France by his own free will had given to our Giovanni the Abbey of
Fonte Dolce. On the 31st we heard from Rome that the Pope had ratified
this and declared him capable of holding benefices, being seven
years of age, and had created him a Protonotary. On the 1st June our
Giovanni came from Poggio [a Caiano] and I with him. On his arrival
he was confirmed by our Monsignore of Arezzo [Gentile Becchi] who
gave him the tonsure, and thereafter he was called Messer Giovanni.
These ceremonies took place in our own chapel, and in the evening
we returned to Poggio. On the 8th June Jacopino, the courier from
France, arrived about twelve of the clock with letters from the king,
who has bestowed on our Messer Giovanni the Archbishopric of Aix en
Provence, and after vespers the man was despatched to Rome about this
business, with letters from the King of France to the Pope and the
Cardinal of Macon, and to Count Girolamo, to whom we sent at the same
hour letters by the courier Zenino to Forlì. God grant that all will
be well.
On the 11th Zenino returned from the Count with letters for the Pope
and the Cardinal of S. Giorgio, and we forwarded them to Rome by the
Milan post. God grant that all will be well. On the same day after
Mass in the chapel the daughters and sons of the house were confirmed,
with the exception of Messer Giovanni.
On the 15th, at six in the evening, came letters from Rome saying that
the Pope raised difficulties about giving the archbishopric to Messer
Giovanni on account of his youth, and the courier was at once sent on
to the King of France.
On the 20th came news from Lionetto that the Archbishop was not dead.
On March 1, 1484 (1485), the Abbot of Pasignano died and we at once
sent off an express messenger to Messer Giovanni d’Antonio Vespucci,
our ambassador at Rome, to do all he could to obtain this abbey for
our Messer Giovanni. On the 2nd we took possession of the estate under
the seal of the Signoria, by reason of the reservation made by Pope
Sixtus to our Messer Giovanni, confirmed by Innocent during the visit
of our Piero to Rome to do obeisance.[158]
Agnolo Poliziano _to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici
Magnificent Lorenzo, to whom heaven has given charge of the city and
the State, first citizen of Florence, doubly crowned with bays lately
for war in S. Croce amid the acclamations of the people [alluding to
the tournament] and for poetry on account of the sweetness of your
verses, give ear to me who drinking at Greek sources am striving to
set Homer into Latin metre. This second book which I have translated
(you know we have the first by Messer Carlo d’ Arezzo)[159] comes to
you and timidly crosses your threshold. If you welcome it I propose to
offer to you all the Iliad. It rests with you, who can, to help the
poet. I desire no other muse or other Gods but only you; by your help
I can do that of which the ancients would not have been ashamed. May
it please you therefore at your leisure to give audience to Homer.
The young translator, if assailed by a Zoilus, commends himself to
you.--Your servant,
Agnolo Poliziano, 1470.[160]
Lorenzo, poet and fine critic, at once sent for the youth, installed
him in his palace in Via Larga and bade him continue his work. This is
the first letter Poliziano wrote to Lorenzo.[161]
The following letter to Contessina, Lorenzo’s grandmother, written
in 1471 when Lorenzo and five other eminent Florentine citizens went
to Rome to pay their respects to the newly elected Pontiff, shows how
men turned to the Medici for aid, and that the women of the family had
more influence than is generally supposed. Sixtus IV. named Lorenzo
treasurer to the Holy See and gave him the two busts mentioned in his
_Ricordi_. He was also able to buy many fine medals, cameos, &c., as
the Pope knew nothing and cared less about art, and only thought of
turning the collection made by Paul II. into money. It was probably
during this visit that the nomination of Giuliano de’ Medici to the
cardinalate was broached, and Sixtus and Lorenzo, who were afterwards
implacable foes, parted the best of friends.
The next letter is from the poet Luigi Pulci who was sent to treat
with King Ferrante about establishing a branch of the Medici bank at
Naples, but in order not to arouse the jealousy of the Duke of Milan he
ostensibly went to get fine horses. The King gave him two for Lorenzo,
but turned a deaf ear to the gentle hints about allowing Garetto,
probably a stud groom, to enter Lorenzo’s service. Soon after Pulci’s
return he accompanied Clarice to Rome for the marriage of one of her
brothers, which was however put off.
