remaining without a Prince the Romanes were enforced to yeeld their obedience to the Pope Yet did not his authoritie thereby greatly encrease because he could not procure to him selfe more preheminence then that the Church of Rome should haue precedence before the Church of Rauenna But the Longobardi being come and Italy diuided into diuerse parts occasioned the Pope to take the more vppon him for he then beeing as it were chiefe of Rome the Emperour of Conctantinople and the Longobardi did respect him so much as the Romanes by his meanes not as subiects but as companions with the Longobardi and with Longino ioyned Thus the Popes sometimes by the fauour of the Longobardi and sometime with the countenance of the Grecians encreased their dignitie But after the destruction of the Empyre in the East which happened in the time of the Emperour Eracleo because the people called Sclaui assaulted conquered againe Iliria calling the same by their owne name Sclauonia the other partes of the Empyre were assailed first by the Persians and after by the Sarasins who came from Arabia conducted by Mahomet and last of all by the Turkes These people amongst them possessed Soria Affrica and Egipt So that the Empyre weakened the Pope dispaired to haue succour there in time of his necessitie On the other side the power of the Longobardi encreasing it behooued him to seeke some new friendship and for the same resorted to the Kinges of France So as after that time all the warres made vppon Italy by forraine people were by the Bishops of Rome occasioned and all the barbarous nations who repaired in so great multitudes to Italy were for the moste part by them called thither which manner of proceeding continueth in our dayes and hath heretofore kept and yet dooth keepe Italy weake and impotent Therefore in discourse of such thinges as haue happened since those to these our daies more shall not be said of the distruction of the Empyre which is altogither cast downe and ruined But wee will heerafter discourse by what meanes the Popes and those other Potentates which till the comming of Carlo the eight gouerned Italy haue atteined to their greatnes whereby we shal conceiue how the Popes first by their censures after with them and their armes mixed with indulgences became terrible venerable and how by euill vsing the one the other they haue altogither lost the vse of their armes in the other they stand at discretion But returning to the order of our matter I say that Gregorio the third beeing atteined to the Papacy Aistulpho to the kingdome of Lombardy contrarie to the agreement afore made surprized Rauenna and made warre against the Pope Gregorio who for the occasions aforesaid not trusting any more to the Emperour of Constantinople beeing then weake neither reposing trust in the Longobardi who had diuerse times distressed him fled for ayde to Pipino the second who from beeing Lord of Austracia and Brabancia was become King of France not so much for his owne vertue as his fathers Carlo Martello and his graundfathers Pipino because Carlo Martello beeing Gouernour of that Kingdome wonne that memorable victorie against the Sarasins neare vnto Torsci vpon the riuer of Era wherein were slaine two hundred thousand Sarasins For which cause Pipino his sonne for the reputation of his father and his owne vertue became after king in that kingdome vnto whome Pope Gregorio as is beforesaid sent for ayde against the Longobardi Pipino answered that hee was very willing to performe his request but first desired to see him and in his presence to honour him For which purpose Gregorio trauailed into France and without any let passed the townes of the Longobardi his enemies so great reuerence was then borne to that Religion Gregorio arriued in France was there greatly honoured by the King and sent back accompanied with the Kings forces who in Pauia besieged the Longobardi wherby Aistulpho was enforced to make peace with the Frenchmen which hee did at the request of the Pope who desired not the death of his enemie but that hee should conuert and liue In which peace Aistulpho promised to render vnto the Church all those townes thereto belonging and by him vsurped But the French souldiers returned home Aistulpho obserued not the conditions of the peace which beeing knowen to the Pope hee prayed ayde a new of Pipino who sent againe into Italy where hee ouerthrew the Lombardy tooke Rauenna and contrarie to the will of the Grecian Emperour gaue the same vnto the Pope with all other townes vnder his Esarcato adding also to them the countrie of Vrbino and La Marca during the time that these townes were in bestowing Aistulpho died and Desiderio a Lombard and Duke of Tuscan tooke armes to vsurpe the kingdome and praied ayde of the Pope to whome hee promised his friendship which request was graunted and the other Princes gaue place Desiderio at the beginning kept his promise and according to the conditions made with Pipino rendred the townes allotted vnto the Pope neither did the Esarco of Constantinople after that time come any more in Rauenna but all things were gouerned according to the pleasure and direction of the Pope Then died the King Pipino to whome succeeded his sonne called Carlo who for the great and memorable exploites by him done was called Magno To the Papacy was at that time aspired Theodoro Primo He falling into contention with Disiderio was by Disiderio besieged in Rome and constrained to craue ayde of Carlo who speedily passed the mountaines besieged Desiderio in Pauia and tooke him with all his Children And hauing sent them prisoners into France went in person to visit the Pope at Rome where hee pronounced this sentence That the Pope beeing Vicar of God could not be iudged of men For the which the Pope with the people of Rome created him Emperour In this manner Rome beganne to haue an Emperour againe in the West And where the Popes were woont to take their instaulation from the Emperours after this time the Emperours in their election would needes take their authoritie from the Pope wherby the reputation of the Empire decreased and the Church gained the same By these meanes the Popes grew great and kept downe the authoritie of temporall Princes The Longobardi hauing then bene in Italy 232. yeares there was of them none other marke of straungers then the name and Carlo being desirous to reforme that Countrey in the time of Pope Leo the third was pleased they should inhabit those places where they were borne and called that prouince of their name Lombardia But forasmuch as they had the name of Rome in great reuerence hee commaunded that all the next Countrey to it adioyning then in the obedience of the Esarcato of Rauenna should bee called Romagna Moreouer he created Pipino his sonne King of Italy the iurisdiction whereof extended to Beneuento the rest remained to the Emperour in Greece with
