Part 26
To Cardinal Visconti say that even were he not a Cardinal, our house has old and innate obligations to all his illustrious house, and that as my son and by nature an ally of the Sforzas (Sforzesco), and a devoted servant of His Most Reverend Lordship thou beseechest him to command thee, and to treat thee as one of his house and accept thee as his servant, as are all of our house.
To Cardinal d’Aragona say that as I place all my hopes and trust in H.M. the King his father, it is thy duty as my son to present thyself to His Most Reverend Lordship, and that thou and my other sons, besides the many benefits received from H.M. the King, can never forget the honours paid to me at Naples and the mode of sending me home, and that thou art well aware what would have been thy condition and that of my other children, if things had gone differently. For this reason His Most Reverend Lordship and all the other sons of H.M. the King may sell thee, or pawn thee, and treat thee as a thing belonging to them.
To Cardinal Orsini say that I have sent thee to Rome for him to see how offshoots of their tree prosper in our soil and what fruit they bear, and that, such as they are, I send the first-fruit to His Most Reverend Lordship, and that although an unworthy son of the house of Orsini thou desirest, such as thou art, to be a servant of His Reverence, to whom as head of the house thou art willing and ready, during thy whole life as far thou canst, to repay the obligations thou art under to his noble house, which are indeed great, as thou owest thy being to it. For this reason thou art come to beg him as head, &c., to take thee under his care and to instruct thee, for thy honour and success will reflect upon him as much as upon me, thy father; commend to him Clarice and thy brothers and sisters, &c.
To the cardinals who are related to the Orsini, as I think are the Savelli, Conti, and Colonna, thou wilt make use of more familiar language than to the others, saying that besides other obligations I have towards them, we are, by the grace of God, related to their noble families, which I consider as one of the chief ornaments of our house. To Monsignore our Archbishop of Florence thou art to show all these instructions before making any visits, which on account of thine age may be very short ones. I hope that His Lordship, being better informed and more prudent, will add anything needful, assuring him that what I say is not merely formal but the truth, and do either more or less than his Lordship directs, as though it was I who told thee. At all events thou art to visit all the Orsini who are in Rome, speaking with due reverence, commending me to Their Lordships and offering thyself as their son and servant, they having deigned to become our relations by which thou art the chief gainer as being of higher birth, and therefore it is but right thou shouldst strive to repay them. I send thee with Giovanni Tornabuoni, whom thou art to obey in all things and not to presume to do aught without him. Be modest and kindly in manner towards him and every one, and strive to bear thyself with sedateness, all the more that sedateness is not a youthful virtue. The honours and flatteries that will be bestowed upon thee will be a great danger if thou art not discreet and rememberest who thou art. If Gugliemo [de’ Pazzi] or his sons or grandsons come to see thee receive them kindly, but quietly, showing sorrow for their condition and encouraging them to act well and to hope for better things by so doing. Should Monsignore our Archbishop think it right for thee to go to any place outside Rome to visit any of the Orsini, thou canst do so; obey His Lordship in this and in everything, as I have already said, as thou wouldst obey me. Tell Gugliemo that Bianca[312] having written in my name, and in that of Bernardo Rucellai, to ask him to give up the Canonry of Pisa to her for a certain exchange she wishes to make, he ought to do it, particularly as Bernardo offers to serve him and to help him in whatever way he thinks best. Impress this upon him.
Niccolò Michelozzi _to_ Lorenzo de’ Medici _at Morba_
I send this horseman, not because the enclosed letters are of any great importance, but because all your people, both those of your house and your friends, wish to have news of you: though in all hope is great, yet the desire will only be appeased by news of you and of good results [from the baths]. Give orders therefore that your secretaries write often.
Antonio Tornabuoni informs me that this morning the Captain of infantry was sent to Romagna, we think he will do well what is necessary, and at Pietrasanta ...[313] to fly from peril.
The Doge of Genoa writes that a safe-conduct for eight days has been given to Francesco Centurione, principally because some persons have an idea that he comes for a purpose and is not merely passing through. You will be the first to know whether he is the bearer of anything.
Sassetto tells me he has, by your orders, replied to the letter from Amaretto in Venice to you, and has told him to come here.
From the letters from Rome you will understand about the Pope, who has been trying to trick us.
