use of the labours of others in order to live in sloth." Mere vituperation of Philip's advisers would not, however, have served his purpose, and Carmagnola artfully suggested to Duke Amadeo certain towns more justly his than Philip's – Asti, Alessandria, and others which it would not be difficult to name. Did ever monarch refuse to listen to such a scheme? None, at least in the fifteenth century. But Amadeo, though sorely tempted, was not strong enough to declare war by himself against the great Duke, into whom, by Carmagnola's help, the once friendless Philip had grown. But the fiery visitor left excitement and commotion behind him when, making his way across a spur of the Pennine Alps by Trent and Treviso (but as secretly as he could while among the mountains, lest the Swiss, whom he had beaten, should hear of his passage and take vengeance), he came to Venice to stir up a still more effectual ferment there.
Whether he was joined by his throe hundred spears – the troop which Philip had attempted to take from him – we are not told; but when he made his offer of service to the Doge and Signoria, we are told that he was accompanied by a similar number; so that there seems little doubt they had hurried out of Genoa after him as soon as his flight was known.
We are now brought within sight of the storm gathering against Milan, which made the Duke's insulting behaviour to his best general look like that madness which smites the man whom the gods mean to ruin. It is possible that some information on the subject of this proposed league was the private news which Carmagnola was so anxious to communicate to Philip, along with the story of his own wrongs and no doubt a consciousness of the impending combination gave his hot expedition to Duke Amadeo a meaning and purpose. Before his arrival at Venice, or rather Treviso, – where, near enough to communicate with the authorities, but not to disturb their deliberations by his presence, he remained while the subject was being discussed, – overtures, or rather supplications from the Florentines, whose very city was hard pressed by Philip's troops, and who felt their sanctuary of greatness and freedom to be in imminent danger, had reached the Venetian Government, and several ambassadors had been sent to Philip to remonstrate and plead for the great rival yet sister city. Rivalships there might be in time of peace and security; but the rulers of Venice regarded " with much gravity, and lamented deeply, the adversity of a free people, determining that whosoever would retain the friendship of Venice should be at peace with Florence." To this effect the ambassadors pleaded, and with apparent success. Philip received them with politeness and seeming acquiescence, but did not stop the advance of his army. The speech of the last of these messengers, which is given by the Venetian chronicler Sabellico, shows with what a high tone the magnificent Signory addressed the neighbouring magnates of Italy. Venetians and Florentines both made short work with the independence of others; but yet there is something noble in the air with which they vindicate their own. The speaker was Paolo Cornaro, a member of one of the greatest families of Venice.
"To the Venetians nothing is more dear than freedom, to the preservation of which they are called by justice, mercy, religion, and every other law, both public and private, counting
