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
Benedetto Alberti suspected and enuied The speech of Benedetto Alberti at his banishment The death of Benedetto Alberti Gâ—ouan Galiazzo becom prince of Lombardy 1393. The death of Galiazzo Veri di Medici The speech of Veri di Medici to the Senat of Florence Donati Acciaiuoli Donati Acciaiuoli with others confined Conspiracie in Florence against Masso Deili Albizi and others Conspiracy by the Duke of Milan against Florence The famely of Alberti confined An. 1402. The death of Ladislao king of Naples Error committed by the populer nobilitie Aduice of Nicolo Vzano against the Medici Leage betwixt the Florentins and the Duke of Milan Consultation in Florence The Florentines ouerthrowne The speech of Rinaldo de Albizi to appeaze the people Braccâ—o Piccinino Rinaldo di Albizi The answere of Giouanni di Medicito Rinaldo Biagio of Milan Zanobi Pino Piccinino reuolted from the league Carmignuola generall for the league Catasto Peace betwixt the League the Duke The speech of cosimo de Medici at his death Volterra rebelled Giusto vsurped Volterra Pagolo Guinigi Lord of Lucca Giusto slaine Volterra recouered by the Florentines A warre against Lucca perswaded by Ri. de Allâ—â—zi The perswation of Ni. de Vzano to the contrary The warre of Lucca resolued Cruelty of the Florentine Generall The complaint of the Sarauezesi Astore condemned and Rislandred The speech of Ri. in his purgation Filippo Brunelsco The Lucchesi pray aide of the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforsa sent to relieue Lucca Pagolo Lord of Lucca deposed The Florentines defeated Peace betweene the Florentines and Lucchesi Perswasion of Barbadori to Nicholo Vzano against Cosimo di Medici Answere of Nicholo Vzano to Barbadori Cosimo di Medici cited committed Cosimo di Medici banished Rinaldo and his friends armed against the Medici Pope Eugenio laboureth a Pacificatâ—on in Florence Cosimo reuoked and Rinaldo with others confined The words of Rinaldo at his banishment Two sorts of souldiers in Italy 1433. The Duke of MilaÌ„s daughter offered to Fran. Sforza The Pope assaulted by Fran. Sforza VVarre betweene the Pope and the Duke of Milan Fran. Sâ—oâ—za Generall of the League Peace betweene the League and the Duke New ordinances in FloreÌ„ce VVarre between Rinieri de Angio and King Alfonso of Aragon King Alfonso taken by the Genouesi King Alfonso deliuered Fregosi and Adorni Francesco Spinola The libertie of Genoua recouered The Oration of Ri. de Albizi to the Duke of Milan Genoua reuolted from the Duke Lucca distressed The Oration of the Lucchese to the other Cittizens The Lucchesi pray â—ide of the Duke Diffidence betweene the Venetians and the Earle Francesco The Venetians and Florentines of diuers opinions touching the pay of the Earle their Generall The Earle Francesco abandoneth the Venetians and Florentines The Earle of Poppi The Gretian Church submitteth to the Church of Rome New troubles in Lombardy and Toscana The Popes countrey spoyled by Ni. Piccinino Gatamelata Generall for the VenetiaÌ„s Perswasions of the Venetians and Florentines to the Earle not to abandon them The Oration of Neri Capponi to the Senate of Venice The Campe of Nicholo Piccinino defeated Nicholo Piccinino desirous to recouer his honor Verona surprized by Nicholo Piccinino Verona recouered by the Earle Francesco The Duke perswaded by Nicholo and the banished Florentines to assault Toscana The Patriarke of Alessandria Generall for the Pope The Pa. friend to Rinaldo de Albizi The pope seeketh to depose the Patriarke The Patriarke made prisoner Resolution of the League against the Duke The speech of the Earle FraÌ„cesco to the Senate of Venice The Venetians answer to the Earle Resolution of the Venetians with the Earle Francesco The Earle of Poppi rebelled from the Florentines Nicholo euill counselled by the Earle of Poppi Practise to surprise Cortona The siere of Brescia remoued The battle of Anghiari Nicholo Piccintino defeated VVant of discipline in the Florentines Campe. The death of Rinaldo de Aâ—bâ—zi Poppi besieged The speech of the Earle of Poppi to the Florentines commissaries The Earle answered by N. Capponi The Duke desireth peace The VenetiaÌ„s mistrust the Earle Francesco their Generall Ingratitude of the Venetians Micheletto Generall for the League A proude request of Nicholo Peace betweene the League and Duke and his daughter married to the Harle Francesco The warre betweene King Rinato and Alfonso reuiued The Cittie of Naples wonne by Alfonso Neri Capponi Cosimo de Medici Baldaccio Generall of the Florentine footmen Baldaccio murdâ—red by Bâ—rtholomeo Orlandini Florence reformed Ni. Piccinino discomfited Death of Ni. Piccinino Trouble in Bologna Santi Bentiuogli New warres in Lombardy The Earle his friendship desired both by the Duke and Venetians Death of Duke Philippo of Milan The Earle made Generall for the Milanesi The Venetians aspire to vsurpe the Duchie of Milan King Alfonso assaulteth the Florentines The Milanesi iealious of the Earle The Venetians defeated by the Earle Francefco The Venetians fortunate Peace betweene the Earle and Venetianâ— without consent of the Milanesi The Oration of the Milanesi to the Earle The Earles answere Expostulation of the Florentines to the Senate of Venice The Venetians desirous to abandon the Earle Cosimo de Medici friend to the Earle Francesco Neri Capponi against the Earle The Venetians aide the Mâ—lanesi against the Earle Gasparo Vicomercato his counsell The Earle Francesco become Duke of Milan 1450. League betwixt King Alfonso and the Venetians Embassadors from Venice to Florence The Embassador answered League betweene the Florentines and Duke Preparation for warre in Florence The Emperour Federigo in Florence The Duke of Milan assaulted Foiano assaulted by Ferrando Steffano Porcari Some do suppose this Canto to be written not vnto S. Porcari but to Nicholo di Renzo a gentleman Romane by Petrarche who therin serueth to diuine that in Rome shuld arise a Knight famous thorowout all Italy Steffano put to death The Vale of Bagno reuolted from the Florentines Rinato de Angio called into Italy by the Florentines Peace betweene the Venetians and the Duke Troubles moued by Giacopo Piccinino and supported by King Alfonso Pope Calisto perswadeth a generall war against the Turks A meruailous rempest in Toscana