Pier Filippo tells me that they intend to send a Commissary to Pisa who can if necessary also act at Leghorn and at Pietrasanta, a man of resolution. They think of sending Piero di Lutozzo and of recalling Piero Capponi and Piero Vettori, who have both asked to be recalled,
## particularly Pier Capponi because Gino is not well; if you have any
one else to suggest send word, for there is still time.
Alberghetto says he is ready to make those four small cannon for you if you will give him the materials; thus he will not lose his time on public things, in which he has been very ill-treated; they don’t pay him, they give him no work, and they drive him to despair. I have helped him and shall do all I can for him.
Tell Madonna Clarice that Piero and all the other children are as well as ever I saw them, and I hope they will continue so. Do your best to recover and return soon quite cured and in good health, then everything else will go well.
On ’Change money is abundant for everywhere, save Lyons, for which place all the merchants are buyers, particularly those who used to be sellers. I think some one must be working to send supplies by some other channel. But I do not understand these things, or know whether it is true, still I think you ought to be informed of everything: if my news bores you, either tell me, or tell Ser Piero to open my letters and not to show them to you.
Do order them to write often to us. I commend myself to you.--In Florence the last day of the year 1484 (24th March 1485).
Ser Francesco sends you an abstract of what little there is of public matters.
Niccolò Michelozzi.[314]
Matteo Franco _to_ Ser Piero Dovizi Da Bibbiena, _Chancellor of Lorenzo de’ Medici, wherever he may be_
_Salve, o alter ego._
Good-bye Ser Piero, good-bye Franco, good-bye Lorenzo, Butti, Franceschi, good-bye, good-bye, &c. We parted at Capitulo near Bagno a Morba. Florence having quitted Pisa,[315] we came gaily singing and joking to the mill on this side of Monte Castelli, where we found twenty-five soldiers with shields and spears whom we had seen from above, when we said to one another, “Who are those fellows down there?” and we all shouted “_Palle, Palle_”; they replied, “_Palle, Palle e Orso, Orso_,” and as we came nearer the shouts of _Palle_ and _Orso_ redoubled. We then saw they were men sent from Monte Castelli to escort us, &c. They wanted us to enter the townlet, but we declined, so they came with us down into the plain where was a crowd of women with faces as wrinkled as chestnut cakes, but all very merry and happy with tables spread out with wine, puff pastry, &c. We drank in haste, and keeping one of the soldiers as a guide discharged the others, and went on our journey singing and chatting gaily. Passing by deserted Monte Guidi, half-way down the hill we met a priest with his frock tucked up and so out of breath he might have come from Assisi, who said he was a friend of Donnino,[316] and implored us to dismount at his church and house, he was so exhausted and ran up and down so incessantly, that if he did not go and be bled I fear that by this time he is no more. God help him. We left, or rather we did not stop, and passed down below Casoli without entering, and about four miles this side of the village Martino Ghezo and Martino Moro caught us up, not having been able to keep up with us as we rode fast. They told us that on the other side of Casoli they met the so-much-longed-for Nannina[317] in a carriage, and that she asked about Lorenzo and Madonna Clarice. Hearing that Madonna Clarice had passed, and that Lorenzo had gone to Pisa, she was, they said, in despair, and showed great sorrow at not having seen Lorenzo, or even having been able to talk to Madonna Clarice. When Madonna heard this she several times lamented the bad luck of their missing each other, &c.
And thus, till about two miles from Colle di Val d’Elsa, we continued singing, joking, and talking. Then we became almost dumb, for nearly all our words migrated into a brother of Antonio del Pela who came to meet us, and conducted us into the tumbledown and ruined village of Colle to the house of the said Antonio. He came forward with such a river and flood of words that he drowned his brother, and us, and all who were near, and showed that he was truly the elder and the better brother. On entering the hall we found about thirty-five members of his family--girls, women, and children. My bore immediately began: “Madonna Clarice, this is my daughter, come forward, kiss the lady’s hand; and this is my granddaughter, come forward, touch her gown. And this one, and this one. And these little ones are all my grandchildren; hold yourselves up, think of your manners; this one is to be a priest, this one a nun, to this one Madonna Lucrezia stood godmother, this one I have just given in marriage, this one makes Venetian fringe, that one lace.” Plague take him. If I had not pulled him away he would have cast a spell on us all. But by asserting how tired Madonna Clarice and we all were I managed to damp his ardour. We arrived about twenty-two or twenty-three of the clock, and after resting we went to see paper made,[318] and returned to fetch Madonna Clarice, who thought it a pretty thing, and was much interested in the machines, the water, the air, &c. Then we went back and supped about one of the clock: a few wafers, cakes, and trebbiano,[319] salad and pickles, boiled fowl, and kid: and then young pigeons roasted, and I know not what preparation of fowl, marzipan, sweets, and comfits, &c.