Christians did in the ende recouer all that before had bene gotten So were the Christians after foure scorce and tenne yeares driuen out of those Countries which with great honour and happinesse they had wonne and defended After the death of Vrbano Pascale secundo was created Pope and Enrico the fourth became Emperour who went to Rome pretending friendship to the Pope but beeing arriued there by force hee tooke the Pope prisoner and put him with all his Clergie in prison from whence they could not bee discharged till the Pope had graunted that the Emperour might dispose of the Churches in Germany as himselfe thought good Then died the Countesse Matilda and made the Church heire of all her Countrey After the death of Pascale and Enrico the fourth succeeded diuerse Popes and diuerse Emperours till at length to the Papacie was elected Alissandro tertio and to the Empire Federigo Sueuo called Barbarossa The popes in that time had manie quarrelles with the people of Rome and the Emperours which were encreased in the raigne of Barbarossa Federigo was a man of warre most excellent but therewith so haughtie of minde and courage as hee disdained to giue place to the pope notwithstanding hee came to Rome to bee Crowned Emperour and peaceably returned into Germanie though hee remayned there not very long contented For shortly after he came againe into Italy to reforme some Towns in Lombardy which would not obey him At that time it happened the Cardinal of S. Clement by Nation a Romane deuided himselfe from the Pope Alissandro found meanes by fauour of some Cardinalls to be also chosen Pope At that instant Federigo the Emperour was with his Armie before the Citie of Crema to whom Alissandro complained of the Antipope the Emperour answered that both he and the Antipope should come vnto him and then he would decide their controuersie and iudge which of them were true Pope This answere displeased Alissandro who conceauing thereby that the Emperour was inclined to fauour the Antipope did excommunicate him and fled to Phillip King of Fraunce Federigo in the meane while proceeding in the Warres of Lombardy tooke Millan and razed it which was the cause that Verona Padoua and Vicenza by common consent determined to resist him Then died the Antipope in whose place Federigo created Guido of Cremona The Romanes by meanes of the Popes absence and the busines of the Emperour in Lombardy had recouered a little authoritie in Rome began to command some Townes vnder them and because the Tusculani would not yeeld to their authoritie they went popularly to assaile them who being aided by Federigo the Romanes were ouerthrowne with so great slaughter as after that Ouerthrow Rome was neuer well peopled nor rich In this meane space Pope Alissandro was returned to Rome perswading himselfe that through the enmitie of the Romanes and Federigo he might there safely remaine and the rather by reason of the Enemies which the Emperour had in Lombardy Neuertheles Federigo setting aside all respectes besieged Rome where Alissandro tarried not his comming but fled to Gulielmo King of Puglia who after the death of Ruggiero remained Heire of that Kingdome Federigo driuen thence by the Plague left the Siege and returned into Germany The Townes of Lombardy which were rebelled to the end they might the rather recouer Pauia Tortona which stood for the Emperor built a new Cittie to be the refuge of that Warre calling the same Alissandria in honour of the Pope Alissandro and in despite of the Emperour Federigo Then died Guidone Antipope in whose place Giouanni of Fermo was created He through the fauour of the Emperours Faction in Montefiascone there dwelled Pope Alissandro in the meane time was gone into Tuscolo called thether by that People hoping that with his authoritie he might defend them from the Romanes Thither came Embassadors from Enrico King of England to declare vnto the Pope that their King was not culpable in the murther of Thomas Bishop of Canterbury as he had bene publiquely slandered For triall whereof the Pope sent two Cardinals into England to examine the truth of that matter who found the King not guiltie Neuertheles in respect of the infamie and that he had not honoured that holy Man according to his desert they enioyned the King for penance to assemble his Nobilitie and in their presence to sweare and protest his innocencie and was moreouer commanded that with all speed he should at his proper charge send two hundred Souldiers to Ierusalem and there paye them for one yeare and himselfe within three yeares to goe thither in person and lead with him an Armie the greatest that hee could possibly make besides that hee should disanull all things done within his Kingdome to the preiudice of the Libertie Ecclesiasticall and consent that all and euerie Subiect of his might appeale to Rome All which things Enrico graunted and notwithstanding hee were a mightie King submitted himselfe to that Iudgement which at this day euerie priuate man would be ashamed to yeeld vnto But notwithstanding the Popes great power ouer Princes farre off yet could he not make himselfe obeyed of the Romanes by whom hee was not suffered to dwell at Rome though he promised not to intermeddle in anie thing saue only the Ecclesiasticall gouernment Hereby may be noted that things vvhich seeme to bee and be not are dreaded more farre of then feared neare at hand By this time Federigo vvas returned to Italy and being prepared to make nevv vvarres vvith the Pope all his prelates and Barons gaue him to vnderstand that they intended to leaue him vnlesse he reconciled himselfe to the church vvhereby this Emperour vvas constrained to go vnto Venice and there to adore the pope vvhereof ensued a full pacification In this peace the pope depriued the Emperor of all his authoritie in Rome and named Gulielmo king of Sicilia and Puglia for his confederate Federigo not content to liue in peace but louing the warres determined to enterprise Asia so gain glory against Mahomet which against the Pope he could not But being arriued at the riuer Cidno enticed with the excellencie of that water hee washed himself therin sodenly died Wherby may be imagined that water did more good to the Mahumetans then the popes excōmunicatiō to the Christians because the excōmunicatiō did only allay the Emperors ambitiō but this water did vtterly quench it Federigo being dead it remained onely for the pope to reforme the disobedience of the Romans after many disputations touching the creation of the Consuls it was agreed that according to the ancient custom they shuld be elected by the Romans yet before they tooke their office vppon them they should sweare fidelitie to the church which agreement caused Giouanni the Antipope to flie to Monte Albano where shortly after hee died Then died also Gulielmo king of Napoli who hauing one onely sonne called Tancredi the pope determined to take that kingdome from him
Pope distraught of his vvits died This Bonifacio vvas he that ordeined the Iubilie in the yeare 1300. and commanded that euery hundreth yeare the same should be so solemnized After that time happened many troubles betvveene the factions of Guelfi Ghibellini And by reason that Italy vvas abandoned by the Emperors many towns became free and many others by tyrants possessed Pope Benedetto restored the Hat to the Cardinals Colonesi and absolued Philippo the French King To him succeeded Clemente quinto vvho being a French man remoued his court into France in the year 1306. In the meane space Carlo the second King of Napoli died To that kingdom succeeded Robarto his sonne and to the Empire Arrigo of Lucemburgh who notwithstanding the absence of the Pope from Rome vvent thither to be crowned By meane of that iourney grevv many troubles in Lombardy because all those that had bene banished either Guelfi or Ghibellini vvere admitted to returne to their townes and there being made so great quarrels among themselues as the Emperour vvith all his power could not appease The Emperour then departed from Lombardy to Genoua and so to Pisa vvhere he practised to take Toscana from the king Robarto But hauing no successe vvent on to Rome where he remained not long being driuen out by the Orsini and the friends of king Robarto Then returned he to Pisa vvhere he deuised for his better proceeding in the vvars of Toscana and the rather also to remooue king Robarto from his gouernment that Frederigo king of Sicilia should assault those countries But at such time as hee hoped at one instant to performe both those enterprises he died and Lodouico of Bauiera was chosen Emperour In this meane space was created Giouanni 22. In whose dayes the Emperour ceased not to persecute