use his armes or aâ—â—â—e in a Priests house where nothing else were to be heard but their Offices and Masses Master Francis perceiv'd how much Castruccio was cheer'd upon the mention of horses and armes yet he standing a little out of countenance Mr. Francis again encouraging him to speak he answerd that if his Patron would therwith be content hee could not have a greater pleasure than to quit this calling of Priest and betake himselfe to that of a Souldier Master Francis was much satisfy'd with this reply and in a short time so negociated in this matter that Master Antony gave him up to his charge whereunto hee was the rather mov'd by the lads inclination judgeing thereby that he could not hold him much longer in his former course Castruccio then being preferr'd from Master Antony Castracani the Priests house to the Palace of Master Francis Guinigi the Commander it was a marvaile to think in how short a time hee attain'd to those vertues and good qualities which are requir'd in a compleate Cavaliere First he became an excellent horseman for he was able to manage the roughest horse at ease and though but a youth in jousts and tournaments hee was of prime remarque so that in any action of strength or activity none could exceed him These perfections besides were season'd with such manners and good qualities as that touching modesty it was incredible how that either in word or deed he gave no distaste to any to his superiours he yeelded reverence he was modest with his equals and pleasant with his inferiours which gain'd him favour not only in the whole Family of Guinigi but also in the whole City of Lucca It chanc'd in those times Castruccio being now arriv'd to eighteen yeares of age that the Gibellins were chasd by the Guelfes from Pavia in favour of whom Master Francis Guinigi was sent for by the Viscounty of Milan with whom went Castruccio as hee on whose shoulders lay the charge of the whole troops in which imployment Castruccio gave such proofs of his judgement and courage that not one in this expedition gain'd so much esteeme as he and his name became honourable not only in Pavia but throughout all Lombardy Castruccio being then return'd to Lucca of far greater esteeme than before his departure he was fayl'd not to his power to gaine himselfe friends practising meanes to win them But Master Francis Guinigi now chancing to dye and having left behind him a son nam'd Paul of 13 yeares of age appointed Castruccio his Tutor and the Governour of his estate having first causd him to bee cald to him before his death and intreated him that he would take upon him the care to bring up his son with that faithfulnesse he had found himselfe and that what kindnesses he could not returne to the father he would requite to the son And now at length Master Francis Guinigi being dead Castruccio left Tutour and Governour to Paul grew in such credit and power that the favour hee was wont to find in Lucca in some part was turn'd into envy and he was calumniated by many as who they doubted had some projects upon a tyranny Among whoÌ„ the principall was M. George Opizi head of the Guelfes faction This man hoping by the death of Mr. Francis to remaine without competitour in Lucca thought that Castruccio being left with that trust by the grace and favour his discret carriage gain'd him had bereav'd him of all meanes to attaine thereto and hereupon sowed many seeds of scandall against him whereby to choake his well-grown credit Which at first Castruccio disdeign'd but afterwards grew jealous of it for he thought that Master George would never rest till he had so far disgrac'd him with King Robert of Naples his Lievftenant as to cause him to chase him out of Lucca At that time there was one Vguccion of Fagginolo of Arezo then Lord of Pisa who by the Pisans was first chosen for their Commander and afterwards made himselfe their Lord. Divers out-law'd Luccheses of the Gibellin faction abode with Vguccion whome Castruccio practis'd to restore againe with Vguccions aid and this designe he communicated also with his friends at home who could no way endure the Opizies autority Having therefore given order as was requisite to this purpose Castruccio fortify'd the tower of the Honesti and furnishd it with munition and store of vittayls whereby upon occasion he might be able to defend himselfe therein for some time and the night being come which was agreed of with Vguccion hee gave the signe to him who was gone down into the plaine with much people between the mountaines and Lucca and having seene the signall hee came close to Saint Peters gate and fir'd the antiport Castruccio on the other side raisd a great cry calling the people â—o armes and forcd the gate on the other side within so that Vguccion entring with his men forcd the towne and slew Mr. George with all those of his Family and many others his friends and partisans and chasd out the governour and changd the State of the City as Vguccion lik'd best to the great dammage thereof for it appeard then that there were above a hundred families chasd out of Lucca Those that fled part went to Florence and part to Pistoya which Cities were then governd by the Guelfes faction and hereupon they became enemies to Vguccion and the Luccheses And upon this the Florentines and the rest of the Guelfes thinking the Gibellines faction growne too mighty in