THE SUPPER IN VIALATA.
Bloody propositions attributed to Verrina--The count repulses all
treacherous plans--New schemes--The conspirators introduced into the
city--Gianluigi pays his respects to Prince Doria--Gianettino removes
the suspicions of Giocante and Doria--The supper of Gianluigi--The
guests embrace the conspiracy--Eleonora Cybo and her presentiments.
EVERYTHING being now in readiness, the count called together a few of
his most trusted partisans to consult upon the time and plan of their
uprising.
About this time were celebrated the espousals of Giulio Cybo, prince
of Massa and Carrara and brother of Eleonora Fieschi, with Peretta,
the sister of Gianettino. Verrina proposed that Gianluigi should give
a splendid banquet to the young couple which the Dorias would be
obliged to attend; and, that in the midst of the festivities, assassins
concealed for the purpose should fall upon and butcher them. We find
that Verrina sent a messenger to Milan to make purchases for the
banquet and that with these purchases he introduced into the palace
some chests filled with ammunition, swords, arquebuses, pikes and
halberds.[42] However, the count refused his assent to the proposition
as a violation of the laws of hospitality.
If we may believe Sigonio, Verrina formed another not less inhuman
project. An ecclesiastic of an illustrious family was about to
celebrate his first mass in the church of St. Ambrogio, and the Dorias,
Adamo Centurione, his son Marco, Figuerroa and other old nobles were
expected to be present. Verrina proposed to follow the example of the
Pazzi in Florence and of Olgiato in Milan and to assassinate them
while kneeling at the altar; then to rouse the city, take possession
of the senatorial palace, crown Fieschi with the diadem of the Doges
and put to the edge of the sword all who offered resistance. But this
atrocious design against the liberties of the republic is denied by
all the historians of the period. Even the writers most partial to the
Dorias tell us that Gianluigi rejected the temptation to assassinate
Gianettino under the shadow of the crucifix, though he was convinced
that he could find no better opportunity of crushing his rival at a
single blow.
The count abhorred bloodshed. In fact but little was spilled in all
the fierce civil commotions of Genoa. These revolutions resemble wars
of adventurers which have no other aim than to capture the enemy.
There was no fighting to the death; he who refused to yield the field
or broke the lines of his enemy was proclaimed conqueror without more
ado. He who got possession of the government palace seldom punished
his adversaries beyond confiscation of goods and banishment. Our
laws and our history are full of examples. Gianluigi contemplated
such a revolution and could not bring himself to approve schemes of
corruption and slaughter.
Other propositions were then made. Among these the most prominent was
that of awaiting the period for electing a new Doge, that is the fourth
of the following January. The entire nobility would then be assembled
in the government palace, and a single blow would sever the knot. The
plan seemed every way feasible and Gianluigi was disposed to follow it;
but it was abandoned because it was found Gianettino would be absent
and escape the vengeance of Fieschi. It was at length resolved to make
a bolder attempt on Christmas Eve, 1547 (old style.)
Orders were therefore issued on this plan to the corporals in the
city and to conspirators in other places, particularly to Gianluca
Fieschi, Giulio Cybo and the marquis of Valdimagra. A number of armed
men were introduced into the city under cover of the festivities of
that day on which the burghers are wont to flock into the city from
every direction. Much artifice was employed in bringing in the troops.
They entered in small bodies and by different gates, some even by
subterranean passages which conducted to the palace of the count.
Some wore the habit of mountaineers, others had various disguises. A
number were loaded with chains under pretence that they were criminals
condemned to serve on the galleys of the count. Some were lodged in
the houses of the conspirators, but the greater part in the palace in
Vialata and neighbouring houses. Still, the main body of the soldiers
was not brought within the walls, but distributed over mount Fasce and
contiguous heights, ready to enter the gates so soon as a smoke should
rise from the hill of Carignano. Such was the good order and discretion
of the conspirators that the Senate had not the faintest suspicion.
Early in the day count Fieschi, mounted upon a spirited jennet, rode
through the populous streets. He had never appeared so jovial and
composed, his strong will governing his impetuous nature.
We find in some letters of Sacco,[43] of which we shall speak in
another place, that a personage whose name is concealed held a
conference that day with the count in the palace of Vialata. This
person discoursed of the popular dislike for the Doria government, and
concluded by saying that the count had only to wish it to become master
of Genoa. It is easy to see, that the count brusquely repulsed the
insinuation. Sacco believed that this man had been sent by Gianettino
to pry into the plans and purposes of Fieschi; but it is now certain
that the Dorias were living in entire ignorance of the tempest
gathering over their heads. The unknown personage must have been one of
the spies whom Figuerroa kept on the trail of all the opponents of the
Spanish power in Italy.
