footmen After that time in the warre against Filippo Visconti Duke of Milan hauing rather to proue industrie then their owne proper Armes for at that time they were decayed we see in fiue yeares which that warre continued the Florentines spent three Milions and fiue hundreth thousand Florins And that warre being ended as not pleased with peace to shew more of their greatnesse they besieged the Cittie of Lucca I cannot therefore conceiue any cause why these diuisions should not be particulerly written And if those notable writers before named were withholden by feare to offend the posteritie of such as they should haue made mention of they greatly deceiued themselues and seeme to know little the ambition of men with the desire they haue to make the names of their Ancestors and themselues to continue perpetuall Neyther do they remember that many men wanting occasion to win themselues fame by some laudable deede by some impious acte haue laboured to aspire thereunto And they considered not that the actions of men which haue in them greatnesse as gouernments and authorities howsoeuer they be handled or what end soeuer they haue do seeme alwayes to giue men more honor then blame VVhich I hauing thought vpon did determine to change my meaning and resolued to begin my Historie at the beginning of our Cittie And sith my intent is not to vsurp the place of others I will particulerly set downe what chanced onely within the Cittie till the yeare 1334. and of such things as hapned without I will not say more then that which for the vnderstanding of the other shall be necessarie The yeare 1434. being passed I will particulerly write the one and the other Moreouer to the end this Historie may be the better vnderstood before I intreate of Florence I shall discourse by what meanes Italy became subiect to such Potentates as in those dayes there gouerned The first Booke shall briefly recite all accidents hapned in Italy from the declination of the Romayne Empire till the yeare 1434. The second will shew what things hapned from the beginning of Florence till the warre which the Florentines made against the Pope after expulcion of the Duke of Athene The third doth end with the death of King Ladislao of Naples Anno 1434. In the fourth Booke we wil intreate what other things chanced till the yeare abouesaid And from thencefoorth discourse particulerly of such accidents as befell within Florence till this our time To the Reader NOT by my suite though by my consent this Historie is now become publike The translation thereof was diuerse yeares past desired by an honorable personage not now liuing yet for loyaltie to his Prince loue to his Countrey and vertuous deseruing of all men worthie a longer life had not God in his diuine prouidence otherwise ordeyned Loth I was to medle with matter of so much waight in regard of mine owne insufficiencie being neither learned nor making profession of learning and lother it should be published for that the Author in some other his works hath not as is thought written with due respect to pietie Howsoeuer that be in this Booke being a meere relation of the Florentines fortune when they were gouerned Aristocraticallie appeareth not any thing vnfit to be knowne or that may receiue euill construction The first part sheweth the occasions of ruyne in the Romaine Empire and how the Prouinces of Italy became diuided into diuerse gouernments with their often variations Secondly by what meanes the Pope the Venetians the King of Naples and the Duke of Milan possessed the greatest parts of Italy Lastly how that the Florentines abandoning obedience to the Emperour liued almost continually in faction and ciuill partialitie vntill the house of Medici by the great vertue of Giouanni Cosimo Piero and Lorenzo atteyned to a singuler reputation in that State where now and some yeares past they gouerne as Princes with great honor iustice and integritie which happinesse they could not finde in their Aristocraticall pollicie Yet diuerse notable Polititians and wise law-makers haue not onely allowed but also highlie commended it aboue others Affirming that as mediocritie is in all things most praiseable and extremities reproueable so the Aristocracie being the meane betweene the multitude and one Prince is speciallie to be preferred Also for that the authoritie to commaund is due to the most worthie and worthinesse consisteth either in honor in vertue in riches or in them altogither the state Aristocraticall must needs be most allowed bicause the noble the riche and vertuous men are in all places the fewest number and they onely in that kinde of gouernment haue authoritie They alleage also how the rich men onely as they that haue most interest in the State do bestowe most in publike seruices and therefore to them the Gouernment ought be allotted so was it in Rome after the Kings were deposed likewise in Athens in Carthage and at this day in Venice Genoua and Lucca For answere of these reasons in fauour of Aristocracie wherein mediocritie seemeth to be speciallie sought for who so shall duely examine thereof may finde that to diuide things in the midst and thereby to marke out the vertue which consisteth in reason were impossible as all Philosophers haue determined True it is that the meane betweene all and one is perfit yet no where to be found sith in some Cities there are not one thousand Citizens and in some other more then an hundreth thousand which maketh the Aristocracie alwayes incertaine by the incertaintie of the numbers And where the Gouernors be many there are also factions many the resolutions slowe and the secrets of State often discouered For by experience is seene how those Aristocracies which haue in them fewest Gouernors are most durable As that of the Lacedemonians gouerned by thirtie persons and that of the Pharsalians by twentie It is not therefore the meane betweene one and all which causeth mediocritie Now for bestowing Soueraigntie vpon the most worthie true it is so it ought be yet that argument maketh more for the Monarchie For among the noble rich and wise some one doth euer excell the rest and to him by that reason the authoritie ought be giuen seeing it is not possible to find all those things equally in all men If it be alleaged that among the greatest number are found most vertuous and good men that reason serueth not either in that state or the Democracie seeing in them both as in all Corporations the most voices are preferred before the wise and better To conclude I say that in all States wherein are most Gouernors there are fewest resolutions and most disputations The Venetians therefore to meete with those inconuenients do commit the mannaging of their ordinarie affaires to the Senate which consisteth of seuen persons onely as knowing that the fewer be made priuie the more secretly they shall be handled and no Aristocracie haue had so long continuance Thus much touching Aristocraticall gouernment of which
the Bracci naturall enemies to his house and growne vp in great reputation vnder Giacopo Piccinino who was the chiefest Captaine in all Italy and such a one as euerie Prince ought to beware of chiefly the Duke who could not account his dominion assured nor leaue the same to his sonnes if Giacopo did still liue The King therfore by all meanes sought to make peace with his Barons handling the matter cunningly to assure him selfe of them which fell out very happily Because the Barons did thinke that in continuing the warre against their King the same would be in the end their vndoubted ruine and yeelding to the peace they should stand at the kings discretion But because men do most willingly eschue that euill which is most certaine it commeth to passe that Princes may easily deceiue others of lesse power and so these Lords gaue credit to the King For they seeing the manifest danger of the warre yeelded themselues into his hands and were vppon sundrie occasions by him oppressed which greatly dismaied Giacopo Piccinino at that time remaining with his forces at Salmona And to remoue occasion whereby the King might oppresse him he practised by his friends to be reconciled to the Duke Francesco who hauing made him great and honourable offers Giacopo resolued to put himselfe into his hands and being accompanied with one hundreth horse went to Milan to present himselfe vnto the Duke Giacapo had long serued his father and with his brother first for the Duke Philippo and after for the people of Milan Whereby he gained great acquaintance in that Citie and the good will of the multitude which was encreased by the present condition of the Citie For the good fortune and great power of the house of Sforza had kindled great enuie And Giacopo for his aduersitie and long absence was greatly by the people pitied who desired much to see him All which things appeared at his comming For welneare all the Nobilitie went to meet him and the streets were full of those which desired to see him Besides that great honour was spoken of him and his souldiers All which things did hasten his destruction because they encreased suspition and the Dukes desire to oppresse him For the more couert performance thereof the Duke deuised that the marriage with his daughter Drusiana who had bene long before contracted vnto him should now be solemnized Then he practised with Ferrando to entertaine him for Generall of his Army and promised him a hundreth thousand Florins in prest After this conclusion Giacopo accompanied with the Dukes Embassador and Drusiana his wife went vnto Naples where he was ioyfully and honourably receiued and for diuerse dayes enterteined with all sorts of triumph and feasting But at length desiring to go vnto his Campe which he left at Salmona he was by the King conuited to dinner in the Castle The dinner being ended both he and his sonne were imprisoned and shortly after put to death Whereby may be perceiued that our Italian Princes haue feared that vertue in others which was not to be found in themselues and did smother the same so long as no vertue at all being left our country became shortly after afflicted and ruined In these dayes the Pope Pio hauing setled all things in Romagna thought the time serued well in respect of the vniuersall peace to moue the Christians to make warre against the Turke according to the plot set downe by his predecessors To the performance of this exployt all Princes did contribute mony or men And in particuler Mathia King of Hungary and Carlo Duke of Borgogna promising to go in person were by the Pope made Captaines generall of that iourney The Pope had so great hope of proceeding in this enterprise that he went from Rome to Ancona where all the Armie were appointed to assemble and the Venetians did promise to send vessels to passe the souldiers into Schiauonia After the Popes arriual in that Citie the concourse of people there was so great that within fewe dayes all the victuall of that citie and that could be brought thither from other places thereabouts did not suffice In so much as euerie man began to taste of famine Moreouer there wanted mony to furnish the souldiers of things needfull and arme those that were disarmed Mathia and Carlo appeared not and the Venetians sent thither one onely Captaine with a fewe Gallies rather to shewe their pompe and seeme to haue kept promise then to passe the Armie So as the Pope being old and sicke in the middest of these businesses and disorders died After whose death euerie man returned home This Pope being dead the yeare 1465. Paulo secundo borne in the Cittie of Venice aspired to the Papacie About that time many other states of Italy chaunged their gouernment For the same yeare following died Francesco Sforza Duke of Milan hauing vsurped that Dukedome sixteene yeares And Galiazzo his sonne was proclaimed Duke The death of this Prince was the occasion that the diuisions of Florence became of more force and wrought their effects with the more speed After the death of Cosimo di Medici Piero his sonne being left in possession of the goods and lands of his father called vnto him Diotisalui Neroni a man of great authoritie amōg the other citizens of most reputation and one in whom Cosimo reposed so great trust as at his death he willed Piero both in his substance state to be by his counsel gouerned Piero accordingly declared vnto Diotisalui the trust which Cosimo had in him And because he would shewe himselfe as obedient to his father after death as he was in his life he desired Diotisalui to assist him with his counsell both for the order of his patrimonie and the gouernment of the Citie and to begin with his own priuate businesse he commaunded all his Officers to resort vnto him with their accounts and leaue the same with Diotisalui to the end that he might finde out the order and disorder of their doings and so counsell him what was best afterwards to be done Diotisalui promised to vse diligence and performe the trust in him reposed The Officers being come and examined were found to haue committed many disorders And thereupon as a man that more respected his owne ambition then the loue he bare to Piero or the benefits he had receiued of Cosimo imagined it was easie to deceiue Piero of the reputation and liuings left him by his father Diotisalui came vnto Piero offering him counsaile which seemed verie honest and reasonable yet vnder the same laie hidden the destruction of Piero. Hee told him what disorder he found in his affaires and how it behoued him to prouide great summes of mony for the holding of his credit and reputation in the state and therfore said he could not more honestly repaire his disorders and losses then by calling in those debtes which many straungers and Citizens did owe vnto his father For Cosimo to gaine
