young
men, under great obligations to the family of the Pazzi. Besides those
already mentioned, they were joined by Antonio da Volterra and a priest
named Stefano, who taught Latin to the daughter of Jacopo de' Pazzi.
Rinato de' Pazzi, a grave and prudent man, being quite aware of the
evils resulting from such undertakings, refused all participation in the
conspiracy; he held it in abhorrence, and as much as possible, without
betraying his kinsmen, endeavored to counteract it.

The pope had sent Raffaello di Riario, a nephew of Count Girolamo, to
the college of Pisa, to study canon law, and while there, had advanced
him to the dignity of a cardinal. The conspirators determined to bring
this cardinal to Florence, as they would thus be better able to conceal
their design, since any persons requisite to be introduced into the city
might easily be made to appear as a part of his retinue, and his arrival
might facilitate the completion of their enterprise. The cardinal came,
and was received by Jacopo de' Pazzi at his villa of Montughi, near
Florence. By his means it was also intended to bring together Giuliano
and Lorenzo, and whenever this happened, to put them both to death. They
therefore invited them to meet the cardinal at their villa of Fiesole;
but Giuliano, either intentionally or through some preventing cause, did
not attend; and this design having failed, they thought that if asked to
an entertainment at Florence, both brothers would certainly be present.
With this intention they appointed Sunday, the twenty-sixth of April,
1478, to give a great feast; and, resolving to assassinate them at
table, the conspirators met on the Saturday evening to arrange all
proceedings for the following day. In the morning it was intimated to
Francesco that Giuliano would be absent; on which the conspirators again
assembled and finding they could no longer defer the execution of their
design, since it would be impossible among so many to preserve secrecy,
they determined to complete it in the cathedral church of Santa
Reparata, where the cardinal attending, the two brothers would be
present as usual. They wished Giovanni Batista da Montesecco to
undertake the murder of Lorenzo, while that of Giuliano was assigned
to Francesco de' Pazzi and Bernardo Bandini. Giovanni Batista refused,
either because his familiarity with Lorenzo had created feelings in his
favor, or from some other reason, saying he should not have resolution
sufficien