r than threats; and if
they would take his advice, their privileges and security would remain
unimpaired. He thus induced them to return peaceably to their homes.

The disturbance having subsided, the Signory armed the piazza,
enrolled 2,000 of the most trusty citizens, who were divided equally
by Gonfalons, and ordered to be in readiness to give their assistance
whenever required; and they forbade the use of arms to all who were
not thus enrolled. Having adopted these precautionary measures, they
banished and put to death many of those members of the trades who had
shown the greatest audacity in the late riots; and to invest the office
of Gonfalonier of Justice with more authoritative majesty, they ordered
that no one should be eligible to it, under forty-five years of age.
Many other provisions for the defense of the state were made, which
appeared intolerable to those against whom they were directed, and were
odious even to the friends of the Signory themselves, for they could not
believe a government to be either good or secure, which needed so much
violence for its defense, a violence excessively offensive, not only to
those of the Alberti who remained in the city, and to the Medici, who
felt themselves injured by these proceedings, but also to many others.
The first who attempted resistance was Donato, the son of Jacopo
Acciajuoli, who thought of great authority, and the superior rather than
the equal of Maso degli Albizzi (who on account of the events which took
place while he was Gonfalonier of Justice, was almost at the head of the
republic), could not enjoy repose amid such general discontent, or,
like many others, convert social evils to his own private advantage,
and therefore resolved to attempt the restoration of the exiles to their
country, or at least their offices to the admonished. He went from one
to another, disseminating his views, showing that the people would not
be satisfied, or the ferment of parties subside, without the changes
he proposed; and declared that if he were in the Signory, he would soon
carry them into effect. In human affairs, delay causes tedium, and haste
danger. To avoid what was tedious, Donato Acciajuoli resolved to attempt
what involved danger. Michele Acciajuoli his relative, and Niccolo
Ricoveri his friend, were of the Signory. This seemed to Donato a
conjuncture of circumstances too favorable to be lost, and he requested
they would propose a law to the councils, which would