Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

72

ROME SACKED BY THE GERMANS.

44

עח

And

the city of Rome was in consternation. there fled the two cardinals, Rienzo Orsino* and Horazio, into the fortress, and Clement set Rienzo at the head of the people, and they set a watch round about.

685. And Rome was given up to be plundered; and the houses were pillaged, and the women were lain with, and the city went into captivity, and most of the priests were cut off from the city. And the nuns they ravished, and squeezed the breasts of their virginity, and plundered their whole property. And they gave up the chief castle which belonged to the pope; and all the high places of the saints they gave up to be spoiled, and they brought out of them vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and graven images, and molten images in abundance. And the bones of the saints they threw into the mire of the streets. And they mocked the cardinals and the priests, and put on their clothes and walked in the streets of the town to blaspheme and to revile: for their way was as the uncleanness of an impure woman in the eyes of these German Lutherans; and Rome became very poor.

686. And also the Jews who were there, were given up to be spoiled, and of them also some fell

.רינצו אורסינו *

THE MEDICI BANISHED FROM FLORENCE. 73

in that slaughter; and their cry went up towards heaven.

687. And when Clement saw that he had no deliverer, he desired to speak to the viceroy of the emperor, and he came into the city. And every man sware not to hurt his neighbour in those days. And the Spaniards would not let the viceroy go, and Cattinara spake with him, and demanded of him five hundred thousand scudi*, and all the priests and all the soldiers which were with him there. And Clement said, "I will speak in their ears, and return;" so he went away from him. And he spake in the ears of those men, and they said, "We will die this time, and in the hand of these proud ones we will not fall."

688. Then Florence was moved, and they sought to lay hand on the Medici, for the shadow† of the pope had departed from them. And they said to Hippolito, and to the Cardinal Cortona§, "Your eyes do see that evil is determined; and now take off your yoke from the inhabitants of the country, and every one will return to his house." they did so, and made with them a covenant, and said that they would give back the fortresses at

that time.

And

And the Medici went to Pisa, and

* D*♪♪Ŋ, i. e. lit. shields, here scudi, crowns.

איפיליטו ! .קורטונה $

+, shadow; i. e. protection.

74

THE PLAGUE IN TUSCANY.

עח

would not give up the fortresses, but garrisoned them. And they fled to Lucca in the darkness of the night, and abode there several days. And Florence returned to its former condition; and they set over her councillors as at the first; and the garrison gave the fortresses into their hands for full money; and they went their way.

689. And Clement answered Cattinara*, and said that he would give to the Spaniards and the Germans four hundred thousand scudit, and twelve of his kinsmen as a pledge, and he sware to dwell in whichever of the cities the emperor should please; and they did so. And the Spaniards came into the fortress, and they set up their standards upon the walls; and the rest of the soldiers went out from the midst of that desolate

city, and went their way. And many of the Spaniards who returned to their country filled with every good thing, Andrea Doria seized in the midst of the sea, and took from them great riches.

[ocr errors]

690. And there was a great plague in Rome and its environs, and in all Tuscany; and in Florence and its environs died fifty thousand souls of that plague."

691. In those days Alfonso, duke of Fer

.קאטינארו *

†i. e. Crown.

אלפונסו !

עח

THE FRENCH INVADE ITALY.

75

rara, went with a mighty hand, and encamped against Modena, and took it, and he went also to Riso*, and they gave the city into his hand; and they became to him servants unto tribute unto this day.

692. And when Francis, the king of France, saw that Bourbon was dead, he hardened his heart. very much. And he made a covenant with the men of Venice, and with the king of England, and with Francesco Sforza, for their wrath was kindled concerning that which was done at Rome; and they said, "Come on; let us deal wisely with him." And he sent a great army into Italy in that year, and Lautrec was over the host in those days. And they came towards Boschof which is in Fraschi§, and about one thousand Germans were in the midst of it, and they besieged it, and cast up trenches against it by day and by night, and took it; and the Germans they sent away free, and took no spoil, only their weapons of war. up the city to be spoiled; and burned it with fire, and every thing went from it at that time.

And they gave

693. And they went to Alessandria, and besieged it, and took it, and gave it to the Duke Francesco Sforza, and went their way.

694. And the famine was grievous in Genoa at

.ריזו * בוסקו $

+ The emperor.

.פראסקיא $

76

FAMINE IN GENOA.

עח

that time, for the ships of the confederates besieged it; and the price of a measure of flour in Genoa and its environs was eight golden scudi; and some died of hunger. And they sent four ships to watch them who went to buy corn; and they pursued after them to Corsica, and the men rowed ashore and fled. And two [y] of the ships they set on fire. Now Andrea Doria was the commander of the king's army at that time. And Antonio Adorno, the doge, sent soldiers to Porto Pin*; and they fortified it, and abode there; and the king's ships went thither, and the duke of Genoa sent thither Augustino Spinola, the commander of the army. And they put there the battle in array, and the French were smitten before them, and the Count Philippino Doria was taken alive; and they brought him into the city.

695. And the French went into the borders of Genoa, and the duke sent and brought Augustino and his men into the city, and of them there was not one man left in Porto Pin; and the heart of the men of the ships† which were left there melted, and became like water.

696. And Andrea Doria went against them, like a bear bereaved of her whelps, and the seven galleys fled before him, and a wind passed over

*

.פורטו פין

† i. e. The sailors and marines.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »