to Your Magnificence in these last days about the affair at Rimini,
because I was sure you would hear of it from diverse sides, and that
the Illustrious League would take proper steps. But as I neither see
nor hear that the Illustrious League has made any sign of life and
considering the great injury to us, to the friends of the League, and
to yourself, which will be occasioned in the future, I am moved to
note it and to impart my thoughts to Your Magnificence; although I
do not esteem myself of sufficient capacity to write such notes. But
anxiety, and devotion to the Illustrious League, and the love I bear
Your Magnificence induce me to warn you. I have also written this my
opinion to H.E. the Duke, and should have done the same to H.M. the
King, only the road is long and our messengers pass with difficulty;
also I thought Your Magnificence would have sent the news from there.
Your Magnificence must have heard that the Signoria of Venice has
again made an alliance with our Lord the Pope, _et inter alia_ has
promised to send, whenever he demands them, 4000 horse and 3000
foot-soldiers into Romagna. From good authority I hear that the Pope
has just asked for them, and that the Signoria is arming them and has
ordered His Magnificence Ercole [Duke of Ferrara], the Lords of Carpi
and of Mirandola, to hold themselves in readiness to march; and that
yesterday they were to receive their pay. Also I hear that bridges
are being thrown across the Po near Ravenna, for the passage of the
troops of the Signoria of Venice, and that the picked squadrons and
Antonello da la Corna were advancing to meet these others. What all
these preparations mean I leave to the judgment of Your Magnificence.
I can only imagine that the Pope and the Signoria of Venice intend to
occupy Arimino and the rest of Romagna and then Bologna. Should Rimini
fall this will probably happen, and where Bologna and Imola would be
Your Magnificence and the League may, like prudent men, calculate.
He who does not put a stop to such beginnings will spend a hundred
instead of one, and God grant things may go well. I therefore beg and
entreat Your Magnificence to succour little Arimino in order that the
wound may not fester and increase in such wise that none can heal it.
The Illustrious League must not allow its friends to lose courage and
faith, else the end will be our perdition. To me it seems this is not
a moment for losing time. Your Magnificence must remember that the
Pope and the Signoria of Venice have been preparing this for a long
time, otherwise the Pope would not have spent so much money, a thing
quite against his nature. Had the move been only against Arimino;
but it is more especially against Bologna and the rest of Romagna,
and more considerable events may follow. I commend myself to Your
Magnificence.--June 17, 1469.
Johannes di Bentivolis.[139]
A few weeks after his wedding Lorenzo had to leave his bride and
undertake an embassy to Milan. A son had been born on June 20th to
Galeazzo, Duke of Milan, and Piero de’ Medici was asked to stand
sponsor to the child. He was too ill to travel, and “somewhat
unwillingly,” he confesses, sent Lorenzo to act as his proxy. The
embassy went by Prato, Pistoja, Lucca, and Pietrasanta to Sarzana,
which town and district had been recently purchased by Pietro and
added to the Florentine dominions. Thence the company travelled by
Pontremoli to Milan. The preparations for the journey were evidently
on too magnificent a scale to please the cautious father, and we find
him complaining to his wife Lucrezia in a less affectionate tone than
usual. The following three letters refer to the journey. To it also
belongs the passage in Lorenzo’s _Ricordi_ or memoranda, in which he
states that Sforza proposed that he should stand godfather to all his
other children.
Piero de’ Medici _at Careggi to_ Lucrezia _his wife in Florence_
Thou knowest how unwilling I was for many reasons, particularly in
order not to give any importance to this mission, to allow Lorenzo
to go. Yesterday we agreed about this, but I have not heard what
thou hast done; it has been much talked about, which displeases me.
Herewith I repeat that they must be here this evening and start
_infallanter_ to-morrow morning. If they do not, I shall arrange in
some other way. Meanwhile see that everything is ready, and tell
Lorenzo that he is not to exceed his orders, or to make any great
show;[140] he is not an ambassador. I am determined that the gosling
shall not lead the gander to drink. Make haste, for thou must return
here without fail this evening. No more.--Careggi, July 13, 1469.
