whole city to be in a state of
insurrection they were afraid to leave their homes. The first body of
plebeians that made its appearance was that which had assembled at San
Pietro Maggiore; but the armed force did not venture to attack them.
Then came the other multitudes, and finding no opposition, they loudly
demanded their prisoners from the Signory; and being resolved to have
them by force if they were not yielded to their threats, they burned
the house of Luigi Guicciardini; and the Signory, for fear of greater
mischief, set them at liberty. With this addition to their strength
they took the Gonfalon of Justice from the bearer, and under the
shadow of authority which it gave them, burned the houses of many
citizens, selecting those whose owners had publicly or privately
excited their hatred. Many citizens, to avenge themselves for private
injuries, conducted them to the houses of their enemies; for it was
quite sufficient to insure its destruction, if a single voice from the
mob called out, "To the house of such a one," or if he who bore the
Gonfalon took the road toward it. All the documents belonging to the
woolen trade were burned, and after the commission of much violence,
by way of associating it with something laudable, Salvestro de Medici
and sixty-three other citizens were made knights, among whom were
Benedetto and Antonio degli Alberti, Tommaso Strozzi and others
similarly their friends; though many received the honor against their
wills. It was a remarkable peculiarity of the riots, that many who had
their houses burned, were on the same day, and by the same party made
knights; so close were the kindness and the injury together. This
circumstance occurred to Luigi Guicciardini, Gonfalonier of Justice.
In this tremendous uproar, the Signory, finding themselves abandoned
by their armed force, by the leaders of the arts, and by the
Gonfaloniers, became dismayed; for none had come to their assistance
in obedience to orders; and of the sixteen Gonfalons, the ensign of
the Golden Lion and of the Vaio, under Giovenco della Stufa and
Giovanni Cambi alone appeared; and these, not being joined by any
other, soon withdrew. Of the citizens, on the other hand, some, seeing
the fury of this unreasonable multitude and the palace abandoned,
remained within doors; others followed the armed mob, in the hope that
by being among them, they might more easily protect their own houses
or those of their friends. The power of the plebeians was thus
increased and that of the Signory weakened. The tumult continued all
day, and at night the rioters halted near the palace of Stefano,
behind the church of St. Barnabas. Their number exceeded six thousand,
and before daybreak they obtained by threats the ensigns of the
trades, with which and the Gonfalon of Justice, when morning came,
they proceeded to the palace of the provost, who refusing to surrender
it to them, they took possession of it by force.
The Signory, desirous of a compromise, since they could not restrain
them by force, appointed four of the Colleagues to proceed to the
palace of the provost, and endeavor to learn what was their intention.
They found that the leaders of the plebeians, with the Syndics of the
trades and some citizens, had resolved to signify their wishes to the
Signory. They therefore returned with four deputies of the plebeians,
who demanded that the woolen trade should not be allowed to have a
foreign judge; that there should be formed three new companies of the
arts; namely, one for the wool combers and dyers, one for the barbers,
doublet-makers, tailors, and such like, and the third for the lowest
class of people. They required that the three new arts should f
urnish
two Signors; the fourteen minor arts, three; and that the Signory
should provide a suitable place of assembly for them. They also made
it a condition that no member of these companies should be expected
during two years to pay any debt that amounted to less than fifty
ducats; that the bank should take no interest on loans already
contracted, and that only the principal sum should be demanded; that
the condemned and the banished should be forgiven, and the admonished
should be restored to participation in the honors of government.
Besides these, many other articles were stipulated in favor of their
friends, and a requisition made that many of their enemies should be
exiled and admonished. These demands, though grievous and dishonorable
to the republic, were for fear of further violence granted, by the
joint deliberation of the Signors, Colleagues, and Council of the
people. But in order to give it full effect, it was requisite that the
Council of the Commune should also give its consent; and, as they
could not assemble two councils during the same day it was necessary
to defer it till the morrow. However the trades appeared content, the
plebeians satisfied; and both promised, that these laws being
confirmed, every disturbance should cease.
