They summoned the citizens to their aid; they armed hastily, sallied forth in crowds, and thronged about the piazza of the palace.

Meanwhile Cardinal Gian dei Medici had mounted on horseback, and under the impression that the Orsini were coming to the rescue, was riding about the streets of Florence, accompanied by his servants and uttering his battle cry, "Palle, Palle." But times had changed: there was no echo to the cry, and when the cardinal reached the Via dei Calizaioli, a threatening murmur was the only response, and he understood that instead of trying to arouse Florence he had much better get away before the excitement ran too high.
He promptly retired to his own palace, expecting to find there his two brothers, Piero and Giuliano.

But they, under the protection of Orsini and his gendarmes, had made their escape by the Porto San Gallo.

The peril was imminent, and Gian dei Medici wished to follow their example; but wherever he went he was met by a clamour that grew more and more threatening.

At last, as he saw that the danger was constantly increasing, he dismounted from his horse and ran into a house that he found standing open.