Piero di Cosimo.[141]
Gentile Becchi _to_ Clarice de’ Medici
_Magnifica Domina_, &c.
Your Magnificence commanded me to send you news of your Magnificent
Lorenzo every eight days. I now begin to recount the first week. As
you will have heard from Francesco Nori and Gugliemo de’ Pazzi, after
leaving you in the early morning we arrived at Prato during the cool.
He dined with the Protonotary of the Medici, together with the Podestà
of the place, his own people and Giuliano. There was some wind when we
left about the 20th hour [4 P.M.], and he reached Pistoja on Friday
evening, being met by several citizens of the town. He dismounted at
the Bishop’s palace, as a messenger had said that Monsignore expected
him. Having saluted the Bishop he went, while the luggage was being
unloaded, to visit the two governors (_Rettori_), the Captain and
the Podestà of the town, who were all invited by the Bishop to keep
him company at supper. Four citizens came on behalf of the Priors to
excuse themselves in the name of the townspeople, that on account of
his unexpected arrival they had not, &c. &c., and begged him with
affectionate words that on his return, &c. On Saturday he mounted at
nine in the morning, and dined at Pescia with the governor, Baptista
Nasi, there being no better inn; the heads of the Commune came to
pay their respects, and presented wine, marzipan (cakes made with
sweet almonds), and corn, and some private citizens did the same.
After resting in the house of the Grand Master of Altopascio, who
had accompanied him for dinner, he left at 20 of the clock, and met
several chief citizens who had come to do him honour in their houses.
Passing through Lucca at 23 of the clock, he dismounted at the inn
della Corona,[142] outside the town on the Pisan road, intending to
leave the next morning (Sunday). But after supper came six citizens of
Lucca, with torches and servants of the Signoria, and finding Lorenzo
on the square in the cool receiving visits from private acquaintances
Paolo Trenta and Piero Guidiccioni addressed him, complaining that he
had not deigned to dismount in a city where he was so welcome and had
such influence, but had gone outside, and then in a long oration they
prayed him to wait until the Signoria had, &c. &c. Lorenzo replied
that to see them, whom he reverenced as fathers, gave him patience to
undertake these visits, and perceiving that he was expected to reply
in person he would put off his departure until after dinner, and next
morning would come and demonstrate his affection towards the Signoria.
Messer Niccolò da Noceto, Paolo di Poggio, and many other citizens
came on Sunday morning to fetch him, and placing him first in their
midst, and then Bernardo Rucellai, and then the Chancellor, they
accompanied him to mass in the chapel of the Volto Santo, and then to
the Signoria, where he spoke so fluently and so well that he drew to
himself the hearts of all the people. When he returned presents began
to arrive, torches, large and small, marzipan, boxes of sweetmeats,
and wine. He thanked, bestowed gifts, kept a few of the gentlemen
to dinner, spread out his silver, and as some showed symptoms of
moving the wind having risen, he left before the time fixed; yet
many of the citizens rode after him, and insisted on accompanying
him and talking much. On the way he rested at Chiesa, Mazzarosa, and
Capezzano, all very pretty places. At Pietrasanta he arrived at 23 of
the clock, and lodged at the inn of the Campana outside, for it is an
untrustworthy town; S. George had not much faith in S. Zita.[143] But
the governor, who is a gentleman from Fiesco, sent to offer to pay his
respects, and to do anything in his power. He saw him, thanked, and
then, accompanied by all those men who could not take their eyes off
him, supped with some of the citizens under an arbour; the place is
beautiful with the sea in front and fertile plains behind. At 8 of
the clock he mounted and rode sixteen miles most gaily. Under Monte
Tignoso he met an envoy of the Magnificent Marquess of Fosdinovo, who
invited him in the name of his master, and at Lavenza, or a little
before reaching Luni, the Marquess Gabriello himself, who conducted
him to his house at Sarzana. On dismounting he visited the governor
who rules here for the Florentines, then we dined, and after resting
