sent into
Tuscany, and continue the siege of Brescia; for he was master of
the lake, the fortresses were well provided, and their officers were
qualified to oppose the count should he undertake any fresh enterprise;
which it was not likely he would do without first relieving Brescia, a
thing impossible; and thus the duke might carry on the war in Tuscany,
without giving up his attempts in Lombardy; intimating that the
Florentines would be compelled, as soon as he entered Tuscany, to recall
the count to avoid complete ruin; and whatever course they took, victory
to the duke must be the result. The exiles affirmed, that if Niccolo
with his army were to approach Florence, the people oppressed with
taxes, and wearied out by the insolence of the great, would most
assuredly not oppose him, and pointed out the facility of reaching
Florence; for the way by the Casentino would be open to them, through
the friendship of Rinaldo and the Count di Poppi; and thus the duke,
who was previously inclined to the attempt, was induced by their joint
persuasions to make it. The Venetians, on the other hand, though the
winter was severe, incessantly urged the count to relieve Brescia with
all his forces. The count questioned the possibility of so doing, and
advised them to wait the return of spring, in the meantime strengthening
their fleet as much as possible, and then assist it both by land and
water. This rendered the Venetians dissatisfied; they were dilatory in
furnishing provisions, and consequently many deserted from their army.

The Florentines, being informed of these transactions, became alarmed,
perceiving the war threatening themselves, and the little progress made
in Lombardy. Nor did the suspicion entertained by them of the troops of
the church give them less uneasiness; not that the pope was their enemy,
but because they saw those forces more under the sway of the patriarch,
who was their greatest foe. Giovanni Vitelleschi of Corneto was at first
apostolic notary, then bishop of Recanati, and afterward patriarch of
Alexandria; but at last, becoming a cardinal, he was called Cardinal of
Florence. He was bold and cunning; and, having obtained great influence,
was appointed to command all the forces of the church, and conduct all
the enterprises of the pontiff, whether in Tuscany, Romagna, the kingdom
of Naples, or in Rome. Hence he acquired so much power over the pontiff,
and the papal troops, that the former was afraid of comman