A. Alexander di Conio _to_ Contessina de’ Medici
Magnificent and noble Lady,--It is a usual thing when in need to
address those in whom one has firm faith. Having therefore heard that
the Magnificent Lorenzo has been named ambassador to His Sanctity our
Holy Father, and having two sons of nearly the same age who are only
desirous to do what is pleasing to you, I send one to you, praying
with all my heart that it may please him to take the lad with him as
his page, or attendant, or relation, or in any position he chooses.
And as there is no recommendation like a mother’s I send him to you,
beseeching you in God’s name to arrange that he should, if possible,
take him instead of some stranger. If he be already provided, then
may it please you to give him to your Giuliano or to whomso else you
think fit, so that he may acquire some knowledge by your help, for
he is apt: if he remains here he will learn nothing. I grieve to give
you so much trouble, but I grieve more to see him anxious to learn
and not to be able to help him, save through your being moved to take
compassion on him. I beg you for the love of God not to abandon him,
for he has a good nature and a desire to do well, and God in His grace
will repay you for me. I know you are aware of my condition and so do
not recall it to you; have no regard for his nobility, if you cannot
place him as I said, he will always be well pleased. I give him to you
entirely, and as you would accept a dog as a gift you can accept a
human creature who is more faithful. I entreat you to deal with him in
every way according to your wishes.
May God Almighty preserve and keep you in happiness.--In Conio, on the
2nd day of September 1471.
A. Alexander di Conio.
Luigi Pulci _to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici _at Florence_
_Magnifice et generose vir et major honorande_, &c.--I know not if
thou hast received my two letters from Naples. By the replies I
doubt it, and therefore repeat some portions. In the last I told
thee that H.M. the King, hearing that thy liking for his Fals’ Amico
and Abruzzese still continued, has decided to send them both.[162]
I know this because as soon as I returned to Naples the other day
Count Matalona said to Gostino Billiotti, who went to see his garden,
“Our Lord the King has ordered two fine horses to be sent to your
Magnificent Lorenzo, and says if he wishes for others he is to say
so, for finding that he takes pleasure in them, the King intends to
keep him supplied, and that nothing would give him greater pleasure
than to be asked for others, or for anything else.” We thanked him,
and also sent thanks to H.M. the King, adding that the sooner they
were sent the more welcome they would be. Yesterday we saw the Count
again, and he told us that Messer Antonio Cicinello was to take the
horses: he is to leave in two days, and to go to thee as ambassador.
So the horses will be there in twelve days, and as I think thou wilt
like them I am well pleased. In Rome I heard from Garetto that thy
wish is to take him into thy service, so we have dropped gentle hints
of this to H.M. the King, and now let them work. Messer Marino has
done this skilfully, but the drum must not be beaten too hard, for he
has been more glad to give thee these horses than thou art to have
them. During these last days he talked of thee for several hours with
Garetto in the presence of the Count and asked much about Giuliano,
what he was like and what were his favourite pursuits. He showed such
a desire to see him that one of these days thou wilt have to grant him
permission to come here, where he will be received with such pleasure,
and with so much honour, that all at home will be astonished: I am not
exaggerating. Thou canst believe me as thou knowest, and when I return
I will tell thee things that will please thee.
Hadst thou done as I said, and written a line, thou wouldest have
had Garetto. Certes thou hast not done this, but we will do what we
can; he never tires praising thee, and wishes to live and die in thy
service.
A large army is being collected here against the Turks, but the King’s
ambassador writes that he has small hope of any help from thee. I
trust God may convert thee during Lent, and cause thee to behave as
a Christian. I shall soon be with thee. My poor Bernardo has I know
need of thine aid at the _Monte_ about his dower, which cost us 5 per
cent. with the sister-in-law who appeared to be our friend, Luca’s
dower.[163] Bernardo is timid by nature, and not enterprising like me;
so I pray thee to give him the help he asks if thou canst.
All thy doings are much discussed here, with us thou art in good
hands, and above all thou art the darling of our Lord the King. May
God preserve thee. I commend myself to thee.--Naples, February 27,
1471 (1472).