Before supper the Commune of Colle made an offering to Madonna of corn, marzipan, wine, sweetmeats, &c., presented by eloquent orators, three out of the number. The substance was that as Lorenzo, whom they had expected, had not come, they presented all to her as being a second Lorenzo, with many excuses for the smallness of the gift owing to their poverty, and begged her to commend them and the town to Lorenzo. Madonna, by God, replied well and briefly, saying that they were not friends as they declared, for had they been they would have known that Lorenzo and herself would protect them without expecting gifts, which were rather things pertaining to strangers than to good friends. “On the one hand, you complain and ask me to represent to Lorenzo the poverty and the needs of yourselves and of your town, and then you spend money in these things. I take the will for the deed and give all back to you; for if I kept them I should only give them to the town for the love of God, so I bestow them on you who are poorer than I.” There was a great ado because they steadfastly refused to take the things away, alleging that there were plots against them, &c. Ser Giovanni Antonio and I sent them back by some of our people, keeping four flasks of wine and some marzipan to content them, and to show we wished them well.
We slept right well, and though Pela broke our heads with his idle chatter, I must say he received us with great courtesy and affection: and, after all, a good heart is to be admired more than other things.
In the evening after supper there appeared a certain Messer Ricco, an envoy from Siena, who remained with Madonna Clarice and Messer Giovanni Antonio for half-an-hour, talking about the rising at Siena. He said that Lorenzo had written that he was leaving Bagno with his wife, but did not say where he was going, so he thought to find him here. I know Ser Giovanni Antonio was satisfied with the report given by the envoy so I say no more.
Before leaving in the morning Messer Giovanni Antonio and I paid a visit to the Podestà. Then with a guide we came to Tavernelle and then to Pasignano, where Donnino had preceded us; we reached there about fifteen of the clock. After resting awhile we dined: liver and lights, boiled kid, broad beans, curds and good wine, and then we visited the whole house, the church, and the relics. Madonna Clarice was more pleased than I can say with the house and with her room. There we stayed all day seeing different things. Our supper was salad, an excellent herb pie, fried curds, broad beans and cheese, &c.
In the morning, that is yesterday morning, we left directly after mass, coming by the S. Casciano road. Just under Fabrica a man galloped up, saying: “Your Piero sends me to find out by which road you are coming, for yester evening he came out several miles to meet you, and has now gone with Messer Giovanni and all the others towards S. Maria Impruneta.” We replied that we were bound to S. Casciano. He flew off to bear the message, and at last on this side of S. Casciano, as we were crossing the river, we met Jacopo Salviati and his friend Tommasino de’ Corbinelli, who greeted us with great joy, and rode back with us. Then near the Certosa we met paradise full of festive and joyous angels, that is to say, Messer Giovanni and Piero, and Giuliano and Giulio on pillions, with all their attendants. As soon as they saw their mother they threw themselves from their horses, some without help, others aided by their people, and they ran forward and were lifted into the arms of Madonna Clarice, with such joy and kisses and delight that a hundred letters could not describe it. Even I could not restrain myself but got off my horse, and ere they remounted I embraced them all twice; once for myself and once for Lorenzo. Darling little Giuliano said, with a long O, O, O, “Where is Lorenzo?” We said, “He has gone to Poggio to find you.” Then he: “O no, never,” almost in tears. You never beheld so touching a sight. He and Piero, who has become a beautiful lad, the prettiest thing, by God, you ever saw, somewhat grown, with the profile of an angel, and rather long hair which stands out a little and is charming to see. Giuliano, red and fresh as a rose, smooth, clear, and bright as a mirror, joyous and with those contemplative eyes. Messer Giovanni also looks well, not much colour, but healthy and natural; and Giulio has a brown and healthy complexion.[320] All, in short, were happiness itself. And thus with great joy and delight we went a happy party by Via Maggio, Ponte a S. Trinità, S. Michele Berteldi, S. Maria Maggiore, Canto alla Paglia, Via de’ Martelli, and entered the house, _per infinita asecula aseculorum eselibera nos a malo amen_. I then rode to my own house, and I have not seen them since as I found many things to do. Nothing more.
