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Book FirstPart XLII
Part XLII
Pope Clement had now declared war upon the city of Florence, which
thereupon was put in a state of defence; and the militia being organised in
each quarter of the town, I too received orders to serve in my turn. I
provided myself with a rich outfit, and went about with the highest nobility
of Florence, who showed a unanimous desire to fight for the defence of our
liberties. Meanwhile the speeches which are usual upon such occasions were
made in every quarter; ^1 the young men met together more than was their wont,
and everywhere we had but one topic of conversation.
[Footnote 1: Fecesi quelle orazioni. It may mean "the prayers were offered
up."]
It happened one day, about noon, that a crowd of tall men and lusty young
fellows, the first in the city, were assembled in my workshop, when a letter
from Rome was put into my hands. It came from a man called Maestro Giacopino
della Barca. His real name was Giacopo della Sciorina, but they called him
della Barca in Rome, because he kept a ferry boat upon the Tiber between Ponte
Sisto and Ponte Santo Agnolo. He was a person of considerable talent,
distinguished by his pleasantries and striking conversation, and he had
formerly been a designer of patterns for the cloth-weavers in Florence. This
man was intimate with the Pope, who took great pleasure in hearing him talk.
Being one day engaged in conversation, they touched upon the sack and the
defence of the castle. This brought me to the Pope`s mind, and he spoke of me
in the very highest terms, adding that if he knew where I was, he should be
glad to get me back. Maestro Giacopo said I was in Florence; whereupon the
Pope bade the man write and tell me to return to him. The letter I have
mentioned was to the effect that I should do well if I resumed the service of
Clement, and that this was sure to turn out to my advantage.
The young men who were present were curious to know what the letter
contained; wherefore I concealed it as well as I could. Afterwards I wrote to
Maestro Giacopo, begging him by no means, whether for good or evil, to write
to me again. He however grew more obstinate in his officiousness, and wrote me
another letter, so extravagantly worded, that if it had been seen, I should
have got into serious trouble. The substance of it was that the Pope required
me to come at once, wanting to employ me on work of the greatest consequence;
also that if I wished to act aright, I ought to throw up everything, and not
to stand against a Pope in the party of those hare-brained Radicals. This
letter, when I read it, put me in such a fright, that I went to seek my dear
friend Piero Landi. Directly he set eyes on me, he asked what accident had
happened to upset me so. I told my friend that it was quite impossible for me
to explain what lay upon my mind, and what was causing me this trouble; only I
entreated him to take the keys I gave him, and to return the gems and gold in
my drawers to such and such persons, whose names he would find inscribed upon
my memorandum-book; next, I begged him to pack up the furniture of my house,
and keep account of it with his usual loving-kindness; and in a few days he
should hear where I was. The prudent young man, guessing perhaps pretty nearly
how the matter stood, replied: "My brother, go your was quickly; then write to
me, and have no further care about your things." I did as he advised. He was
the most loyal friend, the wisest, the most worthy, the most discreet, the
most affectionate that I have ever known. I left Florence and went to Rome,
and from there I wrote to him.
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