Near the close of the day the count visited several families. He went
to the Doria palace, where, finding in the vestibule the children
of Gianettino with their father, he caressed and kissed them with
much tenderness. After some conversation he drew Gianettino aside
and begged him to make no opposition to the departure of some of his
vessels which were that night to sail for the Levant. He added that if
the vessels should discharge some fire-arms in the port, he hoped the
admiral would give himself no concern. He also requested Gianettino
to interpose his good offices with prince Doria in case the prince
should oppose the count’s plan of privateering. This plan was in fact
a violation of the treaty between the emperor and the Turks, because
the galleys of Fieschi would have sailed from a port over which Doria
was, as the admiral of Cæsar, master and guardian. Gianettino, not from
any love he bore the count, as a modern writer remarks, but because the
favour was of trivial importance, promised to use his influence with
the prince if it should become necessary, and gave to his captains the
order requested by Fieschi.
Afterwards, Gianluigi went to the apartment of Andrea who was lying in
bed suffering from pains and a fever. It happened that the prince was
at that moment in conversation with Gomez Suarez Figuerroa, who, having
received repeated messages from Gonzaga respecting the conspiracies of
Fieschi, had come to speak of the soldiers taken by the count from the
duke of Piacenza and other facts wearing an ambitious appearance. But
so soon as Andrea saw the count on his threshold, at the sight of the
ingenuous and courteous youth whom he loved almost as a son, he bent
his head to the ear of the minister and whispered,--“Tell me yourself
if it be possible that a base spirit can be concealed under that
angelic countenance.”[44]
After a brief conversation the count retired, mounted his superb jennet
and rode gracefully along the streets. Figuerroa exhausted all his arts
to remove the delusion of Doria but without success.
Shortly after, Andrea was on the verge of making the discovery by other
means, but in this case, by combinations of chance, Gianettino was the
person to dissipate his apprehensions. Giocante, of the Casa Bianca
family, who had once been in the service of the Venitians, had command
of the permanent militia.
He had distinguished himself in many actions and especially when
fighting with Doria at the head of a large body of Ligurians in favour
of France against the Bourbons, he raised the siege of Marseilles.
Colonel Giocante had received on this very day several messages
informing him that many soldiers of various detachments had left their
quarters and taken refuge in the house of Fieschi. Doria being in fact,
though not nominally, the head of the republic, Giocante informed him
and Adamo Centurione of what had occurred. As soon as he had read
the letter, Andrea called Gianettino and ordered him to provide for
the emergency; but Gianettino related the conversation he had just
held with the count and reasoned that the momentary desertion of a
few soldiers, who were probably vassals of the Fieschi and wished to
celebrate the day in Vialata, was of no importance. He concluded by
saying that Giocante attached consequence to frivolous matters, and so
entirely removed the suspicions of the prince.
The restless Verrina was not idle. At nightfall he collected, in the
house of Tomaso Assereto, more than thirty gentlemen whose families
had but recently been inscribed in the book of gold. Fieschi, after
leaving Doria went directly to this place and invited these new
noblemen to sup with him that night in Carignano. Arriving there
many were surprised to find, in place of festive preparations, the
halls filled with arms and armed men, strange faces and the din of
warlike preparation. They looked round for the count, but he had gone
to confer with Verrina and to learn whether he had visited all the
stations and the mustering places of the conspirators, whether the
Senate entertained any suspicions or his near neighbours the Sauli had
obtained any information of the conspiracy. Verrina assured him that
all was prepared and that none of their adversaries suspected their
preparations for revolution, and the count joined his guests.
These gentlemen, alarmed at finding the palace a camp rather than
a festive hall, gathered about him to learn the cause of these
extraordinary sights and sounds. Then the count changing his careless
look into one of stern purpose and striking the naked table with his
fist, broke out,--“The time so longed for by us, young friends, has at
last arrived. Our native land is to-night in our hands to be liberated
from the tyranny of the few and restored to a popular government.
This is my banquet, these are the festivals to which I have invited
you. You will never be invited to a more honourable feast. With the
approbation of Cæsar, (and if you wish I will show you the proofs and
letters.) Gianettino Doria grown to excessive power and riches has
long aspired to tyranny in Genoa. But finding me an obstacle to his
designs, because I am not less devoted to the public good and the
liberties of the nation than were my ancestors, he employs himself day
and night in conspiring against my life. He has often vainly tried
poison; now he trusts to the secret dagger. Who of you does not swell
with indignation at the insolence of the old nobility, who both in
their private life and in the public offices deprive you of honour and
hold you in derision? I tell you that more bitter and shameful things
are reserved for us. If we suffer so much to-day, what shall we have
when the patricians, with Gianettino at their head, shall have drawn
to themselves all public authority and reduced us to vassalage? You
will become a plebeian herd! Let us then grapple like heroes with evils
which overhang me, yourselves and the country. It is my design to kill
the ambitious tyrant and Doria himself, to capture their galleys, to
occupy the government palace and by destroying a few powerful enemies
to restore popular liberty.
