were raised to the highest pitch
at Florence when his weaknesses were known. There was a numerous and
powerful party, consisting of the republicans and the envious, hostile to
the Medicis; and they eagerly seized the opportunity of attacking them.
A deputation, comprising the most considerable men of the city, was sent,
on the 5th of November, to the King of France with a commission to obtain
from him more favorable conditions. The Dominican, Jerome Savonarola, at
that time the popular oracle of Florence, was one of them. With a pious
hauteur that was natural and habitual to him, he adopted the same tone
towards Charles as towards the people of Florence. "Hearken thou to my
words," said he, "and grave them upon thy heart. I warn thee, in God's
name, that thou must show thyself merciful and forbearing to the people
of Florence, if thou wouldest that He should aid thee in thy enterprise."
Charles, who scarcely knew Savonarola by name, answered simply that he
did not wish to do the Florentines any harm, but that he demanded a free
passage, and all that had been promised him: "I wish to be received at
Florence," he added, "to sign there a definitive treaty which shall
settle everything." At these cold expressions the ambassadors withdrew
in some disquietude. Peter de' Medici, who was lightly confident,
returned to Florence on the 8th of November, and attempted again to seize
the supreme power. A violent outbreak took place; Peter was as weak
before the Florentine populace as he had been before the King of France;
and, having been harried in his very palace, which was given up to
pillage, it was only in the disguise of a monk that he was able, on the
9th of November, to get out of the city in company with his two brothers,
Julian and Cardinal John de' Medici, of whom the latter was to be, ten
years later, Pope Leo X. Peter and his brothers having been driven out,
the Florentines were anxious to be reconciled with Charles VIII. Both by
political tradition and popular bias the Florentine republic was
favorable to France. Charles, annoyed at what had just taken place,
showed but slight inclination to enter into negotiation with them; but
his wisest advisers represented to him that, in order to accomplish his
enterprise and march securely on Naples, he needed the good will of
Florence; and the new Florentine authorities promised him the best of
receptions in their city. Into it Charles entered on the 17th of
November,