the Guelfi and the church which vvas chiefly defended by king Robarto and the Florentines Wherof grew great vvarre in Lombardy by the Visconti against the Guelfi and in Toscana by Castruccio of Lucca against the Florentines And because the family of Visconti vvas that vvhich beganne the Dukedome of Milan one of the fiue principallities that gouerned Italy I thinke good more at large hereafter to intreate of them After that the league of the cities of Lombardy vvas concluded as hath bene beforesaid and they resolued to defend themselues from Federigo Barbarossa Milan also being repaired of the ruines conspired vvith those cities of the league to be reuenged of former iniuries Which league brideled Barbarossa and for a time gaue countenance to the faction of the church then in Lombardy During these vvarres the house of Torre grevv to great reputation so long as the Emperours had in that country small authoritie But vvhen Federigo the second vvas come into Italy and the Ghibellini through the helpe of Ezelino became strong the humour of Ghibilini sprung vp in euery citie and the house of Visconti taking part with that factiō chased out of Milan the family of Torre yet were they not long out but by meane of a peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the Pope hee with his Court beeing in France and Arrigo of Lucimburg going to Rome for the Crowne was receiued into Milan by Maffeo Visconti and Guido della Torre who at that time were chiefe of those houses yet Maffeo intending by helpe of the Emperour to driue Guido out of the Citie and supposing that enterprise the more likely because Guido was in faction contrary to the Empire hee tooke occasion vpon the complaints of the people against the euil demeanor of the Germains slily perswading and encouraging euery man to take Armes and deliuer themselues from the seruitude of that barbarous nation And when all things were made ready he caused a secret minister of his to mooue a tumult Whereat all the people tooke Armes against the name of Germany and Maffeo with his sonnes and followers suddeinly armed went to Arrigo letting him vnderstand that this tumult proceeded frō those of the house of Torre who not contented to liue priuate in Milan tooke occasion to spoyle him gratifie the Guelfi of Italy and make themselues princes of that citie Notwithstanding hee perswaded the Emperour to be of good cheare for they and their followers would in euery respect saue and defend him Arrigo beleeued all that which Maffeo had spoken ioyning his forces with the Visconti assailed those Della Torre Who beeing dispersed in diuerse places of the Cittie to appease the tumult so many of them as could be found were slaine and the rest spoyled sent into Italy Maffeo Visconti thus made as it were prince of Milan had diuerse sonnes the chiefe of them were called Galiazzo and Azo and after them Luchino Giouanni Giouanni became Archbishop of that Citie and of Luchino who died before him remained Barnabo and Galiazzo called Conte de Vertu He after the death of the Archbishop killed Barnabo his vncle and so became onely prince of Milan and was the first that had the title of Duke Of him descended Philippo Giouan Mariangilo who being slaine by the people of Milan the state remained onely to Philippo and he hauing no heires male the Dukedome was translated from the house of Visconti to the Sforzi as shall be hereafter declared But to returne to our matter Lodouico the Emperour to giue reputation to his faction and take the Crowne came into Italy and being arriued at Milan to the end he might leauy mony of the Milanesi offred to make them free and for proofe thereof imprisoned the Visconti Afterwards by mediation of Castruccio of Lucca deliuered them and went to Rome Then the more easily to disturbe Italy he made Piero de la Coruara Antipope by whose authoritie and the force of Visconti he hoped to keepe downe the contrary faction both in Toscana and Lombardy But Castruccio then died which was the cause of his ruine for Pisa and Lucca presently rebelled And the Pisani sent the Antipope prisoner to the Pope thē remaining in France Whereupon the Emperour dispairing of his enterprise in Italy returned to Germany So soone as he was gone Giouanni king of Bohemia came into Italy called thither by the Ghibilini of Brescia and possessed that Citie with one other called Bergamo And forasmuch as the comming of this king was with consent of the Pope although hee fained the contrarie the Legate of Bologna fauoured him imagining for that cause the Emperour would no more returne into Italy by whose departure thence the country was greatly altered The Florentines and the king Robarto seeing that the Legate fauoured the enterprise of the Ghibilini became enemies to all those that the Legate and the king of Bohemia fauoured against whom without respect of Guelfi or Ghibilini many princes ioyned Among them were the Visconti the family of La Scala Filippino Gonzaga of Mantoua the house of Carrara and Este wherupon the Pope did excommunicate them all The king for feare of this league went home to
that choise whereto thine own mind is inclined If thou be the sonne of Hercole Bentiuogli thou wilt dispose thy selfe to such actions as be worthie of thy father and his house but if thou art the sonne of Agnolo Cascese thou shalt remaine in Florence and imploy thy life basely in the art of clothmaking These words much incouraged the yong man for where he had before refused to take the matter vpō him he said now that he would be directed in all by Cosimo and Neri Then they resolued with the messengers of Bologna to apparrell him horse him and man him and so in honorable wise conuey him to the Cittie there to take the gouernment where he after gouerned with so great wisedome that notwithstāding the greater part of his predecessors had ben by their enemies slaine yet he peaceably and honorably liued died After the death of Nicholo Piccinino the peace made in La Marca Philippo desired to entertaine a Captaine to gouerne his Army and secretly practised with Ciarpellone one of the Earles chiefe Leaders and grew with him to composition Ciarpellone prayed leaue of the Earle to goe to Milan to take possession of certaine Castles which in the late warre were by Philippo giuen him The Earle mistrusting that which was and to the end the Duke should not be serued to his disaduantage first stayed him and shortly after put him to death alleaging he had bene by him abused Therewith Philippo was exceedingly angrie and the Florentines and Venetians much pleased as they that feared least the Earles forces and the Dukes power ioyned in friendship This anger was occasion to resuscitate new warre in La Marca In Rimini Gismondo Malatesti was Lord who being son in law to the Earle hoped to haue possession of Pesaro notwithstanding the Earle hauing surprized it gaue it to Alessandro his brother Wherewith Gismondo grew greatly offended and the more bicause Federigo di Montefeltro his enemy by the Earles fauour had vsurped Vrbino This was the cause that Gismondo ioyned with the Duke and sollicited the Pope King to make warre vpon the Earle Who to the end Gismondo should feele the first fruits of that warre which he desired thought to preuent him and sodeinly assailed him Whereupon Rome La Marca were on the soden brought into tumult bicause Philippo the king and the Pope sent great aide to Gismondo and the Venetians and Florentines furnished the Earle though with no men yet with plentie of money Neither was Philippo content to make warre in Romagna but he also determined to take from the Earle Cremona and Pontremoli yet was Pontremoli by the Florentines and Cremona by the Venetians defended So that by these meanes the warre in Lombardy was renewed and therein somewhat done in