a little went to see Sarzanella, which seen from the castle seemed to
him a good purchase.[144] When he had supped he went to visit Messer
Francesco, ducal Cameriere, who lives out of the town, and finding
him ill provided for supper, he supplied him bountifully. To-morrow
he goes to dine at Villa Franca, and in the evening will be at
Pontremoli. The journey has been so arranged that he will be at Milan
on Saturday, and after fulfilling his Magnificent father’s commission
he will return at once to you who are the only one he regrets being
absent from. He is very well and gay, and so is Bernardo.[145] Tell
Nannina this. Our party is as when we left all good friends and
obedient; we have had no drawbacks, for not even a nail is wanting. We
have had no delays or frauds. All goes well and happily: please God we
shall find you the same, to whom we all commend ourselves.--The 18th
day of July 1469.[146]
Lorenzo de’ Medici _to his wife_ Clarice
I have arrived here safely and am well. I am sure this will please
thee more than any other news save that of my return, judging by my
own feelings of longing for thee and for home. Make much of Piero,
Mona Contessina, and Mona Lucrezia; I shall hasten to finish here and
return to thee, for it seems to me a thousand years since I saw thee.
Pray to God for me, and if thou wantest aught from here let me know,
so be I have not already left Milan.--July 22, 1469.
Thy Lorenzo de’ Medici.[147]
In Lorenzo’s _Ricordi_ he writes: “In the month of July MCDLXIX I went
to Milan at the request of the most illustrious Duke Galeazzo to stand
godfather, as proxy for Piero our father, to his first-born child. I
was received with much honour, more so than the others who came for
the same purpose, although they were persons more worthy than I. We
paid our duty to the Duchess by presenting her with a necklace of gold
with a large diamond, which cost near 2000 ducats. The consequence was
that the said Lord desired that I should stand godfather to all his
children.”[148]
Lorenzo de’ Medici, _from Monza_, _to his father_ Piero _in Florence_
Being here at Monza with His Excellency, he wishes me to write to you
about sending aid to Arimino, and begs you to arrange that Signor
Roberto [Malatesta] with his troop should join the Duke of Urbino. As
I know that Messer Luigi is writing fully about this I say no more,
and all being in his hands I should not have mentioned it but for His
Lordship’s orders. You will see what I write to Sagromora about being
careful of your own person, so that nothing unforeseen should happen.
It is well to give ear to all, though I do not think the danger is as
great as it seems. Still it is better to be prudent, and to imagine
danger may be greater than it really is.
I have taken leave of His Excellency, and this evening go to Milan,
where I shall spend all to-morrow. On Monday, if it pleases God, I
leave by way of Genoa, as after talking to His Lordship he thought it
a good plan. I expect to stay two or three days in Genoa and to be
with you on the 13th or at the latest the 14th of August. Meanwhile I
commend myself to you.--Moncia [Monza], July 28, 1469.
Your Lorenzo.[149]
In the autumn of 1469 Piero de’ Medici was very ill, partly no doubt
from anxiety about the state of Florence, “grievously troubled by
her own citizens.” He summoned the chief burghers to his bedside,
reproached them in the bitter words cited by Machiavelli, and
threatened that he would cause them to repent. Fair words in plenty
they gave him, but never changed their evil courses. “Whereupon,”
continues Machiavelli, “Piero called Agnolo Acciaiuoli secretly to
Caffagiuolo and conferred at length with him about the condition of
the city. There is no doubt that had he not been prevented by death he
would have reinstated all those who had been banished in order to put a
stop to the robbery of the others. But death put an end to these most
praiseworthy intentions. Tormented by increasing infirmity and anguish
of mind, he died in the fifty-third year of his age. His country could
not fully recognise his worth and his goodness, because until nearly
the end of his life he was associated with his father Cosimo, and the
few years during which he survived him were passed in civil contests
and constant illness.” Piero died at Careggi on December 2, 1469, and
was buried in S. Lorenzo, near his father.
