cause that the Earle setting aside all respectes for feare of himselfe made peace with the Duke And among other conditions it was agreed that in the matters of Romagna and Toscana the Earle shoulde not intermeddle further After this peace made the Earle instantlie perswaded the Florentines to agree with the Lucchesi and in a sort constrayned them They therefore seeing none other remedie yeelded to composition in the moneth of Aprill 1438. In which agreement the Lucchesi remayned in their libertie and Monte Carlo with some other Castles continued in possession of the Florentines Afterwards they lamented throughout all Italy that the Lucchesi could not be brought vnder their gouernment And seldome it happeneth that any man hath bene so greatly greeued with losing his owne as the Florentines were for not hauing gotten that which belonged to others Although then the Florentines were occupied in so great an enterprise yet were they not forgetfull of their neighbours nor fayled to furnish their owne Cittie At that time as is before sayd Nicholo Fortibraccio who had married the daughter of the Earle of Poppi was dead The Earle at the death of Nicholo had in his possession Borgo A san Sepulcro with the fortresse of that Towne which in the name of his sonne in lawe during his life hee gouerned After his death as the dowrie of his daughter hee held the same and refused to yeeld that Castle vnto the Pope who claymed it as lande belonging to the Church In so much as the Pope sente the Patriarke thither with Souldiers to recouer it The Earle finding himselfe vnable to resist that force offered the Towne to the Florentines and they refused it Yet so soone as the Pope returned to Florence they trauelled betwixt him and the Earle to make an agreement Wherein finding some difficultie the Patriarke assaulted Casentino and surprized Prato Vecchio and Ramena offering the same likewise to the Florentines But they would not accept it vnlesse the Pope did firste consent that they might restore it to the Earle Wherewith the Pope after much disputation was contented Yet so that the Florentines should promise to perswade that the Earle of Poppi should restore vnto him Borgo The Popes minde by this meanes satisfied the Florentines thought good the Cathedrall Church of their Cittie called Santa Reparata being long before begun and now come to such perfection as diuine Ceremonies might therein be celebrate to desire his holinesse that personally he would consecrate the same Whereunto the Pope willingly consented and for more magnificence of the Cittie the Temple and the Pope a Tarrace was made from Santa Maria Nouella where the Pope lay vnto the Church which he should consecrate the same being inbredth foure yards and in height three and of both sides it was couered with exceeding rich cloth Vpon this Tarrace only the Pope with his Court and the Cittizens especially appointed to attend him did go All the rest of the Cittizens and people stood in the streets in their houses and in the Temple to behold the same When all ceremonies belonging to so great a consecration were finished the Pope in token of more loue honored Guiliano de Auanzati with Knighthood being at that present Gonfaloniere de Iustitia and in al times accounted a noble notable Cittizen whereunto the Senate to seeme no lesse desirous then the Pope of his aduancement gaue vnto him the Captaineship of Pisa for one yeare About this time some difference grew betwixt the Churches of Rome and Greece touching the diuine Seruice And forasmuch as in the last Councell holden at Basile much had bene sayd in that matter by the Prelates of the West Church it was determined by the Emperours that great diligence should be vsed to vnite them and was concluded in the Councell of Basile that proofe should be made whether the Gretian Church might be brought to concurre with that of Rome Albeit this resolution was contrarie to the maiestie of the Gretian Emperour and the pride of his Prelates to yeeld vnto the Bishop of Rome yet the Emperour being oppressed by the Turkes and fearing that the Gretians could not be defended by themselues the rather also to liue in securitie and be ayded of others determined to giue place Then the Emperour accompanied with the Patriarke the Prelates and Barons of Greece according to the order taken by the Councell of Basile