The Correspondence of Coluccio Salutati (Vol. 1)

as if I had received it in my own person. Besides this, for this same reason, it seems you have had Nello di Giovannino, my brother-in-law, summoned. And this appears to have happened because they were said to have accompanied the one who committed the said homicide; although in truth they were never there, nor did they know anything of it, as I am certain you will be fully informed. And therefore, having regard for their innocence, I pray you as most urgently as I can that for love and favor of me it may please you to proceed kindly to the release of the said Simo, and to provide that the said Nello, for this reason, be burdened neither in person nor in property; for certainly their innocence deserves as much. May it please you, then, in this matter which I reasonably ask, to show in effect that which I am believed to be able to obtain from you. And for the times to come, let the said Simo and Nello be recommended to you as my own person (1). Florence, March 11, 4th indiction.

of June 22; CORAZZINI, op. cit. p. XXII. Drawn on November 21, 1380, as vicar of Valdinievole, he still held this office in April of the following year (cf. State Archives in Florence, Reg. delle tratte, 1379-83, c. 23 B), but in September he was sent as ambassador to the Pope and did not return to his homeland until many months later, in February '82; cf. Delizie cit. XVI, 108; XVIII, 33; Diario d'anon. fior. pp. 430 and 431. During his absence, that reaction of the popolani grassi against the popolo minuto had been prepared, which was to lead to the reform of the government: Francesco was therefore one of those affected by the bans of March and forced to go into exile in Bologna; Delizie cit. XVIII, 54; Diario cit. p. 533. The exile was to last two years; but the hatred of his enemies found a way to prolong it significantly; indeed, in 1387 he was deprived of his offices and confined again; Delizie cit XVIII, 95; Diario cit. p. 470.

It seems probable to me that he decided then to take up residence in Venice, since in the Miss. reg. 22, c. 127 A, I read a letter from the Signoria dated July 7, 1393, "To the judges of the court of examiners of the city of Venice," to certify that the dowry of Monna Dora, wife of Francesco, was fully secured and that nothing could stand in the way of the sale made by him to Nicolò Amidei of a house, located "in your city in the district of S. Apollinaris, for a thousand gold ducats." Two years before, however, in 1391, he had been reinstated to office as before: cf. BORGHINI, Estr. delle provv. in cod. Magliab. XXV, 44, c. 365 A.

(1) Attached to this I have found among the Del Bene papers a short letter by Corrado Salutati, brother of our [author], which, providing new details on the matters discussed here, deserves to be reported. I preserve its quite loose spelling: "My lord. and it shows that you have had sum-"