_Castruccio plots the Assassination of Robert
King of Naples.--Made Prince of Lucca.--Declares
War against Florence.--Plot
for a Revolution in Lucca defeated.--Castruccio
summons Valperga._
The ambitious designs of Castruccio were each day ripening. The whole
Ghibeline force in Italy was now turned to the siege of Genoa, which was
defended by Robert, king of Naples, at the head of the Guelphs.
Castruccio had never actually joined the besieging army. But he had
taken advantage of the war, which prevented the Genoese from defending
their castles on the sea-coast, to surprise many of them, and to spread
his conquests far beyond the Lucchese territory; and he was ever
attentive to the slightest incident that might contribute to the
exaltation of the Ghibelines. He aided his Lombard friends, by annoying
the enemy as much as was in his power, and did not hesitate in using the
most nefarious arts to injure and destroy them. He now fully subscribed
to all the articles of Pepi's political creed, and thought fraud and
secret murder fair play, when it thinned the ranks of the enemy.
Robert, king of Naples, was at the head of the Guelph army at Genoa. The
siege had now lasted with various fortune for two years; and every
summer the king visited this city to conduct the enterprizes of the
campaign. Castruccio, urged by Galeazzo Visconti, and by his own belief
in the expediency of the scheme, conspired to destroy the king: a
foolish plan in many ways; for a legitimate king, like a vine, never
dies; and when you throw earth over the old root, a new sprout ever
springs up from the parent stock.
The king of Naples had fitted out a fleet to go and attack the king of
Sicily, who was a protector of the Ghibelines. Castruccio sent two
desperate, but faithful fellows, to set fire to the ship in which the
king himself sailed. The men got admittance on board the royal galley,
which, swifter than the rest, sped on through the waves, while the rest
of the fleet hung like a cloud on the far horizon. At night the smell of
fire was perceived in the vessel, and a small flame issued from one of
the windows: the affright and confusion were terrible, when they found
that they were burning thus on the desert sea, while the other vessels
were too distant to afford them aid. All hands were at work to
extinguish the flames; and it was then that the hired incendiaries were
perceived, as they tried to fire another part of the ship. It was found
that they were provided with floats of cork, by which they hoped to
preserve themselves in the water, until by some accident they might be
rescued.
The fire was seen by the galley, in which the eldest son of king Robert
was embarked, and which bore down to his relief. The youthful prince, in
an agony of terror, lent his own hand to the oar that they might arrive
more speedily. The whole crew was saved; and the criminals were reserved
for torture and death.
The news of this detestable plot was spread through all Italy, nor was
it much blamed. It was then that Euthanasia, the living spirit of
goodness and honour, amidst the anguish that the unworthiness of
Castruccio occasioned her, felt a just triumph, that she had overcome
her inclinations, and was not the bride of a suborner and a murderer.
Even now, remembering that it was known that she once loved
Antelminelli, she was penetrated with shame, and her cheeks burned with
blushes when she heard the tale. But, careless of an infamy which he
shared with many of his countrymen, and sorry only that his design had
not succeeded, Castruccio did not attempt to conceal the part he had
taken in the plot, and loudly declared that all his enemies might expect
the same measure as king Robert, while in return he permitted them to
try the like arts against him.
In the mean time he prosecuted the war with redoubled vigour. In the
winter of the year 1320, the Ghibelines reinforced their armies before
Genoa, and called upon their allies for their utmost assistance; and
Castruccio among the rest was to advance to their aid with all his
forces. But the Guelphs were not idle: Florence had sent soldiers every
campaign to reinforce the Genoese, and entered with spirit into all the
enterprizes undertaken against the imperial party; although a wish to
preserve their territory free from the horrors of war, and to repair by
a long peace the injury done to their vines and olive woods, had caused
them to preserve a shew of peace with Lucca.
Castruccio considered all his present successes as preliminaries only to
his grand undertaking; and, having now reduced not only the territory of
Lucca, but many castles and strong holds, which before had either been
independent, or had paid tribute to Genoa, or to the lords of Lombardy,
he planned a more vigorous system of warfare for the ensuing campaign.
His first step was to increase his security and power in Lucca itself.
