THE KING OF FRANCE, WITH HIS LORDS, ENTERS FLORENCE, ACCOMPANIED BY
HIS WHOLE ARMY.
On Monday, the 17th of November, the king, having assembled his whole
army and train of artillery, advanced to a large palace near to
Florence, where he dined. The florentine nobles, with numbers of the
lower ranks, came thither to pay him their respects; which they having
done, and presented him with the keys of their gates, the french army
marched into the town of Florence by companies, each under its own
captain, and with displayed banners, in handsome order. This lasted a
long time, for there were a greater body of men under arms than the
Florentines had ever before seen.
When the companies had all passed, the king, accompanied by his princes
and nobles, entered the town completely armed, with his body guard
and his hundred gentlemen all in armour. He was conducted, having a
handsome canopy borne over his head, to the cathedral, and thence to
the lodgings that had been prepared for him in the mansion of Pietro de
Medici, where he and his company were more sumptuously entertained than
can be imagined.
The king, the better to subjugate and keep the Florentines in check,
remained some days in Florence. He marched away on the 21st, and was
lodged at a large palace not far distant. The next day, Saturday, he
went to St Cassant, where he remained the Sunday; and on the Monday, he
advanced to Poggiobonzi[135], which is a prettily situated town, and,
though small, well peopled. On the morrow, the king dined at the abbey
of Aye, and thence went to his quarters in the city of Sienna.