The Genouesi assaulted by King Alfonso Genoua in the possession of the French King The death of King Alfonso The death of Pope Calisto The Genouesi reuolted froÌ„ the french The kingdome of Naples assaulted by Giouanni de Aâ—gio King Ferrando defeated Giouanni de Angio vanquished in battell Cosimo de Medici Neri Capponi Lucca Pitti Girolamo Machiauelli Ordinances by Lucca â—â—tti The death of Cosimo di Medici The description of Cosimo his person and his wit The Duke of Milan Lord of Genoua Giacopo Piccinino supected to the Duke Giacopo Piccinino murthered The death of the Duke FraÌ„cesco Piero di Medici Dissimulation of Diotisalui Neroni A practise against Piero di Medici Offence between the Acciaiuoli and the Medici League betweene the Duke Galiiazzo and the Florentines Consultation to oppresse the Medici Perswasions of Nicholo Soderini against the Medici The speech of the Citizens to Piero di Medici The answerâ— of Piero. The enemies of the Medici vanquished The fall of Lucca Pitti The letter of Agnolo Acciaiuoli to Piero di Medici The answere of Piero. Complaint of the banished Florentines to the Senate of Venice The Florentines assaulted by the Venetians Marquesse of Farrara Peace betweene the Florentines and Venetians Pope Sisto The Oration of P. di Medici to the Florentines Death of Piero di Medici Tomaso Soderini Giuliano and Lorenzo di Medici Conspiracy of the Nardi The enterprise of Barnardo defeated The Duke of Milan in Florence Tumults in Volterra Volterra sacked Castello besieged by Pope Sisto Italy diuided into sactions Trouble in Toscana Conspiracie against the Duke of Milan The Duke murdered Displeasure betweene the Pope and the Medici Enimitie betweene the Pazzi and Medici Conspiracie against Giuliano and Lorenzo di Medici The euent of this conspiracie The Pope and King moue warre against the Florentiâ—es The speâ—ch of Lorenzo de Medici to the Florentines The Florentines carelesse of the Popes curse The Pope and King assault the Florentines Genoua rebelled from the Duke of Milan The Florentines gratefull to their seruants The Popes forces discomfired by the Florentines The Florentines seeke the King Ferrando his fauour Lorenzo de Medici Embassador for the Florentines Antonio Tassino Lodouico Sforza Gouernor of the Duke of Milan Lorenzo de Medici arriued at Naples Peace and league betweene the King the Florentines The Isle of Rodi assaulted by the Turkes The Turks landed in Italy The speech of the FloreÌ„tine Embassadors to the Pope The Popes answere New leagues in Italy The Duke of Calauria discomfited by the Pope New leagues in Italy Castello besieged by the Pope The Coâ—onnâ—â—i oppâ—essed by the Pope The first erection of S. George in Genoua Warre betweene the Genouâ—si and the Fâ—orentines Pietrasanta taken Aquila rebelled from the K. of Naples The Pope defendeth the rebels of Aquila Peace betweene the K. of Naples and the Pope 1486. Lorenzo di Medici his daughter married vnto the Popes sonne The Genouesi assaulted by the Florentines The Genouesi discomfited The Venetians broken and their Generall slaine Tumults in Romagna The Earle Girolamo murdered The Earles wife reuenged Galeotto Lord of Faenza murdered Lorenzo de Medici Lorenzo in marchandize infortunato LoreÌ„zo magnificent Lorenzo a louer of learning Lorenzo vniuersally loued Lorenzo honored of princes The death of Lorenzo di Medici
that day had bene euer there mainteined reducing all vnder one Duke who was yearely sent thither from Rauenna and his gouernment called the Romane Dukedome but the generall Gouernour who continually remained at Rauenna by the Emperours commaundement and gouerned all Italy vnder him was called Esarco This diuision made the ruine of Italy to be more easie and gaue opportunitie to the Longobardi to vsurpe the same The gouernment of that country gotten by the vertue and blood of Narsete thus taken from him he being also by Sophia iniured reuiled threatned to be called home and spinne with women moued him so greatly to chollor and offence that he perswaded Alboino King of the Lombardi who at that time reigned in Pannonia to come into Italy conquere it The Longobardi beeing as is aforesaid entered into those countries neare Danubio who had lately bene abandoned by the Heruli and Turingi when by their King Odoacre they were led into Italy for a time they there remained But the kingdome being come to Alboino a man couragious cruel they passed the riuer Danubio and fought with Comundo King of the Zepedi and ouerthrew him in Pannonia which hee then possessed Alboino in this victorie amongst others happened to take prisoner the daughter of Comundo called Rosmundo married her and thereby became Lord of Pannonia Then mooued by the crueltie of his nature hee made a cup of her fathers hed whereof in memorie of the victorie he vsed to drinke But then called into Italy by Narsete with whome in the warres of the Gotti hee had acquaintance and friendship left Pannonia to the Vuni who after the death of Attila as is aforesaid were returned into their countrey Then he came againe into Italy where finding the same into many partes diuided sodenly wan Pania Millan Verona Vicenza all Toscana and the more part of Flamminia now called Romagna So that perswading himselfe through so many and so speedie successes to haue already as it were gotten the victorie of all Italy hee celebrated a solemne feast in Verona whereat being by drinking much become very merry and seeing the skull of Comundo full of wine hee caused the same to be presented to the Queene Rosmunda who sat ouer against him at the table saying vnto her with so loude a voice that euerie one might heare him that she should now at this feast drinke with her father which speech pearced the Lady to the heart and she forthwith determined to reuenge the same Then knowing that Almachilde a valiant young gentleman of Lombardi loued a maiden of hers of whome hee obtained to lie with her and the Queene beeing priuy to that consent did her selfe tarry in the place of their meeting which beeing without light Almachilde came thither and supposing to haue lien with the mayden enioyed the Queene her mistresse which done the Queene discouered her selfe and said vnto him that it was in his power to kill Alboino and possesse her with her kingdome foreuer but if hee refused so to do shee would procure that Alboino should kill him as one