ain the war alone, and sent ambassadors to the Venetians, to beg
they would lend their aid to oppose the greatness of one who, if allowed
to aggrandize himself, would soon become as dangerous to them as to the
Florentines themselves. The Venetians were advised to adopt the same
course by Francesco Carmignuola, one of the most distinguished warriors
of those times, who had been in the service of the duke, and had
afterward quitted it; but they hesitated, not knowing how far to trust
him; for they thought his enmity with the duke was only feigned. While
in this suspense, it was found that the duke, by means of a servant
of Carmignuola, had caused poison to be given him in his food, which,
although it was not fatal, reduced him to extremity. The truth being
discovered, the Venetians laid aside their suspicion; and as the
Florentines still solicited their assistance, a treaty was formed
between the two powers, by which they agreed to carry on the war at the
common expense of both: the conquests in Lombardy to be assigned to
the Venetians; those in Romagna and Tuscany to the Florentines; and
Carmignuola was appointed Captain General of the League. By this treaty
the war was commenced in Lombardy, where it was admirably conducted; for
in a few months many places were taken from the duke, together with the
city of Brescia, the capture of which was in those days considered a
most brilliant exploit.

The war had continued from 1422 to 1427, and the citizens of Florence
were so wearied of the taxes that had been imposed during that time,
that it was resolved to revise them, preparatory to their amelioration.
That they might be equalized according to the means of each citizen, it
was proposed that whoever possessed property of the value of one hundred
florins should pay half a florin of taxes. Individual contribution would
thus be determined by an invariable rule, and not left to the discretion
of parties; and as it was found that the new method would press heavily
upon the powerful classes, they used their utmost endeavors to prevent
it from becoming law. Giovanni de' Medici alone declared himself in
favor of it, and by his means it was passed. In order to determine the
amount each had to pay, it was necessary to consider his property in the
aggregate, which the Florentines call _accatastare_, in which in this
application of it would signify TO RATE or VALUE, and hence this tax
received the name of _catasto_. The new method of rat