Tuscany accorded together to restore againe these exild Luccheses and having levyed a huge army they came to the vale of Nievole and seizng upon Mount Catino from hence they went to incampe at Mount Carlo whereby to have the passage open to Lucca Whereupon Vguccio having gatherd a good army of Pisans and Luccheses besides many Dutch horse which hee drew out of Lombardy went to find the Florentines campe which perceiving the enimies approach was removd from Mount Carlo and settled between Mount Catino and Pescia and Vguccion sate downe under Mount Carlo about some two miles off the enemy where for some dayes between the Horse of the two Armyes there passd some slight skirmishes for Vguccion being falne sick the Pisans and Luccheses refusd to come to battell with the enemy But Vguccions malady augmenting hee retird to Mount Carlo for his recovery and committed the charge of the army to Castruccio which was the Guelfes destruction for hereupon they tooke courage esteeming the enemies armies as â—eft without a head which Castruccio understood and lay still â—ome few dayes the more to confirme this their opinion making shew of feare and not suffering any one to goe out of the trenches and on the other side the Guelfes the more they saw this â—eare the more insolent they became and every day being orderd for fight they presented themselves before Castruccio's army who thinking hee had now enough emboldned them and having had full notice of what
well taken would have proved lucky to him when in the rest of his courses he had not committed any errour The King then having conquerd Lombardy recoverd presently all that reputation that Charles had lost him Genua yeelded to him the Florentines became friends with him the Marquesse of Mantua the Duke of Ferrara the Bentivolii the Lady of Furli the Lord of Faenza Pesaro Rimino Camerino and Piombino the Luccheses Pisans and Sieneses every one came and offered him friendship then might the Venetians consider the rashnesse of the course they had taken who only to get into their hands two Townes in Lombardy made the King Lord of two thirds in Italy Let any man now consider with how small difficulty could the King have maintained his reputation in Italy if he had followed these afornamed rules and secured defended those his friends who because their number was great and they weak and fearefull some of the Church and others of the Venetians were alwayes forced to hold with him and by their meanes he might easily have been able to secure himself against those that were mightiest but hee waâ— no sooner got into Milan than hee took a quite wrong course by giving ayd to Pope Alexander to seize upon Romania and perceivd not that by this resolution he weakned himself ruining his own friends and those that had cast themselves into his bosome making the Church puissant by adding to their Spirituall power whereby they gaind their authority and so much temporall estate And having once got out of the way hee was constrained to goe on forward insomuch as to stop Alexanders ambition and that he should not become Lord of all Tuscany of force he was to come into Italy and this sufficed him not to have made the Church mighty and taken away his own friends but for the desire hee had to get the kingdome of Naples he divided it with the King of Spain and where before he was the sole arbitre of Italy he brought in a competitour to the end that all the ambitious persons of that country and all that were ill-affected to him might have otherwhere to make their recourse and whereas he might have left in that Kingdome some Vice-King of his owne hee took him from thence to place another there that might afterward chace him thence It is a thing indeed very naturall and ordinary to desire to be of the getting hand and alwayes when men undertake it if they can effect it they shall bee prais'd for 't or at least not blam'd but when they are not able and yet will undertake it here lies the blame here is the errour committed If France then was able with her own power to assaile the Kingdome of Naples she might well have done it but not being able she should not have divided it and if the division she made of Lombardy with the Venetians deserv'd some excuse thereby to set one foot in Italy yet this merits blame for not being excus'd by that necessity Lewis then committed these five faults extinguishâ— the feebler ones augmented the State of another that was already powerfull in Italy brought thereinto a very puissant forreinner came not thither himself to dwell there nor planted any colonies there which faults while he liv'd he could not but be the worse for yet all could not have gone so ill had he not committed the sixt â—o take from the Venetians their â—tate for if he had not enlarg'd â—he Churches territories nor â—rought the Spaniard into Italy â—t had been necessary to take them â—ower but having first taken â—hose other courses he should neâ—er have given way to their deâ—truction for while they had been â—trong they would alwayes have â—â—ept the others off from venturing â—n the conquest of Lombardy For â—he Venetians would never have â—iven their consents thereto unâ—esse they should have been made â—ords of it themselves and the â—thers would never have taken it â—rom France to give it them then â—hey would never have dar'd to goe and set upon them both