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Book FirstPart XXXIX
Part XXXIX
After I had melted down the gold, I took it to the Pope, who thanked me
cordially for what I had done, and ordered the Cavalierino to give me
twenty-five crowns, apologising to me for his inability to give me more. A few
days afterwards the articles of peace were signed. I went with three hundred
comrades in the train of Signor Orazio Baglioni toward Perugia; and there he
wished to make me captain of the company, but I was unwilling at the moment,
saying that I wanted first to go and see my father, and to redeem the ban
which was still in force against me at Florence. Signor Orazio told me that he
had been appointed general of the Florentines; and Sir Pier Maria del Lotto,
the envoy from Florence, was with him, to whom he specially recommended me as
his man. ^1
[Footnote 1: Pier Maria di Lotto of S. Miniato was notary to the Florentine
Signoria. He collected the remnants of the Bandle Nere, and gave them over to
Orazio Baglioni, who contrived to escape from S. Angelo in safety to Perugia.]
In course of time I came to Florence in the company of several comrades.
The plague was raging with indescribable fury. When I reached home, I found my
good father, who thought either that I must have been killed in the sack of
Rome, or else that I should come back to him a beggar. However, I entirely
defeated both these expectations; for I was alive, with plenty of money, a
fellow to wait on me, and a good horse. My joy on greeting the old man was so
intense, that, while he embraced and kissed me, I thought that I must die upon
the spot. After I had narrated all the devilries of that dreadful sack, and
had given him a good quantity of crowns which I had gained by my soldiering,
and when we had exchanged our tokens of affection, he went off to the Eight to
redeem my ban. It so happened that one of those magistrates who sentenced me,
was now again a member of the board. It was the very man who had so
inconsiderately told my father he meant to march me out into the country with
the lances. My father took this opportunity of addressing him with some
meaning words, in order to mark his revenge, relying on the favour which
Orazio Baglioni showed me.
Matters standing thus, I told my father how Signor Orazio had appointed
me captain, and that I ought to begin to think of enlisting my company. At
these words the poor old man was greatly disturbed, and begged me for God`s
sake not to turn my thoughts to such an enterprise, although he knew I should
be fit for this or yet a greater business, adding that his other son, my
brother, was already a most valiant soldier, and that I ought to pursue the
noble art in which I had laboured so many years and with such diligence of
study. Although I promised to obey him, he reflected, like a man of sense,
that if Signor Orazio came to Florence, I could not withdraw myself from
military service, partly because I had passed my word, as well as for other
reasons; He therefore thought of a good expedient for sending me away, and
spoke to me as follows: "Oh, my dear son, the plague in this town is raging
with immitigable violence, and I am always fancying you will come home
infected with it. I remember, when I was a young man, that I went to Mantua,
where I was very kindly received, and stayed there several years. I pray and
command you, for the love of me, to pack off and go thither; and I would have
you do this to-day rather than to-morrow."
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