that had abused his wife To this motion and murther of Alboino Almachilde consented After the murther performed finding that he could not according to his expectation enioy the kingdome and fearing to be slaine of the Lombardes for the loue they bare to Alboino the Queene and hee taking their princely treasure and iewels fled to Longino at Rauenna who honorably there receiued them During these troubles Iustiniano the Emperour died and in his place was elected Tiberio who beeing occupied in the warres against the Parthi could not go to the reliefe of Italy Whereby Longino hoped that time would well serue him with the countenance of Rosmunda and helpe of her treasure to become King of Lombardy and all Italy And conferring his intent with the Queene perswaded her to kill Almachilde and take him for her husband shee accepted and agreed vnto that which hee perswaded preparing a cup of wine poisoned and with her owne hand shee offered the same to Almachilde comming from a bath hote and thriftie hee hauing drunke halfe the wine and finding his bodie thereby greatly mooued mistrusting the poison enforced Rosmunda to drinke the rest whereof both the one and the other within fewe houres died and Longino bereft of his expectation to become King The Longobardi in the meane while assembling themselues in Pauia which was the chiefe Cittie of their kingdome elected there Clefi their King who reedified Imola which had bene ruinated by Narsete hee wan Rimino and almost euerie place from thence to Rome but in the midst of these his victories hee died This Clefi was so cruell not onely to strangers but also to his owne subiects the Longobardi as they were so terrified with his kingly authoritie that after his daies they determined no more to make anie King but elected amongst them selues thirtie persons whome they called Dukes giuing them iurisdiction ouer the rest which was the cause that the Longobardi did not proceed in the conquest of all Italy and that their kingdome did not extend further then Beneuento and that Rome Rauenna Cremona Mantoua Padoua Monselice Parma Bologna Faenza Furli and Cesena some of them defended them selues a time and some other were neuer taken Because the Lombardi wanting a King their warres proceeded the more slowlie and after the election of a new King by reason of their libertie were lesse obedient and more apt to mutinie among them selues which thing first hindered the victorie and in the end draue them out of Italy The Longobardi being come to this estate the Romanes and Longino made with them an agreement The effect thereof was that euerie one of them should lay downe their armes and enioy so much as they possessed In that time the Bishops of Rome began to aspire vnto more authoritie then they had in times past for by meane of the holy life of S. Peter and some other Bishops with their godly examples and the miracles by them done they became much reuerenced amongst men and greatly encreased the christian Religion In so much as Princes were occasioned the more easily thereby to appease the great disorder and confusion of the world to obey them The Emperour then being become a Christian and remooued from Rome to Constantinople it came to passe as is aforesaid that the Romane Empyre decaied and the Church of Rome the rather thereby encreased notwithstanding till the comming of the Longobardi Italy being subiect either to Emperours or Kings the Empyre still prospered and the Bishops of Rome had no greater authoritie then their learning and good life did deserue For in all other thinges either by the Kings or by the Emperours they were commaunded and as their ministers imploied and sometimes put to death But he that made the Bishops to become of greatest authoritie in Italy was Theodorico King of the Gotti when he remoued his royall seate to Rauenna For thereby Rome
assemble more forces returned with thē into Italy had though hardly the victorie and then though with displeasure of the Legate returned to Bohemia leauing onely Reggio and Modena manned recommending Parma to Marsilio and Piero de Rossi who were in that citie of most power He being gone Bologna reuolted to the league and diuided among them foure Citties apperteining to the church allotting Parma to the house of Scala Reggio to Gonzaga Modena to Este and Lucca to the Florentines During the conquest of these Cities grew great warres but they were chiefly by the Venetians compounded It may perhaps be thought strange that among so many accidents of Italy I haue omitted to speake of the Venetians common weale being for the order and power thereof to be preferred before euerie other principallitie To satisfie that admiration the cause thereof being knowne I wil looke backward to time long since passed and declare what beginning that Cittie had King Attila at such time as he besieged Aquilegia the inhabitants of that towne hauing long defended themselues dispairing fled with their goods to the rocks within the point of Mare Adriatico The Padouani seeing the fire at hand and fearing that Aquilegia being wonne Attila would assault them carried all their moueables of most value into the same sea to a place there called Riuoalto whither they also sent their wiues children and aged men leauing the youth to defend the citie Aquilegia being taken Attila defaced Padoua Monselice Vicenza and Verona The Padouani and the chiefe of the others seated themselues in the marishes about Riuoalto Likewise all the people of that prouince which vvas aunciently called Venetia vvere driuen out by the same misfortune did also flie thither Thus constrained by necessitie they abandoned faire and fertile countries to inhabit these steril and paludious places void of all cōmoditie And yet because great numbers of people were at one instant come thither they made that place not onely habitable but also pleasant ordeining among themselues lawes and orders which amidst so great ruines of Italy they obserued and within short space encreased in force and reputation For besides the inhabitants aforesaid many of the cities of Lombardy chiefly those that feared the cruelty of their king Clefi fled thither which was no small encrease to that citie So that in the time of Pipino king of France when at the request of the Pope he came to driue the Lombardi out of Italy it was agreed in Capitulations betwixt him and the Emperour of