oice from the mob
called out, "To the house of such a one," or if he who bore the Gonfalon
took the road toward it. All the documents belonging to the woolen
trade were burned, and after the commission of much violence, by way
of associating it with something laudable, Salvestro de Medici and
sixty-three other citizens were made knights, among whom were Benedetto
and Antonio degli Alberti, Tommaso Strozzi and others similarly their
friends; though many received the honor against their wills. It was
a remarkable peculiarity of the riots, that many who had their houses
burned, were on the same day, and by the same party made knights; so
close were the kindness and the injury together. This circumstance
occurred to Luigi Guicciardini, Gonfalonier of Justice.

In this tremendous uproar, the Signory, finding themselves abandoned by
their armed force, by the leaders of the arts, and by the Gonfaloniers,
became dismayed; for none had come to their assistance in obedience to
orders; and of the sixteen Gonfalons, the ensign of the Golden Lion
and of the Vaio, under Giovenco della Stufa and Giovanni Cambi alone
appeared; and these, not being joined by any other, soon withdrew.
Of the citizens, on the other hand, some, seeing the fury of this
unreasonable multitude and the palace abandoned, remained within doors;
others followed the armed mob, in the hope that by being among them,
they might more easily protect their own houses or those of their
friends. The power of the plebeians was thus increased and that of the
Signory weakened. The tumult continued all day, and at night the rioters
halted near the palace of Stefano, behind the church of St. Barnabas.
Their number exceeded six thousand, and before daybreak they obtained
by threats the ensigns of the trades, with which and the Gonfalon of
Justice, when morning came, they proceeded to the palace of the provost,
who refusing to surrender it to them, they took possession of it by
force.

The Signory, desirous of a compromise, since they could not restrain
them by force, appointed four of the Colleagues to proceed to the palace
of the provost, and endeavor to learn what was their intention. They
found that the leaders of the plebeians, with the Syndics of the trades
and some citizens, had resolved to signify their wishes to the Signory.
They therefore returned with four deputies of the plebeians, who
demanded that the woolen trade should not be allowed to have a foreign
judge; th