In The Lion's Sign

Stefano Vignaroli

IN THE LION’S SIGN

The Printer – Third Episode

ISBN

©2019 – 2020 Stefano Vignaroli

©2021 Tektime

All rights of reproduction, distribution and translation are reserved.

The pieces about Jesi’s story have been taken and freely adapted from Giuseppe Luconi’s texts

Illustrations by Prof. Mario Pasquinelli, kindly granted by his legitimate heirs

Website http://www.stedevigna.com

E-mail for contacts stedevigna@gmail.com

Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  EPILOGUE

 AUTHOR’S NOTES

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

Stefano Vignaroli

IN THE LION’S SIGN

The Printer – Third Episode

NOVEL

 PREFACE

In The Lion’s sign concludes the trilogy of Renaissance settings, entitled The Printer, preceded by “The Shadow of the Bell Tower” and “The Bronze Crown”. Protagonists, once again, are the indomitable leaders, the Marquis Andrea Franciolini, and the Countess Lucia Baldeschi, condemned by fate to constantly postpone the wedding, the seal of a great love. And with them, their descendants, the homonymous of nowadays Andrea and Lucia. The unexpected call to arms, which came from the Duke of Urbino on the day of the wedding, forces Andrea to go, through a perilous journey, first to northern Italy and then to the Netherlands, and Lucia takes again the charge of the regency of the city of Jesi and its county. So the narration splits: on one side there is the errant knight and his adventures, studded and enriched by the encounter with historical characters, as in the case of the cunning and ruthless Giovanni Dalle Bande Nere and the rival first and friend then, Duke Franz Vollenweider, mercenary, half trickster and half Lansquenet. On the other hand, Lucia, a caring mother, a lover with intense passions and a pink governess in an era dominated by men, who in the only Bernardino, the printer, finds a shoulder, a confidant and an ally. In the background, the clash between the Emperor Charles V and the Pope with his allies, from the King of France to the various lords of Italian cities, who made and broke alliances with Machiavellianism. Battles, intrigues, love, moonlight Sabbath and, above all, two great mysteries, emerged from the bowels of the earth, from the excavations in the square overlooking the Palazzo della Signoria (the Government Palace) in Jesi, tie and mark the events of the two Lucia and the Andrea of yesterday and today. An ancient codex, wanted and coveted even by Hitler, and an icon, depicting the transverse lion, symbol of the city, disturb dreams, generate anguish and lust for knowledge and lead to action. A fluid prose returns not only the colours, but also the sounds and atmospheres of places and situations and chains the reader to the page, from the first to the last chapter, in a crescendo of interest for the fate of the protagonists. Vignaroli signs a great historical fresco, in a mixture of fantasy and erudition, which worthily seals the last act of a great trilogy.

Marco Torcoletti

 PREMISE

After the first two episodes of the series “The Printer”, here we are at the end, the last episode of the saga dedicated to the Renaissance in Jesi. We left Andrea almost at the point of death, helped by his beloved, hidden in disguise. The plot has then moved to Urbino, but certainly our two heroes, Andrea Franciolini and Lucia Baldeschi, will have to return to Jesi to realize their dream of love. The wedding will have to be a festive and opulent event, and will have to be celebrated by the Bishop of the City of Jesi, Monsignor Piersimone Ghislieri. But are we sure that obscure plots, of destiny and of men, will not be able to hinder for the umpteenth time the union between Andrea and Lucia? The two lovers have found each other again, and not for anything they would want to leave each other again. Andrea finally wants to be a father to his little girl, Laura and, why not, to Lucia’s adopted daughter, Anna.

The girls are fantastic, they are growing up healthy and lively in the country residence of the Counts Baldeschi, and Andrea is enjoying their closeness. But winds of war will once again lead the Captain of Arms of the Royal City of Jesi to the battlefields. And soon to leave the peace and quiet regained. The Lansquenets press the gates of northern Italy and the Duke Della Rovere, in a strange alliance with Giovanni De’ Medici, better known as Giovanni Dalle Bande Nere¹ , will do his best to prevent German soldiers from reaching Florence and even Rome. Avoiding the sacking of the Eternal City in 1527 will not be an easy task, neither for the Duke Della Rovere, nor for Giovanni Dalle Bande Nere, nor for Captain Franciolino de’ Franciolini.

