CHAPTER VII.

PREPARATIONS.

Character of the Fieschi family--Gianluigi acquires the friendship of the silk operatives and other plebeians--The Duke of Piacenza selects the count to arbitrate his differences with the Pallavicini--Secret understandings between the count and the duke--Gianluigi puts his castles in a condition for war--Gianettino Doria, to pave the way to supreme power gives Captain Lercaro an order to kill Fieschi--Industry of Verrina--The decisions of history on the merits of Fieschi should be made in view of the political doctrines of the sixteenth century.