together And if any one should say that King Lewis yeelded Romaâ—ia to Alexander and the Kingdome of Naples to Spain to avoyd a warre I answer with the â—easons above alleaged that one should never suffer any disorder to follow for avoding of a warre for that warre is not sav'd but put off to thy disadvantage And if any others argue that the King had given his word to the Pope to doe that exploit for him for dissolving of his marriage and for giving the Cardinalls Cap to him of Roan I answer with that which hereafter I shall say touching Princes words how they ought to bee kept King Lewiâ— then lost Lombardy for not having observ'd some of those termes which others us'd who have possessed themselves of countries and desir'd to keep them Nor is this any strange thing but very ordinary and reasonable and to this purpose I spake at Nantes with that French Cardinall when Valentine for so ordinarily was Caesar Borgia Pope Alexanders sonne call'd made himself master of Romania for when the Cardinall said to mee that the Italians understood not the feates of warre I answered the Frenchmen understood not matter of â—tate for had they bin wel vers'd â—erein they would never have â—ffer'd the Church to have grown 〈◊〉 that greatnesse And by expeâ—â—ence wee have seen it that the â—ower hereof in Italy and that of â—pain also was caused by France â—nd their own ruine proceeded â—â—om themselves From whence 〈◊〉 generall rule may bee taken â—hich never or very seldome fails â—hat hee that gives the meanes to â—â—other to become powerfull ruâ—es himselfe for that power is â—â—us'd by him either with his inâ—ustry or with his force and as well the one as the other of these â—wo is suspected by him that is â—rown puissant CHAP. IV. Wherefore Darius his Kingdome taken by Alexander rebell'd not against Alexanders Successours after his death THe difficulties being consider'd which a man hath in the maintaining of a State nâ— gotten some might marvaile hoâ— it came to passe that Alexandâ—â— the Great subdued all Asia in 〈◊〉 few yeeres and having hardlâ— possessed himselfe of it died whereupon it seem'd probable thâ— all that State should have rebell'd neverthelesse his Successours kepâ— the possession of it nor found theâ— other difficulty in holding it thaâ— what arose among themselveâ— through their own ambition 〈◊〉 answer that all the Principalities whereof wee have memory left us have been governed in twâ— severall manners either by 〈◊〉 Prince and all the rest Vassallâ— who as ministers by his favouâ— and allowance doe help to govern that Kingdom or by a Princâ— and by Barons who not by theiâ— Princes favour but by the antiquity of blood hold that degree And these kinds of Barons havâ— both states of their own and Vassalls who acknowledge them foâ— their Lords and beare them a truâ— naturall affection Those States â—t are govern'd by a Prince and 〈◊〉 Vassalls have their
not bee put 〈◊〉 make triall of them again he bâ— took himselfe to his sleights anâ— he knew so well to disguise his intention that the Orsins by thâ— mediation of Paul Orsini weâ— reconciled to him to whom thâ— Duke was no way wanting in aâ— manner of courtesies whereby to bring them into security gâ—ving them rich garments mony and horses till their owne simplicities led them all to Sinigallia into his hands These head being then pluck'd off and theiâ— partisans made his friends thâ— Duke had laid very good foundations to build his owne greatnesse on having in his power alâ— Romania with the Dutchy of Vrâ—in and gaind the hearts of those people by beginning to give them â—ome rellish of their well being And because this part is worthy to bee taken notice of and to be â—mitated by others I will not let it scape The Duke when he had taken Romania finding it had been under the hands of poor Lords who had rather pillag'd their subjects than chastis'd or amended them giving them more cause of discord than of peace and union so that the whole country was fraught with robberies quarrells and all other sorts of insolencies thought the best way to reduce them to termes of pacification and obedience to a Princely power was to give them some good government and therefore hee set over them one Remiro D' Orco a cruell hasty man to whom he gave an absolute power This man in a very short time setled peace and union amongst them with very great reputation Afterwards the Duke thought such excessive authority serv'd not so well to his purpose and doubting it would grow odious he erected a Civill Iudicature in the midst of the countrey where one excellent Iudge did precide and thither every City sent their Advocateâ— and because he knew the rigours past had bred some hatred against him to purge the mindes of those people and to gaine them wholly to himselfe he purpos'd to shew that if there was any cruelty used it proceeded not from any order of his but from the harsh disposition of his Officer Whereupon laying hold on him at this occasion hee causd his head to bee struck off one morning early in the market place at Cesena where hee was left upon a gibbet with a bloodie sword by his side the cruelty of which spectacle for a while satisfied and amaz'd those people But to returne from whence wee have digressd I say that the Duke finding himselfe very strong and in part out of doubt of the present dangers because hee was armd after his