VI. CHA P. only of the other states of Italy, but of Europe; and shews the indispensable necessity of entering into treaties for assistance, or neutrality, before he engages in so hazardous an attempt. Having thus endeavoured to deter the pope from adopt. ing any violent and unadvised measures, he adverts to the probability of terminating their differences by negotiation; the opportunity for which, however, he thinks as yet crude and immature, and as likely to be still further delayed by any severe or incautious proceedings. "With respect to temporizing," says he, "this is undoubtedly the only course to be pursued, "because it is better beyond comparison to let "matters remain in their present state, with reputation to his holiness, than to risk a war; "especially as the king has it in his power to do “him essential injury." He concludes with a recapitulation of his former opinions. "If the pope can accommodate matters with the king, "consistently with his own honour, it seems to me that a tolerable compromise is better than a successful war. But as difficulties present themselves to an immediate agreement, I would "endeavour to protract the discussion as long as "it might be done with safety and propriety: all "that I have advanced is, however, upon the idea, that the pope is not prepared to carry his point by force; for if that were the case, the 46 VI. king would soon submit; but I fear he is too c HAP. "well apprized how far he is liable to be injured, "and on this account will be more obstinateh." By representations of this nature, founded on incontestable facts, and enforced by unanswerable arguments, Lorenzo at length so far mitigated the anger, or abated the confidence of the pope, as to dispose him to listen to propositions of accommodation; whilst, through the medium of his ambassadour at Naples, he prevailed on the king to assent to the payment of the same subsidy which his predecessors had paid to the holy see. It is not easy to say to which of the contending parties the conduct of Lorenzo was most acceptable; the pope omitted no subsequent opportunity of conferring on him and his family the most important favours; whilst Ferdinand unequivocally acknowledged, that to his friendship and fidelity, he and his family were indebted for the rank they held, and even for their continuance in the kingdom of Naples'. The h For this letter, v. App. No. XLVII. i Ferdinand thus addressed himself to Antonio della Valle, one of the agents of Lorenzo, at Naples: "Lorenzo "ha provato, che veramente ho amato lui & quella città; " ed io ho avuto a provare, che ha amato me, e i miei "figliuoli, che senza lui, nè io nè loro saremmo in questo regno, СНАР. VI. ment of Flo rence. The external concerns of the republick being thus happily adjusted, and the tranquillity of Italy Review of secured, Lorenzo applied himself to the regulathe govern- tion of the internal discipline of the Florentine state. The government of this city was founded on the broadest basis of democratick equality. By its fundamental principles, every person who contributed by his industry to the support or aggrandizement of the state, had a right to share in the direction of it, either by delegating his power to others, or in exercising a portion of the supreme control, under the suffrages of his fellow-citizens. Inactivity was the only circumstance that incapacitated him from the enjoyment of political rights. The Florentines, as early as the year 1282, had classed themselves into distinct bodies, or municipal companies, according to their various professions; and in order to place their government on a truly popular foundation, had determined, that no person should be eligible to a publick office, unless he were either actually, or professedly, a member of one or other of these companies. By this regulation, the nobility were either excluded from the offices 66 regno, il quale beneficio noi nè i nostri discendenti mai "si hanno a scordare." Pet. Lutetii Ep. ad Laur. Fab. v. ii. p. 369. These obligations are also warmly acknowledged by Ferdinand in a letter to Lorenzo himself. v. App. No. XLVIII. VI. offices of the state, or, in order to obtain them, c H AP. were obliged to degrade the honours of their rank by the humiliating appellation of artizan*. From these associated bodies, a certain number of members were deputed to exercise the supreme government, in conjunction with an officer, whom we have frequently mentioned by the name of Gonfaloniere, whose authority was, however, subordinate to that of the delegated mechanicks, or Priori delle arti, who continued in office only two months, and from three in number, had increased, at various intervals, to six, to eight, and lastly to ten'. This institu tion k Et sopra tutto parve, che si havesse havuto riguardo à fondar uno stato affatto popolare, non volendo che fussono ricevute al governo persone, che non fussero comprese sotto il nome, e insegna d' alcuna arte; eziandio che quelle arti non esercitassero; perciochè si come non stimavano cosa conveniente il levar in tutto il governo di mano de' nobili, così giudicavano esser necessario, che almeno col nome che prendevano, deponessero parte dell' alterigia che porgea loro quella boriosa voce della nobiltà. Ammir. Ist. lib. iii. v. i. p. 160. 1 The jealous temper of the Florentines, in providing for the security of their liberties, is exquisitely satirized by their first poet: Or ti fa lieta, che tu hai ben onde, Tu ricca, tu con pace, tu con senno; Atene VI. CHAP. tion had, in the time of Lorenzo de' Medici, subsisted nearly two hundred years, during which the office of Gonfaloniere had been filled by a regular succession of twelve hundred citizens, who had preserved the dignity and independence of the republick, and secured to their countrymen the exercise of their rights. With this laudable jealousy of their own liberties, the Florentines did not, like the Romans, from whom they derived their origin, exert their power to destroy the liberties of others. They wisely repressed the dangerous desire of subjecting to their dominion surrounding states, nor aspired to the invidious honour of sparing the subservient and overturning the proud; and, though a com Atene, e Lacedemona, che fenno L' antiche leggi, e furon sì civili, Provvedimenti ch'a mezzo Novembre Legge, moneta, e uficio, e costume, Vedrai te simigliante a quell' infirma, Dante. Purg. Cant. vi. |