Having grown proud upon his recent successes, he began to disdain the
name of consul, which he had hitherto borne. He assembled the senate;
and, at the instance of his friends, who had been tutored for the
purpose, this assembly bestowed upon him the government of Lucca for
life, with the title of prince. He afterwards caused this grant to be
confirmed by an assembly of the people; his warlike achievements, joined
to the moderate expenditure of his government, had made him a great
favourite with the inferior classes of the community, and they cordially
entered into the projects of his ambition. Soon after, through the
mediation of his friend Galeazzo Visconti, he obtained from Frederic,
king of the Romans, the dignity of Imperial Vicar in Tuscany.
All this passed during the winter; and in the spring he assembled his
troops, intent upon some new design. He had now been at peace with
Florence for the space of three years, although, fighting under opposite
banners, the spirit of enmity had always subsisted between him and them.
Now, without declaring war, or in any way advising them of their peril,
he suddenly made an incursion into their territory, burning and wasting
their land as far as Empoli, taking several castles, and carrying off an
immense booty; he then retreated back to Lucca.
This violation of every law of nations filled the Florentines at first
with affright, and afterwards with indignation. They had sent their best
troops to Genoa; and they found themselves attacked without warning or
time for preparation. When the Lucchese retreated, anger and complaint
succeeded. Castruccio replied to the reproaches of the Florentines by a
declaration of war, and then immediately marched with his forces to join
the besieging army before Genoa.
When the Florentines found that they could obtain no redress, they
turned their thoughts to revenge. They raised what fresh troops they
could among the citizens; and wishing to assist their small army by
other measures which were then rife in the Italian system of warfare,
they endeavoured to foment a conspiracy among the Lucchese for the
overthrow of their prince's government. Castruccio received in one day
letters from Giovanni da Castiglione, the general who commanded the few
troops which he had left to guard his own principality, to inform him,
that the Florentines had entered the Val di Nievole, burning and
spoiling every thing before them; and from Vanni Mordecastelli, his
civil lieutenant at Lucca, with information of a plot for the
destruction of his power which was brewing in that city. Castruccio
immediately left the Lombard army, and returned with his troops to
disconcert these designs.
Of the castles which were situated within a circuit of many miles round
Lucca, all were subject to Castruccio, except the castle of Valperga and
its dependencies. He had often solicited Euthanasia to place her
lordship under the protection of his government; and she had uniformly
refused. The castle of Valperga was situated on a rock, among the
mountains that bound the pass through which the Serchio flows, and
commanded the northern entrance to the Lucchese territory. It was a
place of great strength, and in the hands of an enemy might afford an
easy entrance for an hostile army into the plain of Lucca itself. The
Florentines, trusting to the affection which the countess bore their
city, sent ambassadors to her to intreat her to engage in an alliance
with them against Castruccio, and to admit a party of Florentine
soldiers into her castle; but she rejected their proposals, and
positively refused to enter into any league injurious to the existing
government of Lucca. The ambassadors had been selected from among her
intimate friends; and her _Monualdo_, Bondelmonti, was at the head of
them: they were not therefore intimidated by one repulse, but reiterated
their arguments, founded upon her own interest, and the service she
would render to her native town, in vain. She felt that the liberty in
which she had been permitted to remain, while, one after another, all
the castles around her had been reduced, could only have arisen from the
friendship and forbearance of the prince; and she judged that it would
be a sort of treason in her, to take advantage of his moderation to
introduce devastation into his country; at the same time she promised,
that no threats or intreaties should induce her to ally herself with, or
submit to, the enemy of Florence.
The ambassadors, who had been bred in the Italian school of politics of
that age, little understood, and by no means approved her scruples; they
found her however invincible to their arguments, and were obliged to
give up all expectation of her assistance. But they made the hope of
overcoming her objections the pretext for their protracted stay in her
castle; for they had other designs in view. The vicinity of Valperga to
Lucca, and the intercourse which took place between it and that town,
gave them an opportunity of becoming acquainted with several of the
discontented nobles, the remnants of the faction of the _Neri_, who had
been permitted to remain. Euthanasia, being a Guelph, had of course much
intercourse with the few of that party who were to be found in Lucca;
and from the conversation of these men the Florentine ambassadors
conceived the hope of weaving some plot which would produce the downfal
of Castruccio. And they believed, that in one of them they had found a
successor to his dignity, and a chief who would prove as faithful to the
papal party, as Castruccio had been to the imperial.