Let us once again follow the events of the characters of the sixteenth century through the discoveries of ancient documents and archaeological finds of the young couple of researchers of our time. Once again, the scholar Lucia Balleani and the archaeologist Andrea Franciolini will take us and guide through the arcane mysteries of Jesi during the Renaissance, among streets, alleys and palaces of an old town centre that, at the gates of the year 2020, begins to burst from the underground ancient and important objects from past eras.

Stefano Vignaroli

 CHAPTER 1

Bernardino, on the threshold of his print shop, which overlooked Via delle Botteghe, at the arch of the ancient Domus Verronum, watched the wedding procession with great satisfaction. At last, after many obstacles and ups and downs, Countess Lucia Baldeschi, on a radiant day in late summer 1523, would join Andrea De’ Franciolini in marriage. In fact, to be precise, with Marquis Franciolino De’ Franciolini, Lord of the Alto Montefeltro and Captain of Arms of the Royal City of Jesi. The procession itself was preceded by drum rolls and trumpet blasts, the exhibition of flag-wavers, the evolutions of the elegant birds of prey launched by skilled falconers, and the parade of the noble families of the various districts of the city, each identified by its banner and the banner of the district to which they belong. The city was a riot of colours. Every street, every alley and every palace was festively decorated. The crisp air of September, as the day progressed towards the midday hours, had allowed the sun to warm the atmosphere in a very unusual way for the season, so much so that many nobles were sweating inside their brocade or velvet dresses. The luckiest were the noblewomen who had chosen to wear cool coloured silk dresses. Bernardino had recognized the members of the most important families of Jesi, not only by the banners, but because he knew their physiognomies well. The Counts Marcelli, the Marquises Honorati, the Amatori, the Amici and the Colocci. All headed towards Piazza San Floriano to attend the religious service presided over by Monsignor Piersimone Ghislieri, a bishop loved by all citizens. After a passage of jugglers and fire-eaters and another carousel of flag-wavers, finally appeared the bride, beautiful, on a horse with a white coat, with a mane hairstyle in fine braids that fell on one side and the other of the elegant neck of the animal. Lucia was wearing a splendid red damask silk gamurra, enriched by floral motifs drawn in light relief embroidery. With a white lace added to the rectangular neckline and the sleeve edges. The dress, up to her feet long, embellished with set buttons and precious gems, tightened at the waist by a finely woven belt, did not allow the bridesmaid to sit on the horse like an amazon, as she was accustomed. Both legs had to be placed on the same side of the horse, making it even more difficult and tiring to maintain balance on the saddle. But Lucia kept a haughty look, holding herself lightly on the reins, without ever looking any citizen in the eye. She allowed herself to be admired, without ever looking back at anyone. Only when she passed by Bernardino, did her face light up and sketched a smile like a greeting to her dear friend and mentor. The printer noticed it and pleased himself. Looking at the Countess Baldeschi with obsequious admiration, he remembered how red was the favourite colour of the brides of the time. Red was the symbol of creative power and, therefore, of fertility, but above all the fabrics of that colour were the most expensive and appreciated. The wedding procession was considered an integral part of the ceremony. Usually it represented a public display of the bride’s family’s wealth, parading through the streets of the city in her precious wedding dress, accompanied by the noble knights of the family. None of this for Lucia Baldeschi, who had not wanted any presumed member of her family around her. Her sober elegance and poise was almost that of a queen who went to the altar to marry her prince. A queen who had always made herself loved by her people for what she was and not for what she wanted to appear. And she would never want appearing differently just because that was a special day. All the citizens of Jesi had learned to love her as a woman with a strong and determined character, but at the same time with a good and kind soul. Bernardino queued for the procession which, shortly afterwards, would arrive on the churchyard of the Church of St. Floriano, where the groom, together with Cardinal Ghislieri, would be waiting for her. There, the wedding ceremony would take place with the exchange of the rings. After that, the bride and groom, celebrants and guests would enter the Church for the celebration itself.

