ke mention.
And for this cause we have narrated thus extensively the origin of
this beginning of the accursed White and Black parties, for the great
and evil consequences which followed to the Guelf party, and to the
Ghibellines, and to all the city of Florence, and also to all Italy;
and like as the death of M. Bondelmonte the elder was the beginning of
the Guelf and Ghibelline parties, so this was the beginning of the
great ruin of the Guelf party and of our city. And note, that the year
before these things came to pass, the houses of the commonwealth were
built, which began at the foot of the old bridge over the Arno, and
extended towards the fortress of Altafronte, and to do this they
raised the piles at the foot of the bridge, and they had of necessity
to move the statue of Mars; and whereas at the first it looked towards
the east, it was turned towards the north, wherefore, because of the
augury of old, folk said: "May it please God that there come not great
changes therefrom to our city."

Sec. 40.--_How the Cardinal d'Acquasparta came as legate from the Pope to
make peace in Florence, and could not do it._

[Sidenote: 1300 A.D.]

[Sidenote: Par. xii. 124.]

By reason of the aforesaid events and the factions of the White and
Black parties, the captains of the Guelf party and their council were
fearful lest through the said divisions and strifes the Ghibelline
party might rise to more power in Florence, which under the plea of
good government already seemed likely; and many Ghibellines held to be
good men were beginning to be set in office; and moreover those which
held with the Black party, to recover their estate, sent ambassadors
to the court to Pope Boniface to pray him, for the good of the city
and for the party of the Church, to take some action. For the which
thing straightway the Pope appointed as legate to follow up this
matter Brother Matteo d'Acquasparta, his cardinal bishop of Porto, of
the Order of the Minor Friars, and sent him to Florence, which came
there in the month of June following, in the said year 1300, and was
received with great honour by the Florentines. And when he had taken
some repose in Florence, he craved jurisdiction from the commonwealth
to reconcile the Florentines together; and to the end he might take
away the said White and Black parties he desired to reform the city,
and to throw the offices open again; and those which were of one part
and of the other which were worthy