Among those of the faction of the _Neri_ who had remained in Lucca, was
a branch of the family of Guinigi, and one of the youths of this house
had married Lauretta dei Adimari, a cousin of Euthanasia. This connexion
had caused great intimacy between the families; and Leodino de' Guinigi,
the husband of Lauretta, was a young man of talent, spirit and ambition.
Being refused a command in the army of Castruccio, he was however forced
to expend his love of action and his desire of distinction, in hunting,
hawking and tournaments. He was a man of large fortune, and greatly
respected and loved in Lucca; for his manners were courteous, and his
disposition generous, so that every one blamed the prince for neglecting
a person of so much merit on account of his party. Every year however
added to the discontent of Leodino; and he used frequently at the castle
of his cousin Euthanasia, to bemoan his fate, and declare how he longed
for a change which should draw him from idleness and obscurity. Lauretta
was a beautiful and amiable girl; but, party feelings ran so high in
Lucca, that she was shunned as a Guelph and a Florentine, and therefore
she also entered eagerly into the complaints of her husband; while the
fear of the confiscation of his property withheld Leodino from serving
under some leader of his own party. Euthanasia esteemed him highly; his
mind was greatly cultivated; and the similarity of their tastes and
pursuits had given rise to a sincere affection and sympathy between
them. The Florentine ambassadors saw Leodino and his wife at the castle
of Valperga; they easily penetrated his character and wishes; and
Bondelmonti undertook to work on him to co-operate with them in their
design. Leodino required little instigation, and immediately set to work
in Lucca to gain partizans: every thing promised well. All this had been
carefully concealed from Euthanasia; who was too sincere of disposition
to suspect fraud in others. But their plot was now ripe; and the
ambassadors were on the eve of returning to Florence to lead their
troops to the attack; when the conspiracy was betrayed to Mordecastelli,
and Castruccio suddenly appeared in Lucca.
Bondelmonti and his associates instantly quitted Valperga; and several
of the conspirators, struck with affright, fled from Lucca; but Leodino,
trusting to the secrecy with which he had enveloped his name, resolved
to brave all danger and to remain. This imprudence caused his
destruction; and, the morning after the return of Castruccio, he and six
more of his intimate associates were arrested, and thrown into prison.
Lauretta fled in despair to the castle of Valperga; she threw herself
into the arms of Euthanasia, confessed the plot that had been carried on
with Bondelmonti, and intreated her intercession with the prince to save
the life of Leodino. Euthanasia felt her indignation rise, on
discovering that her hospitality had been abused, and her friendship
employed as the pretence which veiled a conspiracy. But, when the
weeping Lauretta urged the danger of Leodino, all her anger was changed
into compassion and anxiety; and she ordered the horses to be brought to
the gate, that she might hasten to Lucca. "I am afraid, my poor cousin,"
said she, "if the prince be not of himself inclined to mercy, that my
intreaties will have little effect: but be assured that I will spare no
prayers to gain the life of Leodino. His life! indeed that is far too
precious to be lightly sacrificed; I feel a confidence within me, which
assures me that he will be saved; fear nothing, therefore; I will bring
him back with me when I return."
She had covered her head with her veil, and folded her capuchin round
her; when an attendant announced the arrival of Castruccio himself at
the castle. This unexpected news made her turn pale; and again the
blood, flowing from her heart, dyed her cheeks and even her fingers with
pink; she hardly knew what caused her agitation; but she trembled, her
eyes filled with tears, her voice faultered;--Castruccio entered.
He was no longer her lover, scarcely her friend; no joy sparkled in the
eyes of either at this meeting after a separation of months; she had
loved him passionately, and still dwelt with tenderness on the memory of
what he had been; but she saw no likeness between the friend of her
youth, beaming with love, joy and hope, and the prince who now stood
before her; his brow was bent, his curved lips expressed disdain, his
attitude and gesture were haughty and almost repulsive. Euthanasia was
not to be daunted by this shew of superiority; she instantly recovered
her presence of mind, and advanced towards him with calm dignity,
saying, "My lord, I was about to visit you, when I find that you prevent
me by honouring my castle with your presence; I was coming as a
suppliant for the life of a dear friend."