came vnto Venice Which Cittie being infected with the plague it was determined that the matter should be tried in the Cittie of Florence After many dayes of disputation betwixt the Prelates of the Romane and Gretian Churches the Gretians submitted themselues to the Bishop of Rome Then was the peace concluded betwixt the Lucchesi and the Florentines And was also hoped that the warres betwixt the Duke and the Earle chiefely in Lombardy and Toscana might easily be pacified because that warre which was begunne in the Kingdome of Naples betwixt Rinato de Angio and Alfonso of Arragon should of force take end by the ruine of those two And although the Pope was euill contented for the losse of many his Townes and that therewithall the great ambition of the Duke and the Venetians was apparant yet euery man supposed that the Pope for necessitie and the others for wearinesse would lay downe their armes But the matter came otherwise to passe for neither the Duke nor the Venetians would be quiet By reason whereof it fell out that they tooke Armes anew and made warre in the most places of Lombardy and Toscana The great minde of the Duke could not endure that the Venetians should possesse Bergamo and Brescia And the rather seeing them prepared for the warres and euery day molesting and disquieting his Countrey He therefore thought that if they might be abandoned by the Florentines and the Earle he should not onely bridle them but also recouer his owne To compasse that conceipt he intended to take Romagna from the Church iudging that afterwards the Pope could not offend him And the Florentines seeing the fire at hand either they would not stirre for feare or if they did they could not conueniently assault him The Duke also knewe the displeasure betwixt the Florentines and the Venetians for the matters of Lucca and for that cause supposed the Florentines were the lesse willing to take Armes for them As for the Earle Francesco he thought that the newe friendship and hope of the marriage should suffice to hold him assured Also to flie all offence and giue the lesse occasion to all others to take Armes and chiefely for that he was bound by the Capitulations with the Earle not to assault Romagna he caused Nicholo Piccinino as thereto moued by his owne ambition to take that enterprise in hand At such time as the recōciliation was cōcluded betwixt the Duke and the Earle Nicholo remained in Romagna and seemed much discontent with that new friendship made between the sayd Duke and the Earle his perpetuall enemy He therefore
Benedetto Alberti suspected and enuied The speech of Benedetto Alberti at his banishment The death of Benedetto Alberti Gâ—ouan Galiazzo becom prince of Lombardy 1393. The death of Galiazzo Veri di Medici The speech of Veri di Medici to the Senat of Florence Donati Acciaiuoli Donati Acciaiuoli with others confined Conspiracie in Florence against Masso Deili Albizi and others Conspiracy by the Duke of Milan against Florence The famely of Alberti confined An. 1402. The death of Ladislao king of Naples Error committed by the populer nobilitie Aduice of Nicolo Vzano against the Medici Leage betwixt the Florentins and the Duke of Milan Consultation in Florence The Florentines ouerthrowne The speech of Rinaldo de Albizi to appeaze the people Braccâ—o Piccinino Rinaldo di Albizi The answere of Giouanni di Medicito Rinaldo Biagio of Milan Zanobi Pino Piccinino reuolted from the league Carmignuola generall for the league Catasto Peace betwixt the League the Duke The speech of cosimo de Medici at his death Volterra rebelled Giusto vsurped Volterra Pagolo Guinigi Lord of Lucca Giusto slaine Volterra recouered by the Florentines A warre against Lucca perswaded by Ri. de Allâ—â—zi The perswation of Ni. de Vzano to the contrary The warre of Lucca resolued Cruelty of the Florentine Generall The complaint of the Sarauezesi Astore condemned and Rislandred The speech of Ri. in his purgation Filippo Brunelsco The Lucchesi pray aide of the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforsa sent to relieue Lucca Pagolo Lord of Lucca deposed The Florentines defeated Peace betweene the Florentines and Lucchesi Perswasion of Barbadori to Nicholo Vzano against Cosimo di Medici Answere of Nicholo Vzano to Barbadori Cosimo di Medici cited committed Cosimo di Medici banished Rinaldo and his