uke of his victory. He assured them they ought not to
be alarmed by impending expenses and consequent taxation; because the
latter might be reduced, and the future expense would not be so great as
the former had been; for less preparation is necessary for those engaged
in self-defense than for those who design to attack others. He advised
them to imitate the conduct of their forefathers, who, by courageous
conduct in adverse circumstances, had defended themselves against all
their enemies.

Thus encouraged, the citizens engaged Count Oddo the son of Braccio,
and united with him, for directing the operations of the war, Niccolo
Piccinino, a pupil of his father's, and one of the most celebrated of
all who had served under him. To these they added other leaders, and
remounted some of those who had lost their horses in the late defeat.
They also appointed twenty citizens to levy new taxes, who finding the
great quite subdued by the recent loss, took courage and drained them
without mercy.

These burdens were very grievous to the nobility, who at first, in order
to conciliate, did not complain of their own particular hardships, but
censured the tax generally as unjust, and advised that something should
be done in the way of relief; but their advice was rejected in the
Councils. Therefore, to render the law as offensive as possible, and to
make all sensible of its injustice, they contrived that the taxes should
be levied with the utmost rigor, and made it lawful to kill any that
might resist the officers employed to collect them. Hence followed many
lamentable collisions, attended with the blood and death of citizens. It
began to be the impression of all, that arms would be resorted to, and
all prudent persons apprehended some approaching evil; for the higher
ranks, accustomed to be treated with respect, could not endure to be
used like dogs; and the rest were desirous that the taxation should be
equalized. In consequence of this state of things, many of the first
citizens met together, and it was resolved that it had become necessary
for their safety, that some attempt should be made to recover the
government; since their want of vigilance had encouraged men to censure
public actions, and allowed those to interfere in affairs who had
hitherto been merely the leaders of the rabble. Having repeatedly
discussed the subject, they resolved to meet again at an appointed hour,
when upwards of seventy citizens assembled in the chur