"Countess, perhaps my errand is of more serious import,--at least to
yourself: and, since it may include an answer to your supplication, I
intreat you to hear me before we enter on any other subject."
Euthanasia bowed assent, and Castruccio continued.
"Madonna, you may remember that I have often in friendly terms intreated
you to place yourself under the protection of my government at Lucca;
you have ever refused me, and I indulgently acceded to your refusal. I
have subdued all the castles around, several stronger than this, but I
have left you to enjoy the independence you prized. I did this, trusting
to your promise, that, although you were not my ally, you would not
become my enemy, and that, in whatever war I might engage myself, you
would preserve a strict neutrality. On my return from Genoa, forced to
this hasty measure by the intimation of a plot being formed against me,
I find that you are at the head of my enemies, and that, in violation of
your faith, if you have not declared war, you have acted a more
injurious part, in fomenting a conspiracy, and giving traitors those
opportunities for maturing their plans, which, unless you had done this,
they could never have dreamed of."
Euthanasia replied earnestly; "My lord, your mistake would be
pardonable, had you not known me long enough to be assured that I am
incapable of acting the part you attribute to me. But, although you have
forgotten that treason and artifice are as foreign to my nature as
darkness to that of the sun, you will at least believe me, when I give
you my solemn assurance, that until this morning I knew nothing of the
conspiracy entered into against you. And now"----
"But how can this be? Did not Bondelmonti and his associates reside in
this castle for two months?"
"They did; they came to urge me to enter into the Florentine war against
you, which I refused."
"And was it necessary to hesitate during two months for your answer? or,
did it not rather enter into your plans, that they should remain as
spies and plotters for my destruction? but enough of this"----
"Enough, and far too much, my lord. You doubt my faith, and disbelieve
my word: these are outrages which I did not expect to receive from you,
but to which I must submit. And now permit me to speak to you on the
subject of my intended visit."
"Pardon me, but you may remember that we agreed I should be the first
heard; and I have not yet mentioned why I intrude myself into your
castle. I am at war with Florence; you are not; and you believe yourself
permitted, not only to hold correspondence with my enemies, but also to
afford them an opportunity through your means to carry on plots with my
traitorous subjects. This may have been done very innocently on your
part; but I cannot permit a repetition of the same mime, or of any
other, which, though differing in words, shall be the same in spirit. If
you have not taken advantage of my forbearance, you have at least shewn
yourself incapable of sustaining the trust I reposed in you. But,
Euthanasia, if you are indeed innocent, I am unmannerly in being thus
stern with you; and, since you deny that you entered into this plot, and
I would fain believe you, it is with repugnance that I enter upon the
subject of my visit. You must surrender your castle to me; prudence no
longer permits me to suffer you to enjoy independence; and, however
painful the alternative, you must submit to become my ally."
"It were of little moment to enter into a treaty with me," said
Euthanasia, with a bitter smile: "since, if I am capable of treason, I
may be more dangerous as an ally than an enemy."
"Not so; for the first article of our alliance must be the razing of
this castle; in exchange you shall have a site afforded you in the plain
for the erection of a palace, nor shall you incur any loss in fortune or
revenue; but you must descend to the rank of a private individual, and
this castle, and your power in this country, must be resigned into my
hands."
"My lord, I am afraid that we shall not agree on the first article of
our intended treaty. I will persevere in the neutrality I promised, and
endeavour to be more prudent than I was in this last unfortunate affair.
But I cannot surrender my castle, or permit the seat of my ancestors to
be razed to the ground. And now allow me to speak of what is nearer to
my heart. Leodino de' Guinigi has conspired against you, you have
discovered his plot, and have thrown him into prison. I know that you
consider his life a forfeit to your laws; but I intreat you to spare
him: if neither the generosity of your character, nor the impotence of
your enemy will incline you to mercy, I intreat you by our antient
friendship. His wife, Lauretta dei Adimari, is my cousin, and my friend;
Leodino, although your enemy, is a man distinguished by every virtue,
brave, generous and wise. If you would obtain a faithful and
trust-worthy friend, pardon him, confide in him; and his gratitude will
be to you as a guard an hundred strong: if you have not sufficient
magnanimity to trust your enemy, banish him; but for my sake spare his
life."