To Giuliano and to all I commend myself and send greetings. Written in
haste.
Put Dionigi on Abruzzese, so that he may, like Francesco de’ Pazzi,
regain his lady’s love; but do not keep him shut up as on the day of
S. John.
_Post Scriptum._--The Duke has told Gostino that the horses are to
leave to-morrow with one of his own men, who will not be Garetto; but
early in the morning I will try whether by means of Count Matalona it
cannot be arranged. A handsome and good horse, much admired here, is
also being sent for our Gugliemo de’ Pazzi, who will be pleased.[164]
Commend me to him.
Thy Luigi Pulci.[165]
Clarice de’ Medici _to her husband_ Lorenzo
_Magnifice vir et coniux amantissime_,--By the present you will know
what has occurred since we left. The first evening we reached Figline
and stayed at S. Cerbone with Giovanni d’Antonio, who received us with
great honour, and treated us with still more, as did the women of
his family and some of his sisters-in-law. Then by his and Filippo’s
advice, after a rest at Levane, on the second evening we arrived at
Arezzo, and Morello--that is, Antonio da Pantaneto--greeted us with
such honour that we were much moved. We were visited by the Captain
and the Podestà and those of the Commune with such things as they
deemed would do us honour, and at our arrival and departure we were
accompanied by many men of worth with diverse instruments. Before
starting, the Podestà of Castiglione sent a special messenger, and
begged and entreated us to dine the following morning with him, which
we did with the more pleasure as we heard he was much attached to
your Magnificence. Then we were visited by those of the Commune, and
this evening we shall be in Cortona with the Captain, who hearing from
Braccio of our arrival sent as far as Castiglione to meet us. Here we
have been received with joyous faces and great honour by the Captain
and the Commune. We shall continue our journey with gladness, as we
have done till now, if by your letter we hear that you have commended
us to Mona Contessina and Mona Lucrezia, and that my Lucrezia and
Piero are well. Commend me to Bianca and Nannina. If you have any news
which you deem it is not necessary to keep secret we pray you not to
consider it too much trouble to write me a line: it would give us
great pleasure. No more at present.--April 24, 1472.[166]
Clarice.
Luigi Pulci _to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici
Ardito will have given thee my letter from Sabina. From thence we
went for some days to Monte Rotondo,[167] and were received with much
honour. Yesterday we entered Rome in pomp with about eighty horse.
Our Madonna Clarice does thee great honour everywhere, and much is
paid to her. In two days I shall return to the Marches, and then to
thee. According to my idea the stay here will be short--I mean thy
wife’s--for as thou knowest the wedding is put off. In this case we
only lose time and reputation, besides which Lucrezina and Pierino
draw us back to them like magnets. Thou wouldst do well to advise a
quick return. Whenever great personages, men or women, stay for long
in one place they are pestered and taken as targets. Besides, some of
us will be useful to thee for the feast of S. Giovanni; more than a
year has passed since the last, and I know that without us things will
lag. Enough that if I have the hope that as usual _festaiuoli_[168]
are to be appointed, I shall whisper something into the ear of one of
them that will delight him. I rather wonder at thy letting this feast
pass with so little recognition, being so good a citizen and lover of
thy country, whose protector is S. Giovanni; we should therefore do
him honour. If by any mischance we are not back in time, thou wilt see
how ill they get on without us. I have said enough to be understood,
believe in one who has sharp eyes and can speak the truth. Send for
us. We take the road by Siena, and shall look out for falls, but at
last we shall arrive triumphantly.
To-day there is strange news from Volterra. They say H.M. the King
[of Naples] has sent word to the Count of Urbino that he is to march
and do what he can. All the follies I said unfortunately turn out to
be prophecies. Now act so that things may go well. Monsignor of Pavia
speaks only of thee. If I understand anything he is thy true friend.
No more. Farewell.--Rome, May 6, 1472.
Thy Luigi Pulci.[169]
Lorenzo de’ Medici _to_ Sixtus IV.[170]
_Sanctissime et Beatissime Pater_,--To avoid troubling your Beatitude
I have written to Giovanni Tornabuoni and told him to talk with you
about the long-standing desire of our house to have a Cardinal.