owne manner and had in some good measure suppressd those forces which because of their vicinity were able to annoy him hee wanted nothing else to goe on with his Conquest but the consideration of France for hee knew that the King who now though late was advisd of his errour would never suffer him and hereupon hee began to seeke after new allyances and to waver with France when the French came towards Naples against the Spaniards who then besiegd Gagetta and his designe was onely to be out of their danger which had been effected for him had Pope Alexander liv'd And thus were his businesses carried touching his present estate As for the future hee had reason to doubt least the new successor to the Papacy would not bee his friend and would indeavour to take that from him that Alexander had bestowd on him and hee thought to provide for this fowre wayes first by rooting out the races of all those Lords hee had dispoyled whereby to take those occasions from the Pope Secondly by gaining all the gentlemen of Rome whereby he might be able with those to keep the Pope iâ— some awe Thirdly to make the Colledge of Cardinals as much at his devotion as possibly might bee Fourthly by making of so large Conquests before the Popes death as that hee might be able of himselfe to withstand the first fury of his enemies Three of these fowre at Pope Alexanders death hee had effected and the fourth hee had neare brought to a point For of those Lords he had stripd hee put to death as many as hee could come at and very few scap'd him hee gaind him the Romane gentlemen and in the Colledge hee had made a great faction And touching his new Conquest hee had a designe to become Lord of Tuscany And he had possessed himselfe already of Perusia and Piombin and taken protection of Pisa and so soone as hee should have cast of his respect to France which now hee meant to hold no longer being the French were now driven out of the Kingdome of Naples by the Spanyards so that each of them was forc'd to buy his friendship at any termes he was then to leape into Pisa After this Lucca and Siena were presently to fall to him partly for envy to the Florentines and partly for feare The Florentines had no way to escape him all which had it succeeded with him as without question it had the very same yeere that Alexander dy'd he had mâ—de himselfe master of so great forces and such reputation that hee would have been able to have stood upon his own bottome without any dependance of fortune or resting upon others helps but only upon his own strength and valour But Alexander dy'd five yeeres after that hee had begun to draw forth his sword and left him settled only in the State of Romania with all his other designes in the ayre sick unto death between two very strong armies of his enemies and yet was there in this Duke such a spirit and courage and hee understood so well how men are to be gaind and how to be lost and so firme were the grounds hee had laid in a short time that had hee not had those armies upon his back or had hee been in health hee would have carried through his purpose in spight of all opposition and that the foundations hee grounded upon were good it appeard in that Romania held for him above a month and hee remaind secure in Rome though even at deaths doore and however the Baglioni Vitelli and Orsini came into Rome yet found they none would take their parts against him And this hee was able to have effected that if hee could not have made him Pope whom hee would he could have hindred him that hee would not should bee Pope But had hee been in health when Alexander dy'd every thing had gone easily with him and hee told mee on that day that Julius the second was created Pope that hee had fore-thought on all that which could happen in case his father chanc'd to dye and for every thing provided its remedy this onely excepted that hee foresaw not that hee himselfe should at the same time be brought unto deaths dore also Having then collected all the Dukes actions me thinks I could not well blame him but rather as I have here done set him as a patterne to be followd by all those who by fortune
than befitted his condition was reprovd by a friend answered he that is held a wise man in the day time will never be thought a foole in the night One comming to aske a favour at his hands and Castruccio seeming as if he heard not fell down upon his knees before him whereat Castruccio chiding him he answered thou art the cause thereof who carryest thine eares in thy feet and thereby he gaind double the favour he asked He used to say that the way to Hell was easie because men went thither downwards and blindfold When one askd him a favour with many and superfluous words Castruccio said to him hereafter when thou wouldst any thing with me send another Such another man having wearied him with a tedious speech and telling him in the latter end perhaps I may have tir'd you with my long speaking no thou hast not said he for I heard not one word of all that thou hast spoken He was wont to say of one who had been a handsome boy and afterwards became a comely man that he was too injurious having first distracted the husbands from their wives and afterwards the wives from their husbands To an envious man that laughd he said laughst thou because thou art well or because another suffers evill When he was also under the rule