[Illustration: LORENZO DI PIERO DE’ MEDICI.
_In the Museo Giovio (Villa Soave, Como)._]
FOOTNOTES:
[87] _Delle Istorie Fiorentine_, Niccolò Machiavelli, pp. 410 _et seq._
Milano, 1823.
[88] _Cosmi Vita_, op. cit. ii. 286.
[89] This document is undated, but was in all probability given in 1464.
[90] _Laurentii Medicis Magnifici Vita_, Angelo Fabronio, ii. 117.
Pisis, 1784.
[91] Palatina Codex 204. The volume bound in white vellum contains 622
pages. There is no title-page. Lorenzo’s letter occupies the first six
and a half pages, and without any division or new paragraph follows the
Life of Dante by Boccaccio, in the same handwriting. At page 63 the
writing changes and continues the same for forty pages. The poems were
evidently copied by various scribes, as the writing so often differs.
[92] Codex 2723. A far smaller volume in modern wooden binding. The
title-page is: _Rime del Poliziano, di Lorenzo de’ Medici, di Dante e
d’altri_. The famous letter begins on page 71 (really 142, as only the
right-hand page is numbered) and above it is written in a different and
more modern hand in red ink, _Epistola di M. Angelo Poliziano al S.
Federigo insieme con raccolto volgare mandatogli dal Magco. Lorenzo_.
The same scribe has written the names of the various poets in the
margin of the letter where they are mentioned in red ink. The Life
of Dante by Boccaccio and many of the poems that are in the Palatina
Codex are wanting. At page 78 (_i.e._ 156) the handwriting changes,
and at the end of the volume is inserted a Latin autograph letter from
Poliziano to Philippu Beroaldus. In 1814 the Abbate Vincenzo Nannucci
and Luigi Ciampolini published a collection of Poliziano’s poems and
at the end printed Lorenzo’s letter, attributing it to Poliziano. They
were evidently misled by the anonymous annotator of this codex. The
attribution to Poliziano is absurd, as he was then barely fourteen
years of age, and only knew Lorenzo in 1470, when he sent him a
translation of part of the Iliad (see p. 157).
[93] _Renaissance in Italy_, J. A. Symonds, iv. 323. Smith, Elder, &
Co., London, 1898.
[94] Manager of the Medici Bank at Milan.
[95] Ippolita Maria, daughter of Francesco Sforza, was married by proxy
to the Duke of Calabria, eldest son of King Ferrante of Naples.
[96] Gugliemo de’ Pazzi, husband of Piero’s daughter Bianca.
[97] _Arch. Med. ante Prin._, Filza xx. No. 12.
[98] The address is torn, and there only remains:
... entio de Medicis
... ediolani.
(_Arch. Med. ante Prin._, Filza. 20, No. 157.)
[99] Don Federigo and his sister-in-law, Ippolita Maria.
[100] _Arch. Med. ante Prin._, Filza xx. No. 15.
[101] A long balustrade of stone raised several feet above the Piazza,
with steps leading up to it, which once occupied the front of the
Palazzo Vecchio to the left of the door. The erection was decreed on
May 27, 1323, of “_unam nobilem, pulchram et decentem arengheriam, in
muris seu juxta muros Palatii Populi in eo loco seu parte dicti palati
ubi videbitur officia dominorum priorum_.”
[102] Luigi Pulci was born in Florence on August 15, 1432, of Jacopo
Pulci and Brigida de’ Bardi. His brothers Luca and Bernardo were also
poets. and Bernardo’s wife Antonia was a poetess of some repute. Luca
went into trade but failed, and died in gaol in 1470, leaving his widow
and children dependent on his brothers. Luigi, an intimate friend of
the Medici family, wrote _La Giostra_ (sometimes attributed to his
brother Luca) to celebrate the tournament held by Lorenzo de’ Medici
in honour of the marriage of Braccio Martelli, but really of Lucrezia
Donati just before his marriage with Clarice Orsini. The poem _Driades_
was first published under the pseudonym of Lucio Pulcro in Florence in
1479, but the later editions bear his name. His greatest work, less
read than it deserves, _Morgante Maggiore_, was, as Mr. Armstrong says,
a growth rather than a composition. Stanzas were recited at table,
and Lucrezia de’ Medici urged him to collect them into an epic poem.
