come all the Cittie was in Armes and the Nobilitie made head on this side Arno in three places At the houses of Cauicciulli neare to S. Giouanni at the houses of the Pazzi and Donati in S. Piero Maggiore and at the houses of the Caualcanti in the newe Market The others beyonde Arno fortified the bridges and streetes next to their houses The Nerli at the bridge Caraia The Frescobaldi and Mannelli at S. Trinita The Rossi and Bardi at the olde bridge and the bridge Rubaconte defended themselues The people on the other part vnder the Gonfaloniere della Iustitia the Ensignes of companies assembled themselues Being thus prepared the people thought good no longer to delaie the fight The first that gaue the charge were the Medici and the Rondinegli who assaulted the Cauicciulli in that way which leadeth from the Court before S. Giouanni to their houses There the conflict was great by reason that from the Towers stones were cast downe to the harme of many below others with Crosse-bowes were sore hurt This fight continued three houres and still the people encreased Then the Cauicciulli seeing themselues by the multitude ouermatched and wanting aide yeelded to the people who saued their houses and their goods and tooke from them onely their weapons commanding them to diuide themselues and remaine in the houses of such Commoners as were their kinsfolks and friends This first troupe vanquished the Donati the Pazzi who being of lesse force were easily subdued Then remained only on this side Arno the Caualcanti who by men and the seat of the place were strong Neuerthelesse seeing all the Gonfalonieri against them and knowing the others to haue bene by three Gonfaloni vanquished without any great resistance yeelded Thus were three parts of the Cittie in the hands of the people one part more remained to the Nobilitie which was hard to be wonne by reason of the strength of them which defended it and the seat of the place it being so fortified with the riuer of Arno that the bridges must first of force be surprised which were defended in that sort as is beforesaid The people then knowing that there they laboured in vaine assaied to passe the bridge Rubaconte where finding the like difficultie they left for guard of those two bridges foure Gonfaloni and with the rest assaulted the bridge Caraia Where albeit the Nerli manfully defended themselues yet could they not withstand the furie of the people Both because the bridge wanting towers of defence was weak the Capponi with other populer families also assailed them In so much as being on euery side distressed they retired and gaue place to the people who forthwith likewise vanquished the Rosci by reason that all the people on the farre side of Arno ioyned with the victorious Then the Bardi were onely left whom neither the ouerthrow of others nor the vniting of the people against them nor the small hope they had of rescue could any whit amaze for they did choose rather to die fighting see their houses burnt and their goods spoyled then voluntarily submit themselues to the mercie of their enemies They therefore defended themselues with so great resolution that the people many times in vaine assaulted them both vpon the old bridge and vpon Rubaconte and were with death of many and the hurting of more repulsed There was in times past a lane whereby men passed from the way that leadeth towardes Rome by the house of the Pitti to go vnto S. Giorgio By this way the people sent six Gonfalonieri with commandement to assault the back side of the house of Bardi That assault made the Bardi to loose their hope and occasioned the people to assure themselues of victorie for so soone as those who defended the streetes knew their houses were assaulted they abandoned the fight and ranne to saue them This was the cause that the chaine of the old bridge was lost and that the Bardi on euerie side fled who were by the Quaratesi Panzanesi and Mozzi encountred The people in the meane while chiefly those of basest qualitie being greedie of spoyle sacked their houses razed their Towers and burned them with so great furie that euen he that is most foe to the Florentine name would haue bene ashamed to behold so great a crueltie The Nobilitie thus oppressed the people ordeined a gouernment And because the Cittizens were diuided into three sorts that is to say great men meane men and base men It was ordered that of the great men there should be two Senators of the meane men three and of the basest men three Also the Gonfalonieri should sometime be of the one and sometime of the other sort Moreouer the ordinances of Iustice against the Nobilitie were confirmed And to make the Nobilitie weaker they tooke some of that number and mixed them with the populer multitude This ruine of the Nobilitie was great and so much weakened their faction as after that time they durst neuer take armes against the people but continually remained poore and abiect of minde which was the occasion that Florence became spoyled not onely of armes but also of all generositie After this ruine the citie continued quiet till the yeare 1353. In which time happened that memorable plague whereof Giouan Boccacio with great eloquence hath written Of which died in Florence 96. thousand persons The Florentines made then the first warre with the Visconti occasioned by the ambition of the Archbishop then Prince of Milan That warre being ended beganne suddeinly new factions within the Citie And albeit the Nobilitie was destroyed yet fortune found meanes to raise vp new diuisions and new troubles The ende of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE THE greeuous and naturall enimities betwixt the people and Nobilitie through desire of the one to commaund and the other not to obey are causes of all euils which happen in euerie citie For of the diuersitie of these humours all other things which disturbe Common weales doo take their nutriment This was that which held Rome disunited And this if we may compare small matters to great was that which continued Florence diuided Notwithstanding in those two cities the diuisions did bring forth two sundrie effects For the enimitie of the people and Nobilitie in Rome was at the beginning ended by disputation but the diuision of the people and Nobilitie of Florence was with sword and slaughter determined That of Rome by lawe but that of Florence by exile and death of many Citizens was ended That of Rome did alwaies encrease the vertue militarie but that of Florence vtterly extinguished the same That of Rome from an equalitie of the Citizens to a great disequalitie reduced the citie but that of Florence frō disequalitie to a maruellous equalitie was changed Which diuersitie of effects must of force be occasioned by the diuerse ends which these two people had For the people of Rome desired not more then to participate the soueraigne honours with the Nobilitie
rather for his mercie then their merits To which excuses the Pope answered with great pride and anger reprouing them of all things done against the church notwithstāding for Gods sake he was pleased to grant them the pardō they desired yet therwith affirming they were to obey him if they shal faile of obedience their libertie which now should haue bin lost shall then be iustly taken from thē For they deserue libertie who take in hand good actions not they that in euil enterprises employ themselues Because libertie abused offendeth it self and others Also to esteem God litle the church lesse is not the office of good mē but of vain persons enclined to euil The correction of whō apperteineth not onely to Princes but to euery christian so as they were for matters passed to blame their own euil doings which was the first occasion of war by their worse doings it was norished But all anger was now extinguished rather by the goodnes of others thē their own deserts After publication of the peace the Popes blessing was read Whereunto his holinesse by word of mouth added that if they would enioy the benifit of his benediction they should during the Turks war in the kingdom maintein at their charge 15. gallies wel paid The Embassadors complained much of this burdē imposed ouer and aboue the contract Yet by no meanes they could make or by any lamentation they vsed the Pope would diminish any part of that penance But the Embassadors being returned to Florence the Senate for confirmation of this peace sent Embassador to the Pope Guidantonio Vespucci who was lately ariued frō France He by his wisdom brought all matters vnto reasonable termes obteined many fauours of the Pope which was a token of greater reconciliatiō The Florentines hauing ended their busines with the Pope and Siena with themselues being deliuered from feare of the King by the departure of the Duke of Calauria and the Turkes warre continuing constrained the King to restore all the Castles which the Duke of Calauria at his departure left in the handes of the Sanesi Wherby that King hoped that the Florentines in so great necessitie would not shrincke from him or by moouing of warre against the Sanesi impeach the aide which hee hoped of from the Pope and other Italian Princes And therefore was content that the Castles should bee restored and bound the Florentines by a new obligation So as thereby we see that force and necessitie but not writings or obligations do make Princes to obserue their faith The Castles thus receiued and the new confederacie made Lorenzo di Medici recouered that reputation which the warre first and after the peace when the King was feared had taken from him For there wanted not those that openly slaundered him and said that for sauing himselfe he had sould his countrey and that by the warre they lost their townes and by the peace they should lose their libertie But the townes recouered an honorable peace made with the King and the Cittie returned to the auncient reputation For in Florence a Cittie free of speech and therein matters iudged by their successe and not by counsell the case was altered and Lorenzo commended to the skies euerie man saying that he with his wisedome had found meanes to recouer that by peace which euill fortune had taken from them in warre and that his counsell and iudgement had preuailed more then the enemies armes or their money The assault of the Turks had deferred that warre which by offence of the Pope and Venetians would haue bene moued But as the beginning of that assault was vnlooked for and occasion of much good so was the end thereof vnlooked for and the cause of much euill for Mahumetto great Turke beyond all expectation died and discord growing betwixt his sonnes those Turks that were in Puglia being abandoned of their Lord by composition yeelded Ottranto to the King This feare remoued which held the Pope and Venetians firme euery man doubted new tumults On the one side the Pope and the Venetians were in league and with them the Genouesi Sanesi and other lesse Potentates On the other were the Florentines the King and the Duke with whome the Bolognesi and many other Lords ioyned The Venetians desired to become Lords of Farrara supposing they had reasonable occasion to begin that enterprise and certaine hope to performe it The occasion was bicause the Marquesse affirmed he was no longer bound to receiue the Visdomine and their salte bicause the contract was that after seauentie yeares the Cittie should be disburthened of those charges The Venetians to the contrarie answered that so long as he did hold the Polesine so long he ought to receiue the Visdomine and the salte But the Marquesse not consenting thereto the Venetians thought they had iust occasion to take armes and time fit for the same seeing the Pope much offended with the Florentines and the King whose fauour they hoped the rather to haue bicause the Earle Girolamo being at Venice was there receiued most honorablie and the Venetians bestowed on him the title of a Gentleman of that state which is the greatest token of honor which they will or can giue They had also for preparation of the warres imposed a new Subsidie and chosen Roberto de Sanseuerino for their Generall who being offended with Lodouico Gouernour of Milan was fled to Tortona and there hauing made some tumults went to Genoua from thence he was called by the Venetians and made Chiefetaine of their armie These preparations and new motions being knowne to those of the contrarie league was the cause that they also prepared for the warre The Duke of Milan made Federigo Lord of Vrbino his Generall and the Florentines Costanzo de Pesaro Also to sound the disposition of the Pope and to discouer whether the Venetians with his consent did make the warre against Farrara the King Ferrando sent Alfonso Duke of Calauria with his armie to the riuer of Tronto and there desired leaue of the Pope to passe into Lombardy to aide the Marquesse which was by the Pope vtterly denied Whereupon the King and the Florentines being resolued thought to constraine him by force so as thereby he should either become their friend or at the least they would so trouble him as he could not be able to aide the Venetians for they were in the field and had alreadie begun the warre with the Marquesse spoyled his countreys and besieged Figarolo a Castle of much importance for the countrey of that Prince Thus the King and the Florentines determined to assaile the Pope Alfonso Duke of Calauria spoiled the countrey towards Rome and with aide of the Colonni who were on his side bicause the Orsini were ioyned with the Pope did great dammage to that countrey on the other side of Rome The Florentines on the other side vnder Nicholo Vitelli assaulted the Cittie of Castello surprized it and draue out Lorenzo who kept that
their religion their tounge their apparrell and their names All which things nay any one of them considered vnseene would moue the hardest heart to cōpassion At that time many cities were ouerthrowen many begun many enlarged Among those that were ruined were Aquilegia Luni Chiusi Popolonia Fiesole and others Of those which were buylt new were Vinegia Siena Ferrara Aquila and other townes and castels which for breuitie I omit Those which of small Cities became great were Fiorenza Genoua Pisa Milan Napoli and Bologna to the which may be ioyned the ruine and repaire of Rome with diuerse others Citties in like sort defaced and after amended Among these ruines and these new people there grewe vp new languages since that time vsed in France Spaine and Italy which mixed with the ancient tongues of those Countries and the Romane speech haue framed languages neuer before time knowen The names also of those Prouinces riuers lakes seas and men were vtterly changed For France Italy and Spayne be full of new names from the olde farre differing as appeareth omitting many others The riuers of Po Garda and the Archipelago which are names diuers from those of auncient time vsed Men likewise commonly in those dayes called Caesari Pompei and such like are new baptized Peter Mathew and so forth But among so many variations the chaunge of Religion was not the least for those of the ancient faith contending with the miracles of the new wrought among men occasion of great discord but had the christian Religion bene vnited the disorders had not bene so great For the Greeke church the Romane church and the church of Rauenna contended one against the other Besides them many other differents arose among the christian people into many opinions diuided the world An example whereof was Affrica which suffered more affliction by reason of the opinion of Arius which the Vandoli beleeued then by any other cause either of their couetousnes or naturall crueltie During the multitudes of these miseries euerie man beare as it were in his face the markes of his discontented mind For besides the manifold mischiefes by them endured the greater number wanted the knowledge of God by whome all creatures hope to be comforted For the most of those people being ignorant of the true God wanting helpe and hope most miserably dyed Thus it appeareth that Theodorico deserued no small commendation being the first that appeased so many troubles For within these 28. yeares which he reigned in Italy he reduced it to so great order and honour as the markes of miserie were scantly perceiued But he being dead and leauing Atalarico for king who was the sonne of Amalasciunta his daughter Italy in short space returned to the former disorders For Attalarico shortly after his graundfather died left the gouernment to his mother and she making Theodato her minister in the gouernment was by him betraied Theodato by this meane made King became odious to the Ostrogotti and Iustiniano the Emperour hoped the rather to driue him from Italy To performe that enterprise he deputed Bellisario to be his Lieftenaunt who had alreadie conquered Affrica and chasing from thence the Vandoli reduced the same to obedience of the Empyre Bellisario also conquered Sicilia from thence passed into Italy where he surprized Napoli and Rome The Gotti receiuing these ouerthrowes killed their king Theodato as the cheife occasion of their misaduenture In his place was chosen Vitigete who after a few conflicts was by Bellisario besieged and in Rauenna takē Then was Bellisario before he had performed the whole victorie by Iustiniano reuoked to his charge were appointed Giouanni and Vitale men both for vertue and conuersation farre inferiour wherfore the Gotti tooke heart and created a king called Ildouado who was at that time Gouernour of Verona After him being within a few daies slaine Totila aspired to the kingdome and distressed the Emperours armie recouered Toscana and Napoli and brought vnder his obedience well neare all those states which Bellisario had gotten Wherfore Iustiniano thought good to send him again into Italy who being come thither with smal forces rather lost the reputation he had gotten before then encreased the same For Totila as it were before the face of Bellisario who was then with his armie at Hostia besieged Rome and tooke it Then considering with him selfe that he could neither hold it nor leaue it without daunger he razed the greatest part of the Citie driuing the people from thence and leading away the Senatours as prisoners which Bellisario little regarding marched with his armie vnto Calauria to meete there with souldiers sent in his aide from Greece Thus Bellisario seeing Rome abandoned determined with him selfe an honourable enterprise and entering into the ruines of Rome with what speed he possibly could repaired the walles of the citie called home the inhabitants But fortune as it seemeth enemie to so laudable an atempt apposed her selfe For Iustiniano the Emperour at the same time happened to be assaulted by the Parthi and for that cause called home Bellisario hee to obey his master lest Italy at the discretion of Tottila who anew possessed Rome but not with so great crueltie as he had before time there vsed For being entreated by S. Benedetto of whome in those daies there was holden a great opinion of holines he endeuoured him selfe rather to amend then marre that citie In this meane while Iustiniano had concluded a peace with the Parthi intending to send a new supply into Italy was empeached to performe that intent by a new people of the North called Sclaui who hauing passed Danubio assailed Illiria and Thracia so as by that meanes Tottila got into his hands all Italy But so soone as Iustiniano had suppressed the Sclaui he sent thither his armie conducted by Narsete an Eunuch who distressed the forces of Tottila slew him with the remaine of the Gotti After that ouerthrow retired to Pauia where they created Teia for their King Narsete on the other side after this victorie surprized Rome and at the last fought with Teia not farre from the cittie of Nocera slew him and vanquished his armie By meane of which victorie the name of Gotti in Italy was clearely extirped hauing there remained from the reigne of Theodorico vnto Teia their Kings threescore and ten yeares But so soone as Italy was deliuered from the Gotti Iustiniano died leauing Iustino his sonne to succeed him who through counsell of Sophia his mother reuoked Narsete from Italy in his place sent Longino his sonne thither This Longino following the order of his predecessors inhabited Rauenna setled in Italy a new fourme of gouernment appointing no Gouernours of Prouinces as did the Gotti but created in euerie cittie and towne of importance a Chieftaine whome he called Duke In which diuision he allotted no more honour to Rome then to other townes because he tooke from thence the Consuls and Senate which names till