Grecia that the Duke of Beneuento and the Venetians should be subiects neither to the one nor the other but among themselues enioy libertie Moreouer considering that as necessitie had driuen them to dwell within the water so it behoued them without helpe of the firme land to seeke meanes wherby they might procure their own liuelihood For which purpose they made ships gallies with them sailed throughout the world and filled their citie with sundry sorts of marchandise whereof other men hauing necessitie required free accesse vnto them At that time and many yeares after the Venetians thought not vppon other dominions then those where the traffique of their marchandise might safely arriue Then they wan diuers hauens in Grecia Soria and in the passages that the French men made in Asia because they oftentimes imploying the Venetian shippes appointed vnto them as a reward the Ile of Candia While in this estate and order they liued their name by sea was terrible and vpon the firme land of Italy venerable So that in all controuersies that happened they were for the most part arbitrators as in cōtrouersies which rose in the league by reason of those cities which they had diuided amongst them For that controuersie being recommended to the Venetians they ordered that Bargamo Brescia should appertaine to the Visconti But in processe of time hauing conquered Padoua Vicenza Triuigi Verona Bargamo Brescia with diuerse cities in the kingdom and Romagna entised with desire of gouernment they atteined so great an opinion of power and reputatiō that not only of the princes of Italy but also of the kings beyōd the mountaines they became feared Wherupon those princes conspiring togither tooke from them in one day all the states and countries vvhich they in many yeares and vvith infinite expences had gained And though in these late times they haue recouered part yet not recouering their forces and reputation do like all other princes of Italy remaine at the deuotion and discretion of others Now was Benedetto 12. come to the Papacy who seeing himselfe driuen out of Italy and fearing that the Emperour Lodouico should become Lord thereof determined to make all those his friends who had vsurped the townes which the Emperour possessed To the end that thereby they should haue cause to feare the Empire and ioyne with him in the defence of Italy For the more assurance of this attempt he made a decree that all tyrants of Lombardy should by iust title possesse the townes by them vsurped But the Pope presently vpon this grant died and Clemente sexto elected in his place The Emperour then seeing with what liberalitie the Pope had giuen the towns belōging to the Empire determined to be no lesse liberall of the Popes goods then the Pope had bene of his and therefore gaue freely all lands belonging to the church which any tyrant had vsurped and they to hold them by authoritie imperiall By meane whereof Galiotto Malatesti and his brethren became Lords of Rimino Pesaro Fano Anthonio di Montefeltro of la Marca and Vrbin Gentile da Varano of Camerino Guido di Polenta of Rauenna Sinibaldo Ordalaffi of Furli and Cesena Giouanni Manfredi of Faenza Lodouico Alidosi of Imola Besides these many others possessed towns belōging to the church so as fevv remained out of the hands of one Prince or other vvhich vvas the cause that the Church till the comming of Alissandro 6. vvas holden dovvne vveake but he vvith the ruine of these Lords or their posteritie restored the same At such time as the Emperor made this grant he remained at Trento seemed as thogh he vvould passe from thence into Italy wherby grevv many warres in Lombardy by that occasiō the Visconti became Lords of Parma Then died king Robarto of Napoli of vvhom remained only tvvo grand children vvomen begotten by Carlo his Son vvho long before vvas dead bequeathing his kingdom to the elder of them called Giouanna vvhom he vvilled to marrie vvith Andrea sonne to the K. of Vngaria his nephevv This Andrea continued not long her husband but vvas by her murdred she married anevv to a brother in lavv of his called Lodouico prince of Tarranto But K. Lodouico brother to Andrea to reuenge his death came vvith Forces into Italy draue the Q. Giouanna vvith her husband out of the kingdom About this time hapned in Rome a thing very memorable vvhich vvas that one called
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
could not be vtterly quenched True it is that the often contentions persecutions of the chief captains frō the 1381. til the 1400. brought the factions wel near to nothing The families most persecuted were the Albizi Ricci and Medici Those houses were diuerse times spoyled both of their men and substance and if any of them remained in the citie their honours and offices were taken from them Which oppression made that part base minded and as it were vtterly trodden downe Notwithstanding there remained in many men a certaine memorie of iniuries receiued and a desire to reuenge them Yet wanting power to performe their will they kept that desire within their breasts secretly hidden Those of the populer Nobilitie who peaceably gouerned the citie committed two errors which were the causes of their ruine The one through their insolency which grew by continuall authoritie and being in office The other through enuie among themselues the long holding the state in their hands they did not preuent those that might offend them but daily renuing the vniuersall hatred by their sinister proceedings not remoouing the matter that might hurt and was to be feared were the causes that the house of Medici recouered authoritie The first of them that begun to stand vp was Giouanni the sonne of Bicci He become exceeding rich and being of nature curteous affable was with the allowance of those that gouerned ascended to the highest office Whereat the multitude so greatly reioyced supposing to haue gotten a protector that the wiser sort conceiued some iust cause of suspition because thereby they found all the old humors begun to arise And Nicholo di Vsano failed not to aduertise the other Citizens how daungerous a thing it was to aduance one who had among the multitude so much reputation saying it was easie to oppresse any inconuenience at the first but letting it growe the remedie was hardly found For hee knew well that in Giouanni there were many more excellent partes then