Besides being a poet, Luigi Pulci was an acute and clever politician,
often employed by Lorenzo in missions to foreign courts. He died in
1484, probably at Padua whilst on the road to Venice.
[103] _Lettere di Luigi Pulci a Lorenzo il Magnifico_, Nelle Nozze
della Volpe Zambrini, p. 6. Salvatore Bonghi, Lucca, 1868.
[104] _Laurentii Medicis Vita_, op. cit. ii. 47.
[105] _Laurentii Medicis Vita_, op. cit. ii. 49.
[106] Ibid., ii. 36.
[107] _Laurentii Medicis Vita_, op. cit. ii. 36.
[108] Probably Tanai, son of Vieri de’ Medici.
[109] _Lettere di Luigi Pulci_, op. cit., p. 26. The _Palle_ are the
balls in the Medici arms, and the people saluted the Medici by shouting
“_Palle, Palle_.”
[110] Her own daughters.
[111] _Tre Letter di Lucrezia Tornabuoni a Piero de’ Medici_, Ricordo
di Nozze, Cesare Guasti. Firenze, 1859.
[112] Gentile Becchi, tutor to Lorenzo and Giuliano, afterwards Bishop
of Arezzo.
[113] _Lucrezia Tornabuoni, Donna di Piero de’ Medici_, Studio da G.
Levantini-Pieroni. Firenze, 1888.
[114] _Arch. Med. Miscellanea_, p. 6.
[115] Illegible.
[116] _Lucrezia Tornabuoni_, &c., _op. cit._
[117] Ibid., Filza lxxx.
[118] Daughter of Agnolo Acciaiuoli, married to Pier Francesco de’
Medici.
[119] _Archivio_, &c., Filza xxi. No. 55.
[120] _Lucrezia Tornabuoni_, &c., _op. cit._
[121] Luigi Pulci’s brother.
[122] In the Mugello where Luigi Pulci owned a small property.
[123] _Lettere di Luigi Pulci_, op. cit. 31.
[124] Ibid.
[125] _Tre Lettere di Lucrezia_, &c., _op. cit._
[126] _Tre Lettere di Lucrezia Tornabuoni_, op. cit.
[127] _La Fidanzata di Lorenzo de’ Medici_, per nozze Bondi-Levi.
Isidoro Del Lungo, 8th July 1897.
[128] _La Giostra di Lorenzo de’ Medici_, erroneously attributed by
many writers to his brother Luca.
[129] _Tre Lettere di Lucrezia_, &c., _op. cit._ Rinaldo Orsini was
afterwards Archbishop of Florence.
[130] Ibid.
[131] _Laurentii Medicis Vita_, &c., vol. ii. p. 39.
[132] A Tuscan white wine still much prized.
[133] Donatello’s David. It was placed in the courtyard of the Palazzo
Vecchio after the expulsion of Piero de’ Medici in 1494 and is now in
the Bargello.
[134] _Tela di Renza_, or _Rensa_, so-called because it came from
Rheims in France.
[135] The illegitimate son of Cosimo, canon of the cathedral of
Florence.
[136] Gentile Becchi of Urbino, tutor to Lorenzo and Giuliano de’
Medici, afterwards Bishop of Arezzo.
[137] _Delle Nozze di Lorenzo de’ Medici con Clarice Orsini nel 1469.
Informazione di Piero Parenti Fiorentino_, per le Nozze di Florestano
ed Elisa dei Conti di Larderel. In Firenze, 1870.
[138] _Donne Medicee avanti il Principato_, Berta Felice, Rassegna
Nazionale.