but the nobilitie thereof would not consent to the pope resoluing to yeelde their obedience to Tancredi At that time Celestino tertio was pope who desirous to take the kingdome from Tancredi sought meanes that Enrico sonne of Federigo should be made Emperour and promised him the kingdome of Naples vpon condition that he should restore vnto the church all those townes thereunto belonging And to make that action the more easie hee tooke out of a monastery Gostanza an olde woman daughter of Gulielmo and married her vnto Federigo Thus passed the kingdome of Naples to the Germaines from the Normands who were the auncient founders thereof So soone as Enrico the Emperour had setled all thinges in Germany hee came into Italy accompanied with Gostanza his wife and his sonne but foure yeares old called Federigo Where with some difficultie because Tancredi was dead leauing onely a litle sonne called Rogeri he possessed the kingdom Within a small time after in Sicilia died Enrico to whome Federigo succeeded in the kingdome and to the Empire was elected Ottone Duke of Sassonia through fauour of pope Innocentio quarto But so soone as he was crowned Emperour contrary to all expectation hee became enemie to the pope surprised Romagna and prepared to assault the kingdome For which dooing the pope did excommunicate him all other men left him and the electors created Federigo king of Napoli Then came Federigo to Rome for the crowne but the pope fearing his greatnesse denied him and sought to remooue him out of Italy as hee had done before to Ottone Therewith Federigo offended went into Germany and made much vvarre against Ottone and at length ouerthrevv him In the meane vvhile died Innocentio vvho besides other his notable vvorkes builded the Hospitall of Santo spirito in Rome After him succeeded Honorio tertio in vvhose time beganne the orders of Santo Dominico and Francisco the yeare 1218. This pope crovvned Federigo vnto vvhome Giouanni descended of Bauldouino king of Ierusalem vvho vvith the remaine of the Christians in Asia still possessed that title gaue his kingdome to his daughter in marriage Hereof it commeth that vvho so euer is King of Napoli is also intituled king of Ierusalem Italy in those dayes vvas thus gouerned The Romaynes made no more Consuls in Rome but in steed of them they created with the same authoritie sometimes one sometime more Senators The league which the cities of Lombardy had made against Federigo Barbarossa still continued The Cities confedered against the Emperour were Milano Brescia Mantoua with the greater part of Romagna and with them Verona Vicenza Padoua and Treuigi On the Emperours part were Cremona Bargamo Parma Reggio Modena Trento The other Cities and Castles of Lombardy Romagna and La Marca Treuigiana according to their necessitie fauoured somtimes the one and sometimes the other part In the time of Ottone the third came into Italy a man called Ezelino of whom remained one sonne who likewise begot an other Ezelino he being rich mightie folowed Federigo the secōd who was as hath bene before said enemy to the Pope This Emperour brought into Italy by the fauour of Ezelino tooke Verona and Mantoua razed Vicenza surprized Padoua vanquished the army of the townes confederate in the end marched towards Toscana Ezelino in the meane time surprized La Marca Triuigiana but he could not take Ferrara being defended by Azone of Este other soldiers sent by the Pope frō Lombardy The siege then leuied the Pope gaue that citie in Feudo to Azone of Este of whome be descended all those princes that till this day haue there gouerned Federigo staied at Pisa being desirous to become Lord of Toscana the rather to possesse the same discouer those that fauoured him from the other that were his enemies practised diuision among the people of the country which was afterwards the ruine of all Italy Because then the factions of Guelfi Ghibellini encreased calling them Guelfi that followed the Pope and Ghibellini that followed the Emperour In Pistoia these names of faction were first begun Federigo leauing Pisa by many meanes assaulted spoiled the townes belonging to the church Insomuch that the Pope not hauing other remedie proclaimed his Crociata against him as did his predecessours against the Saraseni Federigo then fearing to be abandoned by his souldiers as Federigo Barbarossa and other Emperours had bene enterteined great numbers of Sarasins and to make them more willing to serue knowing that they feared not the Popes curses he gaue them the citie of Nocera in the kingdome perswading himselfe that they hauing that refuge might serue him with the more securitie Innocentio quarto became Pope and mistrusting Federigo went to Genoua and from thence into France and called a Councell at the citie of Lions Whereunto Federigo determined to goe but was withholden by the rebellion of Parma from which enterprise repulsed he went into Toscana and thence into Sicilia where he died leauing in Sucuia his eldest sonne Corrado and in Puglia his other sonne being base borne called Manfredi whome hee had made Duke of Beneuento Corrado beeing come for possession of the kingdome arriued at Napoli and there died leauing one litle sonne called Curradino who at that time remained in Germany Then Manfredi first as gouernour to Curradino and after reporting that Curradino was dead against the Popes will the Neapolitans also whom he forced to consent made himselfe king During these troubles in the kingdome happened many quarrels betweene the factions of Guelfi and Ghibilini the one being fauoured by the Popes Legate and the other by Ezelino who possessed welneare all Lombardy on the other side of the riuer Po. And because in this warre the citie of Padoua rebelled Ezelino put to death twelue thousand Cittizens thereof and he himselfe before the end of the warre being then thirtie yeares of age was slaine After his death all the townes by him possessed became free Manfredi king of Napoli according to the custome of his auncestors continued enemie to the church holding the Pope called Vrbano quarto in continuall distresse in so much as the Pope proclaymed the Crociata against him which done hee went vnto Perugia where hee remained aspecting his souldiers Who comming thither slowly and in small numbers thought that to vanquish Manfredi those forces were not sufficient He therefore praied aide in France of Carlo Duke of Angio brother to king Lodouico creating him king of Sicilia and Napoli desiring him to come into Italy take possession of those kingdomes But before Carlo could come to Rome that Pope died and Clemente quarto elected In whose time Carlo with thirtie gallies came to Ostia appointing the rest of his army to march thither by land During his aboad in Rome the Romanes to honour him made him a Senator of Rome and the Pope inuested him in the kingdome with condition he should paie yearely fiftie thousand florines to the
rode vp and down in the country where himselfe listed spoyling and committing what cruelties hee thought good The Florentines scantly able after so great an ouerthrow to defend the citie yet were they not so greatly dismayd but that they made much prouision both of men and money sending also to their friends to haue their aide All which sufficed not to bridle the furie of so mightie an enemie Wherefore as constrained they made choyse of Carlo Duke of Calauria son to King Roberto to be their Prince offering him not their friendship but their obedience and prayed him to defend their Citie But Carlo being occupied in the warres of Sicilia and therefore not at leisure to come in person sent thither Gualtieri by Nation a French man and Duke of Athene He as deputie for his maister tooke possession of the Citie and placed officers according to his owne discretion Notwithstanding his behauiour was so modest and contrary to his owne nature that euerie man loued him Carlo hauing ended the warres of Sicilia being followed with a thousand horse men came to Florence and made his entry in the yeare 1326. whose comming staied Castruccio from spoyling of the Florentines countrey But that reliefe which was found abroad was lost within and those displeasures which the enemies could not were by friendes performed Bicause the Senators did nothing without the Dukes consent who within the space of one yeare leuied in the Citie foure thousand Florins notwithstanding that by the capitulation with him taken it was agreed hee should haue but two thousand So great impositions were daily by him or his exacted To these displeasures new suspitions and new enemies were discouered For the Ghibilini of Lombardy suspected so much the comming of Carlo into Toscana that Galiazzo Visconti other tyrants of Lombardy by mony and promises procured Lodouico di Bauiera Emperour elected against the Popes wil to come into Italy who being arriued in Lombardy marched towardes Toscana where with the helpe of Castruccio hee became Lord of Pisa And being relieued with mony he went towards Rome which caused Carlo to leaue Florence and returne to the kingdome leauing Philippo de Sagginetto his Lieftenant Castruccio after the Emperours departure possessed Pisa and the Florentines tooke from him by practise Pistoia which Castruccio after besieged with so great vertue and resolution that although the Florentines many times assaied to rescue the Towne sometimes assailing the Army and sometimes disturbing the Country yet could they neuer either by force or industry remoue him from that enterprise So greatly he thirsted to chastise the Pistoiesi and offend the Florentines By meanes whereof the Pistoiesi were constrained to receiue him for their Prince which thing albeit were greatly to his glorie proued in the end his disaduantage For being returned to Lucca there he died And because that one good or euil hap commeth sildome vnaccompanied with the like also at the same time died Carlo Duke of Calauria Prince of Florence as it were to the end that the Florentines beyond all expectation might be deliuered from the gouernment of the one and the feare of the other They thus become free reformed the cittie disanulled all orders of the olde Councelles and created twoo newe Councelles the one hauing in it three hundreth Cittizens Commoners and the other two hundreth and fiftie Gentlemen and Commoners mixed The first of these was called the Councell of the people the other the common Councell The Emperour beeing arriued at Rome created an Antipope and ordered many things in preiudice of the church and many other things also hee attempted without effect And therefore with this honour he remoued from Rome to Pisa where either of melancholy or for want of mony to paie eight hundred Almaine horsemen who were rebelled and at Montechiaro had fortified themselues died They so soone as the Emperour departed from Pisa to go vnto Lombardy surprised Lucca and draue out of that cittie Francesco Castracani left there by the Emperour Then being possessed of that cittie and intending to make profit thereof offered to sell it to the Florentines for threescore thousand Florins was refused by the Councell of Simon della Tosa This refusal would haue bene to our cittie most profitable if the Florentines had euer continued in that minde but because shortly after they changed opinion it was greatly to our losse For if at that time for so small price they might so peaceably haue had it and would not afterward desiring it and offering much more then was required they could not obteine it which was the occasion that Florence many times with great preiudice hath changed the gouernment Lucca being thus by the Florentines refused was by Gerardino Spinola of Genoua for thirtie thousand Florins bought And because men be more slow to laie hold of that which they may come by then to desire that they cannot attaine vnto so soone as this bargaine made with Gerardino was knowne and how small a summe of mony he paid the people of Florence became greatly desirous to haue it repenting themselues and blaming those that were the cause that the bargaine proceeded not Then sought they to get that by force which for money was refused For obteining whereof they sent their souldiers to spoile the country belonging to Lucca In this meane time the Emperour was gone out of Italy and the Antipope by order of the Pisani sent prisoner into France The Florentines then from the death of Castruccio which happened in the yeare 1328. til the yeare 1340. continued quiet within attended their matters of state abroad They also made many wars in Lombardy for the comming thither of king Iohn of Bohemia in Toscana touching the state of Lucca They likewise ornefied their cittie with new buildings For in that time the Tower of S. Reparata according to the direction of Giotto an excellent Painter was builded And because in the yeare 1333. by meanes of a maruellous flood the Riuer of Arno into many places ouerflowed the cittie more then 12. cubits many bridges and buildings were thereby decaied which with great care and expence were now restored But the yeare 1340. being come new occasions of alteration were growne vp The cittizens of most power had two meanes to encrease and maintain their greatnesse The one by restraining the number of those that should be elected Magistrates whereby the offices of authoritie came either vnto them or their friends The other because themselues being chiefe at the election of the Rettori they were by them in their offices the more fauoured And this second cause they esteemed so much that to these two ordinarie Rettori they also ioyned a third whom they in those dayes brought in extraordinarie vnder the title of Captaine of the Guard and placed therein Iacamo Gabrieli de Agobio giuing him absolute authoritie ouer the citizens He day by day before the face of them that gouerned committed many iniuries among
certain day many of those banished men apt for armes should go to places neare Florence by the riuer Arno passe into the citie and there with friends enter the houses of the chiefe gouernors and sleying them reform the gouernment as themselues thought good Among the conspirators within was one of the house of Ricci named Samminiato but as in conspiracies for the most part it happeneth that a fewe are not of force inough and many will not keepe counsell Samminiato seeking companions found an accuser This man imparted the matter to Saluestro Cauicciulli whome the iniuries done to his kinsfolke and himselfe ought haue made trustie But he regarding more the feare at hand then the future hope suddeinly bewrayed the practise to the Senators and they apprehending Samminiato constrained him to confesse all the conspirators yet was there no man apprehended sauing Tomazo Duuisi who comming from Bologna and not hearing what happened in Florence was by the way intercepted All the rest after the apprehension of Samminiato for feare fled Then Samminiato and Tomazo being according to their merits punished authoritie was giuen to diuerse Cittizens to finde out more offenders and assure the state They then discouered for Rebels sixe of the family of Ricci sixe of the Alberti three of the Medici three of the Scali two of the Strozzi Bindo Altouiti Barnardo Adimari with many of the meaner sort They admonished all the family of Alberti Ricci and Medici for tenne yeares a fewe of them excepted Among the Alberti was one called Antonio who being accounted a quiet and peaceable man was in that respect not admonished It chanced after the suspition of the conspiracie not quenched there was a Monke taken who had bene seene diuerse times during the conspiracie to goe from Bologna to Florence This Monke confessed that he had brought diuerse letters to Antonio who denied the matter yet being auowed by the Monke he was condemned in mony and confined 300. miles distant from the citie Also to the end that the Alberti might not daily put the state in daunger all that family aboue fifteene yeares of age were banished This accident happened in the yeare 1402. The next yeare died Giouan Galiazzo Duke of Milan whose death as is beforesaid ended the warre which had continued twelue yeares In this meane space the gouernment became of more authoritie and hauing fewe enemies both within and without the Florentines attempted the enterprise of Pisa and gloriously conquered that citie They continued then quiet within from the yeare 1400. till 33. sauing that in the yeare 1412. the Alberti hauing broken their confines a Balia was chosen wherby new ordinances were made to assure the state and impose greater paiments vpon them In that time also the Florentines made war to Ladislao King of Napoli which was ended by the death of the King in the yeare 1414. In execution whereof the King finding himselfe the weaker yeelded to the Florentines the citie of Cortona where he was Lord. Yet shortly after he reuiued the warre which proued more dangerous then the former And had the same not bene as the other ended by the Duke of Milans death he had also brought the libertie of our citie into that daunger that by the Duke it had bene Neither did this war of the Kings end with lesser aduenture then the other For when he had surprized Rome