CHAPTER VII.

LORENZO DE’ MEDICI IN ROME. PRATO AND VOLTERRA.

Accession of Sixtus IV. to the Papal Chair—Congratulatory

Embassy from Florence—Lorenzo accompanies it—Disposition

of the new Pope—Attempted Insurrection in Prato—Bernardo

Nardi—Connection of Volterra with Florence—Alum Pits of

Volterra—Dispute about Leasing the Alum—Intervention of

Florence—Tumult in Volterra—Various Views in Florence—Triumph

of the Reigning Faction—Expedition against Volterra—Its

Capture and Sack—Volterra and Florence—Misery of the

Volterraneans 274