And we met with little
better success with Sforza of Santafiora, to whose castle we next repaired,
or yet with the Landi, the Scotti, or Confalonieri. Everywhere the same
spirit of awe was abroad, and the same pusillanimity, content to hug the
little that remained rather than rear its head to demand that which by
right belonged.
So that when the spring came round again, and our mission done, our crusade
preached to hearts that would not be inflamed, we turned our steps once
more towards Pagliano, we were utterly dispirited men--although, for
myself, my despondency was tempered a little by the thought that I was to
see Bianca once more.
Yet before I come to speak of her again, let me have done with these
historical matters in so far as they touched ourselves.
We had left the nobles unresponsive, as you have seen. But soon the
prognostications of the crafty Gonzaga were realized. Soon Farnese,
through his excessive tyranny, stung them out of their apathy. The first
to feel his iron hand were the Pallavicini, whom he stripped of their lands
of Cortemaggiore, taking as hostages Girolamo Pallavicini's wife and
mother. Next he hurled his troops against the dal Verme, forcing Romagnese
to capitulate, and then seeking similarly to reduce their other fief of
Bobbio.
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