animate the plebeians against the Florentines--The Lucchese resolve
to defend themselves--They are assisted by the duke of Milan--Treaty
between the Florentines and the Venetians--Francesco Sforza, captain of
the league, refuses to cross the Po in the service of the Venetians
and returns to Tuscany--The bad faith of the Venetians toward the
Florentines--Cosmo de' Medici at Venice--Peace between the Florentines
and the Lucchese--The Florentines effect a reconciliation between the
pope and the Count di Poppi--The pope consecrates the church of Santa
Reparata--Council of Florence.

The count commenced operations against Lucca in April, 1437, and the
Florentines, desirous of recovering what they had themselves lost before
they attacked others, retook Santa Maria in Castello, and all the places
which Piccinino had occupied. Then, entering the Lucchese territory,
they besieged Camaiore, the inhabitants of which, although faithful
to their rulers, being influenced more by immediate danger than by
attachment to their distant friends, surrendered. In the same manner,
they obtained Massa and Serezana. Toward the end of May they proceeded
in the direction of Lucca, burning the towns, destroying the growing
crops, grain, trees, and vines, driving away the cattle, and leaving
nothing undone to injure the enemy. The Lucchese, finding themselves
abandoned by the duke, and hopeless of defending the open country,
forsook it; entrenched and fortified the city, which they doubted not,
being well garrisoned, they would be able to defend for a time, and
that, in the interim, some event would occur for their relief, as had
been the case during the former wars which the Florentines had carried
on against them. Their only apprehension arose from the fickle minds
of the plebeians, who, becoming weary of the siege, would have more
consideration of their own danger than of other's liberty, and would
thus compel them to submit to some disgraceful and ruinous capitulation.