On the following morning, while the Council of the Commune were in
consultation, the impatient and volatile multitude entered the piazza,
under their respective ensigns, with loud and fearful shouts, which
struck terror into all the Council and Signory; and Guerrente
Marignolli, one of the latter, influenced more by fear than anything
else, under pretense of guarding the lower doors, left the chamber and
fled to his house. He was unable to conceal himself from the
multitude, who, however, took no notice, except that, upon seeing him,
they insisted that all the Signors should quit the palace, and
declared that if they refused to comply, their houses should be burned
and their families put to death.
The law had now been passed; the Signors were in their own apartments;
the Council had descended from the chamber, and without leaving the
palace, hopeless of saving the city, they remained in the lodges and
courts below, overwhelmed with grief at seeing such depravity in the
multitude, and such perversity or fear in those who might either have
restrained or suppressed them. The Signory, too, were dismayed and
fearful for the safety of their country, finding themselves abandoned
by one of their associates, and without any aid or even advice; when,
at this moment of uncertainty as to what was about to happen, or what
would be best to be done, Tommaso Strozzi and Benedetto Alberti,
either from motives of ambition (being desirous of remaining masters
of the palace), or because they thought it the most advisable step,
persuaded them to give way to the popular impulse, and withdraw
privately to their homes. This advice, given by those who had been the
leaders of the tumult, although the others yielded, filled Alamanno
Acciajuoli and Niccolo del Bene, two of the Signors, with anger; and,
reassuming a little vigor, they said, that if the others would
withdraw they could not help it, but they would remain as long as they
continued in office, if they did not in the meantime lose their lives.
These dissensions redoubled the fears of the Signory and the rage of
the people, so that the Gonfalonier, disposed rather to conclude his
magistracy in dishonor than in danger, recommended himself to the care
of Tommaso Strozzi, who withdrew him from the palace and conducted him
to his house. The other Signors were, one after another, conveyed in
the same manner, so that Alamanno and Niccolo, not to appear more
valiant than wise, seeing themselves left alone, also retired, and the
palace fell into the hands of the plebeians and the Eight
Commissioners of War, who had not yet laid down their authority.
When the plebeians entered the palace, the standard of the Gonfalonier
of Justice was in the hands of Michael di Lando, a wool comber. This
man, barefoot, with scarcely anything upon him, and the rabble at his
heels, ascended the staircase, and, having entered the audience
chamber of the Signory, he stopped, and turning to the multitude said,
"You see this palace is now yours, and the city is in your power; what
do you think ought to be done?" To which they replied, they would have
him for their Gonfalonier and lord; and that he should govern them and
the city as he thought best. Michael accepted the command; and, as he
was a cool and sagacious man, more favored by nature than by fortune,
he resolved to compose the tumult, and restore peace to the city. To
occupy the minds of the people, and give himself time to make some
arrangement, he ordered that one Nuto, who had been appointed
bargello, or sheriff, by Lapo da Castiglionchio, should be sought. The
greater part of his followers went to execute this commission; and, to
commence with justice the government he had acquired by favor, he
commanded that no one should either burn or steal anything; while, to
strike terror into all, he caused a gallows to be erected in the court
of the palace. He began the reform of government by deposing the
Syndics of the trades, and appointing new ones; he deprived the
Signory and the Colleagues of their magistracy, and burned the
balloting purses containing the names of those eligible to office
under the former government.
In the meantime, Ser Nuto, being brought by the mob into the court,
was suspended from the gallows by one foot; and those around having
torn him to pieces, in little more than a moment nothing remained of
him but the foot by which he had been tied.