Cremonese Francesco Piccinino Generall for the Duke was by Micheletto and the Venetian forces at Casale defeated By which victorie the Venetians hoped to take the Dukes state from him and sent their Commissarie to Cremona assailing Ghiraadada and possessed all sauing Cremona Afterwards they passed Adda spoiling the countrey hard to the gates of Milan Thereupon the Duke desired aide of Alfonso declaring what perill would ensue to the kingdome if Lombardy were in the Venetians hand Alfonso promised to send him souldiers who without consent of the Earle could with difficultie passe Then Philippo intreated the Earle not to abandon his father in law being aged and blind The Earle sound himself offended with the Duke for hauing moued the warre against him On the other side he misliked the greatnesse of the Venetians his money grew low and the same was scarcely supplied by the Lords of the League For the Florentines feared no more the Duke which was the cause they esteemed the Earle and the Venetians desired his ruine iudging that the state of Lombardy could not be taken from them but by the Earle Notwithstanding while Philippo sought to draw him into his pay offering him the commaundement of all his souldiers so that he would forsake the Venetians and restore La Marca to the Pope They also sent Embassadors vnto him promising him the possession of Milan if they could win it and the perpetuitie in the gouernment of their men of warre if he would still follow the warre in La Marca and impeach the comming of aide from Alfonso into Lombardy Thus were the promises of the Venetians great and their deserts of him greater hauing begun that warre to saue Cremona for the Earle On the other part the iniuries done by the Duke were fresh his promises not faithfull nor great Yet did the Earle much doubt what resolution to make For of the one side the obligation of the league their well deseruing of him and their promises of pleasures to come did moue him On the other the intreatie of his Father in lawe and chiefely the poison which hee feared to be hidden vnder the great promises of the Venetians did stay him suspecting least their promise of that state if hee should hap to win it might not be performed hauing none other hold but their bare promise whereunto no wise Prince vnlesse it were for great necessitie had euer trusted These difficulties of the Earles resolution were remoued by the ambition of the Venetians who hoping to surprize Cremona by meanes of some intelligence they had within the Cittie vnder another pretence caused their souldiers to marche neere vnto it But that enterprise was discouered by those that guarded the towne for the Earle whereby the treason tooke no effect and they thereby wan not Cremona but vtterly lost the loue of the Earle who presently thereupon laying all respects apart ioyned himselfe with the Duke Now was Pope Eugenio dead and in his place succeeded Nicholao quinto The Earle had his whole Army at Cotigniola readie to passe into Lombardy Thither came newes aduertising the death of Philippo which was the last of August in the yeare 1447. These newes grieued the Earle exceedingly bicause he thought his army not fully paid would be vnreadie feared least the Venetians being in armes would become his enemies For hauing abandoned them ioyned with the Duke he feared Alfonso his continuall enemy not trusting either the Pope or the Florentines These bicause they were in league with the Venetians and the other for that he did possesse some townes belonging to the Church Notwithstanding he determined to shew his face to fortune and according to the chances therof to proceed For many times by doing somewhat secrets are discouered which by standing stil could not be knowne Great hope he conceiued in thinking that if the Milanesi would be defended frō the ambition of the Venetians that of force they must imploy him and his souldiers Therof taking courage he marched into the countrey of Bologna and from thence to Modena and Regio staying with his forces at Lenza from whence he sent vnto Milan to offer his seruice Some of the Milanesi hauing buried their Duke desired to liue in
actions of this Pope were to him displeasing and would be content that men iniured not hauing any other refuge might resort vnto him Wherefore the Florentines did not onely refuse to obey this excommunication but also the same notwithstanding inforce their Priests to celebrate diuine seruice They also assembled a Councell in Florence wherunto all the Prelates of Toscana repaired and appealed from the Pope to the next Councell On the other side the Pope wanted not reasons to iustifie his cause and therefore alleaged it was the office of a chief Bishop to remoue tyrants oppresse the wicked and aduaunce the good All which things it behoued him by all waies to procure For it was not the office of seculer Princes to imprison Cardinals hang vp Bishops to kill cut in peeces and drawe the Priests through the streets murthering both guiltie and vnguiltie people without respect Notwithstanding all these quarrels and accusations the Cardinall whom the Florentines kept prisoner was released and sent home to the Pope which was the cause that the Pope without respect with all his and the Kings forces assailed them And those two armies conducted by Alfonso eldest sonne of Ferrando Duke of Calauria and by Federigo Earle of Vrbino entred Chianti by leaue of the Sanesi who fauoured the enemie and surprized Radda with diuerse other Castles and spoyled the countrey which done they encamped at Castellina The Florentines seeing these assaults were much afraid being without men and slowly aided by friends For albeit the Duke had sent a supplie yet the Venetians denied they were bound to helpe them in priuate causes And the warre being against priuate men they were not to aide them because priuate quarrels are not publiquely to be defended Wherefore the Florentines thought good by Embassadors to perswade the Venetians to a better opinion and sent Tomaso Soderini vnto the Senate In the meane space souldiers were enterteined and Hercole Marquesse of Farrara appointed Generall While this preparation was in making the enemy distressed Castellina and the people there dispairing of rescue after fortie daies defence yeelded From thence the enemie marched towards Arezzo and laid siege to Monte S. Souino By this time the Florentine armie was readie and being come within three miles the enemie seemed therewith perplexed For Federigo de Vrbino desired truce for a fewe daies which was graunted with so great disaduauntage to the Florentines that they who desired it did much meruaile For if that request had not bene obteined they had bene forced to depart with shame But hauing those daies to repaire them in the ende of the truce they tooke that Castle before the faces of our men Yet the winter at hand the enemy to lodge himselfe with more commoditie retired into the countrey of Siena The Florentines likewise bestowed themselues where with most commoditie they could And the Marquesse of Farrara hauing litle profitted himselfe and done lesse good to others returned to his owne In those daies Genoua rebelled from the Duke vppon these considerations After the death Galeazzo hauing left his sonne yoong and vnfit to gouerne their grew discention betwixt Lodouico Octauiano and Ascanio his vncles and the Ladie Bona his mother for euerie of them desired the tuition of the litle Duke In which contentions the Ladie Bona Duchesse by counsell of Tomaso Soderini Embassador there for the Florentines and Cecco Simonetti who had bene Secretarie to Galeazzo gat the vpper hand Whereupon the Sforzi fled from Milan Octauiano flying was drowned in the Riuer Adda and the others togither with Roberto of Sanseuerino were to sundrie places