his period of exile the church government of Italy was
conducted by proud and avaricious legates, who lived as dukes or
provincial kings, and in the name of the church assumed to dictate the
policy of government to many small potentates, maintaining a standing
array of condottieri made up of English, Dutch and Breton recruits.

"Sir John, reasonably satisfied that he would be employed in Italy at
some point east of Casale, left his soldiers behind, except thirty
troopers, and set out for Avignon. Ten days later he came down the Rhone
valley, into the 'City of Bells,' just as the sixth hour, or vesper
bells, were ringing.

"We fed our horses, washed away the stains of travel, and, supper ready,
took our places at a long table, Sir John at the head, I at the foot and
fifteen troopers on either side. We refreshed ourselves, a very hungry
and thirsty company, with red Rhone wine, macaroni, cheese, fish,
mutton, brown bread and a salad.

"Sir John and I were assigned quite sumptuous quarters in the palace,
while our soldiers remained at the inn.

"That night Sir John saw the Pope and was recommissioned in his service.
His orders were that half of his company should report to the legate at
Pisa, while I in command of the other half, about three hundred
horsemen, should report to the legate at Bologna. An invasion of Tuscany
was contemplated under the direction of these two legates, having in
view the humiliation of the Florentines.

"The reason assigned for the campaign was that the Ricci faction had
entered into a league with Barnabo of Milan against the church and the
Albizzi party.

"The Pope thus expressed himself to Sir John; 'These plebeians are too
ambitious. Let the nobility, not the populace, form a federation, living
like brothers with the church at its head, an all-wise and benign
father. Thus, by a combination of miter and helmet the church, first in
Italy and then throughout the world, shall become not alone the
spiritual but the temporal head of government. Instituting this plan, we
intend to subdue the plebeian faction now in power at Florence.'

"Sir John, at the close of the audience, said to me; 'If it were not for
the interference of the church, the republic of Florence and certain
other Italian states might hope for the accomplishment of great things.
What the Pope wants is the peace of decay and temporal and spiritual
supremacy for the church throughout the land. Experience has taught me
that adve