of Master Francis Guinigi one of his play-fellows saying to him what wilt thou that I shall give thee for a blow on the mouth Castruccio answered him a Helmet Having causd a citizen of Lucca to dye who had helpd him in his rising to his greatnesse when it was said to him he had ill done to put to death one of his old friends he reply'd you are deceivd I have put to death a new enemy Castruccio commended much those that betrothd wives but never married them like men that say they will go to Sea but never do He said he wondred much at men that when they bought any vessell of earth or glasse they sound it first whether it be good but in taking a wife they are content only to see her When hee was neare death one asking him how he would be buried he answered with my face downwards for I know that as soon as I am dead this Country shall go upside down Being asked whether he never thought to become a Fryer to save his Soule he said no for it was strange to him that Lazarus should go to Paradise and Vguccion of Faggivola to Hell Being asked when it was best to eate to preserve the health he answered if a man be rich when hee is hungry if hee be poore when he may Seeing a gentleman a friend of his that made his servant trusse his points hee said I hope one day too thou wilt make him feed thee Seeing that one had written upon his house in Latine God keep the wicked hence said the master then must not enter here Passing by a way where there was a little house with a great gate he said this house will run out of doores Treating with an Ambassadour of the King of Naples touching some goods of the borderers whereat he was somewhat angry when the Ambassadour said feare you not the King then Castruccio said is this your King good or bad and he answering that he was good Castruccio reply'd wherefore then should I be afraid of those that are good We might relate many others of his sayings wherein he shewd both acutenesse of wit and gravity but these shall suffice in testimony of his worthy qualities He liv'd forty foure yeares and behavd himselfe like a Prince in all his fortunes and as of his good fortunes there are enough monuments left so likewise would he there should be seene some of his evill fortunes for the manacles wherewith hee was chain'd in prison are yet to bee seene fastned in the tower of his dwelling house where they were put by him that they might beare witnesse of his adversity And because hee was no way inferiour to Philip of Macedon Alexanders father nor to Scipio of Rome hee dy'd in the same age they two did and doubtlesse hee would have exceeded the one and the other if in exchange of Lucca hee had had Macedon or Rome for his Countrey FINIS A Relation of the course taken by Duke Valentine in the murdering of Vitellozzo Vitelli Oliverotto of Fermo Paul and the Duke of Gravina all of them of the Family of the Orisini composd by Nicholas Machiavelli DUke Valentine was return'd from Lombardy whither hee had gone to excuse himselfe to King Lewys of France touching those many calumnies which the Florentines charg'd him with for the rebellion of Arezo and the other Townes of the Vale of Clicana and was thence come to Jmola where he plotted his enterprise against John Bentivogh tyrant of Bolenia for he had a mind to reduce that City into his subjection and make it head of his Duchy of Romania which thing being knowne to the Vitelli and Orsini and their other complices they thought the Duke would grow too powerfull and that it was to be feard lest that taking Bolonia hee should seeke their utter ruine that hee might remaine the only Champion of Italy and hereupon they made a diete at the Magione in the territories of Perusia where there met Cardinall Paulo and the Duke of Gravina of the Family of the Orsini Vitellozzo Vitelli Oliverotto of Fermo John Paulo Baglioni tyrant of Perusia and Master Antonio of Venâ—fro sent by Pandulfo Petrucci head of Siena where it was argued amongst them touching the Dukes greatnesse and touching what his further intentions were and that it was necessary to bridle his appetite otherwise they ran hazard together with others all to go to ruine and they determined not to abandon the Bentivolii and to seek to gaine the Florentines to one and the other of which places they dispatcht men promising ayd to the one and incouraging the other to unite with them against the common enemy This diete was suddenly known throughout all Italy and those people that under the Dukes government were discontented among whom were the Vrbinates began to hope they might be able to innovate some things from whence it proceeded that their minds being thus held in suspence by some of Vrbino it was plotted to take the Rocke of Leo which held for the Duke and these took occasion from hence The Governour fortiâ—y'd the Castle and causing timber to be carried thither they of the conspiracy contriv'd that some great peeces of timber which they were drawing into the Castle should bee brought upon the bridge to the end that being thus cloggd it could not bee lift up by them within which occasion being taken they leapd upon the bridge and thence into the Rocke by which surprisall so soon as it was understood all that State rebelld and calld home againe their old Duke Hope now being layd hold on not so much by the taking of the Rock as for the diet held at the Magione by meanes