told him what was pass'd That now it was at his Choice whether he would kill Alboino and injoy her and her Kingdom or be kill'd himself for vitiating his Wife Almachilde had no fancy to be slain and therefore chose the other Proposition of killing his Master but when they had kill'd him they found themselves so far from acquiring the Kingdom that they were afraid of being made away by the Lombards out of the affection they bare to the Memory of Alboino for which cause packing up with all the Jewels and Treasure they could make they marched off to Longinus at Revenna who receiv'd them honourably During these Troubles Iustinus the Emperour died and Tiberius was elected in his Place but being imploy'd in his Wars against the Parthians he was not at leasure to send Relief into Italy Which Longinus looking upon as an opportunity to make himself King of the Lombards and of all Italy besides by the help of Rosmunda and her Treasure he imparted his Design to her and perswaded her to kill Almachilde and take him afterwards for her Husband She accepted the Motion and having in order thereunto prepar'd a Cup of Poison she gave it with her own hand to Almachilde as he came thirsty out of a Bath who having drank off half finding it work and great Convulsions within him concluding what it was he forc'd her to drink the rest so that in a few hours both of them died and Longinus lost all hopes of making himself King In the mean time at a Convention of the Lombards at Pavia which they had made their Metropolis they created Clefi their King who re-edified Imola that had been destroyed by Narsetes He conquer'd Rimini and in a manner all up as far as Rome but died in the middle of his Cariere This Clefi behav'd himself so cruelly not only to Strangers but even to the Lombards themselves that the Edge of their Monarchical inclination being taken off they would have no more Kings but constituted Thirty they call'd Dukes to Govern under them Which Counsel was the cause the Lombards extended not their Conquests over all Italy nor dilated their Dominion beyond Benevento Rome Ravenna Cremona Mantua Padua Monfelice Parma Bolonia Faenza Furli Cesana some of them defended themselves for some time other never fell at all under their subjection For having no King they were first render'd unapt for the Wars and when afterwards they reassum'd their Old Government and created Kings again the small relish and taste the people had had of Liberty render'd them less obedient to their Prince and more contentious among themselves and not only put a stop to the Cariere of their Victories at first but was the occasion afterwards that they were driven out of Italy Things being in this posture with the Lombards The Romans and Longinus came to terms with them and it was agreed that Arms should be laid down on all hands and each enjoy what was in their proper possession About this time the Bishops of Rome began to take upon them and to exercise greater Authority than they had formerly done At first the Successors of Saint Peter were venerable and eminent for their Miracles and the holiness of their Lives and their Examples added daily such numbers to the Christian Church that to obviate or remove the Confusions which were then in the World many Princes turned Christians and the Emperour of Rome being converted among the rest and quitting Rome to hold his Residence at Constantinople the Roman Empire as we have said before began to decline but the Church of Rome augmented as fast Nevertheless untill the coming in of the Lombards all Italy being under the dominion either of Emperours or Kings the Bishops assumed no more power than what was due to their Doctrine and Manners in Civil Affairs they were subject to the Civil Power imploy'd many times by the Emperours and Kings as their Ministers and many times executed for their ill Administration But Theodorick King of the Gothi fixing his Seat at Ravenna was that which advanc'd their interest and made them more considerable in Italy for there being no other Prince left in Rome the Romans were forc'd for Protection to pay greater Allegiance to the Pope And yet their Authority advanc'd no farther at that time than to obtain the Preference before the Church of Ravenna But the Lombards having invaded and reduc'd Italy into several Cantons the Pope took the opportunity and began to hold up his head For being as it were Governour and Principal at Rome the Emperour of Constantinople and the Lombards bare him a respect so that the Romans by mediation of their Pope began to treat and confederate with Longinus and the Lombards not as Subjects but as Equals and Companions which said Custom continuing and the Popes entring into Allyance sometimes with the Lombards and sometimes with the Greeks contracted great reputation to their dignity But the destruction of the Eastern Empire following so close under the Reign of the Emperour Heracleus in whose time the Schiavi a people we mention'd before fell again upon Illyria and over-ran it and call'd it Sclavonia from their own Name The other parts of that Empire being infested first by the Persians afterwards by the Saracens out of Arabia under the Conduct of Mahomet and last of all by the Turks and having lost several Provinces which were members of it as Syria Africa and Egypt The Pope lost the convenience of the Emperours protection in time of Adversity and the power of the Lombards increasing too fast on the other side he thought it but necessary to address himself to the King of France for assistance so that the Wars which hapned afterwards in Italy were occasioned by the Popes and the several inundations