disaduantage The Legate returning to Rome and hearing the troubles that were begunne in Florence perswaded the Pope that for the vniting of that Cittie it was necessarie for him to send thither for twelue principall Cittizens whereby the roote of the mischiefe remoued it should be the more easie to quench the same This Councell was by the Pope allowed and the Citizens sent for appeared Amongst whom was Corso Donati When these Cittizens were absent the Legate wrote vnto the Rebels that the chiefe of the Cittizens were from home and therefore the time serued well for them to returne vnto Florence Which encouragement being receiued they assembled their forces and came to the Cittie entering where the walles were not fully finished and passed forward till they came to the Piazza di Saint Giouanni It was a thing notable to see how those cittizens who had lately fought for the Rebelles so long as disarmed they desired reuocation beeing now armed and forcing the citie became their enemies and tooke armes against them So much the common good was by those Cittizens esteemed and preferred before priuate friendship Wherefore they vniting themselues with all the people enforced the rebels to depart and returne from whence they came This enterprise had no successe both because the banished men had left part of their forces at Lastria and for not hauing tarried the comming of Tolosetto Vbarti who should haue come from Pistoia with three hundreth men But they imagined that expedition should haue preuailed more then force as often in like cases it so happeneth that delaies do hinder occasion and haste wanteth force The Rebels being gone back Florence returned to the wonted diuisions Then to take authoritie from the house of Caualcanti the people by force remoued them from possession of the Castle called Le Stinche seated in the vale of Greue aunciently belonging thereto And because the souldiers therein taken were the first that were put into that prison newly builded that prison euer after was called Le Stinche by the name of the Castle from whence the prisoners came Also those that were chiefe of the Common-weale renewed the companies of the people and gaue them Ensignes as had bene before ordered making Gonfalonieri of the misteries calling them Colleggio di Signori They ordeined also that the Senate should reforme all disorders in time of warre by Armes and in time of peace by Counsell They ioyned vnto the two old Rettori one Essecutore who togither with the Gonfalonieri should reforme the insolencie of the great men In the meane time died the Pope and Corso with other Cittizens was returned from Rome The Cittie should then haue continued quiet had it not bene with the vnquietnesse of Corso anew disturbed He to gaine himselfe reputation euer vsed to hold opinion contrarie to men of most authoritie and wherunto he found the people enclined to gaine their fauour that way he directed his authoritie Whereby he made himselfe head of all new opinions and to him resorted all those who sought to obteine any thing by extraordinary meane For that cause many great Citizens did hate him which hatred encreased so much as the faction of Neri came to open diuision because Corso imployed priuate forces and such as were enemies to the state Notwithstanding so great was the authoritie of his person and presence that euerie man feared him yet to winne from him the populer fauour as by such kinde of meanes might easily be done a brute was put foorth that he went about to tyrannize the citie which was easily beleeued because his maner of liuing did in troth surpasse the charge of ciuil expence That opiniō was encreased greatly after he tooke to wife the daughter of Vguccione della Faggiola chiefe of the faction Ghibilini Bianca in Toscana most mightie This alliance come to knowledge the aduerse part tooke Armes and the people for the same occasion refused to defend him the chiefest of them ioyning with his enemies The greatest of his aduersaries were Rosso della Tosa Pazzino de Pazzi Geri Spini and Berto Brunelleschi they with their followers and the greater part of the people assembled themselues armed at the foote of the Pallace of the Signori By whose order an accusation was preferred to Piero Brancha Captain of the people against Corso Donati for that he with the aide of Vguccione sought to make himselfe a tyrant Then was he cited to appeare and after for contumacie iudged a Rebell Betwixt his accusation the iudgement pronounced was not longer time then two houres This sentence giuen the companies of the people vnder their Ensignes marched towards him Corso on the other side was not dismaied though he were abandoned by many his friends nor for the sentence pronounced nor yet with the authoritie of the Senators nor the multitude of his enemies but fortified his house hoping there to defend himselfe till he were rescued by Vguccione for whom he had sent All his houses all the waies vnto them were fortified made close and within many of his faction to defend them So that the people though in great numbers come thither could not enter The conflict was great many slaine and many hurt of either side And the people seeing that by those wayes they could not preuaile brake the houses of his neighbours and by that deuise not mistrusted did enter Corso then seeing himselfe beset with enemies and no longer trusting to the helpe of Vguccione resolued to see what meane he could finde to saue himselfe sith of victorie hee vtterly dispaired Then with Gherardo Bondini and many others his most valiant and faithfull friends he charged his enemies with so great furie as he brake them and made way to passe through to the gate of the Citie where they got out Yet were they still pursued Gherardo vpon the bridge Affrico was by Bocaccio Cauicciuoli slaine Corso also was taken at Bouezano by certaine horsemen belonging to the Senate Notwithstanding beeing brought towardes Florence hating the sight of his enemies and the glorie of their victorie he fell from his horse and was by one of them which ledde him there murthered The bodie was after taken vp by the Monkes of S. Salui and without any honor by them buried This was the end of Corso Donati vnto whom his country the faction of Neri for many deeds both good and bad must acknowledge it selfe beholding But had his disposition mind bene more quiet the memorie of him had deserued great honour For indeed he was a Citizen so rare as had at any time before bene seene in our citie Yet true it is that his factious mind bereft him of that honour which by his country and confederates was due and in the end procured his owne death with many other misaduentures Vguccione comming to the rescue of his sonne in law arriued at Remoli heard there that Corso was by the people taken Wherupon knowing that he could by no means then
and money with honourable titles to bee giuen them Wherupon the one part of them went from place to place feasting and triumphing and the other part with great pompe receiued the triumphers When fame had dispersed abroad the new principallitie of the Duke many of the French Nation came vnto him And hee to euerie one of them as men most to be trusted gaue countenance and enterteinment So that Florence within short space was not onely subiect to the French men but also to their factions and apparrell Because both men and women without respect of shame did followe them But aboue all things that displeased was the violence which he and his without respect vsed to the women The Citizens liued then with great indignation seeing the maiestie of their state ruined their ordinances broken their lawes disanulled honest life corrupted and all ciuill modestie extinguished For the Citizens not accustomed to see any regall pompe could not without sorrow behold the Duke amidst his guardes of armed men both on foote and horsebacke for so with their owne shame they were forced to honour him whome they most hated Whereunto might be ioyned the feare and death of many Citizens and the continuall exactions wherewith he impouerished and consumed the citie All which indignations and feares were well inough knowne to the Duke yet would he not be thought to mistrust any thing but shew himselfe as though he were beloued of all men For it happened that Matteo di Moroso either to gratifie him or acquite himselfe of danger reuealed a conspiracie practised by the house of Medici and some others The Duke enformed therof did not onely not examine the cause but also caused Matteo most miserably to be put to death By which doing he tooke courage from all those that would tell him anie thing for his good and encouraged others that went about his ruine He caused also with great crueltie the tongue of Bettone Cini to be cut off who after therof died And this punishment was done because Bettone had found fault with the exactions laid vpon the Cittizens These cruelties encreased offence in the people with their hatred to the Duke because that citie which was accustomed freely to do and speake all things could not endure to haue their hands tied and their mouthes closed These offences and this hatred grew to that ripenesse as mooued not onely the Florentines who could neither maintaine their freedome nor suffer seruitude but euen the most seruile people of the world to recouer libertie And therupoÌ„ many citizens of all estates resolued with the losse of their liues to recouer their libertie lost Then practised they three sorts of conspiracies the one among the Nobilitie the second among the people the third among the artificers These conspiracies besides the general respect were for particuler reasons willingly taken in hand The great men desired to recouer authoritie The people were sorrowfull for hauing lost the gouernment And the Artificers found their trades and earning of money to be decaied At that time Agnolo Acciaiuoli was Archbishop of Florence who in his Sermons and otherwise had extolled the actions of the Duke and done him great fauour among the people But afterwards seeing him Prince and knowing his tyrannous proceedings knew how much he had deceiued his country and therefore to make amendes of that faulte determined that the hande which had made the wound should also cure it Wherefore he became head of the first and greatest conspiracie wherein were the Bardi Rossi Frescobaldi Scali Altouiti Malagotti Strozzi and Mancini The chiefe of the second conspiracie were Manno and Corso Donati and with them the Pazzi Cauicciulli Cherchi and Albici The principall of the third conspiracie was Antonio Adimari and with him the Medici Bordini Ruccelai Aldobrandini whose intent was to haue slaine the Duke in the house of Albezi whither as they thought he intended to go vpon Midsomer day to behold the running of horses But thither he went not and therfore that enterprise became frustrate Then they ment to assault him walking in the citie but that seemed haâ—d to do because he was well accompanied and alwaies armed therewith also euerie day changed his walke so as they knew not in what place certaine to wait for him It was likewise the opinion of some that the best were to kill him in the Councell and yet that were hazardous for though he were slaine the conspirators should be at the discretion of his forces During that the conspirators communed of these matters Anthonio Adimari discouered the matter to some of his friends of Siena whose aide hee hoped of and tolde them the names of some conspirators saying that the whole Citie was bent to recouer libertie Then one of them imparted his knowledge to Francesco Brunelleschi not with intent the practise should be laid open but supposing that hee also had bene of the same conspiracie Francesco either for feare of himselfe or for the hatred he bare towards some other reuealed all to the Duke and presently Pagolo del Mazecchia and Simon da Mantezappoli were apprehended Who detecting the qualitie and quantitie of the conspirators did thereby much amaze the Duke and was therefore counselled rather to send for them then arrest them For if they fled then he might without his owne dishonour by their banishment assure himselfe The Duke therefore caused Antonio Adimari to be called who trusting to his companions presently appeared Adimari being staied the Duke was aduised by Francescho Brunelleschi and Vguccione Buondelmonti to search the Citie and kill so many as could be taken But that the Duke thought not good supposing his forces not sufficient to encounter so many enemies and therefore proceeded an other way which hauing taken effect should both haue assured him of the enemies and also gained him strength The Duke was accustomed at occasions to assemble the Citizens and to take their counsell Hauing therefore sent out to assemble the people he made a bill of three hundreth Citizens names and caused his Serieants vnder colour of councelling with them to warne them to appeare and being appeared he intended either to kill them or imprison them The apprehension of Antonio Adimari and the sending for other Citizens which could not be secretly done did greatly dismay euery man but most of all those that knew themselues guiltie Insomuch as men of greatest courage would not obey him And because manie had read the bill wherin one saw an others name the one encouraged the other to take armes and chose rather to die like men then as Calues to be led to the butchery By this means within an houre all the three conspiracies became knowne one vnto the other and determined the day following which was the twentie sixt of Iuly in the yeare 1343. to raise a tumult in the olde Market place there to arme themselues and call the people to libertie The next day about high noone according to appointment euerie man tooke armes
libertie of them as with their owne Then sent they Embassadors to Arezzo to renounce all their gouernment and interest in that citie make a league with the Citizens there To this end that sith they could not haue their aide as subiects yet they might haue it as friends with other townes they likewise practised to continue them in friendship This counsell wisely taken had happie successe because Arezzo after a fewe yeares returned vnder the gouernment of Florence the other townes within a fewe moneths came to their auncient obedience Whereof may be conceiued that many times things fled or not desired are with lesse perill and smaller charge obteined then if the same had bene by extreame trauell great force followed All things thus setled abroad they turned their studie to deale with matters within and after some disputations betweene the great and populer Citizens they agreed that the great men should haue a third part in the Senate in the ther offices the halfe The citie as hath bene beforesaid was diuided into six parts so that one of the Senators was appointed to euery sixt part vnlesse vpon some accident twelue or thirteene were created but shortly after they were reduced againe to the number of sixe It was therefore thought good to reforme the gouernment in this point as well for the euill distribution of the parts as because they intended to deliuer charge of the gates to the great Cittizens it was necessarie to encrease the number of the Senators Therfore the citie was againe diuided into quarters allotting to euerie quarter three Senators leauing out the Gonfaloniere Della Iustitia and the Gonfalonieri of companies And in lieu of the twelue Buoni Homini they created eight Councellours of either sort foure This gouernment with this order setled would haue continued quiet if the great citizens had bene content to liue with that modestie that to a ciuill life apperteined but they followed a course cleane contrarie For when they were priuate they would no companions and being in authoritie ruled as Lordes So as euerie day some proofe of their insolencie and pride was seene which thing greatly displeased the people supposing that in place of one tyrant sent away there was growne vp a thousand The insolencie of the one part and the offence of the other grew to that greatnesse that the heads of the people did expostulate vnto the Bishop the dishonestie of the great men who were not by anie meanes content to liue like companions and neighbours And therefore perswaded him to finde meanes that the great Cittizens might be contented with the meane offices and that the Magistracie of the Senate should be onely left to them The Bishoppe was naturally good but easily perswaded to alter opinion which was the cause that by perswasion of his companions he first fauoured the Duke of Athene and shortly after by the counsell of other Citizens conspired against him So now he seemed in reformation of the state first to fauour the great men and after to allow better of the people moued by those reasons which the populer Citizens had tolde him He therefore supposing to find as small constancie in others as in himselfe perswaded betwixt them a composition Then he assembled the foureteene who yet continued in their authoritie perswaded them to yeeld the office of Senate to the people alleadging that would be the quiet of the citie and the deniall the ruine thereof These words did greatly chaunge the mindes of the great men and Ridolpho de Bardi with bitter words reproued the Bishop calling him a man not to be trusted laying before him the friendship which he entered with the Duke vnaduisedly and how he banished him afterwardes traiterously And in conclusion he said that those honours which they with their perill had gotten with their perill should be defended Thus being diuided from the Bishop he his companie tooke leaue and went vnto others of their consort imparting the matter to all the Noble houses in the Cittie The people likewise brake their mindes to such as were men of their condition While the great men prepared themselues to the defence of their Senators the people thought good to be also readie and suddeinly ranne vnto the Pallace armed crying aloud and requiring that the great Citizens should renounce the Magistracie The rumour and tumult was great and the Senators found themselues abandoned because all the people beeing armed the great Cittizens durst not take armes but euerie one remained in his owne house By meane whereof the new Senators appointed by the people first appeased the tumult and then gaue knowledge thereof saying that their companions were modest and good men and that they were faine for auoyding a worse inconuenience to take this course so sent home the other Senators safe to their houses The great Citizens thus remooued from the Pallace the office was also taken away from the foure great Counsellours In whose place they appointed twelue of the people with the eight Senators that remained They created one Gonfaloniere de Iustitia sixteene Gonfalonieri of the people They also reformed the Councels so as all the gouernment remained at the discretion of the people At such time as these things happened there was great dearth in the citie by meanes whereof both great Citizens and the basest sort of people became discontented These for hunger and those for hauing lost their authoritie which occasion made Andrea Strozzi to imagine that it were possible for him to vsurpe the libertie of the citie He perswaded with that imagination solde his corne much better cheape then others by meanes whereof many people resorted vnto his house And one morning hee mounted on horsebacke being followed by some of them tooke courage to call the people to armes which done within lesse then one houre foure thousand people were assembled with whom he went to the Senate desiring the Pallace might be opened for him But the Senators with threatnings and force sent him from thence and after with proclamations so terrified him that by litle and litle euerie man returned to his house So as Andrea being left alone could scantly flie and saue himselfe from the Magistrates This attempt although it were vnaduised and had such successe as commonly all others like thereunto haue yet did the same giue hope vnto the Nobilitie that they might easily oppresse the people seeing the poorest sort misliked them For not loosing this opportunitie they determined to arme themselues with all sorts of aide and recouer that reasonably which vniustly and by force had bene taken from them The assured hope they had conceiued of successe in this enterprise grew so great that openly they prouided armes fortified their houses and sent to their friends in Lombardy The people on the other side togither with the Senate made their prouision and arming them sent to the Sanesi and Perugini for aide The assistaunce of the one and the other beeing
