political tradition and popular bias the Florentine republic was favorable to France. Charles, annoyed at what had just taken place, showed but slight inclination to enter into negotiation with them; but his wisest advisers represented to him that, in order to accomplish his enterprise and march securely on Naples, he needed the good will of Florence; and the new Florentine authorities promised him the best of receptions in their city. Into it Charles entered on the 17th of November, 1494, at the head of all his army. His reception on the part of officials and populace was really magnificent. Negotiation was resumed. Charles was at first very exacting; the Florentine negotiators protested; one of them, Peter Capponi, “a man of great wits and great courage,” says Guiceiardini, “highly esteemed for those qualities in Florence, and issue of a family which had been very powerful in the republic,” when he heard read the exorbitant conditions proposed to them on the king’s behalf, started up suddenly, took the paper from the secretary’s hands, and tore it up before the king’s eyes, saying, “Since you impose upon us things so dishonorable, have your trumpets sounded, and we will have our bells rung;” and he went forth from the chamber together with his comrades. Charles and his advisers thought better of it; mutual concessions were made; a treaty, concluded on the 25th of November, secured to the King of France a free passage through the whole extent of the republic, and a sum of one hundred and twenty thousand golden florins “to help towards the success of the expedition against Naples;” the commune of Florence engaged to revoke the order putting a price upon the head of Peter de’ Medici as well as confiscating his goods, and not to enforce against him any penalty beyond proscription from the territory; and, the honor as well as the security of both the contracting parties having thus been provided for, Charles VIII. left Florence, and took, with his army, the road towards the Roman States.