But the popular discontent was now heightened by the arrival of other envoys from Pisa with very unsatisfactory tidings.  They had informed the King that Florence was friendly to him, and already preparing to welcome him with all the honors due to his royalty; they only asked that, being received as a friend, he should bear himself in that light, and deign to name his terms at once, so that free vent might be given to the public joy.  But the only reply Charles condescended to give was that, “Once in the great town, all should be arranged.”  And it was evident from his majesty’s coldness that the solicitations of Piero de’ Medici, his earnest prayers, lavish promises of money, and submissive obedience had turned him not in his favor.  Consequently the ambassadors had to leave without any definite answer, and could only say that the monarch was by no means well disposed to the republic.

But when the foiled envoys had left Pisa, Savonarola repaired to the French camp, and, passing through that great host of armed men, made his way to the King’s presence.  Charles, who was surrounded by his generals, received him very kindly, and thereupon, without wasting much time in preliminaries, the friar, in sonorous and almost commanding accents, addressed him with a short exhortation beginning as follows:  “O most Christian King, thou art an instrument in the hand of the Lord, who sendeth thee to relieve the woes of Italy, as for many years I have foretold; and he sendeth thee to reform the Church, which now lieth prostrate in the dust.  But if thou be not just and merciful; if thou shouldst fail to respect the city of Florence, its women, its citizens, and its liberty; if thou shouldst forget the task the Lord hath sent thee to perform, then will he choose another to fulfil it; his hand shall smite thee, and chastise thee with terrible scourges.  These things say I unto you in the name of the Lord.”  The King and his generals seemed much impressed by Savonarola’s menacing words, and to have full belief in them.  In fact, it was the general feeling of the French that they were divinely guided to fulfil the Lord’s work, and Charles felt a strong veneration for the man who had prophesied his coming and foretold the success of his expedition.  Consequently the friar’s exhortation inspired him with real terror, and also decided him to behave more honorably to the Florentines.  Thus, when Savonarola returned to the city shortly after the other ambassadors, he was the bearer of more satisfactory intelligence.

As the King’s intentions were still unknown, fresh relays of ambassadors were sent out to him.  But meanwhile French officers and men passed the gates in little bands of fifteen or so at a time, and were seen roving about the town unarmed, jaunty, and gallant, bearing pieces of chalk in their hands to mark the houses on which their troops were to be billeted.  While affecting an air of contemptuous indifference, they were unable to hide their amazement at the sight