til the yeare 1366. more then two hundreth Citizens were admonished By this mean the Captaines faction of Guelfi were become mightie because euery man fearing to be admonished honoured them The chief of them were Piero delli Albizi Lapo d◠Castiglionichio and Piero Strozzi And albeit this insolent order of proceeding displeased many yet the Ricci were of all other most discontented For they supposing themselues to be the occasion of this disorder saw the common weale ruined the Albizi their enemies contrary to expectation become of most authoritie Wherfore Vguccione de Ricci being one of the Senate desired to staie this mischiefe whereof he his friends were the beginners and by a new law he prouided that the six captains should be encreased to the number of nine of whom two should be of the smal misteries And ordeined moreouer that the detection of the Ghibilini should be by 24. Citizens of the sect of Guelfi confirmed This ordinance for the time qualified the authoritie of the Captaines so as the admonishment grew colde And if anie happened to be admonished they were not manie Notwithstanding the factions of Albizi and Ricci continued and the leagues practises and resolutions deuised in hatred one of the other did proceed In this vnquietnesse the citie liued from the yeare 1366. till 1371. In which time the Guelfi recouered their forces There was in the family of Buondelmonti one Gentleman called Benchi who for his merit in the warre against the Pisani was made one of the people and thereby become capable of the office of the Senate And when he looked to be chosen to that honour a lawe was made that no Gentleman become one of the people might exercise the office of the Senate This greatly offended Benchi wherefore consulting with Piero delli Albizi determined with the admonition to oppresse the meaner sort of the people and the rest alone to enioy the gouernment Then through the fauour which Benchi had with the olde Nobilitie and through the affection of manie of moste mightie people borne to Piero the faction of Guelfi recouered some force and with new reformation they handled the matter so that they might both of the Captaines and the twentie foure Cittizens dispose as themselues thought good Wherevppon they returned to admonish more boldlie then they were woont and the house of Albizi as head of this secte still encreased On the other side the Ricci failed not by their owne force and friendes to hinder their enterprises all they were able so that all men liued in suspition and euerie one mistrusted his owne ruine For which cause manie Cittizens mooued with the loue of their Countrey assembled themselues in Saint Pietro Sceraggio and reasoning of these disorders went to the Senators vnto whome one of most authoritie spake thus Wee haue my Lordes doubted although for a publique occasion to assemble our selues by priuate consent fearing to be noted for presumptuous or condemned as ambitious Yet considering that euerie day without respect manie Cittizens conferre both in the streetes and in their houses not for anie common commoditie but their owne ambition we do hope that as they haue come togithers for the ruine of the Common weale so it shall not be offensiue that we consult by what meane the same might be preserued Neither is there cause why we should regard them seeing they of vs make none estimation at all The loue my Lordes which we beare to our Countrey did first bring vs togither and the same also hath ledde vs hither to intreate of these inconueniences which are now great and daily encrease in this our Common weale In the redresse whereof we offer our selues to assist you And albeit the enterprise do seeme hard yet may it be performed if it shall like your Lordships to laie by all priuate respects and with publique forces imploy your authorities The common corruption of other Citties of Italy doth also corrupt ours For sith this Prouince was drawne vnder the Empire all Cities wanting Gouernours able to rule them haue gouerned themselues not as free but as townes into sects and faction diuided Out of this be sprung vp al other discords that are to be found First among the Citizens there is neither vnion nor friendship but onely among such as haue against their countrey or priuate persons conspired some lewde enterprise Also bicause religiō feare of God is in euery man almost extinguished othes and faith giuen are none obligations equall to profit which all men couet Yet do they stil vse both promising othes not to obserue them but the rather to deceiue those that trust them And the more easily safely they can deceiue the more they account their praise glory For this reason hurtfull men be commended as industrious good men blamed as foolish Yea I assure my selfe that all corruption or that can corrupt others is to be found in the cities of Italy The young men are idle old men wanton euery sects and euery age full of lewde conditions which good lawes being euil vsed do not amend Hereof the couetousnes which we see in Citizens and the desire not of true glory but of shamefull honors do proceed wherevpon depend hatred enmitie displeasures sects Also of them do follow murders banishments persecution of the good aduancement of the euill For good men trusting in their owne innocencie do not as euil men seeke extraordinary defence Whereby vnsupported and dishonoured they are suffered to sinke This example occasioneth loue of the factions and their forces because the worst sort for couetousnesse and ambition and the best for necessitie do follow them It is also worthie consideration as that which is more perillous to see how the leaders of these enterprises do colour their lewdnesse with some honest or godly tearme For albeit they are all enemies to libertie yet vnder the word Ottimacy or popularitie they cloake their euill intent Because the rewarde which they aspect of victorie is not glorie by hauing deliuered the Cittie but the satisfaction they take to be victorious and vsurpe the gouernment thereof Wherewith allured there is nothing so iniust nothing so cruell or couetous that they leaue vnattempted Hereof it proceedeth that lawes and statutes not for the common but the priuate profit be made Hereof it proceedeth that warre peace and leagues not for publike glory but for the pleasure of a few are contracted And albeit some other Cities be touched with these disorders yet none so fowly infected as ours Because the lawes the statutes and ciuil ordinances not according to a life in libertie but according to desire of the faction victorious haue bene and yet are ordeined which is the cause that euer one faction driuen out or one diuision extinquished sodeinly ariseth an other For that citie which is mainteined more by faction then law so soone as anie faction hath gotten the ouer hand is without opposition it must of force be that the same
was by the offence of the Florentines followed For the better execution thereof they made league with Barnabo and with all the cities enemies to the church and elected eight Citizens to gouern the said war vnto whom authoritie was giuen to proceed without appeale and spend without account This warre begun against the Pope notwithstanding the death of Vgucciono encouraged those that followed the faction of Ricci and had against the Albizi alwaies fauoured Barnabo and disfauoured the church and the more for that the eight were all foes to the faction of Guelfi which was the reason that Piero delli Albizi Lapo di Castiglionichio Carlo Strozzi and the rest diuerse times ioyned to the offence of the aduersarie And while the eight made warre and they admonished the warre continued three yeares and by death of the Pope was ended This warre was with so vniuersall satisfaction and so great vertue gouerned that the office of the eight was from yeare to yeare continued in those men and they were called Santi notwithstanding they litle regarded the Popes curses spoiled churches and forced the Clergie Thus without respect they preferred the seruice of their country before the Popes indignation And thereby taught the church that as being friend thereunto they had defended it so being enemie they were able to annoy it hauing procured all Romagna La Marca and Perugia to rebell But notwithstanding all these warres made by the Florentines against the Pope yet could they not defende themselues from the Captaines of their owne factions and their followers For the enuie which the Guelfi bare vnto the eight made them to become insolent and though they spared the rest of the Nobilitie yet rested they not to iniure the eight Also the Captaines of factions were growne vp to so great arrogancie as they were more fauoured then the Senators and men with more reuerence resorted to their houses then to the Pallace In so much as euerie Embassadour that came to Florence brought with him some commission or instruction to entreate with these Captaines Then died Pope Gregorio whereby the citie being deliuered of forreine warre presently begun great confusion at home For on the one side the insolencie of the Guelfi was insupportable and on the other side no meane could be deuised to oppresse them Onely this hope was left that euerie man should take armes and so make triall whether partie should preuaile On the part of the Guelfi were all the old Nobilitie with the greater number of the mightiest people of whom as hath bene declared Lapo Piero and Carlo were the chiefe On the other side were all the people of least reputation who had for Leaders the eight Gouernours of warre Georgio Scali Tomazo Strozzi and with them the Ricci Alberti and Medici The rest of the multitude as in like cases it euer happeneth ioyned to the partie discontented It seemed then to the Guelfi that the forces of their aduersaries were great and therefore themselues in much daunger whensoeuer any vnfriendly Senate should happen to be chosen Therefore thought good for the preuenting of that mischiefe to assemble themselues in some place conuenient where they might consult of the state of that Citie For it seemed that the Citizens admonished being in number growne great the most part of the Citie were their foes Whereto they could not deuise other remedie but as they had taken from them the honours so also to banish them the Citie take the Pallace by force and reduce all the state to the order wherunto it was by the auncient Guelfi reduced who liued not secure for any other reason but onely because they had driuen out all their aduersaries To this plot euerie man consented but of the time of execution they discented The yeare 1378. being come in the moneth of Aprill Lapo thought good not to deferre the time saying there was nothing that hindred time so much as time and then specially because in the next Senate Saluestro de Medici was likely to be chosen Gonfaloniere whom to their factiō they knew most contrary Piero delli Albizi thought otherwise for his opinion was it should be deserred because the execution of their intent required forces which without publishing of the matter could not beleuied if the matter were discouered they should therby incurre manifest daunger His opinion therefore was it should be delaied till the feast of S. Iohn then at hand at which time many people would resort to the towne among whome they might conuey in vnknowne as many friendes as they thought good Moreouer to finde meanes how to preuent the election of Saluestro it was thought fit to admonish him and if that deuise seemed not good then to put into the election an other also of the same quarter So as it might fall out that insteed of him some other of his companions should be chosen This cause was set downe as a resolution notwithstanding that Lapo vnwillingly thereunto consented iudging delaie was dangerous and that no time can be in euerie respect fit for execution For whosoeuer tarrieth all opportunities either he shall neuer performe anything or if he doth the same for the most part falleth out to his disaduantage The Colledge was warned and Saluestro not repulsed but chosen Gonfaloniere for the eight hauing discouered the practise found meanes to preuent that which was looked for Thus Saluestro sonne of Alemanno di Medici who being of a verie noble populer house could not endure that the people should be by a few great men oppressed And hauing deuised how to end their insolencie seeing the people fauoured that enterprise he did communicate his intent to Benedetto Alberti Tomazo Strezzi and Georgio Scali and they promised to bring him all the aide they possibly could Thē was there a law secretly established wherby the ordināces of iustice against the great men were renewed the authoritie of Captains was diminished The same also restored power to the admonished to haue restitution of their dignities And because as it were at one instant they intended both to propound and obteine hauing first to passe the Colledge after to determine in the Councels finding Saluestro President which place in those dayes for the time being made him be placed as Prince of the Citie they caused the Colledge Councell in one selfe morning to be assembled And first to the Colledge onely they propounded the lawe made which as a new thing was by that small number reiected Whereby Saluestro seeing his wings clipped wherewith he hoped to ascend to his desire fained for his necessitie to depart the place and contrarie to expectation went to the Councell and standing vp where he might be both seen and heard of euerie man said He thought himselfe made Gonfaloniere not to determine of priuate causes which haue their ordinary Iudges but to attend the state correct the insolencie of the great men and qualifie the rigor of those lawes which were found by proofe to hinder the
greater tyrannie then that of the Duke of Athene but the bountie of Lando was such as suffred no thoght to enter his mind that might be preiudiciall to the vniuersall quiet His wisedom directed all things so as many of his fellowship gaue him place his aduersaries by force of armes were oppressed Which maner of proceeding caused the multitude to stand dismaied and the better sort of Artificers to looke about them thinke how great their shame was hauing oppressed the great mens pride to endure the populer dregs At such time as Michele obteined this victorie against the multitude a new Senate was chosen wherin were two men of so vile and vnworthie condition as euery man desired to be acquit of that great infamie When these officers were created which was the first day of September the Market place was full of armed men So soone as the olde Senators came out of the Pallace there was a brute giuen out among the armed men that they would not that any of the base people should be of the number of Senators Whereupon the Senate for their satisfaction depriued two the one called Tira the other Baroccio in whose roomes they placed Georgio Scali and Francesco di Michele They also deposed the mysteries of the base people and all officers excepting Michele-Lando Lorenzo di Puccio and a fewe others of the better sort They diuided the honours into two parts allotting the one to the greater mysteries the other to the lesse Of the Senate they willed there should be euer fiue of the lesse mysteries and foure of the great And the Gonfaloniere to be chosen sometimes of the one and sometimes of the other The state thus ordeined for the present appeased the citie And albeit the gouernment was taken away from the base people yet the Artificers of meanest condition remained more mightie then the populer Nobilitie who were forced to giue place to winne from the base people the fauoure of the mysteries and content them which was also fauoured by such as desired that those should be oppressed who vnder the name of Guelfi had with great insolencie iniured many Cittizens Among others that allowed this manner of gouernment Georgio Scali Benedetto Alberti Saluestro di Medici and Tomazo Strozzi were made as Princes of the citie These matters thus proceeding and handled the diuision alreadie begunne betwixt the populer Nobilitie and the meane Artificers through ambition of Ricci and Albizi became confirmed Whereof because afterwardes followed greeuous effects and of them we shall be often occasioned to speake we will call the one populer the other plebeiall The state continued thus three yeares full of banishments and murthers For they that gouerned knowing there were both within and abroade manie euill contented did liue in great suspition The Cittizens within discontented either they continually attempted some newe practise or deuised with themselues how they might do it And those that liued without hauing no bridle by meane of some Prince or some Common weale here and there sowed sedition At this time Giannozzo di Salerno Lieutenant to Durazzo descended of the Kings of Napoli hapned to be at Bologna intending to assault the kingdom take the same frō Queene Giouanna At the same time also were in Bologna many banished Florentines who with the Pope and with Carlo practised diuerse things which was the cause that they who gouerned in Florence did liue in great suspition and gaue credit easily to the slaunders of those Citizens that were suspected During this doubtfull time it was reuealed to the Magistrates that Giannozzo of Salerno should with the banished men present himselfe before Florence and that many within would take armes and deliuer the citie to his hand Vpon this report many were accused the chiefe of whom were Piero delli Albizi and Carlo Strozzi and next to them the Cipriani Giaccomo Sacchetti Donati Barbadori Filippo Strozzi and Giouanni Anselini who were all taken sauing Carlo Strozzi that fled And the Senate to the end none should take armes in their fauour appointed Tomazo Strozzi and Benedetto Alberti with many armed men to guard the citie These Citizens were apprehended and examined but the accusation and their answere conferred togither no fault was in them found Insomuch that the Captaine not willing to condemne them their enemies in the meane space moued the people to mutinie and by force they were iudged to death Neither was Piero degli Albizi any whit fauoured either for the greatnesse of his house or for that long time he had in the citie more reputation then any other and had bene there more honoured and feared During his prosperitie some friend of his either to perswade him to curtesie in his greatnesse or else some enemie to threaten him with the inconstancie of fortune at such time as hee made a solemne banquet to diuerse Citizens sent him a siluer dish full of Comfits and in those Comfits was hidden a naile which being founde and seene of diuerse his guestes it was imagined that thereby he should remember to staie the wheele because fortune hauing set him on the height thereof the wheele keeping course must needes cast him downe Which interpretation was first by his decaie and after by his death verified After this execution the citie remained full of confusion because both the victored and the victorious stood in feare but the worst of all was that the gouernours themselues liued in continuall suspition For euerie accident were it neuer so litle made them to do new iniuries to the factions condemning admonishing and sending the Citizens into exile Whereunto they ioyned new lawes and new orders many times made onely to fortifie their authoritie All which was done to the iniurie of them who were to their faction suspected And they created fortie sixe men who with the Senate should discouer men suspected to the state These officers admonished thirtie nine Citizens making many populer persons great men many great men populer Also the rather to withstand all external forces they enterteined Iohn Aguto an English Captain who in those daies was accounted of great experience in the war had long serued the Pope others in Italy The suspition abroad proceeded of intelligence giuen how certain companies of men at armes belonging to Carlo Durazzo were put in readinesse to assault the kingdome Among whom as was reported were many banished Florentines For the meeting with those perils besides the ordinarie forces a summe of mony was prouided Carlo arriued in Arezzo receiued of the Florentines fortie thousand Duckets promising not to molest them After that time he atchiued his enterprise and happily surprized the kingdome of Napoli tooke the Queen Giouanna sent her prisoner into Hungary Which victorie encreased a new suspition of those that in Florence feared the state Because they could not beleeue that their money should do more with the King then the auncient friendship which that house had with the Guelfi who with manifold
