30th May
This is the inquest which the above-mentioned lord captain and judge
and all those [officials] in their courts and offices have made and have
intended to make against Ciuto Brandini of the parish of San Pier
Maggiore of Florence, a man of evil ways, contacts, life, and reputation … Led by the spirit of the devil, without God in mind, and
acting as the enemy of human kind, this Ciuto wished to injure, act
deceitfully, fraudulently, and maliciously. Under the pretext of the
law, this man of evil ways, contacts, life, and reputation committed
illegal acts. He is odious and hateful to Florentine citizens because of
his calls to form an assembly [conventiculas] and for other offensive
changes for the city and commune of Florence. By commanding and
wishing to deceive good and honest men, he negotiated and made
decisions together with many, many others, whom he seduced and
subjugated to his own plans. Ηe was able to gather great numbers of
carders, combers, and other workers in the manufacturing of wool and
to form a certain fraternity [fraternitas] with as many workers as he
could get to join from many parts of the city of Florence. For this
purpose, they had the resources [materia] in turn to meet and to elect
committee members and leaders to organise gatherings and meetings
to bring about easily the worst possible outcome. He subjected,
procured, solicited, and called together meetings on many occasions
and on various days, which assembled a multitude of these said men of
unruly and evil ways. And among other things taking place in these
gatherings and meetings, this Ciuto proposed, arranged, negotiated,
and ordered a collection to be taken among these members in these
An artisan neighbourhood in the northeast of the city.
gatherings and meetings. Everyone who had assembled was to pay a
certain sum of money to strengthen and sustain this iniquitous society
and organisation … In order to achieve this illegal act and many other
such deeds and to resist with words, assaults, and other deeds, they
enacted that this payment [should be paid], thus imposing this tax on
themselves, against each and everyone of good habits to remove and
withdraw [money] from those present and others called to these
iniquitous meetings and organisations conceived to carry out their
plans.
Adding further mischief to these evilest of deeds, he supported similar
actions with heedless daring and wished to attempt even worse deeds
and foster even more poisonous novelties to damage, harm, and waste
the property of the men and persons of the city of Florence and their
peaceful state. These illegal acts, schemes, and commands might have
worked, had the office and troops of the captain [of the people] and
his courts not apprehended and detained him. Because of this, the
revolt, sedition, and disturbance that Ciuto planned could not come to
fruition among the commoners [popolares] and craftsmen of the city
of Florence. Ciuto committed and perpetrated these deeds in May of
this year in the city of Florence, that is, in the church of Santa
Croce…and in the church of the Servites … against the laws, statutes,
and ordinances of the city of Florence and against the good and
pacific state of this city … [The inquest goes on to say that Ciuto di
Brandino confessed to all the charges.]
Με αυτό το κατηγορητήριο οδηγήθηκε στο απόσπασμα στις 30 Μαϊου 1345. Οι σύντροφοι της συνδικαλιστικής του ομάδας οργάνωσαν απεργία απαιτώντας την απελευθέρωσή του αλλά δυστυχώς δεν είχε αποτέλεσμα, καθώς τον κρέμασαν anyway
I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war.
