Not long after this occurrence I arrived at Florence, in quality of an agent for the king, having made no stay since I left Burgundy, unless it were two or three days with the Duchess of Savoy, our king’s sister, who received me very graciously.[57] From thence I proceeded to Milan, where I continued two or three days likewise, to solicit supplies for the Florentines, with whom at that time the Milanese were in alliance. The Milanese granted them very freely, because it was their duty, as well as the king’s request, and sent them immediately a reinforcement of three hundred men-at-arms, and afterwards a greater number. In short, the Pope, immediately upon hearing of this tumult in Florence, excommunicated the Florentines[58], and caused his own army, in conjunction with that of the King of Naples, to march against them. The Neapolitan army was numerous, made a fine appearance, and had abundance of brave soldiers in it. They first besieged Castellina[59], not far from Sienna, and took it, with several other places; so that it was a great chance that the Florentines were not utterly ruined, for they had enjoyed a long peace, and were not conscious of their danger. Laurence de Medicis, who was the chief man of that city, was but young[60], and managed by persons of his own years; yet his judgment was of great authority among them. They had but few officers, and their army was but small. The armies of the Pope and King of Naples were commanded in chief by the Duke of Urbin[61], a wise man and a brave commander; with him there were likewise the Lord Robert d’Arimini[62] (who has since become a great man), the Lord Constantine de Pesaro[63], and several other officers, with two of the king’s sons (that is, the Duke of Calabria[64], and Don Frederick[65], both of them still living), and many other persons of quality. They took all places which they besieged, but not with the same expedition as we do in France, for they were not so well skilled in the art of taking or defending a town; but for encamping and supplying their army with provisions, and providing all things necessary for a campaign, they understood that better than we do. The king’s favourable inclination toward them was in some measure serviceable to them; but not so much as I could have wished, for I had no army with which to reinforce them beyond my own retinue. I stayed in Florence and its territories a whole year, and was nobly treated at their expense all the while, and with more civility at last than at first[66]; but being recalled by the king, I returned home. At Milan I received homage of John Galeas[67], Duke of Milan, for the duchy of Genoa; which homage was performed to me for my master by the duke’s mother, in her son’s name. After which I returned to my master, who received me very graciously, and admitted me more freely to his affairs than ever before, permitting me to lie with him, though I was unworthy of