attack on her
great rival.

The king had a personal quarrel with Lorenzo, because he had married
Clarice d'Orsini in preference to his daughter, whose hand he had, in a
way, offered to the young prince. He at once acceded to the Pope's
invitation, and, as good as his word, he despatched his son, the Duke of
Calabria, at the head of an armed force, professedly to demand prompt
payment by the Republic of arrears due to him for service rendered to
Florence.

At the solicitation of Sixtus these troops were retained in Tuscany on
the pretext that the Papal fief of Imola required protection. Of course
the real purpose was a menace to Lorenzo: the force being at hand to
strike a swift blow when necessary.

Duke Federigo of Urbino was made more or less conversant with the Papal
policy, and with the special question of Lorenzo's removal. He at once
rejected the proposition that resort should be had to violent or secret
measures, and in disgust at Sixtus's conduct, he threw up his
appointment as Commander of the Papal forces.

Whilst Sixtus was making all these military preparations for the
furtherance of his intentions, his co-conspirators removed the scene of
their activities to the neighbourhood of Florence, where the Pazzi and
Salviati were at one in their readiness to lay down their lives for the
undoing of the Medici. They first of all took into their confidence one
of the Papal Condottieri, a man of undoubted courage and
ability--Giovanni Battista da Montesicco, a native of the Roman
Campagna--who was under heavy obligation to Count Girolamo de' Riari. Of
course he was perfectly willing, as became his calling, to sell his
sword for good payment: he further undertook to enlist his lieutenant,
Hieronimo Comiti, in the cause.

The Condottiere was sent off to Florence to communicate to Cavaliere
Giacopo de' Pazzi the "idea" of the three chief plotters, to test his
feelings, and, if possible, secure his adherence. At first the old man
was "as cold as ice"--so Montesicco said in his confession later on--and
declined to take any part in the conspiracy. After hearing all that was
put before him, he enquired whether Sixtus approved the scheme.

"Why, his Holiness," replied the Condottiere, "has sent me straight to
your Honour to ask your support.... I speak for the Pope."

"Then," said Giacopo, "I am with you."

A few days later Archbishop Salviati and Francesco de' Pazzi joined
Montesicco at Giacopo's country villa, at