Even if she didn’t show it, Lucia couldn’t stand the anxiety anymore. She couldn’t wait to get off her steed and get closer to her groom, extending her left hand forward, so that he would kiss the hand and hold it into his. But as soon as the white horse set foot in the Square, where the Swabian Emperor was born, it was immediately evident to the bride and all her cohorts that Captain Franciolini was not in his place, under the canopy prepared for this purpose in front of the Church. The Bishop, Cardinal Ghislieri, greeted the young bride with embarrassed arms. It was evident he didn’t know how to report the necessary explanations.

«Duke Della Rovere’s men... Yes, they were the Duke Della Rovere’s men who presented themselves a moment ago. They exchanged a few words with the Marquis and put a sealed envelope in his hand. He read it in the blink of an eye and then, without uttering a word, jumped on his horse and went off on a great career behind those men. Before disappearing, he turned around and shouted, “Excuse me with the Countess, but my person is urgently needed in Mantua!”»

 CHAPTER 2

The fortress of the princes of Carpegna was a safe refuge, thanks to the inaccessibility of the place, perched as it was on a rocky spur, overlooking a village of a few houses on Mount Carpegnia. A couple of months ago in the memorable 27th March 1523, the day when Andrea had been seriously injured during a chivalric tournament by the vile Masio from Cingoli. It was obvious Maso was jealous of his position and hoped for his death, or at least for a serious disability, to get himself in the good graces of the Duke Della Rovere. And he had tried every way he could, but it had gone wrong. Andrea had only learned later that on the same day, on 27 March, Pope Adrian VI had signed the bull that legalized the position of Francesco Maria Della Rovere, confirming in his favour all the individual concessions made by the previous popes and annulling the sentence of Leo X, who assigned the territories of Urbino and Montefeltro to the Medici. The Duke had been reinstated in his position, and his territories had been returned to him, for the annual census of 1340 florins for the Duchy of Urbino, 750 for the city of Pesaro and 100 for Senigallia. Only San Leo and Maiolo, where between January and February 1523 the troops of Giovanni De’ Medici, better known as Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, remained under the rule of the Medici, acting as a buffer between the Feltre and Medici lands.

Andrea had recovered in a very slow way, either because of the serious loss of blood suffered, and because he had been offended again an arm already injured during the sack of Jesi. He had hoped, opening his eyes again after days of agony, to find his beloved Lucia next to him, as happened when he had been injured years before. Instead, the only presence that he felt was a Franciscan friar, who was busy with decoctions and implants, of which Andrea was sure that he ignored the healing properties. Perhaps he had been instructed in this way by the Countess Baldeschi who, not being able to remain beside him, had entrusted his remedies to the friar. In fact, the unmistakable image of Lucia’s eyes, glimpsed through the visor of a concealed visor before losing consciousness, remained printed in his mind. But was he sure? Or was it only his imagination making him to believe it? Yes, the imagination of a person wearing the fear of death, which made him misrepresent reality in favour of concepts benevolent to him. Either way, no matter what happened, he was better off now. His shoulder continued to give him excruciating pain, but it was time to fully recover and the first thing to think about was revenge against Masio. Revenge is a dish best savoured cold. And he had had plenty of time to think about what to do.

He was regaining his strength little by little, and the high plateaus of Mount Carpegna were ideal for quiet and restful rides. There was no danger of ambushes, as the horizon completely uncovered did not allow anyone to sneak in. Therefore, in order to restore the spirit and muscles, Andrea used to saddle a mild mount early in the morning and go out into the pure, crisp air that only the mountain could offer. Every day he felt stronger and more confident, even if his shoulder was still sore. But he clenched his teeth, tried to resist as if nothing had happened, and soon the pains disappeared like snow in the sun. He wished to be healthy again, to reach his beloved and his city as soon as possible, to fulfil his promise of marriage, but also to take over the government of his city. And by virtue of what had been granted him by the Duke Della Rovere, he could demand all this in his own right. He was no longer the simple son of a merchant, however much his captain was appointed by the people of Jesi. Now he was noble, he was a Marquis, with a lot of lands, even if rough mountain lands, and moreover he was in the graces of the Duke of Urbino. Of course, he owed obedience to the latter, but he felt he could return to Jesi in full autonomy. Despite being immersed in these thoughts, he could not help but notice in the distance the cloud of dust raised by a handful of men on horseback coming up along the dirt road leading to the fortress.