of Barbarians invited by them which manner of proceeding having continued to our times has held and does still hold Italy divided and inâ—irm But in my description of Occurrences betwixt those times and our own I shall not inlarge upon the ruine of the Empire which in truth receiv'd but little assistance from the Popes or any other Princes of Italy till the dayes of Charles the 8th but discourse rather how the Popes with their Censures Comminations and Arms mingled together with their Indulgences became formidable and reverenced and how having made ill use both of the one and the other they have lost the one entirely and remain at the discretion of other people for the other But to reurn to our Order I say that Gregory the Third being created Pope and Aistolfus King of the Lombards Aistolfus contrary to League and Agreement seiz'd upon Ravenna and made War upon the Pope Gregory not daring for the reasons abovesaid to depend upon the weakness of the Empire or the fidelity of the Lombards whom he had already found false appli'd himself to Pepin the Second who from Lord of Austracia and Brabantia was become King of France not so much by his own
Virtue as by the Chivalry of his Unkle Pepin and Charles Martel his Father For Charles Martel being Governour of that Kingdom gave that memorable defeat to the Saracens near Torsi upon the River Totra in which above 200000. of them were slain upon the reputation of which Victor'y under the discipline of his Father and his own deportment in it besides Pepin was afterwards made King of that Kingdom to whom when Pope Gregory appli'd himself for Relief against the Lombards Pepin return'd Answer that he would be ready to assist him but he desir'd first to have the honour to see him and pay his personal respects Upon which Invitation Pope Gregory went into France passing thorow the Lombards Quarters without any interruption so great Reverence they bare to Religion in those days Being arriv'd and honourably receiv'd in France he was after some time dismiss'd with an Army into Italy which having besieg'd Pavia and reduc'd the Lombards to distress Aistolfus was constrain'd to certain terms of Agreement with the French which were obtain'd by the intercession of the Pope who desir'd not the death of his Enemy but that he might rather be converted and live Among the rest of the Articles of that Treaty it was agreed That Aistolfus should restore all the Lands he had usurped from the Church But when the French Army was return'd into France Aistolfus forgot his Ingagement which put the Pope upon a second Application to King Pepin who re-suppli'd him again sent a new Army into Italy overcame the Lombards and possessed himself of Ravenna and contrary to the desire of the Grecian Emperour gave it to the Pope with all the Lands under that Exarchat and the Countrey of Urbino and la Marca into the bargain In the interim Aistolfus died and Desiderio a Lombard and Duke of Tuscany taking up Arms to succeed him begg'd Assistance of the Pope with Promise of perpetual Amity for the future which the Pope granted as far as the other Princes would consent At first Desiderio was very punctual and observed his Articles to a hair delivering up the Towns as he took them to the Pope according to his Ingagement to King Pepin nor was there any Exarchus sent afterwards from Constantinople to Ravenna but all was Arbitrary and manag'd according to the pleasure of the Pope Not long after Pepin died and Charles his Son succeeded in the Government who was call'd the Great from the greatness of his Exploits About the same time Theodore the First was advanc'd to the Papacy and falling out with Desiderio was besieg'd by him in Rome In his exigence the Pope had recourse to the King of France as his Predecessor had done before him and Charles not only suppli'd him with an Army but marching over the Alps at the Head of it himself he besieg'd Desiderio in Pavia took him and his Son in it sent them both Prisoners into France and went in person to Rome to visit the Pope where he adjudg'd and determin'd That his Holiness being God's Vicar could not be subject to the Iudgment of Man For which the Pope and people together declar'd him Emperour and Rome began again to have an Emperour of the West and whereas formerly the Popes were confirm'd by the Emperours the Emperour now in his Election was to be beholding to the Pope by which means the power and dignity of the Empire declin'd and the Church began to advance and by these steps to usurp upon the Authority of Temporal Princes The Lombards had been in Italy 222 years so long as to retain nothing of their original Barbarity but their name Charles being desirous to reform Italy in the time of Leo III. was contented they should inhabit and denominate the parts where they were born which since then have been call'd Lombardy and because the name of Rome was venerable among them he appointed that part of Italy which was adjacent and under the Exarchat of Ravenna should be call'd Romagnia Moreover he created his Son Pepin King of Italy extending his Jurisdiction as far as Benevento all the rest was continued under the dominion of the Grecian Emperour with whom Charles had made an Alliance During these Transactions Pascal the First was elected Pope and the Parish Priests in Rome by reason of their propinquity and readiness at every Election to adorn their power with a more illustrious Title began to be call'd Cardinals arrogating so much to themselves especially after they had excluded the Voices of the people that seldom any Pope was created but by them out of their own number Pascal being dead he was succeeded