confined for Roberto in those troubles had abandoned the Duches and ioyned with them After happened some tumults in Toscana by which new accidents those Princes hoping of new fortune euerie of them attempted somewhat whereby to returne to his country The King Ferrando who saw that the Florentines were in their necessitie succoured onely by the state of Milan to take also from them that aide found meanes that the Duchesse should so be set a worke in her country as of her they could not be aided And by Prospero Adorno and the Lord Roberto who were rebelled found meanes to make Genoua reuolt from the Duke Neuerthelesse the small Castle stood firme wherunto the Duchesse sent great forces to recouer the Citie but they were ouerthrowne Then she seeing the daunger of her sonne and her selfe by the continuance of that warre Toscana disordered and the Florentines in whom she onely hoped afflicted determined that sith she could not hold Genoua as subiect she would recouer it as a friend And agreed with Battistino Fregoso enemie to Prospero Adorno to giue him the little Castle and make him Prince of Genoua vpon condition that he would driue out Prospero and disfauour the Sforzi According to this agreement Battistino with the helpe of the Castle and his faction surprized Genoua and according to the custome made himselfe Doge The Sforzi then and the Lord Roberto being driuen out of Genoua went with their followers to Lunigiana Thereupon the Pope and King seeing the troubles of Lombardy pacified tooke occasion by those that were driuen from Genoua to disturbe that part of Toscana which is towards Pisa To the ende that the Florentines diuiding their forces should become weake and tooke order that the winter now past Roberto should goe with his forces from Lunigiana to assault the countrey of Pisa This Roberto then moued exceeding great tumult surprizing and sacking many castles in that country spoiling hard to the wals of Pisa At that time arriued in Florence Embassadors from the Emperor the French King and the King of Hungary sent by those Princes to the Pope They perswaded the Florentines also to send vnto him promising to make some end of the war and procure a good peace The Florentines refused not to make this trial and the rather that therby they should let the world know they were desirous of peace These Embassadors dispatched returned again without any thing done Wherupō the Florētines to honor themselues by the reputation of the French King being by the Italians partly offended partly abandoned sent vnto him Donato Acciaiuoli a man well learned in the Greek Latin toongs one whose ancestors had alwaies born office in the citie but being on his way at Milan he died Then the state to reward his heires and honor the memory of him being dead with publike expence honorably buried his bodie aduancing his sons and giuing portions of mony to his daughters marriages In his place they sent Embassador to the King Guidantonio Vespucci a man also learned in the Emperial and Papall lawes The assault of Roberto vpon the country of Pisa troubled much the Florentines for being alreadie occupied in a great war towards Siena they saw not how to make prouisiō for Pisa But to hold the Lucchesi faithfull and that they should not releeue the enemie with mony or victual sent Embassador vnto
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
assemble more forces returned with thē into Italy had though hardly the victorie and then though with displeasure of the Legate returned to Bohemia leauing onely Reggio and Modena manned recommending Parma to Marsilio and Piero de Rossi who were in that citie of most power He being gone Bologna reuolted to the league and diuided among them foure Citties apperteining to the church allotting Parma to the house of Scala Reggio to Gonzaga Modena to Este and Lucca to the Florentines During the conquest of these Cities grew great warres but they were chiefly by the Venetians compounded It may perhaps be thought strange that among so many accidents of Italy I haue omitted to speake of the Venetians common weale being for the order and power thereof to be preferred before euerie other principallitie To satisfie that admiration the cause thereof being knowne I wil looke backward to time long since passed and declare what beginning that Cittie had King Attila at such time as he besieged Aquilegia the inhabitants of that towne hauing long defended themselues dispairing fled with their goods to the rocks within the point of Mare Adriatico The Padouani seeing the fire at hand and fearing that Aquilegia being wonne Attila would assault them carried all their moueables of most value into the same sea to a place there called Riuoalto whither they also sent their wiues children and aged men leauing the youth to defend the citie Aquilegia being taken Attila defaced Padoua Monselice Vicenza and Verona The Padouani and the chiefe of the others seated themselues in the marishes about Riuoalto Likewise all the people of that prouince which vvas aunciently called Venetia vvere driuen out by the same misfortune did also flie thither Thus constrained by necessitie they abandoned faire and fertile countries to inhabit these steril and paludious places void of all cōmoditie And yet because great numbers of people were at one instant come thither they made that place not onely habitable but also pleasant ordeining among themselues lawes and orders which amidst so great ruines of Italy they obserued and within short space encreased in force and reputation For besides the inhabitants aforesaid many of the cities of Lombardy chiefly those that feared the cruelty of their king Clefi fled thither which was no small encrease to that citie So that in the time of Pipino king of France when at the request of the Pope he came to driue the Lombardi out of Italy it was agreed in Capitulations betwixt him and the Emperour of Grecia that the Duke of Beneuento and the Venetians should be subiects neither to the one nor the other but among themselues enioy libertie Moreouer considering that as necessitie had driuen them to dwell within the water so it behoued them without helpe of the firme land to seeke meanes wherby they might procure their own liuelihood For which purpose they made ships gallies with them sailed throughout the world and filled their citie with sundry sorts of marchandise whereof other men hauing necessitie required free accesse vnto them At that time and many yeares after the Venetians thought not vppon other dominions then those where the traffique of their marchandise might safely arriue Then they wan diuers hauens in Grecia Soria and in the passages that the French men made in Asia because they oftentimes imploying the Venetian shippes appointed vnto them as a reward the Ile of Candia While in this estate and order they liued their name by sea was terrible and vpon the firme land of Italy venerable So that in all controuersies that happened they were for the most part arbitrators as in cōtrouersies which rose in the league by reason of those cities which they had diuided amongst them For that controuersie being recommended to the Venetians they ordered that Bargamo Brescia should appertaine to the Visconti But in processe of time hauing conquered Padoua Vicenza Triuigi Verona Bargamo Brescia with diuerse cities in the kingdom and Romagna entised with desire of gouernment they atteined so great an opinion of power and reputatiō that not only of the princes of Italy but also of the kings beyōd the mountaines they became feared Wherupon those princes conspiring togither tooke from them in one day all the states and countries vvhich they in many yeares and vvith infinite expences had gained And though in these late times they haue recouered part yet not recouering