Siena La Marca and Romagna and that he wanted nothing but Florence to passe with a mightie force into Lombardy hee died So as death was euer more friendly to the Florentines then any other friend and of more power to defend them then any other vertue After the death of this King the citie continued quiet without within eight yeares In the end of which time with the warres of Philippo Duke of Milan the factions were reuiued and continued til the ruine of that state which from 1380. had bene gouerned and with much glorie enterprised many warres and brought vnder the Empire thereof Arezzo Piso Cortona Liuorno and Monte Pulciano And would haue done greater things had the citie continued vnited and the old humors not bene reuiued As in the next booke shall particulerly be declared The ende of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE ALL Cities and chiefly they which be well gouerned vnder the name of Common-weales doo often alter their state and gouernment not by meanes of libertie and subiection as many imagine but by meane of seruitude and lycentiousnesse For onely the name of libertie is honoured of the people who are the ministers of lycentiousnesse and seruitude still sought for by the Nobilitie so as either of them do studie not to subiect themselues either to lawes or men True it is that when it happeneth as sildome it doth that by good fortune of some Citie there riseth vp therein a wise good and mightie Citizen of whome such lawes be made as these humours of the Nobilitie and of the people be kept quiet or at the least so restrained as they cannot doo euill then may that Cittie be called free and that state firme and stable For being builded vpon good lawes and good orders it needeth not afterwardes the vertue of anie man to vphold it Of such lawes and orders manie auncient Common-weales whose estates continued long were endowed Such orders and lawes those states wanted and doo want which haue oft times chaunged their gouernment from states tyrannicall to licentious and from licentious to tyrannicall And in them by meane of their mightie enemies there is not nor cannot be anie stabilitie at all because the one pleaseth not the good men and the other offendeth the wise men The one may do euill with facilitie the other can do good with difficultie In the one insolent men in the other fooles haue too much authoritie And therefore it behoueth that both the one and the other by the vertue and fortune of some excellent man be mainteined who either by death may be taken away or by aduersitie proue vnprofitable I say therefore that gouernment which had the beginning in Florence by the death of Georgio Scali in the yeare 1381. proceeded first from the vertue of Masso delli Albizi and after was by Nicholo di Vzano continued The Cittie liued quiet from the yeare 1314. till the 22. At which time the King Ladislao was dead and the state of Lombardy into partes diuided So that neither without nor within there was any thing that could breede diffidence or mistrust Next to Nicholo di Vzano the Citizens of most authoritie were Bartolomeo Valori Nerome di Nigi Rinaldo de gli Albizi Neridi Guio and Lapo Nicolini The factions which grew by the discord of the Albizi Ricci and after with great troubles by Saluestro di Medici reuiued were neuer quenched And albeit the partie most fauoured of the multitude raigned not aboue 3. yeares and in the yere 1381. the same was oppressed yet that humor hauing infected the greater number of the people
was supposed that the summe of his presents amounted vnto twentie thousand duckets In conclusion he aspired to such greatnesse of reputation as Lucca and not Cosimo seemed to gouerne the Cittie Thereupon he conceiued so great confidence that he began to build two houses the one in Florence the other in Rucciano a mile distant from the Cittie both stately and kingly buildings But that in Florence was much larger then by any priuate Cittizen had euer bene builded For performance thereof he spared not to vse all extraordinarie meanes For not onely priuate Cittizens and particuler men did present him and help him with things necessarie for his building but the whole comminaltie and people did put their hands to his works Moreouer all banished men and euerie other person hauing committed murther theft or other offence whereof he feared publique punishment if he were abled to his seruice any way might without all danger resort thither The other Cittizens although they builded not like vnto him yet were they no lesse violent and inclined to oppression so as albeit Florence had no warre abroad to hinder it yet was it by the Cittizens within oppressed In those dayes as is before sayd happened the warre in the Kingdome and some warres were also made against the house of Malatesti by the Pope being desirous to take from them Rimino and Cesena so that in this enterprise and his studie to moue the warre against the Turke Pope Pio consumed his Papacie But Florence continued still in diuisions and troubles For then began the faction of Cosimo to be diuided within it selfe the yeare 1455. which happened by the occasions before said Yet were they for that time by his wisedome appeased But the yeare 64. being come Cosimo fell againe sick and dyed At his death both friends and foes lamented for they who in respect of the State loued him not seeing what extortion was vsed by the Cittizens in his life doubted least Cosimo being dead whome all men reuerenced they should be vtterly ruined and of his sonne Piero they hoped not much For albeit he were of disposition a good man yet being sickly and new in the gouernmēt they thought he should be forced to respect others who without any bridle would become strong and incorrigible Euerie man therefore feared to find great want of Cosimo This Cosimo was the most esteemed and most famous Cittizen being no man of warre that euer had bene in the memorie of man either in Florence or any other Cittie bicause he did not onely excell all others of his time in authoritie and riches but also in liberalitie and wisedome For amongst other qualities which aduanced him to be chiefe of his Countrey he was more then other men liberall and magnificent Which liberalitie appeared much more after his death then before For his sonne Piero found by his fathers Records that there was not any Cittizen of estimation to whome Cosimo had not lent great summes of money and many times also vnrequired he did lend to those Gentlemen whome he knewe to haue need His magnificence likewise appeared by diuerse his buildings For within Florence he builded the Abbaies and Temples of S. Marco S. Lorenzo and the Monasterie of S. Verdiana And in the Mountaines of Fiesole S. Gerolano with the Abbey thereunto belonging Also in Mugello he did not onely repaire the Church for the Friers but tooke it downe and builded it a new Besides those magnificent buildings in S. Croce in S. Agnoli and S. Miniato he made Altars and sumptuous Chappels All which Temples and Chappels besides the buildings of them were by him paued and throughlie furnished with all things necessarie With these publique buildings we may number his priuate houses whereof one within the Cittie meete for so great a personage and foure other without at Carriaggi at Fiesole at Cafaggiuolo and at Trebio all Pallaces fitter for Princes then priuate persons And bicause his magnificent houses in Italy did not in his opinion make him famous ynough he builded in Ierusalem an Hospitall to reciue poore and diseased Pilgrims In which worke he consumed great summes of money And albeit these buildings and euery other his actions were princely and that in Florence he liued like a Prince yet so gouerned by wisedome as he neuer exceeded the bounds of ciuill modestie For in his conuersation in riding in marrying his children and kinsfolks he was like vnto all other discreet and modest Citizens bicause he well knew that extraordinarie things which are of all men with admiration beholded do win more enuie then those which without ostentatiō be honestlie couered Whensoeuer therefore he married his sonnes he neuer sought to match them with the daughters of Princes but wedded his sonne Giouanni to Cornelia Alessandri and Piero to Lucretia Tornabuoni Also of his graund children begotten of Piero he married Bianca to Guglielmo de Pazi and Nannina to Barnardo Russellai These his proceedings caused that in so great change of fortune and in so variable a Cittie among so inconstant Cittizens he continued a Magistrate 31. yeares For being a wise man he discouered all inconuenients a farre and therefore might in time preuent them or if they did grow be so prepared as they could not offend him Whereby he did not onely suppresse all domesticall and ciuill ambition but also bridled the insolencie of many Princes with so great happinesse and wisedome that whosoeuer ioyned in league with him and his countrey became either equall or superior to his enemies And whosoeuer opposed themselues against them either they lost time money or state Whereof the Venetians can beare witnesse who being ioyned with him against the Duke Philippo were alwayes victorious and being disioyned were first by Philippo and after by Francesco victored and oppressed Also when they ioyned with Alfonso against the state of Florence Cosimo with his credit made both Naples and Venice so scarce of money as they were constrayned to take what peace himselfe was pleased with Whatsoeuer difficultie or contradiction was moued against Cosimo either within or without the Cittie the end thereof was to his glorie and the disaduantage of his enemies Therefore all ciuill discords increased his authoritie in Florence and forraine warres augmented his power abroad He annexed to the dominion of his Countrey Borgo at S. Sepolcro Monteuoglio Casentino and the Vale of Bagno Thus his vertue and fortune oppressed all enemies and aduanced his friends He was borne in the yeare 1389. on the feast day of S. Cosimo and Damiano The first part of his life was full of troubles as appeareth by his exile his imprisonment and his dangers of death Also at the Councell of Constanza whither he went with the Pope Giouanni after the Popes oppression he was forced to disguise himselfe and flee But hauing passed the fortie yeare of his age hee liued most happily in so much as not onely they which ioyned with him in publique actions but all other men also that maneged
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
whom Carlo had concluded a league About this time Pascale the first was become Pope and the priestes of the parishes in Rome by reason of their nearenesse to the Popes person and their presence at his election to honour their authoritie with a more venorable title beganne to bee called Cardinals taking vnto them great reputation chiefly after they had excluded the Romanes from the election of the Pope who almost euer before that time was some Citizen of Rome Pascale beeing dead Eugenio secundo of the order of Santa Sabina was elected Pope And Italy beeing then in the handes of French men did partly alter the order of gouernment and the more for that the Popes had in the temporalities thereof gained greater authoritie and made Earles and Marqueses as before time Longino Esarco of Rauenna had created Dukes After a fewe other Bishops Osporco a Romane aspired to the Papacy who for the homelinesse of his name caused himselfe to be called Sergio which was the beginning why the names of Popes was chaunged at their elections By this time Carlo the Emperour was dead to whome succeded Lodouico his sonne After his death there grew so great contention amongst his sonnes that in the time of his graund-children the Empire was taken from the house of France and brought into Germany where the first Emperour of that nation was called Ainolfo and by meanes of these disorders the family of Carlo did loose not onely the Empire but also the kingdome of Italy because the Lombardi recouered their strength and offended the Pope and Romanes so much as the Pope not knowing how to bee helped for necessitie gaue the Kingdome of Italy to Berengario Duke of Erieoli These accidents encouraged the Vnni who then remained in Pannonia to assault Italy But beeing come to triall of battle with Berengario they were vanquished and forced to returne into Pannonia now called Vngaria which countrey hath euer since reteyned their name At that time Romano Chieftaine of the Emperiall Armie deposed his maister Constantino and made himselfe Emperour in Greece By reason whereof Puglia and Calauria rebelled from the obedience of the Empire and suffered the Sarasins to come thither who beeing there and possessing the Countries attempted to besiege Rome But the Romaines because Beringario was occupied in the warres against the Vnni made Albarigo Duke of Tuscan their Captaine by whose vertue Rome was saued from the Sarasins They beeing departed from the siege builded a Castle vppon the mountaine called Gargano and from thence they commaunded Puglia and Calauria and disturbed the rest of Italy Thus in those dayes Italy was maruellously afflicted towardes the Alpes assaulted by the Vnni and towards Naples by the Sarasins In these miseries Italy many yeares remained vnder three Kings of the Beringarii one succeeding an other In which time the Pope and the Church were continually molested and by meanes of diuision of the princes in the West and the weakenesse of the Emperour in the Easte knewe not where to bee succoured The Cittie of Genoua with all the Riuers thereto belonging werein those dayes by the Sarasins destroyed whereof came the greatnesse of the Cittie of Pisa for thither manie people fled for refuge This happened in the yeare of the Christian religion nine hundreth thirtie and one But Ottone sonne of Enrico and Matilda Duke of Saxony a man exceeding wise of great reputation being become Emperour Agabito then Pope praied him to come into Italy and saue him from the tyrannie of the Berengarii The states of Italy were in those daies thus disposed Lombardy was vnder Berengario the third and his sonne Alberto Toscana and Romagna were gouerned by the deputies of the Emperour in the West Puglia Calauria partly to the Emperour in Greece and partly to the Sarasins obeyed In Rome were elected yearly of the nobilitie two Consuls who according to the auncient custome ruled that Citie Vnder them was appointed a Iudge to minister iustice to the people There was also a councell of twelue men which gaue gouernours to the townes subiect vnto Rome The Pope had in Rome more or lesse authoritie according to the fauour hee found with the Emperours or others that were there most mightie Then came the Emperour Ottone into Italy and tooke the kingdome thereof from the Berengarii who therein had raigned fiftie fiue yeares and therewith had restored the Pope to his dignitie This Emperour had one sonne and one nephew both also named Ottoni the one and the other of them succeeded in the Empire In the raigne of Ottone the third Pope Gregorio quinto was by the Romanes driuen out and Ottone came into Italy to put him again into the possession of Rome The Pope then to be reuenged of the Romans tooke frō them the authoritie of creatiō of the Emperour gaue the same to the Germaines appointing three Bishops of Maguntia Treueri Colonia three secular Princes the Marques of Brandenburge the Earle Palatine of the Rhein the Duke of Sassonia to be electors which constitution was made in the yeare 1002. After the death of Ottone the third Enrico Duke of Bauiera was by these electors made Emperour and after twelue yeares by Pope Stephano the eight crowned This Enrico and Simionda his wife were persons of most godly life as appeareth by diuerse churches by them builded and endowed Amongst which number was the temple of S. Miniato neare to the Citie of Florence Enrico died in the yeare 1023. After whom raigned Currado of Sueuia and after him Enrico the secōd who came into Italy the church thē being in schisme foūd there three Popes all whom he deposed caused Clemente secundo to be elected of him was he crowned Emperour In those dayes Italy was gouerned partly by the people partly by the Princes partly by the ministers of the Emperour of whō the chiefe was called Chancelor Amōg the Princes Gotfredi the Countesse Matilda his wife borne of Beatrice sister to Enrico the second were most potent for she and her husband possessed Lucca Parma Reggio and Mantoua with all that countrey at this day called Patrimonio The ambition of the people of Rome did at that time make much warre with the Popes for they hauing helped the Pope to driue out the Emperors and reformed the Cittie as to them seemed good sodeinly became enemies to him And the Popes receiued more iniuries at their hands thē at any other Christian Princes And euen in those dayes when the censure of the Popes made all the West of the world to tremble yet euen then the people of Rome rebelled And both the Popes and the people studied for nothing so much as how one of them might ouerthrow the authoritie and estimation of the other Nicholao secundo being aspired to the Papacy tooke from the Romanes the creation of the Pope as his predecessour Gregorio quinto had before taken from them the