much as the factions came to bloud and euerie wise man feared future mischiefes Because the great men who were vsed to respect could not endure to be laide hand vppon and others were not content that euerie man should equally be burthened Many of the chiefe Citizens therefore assembled themselues and concluded that it behoued them to take the gouernment into their hands because their small diligence had giuen head and suffered the publique proceedings to be reproued allowing ouermuch boldnesse in those that were wont to be heads of the multitude Hauing to this effect consulted they determined manie times to meete all togither and in the church of S. Steffano assembled more then 70. Citizens with the lycence and allowance of Lorenzo Ridolfi and Francesco Gianfi gliazzi who at that time were of the Senate To this conuention Giouanni de Medici came not either because he was as a suspect vncalled or that hee would not being of contrary opinion appeare But Rinaldo delli Albizi as mouth of that companie discoursed the estate of the citie how by their negligence it was come to the hand of the multitude from whome in the yeare 1381. by their auncestors it was taken putting them in minde of the iniquitie that raigned in that state from the yeare 77. till 81. And how sith that time till this present some had their fathers slaine some their grandfathers now were returned to the selfesame perils the citie fallen to the like disorders because the multitude had alreadie at their pleasure imposed Subsidies wold ere lōg if the same were not by a greater force or better order withstood appoint the Magistrates Which being brought to passe the multitude would vsurpe their places and ruine that state which had bene with much glorie of the cittie fortie and two yeares continued and Florence should be gouerned either casually vnder the will of the multitude so as one part should liue lycentiously the other daungerously or vnder the commandement of some one that shall make him selfe Prince of all Wherefore he assured them that euerie man that loued his country and his owne honour was constrained to beware and put them in minde of the vertue of Bardo Mancini who with the ruine of the Alberti saued the citie from those perils wherein it then was and that occasion of boldnesse in the multitude proceeded of the large Squittini which were by their negligence made which was the cause also that the Pallace was filled with new men and people of base condition He therefore concluded that the only remedie was to yeeld the gouernment to the great Citizens and remoue the lesse Artificers from their authoritie reducing them from 14. to 7. companies Which should be a meane that the multitude could haue in the Councels lesse authoritie as well in respect that the number of them were diminished as that the great men should haue most power who for the old enmity did disfauour the multitude affirming likewise that to know how to imploy men according to the time was great wisedom For as their ancestors vsed the multitude to oppresse the insolency of the great men who thereby became humble and the multitude insolent so it were now fit to bridle the insolencie thereof with the aide of the great men And for compassing of these matters they might resort either to subtiltie or force For some of them beeing of the Tenne by that colour might bring men secretly into the citie This counsell giuen by Rinaldo was by euery man allowed And Nicholo of Vzano among other said that all things alledged by Rinaldo were true and the remedies good and certaine if the same might be done without manifest diuision of the citie which would come to passe if Giouan de Medici were not perswaded from them For hee being on our side the multitude without head and force could not offend But if he wold not consent without armes it could not be And with armes it were daungerous for either they should not preuaile or not enioy the victory Also modestly he reduced to their memories his former admonitions how they refused to preuent these difficulties when they might But now the time serued not to do it without hazarding a greater mischiefe and therefore as the vttermost refuge it behoued to gaine his fauour Commissiō therfore was granted for Rinaldo to goe vnto Giouanni and perswade him to be of their minde This Gentleman performed his Commission and with the best reasons he was able perswaded him to enter with them into this action and that he would not for the loue of the multitude become insolent to the ruine of the state citie Wherto Giouanni answered that he thought it the office of a wise and good Citizen not to alter the accustomed orders of the citie because there was nothing that so much offended men as alteration sith thereby many be offended where many liue discontented some euill accident is daily to be looked for Also hee thought that this their resolution might worke two effects verie dangerous The one by giuing the honours to those who neuer before hauing them would not much esteeme them and should haue the lesse occasion to complaine if they neuer had them The other by taking the honours from those that were vsed to haue them should make them vnquiet till they were restored And so shall the iniurie done to the one part be greater then the benefit which the other part could thereby receiue Thus shall the authour of this change win few friends many enemies and these will be more ready to offend him thē the others to defend him For mē are more naturally inclined to reuēge an iniury thē be thankful for a good turne because this bringeth losse but that promiseth profit and pleasure Then turning his face towards Rinaldo saide And you sir if you remember matters passed with what subtilties men walk within this citie your self would be more lowe in these resolutions For the giuer of that counsell so soone as with your forces he hath taken away the authoritie of the people would againe take the same from you by the aide of those who by this meane of iniurie will become your foes And it will befall to you as it did to Benedetto Alberti who through the perswasions of him that loued him not cōsented to the ruine of Georgio Scali and Tomazo Strozzi and shortly after by the selfesame men that perswaded him was sent into exile Hee therefore wished him more naturally to thinke vpon matters be willing to follow his father who hauing loue of the multitude cared not to offend a fewe men euill disposed It was then ordained that whosoeuer had to paie halfe a Florine for Subsidie should paie it or not as himselfe pleased And besides all men indebted should for the day of the councell goe free with out molestation of his creditors In the end he concluded that for his owne part he would leaue the cittie in that
words should find beliefe and compassion if your Lordships did know in what sort your Generall hath vsed our Countrey and how we haue bene by him handled Our Vale as we hope your memorials do make mention did alwayes loue the faction Guelfa and hath bene many times a faithfull receptacle for your Citizens when flying persecution of the Ghibilini they came thither Our auncestors and we also haue euer adored the name of this noble common weale being the head and chiefe of that secte So long as the Lucchesi were Guelfi we willingly obeyed their gouernment but since they submitted themselues to a Tyrant who hath abandoned his old friends and followed the Ghibilini rather by compulsion then voluntarily we haue obeyed him And God knoweth how often we haue prayed for occasion whereby to shewe our zeale to the auncient faction But alas how blind are men in their desires that which we wished for our helpe is now become our harme For so soone as we heard your Generall marched towards vs we went not as enemyes to encounter him but as our auncestors were wont to yeeld into his hand our Countrey and fortunes hoping that in him although there were not the mind of a Florentine yet should we find him a man We beseech your Lordships to pardon vs for our extremitie is so much as more may not be indured which is the cause we make bold to speake thus plainely This your Generall hath not of a man more then his presence nor of a Florentine any thing saue the name but may be called a mortall plague a cruell beast and as horrible a monster as by any wrighter can be described For he hauing assembled vs in our Temple vnder pretence to talke with vs hath made vs his prisoners spoyling the whole countrey burning the houses robbing the inhabitants sacking their goods beating and murthering the men forcing the Virgins yea pulling them from the hands of their Mothers made them the pleasures of his souldiers If for any iniury done to the people of Florence or him we had deserued so great a punishment or if we had armed our selues against him and bene taken then should we haue had lesse cause to complayne yea we would rather haue accused our selues confessing that eyther for iniurie or pride we had so merited to be handled But being disarmed and freely offering ourselues then to rob vs and with so great despight and ignomie to spoyle vs we thinke it strange and are inforced before your Lordships to lay downe our griefe And albeit we might fill all Lombardy with offence and with reproch of this Citie publish our iniuries through all Italy yet would we not lest thereby to blemish so honest so honorable and so compassionate a common weale with the dishonestie and crueltie of one wicked Citizen whose auarice before our ruine was partly knowne vnto vs. And wee intended to strayne our selues to satisfie his greedie mind which hath neither measure nor bottom But sith our gifts come too late we thinke good to resort to your Lordships beseeching the same to relieue the misfortune of your subiects to the end that other men may not be afraid to yeeld them selues to your deuotion If our infinite miseries cannot moue you yet let the feare of Gods ire perswade you who hath seene the Churches sacked and burnt and our people betrayed in them These words pronounced they presently fell downe prostrate vpon the ground weeping and desiring their Lordships that their goods and countrey might be restored and that though the womens honors could not be recouered yet the Wiues might be deliuered to their Husbands and the Children to their Fathers This heauie case being before reported and now by the liuely voyce of those afflicted men confirmed did much moue the Magistrates and without delay they reuoked Astore who after was condemned and admonished Then was there Inquisition made for the goods of the Serauezesi and so much as could be found was restored For the rest they were in time diuers wayes satisfied Rinaldo de gli Albizi was likewise defamed for hauing made the warre not for the profit of the people of Florence but his owne Hee was also charged that so soone as hee became Generall the desire of surprizing Lucca was forgotten because hee sought no further then to spoyle the countrey fill his pastures with cattle and furnish his houses with the goods of others Moreouer that his owne share of the bootie contented him not but hee also bought the priuate spoyles of his souldiers So that of a Generall hee was become a Merchaunt These slaunders come to his owne hearing moued his honest and honorable mind more then they ought to haue done In so much as hee became therewith so amazed that taking offence against the Magistrates and Citizens without delay or leaue taken hee returned to Florence and presenting himselfe to the Tenne sayd He knew well how great difficultie and perill there was in seruing a loose people and a Cittie diuided For the one is credulous of euery rumor the other punisheth no euill doings rewardeth not the good and blameth the indifferent so that no man commendeth him that is victorious For as much as his fellowes for enuie and his foes for hatred will persecute him Notwithstanding himselfe had neuer for feare of vndeserued blame omitted to performe an action that promised a certaine good to his countrey But true it was that the dishonestie of the present slaunders had oppressed his patience and made him chaunge nature Wherefore hee besought the Magistrates to be from thence-foorth more readie to defend their Citizens to the end they might be likewise more readie to labour for their countrey And although that in Florence no triumph was graunted yet might they at the leaste defende them from ignominious reproche and remember that they them selues were also Citizens of the same towne and that to them selues euerie houre the like might happen whereby they shoulde vnderstand howe great griefe false slaunders might breede in the mindes of men of integritie The Tenne as time would serue laboured to appease him and committed the care thereof to Neri di Gino and to Alamanno Saluiati who leauing to spoyle the countrey of Lucca with their Campe approched the Towne And because the season was colde they stayed at Campanuole Where it seemed to the Generall that time was lost and desirous to besiege the Towne by reason of the euill weather the Souldiers woulde not thereto consent Notwithstanding that the Tenne did sollicite them to the siege and would accept none excuse at all At that time there was in Florence an Architector called Filippo Brunellesco of whose handie-worke our Cittie is full In so much that after death hee deserued to haue his Image of Marble erected in the chiefe Church of Florence with Letters to testifie hys greate vertue This man declared howe Lucca considering the scite of the Cittie and the passage of the Riuer Serchio mighte bee drowned And
towards his friends then was by his father vsed In so much as those that reioyced at the death of Giouanni seeing the vertue of Cosimo became sorie This Cosimo was a man of excellent wisdom of presence graue and gratious greatly liberall curteous and such a one as neuer attempted any thing either against any faction or the state but sought by all meanes to pleasure euerie man and with his liberalitie to gaine the good wil of many Citizens So that his good deserts defaced those that gouerned brought himself to beleeue that he might by that meanes liue at Florence in sufficient strength and securitie And if the ambition of his aduersaries should moue any extraordinarie occasion to the contrarie hee hoped both by armes and fauoure of friendes to oppresse them The greatest instruments to worke his greatnesse were Auerardo de Medici Puccio Pucci Of them Auerardo with courage and Puccio with wisedome procured him great reputation For the counsell and wisedome of Puccio was so well knowne to euerie man that the faction of Cosimo was called not by his owne name but by the name of Puccio The citie notwithstanding thus diuided the enterprise of Lucca proceeded whereby the humours of the factions were rather encreased then extinguished And although the faction of Cosimo chiefly counfelled the warre yet many of the contrarie part were appointed officers therein as mē most reputed in the state which Auerardo and others not being able to remedie sought by all industrie and practise to slaunder them and if any losse happened as many did they imputed the same not to fortune or force of the enemie but want of wisedome in the officers This was the cause that the offences of Astor Gianni were esteemed so great This made Rinaldo delli Albizi offended and without lycence to depart from his charge This was the occasion that the deliuerie of Giouanni Guicciardini was required at the hand of the Captaine of the people And heereof proceeded all blames that had bene imputed to the Magistrates and ministers of the warre For the true slaunders were encreased and the vntrue were inuented and both the true and not true were of the people that loued them not beleeued These matters and manner of proceeding extraordinarie was well knowne to Nicholo di Vzano and others of his faction who had many times thought vpon remedie but found no meanes how to deale therein Because it seemed to them that the suffering thereof was dangerous and forcibly to helpe it was not easie Nicholo di Vzano was the first vnto whom this extraordinary way displeased Thus the warres continuing without the citie and these disorders within Nicholo Barbadori desirous to bring Nicholo di Vzano to consent to the oppression of Cosimo went vnto his house where he found him sadly set in his Closet and there with the best reasons he could perswaded him to ioyne with Rinaldo to driue Cosimo out of the Citie Vnto whome Nicholo di Vzano answered as followeth I thinke it were better for thy house and our Commonweale that all the rest whose opiniō thou herein followest had their beards as men saie rather of siluer then gold as thou hast For then their counsels proceeding from heads graie groūded in experiēce would be more