He heard in the distance the calls of the sentries from the stands. Although the voices did not seem alarmed, there was a cannon shot warning of the arrival of a potential enemy. Then, the ringing of the bells made Andrea understand that there was no danger, that those men approaching were not in combat gear. When the group began to stand out better, he noticed a horseman with the proudest bearing, on a steed that surpassed all the other railroads in height, ridden by light armour. The colours were that of the Medici.

Giovanni De’ Medici, Andrea said to himself, the famous and notorious Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, or better Ludovico di Giovanni De’ Medici, officially repudiated by his family as the illegitimate son of Giovanni il Popolano, but still strongly tied to it. Why would he have gone so far? Would he have known of my presence? Has he come to challenge me? Will he want to take back the territories of the upper Montefeltro on behalf of his family?

The unexpected arrival worried Andrea a little, also because in a possible clash with the Medici thugs he would have had only a few men in the service of the Counts of Carpegna. And they were little compared to the fame that accompanied the soldiers of fortune of Captain Giovanni dalle Bande Nere. He turned towards the fortress, thinking it was better to confer with the Medici within safe walls and flanked by men he trusted, when he saw that the Counts Carpegna, the brothers Piero and Bono, had gone out of great career and were riding towards him to bring him help. Sure of being protected, he turned towards potential enemies, who had by then come a short distance away from him. Andrea put his hand to the hilt of the sword, secured to the saddle of his mount, clutching it, ready to unseat it at any hint of hostility from the new arrivals. The man famous for his Black Bands raised one arm, signalling his retinue to stop, then with a leap he got off his horse and approached on foot, keeping his arms wide and raised. The gesture was evident and Andrea relaxed, taking his hand off the weapon and getting off the horse in turn. When he was a few steps away from him, the man expressed himself in a deep reverence. Andrea watched him, squeezed him from head to toe, trying to understand why this apparently so mild person had been associated with the reputation of a ruthless warrior. He was a young man, he was about twenty-five years old, his face adorned with a manicured beard, not too long. The hair, dark and cut short, was evident because the captain was not wearing any kind of concealment, and was the outline of a round face with a serene air. The man was not even tall, seen from the ground. He was probably trying to ride tall, mighty animals to overpower those around him. He wore a scorched earth coloured doublet, with the five red balls and the three-pointed lily embroidered on the front, to symbolize loyalty to his family of origin.

«It’s an honour for me to see you here, sir», Andrea said, in turn sketching a bow as a greeting, anxious to know the reason for the unexpected visit. «Now then, may I know what prompted you to move from the stronghold of San Leo, your undisputed bulwark, to the Mount Carpegna, which represents for you a treacherous ground full of perils?»

Giovanni mocked himself and widened his mouth in a smile, then Andrea saw him get closer to him, until he put his hand on his shoulder, almost in a gesture of friendship. From him? From someone he considered an enemy? Did he have to expect to fall into some kind of trap? There was little to trust. Andrea stiffened and the other one lowered his arm, then he started talking.

«I bring good news for you, maybe a little less for me» the Medici said. «The Duke of Urbino has agreed with the new Pope, and...»

«You’re telling me things I already know. The deal with Adrian VI happened two months ago!»

A smile was printed on the lips of the interlocutor again.

«Don’t interrupt me, let me finish. I’m not talking about the Pope who, I think for a little while longer, sits on the papal throne. I speak of the Bishop of Florence, of Julius De’ Medici, who will soon take his rightful place. There are rumours that Adriano Florensz is in very poor health and has a short life. If the good Lord does not call him back to his side, he will have to renounce the office soon. And the papacy will return again to the house of Medici.»

«And you are here to make me believe that my lord, the Duke Della Rovere, who has always been a bitter enemy of the house to which you belong, has already made a secret agreement with the Bishop of Florence, even before having the certainty that he will be elected to the papal throne! Do you think me stupid?»