by Eugenius the Second of the Order of Santa Sabina Italy being in this manner under the Authority of the French changed its Form and Oeconomy in some measure for the Pope having incroach'd upon the Temporal Authority created Counts and Marquesses as Longinus Exarchat of Ravenna had made Dukes before After some few Ospurcus a Roman succeeded to the Papacy who not satisfied with the uncomliness of his Name call'd himself Sergius and gave the first occasion for the changing their Names which has since been frequently practis'd at their several Elections About this time Charles the Emperour died and his Son Lodovic succeeded yet not so quietly but that there arose so many and so great differences betwixt his Sons that in the days of his Grand-Children the Empire was wrested from his Family restor'd to the Almans and the next German Emperour was call'd Ainolfus Nor did Charles his Posterity by their dissentions lose only the Empire but their Soveraignty in Italy likewise for the Lombards resuming Courage fell foul upon the Pope and his Romans who not knowing to whose protection to betake himself was constrain'd to make Berengarius Dukeof Friuli King of Italy Incouraged by these Accidents the Hunni who at that time were planted in Pannonia took heart and invaded Italy but coming to a Battel with Berengarius they were overthrown and forc'd back again into Pannonia or rather into Hungaria it being at that time call'd by their Name At that time Romano was Emperour of Greece who being General of his Army had usurp'd upon Constantine and forc'd the Government out of his hand and because during these innovations Puglia and Calabria which as I said before had subjected themselves to that Empire were then in Rebellion inrag'd at their insolence he permitted the Saracens to possess those Countreys if they could gain them who invading them thereupon immediately subdu'd them and attempted upon Rome But the Romans Berengarius being imploy'd against the Hunni made Alberigo Duke of Tuscany their General by whose Valour their City was preserv'd and the Saracens raising their Siege retir'd built a Castle upon the Mountain Gargano and from thence Lorded it over Puglia and Calabria and infested all that part of Italy besides Thus it was that Italy in those times was marvelously afflicted towards the Alps by the Hunni towards Naples by the Saracens
one of them a Brother the other a Kinsman of the Archbishop's They hired Bernardo Bandini and Napoleone two valiant young French Gentlemen who had been much obliged to the Family of the Pazzi Of Foreigners besides them two they entertained Antonio da Volterra and one Stephano a Priest who taught the Latine tongue to Giacopo's Daughter and lived in his house Rinato dei Pazzi a wise and student Man and one who very well understood the consequences of such Plots consented not to it but rather detested it and by all plausible ways endeavoured to dissuade it The Pope had maintained at Pisa to study the Canon-Law Rafaelo di Riario nephew to the Count Girolamo from which place he was recalled by his Holiness and promoted to a Cardinalship It was judged commodious by the Conspiracy that this Cardinal should come to Florence for the better concealment of their design seeing that in his equipage all such of their confederats as were necessary might be conveyed into the Town which would much facilitate the work Accordingly the Cardinal arrived and was lodged by Giacopo dei Pazzi at a Country house of his at Mentughi not far from Florence They desired by his means that Lorenzo and Guiliano might be brought together and it was resolved that the first opportunity they should be killed It was contrived then to make an entertainment for the Cardinal at Ftesole but by accident or on purpose it fell out that Guiliano was not there so that that design being defeated their next was to invite the Cardinal to Florence and thither they made no question but both the Brothers would come the 26 of April 1478 was appointed to be the day The night before they met all together and prepared and disposed all things for execution the next morning but the day being come news was brought to Francesco that Guiliano was not there upon that the chief of them met together again and concluded the business was no longer to be delayed for being communicated to so many it was not possible to conceal it so that they determined without more ado to assassinate him in the Church of Santa Riparata when the Cardinal being present both the Brothers they presumed would be of course They appointed Giovanni Battista to attack Lorenzo and Francesco dei Pazzi and Bernardo Bandini to do as much to Guiliano But Giovan Battista excused himself the former familiarity he had had with Lorenzo or some other accident having mollified his heart he pretended his courage would not serve him to commit such an act in the Church as would add sacriledge to his treason and his denial was the first step to the destruction of them all for being straitned in time they were forced to depute Antonio da Volterra and Stephano the Priest to that office two persons very unapt for such an action both in respect of their nature and education and certainly if in any thing a resolute and great mind accustomed by long experience to cruelty and Blood be necessary it is in this case where Princes are to be killed Having concluded of their time and other circumstances there was nothing behind but the signal when they were to begin which was when the Priest which celebrated the principal Mass should receive the Sacrament himself at which time the Archbishop of Salviati with his own followers Giacopo di