friends armed against the Medici Pope Eugenio laboureth a Pacificatâ—on in Florence Cosimo reuoked and Rinaldo with others confined The words of Rinaldo at his banishment Two sorts of souldiers in Italy 1433. The Duke of MilaÌ„s daughter offered to Fran. Sforza The Pope assaulted by Fran. Sforza VVarre betweene the Pope and the Duke of Milan Fran. Sâ—oâ—za Generall of the League Peace betweene the League and the Duke New ordinances in FloreÌ„ce VVarre between Rinieri de Angio and King Alfonso of Aragon King Alfonso taken by the Genouesi King Alfonso deliuered Fregosi and Adorni Francesco Spinola The libertie of Genoua recouered The Oration of Ri. de Albizi to the Duke of Milan Genoua reuolted from the Duke Lucca distressed The Oration of the Lucchese to the other Cittizens The Lucchesi pray â—ide of the Duke Diffidence betweene the Venetians and the Earle Francesco The Venetians and Florentines of diuers opinions touching the pay of the Earle their Generall The Earle Francesco abandoneth the Venetians and Florentines The Earle of Poppi The Gretian Church submitteth to the Church of Rome New troubles in Lombardy and Toscana The Popes countrey spoyled by Ni. Piccinino Gatamelata Generall for the VenetiaÌ„s Perswasions of the Venetians and Florentines to the Earle not to abandon them The Oration of Neri Capponi to the Senate of Venice The Campe of Nicholo Piccinino defeated Nicholo Piccinino desirous to recouer his honor Verona surprized by Nicholo Piccinino Verona recouered by the Earle Francesco The Duke perswaded by Nicholo and the banished Florentines to assault Toscana The Patriarke of Alessandria Generall for the Pope The Pa. friend to Rinaldo de Albizi The pope seeketh to depose the Patriarke The Patriarke made prisoner Resolution of the League against the Duke The speech of the Earle FraÌ„cesco to the Senate of Venice The Venetians answer to the Earle Resolution of the Venetians with the Earle Francesco The Earle of Poppi rebelled from the Florentines Nicholo euill counselled by the Earle of Poppi Practise to surprise Cortona The siere of Brescia remoued The battle of Anghiari Nicholo Piccintino defeated VVant of discipline in the Florentines Campe. The death of Rinaldo de Aâ—bâ—zi Poppi besieged The speech of the Earle of Poppi to the Florentines commissaries The Earle answered by N. Capponi The Duke desireth peace The VenetiaÌ„s mistrust the Earle Francesco their Generall Ingratitude of the Venetians Micheletto Generall for the League A proude request of Nicholo Peace betweene the League and Duke and his daughter married to the Harle Francesco The warre betweene King Rinato and Alfonso reuiued The Cittie of Naples wonne by Alfonso Neri Capponi Cosimo de Medici Baldaccio Generall of the Florentine footmen Baldaccio murdâ—red by Bâ—rtholomeo Orlandini Florence reformed Ni. Piccinino discomfited Death of Ni. Piccinino Trouble in Bologna Santi Bentiuogli New warres in Lombardy The Earle his friendship desired both by the Duke and Venetians Death of Duke Philippo of Milan The Earle made Generall for the Milanesi The Venetians aspire to vsurpe the Duchie of Milan King Alfonso assaulteth the Florentines The Milanesi iealious of the Earle The Venetians defeated by the Earle Francefco The Venetians fortunate Peace betweene the Earle and Venetianâ— without consent of the Milanesi The Oration of the Milanesi to the Earle The Earles answere Expostulation of the Florentines to the Senate of Venice The Venetians desirous to abandon the Earle Cosimo de Medici friend to the Earle Francesco Neri Capponi against the Earle The Venetians aide the Mâ—lanesi against the Earle Gasparo Vicomercato his counsell The Earle Francesco become Duke of Milan 1450. League betwixt King Alfonso and the Venetians Embassadors from Venice to Florence The Embassador answered League betweene the Florentines and Duke Preparation for warre in Florence The Emperour Federigo in Florence The Duke of Milan assaulted Foiano assaulted by Ferrando Steffano Porcari Some do suppose this Canto to be written not vnto S. Porcari but to Nicholo di Renzo a gentleman Romane by Petrarche who therin serueth to diuine that in Rome shuld arise a Knight famous thorowout all Italy Steffano put to death The Vale of Bagno reuolted from the Florentines Rinato de Angio called into Italy by the Florentines Peace betweene the