Nicholo di Lorenzo Chancellor in the Campidoll draue the Senators out of Rome made himself vnder title of Tribuno chiefe of the Romane Common vveale reducing the same into the ancient forme of gouernment vvith so great reputation of iustice vertue as not only the tovvnes nere hand but also al Italy sent Embassadors vnto him Whereby the ancient prouinces seeing Rome restored looked vp and some of them moued vvith feare and some vvith hope honoured him But Nicholo notvvithstanding so great authoritie in the beginning of this action abandoned himselfe and dispairing as it seemeth to performe so great an enterprise not being inforced by any man secretly fled and vvent to King Carlo of Bohemia vvho by order of the pope in despite of Lodouico of Bauieria elected Emperour apprehended Nicholo sent him to the Pope prisoner A vvhile after as it vvere to imitate this Nicholo another man called Francesco Barocegli surprized the Tribunate and draue thence the Senators Vpon vvhich accident the Pope the rather to represse that disorder tooke Nicholo out of prison restored him to the Tribuneship sent him to Rome Nicholo there arriued exercised the office and put Francesco to death But the Colonnesi beeing enemies to Nicholo shortly after killed him also restored the Senators to their places In the meanetime the King of Vngaria hauing deposed the Queene Giouanna returned to his Kingdome The Pope liking better the neighborhood of the Queene than of that King found meanes that he vvas pleased to restore the Kingdome vpon condition that the Queenes husband should content himselfe vvith the title of Tarranto and not be called King The yeare 1350. being come the Pope thought good that the Giubileo erected by Pope Bonifacio octauo at the end of euerie hundred yeare might be reduced to fiftie yeare and made a Decree that aftervvards so it should be The Romanes receauing the same as a benefit vvere content the pope should send to Rome foure Cardinalls to reforme the state of that Cittie make Senators there those whom himselfe thought good The Pope also proclaymed Lodouico of Tarranto King of Napoli for which fauor the Queen Giouanna gaue vnto the Church the Citie of Auignion which was her patrimony By this time Luchino Visconti was dead wherby Giouanni Archbishop of Millan remained only Lord of that state who made many warres vpon Toscana other countries his neighbors and therby became exceeding mightie After his death succeeded Barnabo Galiazzo his nephewes but within short space Galiazzo died leauing one sonne called Giouan Galiazzo who diuided that State with Barnabo At this time Carlo K. of Bohemia was Emperor and Innocentio 6. Pope who sent into Italy Cardinall Egidio by Nation a Spaniard who with his vertue recouered great reputation to the Church not onely in Romagna Rome but also throughout al Italy He restored Bologna vsurped by the Archbishop of Millan he constrained the Romanes to receaue one Stranger to bee a Senator who yearely should be sent by the Pope he made honourable composition with the Visconti he vanquished and tooke prisoner Iohn Aguto an English-man who with foure thousand of his owne Nation serued in Toscana to the ayde of the Ghibelini Vrbano quinto being come to the Papacie and vnderstanding of so manie Victories determined to visite Italy and Rome whether also came Carlo the Emperour who after a few months went to the Kingdome and the Pope to Auignion Vrbano being dead Gregorio duodecimo was created and because then died the Cardinall Egidio Italy was returned to trouble occasioned by the Townes confederate against the Visconti Wherevpon the Pope sent first a Legate into Italy with sixe thousand Brittaines after in person followed himselfe and setled the Court in Rome in the yeare 1376. which had continued from thence in Fraunce 71. yeares After the death of this Pope was created Vrbano sexto Shortly after at Fondi ten Cardinals who said Vrbano was not well chosen elected Clemente octauo Then the Genouesi who diuers yeares had liued vnder gouernment of the Visconti rebelled Betwixt them and the Venetians for the Iland called Tenedo grew Warres of great importance and deuided all Italy In these Warres was great Shot and Artillarie first seene as Instruments then newly deuised by the Almaines And albeit the Genouesi had for a time in this Warre the aduantage and diuers moneths besieged Venice yet in the end the Venetians had the better and by mediation of the Pope made peace in the yeare 1381. Then chaunced a schisme in the Church and Queene Giouanna fauored the Antipope for which cause Vrbano practised an enterprise against her and sent Carlo Durezzo descended of the Kings of Napoli into the Kingdome who there arriued possessed himselfe and forced the Queene to flye vnto â—â—aunce The French King therewith offended sent Lodouico de Angio into Italy to recouer the Kingdome for the Queene remooue the Pope Vrbano and put the Antipope into possession but Lodouico in the midst of this enterprice died and his Souldiers returned into Fraunce The Pope in the meane while went vnto Napoli where hee imprisoned nine Cardinals for hauing followed the faction of France and the Antipope That done he quarelled vvith the king for not hauing made a nephew of his Prince of Capoua yet faining not to force much thereof desired to haue Nocera for his dvvelling vvhere aftervvards he assembled great forces and practised to depriue the king The king then marching tovvards him the Pope tarried not but fled to Genoua vvhere he executed those Cardinals vvhom he had before imprisoned From thence he vvent to Rome and there to giue himselfe reputation created 28. Cardinals At this time vvent Carlo king of Napoli to Vngaria and vvas created king and shortly after slaine hauing left in Napoli his vvife vvith tvvo children Ladislao and Giouanna At this time also Giouanni Galiazzo Visconti had murdered Barnabo his vncle taken into his hands the state of Milan And not content vvith the Dukedome of all Lombardy he sought to be also Lord of Toscana But vvhen he hoped to haue taken the possession and be crovvned king of Italy died Next vnto Vrbano sexto succeeded Bonifacio nono Then died also in Auignion the Antipope Clemente septimo And in his place vvas elected Benedetto 13. In these dayes liued in Italy many souldiers of forreine nations English men Almains and Britaines brought thither partly by those Princes vvho many times had serued in Italy and partly sent by the Popes vvhen they remained at Auignion Against these people the princes of Italy long time made vvarre and at length Lodouico da Conio arose vvho making a company of Italians calling the same S. Giorgio their vertue discipline tooke from the straungers all reputation and brought the same to the Italians of vvhom euer after the princes of Italy in all their vvars vvere serued The Pope by reason of the controuersie betwixt him and the
was by the offence of the Florentines followed For the better execution thereof they made league with Barnabo and with all the cities enemies to the church and elected eight Citizens to gouern the said war vnto whom authoritie was giuen to proceed without appeale and spend without account This warre begun against the Pope notwithstanding the death of Vgucciono encouraged those that followed the faction of Ricci and had against the Albizi alwaies fauoured Barnabo and disfauoured the church and the more for that the eight were all foes to the faction of Guelfi which was the reason that Piero delli Albizi Lapo di Castiglionichio Carlo Strozzi and the rest diuerse times ioyned to the offence of the aduersarie And while the eight made warre and they admonished the warre continued three yeares and by death of the Pope was ended This warre was with so vniuersall satisfaction and so great vertue gouerned that the office of the eight was from yeare to yeare continued in those men and they were called Santi notwithstanding they litle regarded the Popes curses spoiled churches and forced the Clergie Thus without respect they preferred the seruice of their country before the Popes indignation And thereby taught the church that as being friend thereunto they had defended it so being enemie they were able to annoy it hauing procured all Romagna La Marca and Perugia to rebell But notwithstanding all these warres made by the Florentines against the Pope yet could they not defende themselues from the Captaines of their owne factions and their followers For the enuie which the Guelfi bare vnto the eight made them to become insolent and though they spared the rest of the Nobilitie yet rested they not to iniure the eight Also the Captaines of factions were growne vp to so great arrogancie as they were more fauoured then the Senators and men with more reuerence resorted to their houses then to the Pallace In so much as euerie Embassadour that came to Florence brought with him some commission or instruction to entreate with these Captaines Then died Pope Gregorio whereby the citie being deliuered of forreine warre presently begun great confusion at home For on the one side the insolencie of the Guelfi was insupportable and on the other side no meane could be deuised to oppresse them Onely this hope was left that euerie man should take armes and so make triall whether partie should preuaile On the part of the Guelfi were all the old Nobilitie with the greater number of the mightiest people of whom as hath bene declared Lapo Piero and Carlo were the chiefe On the other side were all the people of least reputation who had for Leaders the eight Gouernours of warre Georgio Scali Tomazo Strozzi and with them the Ricci Alberti and Medici The rest of the multitude as in like cases it euer happeneth ioyned to the partie discontented It seemed then to the Guelfi that the forces of their aduersaries were great and therefore themselues in much daunger whensoeuer any vnfriendly Senate should happen to be chosen Therefore thought good for the preuenting of that mischiefe to assemble themselues in some place conuenient where they might consult of the state of that Citie For it seemed that the Citizens admonished being in number growne great the most part of the Citie were their foes Whereto they could not deuise other remedie but as they had taken from them the honours so also to banish them the Citie take the Pallace by force and reduce all the state to the order wherunto it was by the auncient Guelfi reduced who liued not secure for any other reason but onely because they had driuen out all their aduersaries To this plot euerie man consented but of the time of execution they discented The yeare 1378. being come in the moneth of Aprill Lapo thought good not to deferre the time saying there was nothing that hindred time so much as time and then specially because in the next Senate Saluestro de Medici was likely to be chosen Gonfaloniere whom to their factiō they knew most contrary Piero delli Albizi thought otherwise for his opinion was it should be deserred because the execution of their intent required forces which without publishing of the matter could not beleuied if the matter were discouered they should therby incurre manifest daunger His opinion therefore was it should be delaied till the feast of S. Iohn then at hand at which time many people would resort to the towne among whome they might conuey in vnknowne as many friendes as they thought good Moreouer to finde meanes how to preuent the election of Saluestro it was thought fit to admonish him and if that deuise seemed not good then to put into the election an other also of the same quarter So as it might fall out that insteed of him some other of his companions should be chosen This cause was set downe as a resolution notwithstanding that Lapo vnwillingly thereunto consented iudging delaie was dangerous and that no time can be in euerie respect fit for execution For whosoeuer tarrieth all opportunities either he shall neuer performe anything or if he doth the same for the most part falleth out to his disaduantage The Colledge was warned and Saluestro not repulsed but chosen Gonfaloniere for the eight hauing discouered the practise found meanes to preuent that which was looked for Thus Saluestro sonne of Alemanno di Medici who being of a verie noble populer house could not endure that the people should be by a few great men oppressed And hauing deuised how to end their insolencie seeing the people fauoured that enterprise he did communicate his intent to Benedetto Alberti Tomazo Strezzi and Georgio Scali and they promised to bring him all the aide they possibly could Thē was there a law secretly established wherby the ordināces of iustice against the great men were renewed the authoritie of Captains was diminished The same also restored power to the admonished to haue restitution of their dignities And because as it were at one instant they intended both to propound and obteine hauing first to passe the Colledge after to determine in the Councels finding Saluestro President which place in those dayes for the time being made him be placed as Prince of the Citie they caused the Colledge Councell in one selfe morning to be assembled And first to the Colledge onely they propounded the lawe made which as a new thing was by that small number reiected Whereby Saluestro seeing his wings clipped wherewith he hoped to ascend to his desire fained for his necessitie to depart the place and contrarie to expectation went to the Councell and standing vp where he might be both seen and heard of euerie man said He thought himselfe made Gonfaloniere not to determine of priuate causes which haue their ordinary Iudges but to attend the state correct the insolencie of the great men and qualifie the rigor of those lawes which were found by proofe to hinder the