aduised more profitable It seemeth to me that those which desire to banish Cosimo frō Florence had neede first of all to measure their forces with his This our side you haue called by the name of Nobilitie and the contrarie part you haue termed the plebeial partie If the truth answered to these names in euerie accident the victorie would proue doubtfull and we haue more cause to feare then to hope moued with the example of the auncient Nobilitie of this citie which hath ben by this plebeiall sort heretofore oppressed But the greatest cause of our feare is that our side is dismembred our aduersaries continue whole and entyre First you must consider that Neri di Gino and Nerone de Nigi two of our principall Citizens be not as you know more friends to vs then to them There be also many families among themselues diuided For diuerse through enuie of their brethrē or their kinsmen do disfauor vs fauor thē I wil resite vnto you the names of some few the rest you may the more easily remember with your self Of the house of Guicciardini and amōg the sonnes of Luigi Piero is enemy to Giouanni fauoureth our aduersaries Tomazo Nicholo Soderini for the hate they haue to Francesco their vncle are openly protested our enimies So that if we consider well what they are what we our selues be I know not for what reasō we shuld cal our or their partie more noble And if it be that we cal their part plebeial bicause they are by the multitude most followed their state therin is the better ours the worse For whēsoeuer we shal come to arms we cānot resist thē Also if we stād on our dignities they haue bin giuē to vs by the state by vertue therof we haue cōtinued thē these 50. veres Yet whēsoeuer we shal come to proofe our weaknes wil appear we shal lose our authority If you haply say that the iust occasiō which moueth vs to this enterprise shall encrease our credit and diminish theirs Thereto I answere that it behooueth this iust quarrel of ours to be knowne beleeued of others as wel as of our selues which falleth out cleane contrarie for the occasion alledged is altogither builded vpon the suspition we haue that he goeth about to make himselfe Prince of this cittie This is the mistrust we haue which others haue not but they rather accuse vs of that we accuse him The matters which make Cosimo suspected are that he imployeth his mony to serue euerie occasion not onely to priuate vses but also to the publike affaires and that as well to the Florentines as the Captaines and Leaders The cause why he doth fauoure this and that Cittizen hauing need of authoritie is for that his credit with the multitude hath aduaunced this and that friend to great honours Therefore it behoueth you to alledge the reasons why hee should be expulsed Because he is charitable friendly liberall and loued of all men And now tel me I pray you what lawe inhibiteth blameth or condemneth men for their charitie their liberalitie and their loue And albeit these be meanes for him to aspire yet are they not so taken neither are wee of credite inough to make them so to bee thought For our proceedings haue wrought our discredit and our cittie naturally disposed to diuision and liuing alwaies in corruption cannot giue eare to such accusations But admit you could expulse him which hauing a Senate for the purpose may easily come to passe yet how can ye deuise that he hauing in the citie so many friends studying for his reurne should not be reuoked This I think impossible because his friends being many and he hauing loue
the Duke Wherewith he being discontent voluntarily exiled himselfe to Gaietta and there chanced to be at such time as the fight by sea was performed against Alfonso In which exploit he serued so valiantly that he perswaded himselfe to haue deserued so well of the Duke as in respect of his seruice he might at the least liue in Genoua with securitie Yet perceiuing the Duke to continue in his suspition and fearing least he beleeued that a man who had not loued the liberty of his countrey could not loue him determined to try a new fortune and at one instant both to deliuer his countrey and win himselfe fame with securitie Being perswaded that by no meanes he might recouer the good will of the Cittizens better then to performe such an acte with his owne hand So as the same hand which had offended and hurt his countrey should also minister the medicine and heale it Then knowing the vniuersall hatred borne to the Duke by the deliuerie of the King thought the time to serue well for the execution of his intent Wherefore he imparted his mind to some whome he knew of his owne opinion Them he perswaded and prepared to followe him The feast of S. Iohn Baptist being come Arismino the new Gouernor sent by the Duke entred into Genoua accompanied with Opicino the old Gouernor and many other Cittizens Francesco Spinola thought then good no longer to deferre the matter but came out of his house with diuerse others all armed and priuie to his determination So soone as hee came to the market place where himselfe dwelled he proclaymed the name of libertie And it was a thing very maruellous to see with how great speed the people and Cittizens to that name assembled So as no man that loued the Duke either for his owne profit or other occasion had leisure to take armes or thinke how to saue himselfe Arismino with some other Genouesi fled into the Castle which he kept for the Duke Opicino presuming that if he fled to the Pallace hauing there two thousand Souldiers at his commaundement he should either saue himselfe or giue courage to his friends to defend him went thitherwards but before he came to the market place was slaine cut in pieces and drawne through euery streete of the Cittie The Genouesi hauing thus reduced the Cittie vnder their owne Magistrates and libertie within few dayes also surprized the Castle with the other places of strength possessed by the Duke and so clearely cast off the yoke of Philippo These matters thus handled as at the beginning the Princes of Italy was dismayd fearing that the Duke should become ouermightie so this gaue them hope seeing what end they had to be able to bridle him And notwithstanding the league lately made the Florentines and the Venetians made peace with the Genouesi whereupon Rinaldo delli Albizi and other leaders of the Florentines banished seeing things out of order and the world changed did hope to perswade the Duke to make open warre against the Florentines For which purpose they went to Milan and Rinaldo being come to the Dukes presence spake as followeth If we sometimes your enemies do now confidently desire ayde of you for the recouerie of our countrey neither you nor any other that consider worldly matters how they proceed and how variable fortune is ought to meruaile albeit neither of our passed or present actions nor of that we haue long since done either to you or to our countrey or that which now is in doing we can render a good and reasonable excuse There is no good man reprooueth another for defending his Countrey in what sort soeuer the same is defended Neither was it euer our meaning to iniure you but to defend our owne frō being iniured which was sufficiētly proued in the greatest victories of our league For so soone as we knew you inclined to a true peace we were thereof more desirous then you your selfe so that we need not feare to obteine any fauour at your hands Neither can our Countrey find fault although we now perswade you to take armes against it whome with so great resolution we haue withstood For that countrey deserueth to be loued of all men which indifferētly loueth them and not that countrey which disdaining the greatest number aduanceth a few There is no man also that ought to condemne men although for some causes they take armes a-against their countrey For albeit the Cities be bodies mixed yet haue they of bodies simple some resemblance And as in these many infirmities grow which without fire force cannot be cured so in the other many mischiefes arise which a godly and good Citizen should offend to leaue vncured notwithstanding that in the cure he doth as it behoueth him apply both fire force What sicknes in the bodie of a common-weale can be greater then seruitude And what medicine is more needfull then this in the cure of that disease Those warres be only iust which be necessarie and those armes most mercifull where other hope cannot be had then by thē I know not what necessitie is greater then ours or what compassion can be more then to deliuer a Countrey frō seruitude Most certainly we know our cause is to be pittied and iust which ought to be both by vs and you cōsidered For your part faile not to affoord this iustice sith the Florentines haue not bene ashamed after a peace with so great solemnitie concluded to make league with the Genouesi your rebels so that though our cause moue you not to cōpassion yet this dishonor offered vnto your selfe ought to perswade you and the rather that you see the enterprise easie Let not exampls passed discourage you hauing seen the power of that people and their obstinate defence of themselues Which two things might yet reasonably be feared were they of the same vertue which in those daies they haue bene But now you shall finde all contrarie For what force can you looke for in any Cittie which hath spoiled the greatest part of the riches and industrie thereof What resolution can be hoped of in a people by so diuers and new quarrels disunited Which disunion is cause that those riches there remaining in such sort as they were wont be imploied because mē do willingly spend their patrimony whē they see the same for their owne glory their owne honor and their owne Countrey imployed euer hoping to recouer that in peace which the warre hath consumed and not whē they see themselues both in war peace oppressed hauing in the one to suspect the iniurie of enemies and in the other the insolencie of them that command Also the people are more harmed by couetousnes of our own Citizens then the spoile of our enemies for of this some end may be hoped of but of that none at all In the warres passed you made warre to the whole Citie but now you are only to contend with a few Then you came to take the state from
with his souldiers retired to Camurata a place betwixt Furli and Rauenna where he fortified himselfe to remaine till such time as some other resolution were taken The fame of his anger being blowne about euery where Nicholo gaue the Pope to vnderstand of his well deseruing of the Duke and with what ingratitude he was requited He also alleaged that the Duke through the helpe of principall Captaines had wonne all the souldiers of Italy to be at his commaundement Notwithstanding if his holinesse were so pleased he could procure that of these two Captaines the one should prooue enemy to the Duke and the other improfitable For accomplishment whereof if money were prepared and the warres continued he would so assault the Earle who had surprized the townes belonging to the Church as he should haue ynough to defend his owne and not be able to follow the ambition of Philippo The Pope gaue credit to these words seeming to him reasonable and sent vnto Nicholo fiue thousand Duckets with many faire promises offering to giue lands to him and his sonnes And although the Pope were diuerse wayes aduertised of this deceipt yet he beleeued well and was not content to heare any thing to the contrarie The Cittie of Rauenna was then gouerned for the Pope by Octacio de Polenta Nicholo thinking good not to deferre his enterprise because his sonne had alreadie with the ignomie of the Pope sacked Spoletto determined to assault Rauenna either because he iudged the enterprise easie or that he had some secret intelligence with Octacio within few dayes he tooke the Towne by composition and shortly after Bologna Imola and Furli were by him surprized Also as a thing more meruailous of twentie Castles which were in those countries holden for the Pope there was not one that refused to yeeld vnto Nicholo Neither did it suffice him with this iniurie to offend the Pope but he would also to these deeds mock and deride him in words Writing vnto the Pope that vpon iust cause his Townes were surprized because he had broken the friendship betwixt the Duke and him and written letters to many places of Italy signifying that he the Earle had abandoned the Duke and ioyned with the Venetians Nicholo thus possessing Romagna left the same in charge to his sonne Francesco and himselfe with the greater part of his army went into Lombardy Where ioyning with the remaine of the Dukes forces he assayled the Countrey of Brescia which in short space he tooke and besieged the Cittie The Duke who desired that the Venetians should be left for him as a pray excused himselfe to the Pope to the Florentines and to the Earle declaring that those things which had bene done in Romagna by Nicholo if they were contrarie to the Capitulations they were likewise contrarie to his will Moreouer by secret messengers he gaue them to vnderstand that for his disobedience as occasion and time should suffer he would finde meanes to haue him punished The Florentines and the Earle gaue no credit thereunto but beleeued as in deede the truth was that these warres were made to hold them occupied till such time as he might oppresse the Venetians who being full of pride and beleeuing they could by themselues resist the Dukes forces did not vouchsafe to demaund aid of any man but with Gatamelata their Captaine made warre alone The Earle Francesco with the fauour of the Florentines intended to haue gone to the aide of King Rinato if the accidents of Romagna and Lombardy had not withholden him And the Florentines would also willingly haue fauoured that enterprise for the auncient friendship betweene them and the house of Fraunce But the one and the other of those being occupied in the warres neere at hand refrained to attempt any enterprise further off The Florentines then seeing Romagna surprized by the Dukes forces and the Venetians assaulted as those that by the ruine of others did feare their owne desired the Earle to come into Toscana there to consider what was to be done to encounter the forces of the Duke which were greater then euer they had bene Affirming that if his insolencie were not by some meanes bridled euery man that gouerned any part of Italy should within short space be oppressed The Earle knew well that the Florentines had reason to feare Notwithstanding the desire he had to proceed in the marriage with the Dukes daughter did make him suspected And the Duke knowing his desire gaue him great hope thereof if he would refuse to take armes against him And because the Dukes daughter was alreadie marriageable the matter was brought to this ripenesse that all things for the purpose were prepared Notwithstanding with diuerse cauillations the marriage day was delayed yet by words to hold the Earle in hope some deeds were performed and to that end thirtie thousand Florins according to the Articles agreed vpon for the marriage were sent vnto him notwithstanding the warre of Lombardy increased and the Venetians euery day lost some Towne or other Also all the vessels for the warres which they sent into the Riuers were by the Dukes Souldiers taken The Countries of Verona and Brescia were all spoiled and both those Citties so straightly besieged as in the common opinion it was hard for them to be many dayes defended The Marquesse of Mantoua who had bene many yeares Generall for that State beyond all expectation had abandoned them and was ioyned with the Duke so as that which in the beginning of the warres their pride suffered not afterwards feare inforced them to do For knowing none other remedie but the friendship of the Florentines and the Earle they began to speake them faire though shamefully and with suspition bicause they feared least the Florentines would make them the same answere which they at the enterprise of Lucca and in the Earles cause had receiued at their hands Neuerthelesse they found the Florentines more easily intreated then either they hoped or their deserts did merit For greater was the Florentines hate to a friend become a foe then the displeasure they bare to an old and auncient enemy They hauing long before knowne the necessitie whereunto the Venetians would fall declared to the Earle that their ruine woulde be also his and that hee deceiued himselfe if hee beleeued the Duke Philippo woulde esteeme him so much in his good as his euill fortune For the occasion why the Duke offered his daughter vnto him was the feare wherein he stood and sith things promised by necessitie are neuer performed without necessitie it behoued him still to hold the Duke distressed which without the greatnesse of the Venetians could not be done Therefore hee ought to thinke that if the Venetians were forced to abandon their Countrey vppon the firme land he should not onely want those commodities which he receiued by them but also all others which of other men for feare of them he might attaine vnto And if hee considered well the other states of