Venetians and the Duke Troubles moued by Giacopo Piccinino and supported by King Alfonso Pope Calisto perswadeth a generall war against the Turks A meruailous rempest in Toscana The Genouesi assaulted by King Alfonso Genoua in the possession of the French King The death of King Alfonso The death of Pope Calisto The Genouesi reuolted froÌ„ the french The kingdome of Naples assaulted by Giouanni de Aâ—gio King Ferrando defeated Giouanni de Angio vanquished in battell Cosimo de Medici Neri Capponi Lucca Pitti Girolamo Machiauelli Ordinances by Lucca â—â—tti The death of Cosimo di Medici The description of Cosimo his person and his wit The Duke of Milan Lord of Genoua Giacopo Piccinino supected to the Duke Giacopo Piccinino murthered The death of the Duke FraÌ„cesco Piero di Medici Dissimulation of Diotisalui Neroni A practise against Piero di Medici Offence between the Acciaiuoli and the Medici League betweene the Duke Galiiazzo and the Florentines Consultation to oppresse the Medici Perswasions of Nicholo Soderini against the Medici The speech of the Citizens to Piero di Medici The answerâ— of Piero. The enemies of the Medici vanquished The fall of Lucca Pitti The letter of Agnolo Acciaiuoli to Piero di Medici The answere of Piero. Complaint of the banished Florentines to the Senate of Venice The Florentines assaulted by the Venetians Marquesse of Farrara Peace betweene the Florentines and Venetians Pope Sisto The Oration of P. di Medici to the Florentines Death of Piero di Medici Tomaso Soderini Giuliano and Lorenzo di Medici Conspiracy of the Nardi The enterprise of Barnardo defeated The Duke of Milan in Florence Tumults in Volterra Volterra sacked Castello besieged by Pope Sisto Italy diuided into sactions Trouble in Toscana Conspiracie against the Duke of Milan The Duke murdered Displeasure betweene the Pope and the Medici Enimitie betweene the Pazzi and Medici Conspiracie against Giuliano and Lorenzo di Medici The euent of this conspiracie The Pope and King moue warre against the Florentiâ—es The speâ—ch of Lorenzo de Medici to the Florentines The Florentines carelesse of the Popes curse The Pope and King assault the Florentines Genoua rebelled from the Duke of Milan The Florentines gratefull to their seruants The Popes forces discomfired by the Florentines The Florentines seeke the King Ferrando his fauour Lorenzo de Medici Embassador for the Florentines Antonio Tassino Lodouico Sforza Gouernor of the Duke of Milan Lorenzo de Medici arriued at Naples Peace and league betweene the King the Florentines The Isle of Rodi assaulted by the Turkes The Turks landed in Italy The speech of the FloreÌ„tine Embassadors to the Pope The Popes answere New leagues in Italy The Duke of Calauria discomfited by the Pope New leagues in Italy Castello besieged by the Pope The Coâ—onnâ—â—i oppâ—essed by the Pope The first erection of S. George in Genoua Warre betweene the Genouâ—si and the Fâ—orentines Pietrasanta taken Aquila rebelled from the K. of Naples The Pope defendeth the rebels of Aquila Peace betweene the K. of Naples and the Pope 1486. Lorenzo di Medici his daughter married vnto the Popes sonne The Genouesi assaulted by the Florentines The Genouesi discomfited The Venetians broken and their Generall slaine Tumults in Romagna The Earle Girolamo murdered The Earles wife reuenged Galeotto Lord of Faenza murdered Lorenzo de Medici Lorenzo in marchandize infortunato LoreÌ„zo magnificent Lorenzo a louer of learning Lorenzo vniuersally loued Lorenzo honored of princes The death of Lorenzo di Medici
Attila being arriued in Italy besieged Aquilegia where without resistance hee continued two yeares and during the siege spoyled the country thereabouts and dispersed the inhabitants of the same which as hereafter shalbe declared was the beginning of the citie of Vinegia After the taking ruine of Aquilegia and many other cities he marched towards Rome from the spoyle whereof at the request of the Bishop he refrained The reuerence respect which Attila did bear towards this Bishop was such as perswaded him to leaue Italy and retire himselfe to Austria where he died After his death Velamer king of the Ostrogotti and other the leaders of forraine nations tooke Armes against Tenrico and Eurie his sonnes the one of them they slew and constrained the other with the Vnni to returne ouer Danubio