Poggio with his should possess themselves of the Palace of the Senate that either by persuasion or force the Senate might be brought over to their side as soon as the Brothers were slain Upon this resolution they went to the Church where the Cardinal and Lorenzo were already in their seats The Church was thronged with people and Divine Service begun when it was observed that Guiliano was not there whereupon Francesco dei Pazzi and Bernardo who were designed to murder him went to him to his house and with intreaties and other Artifice got him along with them to the Church It is very remarkable and not often to be matched that with so horrid and detestable a design at their hearts they could carry themselves with that tranquillity and composedness for all the way as they pased they entertained him with youthful and pleasant discourse and such was the security of Francesco that under pretence of caressing and embracing he felt about his Body to see whether he was armed Guiliano and Lorenzo both knew well enough that the Pazzi bore them no good will and that with all their hearts they would depose them if they could but they believed whenever they attempted against them it would be legally and without any violence upon their persons and therefore suspecting nothing of danger in that kind they dissembled as much kindness to the Pazzi as the Pazzi did to them The assassines being ready those who were to kill Lorenzo by the help of the crowd being got up to him without any suspition on that side and Guiliano's on the other the sign was given and Bernardo Bandini with a short dagger provided on purpose stabbed Guiliano into the breast who passing a step or two forward fell down upon the ground Francesco dei Pazzi threw himself upon him stabbed him all over and struck with such fury that he hit his own leg and made a desperate wound Antonio and Stephano in the mean time attempted upon Lorenzo and making several strokes at him they wounded him slightly in the throat and no where else for either by their own faint heartedness or his courage in defending himself or the interposition of those who were by all of them were put off and their whole enterprize miscarried whereupon they fled in great terror and hid themselves as well as they could but being found they were shamefully put to death and their bodies dragged about the City Lorenzo on the other side joyning with those friends he had about him betook himself to the vestry and stood upon his guard Bernardo Bandini seeing Guiliano dead having an old quarrel to Francesco Nori a great friend to the Medici he killed him into the bargain and not satisfied with two murders he crowded up to Lorenzo with his courage and alacrity to supply what the slackness and cowardice of his accomplices had left unfinished But finding him barricado'd in the vestry he could not come at him In the midst of this great tumult which was so dreadful it was thought the Church would have been pulled down upon their heads the Cardinal got up close to the Altar where by the labour of the Priests he was preserved till the tumult was appeased and the Senate sent to conduct him to his own Palace where he remained in great fear till the time he was dismissed There were at that time in Florence certain Perugians who had been banished from their Houses in the time of their factions these Perugians the Pazzi had drawn to their party by promises of restitution So that the Archbishop of Salviati marching with Giâ—copo di Poggio and
so to evince and demonstrate the courage of an Italian spirit it was necessary that Italy should be reduced to its present condition That it should be in greater bondage than the Iews in greater servitude than the Persians and in greater dispersion than the Athenians without Head without order harras'd spoyl'd overcome over-run and over-flown with all kind of Calamity and though formerly some sparks of virtue have appeared in some persons that might give it hopes that God had ordained them for its redemption yet it was found afterwards that in the very height and career of their exploits they were check'd and forsaken by Fortune and poor Italy left half dead expecting who would be her Samaritan to bind up her wounds put an end to the Sackings and devastations in Lombardy the Taxes and Expilations in the Kingdom of Naples and Tuscany and cure her sores which length of time had fester'd and imposthumated 'T is manifest how she prays to God daily to send some person who may redeem her from the cruelty and insolence of the Barbarians 'T is manifest how prone and ready she is to follow the Banner that any man will take up nor is it at present to be discerned where she can repose her hopes with more probability than in your illustrious Family which by its own courage and interest and the favour of God and the Church of which it is now chief may be induced to make it self Head in her redemption which will be no hard matter to be effected if you lay before you the lives and actions of the persons above named who though they were rare and wonderful were yet but men and not accommodated with so fair circumstances as you Their Enterprize was not more just nor easie nor God Almighty more their friend than yours You have Justice on your side for that War is just which is necessary and 't is piety to fight were no hope is left in any thing else The people are universally disposed and where the disposition is so great the opposition can be but small especially you taking your rules from those persons which I have proposed to you for a Model Besides many things that they did were super-natural and by Gods immediate Conduct the Sea