The Eight Commissioners of War, on the other hand, thinking
themselves, after the departure of the Signors, left sole masters of
the city, had already formed a new Signory; but Michael, on hearing
this, sent them an order to quit the palace immediately; for he wished
to show that he could govern Florence without their assistance. He
then assembled the Syndics of the trades, and created as a Signory,
four from the lowest plebeians; two from the major, and two from the
minor trades. Besides this, he made a new selection of names for the
balloting purses, and divided the state into three parts; one composed
of the new trades, another of the minor, and the third of the major
trades. He gave to Salvestro de' Medici the revenue of the shops upon
the Old Bridge; for himself he took the provostry of Empoli, and
conferred benefits upon many other citizens, friends of the plebeians;
not so much for the purpose of rewarding their labors, as that they
might serve to screen him from envy.
It seemed to the plebeians that Michael, in his reformation of the
state, had too much favored the higher ranks of the people, and that
themselves had not a sufficient share in the government to enable them
to preserve it; and hence, prompted by their usual audacity, they
again took arms, and coming tumultuously into the court of the palace,
/>
each body under their particular ensigns, insisted that the Signory
should immediately descend and consider new means for advancing their
well-being and security. Michael, observing their arrogance, was
unwilling to provoke them, but without further yielding to their
request, blamed the manner in which it was made, advised them to lay
down their arms, and promised that then would be conceded to them,
what otherwise, for the dignity of the state, must of necessity be
withheld. The multitude, enraged at this reply, withdrew to Santa
Maria Novella, where they appointed eight leaders for their party,
with officers, and other regulations to ensure influence and respect;
so that the city possessed two governments, and was under the
direction of two distinct powers. These new leaders determined that
Eight, elected from their trades, should constantly reside in the
palace with the Signory, and that whatever the Signory should
determine must be confirmed by them before it became law. They took
from Salvestro de' Medici and Michael di Lando the whole of what their
former decrees had granted them, and distributed to many of their
party offices and emoluments to enable them to support their dignity.
These resolutions being passed, to render them valid they sent two of
their body to the Signory, to insist on their being confirmed by the
Council, with an intimation, that if not granted they would be
vindicated by force. This deputation, with amazing audacity and
surpassing presumption, explained their commission to the Signory,
upbraided the Gonfalonier with the dignity they had conferred upon
him, the honor they had done him, and with the ingratitude and want of
respect he had shown toward them. Coming to threats toward the end of
their discourse, Michael could not endure their arrogance, and
sensible rather of the dignity of the office he held than of the
meanness of his origin, determined by extraordinary means to punish
such extraordinary insolence, and drawing the sword with which he was
girt, seriously wounded, and cause them to be seized and imprisoned.
When the fact became known, the multitude were filled with rage, and
thinking that by their arms they might ensure what without them they
had failed to effect, they seized their weapons and with the utmost
fury resolved to force the Signory to consent to their wishes.
Michael, suspecting what would happen, determined to be prepared, for
he knew his credit rather required him to be first to the attack than
to wait the approach of the enemy, or, like his predecessors, dishonor
both the palace and himself by flight. He therefore drew together a
good number of citizens (for many began to see their error), mounted
on horseback, and followed by crowds of armed men, proceeded to Santa
Maria Novella, to encounter his adversaries. The plebeians, who as
before observed were influenced by a similar desire, had set out about
the same time as Michael, and it happened that as each took a
different route, they did not meet in their way, and Michael, upon his
return, found the piazza in their possession. The contest was now for
the palace, and joining in the fight, he soon vanquished them, drove
part of them out of the city, and compelled the rest to throw down
their arms and escape or conceal themselves, as well as they could.
Having thus gained the victory, the tumults were composed, solely by
the talents of the Gonfalonier, who in courage, prudence, and
generosity surpassed every other citizen of his time, and deserves to
be enumerated among the glorious few who have greatly benefited their
country; for had he possessed either malice or ambition, the republic
would have been completely ruined, and the city must have fallen under
greater tyranny than that of the duke of Athens. But his goodness
never allowed a thought to enter his mind opposed to the universal
welfare: his prudence enabled him to conduct affairs in such a manner,
that a great majority of his own faction reposed the most entire