into their owne countrey The Ostrogotti and the Tepedi were setled in Pannonia the Eruli and Turingi vpon the shoare on the other side of Danubio King Attila thus departed from Italy Valentiniano the Emperour in the West imagining to repaire the countrey and hoping with more commoditie to defend the same from the barbarous people abandoned Rome and setled himselfe in Rauenna These aduersities happened to the Empyre in the West occasioned the Emperours who then dwelt at Constantinople many times to graunt the possession thereof to others as a thing full of perils and expence And the Romanes otherwhiles seeing themselues abandoned without leaue created an other Emperour or some deputie to performe that office as did Massimo the Romane after the death of Valentiniano who constrained Eudossa lately wife to the Emperour to take him to her husband This woman beeing borne of Emperiall blood desirous to reuenge so great an iniurie and disdaining to bee married with a priuate Citizen secretly perswaded Genserico King of the Vandali and Lord of Affrica to come into Italy shewing him the facilitie and profit of that enterprise Hee enticed with hope of so great a spoyle came speedily thither and finding Rome abandoned sacked the Towne and there remained foureteene dayes Hee also tooke and spoyled diuerse other Townes in Italy and fraughting himselfe and his Army with spoyle returned into Affrica The Romanes came home to Rome and finding Massimo dead elected Auito a Romane for Emperour After the death of diuerse other Emperours the Empire of Constantinople came to the hands of Zenone and that of Rome to Oreste and his sonne Augustolo who through subtiltie had vsurped that Empyre While these men thus possessed and determined to holde the Empyre by force the Eruli and Turingi who as is aforesayd after the death of Attila remained vppon the shoare on the other side of Danubio conspired togither vnder the conduct of their Captaine Odoacre came into Italy and possessed such places as were by them left voyd Then the Longobardi people also toward the North entered Italy ledde thither by Godolio their King who were as heereafter shall be declared the greatest plague of that countrey Odoacre arriued in Italy conquered the same and neare vnto Pauia slew Oreste forcing Augustolo to flie away After which victorie to the ende that Rome varying in gouernment the gouernour might receiue a new title Odoacre leauing the name of the Empire caused himselfe to be called King of Rome and was the first Captaine of all the forraine people that inuaded Italy to inhabit there Because all the others either for feare not to enioy that they had gotten or else doubting to be driuen out by the Emperour in the East either else for some other hidden occasion onely spoyled the country and that done sought to plant their habitation elsewhere Thus we see that in those dayes the ancient Romane Empire was reduced to the gouernment of these Princes Zenone remaining in Constantinople commaunded all the Empire in the East The Ostrogotti gouerned Mesia and Pannonia The Visigotti Sueui and Alani possessed Guascognia and Spaine The Vandoli ruled Affrica The Franchi and Burgundi liued in France The Eruli and Turingi remained in Italy The kingdome of Ostrogotti came to the handes of Theodorico Nephewe of Velamer beeing in league with Zenone Emperour in the East wrote vnto him that it seemed a thing vniust to his people the Ostrogotti that they beeing in vertue superiours to all others should be inferiours in Empyre And therfore he could not by any meanes hold them within the consines of Pannonia It seemed therefore necessarie to suffer them to take armes and seeke new Countries But first hee thought good to let him vnderstand thereof to the intent hee might graunt them some country where with his good fauour and their greater commoditie they might inhabite The Emperour Zenone partly for feare and partly for the desire hee had to haue Odoacre driuen out of Italy graunted that Theodorico might come against Odoacre and take the possession thereof Then Theodorico departed from Pannonia leauing there the Zepedi his friends and being arriued in Italy slew Odoacre and his sonne by whose example hee tooke vnto him the title of King of Italy making Rauenna his royall seate moued by the same reasōs that induced Valentiniano there to