The streets were full of detached
parties of Piagnoni, treading ways of peril to their centre, San Marco.
Passions raged and seethed all day, till at the hour of vespers a cry
arose, "_a San Marco_," and thither the multitude--500 Compagnacci, and
300 Palleschi--rushed, armed with picks and arquebusses, &c. They killed
some stray Piagnoni whom they found praying by a shrine, and placed
guards at the streets which led to the convent; then the assault began.
The church was dimly lighted. Savonarola and Fra Domenico kneeled on
the steps of the altar, with many worshippers around them, singing
tremulous hymns; amongst these were Francesco Valori, Ridolfi, and
Baccio della Porta, but all armed, as Cronaca tells us. They still sang
hymns when the doors were attacked with stones; then leaving the
priests and women to pray for them the men rushed to the defence.
Old Valori, with a few brave friends, guarded the door; others made
loop-holes of the windows and fired out; some went up the campanile,
and some on the roof. Baccio fought bravely among the rest.
Pages:
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54