order and estate it presently remained These matters thus handled were vnderstood abroad and the same gaue great reputation to Giouanni and hatred to the other cittizens Neuerthelesse hee discontinued all affaires the rather to discourage those that vnder his fauour intended new practises Also in all his comunication hee let euerie man to vnderstand that hee would not nourish but extinguish factions And for himselfe he desired nothing but the vnion of the citie yet were manie that followed him therewith discontented For diuers of them did perswade him to be in those matters more quick of which number was Alamanno de medici who being fierce of nature ceased not to sollicite him to persecute their enemies fauour friends blaming his coldnesse slow maner of proceding Which was as he alledged occasion that their foes without respect practised against him Which one daie would take effect with the ruine of his house and friends To the same effect was hee encouraged by Cosimo his sonne Yet notwithstanding all these reasons to him reuealed or prognosticated hee stood firme in his intent and by that meanes the faction became discouered and the cittie in manifest diuision At that time were in the Pallace two Chauncellors one called Ser Martino and the other Ser Pagolo This fauoured the parte of Vzano that of Medici Rinaldo seeing that Giouanni refused to concurre with them thought fit to depriue Ser Martino of his office hoping afterwards to finde the Pallace more fuourable That practise foreseene by the aduersaries Martino was defended and Pagalo with sorrow and iniury of his friends remooued which had presently wrought bad effects if the present warre had not bene the citie by the ouerthrow receiued at Zagonara terrified During the time that these matters were managed in Florence Agnola della Pergola had with the Dukes forces taken all the townes which the Florentines possessed in Romagna Castaro and Modigliana excepted some of them beeing lost by the weakenesse of the place and others by the default of those that had them in guarde In the surprizing of these townes two notable things appeared The first how much the vertue of men euen to their enemies is acceptable The other how greatly cowardice and fainte heart is contemned Biagio of Milan was Captaine of the fortresse called Montepetroso He being enuironed with fire and enemies not finding any meanes how to defend his charge or escape with life cast ouer the wall where no fire yet burned certaine cloathes and strawe and vpon the same his owne two children and said to his enemies Take you here those goods which fortune hath giuen me and you haue power to bereaue me of but my riches of minde wherein glorie and my honour lieth neither will I giue them nor you can take them from me The enemies ran to saue the poore children and offered him roapes and ladders to conuey himselfe downe safe But he refused all succours chusing rather to die in fire then receiue a life from the enemies of his country An example truly like to those of the auncient time so highly commended And is the more notable that such resolutions are but rare The children were by the enemies restored to all thinges that were theirs and could be found and with great care conueyed to their friends to whom their countrey also was no lesse kinde For during their liues they were publikely releeued and mainteined The contrary happened in Galeata where Zanobi di Pino was Podesta For he without any defence yeelded his charge to the enemie and besides perswaded Agnolo to abandon the Alpes of Romagna and come into the hilles of Toscana where he might make warre with lesse perill and more profit But Agnolo could not endure the cowardice and base mind of that man and therfore gaue him prisoner to his seruants who in contempt and disdaine allowed him no more foode but painted cards saying by that means they would make him of a Guelfo to become a Ghibellino But within a fewe daies Pino pined to death In this meane time the Earle Oddo togither with Nicholo Piccinino was entred into the vale of Lamona to reduce the Lord of Faenza to the friendship of the Florentines or at the least to empeach Agnola della Pergola in the spoile of Romagna Yet by reason that vale is strong and the country people warlike it chaunced that Oddo was slaine and Nicholo Piccinino ledde prisoner to Faenza But fortune would that the Florentines obteined that by this losse which if they had woon the victorie should percase neuer haue bene compassed For Nicholo being prisoner wrought so with the Lord of Faenza his mother that they by his perswasion became friendes to the Florentines By this league Nicholo Piccinino was deliuered but folowed not that councel he gaue to others For whiles he cōmoned with the cities that enterteined him either for that the conditions he had made seemed ouer meane or that he hoped of better elsewhere suddeinly without leaue taking departed from Arezzo where hee lodged and went into Lombardy and there tooke paie of the Duke The Florentines by this accident became fearefull and being dismayd with their charges lost thought they could not alone maintaine the warre and therfore sent Embassadours to the Venetians desiring them while the enterprise was easie to ioyne against one who being suffered to grow might become as dangerous to them as to the Florentines To the same enterprise also Francesco Carmignuola did perswade them who was in those dayes accounted a man of warre most excellent and had bene sometimes a souldier vnder the Duke yet at that time rebelled against him The Venetians stood doubtfull not knowing how much they might trust Carmignuola fearing that the enmitie betwixt the Duke him was but fained They thus standing doubtfull it happened that the Duke procured one of the seruants of Carmignuola to poyson his maister which poyson not being strong inough killed him not but brought him to extremitie This being knowne to the Venetians cleared all suspition and the Florentines following their request the league was made betwixt them either partie binding himselfe to make warre at their common charge and that whatsoeuer were gotten in Lombardy should be the Venetians and whatsoeuer were possessed in Romagna should be the Florentines and Carmignuola to continue General of the league Then was the war by mean of this league brought into Lombardy and by Carmignuola gouerned with so great vertue that in fewe moneths he had taken many townes from the Duke togither with the Citie of Brescia the winning whereof in those dayes and in those warres was accounted maruellous This warre was continued fiue yeares and the Citizens become wearie of the Impositions alreadie past agreed to renew them and prouided the same might be imposed according to the value of euerie mans wealth In this Imposition it fell out that many mightie Cittizens were sore charged And therefore before the lawe passed it became of them
verie holily liued and died Her house in memorie of her was after made a Monasterie by the name of S. Annalena as at this present it is and euer shall be This action somewhat decreased the power of Neri and tooke from him reputation and friends Neither did that onely content the Cittizens in authoritie For the tenne yeares of their office being passed and their authoritie in the Balia ended diuerse men both by word and deedes tooke courage to complaine against the continuance of those officers and therfore the Gouernors thought for the holding of their authoritie it was necessarie to haue their offices prolonged giuing new commission to friends oppressing their foes For which consideration in the yeare 1444. by their councels a new Balia was created which reestablished officers giuing authoritie to a few to create the Senate reuiuing the Chancelorship of reformation remouing Ser. Philippo Peruzzi and in his place appointing one other to gouerne according to the pleasure of the great men putting in prison Giouan the sonne of Simone Vespucci The gouernment thus setled the offices of state taken anew they turned their minds to matters abroad Nicholo Piccinino being as hath bene beforesaid abandoned by the King Alfonso and the Earle with the helpe he had of the Florētines became strong assailed Nicholo neare vnto Fermo and there gaue him so great an ouerthrow that Nicholo lost wel-neare all his souldiers and with a fewe fled into Montecchio Nicholo tarried there all the winter to increase his army and therein was helped by the Pope king Alfonso In so much as the spring time being come and the other Captaines returned to the field Nicholo was the strōger and the Earle brought to extreame necessitie and had bene vtterly defeated if the intent of Nicholo had not bene by the Duke altered Philippo sent for Nicholo pretēding to haue occasion by mouth to impart vnto him matters of great importance Which Nicholo being desirous to heare abandoned a certaine victorie for an incertaine pleasure and leauing Francesco his sonne to gouerne the army went vnto Milan The Earle vnderstāding of his departure frō the Camp would not lose the opportunitie to fight in the absence of Nicholo and assaulting the army of Nicholo neare vnto the Castle of Monte Loro ouerthrew it and tooke Francesco prisoner Nicholo at his arriuall in Milan seeing himself abused by Philippo vnderstāding his camp to be brokē his son prisoner with sorow died the yere 1445. being of the age of 64. yeares hauing bene a Captaine more vertuous then happie Of him there remained two sonnes Francesco and Giacopo who as they were of lesse vertue then the father so had they worse fortune By which meane the souldiers bred by Braccio were almost worne out and the discipline of Sforza alwaies holpen by fortune became more glorious The Pope seeing the army of Nicholo suppressed and him dead nor much hoping in the aide of Arragon sought to make peace with the Earle which by mediation of the Florentines was concluded The peace made in La Marca all Italy had liued in quiet if the Bolognesi had not disturbed the same There was in Bologna two mightie Families Channeschi and Bentiuogli of the one Annibale and of the other Battista was chiefe These to be the rather assured one of the others friendship contracted a marriage But betweene men which aspire to one greatnesse though alliance may easily be made yet friendship cannot Bolognia was in league with the Florentines and Venetians which league had bene concluded by meane of Annibale Bentiuogli after they had driuen out Francesco Piccinino Battista knowing that the Duke desired greatly to haue the fauour of that Cittie practised with him to kill Annibale and bring that Cittie vnder his ensigne The order of this murther agreed vpon the 24 of Iune 1445. Battista with his men assaulted Annibale slew him which done he proclaimed the Dukes name throughout the towne At that time the Commissaries for the Venetians and the Florentines were in Bologna and at the first rumor retired vnto their houses but afterwards perceiuing that the murtherers were not fauoured by the people who were in great numbers armed and assembled lamenting the death of Annibale they tooke courage went towards them assailed the Canneschi whom in lesse then one houre they ouerthrew slaying some and forcing the rest to flie the Cittie Battista not fleeing in time nor slaine remained at his house and hid himself in a vessell made for the keeping of corne His enemies hauing all the day sought him and assured he was not gone out of the towne threatned his seruants so much as one of them at length discouered where he was From thence he was taken out and slaine then drawne through the streets and at last burned so as the victorie of the Duke was of force sufficient to perswade Annibale to the enterprise but not of power ynough to saue him from death Thus by the death of Battista and the fleeing of the Canneschi these tumuls were appeased The Bolognesi remained in great confusion bicause there was not left of the house of Bentiuogli any man fit for gouernmēt And for that there remained one sonne onely of Annibale but six yeares old who was called Giouanni the Bolognesi feared least among the friends of the Bentiuogli some diuision would grow which might perhaps occasion the returne of the Canneschi with the ruine of their countrey and faction While the Bolognesi continued in this doubtfull imagination Francesco late Earle of Poppi being in Bologna informed the chiefe Cittizens that if they had desire to be gouerned by one descended of the bloud of Annibale he could informe them of such a one Declaring that about 20. yeares past Hercole the Cosen of Annibale happened to be at Poppi and had there carnall knowledge of a yong woman in that Castle who was after deliuered of a sonne called Santi whom Hercole diuerse times affirmed to be his And it seemed to be a thing likely for that the child so much resembled Hercole as liker it could not be His words were belieued by those Cittizens and they deserred no time to send vnto Florence to find out the yong man and perswade with Cosimo di Medici and Neri Capponi that they might haue him The supposed father of this Santi was dead and the yong man liued vnder the tuition of an Vncle of his called Antonio Cascese This Antonio was rich without children and friend to Neri The matter being vnderstood Neri thought fit neither to reiect the motion nor imbrace it but commaunded that Santi in the presence of Cosimo and those that were sent frō Bologna should speake with him Then order being taken for their meeting Santi was by the Bolognesi not only honored but also as it were adored Then Cosimo calling Santi aside said vnto him there is none that in this matter can better counsell thee then thy selfe for thou art to take
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