dwell Theodorico was a man both for warre and peace moste excellent for in the one hee was alwaies victorious and in the other generally profited the cities and people to him subiect Hee diuided the Ostrogotti with their Captaines into sundry townes to the end that in the warre hee might commaund them and in the peace correct them hee enlarged the Citie of Rauenna and restored Rome in all thinges the discipline of warre except giuing to the Romanes euerie other honour with his only authoritie kept in awe all the barbarous Kings vsurpers of the Empyre Hee built townes and sortresses betweene the Alpes and the point of the sea Adriatico the rather to empeach the passage of other barbarous people that should assaile Italy And had not his great vertue bene in the end of his life blotted with some cruelties committed vppon suspition of his kingdome as the death of Simmaco and Boetio men of most godly life he had bene in all respects worthy of honour and memorie For the vertue and bountie of him did not only repaire Rome and Italy of the afliction committed by the barbarous nations but also reduced them into an order and gouernment moste fortunate And surely if any times were euer in Italy and the other Prouinces there-abouts by reason of barbarous oppression miserable they were those which happened from the time of Arcadio and Onorio till his dayes For who so shall consider the great mischiefs which happen to cōmon weales by the variatiō of gouernment or change of the Prince without any dissention and diuision shall finde the same alone of force inough to ruine any state or kingdome how mightie soeuer It may therefore be imagined how great miseries the Romane Prouinces endured for they did not only alter their gouernment but also their lawes their customes their maner of life
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
and within a few daies after his arriuall the Castle was yeelded The winter now come the Captaines liked not to proceed further in the warre but attend the Spring and the rather bicause the Autumne past by meanes of euill aires sicknes was brought into the Camp wherewith many of the Captaines and leaders were diseased Among whome Antonio Pucci and Bongianni Gianfigliazzi were not onely sick but also dead to the great griefe of all the army so great was the honor and loue that Pucci had wonne in the exploite of Pietrasanta After the taking of Pietrasanta the Lucchesi sent Embassadors to Florence to demaund that towne as a thing belonging to their common-weale For they alleaged that among other things it was contracted betwixt them that the towne first wonne by any of them should be restored to the auncient owner The Florentines directlie denied not that couenant but answered that they doubted whether in the peace made betwixt them and the Genouesi it was meant the towne to be deliuered and therefore they could not till then determine and if it were restored then the Lucchesi ought of necessitie to pay the charge and make satisfaction for the losse of so many great Citizens which if they would do they might hope to haue it againe All that winter was spent in the communication of this peace betwixt the Genouesi and the Florentines And by reason the Pope was a doer therein the matter was handled at Rome but not being concluded the Florentines would the next Spring haue assaulted Serezana had they not bene by the sicknesse of Lorenzo di Medici and the warre which grew betwixt the Pope and the King Ferrando impeached For Lorenzo was not onely diseased of the gowt which infirmitie seemed to discend from his father but was also so grieuouslie tormented with griefe of the stomack that he went vnto the Bathes to be cured but the warre was the chiefe occasion of his sicknesse and the originall thereof The Citie of Aquila was subiect to the King of Naples yet the people therein liued as free In this Citie the Earle Montorio had great reputation The Duke of Calauria with his men of armes being neare vnto Tronto pretending to pacifie certaine tumults among the people of that countrey and intending to reduce Aquila wholie vnder the Kings obedience sent for the Earle Montorio as though he would imploy him in those matters he made shew of The Earle without suspition came and was presently by the Duke sent to Naples prisoner These newes being aduertised to Aquila