y abandoned the barricades and gave way to the people,
who then overcame the Rossi and the Frescobaldi; for all those beyond
the Arno took part with the conquerors.

There was now no resistance made except by the Bardi, who remained
undaunted, notwithstanding the failure of their friends, the union of
the people against them, and the little chance of success which they
seemed to have. They resolved to die fighting, and rather see their
houses burned and plundered, than submit to the power of their enemies.
They defended themselves with such obstinacy, that many fruitless
attempts were made to overcome them, both at the Old Bridge and the
Rubaconte; but their foes were always repulsed with loss. There had in
former times been a street which led between the houses of the Pitti,
from the Roman road to the walls upon Mount St. George. By this way
the people sent six Gonfalons, with orders to assail their houses from
behind. This attack overcame the resolution of the Bardi, and decided
the day in favor of the people; for when those who defended the
barricades in the street learned that their houses were being plundered,
they left the principal fight and hastened to their defense. This caused
the Old Bridge to be lost; the Bardi fled in all directions and were
received into the houses of the Quaratesi, Panzanesi, and Mozzi. The
people, especially the lower classes, greedy for spoil, sacked and
destroyed their houses, and pulled down and burned their towers and
palaces with such outrageous fury, that the most cruel enemy of the
Florentine name would have been ashamed of taking part in such wanton
destruction.

The nobility being thus overcome, the people reformed the government;
and as they were of three kinds, the higher, the middle, and the lower
class, it was ordered that the first should appoint two signors; the two
latter three each, and that the Gonfalonier should be chosen alternately
from either party. Besides this, all the regulations for the restraint
of the nobility were renewed; and in order to weaken them still more,
many were reduced to the grade of the people. The ruin of the nobility
was so complete, and depressed them so much, that they never afterward
ventured to take arms for the recovery of their power, but soon became
humbled and abject in the extreme. And thus Florence lost the generosity
of her character and her distinction in arms.

After these events the city remained in peace till the year 1353. In