libertie and some others were contented to receiue a Prince Of those which desired a Prince some would haue the Earle and some the King Alfonso whereby those that loued libertie being more vnited became the stronger part and framed after their faction a state and gouernment which was neuerthelesse disobeyed by many Citties of the Dukedome imagining that they might also as Milan did enioy their libertie And others also which aspired not thereunto did likewise refuse to yeeld vnto the Milanesi The Citties of Lodi Piacenza gaue themselues to the Venetians Pauia Parma would be free The Earle vnderstanding these confusions went vnto Cremona whither his Embassadors and the Embassadors of Milan came with this cōclusiō that he should remain Captain general of the Milanesi with those conditions last set down by the Duke Philippo adding thereunto that the Earle should haue Brescia till he surprised Verona And being possessed therof to yeeld vp Brescia Before the death of this Duke Pope Nicholo at his assumptiō sought to make peace amongst all the Italian Princes For the compassing whereof by Embassadors he practised that the Florentines should send vnto him at the time of his creation desiring him to appoint a Parliament at Farrara to procure therein either a long truce or a perfect peace Vpon which occasion in that Cittie assembled the Popes Legat the Embassadors for the Venetians Embassadors for the Duke Embassadors for the Florentines But those which were looked for from King Alfonso appeared not This King was then at Tiboli accompanied with many men of warre both on foote and horseback From thence he gaue countenance to the Duke and it was thought that so soone as they had drawne the Earle to their side they would openly assault the Venetians and Florentines In the meane time the Earles souldiers should remaine in Lombardy the peace to be enterteined at Farrara whither the King sent not saying he would ratifie all things the Duke would assent vnto This peace was many dayes consulted vpō and after much disputation cōcluded that either it should be perpetuall peace or a truce for 5. yeares at the election of the Duke whose Embassadors being returned to Milan to vnderstād his pleasure at their cōming thither found him dead The Milanesi notwithstanding his death would needs haue the conclusion of peace allowed But the Venetians did not consent hoping greatly to vsurpe that state And the rather bicause Lodi and Piacenza sodeinly after the Dukes death were yeelded vnto them whereby they hoped either by force or composition within short space to become Lords of all the territorie of Milan and in the end so distresse the Cittie as it should also be forced to yeeld before any man could rescue it And the rather they thus perswaded themselues for that they sawe the Florentines busied in warre with King Alfonso That King being at Tiboli and intending to follow the enterprise of Toscana as he had determined with Philippo thinking therewith that the warre alreadie begun in Lombardy would giue him time and commoditie desired to haue one foote into the state of Florence before such time as he would openly make the warre and for that purpose practised to win the Castle Cennina in the vpper vale of Arno and wan it The Florentines striken with this vnlooked for accidēt and seeing the King readie to march to their offence hired souldiers created the ten Magistrates and according to their custome prepared all things for the warre By this time the King with his Army was come to the countrey of Siena labouring by all meanes to bring that Cittie to fauour him Notwithstanding the Cittizens there stood firme in their friendship to the Florentines and refused to receiue the King either into Siena or any other of their townes yet did they prouide him victuall whereof the importunitie of the King and the force of the enemy might excuse them The King then thought not good to enter by the way of the vale of Arno as he first determined aswell for that he had spoiled Cennina as bicause the Florentines were partly furnished with souldiers and therefore marched towards Volterra surprized many Castles in the countrey thereto belonging From thence he marched into the countrey of Pisa where by the fauour of Arrigo and Fatio Earles of Chirardesca he tooke some Castles and assaulted Campilia which being defended by the Florentines and the cold winter he could not surprize Then the King leauing certaine of his owne souldiers to guard the townes by him taken and to defend the countrey retired with the rest of his Army to his lodgings in the countrey of Siena The Florentines fauoured by that season of the yeare carefully laboured to prouide souldiers Their chiefe leaders were Federigo Lord of Vrbino and Gismondo Malatesta of Rimino And albeit there was betwixt them two some disagreement yet by the wisedome of Neri and Barnardetto di Medici Commissaries for the Florentines they agreed so well that notwithstanding the hard winter continuing they marched and recouered those townes which were lost in the countrey of Pisa and the Ripomerancie in the territorie of Volterra They also bridled the Kings souldiers who before had spoyled the sea coast so as with difficultie they might defend the townes committed to their guard But the Spring time being come the Commissaries drew forth all their souldiers to the number of 5000. horse and 2000. footmen And the King came with his to the number of welneare fifteene thousand besides 3000. at Campiglia And when he intended to returne to the siege of that towne he went to Piombino hoping easily to win it bicause the towne was not well furnished he thought the hauing thereof profitable for him and disaduantagious for the Florentines bicause from thence he might protract the warres and consume them hauing meane to victuall himselfe by sea and disturbe the whole countrey of Pisa This assault greatly displeased the Florentines and cōsulting vpō the matter thought that if they might with their Army remaine in the bounds of Campiglia that the King should therby be inforced to depart either broken or dishonoured For which purpose they armed foure small Gallies at Liuorno and with them put into the towne of Piombino three hundred footemen placing them at the Galdani a place where with difficultie they might be assaulted For if they were lodged in the plaine vpon the Confines the same was thought dangerous The Florentines receiued their victuals from the Townes thereabouts which being but fewe and not much inhabited did scarcely furnish them So as the Armie suffered penurie and most chiefly of wine Because none being there made nor brought thither from other places it was impossible for euerie man to haue so much as should suffice him But the King notwithstanding he were by the Florentines straightly holden in yet had he abundance almost of euerie prouision by reason hee receiued it from the sea The Florentines therefore thought good likewise to make
Moreouer betwixt the Florentines the Duke and the Venetians a peace was concluded for fifteene yeares Onely the King Alfonso among all the Italian Princes seemed therewith discontented bicause he thought it was contrary to his reputation to be named in the contract of peace not as a principall but as an adherent For which consideration he pawsed long before he would lay downe his resolution But being sollicited by sundrie solemne Embassages of other Princes he was at length content and chiefely by the Pope to be perswaded and with his sonne entred this league for thirtie yeares confirming the same with alliances and crosse marriages betwixt the Duke and the King their sonnes marrying one the others daughters Notwithstanding to the end that some seeds of the warre might remaine in Italy he consented not to make the peace before such time as those of the League would giue him leaue without their iniurie to make warres vpon the Genouesi Gismondo Malatesti and Astor Prince of Faenza This conclusion made Ferrando his sonne then being at Siena returned to the Kingdome hauing sithence his arriuall in Toscana not gained any dominion but lost great numbers of souldiers This vniuersall peace being concluded it was onely feared least King Alfonso for the displeasure he bare to the Genouesi would disturbe the common quiet but the matter came otherwise to passe for the King did not openly moue any disturbance but as it hath alwaies happened by the ambition of mercinarie souldiers the peace was by them interrupted The Venetians had as their manner is the warres being ended discharged their Generall Giacopo Piccinino who taking vnto him certaine other Captaines likewise discharged went into Romagna and from thence to the countrey of Siena where Giacopo staying begun the warre and surprized certaine Townes belonging to the Sanesi At the beginning of these troubles in the yeare 1455. died Pope Nicholo and to him succeeded Calisto tertio This Pope to represse the new warre assembled all the forces he was able making Giouanni Ventimiglia his Generall who with certaine Florentines and other souldiers sent from the Duke for that purpose went against Giacopo and fought with him neare vnto Bolcena where notwithstanding that Ventimiglia was taken prisoner yet Giacopo had the worst and was forced to retire to Castalione della Piscaia and had he not bene by Alfonso relieued with money he should then vtterly haue bene ouerthrowne which reliefe discouered that Giacopo had taken that enterprise in hand with the priuitie and direction of that King Alfonso finding himselfe discouered to be reconciled to the other Princes consenting to the peace whose fauour by meanes of this weake warre he had almost lost procured that Giacopo should restore to the Sanesi all the townes he had taken from them and they to giue him twentie thousand Florins And this agreement made the King receiued Giacopo with his souldiers into the Kingdome In those dayes notwithstanding that the Pope intended to bridle Giacopo Piccinino yet was he mindfull also of the defence of Christendome likely to be oppressed by the Turks For which purpose he sent into all Christian Countries Embassadors and Preachers to perswade with Princes and people to arme themselues for the aide of Religion and to giue money and personall seruice to this enterprise against the common enemy He caused also solemne processions to be made declaring both publiquely and priuately that he himselfe would be among the first of the Christians that should assist that action with counsell money and men But the heate of this Crociata was cooled with aduertisements that the Turke and his army being at Bellgrado a Castle of Hungary vpon the riuer of Danubio was by the Hungarians hurt in his person and his Camp broken so that the Popes and Christians feare conceiued by the losse of Constantinople was thereby ceased and the preparation they made for the warre proceeded coldly In Hungary likewise by the death of Giouanni Vaiuoda Captaine of that victorie the warre was discontinued But returning to the matters of Italy I say that in the yeare 1456. the tumults moued by Giacopo Piccinino were ended so that euery man hauing laid aside armes it seemed as though God had taken them in hand For there happened in Toscana most tempestuous windes such as neuer before had bene heard of nor shall be which wrought most meruailous and memorable effects Vpon the 24. of August one houre before day there arose from the Sea towards Ancona a great and darke clowd crossing Italy and entering the Sea towards Pisa stretching two miles in compasse This storme was furiously carried and whither by naturall or supernaturall force diuided into many parts as it were fighting amongst themselues And of those broken clowds some were hoised vp towards heauen some violently cast downe and some with wonderfull speed were turned round but alwaies before them came a winde with lightnings and flashing of fire so terrible as cannot be expressed Of these broken and confused clowds and of those furious winds and great flames there grew so strange a noise as moued the people to greater feare then any Earthquake or thunder euer had done in so much as euery man thought the world was ended and that the earth the water and the heauen should haue returned to the old Chaos This fearefull storme wheresoeuer it passed wrought meruailous and wonderfull effects But the most notable of all happened about the Castle of S. Cassiano This Castle is builded vpon the hill which parteth the Vales of Pisa and Grieue eight miles distant from Florence Betwixt that said Castle and the towne of S. Andrea builded vpon the same hill this furious tempest passed not comming to S. Andrea but at S. Cassiano threw downe certaine turrets and chimneys and neare thereunto subuerted whole houses euen to the ground and carried away whole roofes of the Churches of S. Martino a Bagnolo and S. Maria della pace bearing them from thence vnbroken the space of more then one mile One man also a Carrier was taken vp and in the valley next vnto the way both he and his Moyles found dead Moreouer all the greatest okes and strongest trees which would not bend at the furie of the tempest were not onely broken but also with violence borne farre from the place where they grew Whereat the next day when the tempest was ceased and men returned to those places they were greatly astonied for they found the Countrey desolate and spoiled the houses and the temples ouerthrowne the people lamenting and beholding their houses cast downe and vnder them their goods their cattle and their parents slaine Which thing both in the beholders and hearers thereof moued a maruellous compassion By this meane it pleased God rather to threaten then punish Toscana For if so great a tempest had fallen vpon any Citie full of houses and inhabitants as it fell vpon these oakes trees and small houses one farre from the other without all doubt the destruction would
he did not with sword in hand rather die honourably then among his victorious enemies liue dishonored These that were banished sought by sundrie meanes to recouer the Citie they had lost Yet Agnolo Acciaiuoli being at Naples before hee attempted any thing thought good to feele the disposition of Piero and what hope remained of reconciliation writing vnto him as followeth I smile to see what sports fortune doth make her self and how at her pleasure she frameth of foes friends and of friends foes You can remember that at the banishment of your father esteeming more his iniury then mine own danger I lost my country was like to haue also lost my life Neither in al his time did I euer omit to honor and fauour your house nor after his death haue had any intent to offend you True it is that your own vnhealthie disposition the tender yeares of your children brought me into such feare as I thought it behoued me to take order that after your death our countrey should not be ruined For which cōsideratiō I haue done diuers things not against you but for the good of my country Wherein if I haue committed error the same ought be for my good intent and passed seruice pardoned Neither can I beleeue other but that in respect of ancient loue to your house I shal at this occasiō find mercy my manifold merits shal not be by one onely fault cancelled Piero hauing perused this letter aunswered thus Your laughing there you are is the occasion that I weep not here where I am for if you had laughed at Florence I should haue wept at Naples I denie not your well deseruing of my father sith your self wil confesse to haue tasted his liberalitie and by how much that deedes be esteemed aboue words by so much your obligation is more thē ours You then recompenced for your good may not maruell though for your euil you receiue deserued punishmēt Let not the loue of your country excuse you sith there is no man beleeueth that this citie hath bin lesse loued profitted by the Medici thē the Acciaiuoli I do therfore wish you with dishonor to remain there sith here in honor you knew not how to lead your life Agnolo thus dispairing of pardon went to Rome there conferred with the Archbishop other banished men of the mean wherby they might take reputation frō the house of Medici which Piero with difficultie notwithstanding the aide of his friendes could preuent Diotisalui and Nicholo Soderini likewise practised to make the Senate of Venice enemie to their countrey thinking thereby that if with anie new warre the Florentines were assailed the gouernment being new and hated they should not be able to defend themselues In those daies Giouan Francesco the sonne of Palla Strozzi liued in Farrara and had bene togither with his father banished in the alteration of the state the yeare 34. This Giouanni had great credit and was holden amongst other merchants a man of great riches The newe Rebelles declared vnto him the great facilitie they found to recouer their countrey if the Venetians would take the enterprise in hand which he thought they would be easily perswaded vnto if part of their charges might be borne Giouan Francesco who desired to reuenge himselfe of the iniuries