CHAP. LVI.
A QUARREL BETWEEN THE ROMANS AND POPE EUGENIUS, WHOM THEY WANTED TO DETAIN AT ROME AGAINST HIS WILL.
At this period, pope Eugenius, who resided at Rome, had an inclination to fix his abode at Florence, which, when known to the Romans, troubled them much. They assembled in great multitudes, and went to the pope to say that he should not depart thence, for that he could be no where better than in Rome, the fountain of Christianity.
The pope and cardinals, perceiving the madness and obstinacy of the people, pretended to give up their intentions of removing: nevertheless the Romans established sufficient guards at all the gates, that they might not depart without their knowledge. However, by means of the beautiful queen of Sicily, who sent the pope some gallies and other vessels, he secretly quitted Rome and went to Florence, to the great vexation of the Romans, who instantly arrested all whom the pope had left behind; and in the number was his nephew, the cardinal of Venice. He afterward escaped, disguised like a monk, and thus equipped travelled alone.