“Even though the result of this enterprise were doubtful, I have such
confidence in your courage and patriotism, that I believe you would
not leave me to encounter the danger alone. But the city is now in
our power. Three hundred of my bravest men are with me, the greater
part of the soldiers who guard the government palace are my partisans.
The keepers of the gates are for us and await a preconcerted signal. A
galley rides at anchor in the port armed with a body of men unsurpassed
for equipment, strength and courage. One thousand and five hundred
artisans are in arms to follow me. Two thousand men from my castles are
at the gates. As many more from Piacenza will follow them. We have no
enemy before us. The night is serene and everything is propitious. You
will not be companions in the battle but spectators of a victory. Give
your love to your country; raise your courage, your confidence. The
glory and honour of this undertaking are not only yours to share but
yours to dispense.”
We have preferred to translate from the Latin of Bonfadio[45] this
speech of the count rather than to compose one in the style of
rhetoricians. Bonfadio, who was a witness of that revolt, thus clearly
displays the object of Fieschi to overthrow Gianettino who aimed to
master the republic and to build again the popular government. Still,
we are not able to agree with Bonfadio that the count intended to
assassinate Andrea; because what we have written tends to prove the
contrary, and still more because the murder of the old and decrepit
prince would have provoked universal condemnation, and finally because
the means of escape were left open to him. It was doubtless for the
interests of Bonfadio to receive this fable and incorporate it in his
history, to justify Doria’s sanguinary vengeance.
The words of Gianluigi powerfully moved his guests. They
enthusiastically offered to share the perils of the enterprise. Two,
Giovanni Battista Cattaneo-Bava and Giovanni Battista Giustiniano,
alone refused to take arms; not because they dissented from the
views of Fieschi, but because they trembled at the sight of muskets
and sabres. Some of their companions drew their daggers and wished
to assassinate the cowards on the spot; but Gianluigi interposed
and contented himself with confining them under guard to prevent
their revealing the conspiracy. This is a new proof of the count’s
unwillingness to shed blood.
Fieschi then placed, one by one, under the eyes of his companions the
letters of Pierluigi, of cardinal Farnese and of others, which clearly
showed that Gianettino aspired to royal state and, as if already
mounted to a throne, was planning the death of the count. A cry of
indignation burst from the whole company and all swore to liberate the
country and the count from the plots of the common enemy.
Fieschi then visited his wife whom he found immersed in the most
profound sorrow. The military preparation, the clang of arms and the
crowd filling the palace had too clearly revealed to her that a bloody
enterprise was on foot. He tried to console her, told her for the first
time the long history of his conspiracy and assured her that no danger
lay before him. But Eleonora strove to change his audacious purpose.
She kissed him, she hung upon his neck and exhausted her affectionate
acts to bend his resolute will. Pansa entered at that moment and he,
too, tried to divert him from the undertaking; but with no better
success than the countess Eleonora. Fieschi embraced his beloved spouse
whose tears moved his heart to profound pity; but his preparations were
made, and if he had wished it there was no place for retreat. When the
stern voice of Verrina called him from her arms, the tears disappeared
in an instant from his eye-lashes; the husband vanished and only the
conspirator remained. Eleonora fell lifeless into the arms of Pansa.
The count returned to the hall, ordered a frugal meal and then
distributed the arquebuses, pikes, spears, swords and coats of mail.
There was a story that at that moment the soot of the chimney caught
fire and that the cries of the countess filled the heart of the count
with painful forebodings. There were other fables; that a flock of
birds rising from the garden below flew off to the left, that during
the day his horse stumbled and nearly threw him from his saddle, that
a dog bayed long and mournfully, that setting his foot carelessly on
the threshold of his palace as he went out he nearly fell down. They
tell us that Calcagno, who was at his side at this moment, said to
him that according to the ancients sinister presages usually foretold
success, and then the count recovered his spirits and drawing his sword
said:--“Let us go,” leading the way to the street.
Thus far we have in these fables only the mania for classic imitation
which bewildered the historians of Gianluigi, and led them to underrate
his courage. Now come the calumnies. We are told that the count ordered
that whosoever moved from the ranks or hesitated should be run through;
that being asked on the way by a noble, who wished to save some friend,
whether all the nobility were to be butchered, he answered that all
should be slain beginning from his own nearest relatives. It is clear
that these romancers destroyed all confidence in their veracity by such
exaggeration.
To disprove their partial statements it is only necessary to say that
Gianluigi himself had prevented the assassination of the two nobles who
had refused to follow him. He forbade an attack on the palace of Prince
Doria, and would not even consent that Sebastiano Lercaro should be
killed, though he knew that this person had accepted the commission of
Gianettino to assassinate himself.
Having drawn up his ranks and exhorted the men to prefer a glorious
death to preserving their lives by cowardice, he sent off one hundred
and fifty infantry to occupy the Borgo de’ Lanieiri, and marched down
the descent of San Leonardo followed by the gentlemen and by the select
part of his troops. The hour was about midnight.