CHAP. XXIV.

THE CARDINAL OF ST GEORGE IS DETAINED PRISONER AT FLORENCE, WHERE THE ARCHBISHOP OF PISA IS STRANGLED, AND SEVERAL OTHERS PUT TO DEATH, FOR HAVING MURDERED GIULIANO DE MEDICI.—RHODES BESIEGED BY THE TURKS.—OF ST SYMON AND ANOTHER THAT WERE CRUCIFIED.—OF A DEVOUT HERMIT WHO LIVED FIFTEEN YEARS ON THE HOLY WAFER.—OF A MONSTER, BORN IN THE TOWN OF VERONA.—OF A MARVELLOUS COMET.—AND OTHER EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS.

Aboutthis time, and soon after the death of the duke of Milan, a violent conspiracy was formed in the city of Florence, by the family of Pazzi, of which Francesco di Pazzi was the leader, against the family of the Medici. Francesco, accompanied by several of good family in Florence, and other conspirators, assassinated, with a dagger, Giuliano de Medici in the church of Santa Maria di Fuori, during the celebrationof the mass. His elder brother, Lorenzo de Medici, was also wounded but recovered[81].

For this crime the reverend father in God Nicholas, cardinal of Saint George, and nephew[82]to count Jerome, was detained in close confinement; and Francesco Salviati, archbishop of Pisa, was publicly hanged in his archiepiscopal robes at the gates of the Medici-palace. Several of the conspirators, and their relatives, were hanged at the same time and place, and others executed in divers manners.

Pope Sixtus IV. in revenge for these executions, fulminated, in the name of the cardinals in consistory, an excommunication and interdict against the city of Florence, and incited a cruel war against Tuscany, in the name of the church,—in which war numbers lost their lives.

During this time, an ambassador from the republic of Venice obtained the libertyof the cardinal of St George, who returned to Rome: nevertheless, the war was still continued between the church and the Florentines, but it was at length ended, and the excommunication and interdict were taken off.

The Jews, about this time, stole a child of twelve years of age, called Symon, in the city of Trent, whom they crucified, and caused to suffer the mysteries of the passion, in ridicule of what our Saviour had suffered,—for which they were most severely punished, according to their deserts. The body of the child was carried in procession, as a martyr, to the cathedral, whither great crowds of people flocked from all parts; for through the devotion of this child many miracles were performed in remembrance of the passion of our Lord.

A similar crime was committed by the Jews in the city of Opiterge[83], within the principality of Venice, where they martyred a youth in like manner. They were brought to Venice, and having confessed theirguiltiness of this abominable crime, were burnt alive between the two marble columns in the place of St Marco.

At this time, a girl was born at Verona, which had one head, two feet, and four arms: two were larger than the others, which she could move,—but the others were smaller, and motionless. She had two bellies joined to the stomach, and two openings through which she passed her excrements, and other natural superfluities. In this state, she was carried throughout Italy, begging money of all that were desirous to see and examine her.

About this time, there were great inundations with very high winds, that overthrew many buildings.

The grand Turk now led a numerous and puissant army by sea and land to besiege the city of Rhodes, which he bombarded at several places, and slew very many Christians. He surrounded the city on all sides, and advanced even to the tower of St Nicholas, which was thought impregnable; but he was on the point of taking it, and ready to shout, 'Town won!' when the grand master displayed from the wallsa great banner, painted with the representation of the blessed cross; which banner was no sooner displayed than the Turks became blinded, and, by the Divine aid of our blessed Saviour, were repulsed. They made no further attempts on the city,—but there were numbers slain on both sides.

The Turks, on their ill success at Rhodes, invaded part of the kingdom of Sicily, and gained many towns. They put the inhabitants to death, and seized their effects, so that they were become a cruel pestilence to Christendom. They took the city of Otranto, and slew almost all the inhabitants, on account of their religion, which they suffered with singular patience for the honour of God,—and at length they seized the archbishop, whom they put to death by sawing him in two.

A devout Hermit, who resided in Swisserland near Underwalden, subsisted for the space of fifteen years on the holy wafer, which he received at the monthly sacrament, without taking any other food. This has been attested by many persons, witnesses of the fact.

I have forgotten to mention a marvellouscomet that appeared in the year 1477, on St Agnes-day, in the month of January,—and therefore the bloody wars that took place between different princes, with the great miseries that ensued, need not be wondered at. This comet was visible at Cologne, in the opposite direction to the constellation Libra, having an immense tail, thirty degrees in length. On St Blaise's day, the 3d of February, it remained stationary in the constellation of Aries, throwing its tail to the eastward, near the Pleiades. It was of different colours,—sometimes white, at others all on fire, inclining to a lemon colour. The astrologers considered it as indicative of battle, epidemic disorders, and plagues: and in consequence, the following summer was hotter than had been remembered by any then living. In some parts, subterraneous fires broke forth, from the vehemence of which may God preserve us!

We will now return to notice events that happened in France, Flanders, Burgundy and England, at the period we quitted them to make mention of the surprising circumstances contained in this chapter.

FOOTNOTES:[81]For further particulars, see Scipione Ammirato, and other italian historians,—and particularly the Life of Lorenzo de Medici, by W. Roscoe, esq.[82]Cardinal of St George. Q. if it should not be 'ofRiario, and nephew to the pope Sixtus IV.?'[83]Opiterge. The ancient latin name was Opitergium,—the modern Oderso: it is in the venetian state twelve miles from Trevigio.Martiniere.

[81]For further particulars, see Scipione Ammirato, and other italian historians,—and particularly the Life of Lorenzo de Medici, by W. Roscoe, esq.

[82]Cardinal of St George. Q. if it should not be 'ofRiario, and nephew to the pope Sixtus IV.?'

[83]Opiterge. The ancient latin name was Opitergium,—the modern Oderso: it is in the venetian state twelve miles from Trevigio.Martiniere.

[83]Opiterge. The ancient latin name was Opitergium,—the modern Oderso: it is in the venetian state twelve miles from Trevigio.

Martiniere.

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