opened a cloud directed a rock afforded water it rained Manna all these things are recompenced in your Grandeur and the rest remains to be executed by you God will not do every thing immediately because he will not deprive us of our free will and the honour that devolves upon us Nor is it any wonder if none of the fore-named Italians have been able to do that which may be hoped for from your illustrious Family and if in so many revolutions in Italy and so long continuation of War their Military Virtue seems spent and extinguished the reason is their old Discipline was not good and no body was able to direct to a better Nothing makes so much to the honour of a new Prince as new Laws and new Orders invented by him which if they be well founded and carry any thing of Grandeur along with them do render him venerable and wonderful and Italy is susceptible enough of any new form Their courage is great enough in the Soldier if it be not wanting in the Officer witness the Duels and Combats in which the Italians have generally the better by their force and dexterity and stratagem but come to their Battels and they have oftner the worst and all from the inexperience of their Commanders for those who pretend to have Skill will never obey and every one thinks he has Skill there having been no body to this very day raised by his virtue and fortune to that height of reputation as to prevail with others to obey him Hence it came that in so long time in the many Wars during the last twenty years when ever an Army consisted wholly of Italians it was certainly beaten and this may be testified by Tarus Alexandria Capua Genoa Vaila Bologna and Mestri If therefore your illustrious Family be inclined to follow the examples of those excellent persons who redeemed their Countries it is necessary as a true fundamental of all great Enterprizes to provide your selves with Forces of your own Subjects for you cannot have more faithful nor better Soldiers than they And though all of them be good yet altogether they will be much better when they find themselves not only commanded but preferred and caressed by a Prince of their own It is necessary therefore to be furnished with these Forces before you can be able with Italian virtue to vindicate your Country from the oppression of Strangers And though the Swiss and Spanish Infantry be counted terrible they have both of them their defects and a third sort may be composed that may not only encounter but be confident to beat them for the Spanish Foot cannot deal with Horse and the Swiss are not invincible when they meet with Foot as obstinate as themselves It has been seen by experience and would be so again the Spaniards cannot sustain the fury of the French Cavalry and the Swisses have been overthrown by the Infantry of Spain And though of this last we have seen no perfect Experiment yet we had a competent Essay at the Battel of Ravenna where the Spanish Foot being engaged with the German Battalions which observe the same Order and Discipline with the Swisses the Spaniards by the agility of their Bodies and the protection of their Bucklers broke in under their Pikes and killed them securely while the poor Germans were uncapable to defend themselves and had not the Spaniards been charged by the Horse the German Foot had been certainly cut off 'T is possible therefore the defect of both those Foot being known to institute a third which may buckle with the Horse and be in no fear of their foot which will be effected not by the variation of their Arms but by changing their Discipline And these are some of those things which being newly reformed give great grandeur and reputation to any new Prince This opportunity therefore is by no means to be slip'd that Italy after so long expectation may see some hopes of deliverance Nor can it be expressed with what joy with what impatience of revenge with what fidelity with what compassion with what Tears such a Champion would be received into all the Provinces that have suffered by those barbarous inundations What Gates would be shut against him What people would deny him obedience what malice would oppose him what true Italian would refuse to follow him There is not there is not any body but abhors and nauseates this barbarous domination Let your illustrious Family then address it self to the work with as much Courage and Confidence as just Enterprizes are undertaken That under their Ensigns our Country may be recovered and under their Conduct Petrarch's Prophesie may be fulfilled who has promised that Virtu contr ' al furore Prendera l' arme
as it may out-live him and flourish when he is in his grave and though rude and uncultivated people are more susceptible of new Laws or new Doctrines yet men that are civil and presume more upon their Education are not altogether impenatrable The people of Florence thought themselves no fools and they had a good opinion of their breeding nevertheless they suffered themselves to be deluded by Frier Girolamo Savonarola into persuasion that he had Conference with God A person of his gravity is not to be mentioned but with reverence and therefore whether true or not true I will not determine only this I shall say many believed him who never saw any thing extraordinary to induce them his Life his Doctrine the subject of his discoursing being in their thoughts enough to convince them Let no man therefore despair of what another man has attained for men as I said in my Preface are born live and dye in the same method as formerly CHAP. XII How necessary for the preservation of a State it is that Religion be in esteem and how much Italy has suffered for