[126]. “Filza xxii. della Signoria”: see fo. 283, Spoglio del Carteggio, October 10, 1406, a Florentine army enters Pisa: “La città di Pisa si rende al comune di Firenze: l’esercito vi entra vittorioso nel di senza commettere alcune violenza e prende il possesso di tutte le Fortezze.” On the 14th of October a certain number of Pisans were sent as hostages into Florence; arms of offence and defence were taken from all the Pisans. On the 12th of November a further number of hostages to the amount of one hundred of the Pisan citizens, “dei più atti alle fazioni,” were ordered to be sent into Florence. Civil order was established under the government of a Magistrate and eight Priors.
[127]. “Spoglio del Carteggio,” i. ii., fo. 221 (Filza xx. della Signoria), 15th of August, 1406: “Lettera della Signoria responsiva a quella del Re di Francia in commendazione dei Pisani ai quali si annunciava di aver’ data un Signore. Si lamenta la Signoria di questa procedere dopo che l’acquisto di quella città fatto della Signoria per compta era stato confermato del Re con figlio e già erano state pagate diverse somme a Gabriel’ Maria Visconti e a Giovanni Le Meingre (Boucicaut) Luogotenente Generale della Corona e Governatone di Genova.” A replica of this is sent to Orleans, Burgundy, and Berry.
[128]. There are a number of documents concerning this detention of the Florentine Ambassadors to be found: “Signori Cart. Miss.” Reg. 1. Cancelleria 27, fo. 26 et seq., in the Florence Archives, under dates 10th of May, 3rd of June, 25th of June, 11th of July. The letters are too long to publish here, see also “Spoglio del Carteggio,” fo. 286, for summary of an embassy sent by the Signory to the King of France, Orleans, and Burgundy, in justification of the purchase of Pisa and the siege. The Ambassadors “erano stati spogliati e ritenuti dal Duca d’Orliens, per el che, seguito l’acquisto della detta città, si spedisce ivi Bonaccorso Pitti.” Pitti was to join Alberto degli Albizzi already in France, and, going by Avignon, they were to interview the Antipope, to treat of the union of the Church, to expound to him the policy of the Republic, and to obtain from him commendatory letters to the Court at France. But the Antipope was a less formidable ally than in the days of Clement.
It is curious to observe that the Signory instruct their ambassadors, if they cannot obtain from the King the liberation of the imprisoned Ambassadors, to appeal finally to the Parliament. This is assuming that the Parliament was stronger than the King or even than Orleans—a piece of trans-Alpine provincialism.
[129]. “Archives of Florence: Spoglio del Carteggio universale della Repubblica[Repubblica] Fiorentina dell’ anno, 1401-1426,” tome 2, fo. 273: “Ricuse la Signoria di pagare la rata dovuta a Gabriel’ Maria Visconti, non essendo egli in sua libertà, ma in poter’ del Duca di Milano, che serbava convertire il denaro in suo servigio.” Vide “Filza II de’ Dieci,” fo. 170. June, 1406.
[130]. See the speech—true, we may suppose, in fact if not in phrase—as reported in Guicciardini’s “History.”
[131]. A man-at-arms was a varying quantity of soldiers, from five in France to three or sometimes one in Italy.
[132]. Archives de Florence, No. 52, quoted by Cherrier, ii. 294.
The Gresham Press,