their forces and reputation do like all other princes of Italy remaine at the deuotion and discretion of others Now was Benedetto 12. come to the Papacy who seeing himselfe driuen out of Italy and fearing that the Emperour Lodouico should become Lord thereof determined to make all those his friends who had vsurped the townes which the Emperour possessed To the end that thereby they should haue cause to feare the Empire and ioyne with him in the defence of Italy For the more assurance of this attempt he made a decree that all tyrants of Lombardy should by iust title possesse the townes by them vsurped But the Pope presently vpon this grant died and Clemente sexto elected in his place The Emperour then seeing with what liberalitie the Pope had giuen the towns belōging to the Empire determined to be no lesse liberall of the Popes goods then the Pope had bene of his and therefore gaue freely all lands belonging to the church which any tyrant had vsurped and they to hold them by authoritie imperiall By meane whereof Galiotto Malatesti and his brethren became Lords of Rimino Pesaro Fano Anthonio di Montefeltro of la Marca and Vrbin Gentile da Varano of Camerino Guido di Polenta of Rauenna Sinibaldo Ordalaffi of Furli and Cesena Giouanni Manfredi of Faenza Lodouico Alidosi of Imola Besides these many others possessed towns belōging to the church so as fevv remained out of the hands of one Prince or other vvhich vvas the cause that the Church till the comming of Alissandro 6. vvas holden dovvne vveake but he vvith the ruine of these Lords or their posteritie restored the same At such time as the Emperor made this grant he remained at Trento seemed as thogh he vvould passe from thence into Italy wherby grevv many warres in Lombardy by that occasiō the Visconti became Lords of Parma Then died king Robarto of Napoli of vvhom remained only tvvo grand children vvomen begotten by Carlo his Son vvho long before vvas dead bequeathing his kingdom to the elder of them called Giouanna vvhom he vvilled to marrie vvith Andrea sonne to the K. of Vngaria his nephevv This Andrea continued not long her husband but vvas by her murdred she married anevv to a brother in lavv of his called Lodouico prince of Tarranto But K. Lodouico brother to Andrea to reuenge his death came vvith Forces into Italy draue the Q. Giouanna vvith her husband out of the kingdom About this time hapned in Rome a thing very memorable vvhich vvas that one called
assault him and in the night kill him determined forthwith to flie and so saue himselfe So as contrarie to the counsell of the gouernours and others of his faction he presently fled with his men to the Citie of Prato So soone as hee came thither finding himselfe out of feare being in a place of securitie remembred how great an errour he had committed and desirous to amend the same the next morning earely marched with his men towards Florence offering to enter the Citie by force which by cowardise hee had abandoned but that attempt tooke no successe for the people which with difficultie might haue driuen him away with facilitie could hold him out So that with great sorow and shame he went vnto Casentino and the Ghibilini to their vilages Thus the people remained with victorie and for the comfort of those which loued the common wealth determined to reunite the citie and call home all citizens as well Ghibilini as Guelfi by meanes whereof the Guelfi after sixe yeares absence from the citie were returned And the Ghibilini notwithstanding the memorie of their late iniurie were pardoned and put in their country yet much hated both of the people and the Guelfi for these could not forget their exile and those remembred too much the tyrannie which was vsed during their authoritie which things caused that neither the one nor the other were contented While in this forme the Florentines liued it was reported that Corradino nephew to Manfredi should come with forces from Germany to the conquest of Napoli Whereupon the Ghibilini tooke heart and hope thereby to recouer their authoritie And the Guelfi began to thinke how they might assure themselues of their enemies for which purpose they praied king Carlo to defend them in the time of Corradino his passage The souldiers of Carlo being in march made the Guelfi insolent and amazed the Ghibilini so much that two dayes before they arriued without any violence offered they fled The Ghibilini thus departed the Florentines reordeined the state of their citie elected twelue chiefe men to be magistrates and gouerne their citie for two moneths whom they called not Antiani but Buoni Homini Next vnto them they appointed a Councell of fourescore Citizens which they called La Credenza After them were an hundreth and fourescore Commoners who with the Credenza and the twelue Buoni Homini were called the Councell generall They ordeined moreouer one other Councell of a hundreth and twentie Citizens of the Comonaltie and Nobilitie mixed which should giue perfection confirmation to al things determined in the other Councels This gouernment thus setled the faction of the Guelfi togither with the Magistrates fortified the citie to the end they might the better defend themselues from the Ghibilini whose goods they diuided into three parts the one they imployed to publike vses the second was giuen to the Captaines the third diuided amongst the Guelfi in recompence of their losses The pope also to maintain the Guelfi in Toscana ordeined the King Carlo to bee Lieftenant Emperiall of that countrey The Florentines thus holding themselues in reputation by vertue of these new orders gouerned all things well with their lawes at home and with their armes abroad Then died the Pope and after long disputation in the end of two yeares Gregorio decimo was elected who hauing bene long time in Soria and was at the time of his election did not make so great account of the factions as his predecessors had done But returning home towards France being arriued at Florence to performe the office of a good Pastor sought to vnite that citie wherein he preuailed so farre with the Florentines as they were content that Commissioners for the Ghibilini might be receiued into Florence to solicit the return of their faction which was concluded Notwithstanding the Ghibilini were so terrified as they durst not come home The Pope laid the fault thereof to the citie and being offended did excommunicate the same In which displeasure the Florentines continued all the life of that Pope but after his death the citie was absolued by Pope Innocentio quinto to whom succeeded Nicholao tertio descended of the house of Orsini And because the Popes had alwaies in suspition those that aspired to greatnes in Italy although by the fauour of the church they were thereunto atteined sought alwaies to put them backe Therof grew many tumults and often variations for the feare of him that was become strong occasioned the aduancement of an other that was weake who beeing likewise growne vp was forthwith feared and being feared cast downe This was the cause that ocsioned the kingdome to be taken from Manfredi and giuen to Carlo This was also that which caused the Pope to mistrust Carlo and seek his distruction Nicholao tertio then for the reasons beforesaid sound meanes through the helpe of the Emperour that the gouernment of Toscana was taken from Carlo and in his place hee sent thither Latino his Legate At that time Florence remained in verie hard estate because the Nobilitie of the Guelfi were become insolent and feared not the Magistrates so as euerie of them committed murthers and other violences without any iustice or punishment of those that committed the same because they were alwaies by one or other great person fauoured To bridle this great insolencie it was by the chiefe