hile I abode in
Florence, where I have had no further wish to hear of wars, but to live
my life in holy peace.'

So ends the story of the two _bravi_. We have reason to believe, from
some contemporary documents which Cantu has brought to light, that
Bibboni exaggerated his own part in the affair. Luca Martelli, writing
to Varchi, says that it was Bebo who clove Lorenzino's skull with a
cutlass. He adds this curious detail, that the weapons of both men were
poisoned, and that the wound inflicted by Bibboni on Soderini's hand was
a slight one. Yet, the poignard being poisoned, Soderini died of it. In
other respects Martelli's brief account agrees with that given by
Bibboni, who probably did no more, his comrade being dead, than claim
for himself, at some expense of truth, the lion's share of their heroic
action.

_Ambrogio Tremazzi_.[227]

[Footnote 227: The text is published, from Florentine Archives, in
Gnoli's _Vittoria Accoramboni_, pp. 404-414.]

In illustration of this narrative, and in evidence that it stands by no
means solitary on the records of that century, I shall extract some
passages from the report made by Ambrogio Tremazzi of Modigliana
concerning the assassination of Troilo Orsini. Troilo it will be
remembered, was the lover of the Medicean Duchess of Bracciano. After
the discovery of their amours, and while the lady was being strangled by
her husband, with the sanction of her brother Troilo escaped to France.
Ambrogio Tremazzi knowing that his murder would be acceptable to the
Medici, undertook the adventure; moved, as he says, 'solely by the
desire of bringing myself into favorable notice with the Grand Duke; for
my mind revolted at the thought of money payments, and I had in view the
acquisition of honor and praise rather, being willing to risk my life
for the credit of my Prince, and not my life only, but also to incur
deadly and perpetual feud with a powerful branch of the Orsini family.'
On his return from France, having successfully accomplished the mission,
Ambrogio Tremazzi found that the friends who had previously encouraged
his hopes, especially the Count Ridolfo Isolami, wished to compromise
his reward by the settlement of a pension on himself and his associate.
Whether he really aimed at a more honorable recognition of his services,
or whether he sought to obtain better pecuniary terms, does not appear.
But he represents himself as gravely insulted; 'seeing that my tenor of
life from boy