altered the minde of the Cittie and the people populerly tooke armes and slewe Antonio Concinello Commissarie for the King and with him certaine other Citizens who were knowne affectionate to the King Also to the end the Aquilani might haue some friend to defend them in their rebellion they displaied the Ensigne of the Church and sent Embassadors to giue the Cittie to the Pope desiring him as his owne subiects to defend them from the tyrannie of the King The Pope manfully tooke in hand their defence as one that both for priuate and publique occasion hated the King And Roberto da Sanseuerino enemy to the State of Milan hapning to be out of pay the Pope enterteined him for Generall and caused him with great expedition to come vnto Rome and besides that sollicited all the friends and kinsmen of the Earle Montorio to become Rebels to the King in so much as the Princes of Altemura Salerno Bisignano tooke armes against him The King seeing himselfe by so sodeine a warre assaulted prayed aide of the Florentines and the Duke of Milan The Florentines stood doubtfull what to do bicause it seemed hard to leaue their owne enterprise for others and to take armes against the Church was perilous Notwithstanding being in league they preferred fidelitie before commoditie or perill and enterteined the Orsini and sent all their owne men towards Rome to the aide of the King vnder conduct of the Earle of Pitigliano Then the King made two camps and sent the one towards Rome vnder the Duke of Calauria who with the Florentines should incounter the Popes army The other camp himselfe did leade and marched toward the Barons that rebelled This warre with variable fortune was mannaged and at the end the King in all places hauing aduantage by mediation of the Embassadors of Spayne a peace was concluded in the moneth of August 1486. whereunto the Pope being beaten with euill fortune and loth to aduenture more consented Also all the Potentates of Italy were included onely the Genouesi as rebels to the State of Milan and vsurpers of the Florentines lands were left out Roberto da Sanseuerino the peace made hauing bene in this warre no faithfull friend to the Pope and nothing terrible to the enemy departed from Rome as driuen out by the Pope and being followed by the Dukes and Florentines souldiers so soone as he had passed Cesena seeing himselfe not followed fled away and with lesse then one hundred horse came to Rauenna Of the rest of his men some were receiued by the Duke and some by the countrey people were cut in pieces The King hauing made peace and reconciled his Barons put to death Giouanni Coppola and Antonello de Anuersa with his sonnes and those which had in the warre reuealed his secrets vnto the Pope By meanes of this warre the Pope knew what readinesse and care the Florentines had to keepe friendship and therefore albeit that for the loue of the Genouesi and the aiding of the King he before hated them yet now he began to loue them and shew more fauour vnto their Embassadors then he was wont Which disposition knowne to Lorenzo de Medici was by all honorable meanes increased for he thought it much for his reputation if to the fauour which the King bare him he might also ioyne the Popes friendship This Pope had one sonne called Francesco and being desirous to honor him with lands and friends wherewith he might after his death mainteine himselfe he knewe not any in Italy with whome he could more safely be matched then with Lorenzo and therefore so handled the matter that Lorenzo married a daughter of his vnto Francesco This marriage being made the Pope desired that the Genouesi might by composition deliuer Serezana to the Florentines perswading them that they should not hold that which Agostino had sold nor Agostino could giue vnto S. George that which was not his Notwithstanding this perswasion tooke no effect But the Genouesi while these matters were practising at Rome armed certaine of their Ships and before the Florentines knew any thing thereof set three thousand footmen a land and assaulted the Castle of Serezanello neare vnto Serezana belonging to the Florentines spoyling and burning the Towne which done they planted their Artillarie against the Castle and with all diligence battered the same This new assault was vnlooked for of the Florentines neuerthelesse presently they assaulted their