have
expired. In conformity with this laudable practice, the Balia of that
period, supposing they had accomplished all that was expected of them,
wished to retire; but when the multitude were acquainted with their
intention, they ran armed to the palace, and insisted, that before
resigning their power, many other persons should be banished and
admonished. This greatly displeased the signors; but without disclosing
the extent of their displeasure, they contrived to amuse the multitude
with promises, till they had assembled a sufficient body of armed men,
and then took such measures, that fear induced the people to lay aside
the weapons which madness had led them to take up. Nevertheless, in some
degree to gratify the fury of the mob, and to reduce the authority of
the plebeian trades, it was provided, that as the latter had previously
possessed a third of the honors, they should in future have only a
fourth. That there might always be two of the signors particularly
devoted to the government, they gave authority to the Gonfalonier of
Justice, and four others, to form a ballot-purse of select citizens,
from which, in every Signory, two should be drawn.

This government from its establishment in 1381, till the alterations
now made, had continued six years; and the internal peace of the city
remained undisturbed until 1393. During this time, Giovanni Galeazzo
Visconti, usually called the Count of Virtu, imprisoned his uncle
Bernabo, and thus became sovereign of the whole of Lombardy. As he had
become duke of Milan by fraud, he designed to make himself king of Italy
by force. In 1391 he commenced a spirited attack upon the Florentines;
but such various changes occurred in the course of the war, that he
was frequently in greater danger than the Florentines themselves, who,
though they made a brave and admirable defense, for a republic, must
have been ruined, if he had survived. As it was, the result was attended
with infinitely less evil than their fears of so powerful an enemy had
led them to apprehend; for the duke having taken Bologna, Pisa, Perugia,
and Sienna, and prepared a diadem with which to be crowned king of Italy
at Florence, died before he had tasted the fruit of his victories, or
the Florentines began to feel the effect of their disasters.

CHAPTER VII

Maso degli Albizzi--His violence excites the anger of the people--They
have recourse to Veri de' Medici--The modesty of Veri--He refuses to
assume the dig