Senate then if from the mouth of some Oracle the same had proceeded For by his words all the audience was so mooued that they would not suffer the Prince as is the custome to make any answere But euerie man stood vp and many of them weeping for ioy held vp their hands thanking the Florentines for so friendly an offer and him for hauing with so great diligence and speede performed the same Promising moreouer neuer to forget that fauoure nor that any time either in themselues or in their posterie should cancell the memorie of this merite And that their Common-weale should be as much at the Florentines commandement as their owne These curtesies and congratulations ended they consulted what way the Earle might martch to the end that the bridges and passages should be prepared Foure waies were then thought vpon whereby he might passe The one from Rauenna by the sea side which being narrow and full of marishes was not liked An other was by the direct way which being impeached by a Fortresse called Vccellino kept for the Duke the same ought to be surprized before the Armie should march further which was heard to do in so short a time vnlesse the occasion of the enterprise were omitted the same requiring great diligence and speede The third was by the wood of Lago where because the Riuer of Po was ouerflowed to passe that way seemed not onely hard but also impossible The fourth was by the Champion of Bologna from thence to Ponte Pulidrano to Cento through Finale and Bondeno and so to Farrara From whence by water and land they might be conueyed into Padouana there to ioyne with the Venetian forces In this way albeit there was manie difficulties and might by the enemie in some places be impeached yet was it thought the best of all others Whereof the Earle aduertised with great speed began his iourney and on the twentith of Iune arriued in Padouana The comming of this Captaine into Lombardy made Venice and all the countrie thereto belonging in great hope For as they seemed before to dispaire now they began to hope not onely to hold their owne but also to win from others The Earle first of all went to the rescue of Verona and the rather to meete with Nicholo and his Armie he marched to Soaue a Castle builded betwixt Vicentino Veronesi and inuironed by a diche which reached from Soaue to the marish of Adice The Earle seeing his passage by the plaine stopped thought to passe by the mountaines and by that way to come neare to Verona Supposing Nicholo did not thinke that he would take that way being vnpleasant mountanous or if he did he could not in time come thither to impeach him Wherefore being prouided of victuals for eight daies hee and his men passed the mountaine and arriued vnder Soaue in the plaine Where albeit some bulwarks had bene made by Nicholo yet were they not such as staied his passage Nicholo then seeing the enemie aboue his expectation come thither fearing to fight vpon disaduantage retired himselfe on the other side of Adice and the Earle without anie obstacle entred into Verona Thus the Earle hauing performed the first enterprise which was to remoue the siege the second yet remained to rescue Brescia This Citie is so seated vpon the riuer of Garda the scite wherof is such that though it be besieged by land yet may it be victualled by water which was the cause why the Duke put so great forces vpon that Lage and in the beginning of his victories had surprized all those townes which by the Lage could relieue Brescia The Venetians had also Gallies vppon the Lage but they were not of power inough to fight with the Dukes forces The Earle therefore thought fit with some more souldiers to strengthen the Nauie and win those townes which with held the vittails from Brescia He therfore brought his Campe before Bandolino a Castle vpon the Lage hoping if that were wonne the rest would presently yeeld In that enterprise fortune disfauoured the Earle for the greatest number of his men fell sicke so as leauing the enterprise hee went vnto Zeno a castle belonging to Verona where the country is plentiful the aire wholesome Nicholo seeing the Earle retired not to omit occasion to possesse himselfe of the Lage left his Campe at Vegatio and with some choise men went vnto the Lage There with great furie he assaulted the Venetian Armie tooke welneare all their Gallies After this victory almost al the Castles vpon the Lage yeelded vnto Nicholo The Venetians dismaid at this his losse and fearing therby that they of Brescia would yeeld also sollicited the Earle both by Letters and Messengers to make speed to succour it But the Earle seeing that by the Lage there was no hope to relieue it by land it was impossible by reason of ditches bulwarkes and trenches made by Nicholo so as whosoeuer should enter must go to present destruction determined to proue the way of the mountains wherby as he had before saued Verona so he hoped perhaps to rescue Brescia The Earle for the atchiuing thereof departed from Zeno and by the Vale of Acrine marched to the Lage of S. Andrea and came to Torboli and Penda vpon the Lage of Garda From thence he went to Tenna and there pitched his Campe because to passe from thence to Brescia it behooued him to surprise that Castle Nicholo vnderstanding the intent of the Earle brought his Armie to Pischiera and after with the Marquesse of Mantoua and some of his owne choise souldiers marched towards the Earle and fighting togither Nicholo was ouerthrowne Some part of his men were taken prisoners an other part retired to the Armie the third part fled to the Nauie Nicholo then retired himselfe into Tenna and the night being come imagined he could not escape from thence if he tarried til the next day Wherfore to eschue that perill certaine he aduentured a daunger doubtfull Nicholo had amongst many his seruants one Almaine a man of great strength and to him aboue others euer most faithfull Nicholo perswaded this man that if hee would put him into a sacke he might vpon his shoulders as though he were some other thing carry him to some place from whence he might escape At this time the Campe yet remained about Tenna Neuerthelesse by meanes of the victorie the day before no great order or watch was taken so that this Almaine the more easily might conuey his maister Wherefore taking him vpon his shoulders as though he were some other burthen himselfe being apparelled like a Porter he passed through the Camp without any let and so saued his maister This victorie if it had bene well vsed as it was happily wonne had much better releeued Brescia and the Venetians thereby should haue proued more happie But the same being euill vsed the ioy thereof was the lesse and Brescia remained in the same distresse that it was before For Nicholo hauing
reasons according to their owne desire perswaded the Duke Nicholo tolde him that himselfe might be sent into Toscana and Brescia might neuerthelesse be still besieged for the Duke was Lorde of the Lage and had the strong places belonging to the Towne well furnished the Captaines there remaining and men inough to encounter the Earle whensoeuer he should attempt any other enterprise which without the rescue of Brescia hee could not and to rescue it was impossible So that he might make war in Toscana and yet not leaue the enterprise in Lombardy Hee told him moreouer that the Florentines were enforced so soone as he came into Toscana to reuoke the Earle or else lose it so that if any of these two things came to passe the victorie would follow The banished men alledged that if Nicholo with his Army did drawe neare to Florence it was impossible but that the people being wearie of charges and the insolency of the great men would take Armes against the Gouernours They shewed also how easie it was to approach Florence promising to make the way open through Casentino by meanes of the friendship which Rinaldo had with that Earle Thus the Duke first disposed of himselfe and after confirmed by perswasions of these men resolued vpon this enterprise The Venetians on the other part notwithstanding the bitternesse of the winter failed not to call vpon the Earle with all his forces to succor Brescia Which the Earle answered could not be in that time done but of force it must tarrie the spring of the yeare and in the mean time prepare an Army by water so as both by water and land it might at time conuenient be releeued Hereupon the Venetians became sorie and slow in all their prouisions which was the cause that in their Army many people died Of all these things the Florentines being aduertised began to mistrust seeing the warre at hand and no great good done in Lombardy The suspition also which they had of the Popes souldiers did greatly perplex them not because the Pope was their enemie but for that they sawe those souldiers more obedient to the Patriarke their mortall foe more then to the Pope himselfe Giouanni Vittelleschi Cornetano was first Notarie Apostolicall after Bishop of Ricanati then Patriark of Alessandria and at length after all these dignities become Cardinall was called the Cardinall of Florence This Cardinall being a man both couragious and craftie such a one as was by the Pope so greatly beloued as thereby he became Generall of all the forces belonging to the Church and was Captaine in all enterprises that the Pope tooke in hand either in Toscana Romagna the Kingdome or the Citie of Rome Whereby he wonne such reputation among the people and so great authoritie vnder the Pope that the Pope himselfe stood in doubt how to commaund him and the people did onely obey him and no other At such time as the newes came that Nicholo would passe into Toscana this Cardinall with his company happened to be at Rome whereby the Florentines feare was doubled because that Cardinall after the banishment of Rinaldo had euer bene enemie to Florence for that the pacification among the factions of Florence made by his meanes were not obserued but all things done to the preiudice of Rinaldo who had bene the occasion that Armes were laid down which gaue his enemies good means to banish him Then the Gouernors of the state imagined the time come to restore Rinaldo of his losses if with Nicholo being come into Toscana they ioyned their forces but therof they doubted the more by the vntimely departure of Nicholo from Lombardy who left there an enterprise halfe wonne to begin an other more doubtfull which he would not do without some new intelligence and secret subtiltie Of this their mistrust they had enformed the Pope who knew his owne errour in giuing to an other ouermuch authoritie But when the Florentines stood thus doubtfull what to do Fortune found then a meane whereby to assure the Patriarke That state in those times mainteined diligent espials to discouer what Letters were brought too and fro and thereby conceiued if any thing were practised to the preiudice thereof It happened that at Monte Pulliciano some Letters were taken which the Patriarke without consent of the Pope wrote vnto Nicholo Piccinino Those Letters by the Generall of the warre were presently sent vnto the Pope And although they were written in Carects vnused so as no certaine sence could be made of them yet this obscuritie togither with the practise of the enemie bred so great suspition in the Pope as he determined to assure himselfe The charge of this action he committed to Antonio Rido of Padoua being then Captaine of the Castle in Rome Rido hauing receiued this Commission was readie to obey the Popes commandement aspecting an opportunitie to performe the same The Patriarke being determined to goe into Toscana and minding the next day to depart from Rome desired the Captaine Rido to attend for him in the morning vpon the Castle Bridge at such time as hee should passe that way Antonio Rido thought then a good occasion was presented and gaue order to his men what to do tarrying for the comming of the Patriarke vppon the Bridge which way of necessitie he must passe hard by the Castle So soone as hee was arriued vppon that part which vsed to be drawne vp Rido gaue his men a signe to drawe the Bridge and shut the Patriarke into the Castle which was performed So as of a Generall to the Armie the Patriarke was become a prisoner in the Castle The people that followed him at the first murmured but vnderstanding the Popes pleasure pacified themselues The Captaine did comfort him with curteous wordes and perswaded him to hope well To whome the Patriarke aunswered that great personages were not wont first to be apprehended and after set at libertie For those that deserue imprisonment did not merite to bee enlarged and so shortly after died in prison After his death the Pope appointed Generall of his Armie Lodouico Patriarke of Aquilea Who albeit before that time would not intermeddle with the warre betwixt the League and the Duke yet was then content to take the same in hande promising to be readie to defende Toscana with foure thousande Horse and two thousande footemen The Florentines deliuered of this feare stood yet in doubt of Nicholo and mistrusted the confusion of matters in Lombardy by reason of the diuersitie of opinions betwixt the Venetians and the Earle Wherefore to bee more fullie aduertised of their mindes they sent Neri the sonne of Gino Capponi and Guiliano de Auanzati to Venice Whom they gaue in Commission to determine in what sorte the Warre shoulde bee made the next yeare following Commaunding Neri that so soone as hee vnderstoode the mindes and opinions of the Venetians hee shoulde goe vnto the Earle to knowe his and perswade him to those thinges which for
thereby in such sort offended the state of Florence as his fault ioyned with the conditions of the present time must of necessitie take from him all his wealth and be inforced to abandon that countrey as enemy to the Florentines which as their friend he would not possesse For he had made so euill a triall of himselfe as he might not in any wise be suffered to remaine there where at euery change of fortune he might be readie to offend the Florentine common wealth for it was not him but his countrey whome they feared But if he were pleased to repaire into Germany he might there remaine a Prince sith those Citties did desire him and the Florentines for the loue of those his auncestors whom he alledged would be also therewith contented Hereto the Earle in great collor replied saying that he would see the Florentines a great way further from him So leauing all friendly communication the poore Earle despairing of other remedie yeelded his Towne to the Florentines That done taking his goods his wife and children departed weeping and lamenting for the losse of that Countrey which his auncestors by the space of 900. yeares had possessed These victories being known in Florence were by the Gouernours of that State and the people with meruailous ioy receiued and bicause that Barnardo de Medici knewe that Nicholo was to no purpose marched towards La Marca or Rome he and his souldiers returned to Neri and frō thence they went togither to Florence where they were welcomed with all the greatest honors that by order of that Cittie might be giuen to victorious Cittizens And were in triumphant wise saluted by the Senators the Captaines and the whole Cittie The end of the fift Booke THE SIXT BOOKE IT hath bene and by good reason ought to be the intent of all those that make warre to inrich themselues and impouerish their enemie Neither is victorie for other occasion sought nor the possessions of the enemy to other end desired then thereby to make thy selfe mightie and thy aduersarie weake It followeth therefore that so oft as thy victorie doth impouerish thee or thy gaines do weaken thee either thou passe or come short of the marke whereunto the warre is directed That Prince and that State is by the victories of warre inriched which extirpeth the enemies and becommeth Lord of the spoiles and ransomes And that Prince or Common-weale is impouerished who cannot though he be victorious extirpate the enemy or hath not to his owne vse the spoiles and ransomes but leaueth them to his souldiers Such a Prince in his losses is vnhappie and in his victories most infortunate bicause in losing he suffereth all iniuries which the enemy can do him and in winning must abide the offences of friends which as they are lesse reasonable so are they also lesse tollerable seeing that by impositions and new exactions he is againe to burden his owne subiects That Prince then in whome is any generositie of minde cannot reioyce at such a victorie whereat all his subiects be constrained to lament The auncient and well ordered Common weales were wont by conquests to fill their Treasuries with gold and siluer to giue rewards to the people to forgiue tributes and to make triumphs and publique feastings But the States of whome we write first emptied their treasure houses and after impouerished the people without assuring themselues of their enemies All which grew by their disorderly proceeding in the warres For when they tooke any prisoners not holding them nor slaying them the reuenge was no longer deferred then the leaders of the enemy were furnished anew with horse and weapon Besides that the spoyles and raunsoms being giuen to the souldiers the Princes victorious could not imploy the same in the next warre but were forced to draw their prouision from the bowels of their owne people Neither did that victorie bring foorth other benefite then make the Prince greedie and with lesse respect to burthen them For the souldiers had brought the warre to such a passe as both the victorious and the victored if they would commaund their owne men had like need of money bicause the one was to arme them a new the other to reward them And as they vnmounted could not fight so these without new rewards would not Whereby it followed that the one inioyed not much of the victorie the other felt little of the losse seeing the victored was speedily repaired and the victorious could not in time pursue the victorie This disorder and this peruerse proceeding in warre caused that Nicholo Piccinino was againe set on horseback before his ouerthrow was knowne through all Italy and made after greater warre then before he had done This was the cause that after the discomfit at Tenna he could surprize Verona This was the cause that after the slaughter of his souldiers at Verona he could recouer a greater Army and come into Toscana This was the cause that being ouerthrowne at Anghiari before he arriued in Romagna he was more mightie in the field then before he had bene and might thereby put the Duke of Milan in hope to defend Lombardy which by his absence was supposed to be welneare lost For when Nicholo had filled Lombardy with troubles the Duke was brought to such passe as he began to doubt of his owne estate And fearing his ruine might follow before the comming of Nicholo for whome he had sent to bridle the Earles furie and with industrie to temper fortune which with force he could not he resorted to those remedies which in like cases had before time helped him He therefore sent Nicholo da Este Prince of Farrara vnto Pischiera where the Earle was to practice a peace and perswade that warre not to be for his aduantage Bicause if the Duke were brought to that weakenesse that he could not mainteine his owne reputation he should be the rather esteemed And for more assurance that indeed he desired peace he offered him conclusion of the marriage and would send his daughter to Farrara she promising the peace made to yeeld her selfe into his hands The Earle answered that if the Duke did faithfullie desire peace with ease he might finde it as a thing both by the Florentines and Venetians wished for Yet did he mistrust the same much knowing that before time he had neuer made peace but for necessitie which being passed he would alwaies returne to his old minde and make warre Neither could he beleeue that the Duke intended the marriage hauing bene before at his hand so many times mocked Notwithstanding if the peace were concluded he would after deale in the marriage as by friends he should be aduised The Venetians who without reason were suspitious of their owne souldiers of those entertainements reasonablie conceiued mistrust Which the Earle being carefull to remoue followed the warre with greater furie Notwithstanding his mind was stil so tempered with ambition and the Venetians were so infected with suspition as the rest of that sommer