in Saluestro Nicholo could not be heard of his companions because they enuied his reputation and sought for assistance to oppresse him Men thus liuing in Florence beset with contrary humours which secretly began to boyle within their breasts Philippo Visconti second sonne of Giouan Galiazzo being by the death of his brother become Lord of all Lombardy and deuising vpon some enterprise desired greatly to be againe owner of Genoua which at that present vnder Tomazo Frogolo liued in libertie Yet feared he could neither compasse that nor any other thing vnlesse first hee published a new accord with the Florentines the reputation whereof as hee thought might bring him to satisfaction For which purpose hee sent Embassadours to Florence who beeing there and perswading the league it was by many Cittizens thought vnfit to ioyne with him and yet they wished that the peace which had many yeares continued should still endure For they knewe what fauoure and reputation the league would doo him and how small profit the citie should receiue thereof To others it was thought good that the league should be made thereby to procure the Duke to enter conditions and bondes which if he passed euery man might discouer his euill intent and should if he brake the peace the more iustly make warre vpon him Thus the matter being throughly debated the peace was concluded Wherein Philippo promised that hee would not entermedle with anie thing on this side the Riuers of Magra and Panaro After this conclusion Philippo surprized Brescia and shortly after Genoua contrary to the opinion of those that had perswaded the peace For they beleeued that Brescia had bene defended by the Venetians and Genoua could haue defended it selfe And because in the league which Philippo had made with the Doge of Genoua he had reserued Serezana and other Townes on this sides Magra with condition that if he solde them hee then to sell them to the Genouesi the league was broken Besides this hee made peace with the Legate of Bologna Which things altered the mindes of our Citizens and made them doubting newe mischiefes to looke for newe remedies These suspitions come to the eare of Filippo either to gratifie or feele the disposition of the Florentines or else to abuse them sent Ambassadours vnto Florence and by them signified how he maruelled much at the suspition conceiued and therewith offered to renounce euerie thing by him done whereof anie mistrust might grow which Ambassadours wrought none other effect then diuision of the citie For the one part and those that were most reputed in the gouernment thought good to arme and preuent the enemie Notwithstanding if Filippo stood quiet there should be no war at all and in the meane time that prouision was an occasion of peace Many others either enuying those that gouerned or fearing the warre iudged that it was no wisedome lightly to become suspitious neither were things by Philippo done worthie to be suspected But they knew wel that to elect the Ten and to hire souldiers promised warre which being taken in hand against so great a Prince should be the ruine of the citie without hope of any profit For of his victories hauing Romagna in the midst we could not receiue good nor become Princes of that country And of Romagna it self by reason of the neernesse of the church they could not think to become owners Notwithstanding the authoritie of those that would make preparation for war preuailed before the other that desired peace And therefore they created the Ten hired souldiers imposed Subsidies Which proceedings because they burthened more the lesse then greater Cittizens filled the cittie with sorrow and euery man blamed the ambition authoritie of the great men accusing them that to fulfill their appetites and oppresse the people they would make a warre not necessary Yet was not the Duke come to manifest breach but euery thing was full of suspition For Philippo at the request of the Legate of Bologna who feared Antonio Bentiuogli banished and remaining at the Castle Bolognese had sent men to that citie which beeing neare the dominion of Florence held the state in mistrust But that which most amazed euerie man and gaue much cause to discouer the warre was the enterprise of the Duke at Furli Georgio Ordilaffi was Lord of Furli who dying left Tibaldo his sonne vnder protection of Philippo And albeit the mother supposing the Duke to be a Tutor vnfit and therefore sent her childe to Lodouico Alidossi her father Lord of Imola yet was she forced by the people to obserue her husbands testament and commit him to the Dukes hands Then Philippo to make himselfe the lesse suspected and the rather also to couer his intent deuised that the Marquesse of Farrara should send Guido Torello with some forces to be his deputie and take the gouernment of Furli Thus came that towne into the possession of Philippo which being knowne in Florence togither with the newes of the souldiers come to
Italy he should finde some of them poore and some others his enemies Neither were the Florentines alone as hee had often sayd of force sufficient to mainteine him So as on euery side it appeared that for him it was necessarie to mainteine the Venetians mightie vppon the land These perswasions ioyned with the hate which the Earle had conceiued of the Duke for being mocked in the marriage caused him consent to the composition yet would hee not at that time be bound to passe the Riuer of Po. These compositions were made in the moneth of February the yeare 1438. Wherein the Venetians did couenaunt to defraie two thirds and the Florentines one third of the charge And both of them togither at their common charge entred obligation to defend the lands which the Earle had woon in La Marca Neither was this League contented with these forces but vnto them they ioyned the Lord of Faenza the sonnes of Pandolfo Malatesta of Rimini and Pietro Giampagolo Orsino And although with great promises they had perswaded the Marquesse of Mantoua yet could they not remoue him from the friendship and paie of the Duke Also the Lord of Faenza after that the League was setled finding a better bargaine reuolted to the Duke which depriued the League of hope to be able to performe the enterprises entended in Romagna In these dayes Lombardy remained thus troubled Brescia was besieged with the Dukes forces so straightly as euerie day was