[139] A. Fabronio, _Laurentii Medicis Magnifici Vita_, Annotationes et
Monumenta, p. 45. Pisis, 1784.
In _Memoirs of Dukes of Urbino_, by J. Dennistoun, vol. i. p. 186,
is the following passage: “Federigo’s [of Urbino] condotta in the
papal service had just expired, leaving him free to consult the
dictates of policy, his views as to which were stated in an appeal
to Pietro de’ Medici on behalf of Rimini, in words which may almost
be deemed prophetic. ‘I am constrained to believe that the Pontiff
and the Venetian Signory intend to occupy Rimini and all Romagna, and
eventually Bologna too. Rimini once lost, the rest will readily follow,
and your lordship and the league may easily suppose where Bologna and
Imola would then be. Those who will not resist such projects at first
may have afterwards to pay a hundredfold, and God grant that it be to
good purpose.’” Edited by Edward Hutton. John Lane, London, 1909.
It is a curious coincidence that Bentivoglio and Federigo of Urbino
should use almost identical words, unless Dennistoun has made a mistake
about the writer.
[140] _Non fare tante melarancie_ (Not make so many oranges): an old
proverb.
[141] _Arch. Med. ante Prin._, Avi, No. i. 474.
[142] The inn still exists.
[143] S. George is the patron saint of Pietrasanta, S. Zita a favourite
saint in Lucca.
[144] Sarzana and Sarzanella had been bought the year before by Piero
de’ Medici from Lodovico di Campo Fregoso. They were valuable to
Florence as Sarzana commanded the direct road from Milan to Florence
which near there lay between the mountains and the sea. An invasion
from the north was thus rendered difficult, while an attack on Lucca
could be carried out without fear of her allies being able to come
swiftly to her help. Sarzanella, the fine fortress built by the great
Lucchese Ghibelline, Castruccio Castrocane, in its turn commanded
Sarzana.
[145] Bernardo Rucellai, husband of Lorenzo’s sister Nannina.
[146] _Laurentii Medicis Vita_, op. cit. ii. 54.
[147] Ibid., ii. 56.
[148] See p. 153, Lorenzo’s _Ricordi_.
[149] _Arch. Med. ante Prin._, Filza. vii. No. 411.
LORENZO DI PIERO DE’ MEDICI
(1450-1492)
Lorenzo de’ Medici, whose wonderful personality still has the power
to excite bitter hatred and an almost passionate admiration, was
a marvellously many-sided man. Marsilio Ficino said he possessed
the three endowments called “graces” by Orpheus, splendour,
light-heartedness, and rejuvenescence--splendour of intellect,
light-heartedness in resolution, and a continual renewal of youth in
person and in fortune. He was not twenty-one when his father died,
worn out by bodily suffering, but Lorenzo had been his right hand for
years, had been sent to represent him at foreign courts, and had seen
more of the world than most men of double his age. He and his younger
brother Giuliano received the education of princes rather than of the
sons of a merchant. Gentile Becchi of Urbino, a man of unblemished
life and considerable learning, was their tutor, Landino taught them
Italian literature, Argyropoulos Greek, and Marsilio Ficino Platonic
philosophy. They had also evidently been taught good manners, as Cambi,
who never misses an opportunity to decry the Medici, tells us that when
Lorenzo was with a citizen older than himself he always gave him the
place of honour on his right. Above all, the two lads had the example
and the teaching of their mother Lucrezia, a woman of strong good sense
and genuine piety, who possessed a sunny nature, that rare gift humour,
and a marked poetical temperament. From early childhood she sent
Lorenzo to the meetings of the confraternity of S. Paolo, where men
met for vigil and prayer, and after the services Messer Gentile by her
orders made him distribute alms to the poor. When the boy was thirteen
Gentile wrote to his father: “Lorenzo is well, your absence is ever
before him. We are well advanced in Ovid and also in Justinian, four
books of history and fables. You need not ask how he delights in these
studies. His conduct is excellent, and he is very obedient.”