men of mean cōditiō were near to the new gate talking of the calamities of the city their misery deuising what means might be wroght for redres therof Others drew vnto them till they were a good number Therby a brute was blowne through Milan that the inhabitants neare to the new gate were alreadie in Armes Then all the multitude which aspected onely occasion tooke Armes and created Gasparo da Vicomercato their Captain went to the place where the magistrates were assembled whom they so terrified that so many as could did flee the rest were slain Among whom Leonardo Veniero the Venetian Embassador was murthered who had before that time reioyced at their miserie and was thought to haue bene the occasion of the mischiefe and famine Thus the multitude as Lords of the Citie among themselues consulted what was to be done to deliuer them from so manifold sorrowes wherinto they were entred And euery man thought good to yeeld the citie sith the libertie could not be preserued to some Prince that were able to defend it Some said to the king Alfonso some to the Duke of Sauóia some to the French king Of the Earle no mā made mentiō so great was yet the offence of the people towards him Notwithstanding seeing they could not resolue vpon any Gasparo Vicomercato was the first that named the Earle declaring at large that if they would be discharged of the warre there was no other way but to chuse him because the people of Milan had necessitie of certain present peace could not tarry long in hope of future relief Moreouer he excused the actions of the Earle accusing the Venetians and all the other Princes of Italy because they would not some for ambition some for couetise that Milan should continue free And therfore being forced to depart with libertie it was best to yeeld to such a one as could would defend it So as by that seruitude they might at the least gain peace without further losse or war more dangerous This speech was with great attentiō hearkned vnto euery man with one voice cōsented that the Earle should be chosen and Gasparo was made Embassador to call him who by commandement of the people went vnto the Earle to present him this pleasant happie newes The Earle willingly accepted the same entered into Milan as Prince the 26. of February in the yere 1450. And was there with exceeding gladnes receiued euē by those who not lōg before had hated defamed him The newes of this victory being brought to Florence order was taken with the Embassadors sent frō thence and were already vpon the way towards the Earle that in stead of entreaty of peace with him as Earle they shuld cōgratulate the victory as Duke These Embassadors were by the Duke honorably receiued bountifully enterteined For he knew wel that against the power of the Venetians he could not find in all Italy more faithful nor more mighty friends then the Florentins Who hauing remoued feare of the Visconti thought they should be forced to fight with Aragon Venice Because the house of Aragon then Kings of Naples was their enemie in respect of the friendship by them borne to the house of France and the Venetians knew that the auncient feare of the Visconti was fresh and that carefully they had persecuted them wherefore doubting the like persecution sought their ruine These matters were the occasion that the new Duke was easily induced to friend the Florentines and that the Venetians and the King Alfonso agreed to ioyne against their common enemie binding themselues at one selfe time to take armes that the King should assault the Florentines and the Venetians set vpon the Duke Who being new in the state was not as they thought neither able with his owne forces to withstand them nor with the aide of others could be defended Yet because the league betwixt the Florentines and Venetians continued and that the King after the warres of Piombino had made peace with them they thought not good to breake that peace till such time as they had some colour to make warre Wherefore both the one the other sent Embassadors to Florēce to signifie in the behalf of their Lords that the league was made not to offend any man but to defend their Countries And moreouer the Venetians complained that the Florentines had giuen passage to Alisandro brother to the Duke of Lunigiana whereby he with his forces passed into Lombardy and that they were also the Authors and Councellours to make the agreement betwixt the Duke and the Marquesse of Mantoua All which things they said were preiudiciall to their state and the friendship betwixt them Wheresore friendly wished thē to remember that who so offendeth an other wrongfully doth giue occasion to him that is offended iustly to seek reuenge and he that breaketh the peace must euer looke to find war The answer of this Embassage was by the Senate committed to Cosimo who in a long and wise Oration laid before them all the benifits which his citie had bestowed vpon the Venetian common-weale Declaring how great dominion they had wonne by means of the mony the men counsel of the Florentines And assured them that sith the Florentines did occasion the friendship no cause of warre should euer proceed from them For they hauing bene euer louers of peace commended greatly the agreement betwixt them so as for peace and not for war the same were made But he maruelled much of the Venetian complaints that of so small vain matters so great a common-weale wold make account But if they had bene worthie consideration yet was it knowne to the world that the Florentine country was free and open to all men and the Duke was such a one as to win friendship with Mantoua had no need either of counsel or fauour Wherfore he doubted that these complaints had vnder them hidden some secret poison not yet perceiued Which so being euery man should easily vnderstand that as the Florentines friendship did profit them so their displeasure could hinder them Thus for that time the matter was lightly passed ouer the Embassadors seemed to depart wel inough cōtented Notwithstanding the league being made the maner of the Venetians and the Kings proceedings did occasiō the Florentines the Duke rather to looke for some new war then hope of firme peace Therefore the Florentines ioyned in league with the Duke in the mean while the euil disposition of the Venetians was discouered because they made league with the Sanesi banished all the Florentines with euery other person subiect to the state of Florēce Shortly after the king Alfonso did the like without any respect to the peace made the yeare before without iust cause or coloured occasion The Venetians laboured to gain the possession of Bologna for that purpose aided the banished men of that Citie who with many others found
the Cittie which was the cause he failed to performe that enterprise for he knew not that the parts do more willingly follow the head then the head doth follow them After this ouerthrow the King Ferrando being fled into Naples thither resorted vnto him diuerse of his subiects who were driuen from their countreys then by all curteous meanes he leuied men and money to make a new Camp sending againe for aide to the Pope and Duke From the one and the other of whome he was aided more speedily and abundantly then before time he had bene bicause they greatly feared he should otherwise lose his Kingdome King Ferrando in this sort growne strong marched out of Naples and hauing gotten some reputation recouered also part of his lost townes During these warres in the Kingdome a chance happened that vtterly depriued Giouanni de Angio of reputation and meane to haue victorie in that enterprise The Genouesi being wearie of the French insolent and couetous gouernment tooke armes against the Kings Gouernour there and forced him to flee to the little Castle of Genoua The Fregosi and the Adorni were content to ioyne in that action and by the Duke of Milan they became furnished of money and men both for the winning and keeping the Cittie So that the King Rinato with his nauie came to the succour of his sonne and hoping to recouer Genoua by meane of the small Castle in landing his souldiers was ouerthrowne and forced with shame to returne vnto Prouenza These newes being carried to the Kingdome of Naples greatly dismaied Giouanni de Angio notwithstanding he still followed his enterprise and continued the warre being serued by those Barons who were rebelled and could not looke for fauour of Ferrando In the end after many accidents those two royall armies ioyned battell wherein neare vnto the Cittie of Troia Giouanni was vanquished the yeare 1463. This ouerthrow did not so much hinder the successe of the King Giouanni as did the reuolt of Giacopo Piccinino who left him and ioyned with King Ferrando whereby being spoiled of his forces he retired into Histria and from thence to Fraunce This warre continued foure yeares and was in the end lost by his owne negligence for it was many times in good way of victorie by the vertue of his souldiers Therein the Florentines intermedled not apparantly yet were they desired by Embassadors of the King Giouanni of Arragon newly come to that Kingdome by the death of Alfonso to assist the enterprise of Ferrando his nephew as they had bound themselues by the league lately made with Alfonso his father To whome by the Florentines it was answered that they were not by any obligation bound to aide the sonne in that warre which was begun by the father for as the same had bene without their counsell or knowledge taken in hand so without their assistance it should be performed and ended The Embassadors being thus to the request of their King answered protested the execution of their band and the Kings preiudice so in great displeasure with that Cittie departed The Florentines during these warres continued in peace abroad but within they rested not as in the next Booke shall be particulerly declared The ende of the sixt Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE TO those that haue read the former Booke it may seeme in writing of Florence and the proceedings of the Florentines we haue ouermuch spoken of such accidents as hapned in Lombardy and the Kingdome Neuerthelesse as heretofore I haue so am I hereafter to continue with the like discourses For albeit I did not promise to write of matters concerning Italy yet haue I thought good to speake of those that were in that countrey most notable For if I should not make mention of them our historie would be with more difficultie vnderstood and to the Readers lesse pleasing Chiefely bicause the actions of other people and Princes of Italy did occasion the warres wherein the Florentines were forced to intermeddle as of the warre of Giouanni de Angio and King Ferrando great enimitie grew which was after betwixt Ferrando and the Florentines and particulerly with the house of Medici continued For the King complained that the Florentines did not onely leaue him in that warre vnaided but also that his enemies were by them fauoured which anger was the occasion of exceeding many inconuenients as shall be hereafter declared And for as much as I haue written at large those matters which happened without the Cittie till the yeare 1463. it behoueth me for the declaration of such troubles as happened in those daies within to looke back many yeares passed Yet first by way of discourse as is my custome I say that whosoeuer doth thinke that any Common-weale can continue vnited he greatlie deceiueth himselfe But true it is that some diuisions be preiudiciall to Common-weales and some others be profitable Those be preiudiciall which are with factions and followers accompanied And those are profitable which without factions and followers bee mainteined Seeing then it is a thing impossible for that man who frameth a Common-weale to prouide that no enimitie shall therein arise he ought at the least foresee that no factions be permitted It is then to be considered that the Citizens in euerie state do win reputation either by publike or priuate meanes Publike reputation is gotten by victorie in the field by surprizing of townes by wise and discreet performing of Embassages or by counsailing the State grauely and fortunately By priuate meanes men attain to reputatiō by pleasuring particuler citizēs by sauing them frō punishments by relieuing them with money by aduancing thē vnworthily to honors and offices and by enterteining the common people with sports publike gifts From these causes faction following and partaking do proceed And as reputation thus gotten is hurtful so the other not being intermedled with faction is the occasion of great good bicause it is grounded vpon no priuate but common commoditie And albeit among such Citizens so great displeasures wil grow as the wisdome of man is not able to preuēt yet wāting partakers to follow thē for proper profit they cannot by any way hinder the common-weale but shal rather help it for in aspiring to that they would come vnto it behoueth them to indeuor the aduancement of the state and particularly one to respect the other so much as the lawes ciuil orders be not infringed The enimities of Florēce were alwaies followed with factions and therfore hurtfull to the state neither was any victorious faction longer vnited then the contrary part continued in force for so soone as the enemies were extinguished the faction remaining no more in awe of the enemy nor hauing order to bridle it selfe became diuided The faction of Cosimo de Medici in the yeare 1434. remained with victorie Neuerthelesse bicause the partie oppressed was stil great and full of mightie men it continued vnited and tollerable so long as among those of the factiō no error was cōmitted and the people
resolutely executed The cause of their destruction was that they were not followed and defended of them to whome they trusted Let Princes therefore learne to make themselues so much honored and loued as no man can hope to hurt them and saue himselfe And let all priuate persons know how vaine it is to thinke that the multitude notwithstanding it be discontented will in their perils follow or accompanie them This accident amazed all Italy but much more trouble proceeded of other chances that shortly after happened in Florence For thereby the peace which had continued in Italy the space of twelue yeares was broken as in the Booke following shall be declared Which Booke as it beginneth with bloud and terror so doth it end with sorrow and miserie The ende of the seuenth Booke THE EIGHT BOOKE THE beginning of this Booke placed amidst two conspiracies the one in Milan alreadie declared the other happened in Florence and to be spoken of it may be thought fit that according to my custome I should somewhat saie touching the quallitie of conspiracies and of what importance they are Which willingly I would do had I not in other places discoursed thereof or that such a matter might be briefelie passed ouer But seeing it requireth great consideration and is alreadie spoken of we will proceed and tell how the Medici hauing ouercome all enemies that openly opposed themselues being desirous their house alone might haue authoritie in the Cittie it behoued them to oppresse all others that secretly practised against them For so long as they contended against other families but with equall authoritie the Cittizens enuying their greatnesse might openly and without feare affront them Bicause the Magistrates being free neither partie before losse of victorie had any occasion to feare it selfe But after the victorie in the yeare 66. the State became so much in the hand and power of the Medici as all men discontented were inforced either patiētly to abide the condition wherein they liued or else by way of conspiracie and secret practise to amend their fortune But sith cōspiracies are with difficultie performed for the most part they procure the ruine of the conspirators and the greatnes of him against whome they be conspired So that a Prince by conspiracie assaulted if he be not therein slaine as was the Duke of Milan which seldome hapneth becommeth thereby the stronger and being before good becommeth euill Bicause conspiracies do giue him occasion to feare feare counsaileth him to seeke assurance and in seeking assurance he doth iniure others whereby he gaineth hatred and many times procureth his own destruction So as in cōclusion treasons do sodeinly ouerthrow those who attempt them and trouble him many times against whome they be attempted Italy was as hath bene before declared diuided into two factions the Pope and the King on the one side and the Venetians the Duke and Florentines on the other side And albeit there was not betwixt them any warre moued yet was there dailie occasion giuen thereof and the Pope chiefelie in all his actions studied to offend the state of Florence Philippo de Medici Archbishop of Pisa then dying the Pope contrarie to the will of the Senate of Florence gaue that Bishopprick to Francesco Saluiati whome hee knewe to bee enemie to the house of Medici But the Senate denying to deliuer possession thereof there followed great displeasure betwixt the Pope and the Medici Besides that the Pope did great fauours in Rome to the familie of Pazzi and in euerie acte disfauoured the house of Medici In those daies the house of Pazzi liued aboue other the Florentine families in most riches and glorie The chiefe of them was called Giacopo who for his riches and Nobilitie was made Knight He hauing no children but one onely daughter had for heires diuerse nephews sonnes of Piero and Antonio his brethren The chiefe of whom were Guglielmo Francesco Rinato and Giouanni After them Andrea Nicholo and Galeotto Cosimo de Medici seeing their riches and nobilitie gaue his neece Biancha in marriage to Guglielmo hoping that alliance would make those houses more vnited and remoue all occasion of displeasures and suspitions which many times hapned betwixt them Notwithstāding so incertaine and fallible are the expectatiōs of men the matter came otherwise to passe for those that counselled Lorenzo told him it was perilous and contrary to his authoritie to suffer the Citizens to increase their riches and state which was the cause that those degrees of honor were not graunted to Giacopo and his nephews which as other Citizens thought they deserued Hereof grew the first displeasure of the Pazzi and the first feare of the Medici The increasing of the one was cause that the other also increased in so much as the Pazzi in all actions whereat other Citizens did meete were not to the Magistrates welcome Also the officers of eight men vpon a like occasion without such respect as was wont to be borne towards the great Citizens constrained Francesco de Pazzi being at Rome to returne to Florence Whereupon the Pazzi in all places with iniurious words and full of offence complained which doings caused others to suspect think thēselues to be iniured Giouanni de Pazzi had married the daughter of Giouanni Barromei a man of great riches which riches after his death for want of sonnes should come vnto her Neuertheles Carlo his nephew toke possession of part of those goods and therby the matter being brought to triall and sute an order was made by vertue wherof the wife of Giouanni de Pazzi was disinherited and the possessions giuen to Carlo which iniurie the Pazzi did altogither impute to the Medici Of this matter Giuliano de Medici did many times lament and complaine to his brother Lorenzo saying he feared least they desiring too much should lose all But Lorenzo being full of youth and authoritie would needs take all vpon him and make euery man know that all things were done by him The Pazzi being noble and rich could not indure so great iniuries but deuised by what means they might procure reuenge The first that moued speech against the Medici was Francesco He being of more courage and life then the others determined to get that which he wanted or lose that which he had And bicause the gouernment of Florence was hatefull vnto him he liued for the most part in Rome and there according to the custome of Florentine Merchants occupied great summes of money Being also of familier acquaintance with the Earle Girolamo one of them often complained to the other of the Medici In so much as after many consultations they concluded that to make the one of them assured of his lands and the other of his Cittie it was necessarie to alter the gouernment of Florence which they thought could not be done without the death of Giuliano and Lorenzo They also supposed that the Pope and the King would easily thereto consent if the facilitie of the enterprise