Luigi left Florence this morning and went to Calcione or Balcione or whatever his place is called, and his wife is in Florence. Tell Francesco di Maestro Antonio,[321] my beloved and beautiful, that he had his letter, was much pleased by it, and says he will reply by word of mouth, as there was nought in it of moment he did not answer, but begs him to forgive him, he will do it better in person. Take note of this.
To my Andrea de’ Medici commend me with all thy might and tell him not to forget my sea-shells. And come back soon for the people can no longer retain their impatience. In haste.--May 12, 1485.
Franco.
I gave thy garter to the man thou toldest me. I quite understand that he has not pleased the person who you said praised him: so that what with this and our conversation in the fields I think it would be an excellent thing to do as we decided. By word of mouth we will settle all. _Vale iterum._
Say to Francesco that I went to his house and told his old woman that he was well and would be at Poggio on Monday, at which she rejoiced. I also went to the house of my Andrea de’ Medici: his womankind were at vespers, but I saw the baby girl who was being fed; the sweetest little fish in the world, she looks like a rose: and I left word that he was well and would return on Monday. Commend me to him.
_Two of Piero’s Sayings_
Returning from the festival at the Carmine together we passed my house, so he came in and had some breakfast, and when we left as he was putting on his _catelano_ [overcoat] I said: “Piero, will you not drink a little more?” When his coat was well on he said: “Yes, just a little so as not to smell of Catelano,”[322] which made us all laugh. The other: Passing near S. Maria Novella the house of that Ser Francesco who kept a school for boys, and seeing that now a carpenter was standing at the door which was open so that we could see wood piled up inside, I said: “Oh dear, Ser Francesco who kept the school must be dead,” and the carpenter answered that he was. I exclaimed: “The devil! I am grieved for him!” Piero said: “Why ‘the devil’? did you wish him to live more years than a life? He must have been eighty.” We laughed all the way to Piazza Madonna. I thought he had heard this and only repeated it, but looking at him I saw by his laughing face that he had said it of himself and on purpose.
Lorenzo declares (and it makes me laugh) that he will not have Piero bothered, &c.; the poor lad cannot go outside the door without all Florence running after him; it is the same at home, they all try to make him shine, though with decorum, on which he insists. But they don’t care. It is of no use; they are all enthusiastic and cannot hold their tongues. When Lorenzo goes out he will have to lock the boy in a cupboard if he does not want to hear questions put to him to answer. I cannot tell you what charm there is about him, so that all who talk for a while with him are captivated.[323]
Lorenzo de’ Medici _to the_ Duke Ercole d’Este
_Illme. Domine mi_,--Your Excellency has in your library a book by an historian named Dione, _de Romanis historiis_, which I have an extreme desire to see, both on account of the consolation I derive from history and also because my son Piero, who has some knowledge of Greek literature, has begged me to get this book for him to read, which I understand is very rare in Italy.[324] Your Excellency can understand how grateful I shall be for the loan of it for a few days, and therefore I beg you to grant my request and with all eagerness I expect the book. I commend myself to Your Excellency.--Florence, February 5, 1485 (1486). Your Excellency’s servant,
Laurentius de Medicis.[325]
Lorenzo not only borrowed but lent books in liberal fashion. Poliziano was his librarian with a certain Meo _cartolaio_ as his assistant, who bound the manuscripts. Poliziano himself, Pico della Mirandola, Messer Demetrio the Greek (Chalcondylas), John Lascaris, and Bernardo Michelozzi, afterwards Bishop of Forlì, were among the most frequent borrowers, and every book taken out of the library, even by Lorenzo or his sons, was noted down in his _Epistolario_. Not only books, but arms, silver dishes, bowls, goblets, salt-cellars, spoons, and forks, were lent to various Podestà and to friends, even the Signoria of Florence occasionally borrowed from him. The silver Lorenzo took with him on hunting excursions or to the various baths he visited was carefully recorded.
Messer Guidone Aldrovandini, _Ambassador to the Republic of Florence from Ferrara, to_ Duke Ercole d’Este