SONNET. Thy offspring FLORENCE, nurtur'd at thy breast, Fate marks to each his lot: the same behest That taught the bird through fields of air to rove, Medici, Of the many ties by which Lorenzo had endeavoured Giovanni de to secure the prosperity of his family amidst the storms of fortune, and the ebbs and flows of popular opinion, one only now remained that by which he had connected it with the church; but this alone proved sufficient for the purpose, and shews that in this, as in every other instance, his conduct was directed by motives of the soundest policy. After the expulsion of the family from Florence, the cardinal Giovanni de' Medici, finding that the endeavours of himself and his brothers to effect their restoration, were more likely to exasperate the Florentines, than to promote that desirable event, desisted from any further attempts, and determined to wait with patience for a more favourable opportunity. He therefore quitted Italy, and whilst that country was the theatre of treachery and war, : visited many parts of France and Germany. His dislike to Alexander VI. who had entered into an al liance น liance with the Florentines, and was consequently adverse to the views of the exiles, was an additional motive for his absence. After the death of Alexander in the year 1503, he returned to Rome, and found in Julius II, a pontiff more just to his talents, and more favourable to his hopes. From this time he began to take an important part in the public affairs of Italy, and was appointed legate in the war carried on by the pope, the Venetians, and the king of Spain, against Louis XII. Whilst invested with this dignity, he was taken prisoner by the French, in the famous battle of Ravenna, but soon afterwards found an opportunity of effecting his escape, not however without great danger and difficulty. In the mean time new dissentions had sprung up at Florence, where the inhabitants, wearied with the fluctuations of a government, whose maxims and conduct were changed in the same rapid succession as its chief magistrates, were at length obliged to seek for a greater degree of stability, by electing a Gonfaloniere for life. This authority was intrusted to Piero Soderini, who with more integrity than ability, exercised it for nearly ten years. His contracted views suited not with the circumstances of the times. The principal governments of Italy, with Julius at their head, had leagued together to free that country from the depredations of the French. Fearful of exciting the restless dispositions of the Florentines, and perhaps of endangering the continuance of his power, the Gonfaloniere kept aloof from a cause, on the success of which depended the tranquillity and independence of Italy. His reluctance to take an active part in the war, was construed into a secret partiality to the interests of the French, and. 1 and whilst it rendered him odious to a great part of the citizens of Florence, drew upon him the resentment of the allied powers. The victory obtained by the French at Ravenna, dearly purchased with the death of the gallant Gaston de Foix, and the loss of near ten thousand men, proved the destruction of their enterprize, and as the cause of the French declined, that of the Medici gained ground, as well in Florence, as in the rest of Italy. The prudence and moderation of the Cardinal enabled him to avail himself of these favourable dispositions without prematurely anticipating the consequences. During his residence at Rome, he had paid a marked attention to the citizens of Florence who occasionally resorted there, without making any apparent distinction between those who had espoused, and those who had been adverse to the cause of his family; and by his affability and hospitality, as well as by his attention to the interests of those who stood in need of his services, had acquired the good opinion of his fellow citizens. Having thus prepared the way for his success, he took the earliest opportunity of turning the arms of the allied powers against Florence, for the avowed purpose of removing Piero Soderini from his office, and restoring the Medici to their rights as citizens. On the part of Soderini little Restoration of resistance was made. The allies having succeeded in an attack upon the town of Prato, and the friends of the Medici having openly opposed the authority of Soderini, the tide of popular favour once more turned, and whilst the Gonfaloniere with difficulty effected his escape, the cardinal made his entrance into his native place, accompanied by his younger brother Giuliano, his nephew Lorenzo, and his cousin Giulio de' Medici, the latter of whom had been i.. 1 1 A the Medici to Florence. Elevation of been his constant attendant during all the events of his public life. (a) The restoration of the Medici, although effected by an armed force, was not disgraced by the bloodshed of any of the citizens, and a few only of their avowed enemies, were ordered to absent themselves from Florence. Scarcely was the tranquillity of the place restored when intelligence was received of the death of Julius II. The cardinal lost no time in repairing to Rome, where, on the eleventh day of March 1513, being then only thirty-seven years of age, he was elected supreme head of the church, and assumed the name of Leo X. The high reputation which he had acquired, not only counterbalanced any objections arising from his youth, but rendered his election a subject of general satisfaction; and the inhabitants of Florence, without adverting to the consequences, exulted in an event which seemed likely to contribute not less to the security than to the honour of their country. The commencement of his pontificate was distinguished by an act of clemency, which seemed to realize the high expectations that had been formed of it. A general amnesty was published at Florence, and the banished citizens restored to their country. Piero Soderini, who had taken refuge in Turkey, was invited by the pope to Rome, where he resided many years under his protection, and enjoyed the society and respect of the prelates and other men of eminence who frequented the court, being distinguished 1 (a) Guicciar. Storia d'Italia lib. x. Razzi, vita di Piero Soderini. Padova 1737. p. 70, &c. guished during the remainder of his life by the honourable title of the Gonfaloniere. (a) his relations. The elevation of Leo X. to the pontificate, established the fortunes of the Medici on a permanent foundation. Leo promotes Naturally munificent to all, Leo was lavish in bestowing, upon the different branches of his own family the highest honours and most lucrative preferments of the church. Giulio de' Medici was created archbishop of Florence, and soon afterwards was admitted into the sacred college, where he acquired such influence, as to secure the pontifical chair, in which he succeeded Adrian VI. who filled it only ten months after the death of Leo. The daughters of Lorenzo, Maddalena the wife of Francesco Cibo, Contessina, the wife of Piero Ridolfi, and Lucrezia the wife of Giacopo Salviati gave no less than four cardinals to the Romish Church; there being two of the family of Salviati, and one of each of the others. Profiting by the examples of his predecessors, Leo lost no opportunity of aggrandizing his relations, well knowing that in order to secure to them any lasting benefit, it was necessary that they should be powerful enough to defend themselves, after his death, from the rapacious aims of succeeding pontiffs, who, he was well aware, would probably pay as little regard to his family, as he had himself, in some instances, paid to the friends and families of his predecessors. (b) The (a) Razzi, vita di Piero Soderini. p. 85. (b) Notwithstanding his precautions, Leo could not on all occasions preserve his surviving relations from the insults and injuries of his successors. Paul III. Alessandro Farnese, had in his youth been particularly favoured by Lorenzo de' Medici, who in a letter which yet remains from him to Lanfredini, his envoy at Rome, thus expresses himself respecting him, "Vi lo raccommandi 1 |