receiued easily gaue credite to their counsaile and promised with all his wealth to furnish the enterprise Then went they all togither vnto the Duke complaining of the exile whereinto they saide themselues were fallen not for anie other fault but because they desired that their countrey might be gouerned with the lawes thereof and that the Magistrates and not a fewe others should be honoured For Piero de Medici with others his followers accustomed to liue tyrannically had by deceit taken armes and by deceit caused them to disarme themselues and afterwards by deceit expulsed them out of their Citie Neither were they so content but they would also therein pretend deuotion to God and by that colour oppresse others For at the assemblie of the Citizens and at publike and sacred ceremonies to the intent God should be partaker of their treasons they apprehended imprisoned and slewe manie Cittizens which was an example of great impietie and wickednesse For reuenge wherof they knew not whither to resort with more hope then to that Senate which hauing euer liued free could not but take compassion of those who had lost their liberties Then they perswaded all men that loued libertie to detest tirants those that were godly to abhorre impious people Putting them in mind that the house of Medici had taken from them the dominiō of Lombardy at such time as Cosimo without consent of the other citizens the Senate fauoured aided Francesco So that though they had no compassion of the Florentines yet the reuēge of the iniuries done to the Venetiās ought to moue thē These last words moued all the Senat to determine that Bartolomeo Coglione their General shuld assault the dominiō of Florence He with all speed possible assembled the army with him ioyned Hercole Este sent by Borso Marquesse of Farrara They at the first entrie the Florentines not being prepared burnt the Towne of Dauadola and spoyled some other places in the countrey thereabout But the Florentines hauing driuen out all the enemies to Piero made league with Galiazzo Duke of Milan and with the King Ferrando Then they enterteined Federigo Earle of Vrbino for their Generall and founde themselues so friended as they feared little the force of their enemies For Ferrando sent thither Alfonso his eldest sonne and Duke Galiazzo came in person either of them leading a conuenient number and they altogither made head at Castracaro a Castle belonging to the Florentines builded at the foot of those Alpes wherby men passe from Toscana to Romagna In the meane time the enemies were retired towards Imola and so between the one and the other army according to the custome of those daies some light skirmishes happened but no townes by either of them besieged nor any disposition in either of them to fight with their enemie but euerie man remaining within his Tent continued the wars with great cowardice This maner of proceedings greatly offended the Gouernors in Florence finding themselues charged by a warre wherein they spent much and could hope for litle And the Magistrates complained of those Cittizens who were made Commissaries in that enterprise They answered that Duke Galiazzo was occasion thereof for hee hauing most authoritie and least experience knewe not what was profitable nor would not beleeue others of more skill and that it was impossible so long as hee remained in the armie that anie thing should be done with honour and commoditie Wherefore the Florentines saide vnto the Duke albeit for their profit it was best he should be personally in their aide because the reputation of his presence was the fittest meane to terrifie the enemie notwithstanding for that they
why do you take life from it If it hath made you victorious why should we destroy it If it hath honored vs why haue we disdained it I promise you by that faith which ought to be giuē and receiued amōg good mē that if you behaue your selues so as I shal repent me of my victory I wil so do as you shal also repēt that you haue abused it Those citizens according to the time answered resonably Notwitstāding they continued still in their insolēt doings Inso much as Piero sent secretly to Agnolo Acciaiuoli who came vnto him at Cafaggiuolo and there they reasoned at length touching the estate of the Cittie And surely had he not bene by death preuented he would haue called home all the banished men to bridle the insolencie and oppression of those that liued in the Citie But death suffered him not to performe so honest an intent for diseases of bodie and trouble of minde so greeuously handled him that hee died the fiftie and three yeare of his age His vertue and bountie could not be to his Countrey so well knowne as they deserued partly because his father liued welneare as long and partly for that those fewe yeares hee ouerliued him were in ciuill contentions and sicknesse consumed This Piero was buried in the Church of S. Lorenzo neare vnto his father and his funerall performed with honour and pompe worthie so great a Cittizen Of him there remained two sonnes Lorenzo and Giuliano of whome there was good hope that they would prooue men fit for the state yet their youth was such as made all men doubt thereof Amongst other chiefe Cittizens in the gouernment of Florence there was one farre excelling the rest called Tomaso Soderini whose wisedome and authoritie not onely to Florence but also to all the Princes in Italy was knowne Hee after the death of Piero was of all the Cittie reuerenced and manie Cittizens did dailie visite him as chiefe man of the state Also diuerse Princes did write vnto him Neuerthelesse being wise and knowing what fortune followed him and his house hee would neuer answere the Princes Letters and perswaded the Citizens they should not resort to his house but to the houses of the Medici Also to shewe in deedes that which by words was by him perswaded hee assembled all the chiefe Gentlemen of euerie family at the Monastery of S. Antonio whither hee procured that Lorenzo and Giuliano di Medici should come and there after a long and graue Oration by him made they disputed the estate both of that Cittie of all Italy and of the humours of the Princes Therein concluding that to continue Florence vnited in peace assured from diuision within and from warre without it behooued them to honor those two yoong men and mainteine the reputation of their house Because men do not repine to do such things as they haue bene accustomed vnto but new houses as they are easily honored so are they quickly abandoned For it hath bene euer more easie to maintaine that reputation where length of time hath extingnished enuy then to raise a new estimation which by many occasiōs may be oppressed After him spake Lorenzo who notwithstanding his youth vttered words with so great grauitie modestie as gaue euery man hope he would become such a one as indeed afterwards he proued And before they departed that place the Citizens praied the brethren to receiue them as children they offring to honor them as fathers This conclusion set downe Giuliano and Lorenzo were honoured as Princes of the Citie and those that were of counsell with Tomaso did not intermeddle Thus the Florentines liued both within without so peaceably as nothing disturbed the Common quiet till a trouble not looked for arose which did prognosticate future mischiefe Among other families which Lucca Pitti ruined was that of Nardi For Saluestro and his brethren being heads of that house were first sent into exile and after by the warre which Bartolomeo Coglione moued made Rebels Of these Barnardo brother of Saluestro was a yoong man of great spirit and courage Hee being poore could not endure banishment and finding that the peace made had not prouided for his returne determined to make proofe of somewhat whereby might grow occasion of warre For many times of a small beginning great effects doe followe Because men bee more willing to prosecute then beginne anie enterprise This Barnardo had much acquaintance in Prato and muche more in the Countrey about Pistoia chiefely with the the house of Palandra who albeit they were but countrey people yet was their number great and the men according to the manner of that countrey practised in armes and much vsed to bloud He knew likewise they liued discontented and by reason that some of their enemies were Magistrates in Florence they had bene euill handled He knew moreouer the humor of the Pratesi who accounted themselues proudly and hardly gouerned and had particuler knowledge of the euill disposition of some towards the State All which things brought him in hope to kindle fire in Toscana by making Prato to rebell whereto so many would put hands as they that would quench it should not be able Then he imparted this matter to Diotisalui Neroni and asked of him what aide might be by his meanes procured among the Princes if he should happen to surprize Prato Diotisalui thought the enterprise dangerous and as impossible to take effect notwithstanding considering he might thereby with the perill of others make new proofe of fortune perswaded him to proceed and promised to bring him assured aide from Bologna and Farrara so that he were able to defend Prato at the least fifteene dayes Barnardo then incouraged with this promise and conceiuing great hope of happie proceeding went to Prato and there communicating the matter to diuerse found them verie willing The like disposition he perceiued in the familie of Palandra and hauing agreed togithers of the time and manner of the enterprise Barnardo imparted all to Diotisalui At that time was Cesare Petrucci Podesta of Prato for the Florentines The custome was that the Podesta should haue the keies of the towne brought vnto him And whensoeuer any of the towne chiefely in times of no suspition desired to goe out or come in by night that fauour was graunted Barnardo knowing this custome being accompanied with those of the house of Palandra and 100. others armed men in the morning when the gate towards Pistoia should open presented himselfe and those whome he had made priuie within did likewise arme One of them went to the Podesta saying a friend of his desired to come into the towne The Podesta not doubting any such accident sent with him a seruant of his to carrie the keies from whome being a little on the way the keies were taken the gates opened and Barnardo with his followers came in Then they diuided themselues in two parts The one led by Saluestro of Prato tooke possession of the Cittadell
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
them Piero Capponi who was by reason of the auncient hate which that citie beareth to the Florentines receiued with so great suspition as hee feared many times to haue bene populerly slaine Insomuch as this iourney did rather breede occasion of new displeasure then new friendship The Florentines then reuoked the Marquesse of Farrara enterteined the Marquesse of Mantoua and with great sute required of the Venetians to haue the Earle Carlo sonne of Braccio and Deifebo sonne of the Earle Giacopo Which request after many cauillations was by the Venetians graunted For they hauing made truce with the Turke had no colour to deny them and were ashamed to break their promise made to the League The Earles Carlo Deifebo came with a good number of men at armes ioyning to them all other the men of armes they could spare frō the army which serued vnder the Marques of Farrara against the Duke of Calauria went towards Pisa to encounter Roberto who with his men was neare to the riuer of Serchio And albeit he made shew to tarry for our mē yet did he not but retired into Lunigiana to those lodgings from whence he came when he entred into the country of Pisa After his departure all those towns were recouered by the Earle Carlo which the enimies had before taken in the country of Pisa The Florentines deliuered of the enemy towards Pisa caused all their forces to be brought betwixt Colle S. Gimiano But by reason of the Earle Carlo his cōming there were in that camp both the folowers Sforza Braccio which was the occasiō that moued with old enuy they begā to mutiny was feared that if they had bin long togither they would haue come to blows It was therfore thought fit for eschuing a worse mischief to diuide the soldiers send one part of thē into the country of Perugia vnder the Earle Carlo the other to stay at Piggibonzi there to entrench themselues strong procure that the enimy shuld not enter the Florentines land By this actiō they also hoped to cōstrain the enimies to diuide their forces for they thought either that the Earle Carlo shuld surprize Perugia where they supposed he had many partakers or that the Pope shuld be inforced to send great forces to defēd it They practised moreouer to bring the pope in more necessity that Nicolo Vitelli being come frō the city of Castello where Lorēzo his enimy was chief shuld with his mē approch the town remoue his aduersary take it frō the pope At the beginning it seemed as thogh fortune wold haue fauored the Florētine attempts bicause Earle Carlo proceded wel in the coūtry of Perugia Nicholo Vitelli also although he entred into Castello yet he and his were strongest in the field and without any resistance spoiled about the Citie at his pleasure Likewise the forces left at Poggibonzi went euery day to the walles of Siena Notwithstanding all these hopes became vaine First died the Earle Carlo in the chiefe hope of his victorie whose death had bettered the estate of the Florentines if the victorie which grew thereof had bene well vsed For so soone as the Earles death was knowne sodeinly the Popes souldiers who were altogither at Perugia hoped to ouerthrow the Florentines and comming forth into the field lodged themselues vpon the lage distant three miles from the enemie On the other side Giacopo Guicciardini who was Commissary of that camp with the counsel of Roberto da Rimino Chieftain after the death of the Earle Carlo knowing the occasion of the enemies pride determined to staie for them So as ioyning battle vppon that lage where in old time Anniball gaue that memorable ouerthrow to the Romanes the Popes forces were broken Which victory was in Florence receiued with commendation of the captaines comfort of all others And the same had proued the honor profit of the enterprise if the disorders which grew in the army at Poggibonzi had not vndone all And thus the good successe of the one camp was vtterly marred by the other For the souldiers of that army hauing gottē a bootie in the country of Siena in the diuisiō therof the Marques of Farrara Mantoua fell in debate Insomuch as they came to armes either iniuring the other by all meanes they could Whereby the Florentines finding they could no more imploy them togither were pleased that the Marques of Farrara with his men should be discharged That army thus weakned left without a gouernor proceeding in euery thing disorderly the Duke of Calauria who was with his camp near to Siena tooke courage to approach so did The Florentins seeing thēselues likely to be assailed neither trusted to their force nor their number which was greater then the enemies nor in their place where they were being of great force but without respect euē at sight of the enemy the dust fled leauing the munitiō the cariages artillary So beastly cowardly were those camps whē the charge or retire of one horse might make the losse or winning of an enterprise This discōfit filled the kings souldiers with spoile the Florentines with feare For their citie was not onely afflicted with war but also with pestilence which was so great that all the Cittizens to shun death were retired to their country houses This ouerthrow was the more terrible because those Cittizens who had land in the vales of Pisa Delsa being come thither the ouerthrow performed with all possible speed returned to Florence leading with them not only their children goods but also their labourers For euerie houre it was feared the enemy would present himself before the citie The officers for the war seeing this disorder commanded those forces which were victorious in the country of Perugia to surcease their enterprise against the Perugini come to the vale of Delsa to encounter the enemy there who after the victory did without resistance spoile the country And albeit they had so greatly distressed the citie of Perugia as they might euerie houre looke for victorie yet the Florentines resolued rather to defend their own thē take from others Thus that army remoued from the place of happy successe was brought to S. Cassiano a Castle distant frō Florence 8. miles thinking they could not staie in any other place till such time as the broken Camp were supplied The enemies on the other side at Perugia being free by the departure of the Florentine souldiers become audacious did daily take great booties in the countries of Arezzo Cortona and the others who had victory vnder Alfonso Duke of Calauria at Poggibonzi got the possessiō first of Poggibonzi then of Vico sacked Certaldo Hauing won these towns cōmitted these spoils they incamped before the castle of Colle which in those daies was accounted a place of great strength and the people of that country being faithfull to the Florentines were of force sufficient to hold the enemie off till the
