with a great following of armed youths and disaffected citizens. At last, after many hours of fighting, they forced their way into San Marco and took as prisoners to the palace Fra Girolamo, Fra Domenico, and Fra Silvestro of Florence, who although he did not preach, was one of Fra Girolamo's intimates and was believed to know all his secrets.

When arms had been laid down after this victory, and popular favour and power of government had been transferred to the friar's enemies, they began to concern themselves with consolidating the present state of affairs. As this party did not trust the Ten and the Eight, regarding them as piagnoni (which was the name given to the friar's supporters at that time), they summoned the great council and elected a new Eight and Ten, all men trusted by those in power. Doffo Spini, leader of the Compagnacci, was made one of the Eight, and Benedetto de' Nerli, Piero degli Alberti, Piero Popoleschi, Jacopo Pandolfini and other devoted members of that faction were elected to the Ten. Here one should note that although Messer Guido and Bernardo Rucellai were their leaders, and had more authority and following than any others – and had also secretly directed this revolt against the friar's party – neither of them got in when the Ten were elected. In their own districts they were beaten by Giovanni Canacci and Piero Popoleschi. So that, considering how fallacious the judgment of the people is and how much trouble and danger they had undergone without result, they were understandably more determined to save the citizens of the other party – as we shall presently explain.

About twenty citizens were then entrusted with the task of examining Fra Girolamo and his companions – all of them his direst enemies. Eventually, after they had given him a few drops on the strappado [instrument of torture], without the Pope's permission, a few days later they drew up a document and published in the great council what they said they had extracted from him. This was signed by the vicars of Florence and Fiesole and by some of the principal friars of San Marco in whose presence the document had been read to Fra Girolamo; and when he was asked if it were true, he agreed that what was written down was true. The most important conclusions were to this effect: the things he had predicted he had not had from God or from revelation or any other divine means – they had been his own invention without the participation or knowledge of any other person lay or cleric; he had acted out of pride and ambition, and his purpose had been to provoke a general council of the Christian princes which should depose the Pope and reform the Chruch, and if he had been elected Pope he would have accepted; nevertheless he was much more desirous that the great reform should be carried out by his agency than that he should become Pope, because any man may be Pope – even one of little worth – but only a great man could be author and leader of such an endeavour; he had himself planned that to strengthen the government of the city a gonfalonier of justice should be created for life or for a long period, and he thought Francesco Valori more suitable than anyone else – though he disliked his character and overbearing manners. And after him he preferred Giovan Batista Ridolfi, though he disapproved of his high family connections; he had not proposed the ordeal by fire, but Fra Domenico had done so without his knowledge, and he had consented as he could not honourably withdraw and hoping that the Franciscans would be frightened into giving way; and yet he was sure that, if the ordeal were carried out, the Host borne in his friar's hands would save him. These were the conclusions against him; the rest were rather in his favour, for they showed that apart from pride there had been no vice of any kind in him and that he was absolutely innocent of lust, avarice and such sins. And further, that he had not had any political dealings either with princes abroad or citizens within.

When these proceedings had been published, his punishment was delayed for a few days because the Pope having heard of his arrest and his confession, which were most pleasing to him, had sent his absolution not only to the citizens who had examined him without ecclesiastical licence, but to those who had attended his sermons in defiance of the apostolic order. He had then asked that Fra Girolamo should be sent to Rome. This was refused, as it seemed dishonourable that our city should serve as a gaol. In the end he sent the general of the Dominicans and a certain Messer Romolino, a Spaniard whom he later created cardinal, as apostolic commissioners to Florence to examine Fra Girolamo and his companions. While awaiting their arrival, the Florentines began to deal with the case of the citizens who had been his followers. Although no fault could be discovered in them from Fra Girolamo's examination, nor any conspiracy of theirs against the state, nevertheless the voice of the mob was against them. Besides,