feared that for famine it should be forced to yeeld And Verona became so inuironed with enemies that it doubted the like end and if any of these two Cities were lost euery man iudged all the other preparation for the wars would be to no effect and the charges till that time made vtterly lost Neither was there found any other certaine remedy then to procure that the Earle Francesco might passe into Lombardy Wherein were three difficulties the one in perswading the Earle to passe the Riuer of Po and make warre in all places The second that the Florentines seemed to be at the discretion of the Duke if the Earle should goe from them The third was what way the Earle with his forces should take to conuey himselfe into the country of Padoa where the rest of the Venetians forces remained Of these three difficulties the second which apperteined to the Florentines was most to be doubted Notwithstanding they knowing the necessitie and being weary of the Venetians who with all importunitie desired the Earle saying that without him they should be abandoned they preferred the necessitie of others before the suspition of themselues There remained also one other doubt which way they should go and how the same might be made assured by the Venetians Moreouer because the handling of this contract with the Earle and the perswading him to passe the Riuer Po was appointed to Neri the sonne of Gino Capponi the Senate thought good to send him expresly to Venice to make that fauoure the more acceptable there and to take order for the way and safe passage of the Earle Then was Neri dispatched from Cesena and in a Boate conueyed to Venice where by the Senate hee was receiued with more honour then euer any Prince before that time had bene For vpon his comming and that which by him should be determined they thought the welfare of their dominion depended Neri then being brought to presence of the Senate spake as followeth Most Noble Prince my Lords who haue sent mee were hitherto euer of opinion that the greatnesse of the Duke would be the ruine both of this state and of their own Common-weale So that the well doing of these states must be your greatnesse and ours also If this had bene by your Lordships beleeued we should be now in better condition and your state assured from those perils which presently do threaten it But because that in time conuenient you haue neither giuen vs ayd nor countenance we could not readily procure remedie for your harmes nor you speedily demaund it as men which both in aduersitie and prosperitie knew not how to behaue your selues forgetting that we are of such disposition as whom we once loue we will loue euer and whom we hate we will hate euer The good will which we haue euer borne to this most Noble Senate your selues do know and haue oftentimes seene by the aide we haue giuen you both in mony and men The displeasure which we haue borne to Philippo is such as we will alwaies beare towards his house and so the world knoweth Neither is it possible that auncient hatred can be either by new desertes or new displeasures cancelled We were and are assured that in this war we might with great honour haue stood indifferent to the Duke and with no great daunger to our selues For though he had bene by your ruine become Lord of Lombardy yet had there remained so much force in Italy as we need not to haue dispaired of our well doing because he encreasing in state and power the enmitie enuie towards him would haue also encreased Of which two things warre and displeasure be engendred We knew also how great charges by eschuing this war we should haue auoyded how eminent perils we should haue escaped and how this warre by our meanes might be remoued from Lombardy into Toscana Notwithstanding all these suspitions haue bene by our auncient affection borne to your state cancelled and we haue determined to aide you with the same readie good will wherewith we will defend our own if the same should be assaulted Wherfore my Lords iudging it before all other things most necessarie to succour Verona and Brescia and thinking also that without the Earle the same could not be they haue sent me hither first to perswade him to come into Lombardy and make war in all places he being heretofore as you know bound not to passe the Riuer of Po. Therefore I vsed with him those reasons wherwith we our selues be moued And he as he seemeth by Armes inuincible wil not be ouercome with curtesie And that liberallitie which he sawe vs vse towards you he hath bene pleased to surpasse the same For knowing well in how great perils after his departure Toscana remained and seeing that we haue more regarded your perill then our owne well doing is also content to preferre the same before his owne I am therfore now come here to offer you the Earle with seuen thousand horse and two thousand foote men readie to assault the enemie in what place soeuer he may finde him I beseech you then and my Lords also do intreate you that as the number of his souldiers is greater then his obligation wherby he bound himself to serue so it may please you that your liberallitie towards him may be likewise enlarged To the end that neither he shall repent his comming to your seruice nor we be sorie to haue perswaded him thereunto This speech pronounced by Neri was with no lesse attention heard of the
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
vpon Notwithstanding Gherardo being still sollicited by the King at length consented to the practise And hauing concluded the same the King sent to the Vale of Bagno a Knight of Ierusalem called Puccio and with him diuerse bands of souldiers to take possession of the Castles and Townes belonging to Gherardo But those people of Bagno being affectionate to the Florentines verie vnwillinglie promised their obedience to the Kings Commissaries Puccio hauing taken possession of all that state wanted onely to possesse himselfe of the fortresse of Corzano When Gherardo deliuered this possession there was present among many others one called Antonio Gualandi of Pisa a yong man verie valiant and such a one as was with the treason of Gherardo greatly discontented He considering the scite of the fortresses and finding by the countenance of those souldiers who guarded it that they were likewise displeased While Gherardo stood at the gate to let in the Kings souldiers Antonio came betwixt him and