Although I have such entire faith in Your Sanctity that I am sure it
is needless again to solicit what was so freely promised, nevertheless
as there is a report that Cardinals are soon to be created I thought
it best to remind your Beatitude of this our desire; supplicating
with all humility that to our other everlasting obligations your
Beatitude will deign to add this one, which will be the greatest and
the most prized, as Giovanni will explain. I beg Your Beatitude to
accord him the same confidence as though I was speaking with Your
Holiness, at whose feet I commend myself and my affairs with all
humility.--Florence, November 21, 1472. _Humilis Servus_,
Laurentius de Medicis.[171]
The following letter was written after Lorenzo’s visit to Volterra. The
city had rebelled against Florence in consequence of a dispute between
a company in which Florentine shareholders were interested, and the
Commune of Volterra about an alum mine. The Commune alleged that the
lease was illegal and seized the mine, whereupon the company appealed
to the Signoria of Florence. Volterra had already, in 1429, attempted
to rise against the imposition of the _catasto_, and the Florentines
now determined to take severe measures.[172] Duke Federigo of Urbino,
the Florentine general, in command of some six thousand men, including
contingents from the Pope and the Duke of Milan, attacked the city. Her
mercenaries refused to fight, and she capitulated after a siege of
twenty-five days. When the troops entered there was an uproar, caused
it is said by a mercenary in the service of the city, which was sacked
and the inhabitants were brutally maltreated in spite of the efforts of
the Florentine commanders.[173] Many historians have accused Lorenzo
of being the prime instigator of the attack on Volterra in order to
get control of the alum mine. But his name is not in the list of
shareholders and the deposit of alum was too small to compete with the
mines of Tolfa of which he was the lessee (see pp. 98-99), and was soon
afterwards abandoned.
Ingherami di Volterra, _Apostolic Scribe, to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici
_Magnifice vir et protector mi singularis commendatione premissa_,
&c.,--I derived great consolation from the visit of Your Magnificence
to Volterra. With your own eyes you should see and judge far better
than by listening to the accounts of others of the public and private
despair and misery here. You have seen the afflicted and faithful
friends and servants of Your Magnificence naked, despoiled of all
their goods, robbed without mercy, for everything was taken during
the sack of the city; and I doubt not that Your Magnificence with
your kindly nature was moved to great compassion. Your arrival and
seeing with your own eyes has been the sole hope of this people and
has consoled and comforted them greatly. Therefore by this present
and by other letters I have written to Your Magnificence (I know
not whether you received them), I beg and pray of you not to allow
them to be deprived of that hope, and to show them your justice and
grace by helping and restoring, and listening to the prayers of this
wretched and miserable city. Now that she belongs faithfully and
devotedly to Your Magnificence and to the Florentine State she ceases
to be an enemy. All now depends on Your Magnificence. We do not so
much expect as feel certain that we shall receive this help from you;
first from your own goodness, and then for love of the blessed memory
of the grandfather and father of Your Magnificence, to whom this
poor and miserable city, which always formed part and parcel of the
house of Your Magnificence, showed such reverence. Especially we your
partisans, for our affection and devotion, have been so ill-treated
and smitten that we are reduced to nothing, unless Your Magnificence,
who has never known what it is to be ungrateful or unjust, does not
let us share in your victory as belonging entirely to you, and taking
pity on our unhappy and miserable condition will care for and guard
us, who desire only to live and die under the protection of Your
Magnificence, whom God preserve in happiness.--Volterra, March 10,
1472 (1473).[174]
Francesco Filelfo _to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici[175]
_Magnifice et Clarissime Vir_,--The Magnificent Messer Ciccho, my
compeer, has advised me that I should be better and more quickly
employed in the service of friends of this Illustrious Lord [Duke of
Milan] than in Rome or any other place, and has mentioned the chair
which Your Illustrious Republic has instituted anew at Pisa. Advice
was indeed unnecessary, for I desire nothing better than to be in a
place where I can use my abilities in the service of that renowned
Signoria, and more particularly in yours, to whom I am so indebted.