want of it by means of the Church of Rome THose Princes and Commonwealths who would keep their Governments entire and incorrupt are above all things to have a care of Religion and its Ceremonies and preserve them in due veneration for in the whole world there is not a greater sign of imminent ruine than when God and his Worship are despised This is easily understood by observing upon what foundation the Religion is placed where every man is born The Religion of the Gentiles ran much upon the answers of Oracles upon Divinations and Soothsaying upon which all the rest of their Sacrifices Rights and Ceremonies did depend for they did not doubt but the same thing that could presage your fortune be it good or be it bad could as easily confer it and therefore they built their Temples they made their Sacrifices they offered up their prayers and used all other Ceremonies that might signifie their veneration for the Oracles of Delos â—he Temple of Iupiter Ammon and such other things had a strange influence upon people and kept them in most wonderfull devotion but afterwards when they began to speak according to the interest or directions of great persons and their partiality began to be discovered the people grew incredulous and prone to all kind of disturbance A Prince therefore or Commonwealth ought most accurately to regard that his Religion be well founded and then his Government will last for there is no surer way than to keep that good and united Whatever therefore occurs that may any way be extended to the advantage and reputation of the Religion which they design to establish how uncertain or frivolous soever it may seem to themselves yet by all means they are to be propagated and encouraged and the wiser the Prince the more sure it is to be done This course having been observed by wise men has produced the opinion of Miracles which are celebrated even in those Religions which are false for let their Original be as idle as they please a wise Prince will be sure to set them forward and the Princes authority recommends them to every body else Of these miracles there were many in Rome as at the sacking of Urii some of the Roman Soldiers entring into the Temple of Iuno accosting her Image and asking it Vis venire Roman will you come to Rome To some of them she seemed to beckon by way of consent and others fancied she said Yes For those men being more than ordinary religious as Titus Livius infers from the devotion and reverence and quietness wherewith they entred they fancied they heard that answer which 't is possible they expected before and Camillus and the other Magistrates of the City promoted their belief And if this diligent care in Divine Worship were regarded by Christian Princes according to the Precepts and Instructions of him that gave it at first the States and Commonwealths of Christendom would be much more happy and firm Nor can any thing portend the ruine of our Church with more certainty than that those who are nearest the Church of Rome which is the head of our Religion should have less Religion than other people and he who should consider the present practice with the primitive foundation would find that either utter destruction or some great judgment was hanging over our heads And for as much as some are of opinion that the felicity and welfare of Italy depends upon the Church of Rome I shall set down some few reasons to the contrary which I have fram'd to my self two of which are in my judgment unanswerable One is that by the corrupt example of that Court that Province has lost all its Religion and all its Devotion which has been followed by many inconveniences and disorders for as the Religiousness of the people presuppose all well so where they are wicked it betokens the contrary so then we Italians have this Obligation to the Church and its Ministers that by their means we are become Heathenish and Irreligious besides another little less pernicious and that is that we are grown divided and factious which must of necessity be our ruine because never was any Province happy or united unless under the obedience of one Commonwealth or one Prince as France and Spain at this time and the reason is because Italy is not upon the same terms as having no one Republick or Commonwealth to govern it but the Church and though the Pope has assumed a Temporal as well as Spiritual jurisdiction yet he was never so couragious or powerful as to possess himself of all and make himself Prince nor was he ever so weak but upon any apprehension of losing his Temporal Dominion he could call in some Foreign Potentate to defend him against any man who was grown too formidable and this has been seen anciently in many Examples as when by assistance of Charles the Great he repelled the Lombards who in a manner hacd made themselves Masters of all Italy and when again in our days he retrenched the power of the Venetians by the help of the French after which he drove out the French by the succour of the Swizzers The Church therefore being neither so strong as to conquer all Italy nor so weak as to suffer it to be over-run by any body else has been the occasion that it never fell into the hands of one person but has been cantonized into several Principalities by which means it has been so weak and disunited that it has been not only exposed as a prey to the power of the Barbarians but to every one that thought good to invade it which is an unhappiness we Italians owe only to the Church If any man suspects what is said and would be experience inform himself of the truth it would be necessary he should be so potent as to transplant the Court of Rome and all its