many places in La Marca. This circumstance greatly perplexed the count,
who thought he had lost all his territories; so, leaving part of his
force to check Piccinino, with the remainder he pursued Fortebraccio,
whom he attacked and conquered. Fortebraccio was taken prisoner in the
battle, and soon after died of his wounds. This victory restored to the
pontiff all the places that had been taken from him by Fortebraccio, and
compelled the duke of Milan to sue for peace, which was concluded by the
intercession of Niccolo da Esta, marquis of Ferrara; the duke restoring
to the church the places he had taken from her, and his forces retiring
into Lombardy. Batista da Canneto, as in the case with all who retain
authority only by the consent and forces of another, when the duke's
people had quitted Romagna, unable with his own power to keep possession
of Bologna, fled, and Antonio Bentivogli, the head of the opposite
party, returned to his country.

All this took place during the exile of Cosmo, after whose return,
those who had restored him, and a great number of persons injured by the
opposite party, resolved at all events to make themselves sure of the
government; and the Signory for the months of November and December, not
content with what their predecessors had done in favor of their party
extended the term and changed the residences of several who were
banished, and increased the number of exiles. In addition to these
evils, it was observed that citizens were more annoyed on account of
their wealth, their family connections or private animosities, than
for the sake of the party to which they adhered, so that if these
prescriptions had been accompanied with bloodshed, they would have
resembled those of Octavius and Sylla, though in reality they were not
without some stains; for Antonio di Bernardo Guadagni was beheaded, and
four other citizens, among whom were Zanobi dei Belfratelli and Cosmo
Barbadori, passing the confines to which they were limited, proceeded to