the Castle and with both his hands forcibly thrust him out commaunding the Guard to shut the gates against so wicked a Traytor and keepe the same to the vse of the Florentines This rumor being heard in the Vale of Bagno and other places neare vnto it all the people tooke armes against the King and followed the Florentines ensigne This matter aduertised to Florence the Florentines caused the sonne of Gherardo remaining with them in hostage to be put in prison and sent souldiers to Bagno to defend the countrey for them changing that gouernment from a principalitie into a Vicariato But Gherardo hauing thus betraied both his Lords and his owne sonne with great difficultie fled leauing his wife his daughter and his substance at the discretion of the enemy This accident stood the Florentines greatly in stead For if the King had possessed that Countrey he might with small charge and easily haue gotten the Vale of Teueri and spoiled Casentino whereby he should haue so much troubled the state that the Florentines could not haue bene able to encounter the forces of Arragon which remained at Siena The Florentines besides their owne preparation in Italy the rather to oppresse their enemies had sent Agnolo Acciaiuoili Embassador to the French King to perswade him to licence Rinato de Angio to come in the aide of the Duke and them By which meanes he should defend his friends and afterwards being in Italy attend the surprizing of the Kingdome whereunto they offered him aide both of men and money During the warres in Lombardy and in Toscana as is before said the Embassador concluded with King Rinato of Angio that before the end of Iune he should come into Italy with two thousand and foure hundred horse and that at his arriuall in Alessandria the League should giue him thirtie thousand Florins readie paiment and euery moneth after during the warres tenne thousand The King then by vertue of this league comming into Italy was by the Duke of Sauoia and the Marquesse of Monferato impeached for they being friends to the Venetians would not permit him to passe Whereupon the King was perswaded by the Embassador of Florence to returne to Prouenza with certaine of his army and from thence to passe into Italy by sea And on the other side to perswade with the French King to procure so much fauour of that Duke that the rest of his souldiers might come through Sauoia According to this counsell the matter was handled and the King Rinato went by Sea into Italy conueying the rest of his Army through Sauoia by the French Kings mediation The King Rinato was by the Duke Francesco most honorably receiued and hauing ioyned the Italian forces with the Kings they assaulted the Venetians with so great furie that within short space they recouered all those Townes in Cremonesi which they had before lost and not so content they surprized almost all the countrey of Brescia The Venetian army fearing to tarry in the field retired to the walles of Brescia But the winter being come the Duke thought good to withdraw his souldiers to their lodgings appointing for the Kings aboad the Cittie of Piacenza where he remained all that winter in the yeare 1453. without any other action performed So soone as the time of yeare serued and that the Duke was going to the field in hope to dispossesse the Venetians of the rest of their Countries vpon the firme land the King Rinato signified vnto him that of necessitie he was to returne into Fraunce This intention of the Kings seemed to the Duke not onely strange but also vnlooked for and therefore greatly offended him and albeit he went in person presently to disswade him yet neither his intreatie nor promises could take effect but onely promised to leaue behinde him part of his forces and to send his sonne Giouanni to supplie his place in seruice of the League This resolution grieued not the Florentines for they hauing recouered their Castles feared not the King any longer And on the other side they desired that the Duke should not recouer more then the townes in Lombrdy to him belonging The King Rinato being gone sent according to promise his sonne into Italy who stayed not in Lombardy but went presently vnto Florence where he was very honorably receiued The matter thus handled by the King did occasion the Duke to be content with peace and the Venetians Alfonso and the Florentines being likewise wearied desired the same The Pope also by all meanes laboured to bring it to passe bicause the same yeare Mahumetto the great Turk had taken Constantinople and made himselfe Lord of all Greece which victorie terrified greatly all Christians but chiefely the Venetians and the Pope who thought Italy was thereby in great danger The Pope therefore desired the Potentates of Italy to send Embassadors vnto him with authoritie to establish an vniuersall peace which commission was performed and notwithstanding that altogither they ioyned and seemed all to allow of the motion they found neuerthelesse therein great difficultie The King required that the Florentines should pay his charges in the warre past and the Florentines would be paid themselues The Venetians demaunded Cremona of the Duke and the Duke asked of them Bergamo Brescia and Crema so that these difficulties seemed impossible to be remoued notwithstanding that which at Rome seemed hard to be concluded at Milan and Venice prooued easie For when at Rome the peace vniuersall was practised the Duke and the Venetians betwixt themselues made an agreement on the ninth of Aprill in the yeare 1451. By vertue whereof euery of them should repossesse those townes which were theirs before the warre And it was graunted to the Duke that he might recouer his townes taken from him by the Lords of Monferato and Sauoia And to the other Princes of Italy one moneth was allowed to ratifie the same The Pope the Florētines the Sanesi and the lesser Potentates within the time appointed made their ratification