of the people thought good to reuoke such as were banished which gaue opportunitie to the Legate to reunite the citie and the Ghibilini returned home In the place of twelue gouernours there were foureteene made for euerie part seuen to gouerne the cittie during one yeare and they to be elected by the Pope Florence continued in this order of gouernment two yeares Then Pope Martino aspired to the Papacie who being a French man restored vnto king Carlo all that authoritie which the Pope Nicholao had taken from him wherby the factions in Toscana were suddeinly reuiued For the Florentines tooke Armes against the Emperours Gouernour to depriue the Ghibilini of the gouernment therewith also to hold the great men in awe they ordeined a new forme of gouernment The yeare 1282. beeing come the companies of the Misteries hauing receiued their Magistrates Ensigns became greatly esteemed They among themselues elected in the place of the fourteene three Citizens to remaine two moneths gouernours of the common-weale and called them Priori who might be either Commoners or Gentlemen so that they were Merchants of some Misterie Afterwards the chiefe Magistracie was reduced to sixe men so as in euery part of the citie there might be one which order continued till the yeare 1342. At which time the cittie was diuided into quarters and the number of Priori encreased to nine and diuerse times in that meane while by reason of some accident they were in number twelue This Office was the meane as shall hereafter appeare that the Nobilitie was ruined for then by many occasions they were excluded and afterwards
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
factions for daily betwixt these two leagues there grew displeasure as it happened touching the Ile of Cipres which the King Ferrando challenged and the Venetians vsurped whereupon the Pope and the King became more willing one of the others friendship In those daies Federigo Prince of Vrbino was accounted the most excellent Captaine of Italy and had long serued for the Florentines The King and the Pope to the end our league should not haue the seruice of such a leader determined to win the good will of Federigo To that end both the Pope and the King desired him to come vnto Naples Federigo performed their desire to the great admiration and displeasure of the Florentines beleeuing it would become of him as it did to Giacopo Piccinino Yet the contrarie came to passe for Federigo returned from Naples and Romagna with great honor and still Generall for their league Neuerthelesse the King and Pope ceased not to sound the disposition of the Lords in Romagna and the Sanesi hoping to make them his friends and by their meanes be able to offend the Florentines whome they perceiued by all conuenient waies armed to incounter their ambition and hauing lost Federigo of Vrbino they enterteined Roberto of Rimini They also renewed the league with the Perugini and drew thereunto the Lord of Faenza The Pope and King alleaged that their displeasure to the Florentines was bicause they sought to drawe the Venetians from them and the Pope thought that the Church could not mainteine the reputation thereof nor the Earle Girolamo his state in Romagna if the Florentines and Venetians were vnited On the other side the Florentines feared they would be enemies to the Venetians not to win their friendship but the rather thereby to iniurie them so as Italy liued two yeares in these suspitions and diuersities of humors before any tumults were moued But the first although but small happened in Toscana Braccio of Perugia a man as hath heretofore bene often said of great reputation in the warre had two sonnes called Oddo and Carlo This Carlo was a child and Oddo was by the inhabitants of the Vale of Lamona slaine as hath bene declared Carlo being atteined to age and able for armes was for the memorie of his father and the good hope of himselfe enterteined by the Venetians and made among others a leader for that state The time of his conduct ended he refused to serue longer determining to make proofe if with his owne fame and the reputation of his father he could recouer his owne countrey of Perugia Whereto the Venetians easily consented as they that were wont in alterations to increase their dominion Carlo then came into Toscana and found the enterprise of Perugia hard by reason that the Perugini were in league with the Florentines yet desirous that this motion might take some effect worthie memorie he assaulted the Sanesi alleaging they were debtors of money due to his father for seruice done to that state whereof he required satisfaction and vpon that demaund assaulted them with so great furie as that dominion became disordered The Cittizens of Siena seeing themselues so furiously charged being readie to suspect the worst of the Florentines thought all was done by their consent They also complained much to the Pope and the King and sent Embassadors vnto Florence to expostulate the iniurie and couertlie alleaged that without assistance Carlo could not with so great securitie haue offended them The Florentines excused themselues promising in what sort the Embassadors thought good they would commaund Carlo no more to offend the Sanesi Whereof Carlo complained that they by not aiding him should lose a great conquest and he misse the meane to aspire to much glorie For in short space he promised them possession of that Cittie where he found so great cowardice and disorder as with possibilitie it could not be defended Then Carlo departed from thence and returned to his old enterteinement of the Venetians Albeit the Sanesi were by the Florentines deliuered from so great danger yet remained they towards them offended and iudged their obligacion not to be any thing hauing saued them from an euill whereof they had bene the occasion During that these matters betwixt the King and Pope were handled in Toscana there happened in Lombardy an accident of much more moment and did prognosticate greater euils There was in Milan a Scholemaister called Cola of Mantoua a man well learned but ambitious and such a one as instructed the chiefe children of the Cittie This Cola either bicause he hated the life and manners of the Duke or for some other occasion in all his speeches seemed to disdaine those men that liued vnder an euill prince calling others glorious and happie whome nature and fortune graunted to be borne and liue in common-weales Declaring how all famous men had bene brought vp in common-weales and not vnder Princes For the common-weales said he did nourish vertuous men but Princes did oppresse them for the one doth cherish vertue the other doth feare it The yong men with whome he had gained most familiaritie were Giouandrea Lampugnano Carlo Visconti and Girolamo Olgeato with them he oftentimes reasoned of the euill nature of the Duke and their owne misfortune being gouerned vnder such a one and at length hee began to be in so great confidence of these yong men that hee brought them to sweare that so soone as they atteined to mans estate they would deliuer their countrey from the tirannie of that Prince These youths perswaded to performe what they had promised waying therewith all the Dukes behauiour and the particuler iniuries he had done did hasten their intent to put the matter in execution The Duke Galiazzo was in his disposition lasciuious and cruell which two things had made him odious for it sufficed him not to entice Ladies to dishonor but he would also take pleasure in publishing the same Neither was he content to put men to death but he would also execute them with some cruell manner of torment He was moreouer slandered or truely suspected to haue murthered his owne mother for hee perswading himselfe not to be Prince she being present found meanes to remoue her to Cremona which was the place of her dowrie and in that iourney she became sodeinly sick and died and many men iudged her sonne was cause of her death This Duke had in matter touching women dishonored Carlo and Gerolamo and denied Giouandrea to haue the possession of the Abbey of Miramondo being graunted vnto him of the Pope vpon resignation of a kinsman of his These priuate iniuries increased the desire of the yong men by reuenge to deliuer their countrey of so great mischiefes hoping that if they might murther the Duke they should be not onely esteemed of the nobilitie but also of the people followed Thus determined of the enterprise they oftentimes met together and by reason of their auncient familiaritie no meruaile made of their meeting Being togithers to make their
