IN God’s name then I left Florence, continually singing psalms and
prayers in His honour upon all that journey. I enjoyed it extremely; for
the season was fine, in early summer, and the country through which I
travelled, and which I had never seen before, struck me as marvellously
beautiful. Now I had taken with me to serve as guide a young workman in
my employ, who came from Bagno, and was called Cesare. Thanks to him,
then, I received the kindest hospitality from his father and all his
family, among whom was an old man of more than seventy, extremely
pleasant in his conversation. He was Cesare’s uncle, a surgeon by
profession, and a dabbler in alchemy. This excellent person made me
observe that the Bagni contained mines of gold and silver, and showed me
many interesting objects in the neighbourhood; so that I enjoyed myself
as much as I have ever done.
One day, when we had become intimate and he could trust me, he spoke as
follows: “I must not omit to tell you a thought of mine, to which his
Excellency might with advantage pay attention. It is, that not far from
Camaldoli there lies a mountain pass so ill defended, that Piero Strozzi
could not only cross it without risk, but might also seize on Poppi [1]
unmolested.” Not satisfied with this description, he also took a sheet
of paper from his pouch, upon which the good old man had drawn the whole
country, so that the seriousness of the danger could be manifest upon
inspection of the map. I took the design and left Bagno at once,
travelling homeward as fast as I could by Prato Magno and San Francesco
della Vernia. On reaching Florence, I only stopped to draw off my
riding-boots, and hurried to the palace. Just opposite the Badia I met
the Duke, who was coming by the palace of the Podesta. When he saw me he
gave me a very gracious reception, and showing some surprise, exclaimed:
“Why have you come back so quickly; I did not expect you for eight days
at least.” I answered: “The service of your most illustrious Excellency
brings me back, else I should very willingly have stayed some few days
longer on my journey through that lovely country.” “Well, and what good
news have you?” said he. I answered: “Prince, I must talk to you about
things of the greatest importance which I have to disclose.” So I
followed him to the palace, and when we were there, he took me privately
into a chamber where we stayed a while alone together. I then unfolded
the whole matter and showed him the little map, with which he seemed to
be much gratified. When I told his Excellency that one ought to take
measures at once, he reflected for a little while and then said: “I may
inform you that we have agreed with the Duke of Urbino that he should
guard the pass; but do not speak about it.” Then he dismissed me with
great demonstrations of good-will, and I went home.
Note 1. A village in the Castenino. Piero Strozzi was at this time in
Valdichiana.