r; for the whole of
Romagna, the Marches, and Perugia were excited to rebellion.

Yet while this war was carried on against the pope, they were unable to
defend themselves against the captains of the parts and their faction;
for the insolence of the Guelphs against the eight attained such a
pitch, that they could not restrain themselves from abusive behavior,
not merely against some of the most distinguished citizens, but even
against the eight themselves; and the captains of the parts conducted
themselves with such arrogance, that they were feared more than the
Signory. Those who had business with them treated them with greater
reverence, and their court was held in higher estimation: so that no
ambassador came to Florence, without commission to the captains.

Pope Gregory being dead, and the city freed from external war; there
still prevailed great confusion within; for the audacity of the Guelphs
was insupportable, and as no available mode of subduing them presented
itself, it was thought that recourse must be had to arms, to determine
which party was the strongest. With the Guelphs were all the ancient
nobility, and the greater part of the most popular leaders, of which
number, as already remarked, were Lapo, Piero, and Carlo. On the other
side, were all the lower orders, the leaders of whom were the eight
commissioners of war, Giorgio Scali and Tommaso Strozzi, and with them
the Ricci, Alberti, and Medici. The rest of the multitude, as most
commonly happens, joined the discontented party.

It appeared to the heads of the Guelphic faction that their enemies
would be greatly strengthened, and themselves in considerable danger in
case a hostile Signory should resolve on their subjugation. Desirous,
therefore, of being prepared against this calamity, the leaders of the
party assembled to take into consideration the state of the city and
that of their own friends in particular, and found the _ammoniti_ so
numerous and so great a difficulty, that the whole city was excited
against them on this account. They could not devise any other remedy
than, that as their enemies had deprived them of all the offices of
honor, they should banish their opponents from the city, take possession
of the palace of the Signory, and bring over the whole state to their
own party; in imitation of the Guelphs of former times, who found no
safety in the city, till they had driven all their adversaries out of
it. They were unanimous upon the ma