for these matters lately happened For when I consider with what fraud and despight I was assaulted and my brother slaine I cannot but bee sorrie and with all my heart and soule lament Yet when I remember with what readinesse what loue and vniuersall consent of all this Citie my brothers death was reuenged and I defended I must of force be glad and greatly esteeme my selfe For as experience hath now taught me to know that I haue more enemies in the Cittie then I thought so hath it enformed mee that I had also more earnest and affectionate friends then I looked for I am then to condole with you for the iniurie of others and reioyce with you for your owne merits yet must my sorrow be the more because the iniuries were rare neuer seene and not of vs deserued Consider right noble Cittizens to what point frowarde fortune had brought our house that among our friends our kinsfolks and in the Church it was not assured Such as stand in feare of their liues were wont to resort to their friends for aide and flee to their kinsfolk for succour both whom we found readie armed to our destruction Such as either mistrusted priuate or publique persecution haue found refuge in Churches but the same hauing saued others hath bin made a place for our murder For where murderers theeues haue found refuge the Medici haue met with ministers of their death But God who hitherto did neuer abandon our house hath saued vs and taken vpon him the defence of our iust cause For what iniurie haue we done that might of any man merit so great desire of reuenge Truly we neuer offended priuately any of these who haue prooued themselues so much our enemies For if we had offended them they should not haue had so great meane to offend vs. Or if they attribute to vs the publique iniuries whereof I am not priuie they offend rather you then vs rather this Pallace and maiestie of gouernment then our house seeming that for our cause you do vndeseruedly iniure them and the rest of your Citizens which is farre from all troth For we though we could and you though we would did neuer consent they should be done Whosoeuer doth looke well into the truth shall finde that our house hath bene by you with so vniuersall consent aduaunced for nothing more then for that it hath studied to excell others in curtesie liberallitie and well dooing If then we haue honoured straungers how haue we iniured our kinsfolke If this motion proceeded of desire to gouerne as it seemeth to do by taking the Pallace and leading armed men to the Market place thereby appeareth how euill ambitious and reprooueable it is If it be done for the mallice and enuie they beare to our authoritie therein they offend you not vs to whom you haue giuen it For surely those authorities deserue hate which men vsurpe not those which with curtesie liberallitie and magnificence be gained You know also that our house neuer ascended to any degree of greatnesse but by order of this Pallace and your vniuersall graunt Cosimo my graundfather returned not from exile by force of armes or violence but by your allowance and consent My father being aged and sicke could not defend his authoritie against so many enemies but you with your authoritie did it I my selfe after my fathers death being as it were a childe haue not mainteined the estimation of my house but by your counsels and fauour Neither could our house haue gouerned this common-weale had you not ioyned and doo ioyne in the gouernment thereof I cannot therefore imagine what cause of mallice they haue against vs or what iust occasion to enuie vs. For sith their owne auncestors with their pride and couetise haue lost those honours why should they enuie vs if by contrarie desert we haue gained them But admit the iniuries done them by vs be great and that they iustly desired our ruine yet why should they offend this Pallace Why make they league with the Pope and King against the libertie of this state Or why do they disturbe the long peace of Italy Hereof they haue no excuse at all for they ought to offend those who offended them and not mixe priuate displeasures with publique iniuries which is the reason that they being extirped our miserie is the more For by their meanes the Pope and King are comming towardes vs in armes and that warre they say to be made onely against me and my house Which would God were true because then the remedie is readie and certain For I am not so bad a Citizen as to preferre my priuate welfare before your publique weldooing but would willingly quench your fire with my own destruction Yet sith the iniuries which great men do be alwaies couered with some pretence lesse dishonest they haue chosen this quarell to cloake their shamefull enterprise But if it so be that you beleeue the contrarie I am in your hands to be holden or let loose as your selues shall thinke best You are my fathers you are my defenders whatsoeuer you commaund I obey and will performe Neither will I euer refuse if it shall please you to end this warre with my bloud which by the bloud of my brother hath bene begun While Lorenzo thus spake the Cittizens could not refraine weeping and with such compassion as they heard him he was by one of them answered saying The Cittie did acknowledge to haue receiued so much good of him and his as hee might assure himselfe they would be no lesse readie to preserue his reputation and authoritie then they had bene willing to reuenge his brothers death and saue his life And before he should lose either the one or the other they would hazard the losse of their countrey And to the end their deeds might be answerable to those words they appointed a certain number of men to guard his person from domesticall treasons and after tooke order for the warre leuying both men and money by all meanes conuenient Then by vertue of the league they sent for aide to the Duke of Milan and the Venetians And sith the Pope had shewed himselfe a wolfe and no shepheard fearing to be deuoured by all possible meanes they iustified their cause letting all Italy know the treason practised against their state declaring the wickednesse of the Pope and his iniustice who being by indirect meanes aspired to the Papacie would also with mallice exercise the same For he had not onely first sent a Prelate of his to accompanie traytors and cut-throates to commit murther in the Temple euen in the time of diuine seruice and at the instant of celebration of the Sacrament and so by the death of the Citizens to chaunge the gouernment and sacke the Cittie at his pleasure but had also excommunicated them and with his papall curses threatned and offended them Notwithstanding if God were iust and that the iniuries of men were to him offensiue it could not be but that the
being perswaded it was shame and dishonor that a priuate Gentleman had taken from them the Castle of Serezana And bicause the capitulations were that it was lawfull to demaund all things taken and if they were not restored to make warre against the withholder they resolued speedily to prepare money and men to performe that enterprise Then Agostino Fregoso who had surprized Serezana being perswaded that at his priuate charge he could not mainteine so great a warre gaue that towne to S. George And sithens we are to make mention diuerse times of S. George and the Genouesi it seemeth not amisse to declare the orders and customes of that Cittie being one of the principall states of Italy The peace made betwixt the Genouesi and Venetians after the greatest warre that was seene in many yeares past the State not being able to pay those Cittizens who had lent great summes of money appointed their reuenues of the Dogana to be paid vnto them till such time as the principall debts were discharged And for their meeting togithers they appointed the Pallace ouer the Dogana These creditors among themselues ordeined a forme of gouernment appointing a Councell of a hundred and a Senate of eight Citizens which officers as heads of the Cittie might dispatch all affaires The debts were diuided into parts which they called Luoghi and intituled the whole corporation of S. Georgeo This gouernment thus established euer hapned new necessities whereupon they resorted to S. George for new aide who being riche and well ordered could easily serue their turnes And the communaltie on the other side hauing graūted the Dogana began for pawne of the moneys to giue their lands yea the matter went so farre by reason of the common necessities and seruices of S. George that vnder gouernment thereof the greater part of the Townes Citties and Lands of Genoua doe now belong to S. George who doth gouerne and defend them Also euery yeare by publique suffrage officers be appointed without any intermedling of the Communaltie Hereof it proceedeth that those Citizens haue no regard of the common profit as a thing tirannized and set their whole care vpon S. George as well and equally gouerned whereof do arise the easie and often alterations of the State and that the people do otherwhiles yeeld their obedience to some of their owne Citizens and sometimes to a Stranger for not S. George but the Communaltie doth alter in gouernment which was the cause that whē the Adorni Fregosi contending for the principallitie did fight the communaltie only and the greater part of the citizēs stood neutrall and yeelded to the victorious Neither doth the office of S. George other then whensoeuer any man hath taken the gouernment it sweareth him to obserue the lawes thereof which to this day are not changed For S. George hauing in possession the armes the money and the gouernment cannot without the danger of a certaine rebellion be altered A rare order surely and not found by the Philosophers amōg their imagined or visible Cōmon-weales to see within one circle and among one number of Citizens libertie and tirannie ciuill life and corruption iustice and licentiousnes which order onely mainteineth that towne full of auncient and venerable customes And if it should happen which in time will assuredly come to passe that S. George shall be owner of all the Citie that State will be more notable then the Venetian Common-weale To this S. George Agostino Fregoso gaue Serezana who receiued it willingly and taking in hand the defence thereof presently prepared a nauie by sea and sent certaine forces to Pietrasanta to impeach all those that resorted to the Florentine Camp then neare vnto Serezana On the other side the Florentines desired to take Pietrasanta as a towne needfull to be had for the winning of Serezana for being betwixt it and Pisa they could not besiege it so long as by the Pietrasantesi or others therein they were impeached in the siege of Serezana To bring this enterprise to passe they sent from Pisa to the Camp a great quantitie of munition and victuall slenderly garded to the end that they of Pietrasanta should feare the lesse and in hope of a good bootie to assault them The matter was then followed according to expectation For the souldiers in Pietrasanta seeing before their eyes so great a bootie tooke it which gaue the Florentines iust occasion to execute the enterprise wherefore leauing Serezana they besieged Pietrasanta which was well manned and brauely defended The Florentines hauing their artillerie in the plaine made a bulwarke vpon the mountaine hoping from thence to batter it Giacopo Guicciardino was Commissarie of the Florentine forces And while they besieged Pietrasanta the nauie of Genoua tooke and burnt the fortresse of Vada and setting some of their souldiers a land spoiled the countrey thereabout Against whome Buongianni Gianfiliazzi was sent with certaine footmen who partly stayed their pride so as they durst no longer spoile at their pleasures Yet the nauie continuing to molest the Florentines went vnto Liuorno and with certaine instruments approched Torre Nuoua battering it diuerse dayes with artillerie but seeing nothing done to their aduantage returned back with shame In the meane space Pietrasanta was coldly assaulted whereupon the enemies tooke hart assaulted the Bulwarke and tooke it which was so greatly to their reputation and the Florentines feare as they were readie to breake vp the Campe. In so much as they retired foure miles from the towne and the officers of the Camp thought good that the moneth of October being come it was time to lodge the army and deferre that siege till the next Spring This disorder being knowne in Florence made the Magistrates much offended and therefore to repaire the Camp in force and reputation made choise of new Commissaries Antonio Pucci and Bernardo del Nero who with great summes of money went vnto the Camp and declared to the Captaines the indignation of the Senate and the people and how great a shame it should be vnlesse the army did againe returne to the siege for it were an infamie so great a Camp to be repulsed by so small a guard and so weake a towne They also shewed the present and future commoditie that would insue of that victorie Which perswasion moued the souldiers to returne to the walls and first of all to recouer the Bulwarke For the performance whereof they knowing how much curtesie affabilitie and good vsage might do to incourage the minds of men Antonio Pucci by comforting promising and imbracing the souldiers procured the Bulwarke to be assaulted so furiously as euen in a sodeine it was taken yet not without losse for in that assault the Earle Antonio de Marciano with a peece of artillerie was slaine This victorie terrified those of the towne so much as they began to offer composition whereupon to the end the conclusion might be made with the more reputation Lorenzo di Medici thought good to come to the Camp
the inhabitants of Florence and all the Princes of Italy lamented his death and made manifest shewe thereof For there was not any of them that sent not Embassadors to condole the death of Lorenzo And for triall that they had iust cause to lament the effect following prooued For Italy being depriued of his counsell had not any man left therein whose wisedome could preuent or bridle the ambition of Lodouico Sforza Gouernour of the yoong Duke of Milan Wherefore Lorenzo being dead those euill seedes beganne to grow which shortly after wanting such a one to roote them out did ruine and yet doth ruine all Italy FINIS LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede for William Ponsonby 1595. The subiect of this Historie Mediocritie the scope of Aristocracie Gouernment Aristocracie imperfit Equalitie the scope of Democracie Democracie imperfit Monarchie the most excellent Gouernment The order of the Northren people The Northren people oppressed the Romane Empire The Empire diuided into three gouernments Rome sacked by the Visigotti Bonifacio gouernor of Affrica How Gallia became named Francia How Hungaria became so named Votigerio king of the Angli How the name of England was giuen to that Iland The antient English people now inhabitants of Bretagna Attila his comming into Italy The cause of the election of an Emperour in the VVest The coÌ„ming of the Longobardi into Italy How the ancient Empyre became diuided Theodorico king of Ostrogotti a most vertuous Prince The death of Theodorico The acts of Bellisario The acts of Totila The acts of Narsete The acts of Longino The acts of Alboino The acts of Clefi The Lombardi refused to be gouerned by Kings At what time the Bishops of Rome aspired to authoritie The remooue of the Emperiall seat from Rome the cause of the Popes greatnes The East Empyre suppressed in the reigne of Eracleo The troubles of Italy caused by the ambition of Popes By what meanes the preseÌ„t Princes of Italy aspired Gregorio tertio Pope Theodoro primo Great honour dore to the pope by Carlo magno with indignitie to the Emperors Pope Pascale 1. Originall of Cardinals by Pope Pascale 1. The first occasion why the Popes did take new names at ther election At what time the Empire was taken froÌ„ the house of France The kingdom of Italy giuen to Beringario How Italy was gouerned Anno. 931. The election of the Emperour giuen to the Germans Ann. 1002. Three Popes deposed by Enrico 2. The Romans auncient enemies to the Pope The creation of the Pope taken froÌ„ the Romanes The originall of the Guelfi and Gibellini An. 1080. Rome sacked The discent of the kings of Napoli Pope Vrbano 2. La Crociata The originall of knights of Ierusalem Pope Pascale 2. Pope Alessandro 3. The King of England put to penance by Pope Alissandro The death of Federigo the Emperor Pope Celestino 3. Pope Innocentio 4. Pope Honorio 3. erector of the order of S. Francisco Anno 1218. Ezelino Azone de Este first Duke of Farrara The Emperor forced to entertaine Sarasins Pope Innocent 4. The death of Ezelino Pope Vrbano 4. Pope Clement 4. Pope Adriano 5. The ambition of Popes a ruyne to Italy Pope Adriano 3. Pope Martino 3. Pope Celestino and Bonifacio 8. Pope Bonifacio inuentor of the Guibileo Pope Clements 5. Pope Iohn 22. A practise of Ma. Visconts against the house of Torre The meane how the Visconti aspired to be Dukes of Milan The king of Boemia called into Italy The originall of Vinegia The decree of Pope Benedetto 12. against the Emperour The Emperours decree to the Popes preiudice Giouanna Q of Naples Nicholo di Lorenzo Francesco Barocegli Q. Giouanna deposed Pope Innocentio sexto Pope Vrbano 5. The Papall court returnâ—d to Rome An. 1376. Great artillery first vsed in Italy 1376. Pope Benedetto 13. The first frutes of Benefices taken by the Pope Pope Innocentio 7. K. Ladislao deposed by pope Alissandro 5. Three popes at one time The Curch after fortie yeares diuision was vnited VVarre betwixt Queene Giouanna and her husband Lodouico de Angio adopted king of Naples How Italy was gouerned and diuided VVhereof the name of Florence is deriued The first deuision of Florence By what means the factioÌ„s of Guelfi and Ghibilini arose in Florence An vnion and policie setled in Florence King Manfredi a chiefe of the Ghibilini Farinata Vberti The Duke of Angio called into Italy by the Pope King Manfre dislaine New ordinances in FloreÌ„ce New ordinances in FloreÌ„ce by the Guelfi Fâ—orence excomunicate The Pope euer suspitious New ordinances in Florence Florence reformed Priori Discord between the nobility and the people New ordinances in fauour of the people Giano della Bella. Diuision betwixt the Nobilitie and people Perswasions to the Nobilitie to laie downe armes Perswasions vsed to the people New reformation in Florence 1298. New diuision of the Bianchi Carlo di valloys made Gouernor of Horence New troubles by Corso Donati Medici and Guini New reformation in Florence Corso Donati Corso condemned The death of Corso Donati 1308. The Emperor Arrigo called into Italy 1312. The death of Arrigo. New diuition in Florence Lando de Agebio made Gouernor of Florence Castruccio castracani Ramondo di Cardona Generall for the Florents The Florentines ouerthrowne by Castruccio The Duke of Athene Gouernour of Florence The Emperour Lodouico called into Italy The death of castruccio carlo Duke of calauria New reformation in Florence The death of Lodouico The troubles and war in Florence all ceased Conspiracy against Iacomo Gabrieli of Agobio Taldo Valori Maffeo de Maradi The Bardi and Frescobaldi condemned The Duke of Athene The Dukes answere to the Senate Ordinaunces made by the Duke of Athene in Florence Matteo di Moroso Conspiracy against the Duke of Athene The Duke of Athene banished by the Florentines Discription of the Duke and his disposition Florence againe reformed The people of Florence offended with the nobilitie The autoritie of the nobilitie taken from them Andrea Strozzi The nobilitie assaie to recouer their honours The People armed against the nobilitie The Nobilitie oppressed The enimitie betweene the people and the multitude The faction or diuision of Albizi and Ricci A new lawe against the Ghibilini occationed by a priuie respect Ammoniti The Oration of the cittizens touching factions New reformation in Florence Pope Gregorio A new Commission for the gouernment of war New tumults in Florence The Conspiracy reuealed The speech of Saluestro di Medici New reformation in Florence The Oration of Luigi Guicciardini New tumult in Florence A seditious persuation of one of the multitude Demaunds of the People The Gouerment gained by the multitude Michele Lando Ordinaunces of Michele Lando The multitud offended with Michele Lando his lawes Michele Lando victorious New diuision in Florence Diuers great Cittizens accused The Queene of Napoli taken prisoner Benedetto Alberti Georgio Scali beheaded New reformation in Florence Michele Lando confined Carlo di Angio come into Italy The death of Carlo di Angio