But considering your laws against rebels, among whom, thanks to Carlo
d’Arezzo and Poggio with their crew, I was most unjustly included, I
have delayed making any application as I thought it would be useless.
Now however that my beloved compeer has again mentioned it, and
remembering the Greek proverb that the potter fixes the handle on
whichever side of the pot seems best to him, I have determined to
write to you and to beg Your Magnificence to consider this, for you
well know that in this land you cannot find another Philelphus or a
man more devoted to yourself.
Then about my coats which are together with the books which you have
recovered for me. They are three, two of crimson velvet, the other a
cloak of rose-coloured cloth lined with rose-coloured silk. You would
do me a great service if you would order the cloak to be given back to
me as I need it now the weather is warmer, also it might be spoiled
by cockroaches, as it is together with those that are lined with fur.
_Vale spes mia._--Milan, April 23, 1473.[176]
Jacopo Ammanati, _Cardinal of Pavia, to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici
Lorenzo mine,--Your Donato having provided me with spectacles to see
far and near, I now write to try whether they are good. And you will
have patience if it is not clear, for nature’s laws are inexorable.
I will be as brief as possible. It will not be long before the Holy
Father will be obliged to make new Cardinals, particularly for those
States which have none. You, for instance, are without, which for many
reasons is unseemly. There has been much talk here of your Giuliano,
and by fishing at the fountain-head I find he has been mentioned in
the proper quarter. I know not what are your intentions, and do not
pretend to give advice as I am sure you know the needs of your house
better than I. All I say is that you must make up your mind. If you
do think of Giuliano I doubt he may be too unpolished at present to
please here; it would be better for him to assume the surplice of the
Church or of a Protonotary, then I think there would be no difficulty.
If, to avoid any accidents and to preserve your house or for any other
reason, this plan does not please you (and the suggestion should come
from others and not from yourself), you had better reflect whether
the Archbishop of Pisa[177] or any one else would suit you, and take
measures, for to remain inert is unwise, particularly as you consider
that a Cardinal would be useful to the city and to yourself. Choose
any one, so he is not a person to be ashamed of. On my part whatever
aid a poor priest can give is yours as is my bounden duty. For this I
have written you these few words, which accept as from a good friend
and a lover of you and of your country, to which I owe much. _Bene
Valete._--_Romæ_, April 25, 1473.[178]
Jacopo Ammanati, _Cardinal of Pavia, to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici
Lorenzo mine,--This is the result of a long conversation with Giovanni
[Tornabuoni]. I am not in the position to advise you whether it would
be well to continue this affair of your Giuliano, because it depends
on the state of things in Florence, with which I am not familiar. You
know them better than I. Only I wished for information _in utramque
partem_, whether yes or no. To begin with, any possible danger to
yourself or to your house is a matter that must be considered, for
many eyes are upon you both at home and abroad; a man sees and hopes
to be able to give one blow, who has no hope of giving two, and thinks
that striking one adversary will serve his purpose; but the other
would remain, and thus his design would fail. Braccio of Perugia did
not attack his enemy, Messer Pandolfo, until after many months he saw
father and son together in one place; then having both, he cut the
tree and its roots with one stroke. Besides this danger there is the
other of sickness, which occurs every day. Should it please God to
call you to Himself, and Giuliano were in the position we are striving
for while your children were still young, it seems to me your house
would be in danger to lose the pre-eminence left by Cosimo to Piero,
and by Piero to you, and with the pre-eminence lose the riches, and
thus close the door against your successors. On the other hand, there
is the reputation which would be acquired by the enhanced dignity of
Giuliano, the aid he might give to your State, and the certainty of
having a trusty person in the College. Then one hopes that, as danger
increases, your watchfulness would also increase, that God in His
mercy will preserve you, and that you may live long enough to see
your children be a support to you, and finally that they will inherit
your high position. But, as I said before, you must judge according
to matters domestic and public in Florence what is best to be done.
Speaking for myself, nothing would be more pleasing than to have the
company of Giuliano, and we having such a pledge should be entitled to
expect faithful aid from your State. His joyous nature would make us
all jocund and happy.