«Trust me! To show my good faith, I have brought you a gift, which I’m sure will please you.»

With a snap of his fingers, Giovanni beckoned to approach one of the remaining thugs... The latter jumped to the ground and went to lay a large wicker basket next to his lord. Then he bowed in reverence and retraced his steps. The tension could be cut with the knife. Everyone remained silent, even the Counts of Carpegna had stopped at a respectful distance and were waiting for how the events would unfold. The only noise that could be heard was the withering of the banners, which were stretched out under the wind. Giovanni opened the basket and grabbed the macabre contents, showing it to Andrea. A head cut off cleanly from his neck, still dripping blood, his hair entangled between the fingers of the man whose outstretched arm was waving it proudly under his nose. Andrea barely held back a gagging gag, but he recognized to whom that sort of trophy had belonged in life.

«Your worst enemy, Messer Franciolini! Masio da Cingoli. As you can see, I’ve taken the trouble to make sure he doesn’t bother you anymore. You should be grateful!»

«To tell you the truth, I had other intentions about him. I was going to describe the facts to the Duke Della Rovere, in a letter whose contents I already had in mind, calling for a fair trial for this little good. The last of my wishes was to kill him without the intervention of justice. If I had done so, I would have put myself in his shoes. Let it never be said that the Marquis Franciolini is a coward!»

«You could have always challenged him to a duel, but since someone else thought of him, you had saved your honour and you can certainly consider yourself satisfied», and so saying Giovanni dalle Bande Nere threw Masio’s head with contempt on the ground, near Andrea’s feet, resuming his speech immediately, before the latter had a chance to reply. «But there is more, and this is the good news for you. My troops and I are leaving San Leo. Given the terms of the alliance between the Medici and Duke Della Rovere, there is nothing more to fear in these parts. In the coming days, the communities of San Leo and Maiolo will fall under your jurisdiction. Our presence is instead claimed in Brescia. It seems that the Lansquenets have moved from Bolzano and press on the gates of this city. The Gonzaga on the one hand and the Visconti-Sforza on the other, feel themselves in danger, being the bulk of the Venetian forces at the moment engaged in Dalmatia to repel the attacks of the Ottomans. Della Rovere, alone, was unable to stand up to those gangs of bad soldiers, and no one wanted the army of Charles V of Hapsburg to come behind them and threaten cities like Milan, Florence or, worse, Rome. My soldiers of fortune are needed, and our common friend, Francesco Maria, has understood this well!»

If I were not in these conditions, surely the Duke would have summoned me and my men to fight at his side, rather than this bloodthirsty angel-faced man, Andrea said to himself, beware of expressing this thought. But, at the end of the day, perhaps it is better now. Away the Medici, these territories are quiet at the moment and I will be able, as soon as possible, to return to Jesi and marry the Countess Lucia.

He took one last look at Masio’s head, took pity on it, picked it up and put it back inside the basket, closing it with the lid, then turned to Giovanni.

«I am happy for you, Sir Ludovico», and he remarked the voice on this name, aware of how unwelcome it was for the person in front of him to be so called. «I thank you for everything and I wish you good luck.»

Having said this, he turned around, jumped on the horse, reached Piero and Bono, who had remained silent spectators until that moment, and started again at their side towards the fortress, spurring the horse at a fast pace.

«A boaster, there’s nothing to say!», Piero from Carpegna said.

«Yeah!» Bono replied.

«Forget it», Andrea intervened. «He won’t bother us anymore, and that’s what’s important. Rather, retrieve the basket with Masio’s head. I want him to be given a decent burial. I really can’t stand that someone took the trouble to do justice for me, and I don’t want it to be said that I accepted with pleasure the summary execution of that coward. Coward when he was alive and coward remains. But I am no equal to him!»

«And it’s true!», Piero replied again. «You have a noble and generous soul, and we all appreciate it. We’ll provide Masio’s mortal remains are settled. In fact, we’ll also send someone to look for the rest of the body, after Giovanni dalle Bande Nere has left San Leo.»