Castruccio appeared somewhat moved by her earnestness, but he
replied;--"It cannot be; I am sorry to refuse you, but the example would
be too dangerous. Put aside this from your thoughts, and let me in treat
you to consider what I have just said. You answer me slightly; but be
assured that I have not mentioned this alternative of war or peace
between us, until my purpose was fixed: reflect seriously on the evils
that resistance may bring upon you, and send me your answer to-morrow."
"To-morrow, or to-day, it is the same. But you, Castruccio, reflect upon
the misery you cause, if you refuse to spare my unfortunate friend."
"Do not torment yourself or me any more on the subject of Leodino; your
intercession is fruitless; he is already dead; I gave orders for his
immediate execution before I left Lucca.--But why are you so pale?--What
agitates you?"
Euthanasia could not speak; the horror that she felt on hearing the
violent death of one she loved announced so coldly by his murderer,
overcame her: she struggled violently not to faint; but, when Castruccio
drew near to support her, he found her hand cold and lifeless; and her
trembling limbs alone shewed that she still felt: her lips were pale;
she stood as if changed to stone:--
"Euthanasia, speak!"
"Speak! What should I say? Leave me! You touch me, and your hands are
covered with blood, your garments are dripping with gore; come not near
me!--Oh! God, have pity on me, that I should know this misery! Leave me;
you are not a man; your heart is stone; your very features betray the
icy blood which fills your veins. Oh, Leodino!"
And then she wept, and her features relaxed from the rigid horror they
had expressed into softness and grief. After she had wept awhile, and
thus calmed her agitation, she said: "My lord, this is the last time
that we shall ever meet. You may attack my castle, if you will; you may
tear it down, and leave not a stone to shew where it stood; but I will
never voluntarily submit to a tyrant and a murderer. My answer is
brief;--Do your worst: it cannot be so bad as that which you have
already done! You have destroyed every hope of my life; you have done
worse, far worse, than my words can express; do not exasperate me, or
let me exasperate you, by a longer stay: I can never forgive the death
of Leodino; farewel!--we are enemies; do your worst against me."
She left him, unable to retain any longer even the patience to behold
him. But she had no leisure afforded her to indulge her grief or
indignation. Lauretta had heard of the death of her husband; and her
despair, and the convulsions it occasioned, entirely engrossed
Euthanasia's attention, so that she forgot her own feelings and
situation; nor did she recur to the threats of Castruccio, until they
were recalled to her recollection by other proceedings on his part.
He did not doubt in his own mind, that, when pushed to extremity, the
countess would surrender her castle. When he first heard that it had
been selected by the conspirators as their rendezvous, he believed that
she had had a principal share in the plot; but now, when assured of her
innocence (for it was impossible not to believe her words, so clearly
were truth and courageous sincerity painted on her noble countenance),
he did not for that relent in his purpose of depriving her of the
independence that she possessed, in the midst of a territory subject to
himself. Like many of his predecessors and successors in usurpation,
Castruccio had a method in his tyranny; and he never proceeded to any
act of violence, without first consulting with his council, and
obtaining their sanction to his measures. On his return from the castle
of Valperga, he called together this friendly assembly, and represented
to them the evil he incurred by permitting so violent a Guelph as the
countess Euthanasia, to preserve her power, and erect her standard, in
the very heart of his principality. His council replied to his
representations with one voice, that the castle must be reduced.
The following morning Castruccio bade Arrigo di Guinigi carry a message
to Euthanasia. Arrigo had always been a favourite with the countess; and
Castruccio thought that it would be more delicate and forbearing, to
send one so young and unpresuming as the bearer of his most displeasing
message. Euthanasia received the youth with kindness; they talked on
various subjects; but she carefully refrained from mentioning
Castruccio's name, or alluding to the late transactions at Lucca; and it
was long before Arrigo could summon courage to introduce the topic
himself; at length he said:
"Madonna, I bear a message to you from the prince."
Euthanasia changed colour when he was alluded to; he, whom she now
feared, as formerly she had dwelt on his idea with love. She replied
hastily; "What is Antelminelli's pleasure with me? Speak quickly, that
there may soon be an end of a subject, which I cannot even think upon
without agitation."