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
armie was assembled The Florentines then hauing gathered all their forces at S. Cassiano and the enemies furiously besieging Colle determined to draw neare vnto them to encourage their friendes to defend themselues supposing also that the enimy wold offend with more respect for hauing his aduersary at hād This resolution set downe they remoued the Campe from S. Casciano and brought it to S. Giminiano within fiue myles of Colle from whence with light horses and other suddeine meanes they daily molested the Dukes Camp Notwithstanding this supplie sufficed not those of Colle for wanting necessarie prouision on the thirteenth day of Nouember they yeelded to the great griefe of the Florentines and the ioy of the enemies and chiefly of the Sanesi who besides their hate to the Florentines beare also priuate grudge to the Collegiani By this time the winter was great and the season vnfit for warre so that the Pope and King either because they would giue hope of peace or that they desired to enioy the passed victorie quietly offered to the Florentines truce for three moneths and gaue them ten dayes respite to make answere which was presently accepted But as a wounde when the bloud therein groweth colde grieueth the bodie more then when it was receiued so this small rest caused the Florentines to knowe the trauailes they had endured and the Cittizens without respect accused one an other of the errors committed in the last warre for the charges in vaine spent and the Impositions vniustly put vppon them Which matters were not only spoken of among priuate men but the same was also boldly propounded in the Councels And one of them tooke courage turning his face towards Lorenzo de Medici sayd vnto him This Citie is wearied and refuseth to haue longer warre It behoueth therefore that we deuise which way to make peace Then Lorenzo knowing the necessitie consulted with those friends whom he knew most faithfull and wise and concluded first perceiuing the Venetians coldnesse and inconstancie the Dukes infancy and trouble of ciuill warres that it was necessarie with new friends to seeke new fortune Yet stood they doubtfull whether they were best trust vnto the Pope or the King The matter being well examined they preferred the Kings friendship as most stable and sure Because the shortnesse of the Popes liues the chaunge of their succession the small feare which the Church hath of Pinces and the fewe respects which it vseth in resolution are the causes why a seculer Prince cannot assuredly trust vnto a Pope nor safely passe one fortune with him For whosoeuer is friend vnto the Pope in warres and daungers shall be by him accompanied in the victorie but in aduersities left alone because the Pope is by spirituall power and reputation supported and defended This resolution made that to gaine the Kings friendship was best they thought the same by no meane better procured nor with more assurance then by the presence of Lorenzo For the more liberallitie were vsed to him the more they thought he would forget former displeasures Lorenzo determined vppon this iourney reaccommended the Citie and state vnto Tomaso Soderini then Gonfaloniere di Giustitia and in the beginning of December he departed from Florence and being arriued at Pisa wrote vnto the Senate the occasion of his departure and the Senate to honor him and that he might with more reputation conclude the peace with the King made him Embassador for the people of Florence with full authoritie to proceed as by his discretion should be thought good In the meane time Roberto da San Seuerino togither with Lodouico and Ascanio for their third brother Octaniano Sforza was dead assaulted againe the State of Milan desirous to winne the gouernment thereof And hauing surprized Tortona Milan also with the whole countrey was in armes Then the Duchesse Bona was counselled to admit the Sforzi into the State and by that meane appease the ciuill discention The chief of those Counsellors was Antonio Tassino of Farrara who being bacely born came to Milan and was by the Duke Gale 〈…〉 o and the Duchesse receiued to serue in their chamber He either for the bewtie of his person or for some other secret vertue after the death of the Duke aspired to so great fauour with the Duchesse as almost alone hee gouerned the state which greatly displeased Cecco being a man both for learning and long experience excellent So as he both to the Duchesse and others laboured to decrease the credit of Tassino Wherof Tassino being aware to be reuenged haue ayd at hand to defend him from Cecco perswaded the Duchesse to receiue home the Sforzi which she did without making Cecco priuie But Cecco after knowing thereof saide vnto her Madame you haue made a resolution which will take my life from mee and the state from you As shortly after came to passe For Cecco was by the Lodouico put to death and Tassino within a short space being driuen out of the Duchie the Duchesse tooke therat so great offence that she went from Milan and renounced the gouernment of her sonne vnto Lodouico Thus Lodouico become onely gouernour of Milan was as shall be declared the occasion of the ruine of Italy Lorenzo de Medici was now on his way towardes Naples and the peace betwixt the enemies in communication when beyond all expectation Lodouico Fregoso hauing practised with some Serezanaesi by stealth entered with armed men into Serezana taking possession of that Towne and imprisoned those that gouerned then for the Florentines This accident greatly offended the princes of the Florentine state who thought the matter was brought to passe by direction of the king Ferrando And complained to the Duke of Calauria who was at the Campe before Siena saying they were notwithstanding the truce assaulted with newe warre He both by Letters Embassages and euerie other way declared the same was done without the consent of his father The Florentines neuenhelesse thought themselues in hard estate wanting money the chiefe of their Common-weale in the Kings hand A new warre mooued by the Genouesi and without friendes For in the Venetians they trusted not and feared leaste the gouernement of Milan was vnassured Their onely hope was vppon that which Lorenzo de Medici was to conclude with the King Lorenzo arriued at Naples by sea was there both by the King and all that Cittie honourablie and with great expectation receiued Because so great a warre being made onely to oppresse him his enemies thereby did make him more great For being come to the Kings presence hee debated with him the estate of Italy the humors of princes and people thereof and what might be hoped of the peace and feared by the warre Which the King hearing grew into more admiration to finde in him so noble a minde so readie a wit and so great a iudgement then that he could endure so long a warre In so much as the King doubled the honours before done vnto him
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