Castle for the Pope and Nicholo remained a Prince thereof By these actions the Pope was greatlie distressed bicause Rome within the Cittie was troubled with factions and the countrey without spoiled by enemies Notwithstanding as a man of courage he would not giue place to the enemie but enterteined Roberto da Rimino and calling him to Rome where all his men of warre were assembled told him how great honor he might win if he could against the force of a King deliuer the Church from those troubles wherewith it was occupied and how great obligation he should thereby haue not onely of him but also of all other Popes his successors and that both God and men would reacquite the same Roberto first viewing the Popes men of armes and other his preparations perswaded him to make all the footmen he was able which with all speed and diligence was performed By this time the Duke of Calauria was neare vnto Rome and spoiled the countrey euen to the walls of the Cittie which offended the people so much as many of them voluntarily offered themselues to serue with Roberto and recouer the libertie of Rome who were all by that Lord thanked and receiued The Duke hearing of these preparations retired a little from the Cittie thinking that if he were further off Roberto would not seeke him and he also looked that Federigo his brother should come with fresh men sent from the King their father Roberto seeing himselfe equall with the Duke for men of armes and in footmen aboue him marched out of Rome without order and lodged his Camp within two miles of the enemie The Duke seeing his enemies at hand not looking for them thought it stood him vpon either to fight or flee Wherefore as constrained and for not doing a thing vnworthie the sonne of a King determined to fight and turning his face to the enemy either camp put their men in order and brought them to battell which continued from the morning till noone and the same was performed with more vertue then any had bene in Italy fiftie yeares before for therein were slaine on both sides more then a thousand men and the end was glorious to the Church For the great multitude of the Popes footmen so much offended the Dukes horsemen as they were forced to turne their backs and the Dukes person had bene taken prisoner had he not bene saued by many Turks who were left at Ottranto and serued vnder him Roberto hauing this victorie returned to Rome with triumph which he enioyed not long for that by drinking of much water at the day of battell he fell into a flixe which within fewe dayes brought him to death His bodie was by the Pope with great honor buried The Pope hauing this victorie sent the Earle presently towards the Cittie of Castello to see that towne restored vnto Lorenzo and besides to prooue how the Cittie of Rimino was enclined For after the death of Roberto who had onely one yong sonne and the Cittie left to the gouernment of his mother the Pope imagined it was easie for him to surprize it And in deed it would haue so come to passe had not that woman bene by the Florentines defended who tooke her part with such forces as the enemie could not worke his will either against Castello or Rimino While these matters were a doing in Romagna and Rome the Venetians had surprized Figarolo and with their men had passed the Riuer of Po and in the Duke of Milan his campe and the Marquesse also there was disorder bicause Federigo Earle of Vrbino being sick caused himselfe to be carried to take phisick at Bologna and there died whereby the affaires of the Marquesse proceeded slowlie and the Venetians hoped dailie more and more to surprize Farrara On the other side the King and the Florentines laboured to make the Pope of their side which not brought to passe by armes they threatned by a Generall Councell to make him yeeld which Councell was by the Emperours commaundement appointed at Baselia whereupon by perswasion of the Emperours Embassador at Rome and the chiefe Cardinals who desired peace the Pope was perswaded and constrained to allow of peace and the vniting of Italy Then the Pope for feare and also for that he found the greatnesse of the Venetians to be the ruine of the Church and all Italy resolued to come into the league and sent his Nuncii to Naples where a league was concluded for fiue yeares betwixt the Pope the King the Duke of Milan and the Florentines reseruing a place for the Venetians if they were pleased to enter This done the Pope commaunded the Venetians to surcease the warre of Farrara which they not onely refused to do but also made the preparation greater and hauing alreadie broken the Dukes and Marquesse forces at Argenta they at Farrara were so neare distressed as the Dukes forces were lodged in the Marquesse Park Then the League thought good no longer to deferre the aiding of that Prince and caused the Duke of Calauria with his and the Popes men to goe to Farrara The Florentines likewise sent all their forces thither and for the better ordering of the warre the League appointed a Councell to be holden at Cremona where the Popes Legat the Earle Girolamo the Duke of Calauria the Lord Lodouico Lorenzo de Medici with many other Princes of Italy met In this Councell the Princes deuised the order of the future warre And bicause they iudged that Farrara could not be better relieued any way then by some braue assault they ordered that Lodouico should begin a warre vpon the Venetians for the countreys belonging to the Duke of Milan But thereunto that Lord would not consent fearing to begin a warre which he could not end at his pleasure Wherefore it was determined they should go with all their footmen to Farrara and with foure thousand men of armes and eight thousand footmen assault the Venetians who had two thousand and two hundred men of armes and sixe thousand footmen And the League thought good first to assaile the nauie which the Venetians had lying vpon the riuer of Po and the same being assaulted was broken at Bondeno with the losse of two hundred vessels and Antonio Iustiniano the Proueditor of the nauie was taken Then the Venetians seeing all Italy vnited against them to win some reputation enterteined the Duke of the Rhene with two thousand men of armes But hauing receiued this ouerthrow of their nauie they sent this Duke with part of their armie to frunt the enemie and commaunded Roberto de Sanseuerino with the rest of their camp to passe the riuer of Adda and approching to Milan to proclaime the name of the Duke and of the Ladie Bona his mother for by that meanes they hoped to make some Innouation in the Cittie supposing that the Lord Lodouico and his gouernment was hated This assault at the beginning brought therewith some terror and moued all the Cittie to take armes but in
the end it wrought an effect contrarie to the Venetians expectation Bicause Lodouico in respect of this iniurie was content to allow of that which before he would not And therefore leauing the Marquesse of Farrara to the defence of his owne countrey he with foure thousand horse and two thousand footmen and the Duke of Calauria with twelue thousand horse and fiue thousand footmen entred the countrey of Pergamo Brescia and Verona spoiling almost all the countrey belonging to those three Citties before the Venetians knew thereof for the Lord Roberto with his souldiers could scarcely defend that Cittie On the other side the Marquesse of Farrara had recouered a great part of his possessions by meane whereof the Duke of the Rhene who came against him was not able to make head hauing onely two thousand horse and one thousand footemen Thus all that summer in the yeare 1483. the League proceeded in their warres most prosperouslie The next Spring being come for in all the winter was nothing done the armies were againe brought to the field and the League to the end it might the more speedily oppresse the Venetians had ioined all the whole army togither but if they had proceeded as they did the yeare before they should assuredly haue taken from the Venetians all the lands in Lombardy to them belonging for they had not left vnto them more then sixe thousand horse and fiue thousand footmen And on the other side were twelue thousand horse and sixe thousand footmen Also the Duke of the Rhene hauing ended the yeare of his enterteinement was returned home Notwithstanding as it often happeneth where diuerse Gouernours be of equall authoritie there groweth diuision and the enemie winneth victorie so Federigo Gonzaga Marquesse of Mantoua being dead who with his authoritie continued the Duke of Calauria and the Lord Lodouico vnited betwixt them grew diuersitie of opinions and ielousie For Giouangaliazzo Duke of Milan being atteined to age and abilitie to gouerne his owne state and hauing also married the daughter of the Duke of Calauria the Duke desired that his sonne in lawe and not Lodouico might gouerne the state This suspition of Lodouico being knowne to the Venetians was made by them an occasion supposing they might as they had euer done recouer by peace that which they had lost by warre and secretly they practised a pacification betwixt them and Lodouico which was concluded in August the yeare 1484. That being knowne to the other confederates displeased them much chiefely when they knew that all the townes taken from the Venetians should be restored and they still to inioy also Rouigo and Policene which townes they had taken from the Marquesse of Farrara And moreouer that they should haue againe all those prerogatiues which in times passed they had Euerie man then thought they had made a warre with great charge and as therein they had gained small honor so in the end it was compounded with shame bicause the townes taken were restored and the townes lost were not recouered Yet were the confederates forced to accept the peace being wearie of charges and fearing the ambition and defects of others would make no more triall of their fortune While in Lombardy matters were in this manner handled the Pope by meane of Lorenzo besieged the Cittie of Castello to driue from thence Nicholo Vitelli who to drawe the Pope into the league had forsaken him In this siege those that within the towne were partarkers with Nicholo came forth to fight with the enemies and did vanquish them whereupon the Pope reuoked the Earle Girolamo from Lombardy to repaire his force at Rome that done to returne to his enterprise But afterwards thinking it better to gaine the good will of Nicholo by peace then to assaile him with a new warre grew to agreement with him and by all meanes reconciled him to Lorenzo his aduersarie whereupon he was allured rather by suspition of new tumults then by the loue he bare his countrey For betwixt the Colonnesi and Orsini there appeared much displeasure bicause the King of Naples in the warre betwixt him and the Pope had taken from Orsini the Earledome of Tagliacozzo and giuen it to the Colonnesi his followers Afterwards the peace being made betwixt the King and the Pope the Orsini by vertue thereof demaunded restitution The Pope often signified to the Colonnesi that they ought to make restitution but they neither at the intreatie of the Orsini nor for the threatning of the Pope would agree thereunto but still with iniuries and spoiling of the Orsini did displeasure them which the Pope could not indure and therefore assembled all his forces and ioyning with them the Orsini sacked all the houses of the Colonni in Rome slaying and taking all those that made resistance and razing the most part of all their Castles so that those tumults were ended not by peace but by oppressing one of the parties Also Genoua and Toscana were somewhat disquieted for the Florentines did keepe the Earle Antonio de Marciano with his souldiers vpon the confines of Serezana who during the warre of Lombardy with foraging and small skirmishes molested the Serezanesi And in Genoua Battistino Fregoso Duke of that Cittie trusting vnto Pagolo Frigoso Archbishop was by him taken with his wife and children and the Archbishop made Duke Likewise the Venetian nauie had assaulted the Kingdome surprized Galipoli and molested other places thereabouts But the peace of Lombardy concluded all tumults did cease saue onely in Toscana and Rome for the Pope within fiue daies after the peace was proclaimed died either bicause the end of his life was come or for sorrow that a peace was made to his disaduantage This Pope at his death left Italy in peace though during his life he had alwaies therein made warre and the Romanes presentlie after his departure tooke armes The Earle Girolamo with his souldiers retired vnder the Castle and the Orsini did feare least the Colonnesi would be reuenged of the fresh iniuries done them Then the Colonnesi demaunded againe their houses and Castles Vpon these occasions within few daies there followed many murthers robberies and burnings in diuerse parts of the Cittie But the Cardinals hauing perswaded the Earle to yeeld that Castle vnto the College and returne home to his owne land and also remoue his souldiers out of Rome he being desirous to gratifie the next Pope gaue vp the Castle to the College and went himselfe vnto Imola Whereupon the Cardinals deliuered of this feare and the Barons out of hope to be aided by the Earle in their quarrels went to the creation of a new Pope After some disputation and diuersitie of opinions Giouanbattista Cibo borne in Genoua and Cardinall of Malfetta was chosen Pope by the name of Innocentio octauo He through the curtesie of his nature being a quiet and peaceable man procured all armes to be laid downe and for the present pacified Rome The Florentines after the peace could not content themselues with rest