"Yet I must intreat your patience, for my message is neither short nor
unimportant; and you must pardon me that I am its bearer: you know by
what ties I am bound to Castruccio; and if I now obey him, do not,
dearest countess, condemn me too harshly. He intreats you to remember
what he said when he visited you two days ago; he has since discussed
the affair in council; and it is agreed that you can no longer be
permitted to retain your independence. You know that the prince is
all-powerful here; his army is well disciplined and formidable; his
commands every where submitted to unquestioned. Look at every castle and
village for miles around; they acknowledge his law; you cannot dream
therefore of resisting; and, if you refuse to submit, it is because you
believe that he will not proceed to extremities with you. My dear
Euthanasia, this is a grievous task for me, and one which no earthly
power but Castruccio could have persuaded me to undertake; pardon me, if
I appear unmannerly when I repeat his words.
"He says, that he does not forget the friendship that once subsisted
between you, and that he deeply regrets that your coldness and violence
caused a division between you; but this is a question of state, and not
a private altercation; and he would be unworthy of the trust reposed in
him, if he permitted his individual inclinations to interfere with his
duty towards the public. He is commanded by the ruling powers of his
country, to compel the submission of the castle and rock of Valperga;
and he is resolved to obey them: he intreats you to spare both yourself
and him the unhappiness you will inflict on him, and the blood that must
be shed, if you resist. It would be absurd to attempt to defend yourself
alone: to give your cause the least chance of success you must call in
foreign aid; and, by bringing the Florentines into the heart of this
valley, you not only introduce war and destruction into the abodes of
peace, but you act a treasonable part (forgive me if I repeat his word),
in taking advantage of the power which you hold through his indulgence,
to endeavour to bring ruin upon him. But, whatever you determine upon,
whether to hold out with your own small forces, or to call strangers to
your assistance, he is resolved to spare no exertion, and to be stopped
by no obstacle, until he has reduced into his own hands Valperga and all
its dependencies; at the same time that you, so far from being a loser,
except in nominal advantages, shall be fully compensated for your
present possessions."
Euthanasia listened attentively, although sometimes disdain hovered on
her lips, and at times her eyes flashed fire at the words she heard. She
paused a moment to collect her thoughts, and then she replied: "My dear
Arrigo, I pardon most freely all the part you take in these unfortunate
circumstances; I would that the prince had not so far degraded himself,
as to veil his tyranny with hypocrisy and falsehood; his is the power,
and not the senate's; to him I reply; and, casting away all the vain
pretexts with which he would hide, perhaps to himself, his injustice and
lawless ambition, I reply with plain words to his artful speech; and I
beg that without any alteration you faithfully deliver my message to
him.
"I will never willingly surrender my power into his hands: I hold it for
the good of my people, who are happy under my government, and towards
whom I shall ever perform my duty. I look upon him as a lawless tyrant,
whom every one ought to resist to the utmost of their power; nor will I
through cowardice give way to injustice. I may be exasperated beyond
prudence; but right is on my side: I have preserved the articles of my
alliance with him, and I will hold them still; but, if he attack me, I
shall defend myself, and shall hold myself justified in accepting the
assistance of my friends. If I had not that right, if indeed I had
pledged myself to submit whenever he should call upon me to resign my
birthright, what an absurd mockery is it to talk of his moderation
towards me! I acknowledge that he might long ago have attempted, as now
he threatens, to reduce this castle to a frightful ruin; but then I
should have resisted as I shall now; resisted with my own forces, and
those of my allies. Valperga stands on a barren rock, and the few
villages that own its law are poor and unprotected; but this castle is
as dear to me as all his dominion is to him; I inherited it from my
ancestors; and if I wished to despoil myself of power, it would be to
make my people free, and not to force them to enter the muster-roll of a
usurper and a tyrant.
"My dear Arrigo, do not endeavour to persuade me to alter my purpose;
for it is fixed. I am not young nor old enough to be scared by threats,
nor happy enough to buy life on any terms Castruccio may choose to
offer. I am willing to lose it in a just cause; and such I conceive to
be the preservation of my inheritance."
Arrigo was too raw and inexperienced to contend in words with
Euthanasia; he was overcome by her enthusiasm, which, although serious
and apparently quiet, was as a stream that runs deep and waveless, but
whose course is swifter and stronger than that which wastes its force in
foam and noise.