صفحة 265 من 310

Whereupon the Florentines recalled their army, which had scarcely

reached Tuscany, when Castruccio was forced by other necessities

to return to Lucca.

There resided in the city of Lucca the Poggio family, who were so

powerful that they could not only elevate Castruccio, but even

advance him to the dignity of prince; and it appearing to them

they had not received such rewards for their services as they

deserved, they incited other families to rebel and to drive

Castruccio out of Lucca. They found their opportunity one

morning, and arming themselves, they set upon the lieutenant whom

Castruccio had left to maintain order and killed him. They

endeavoured to raise the people in revolt, but Stefano di Poggio,

a peaceable old man who had taken no hand in the rebellion,

intervened and compelled them by his authority to lay down their

arms; and he offered to be their mediator with Castruccio to

obtain from him what they desired. Therefore they laid down their

arms with no greater intelligence than they had taken them up.