第102章

The Florentines used the weightiest arguments they could adopt to prevent the count from quitting the service of the League， a course he was himself reluctant to follow， but his desire to conclude the marriage so embarrassed him， that any trivial accident would have been sufficient to determine his course， as indeed shortly happened. The count had left his territories in La Marca to the care of Il Furlano， one of his principal condottieri， who was so far influenced by the duke as to take command under him， and quit the count's service. This circumstance caused the latter to lay aside every idea but that of his own safety， and to come to agreement with the duke； among the terms of which compact was one that he should not be expected to interfere in the affairs of Romagna and Tuscany. The count then urged the Florentines to come to terms with the Lucchese， and so convinced them of the necessity of this， that seeing no better course to adopt， they complied in April， 1438， by which treaty the Lucchese retained their liberty， and the Florentines Monte Carlo and a few other fortresses.

After this， being full of exasperation， they despatched letters to every part of Italy， overcharged with complaints， affecting to show that since God and men were averse to the Lucchese coming under their dominion， they had made peace with them. And it seldom happens that any suffer so much for the loss of their own lawful property as they did because they could not obtain the possessions of others.

Though the Florentines had now so many affairs in hand， they did not allow the proceedings of their neighbors to pass unnoticed， or neglect the decoration of their city. As before observed， Niccolo Fortebraccio was dead. He had married a daughter of the Count di Poppi， who， at the decease of his son-in-law， held the Borgo San Sepolcro， and other fortresses of that district， and while Niccolo lived， governed them in his name. Claiming them as his daughter's portion， he refused to give them up to the pope， who demanded them as property held of the church， and who， upon his refusal， sent the patriarch with forces to take possession of them. The count， finding himself unable to sustain the attack， offered them to the Florentines， who declined them； but the pope having returned to Florence， they interceded with him in the count's behalf. Difficulties arising， the patriarch attacked the Casentino， took Prato Vecchio， and Romena， and offered them also to the Florentines， who refused them likewise， unless the pope would consent they should restore them to the count， to which， after much hesitation， he acceded， on condition that the Florentines should prevail with the Count di Poppi to restore the Borgo to him. The pope was thus satisfied， and the Florentines having so far completed the building of their cathedral church of Santa Reparata， which had been commenced long ago， as to enable them to perform divine service in it， requested his holiness to consecrate it. To this the pontiff willingly agreed， and the Florentines， to exhibit the wealth of the city and the splendor of the edifice， and do greater honor to the pope， erected a platform from Santa Maria Novella， where he resided， to the cathedral he was about to consecrate， six feet in height and twelve feet wide， covered with rich drapery， for the accommodation of the pontiff and his court， upon which they proceeded to the building， accompanied by those civic magistrates， and other officers who were appointed to take part in the procession. The usual ceremonies of consecration having been completed， the pope， to show his affection for the city， conferred the honor of knighthood upon Giuliano Davanzati， their Gonfalonier of Justice， and a citizen of the highest reputation； and the Signory， not to appear less gracious than the pope， granted to the new created knight the government of Pisa for one year.

There were at that time certain differences between the Roman and the Greek churches， which prevented perfect conformity in divine service；and at the last council of B鈒e， the prelates of the Western church having spoken at great length upon the subject， it was resolved that efforts should be made to bring the emperor and the Greek prelates to the council at B鈒e， to endeavor to reconcile the Greek church with the Roman. Though this resolution was derogatory to the majesty of the Greek empire， and offensive to its clergy， yet being then oppressed by the Turks， and fearing their inability for defense， in order to have a better ground for requesting assistance， they submitted； and therefore， the emperor， the patriarch， with other prelates and barons of Greece， to comply with the resolution of the council， assembled at B鈒e， came to Venice； but being terrified by the plague then prevailing， it was resolved to terminate their differences at Florence. The Roman and Greek prelates having held a conference during several days， in which many long discussions took place， the Greeks yielded， and agreed to adopt the ritual of the church of Rome.

CHAPTER IV

New wars in Italy--Niccolo Piccinino， in concert with the duke of Milan， deceives the pope， and takes many places from the church--Niccolo attacks the Venetians--Fears and precautions of the Florentines--The Venetians request assistance of the Florentines and of Sforza--League against the duke of Milan--The Florentines resolve to send the count to assist the Venetians--Neri di Gino Capponi at Venice--His discourse to the senate--Extreme joy of the Venetians.