have
narrated above, arose the arrogance of the Capitani di Parte; for those
citizens who had formerly been Guelphs, and had the constant disposal of
that magistracy, favored the followers of the major and persecuted
the minor arts and their patrons; and hence arose the many commotions
already mentioned. When the companies of the arts were first organized,
many of those trades, followed by the lowest of the people and the
plebeians, were not incorporated, but were ranged under those arts
most nearly allied to them; and, hence, when they were not properly
remunerated for their labor, or their masters oppressed them, they had
no one of whom to seek redress, except the magistrate of the art to
which theirs was subject; and of him they did not think justice always
attainable. Of the arts, that which had always had, and now has, the
greatest number of these subordinates, is the woolen; which being
both then, and still, the most powerful body, and first in authority,
supports the greater part of the plebeians and lowest of the people.

The lower classes, then, the subordinates not only of the woolen,
but also of the other arts, were discontented, from the causes just
mentioned; and their apprehension of punishment for the burnings and
robberies they had committed, did not tend to compose them. Meetings
took place in different parts during the night, to talk over the past,
and to communicate the danger in which they were, when one of the most
daring and experienced, in order to animate the rest, spoke thus:

"If the question now were, whether we should take up arms, rob and burn
the houses of the citizens, and plunder churches, I am one of those who
would think it worthy of further consideration, and should, perhaps,
prefer poverty and safety to the dangerous pursuit of an uncertain good.
But as we have already armed, and many offenses have been committed, it
appears to me that we have to consider how to lay them aside, and secure
ourselves from the consequences of what is already done. I certainly
think, that if nothing else could teach us, necessity might. You see the
whole city full of complaint and indignation against us; the citizens
are closely united, and the signors are constantly with the magistrates.
You may be sure they are contriving something against us; they are
arranging some new plan to subdue us. We ought therefore to keep two
things in view, and have two points to consider; the one is, to escape
with impunit