d were excommunicated by the legate and
banished by the commonwealth. But the peace was not set aside on their
account; for afterwards the legate very happily concluded it in the
month of February following, when the people of Florence were
assembled in parliament on the old piazza of the said church, which
was all covered with cloths and with great wooden scaffolds, whereon
were the said cardinal, and many bishops, and prelates, and clergy,
and monks, and the Podesta, and the Captain, and all the counsellors,
and the orders of Florence. And at that time a very noble speech was
made by the said legate with citation of great and very fine
authorities, as behoved the matter, seeing that he was a very
dexterous and beautiful preacher; and this done, he caused the
representatives ordained by the Guelfs and Ghibellines to kiss one
another on the mouth, making peace with great joy among all the
citizens, and there were 150 on either side. And in that place, and at
that same time, he gave judgment as to the terms and agreements and
conditions which were to be observed, both on one side and on the
other, confirming the said peace with solemn and authentic documents,
and with all due sureties. And from that time forward the Ghibellines
and their families were to be allowed to return to Florence; and they
did return, and they were free from all sentence of banishment and
condemnation; and all the books of condemnation and banishment which
were in the chamber were burnt; and the said Ghibellines recovered
their goods and possessions, save that to some of the chief leaders,
it was commanded for more security of the city that for a certain time
they should be under bounds. And when the cardinal legate had done
this, he made contracts of peace between single citizens; and the
first was that one where had been greatest discord, to wit, between
the Adimari, and the Tosinghi, and Donati, and Pazzi, bringing about
several marriages between them, and in like manner were all the
agreements made in Florence and in the country round about, some
willingly, and some by command of the commonwealth, the cardinal
having pronounced sentence, with good securities and sureties; by
which contracts of peace the said legate won much honour, and
well-nigh all of them were observed, and the city of Florence abode
thereafter long time in peaceful and good and tranquil state. And the
said legate gave and ordained, for the general government of the city,
fo