his treasure in euerie place of Europe did perticipate of his felicitie Also many excessiue rich houses in Florence had their beginning from him as Tornabuoni Benchi Portinari and Sassetti Besides all these euerie man depending vppon his counsell and fortune became wealthie And albeit that his building of Temples and giuing of almes was knowne throughout the world yet would he to his friends many times lament that he had not spent and bestowed so much to the honor of God but that he found himselfe still in his booke a debtor He was of meane stature in complexion browne and of presence venerable vnlearned yet eloquent and full of naturall wisedome friendlie to his friends and pittifull to the poore In conuersation he was frugall in counsell aduised in execution speedie in speech and answering wittie and graue Rinaldo de gli Albizi in the beginning of his exile sent him a message saying that the hen did sit whereunto Cosimo answered that she could neuer hatch being farre from her nest To other Rebels who sent him word they slept not he answered that he beleeued the same bicause there sleepe was taken from them Vnto the Pope Pio perswading Princes to take Armes against the Turke Cosimo said An old man taketh in hand a yong enterprise To the Embassadors of Venice who came with the messengers of Alfonso to complaine of the Florentines he shewed his head bare and asked of what colour it was they answered white Then he replying said that ere it belong your Senators will also haue white heads like vnto mine His wife a few houres before his death seeing him shut his eyes asked him for what cause he so did He answered to bring them in vse Some Citizens saying vnto him after his returne from exile that he hindered the Cittie and offended God in banishing so many honest men To them hee answered It was better to haue a Cittie hindered then lost and that the State was not defended with beades in mens hands Which words gaue his enemyes matter to speake euill of him as a man that loued himselfe more then his Countrey and that esteemed more this world then the world to come Many other sayings as things not necessarie I omit Cosimo was also a louer and preferrer of learned men for he brought vnto Florence Argiropolo a Grecian borne and in that time of singuler learning to the end that the youth of Florence might be by him instructed in the Greeke toong and other his good learnings He enterteyned in his house Marsilio Ficino a second father of the Philosophie of Plato and him he entirely loued Also to the end he might with commoditie exercise the studie of learning and more aptly vse his help therein he gaue him certaine land neare vnto his house of Careggi This his wisedome these his riches this manner of life and this fortune were the causes that in Florence he was both feared and loued and of the Princes not onely of Italy but also of all Europe esteemed so as he left vnto his posteritie such a foundation as they might with vertue equall him and in fortune farre excell him Whatsoeuer authoritie Cosimo had either in Florence or elsewhere in Christendome he deserued the same notwithstanding in the end of his life he had great sorrowes For of two onely sonnes Pietro and Giouanni the one of whome he had most hope dyed the other was continually sick and therefore vnable either for publique or priuate function In so much as his sonne being dead he caused him to be carried about the house and he following the Coarse sighed and saide this house is ouer great for so small a familie It also offended the greatnesse of his minde that he had not in his owne opinion inlarged the Florentine dominion with some honorable conquest And it grieued him the more knowing that Francesco Sforza had deceiued him who being but Earle promised that so soone as hee was possessed of Milan hee would winne the Cittie of Lucca for the Florentines Which was not performed bicause the Earle with his fortune changed his minde and being become Duke determined to enioy that state with peace which he had gotten by warre Therefore he would neither keepe touch with Cosimo nor any other neither would he after he was Duke make anie more warres then those that for his owne defence hee was enforced vnto Which grieued Cosimo greatly finding that he had endured great paines and spent much to aduance a man vnthankfull and perfidious Moreouer by the weaknesse of his bodie he found himselfe vnfit to follow either priuate or publique affaires whereby the one and the other miscarried Because the Citie was destroyed by the Citizens and his owne substance by his confidents and children consumed All these things in the later end of his age did greatly disquiet his minde Notwithstanding he died with glorie And all the principall Citizens and all the Christian Princes did condole his death with Pietro his sonne and accompanied his coarse to the Temple of S. Lorenzo where with great pompe it was buried and by publique consent was written vpon his Tombe Pater Patriae If in this discourse of Cosimo I haue imitated those which haue written the liues of Princes and not those which write vniuersall histories let no man marueile thereat For hee being a rare man in our Citie deserued I should affoard him extraordinary commendation In those dayes that Florence and Italy stood in the conditions aforesaide Lewes King of France was with greeuous warres assaulted For the Lords of his owne Countrey assisted by the Dukes of Bretagne and Burgogne made the war so great vpon the King that he had no meane to aide the Duke Giouanni de Angio in his enterprise of Genoua and the kingdome But iudging that he had neede of ayd whatsoeuer he gaue the Citie of Sauona then in his hand and kept by French men to Francesco Duke of Milan letting him vnderstand that if he so pleased he might also with his fauour assault Genoua Which offer was accepted by Francesco and either through the reputation of the Kings friendship or the fauour of the Adorni he became Lord of Genoua Then to declare himselfe thankfull for the benefit receiued of the King he sent into France to the Kings aide a thousand fiue hundreth horse conducted by Galiazzo his eldest sonne Thus Ferrando of Aragon and Francesco Sforza were become the one Duke of Lombardy and Prince of Genoua the other King of all the kingdome of Naples And hauing married their children the one to the other they deuised by what meanes they might during their liues maintaine their countries with securitie and after their deaths so leaue the same to their heires For which purpose they thought it necessarie that the King should assure himselfe of those Barons which in the war of Giouanni de Angio had disobeyed him and that the Duke should endeuour himselfe to extinguish those that had bene brought vp in the warres by
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