صفحة 281 من 310

He endeavoured to corrupt some of the citizens of Florence, who

were to open the city gates at night; but the conspiracy was

discovered, and the participators in it taken and beheaded, among

whom were Tommaso Lupacci and Lambertuccio Frescobaldi. This

defeat caused the Florentines great anxiety, and despairing of

preserving their liberty, they sent envoys to King Ruberto of

Naples, offering him the dominion of their city; and he, knowing

of what immense importance the maintenance of the Guelph cause

was to him, accepted it. He agreed with the Florentines to

receive from them a yearly tribute of two hundred thousand

florins, and he sent his son Carlo to Florence with four thousand

horsemen.