The Life of Pope Leo X in Four Books

defected from the Florentines. For while many senators, most famous for their opinion of prudence, judged that they should be brought back to duty by the offer of pardon rather than by force, he himself, arguing magnificently against them, prevailed so that they would pursue with war the city that had rebelled cruelly and proudly, lest they lose the public dignity of the empire for the sake of some empty and pernicious name of clemency and leniency. They would have lost this dignity entirely and foully among others unless they exerted force against those guilty of treason and those bearing nefarious arms. Therefore, under his leadership, war was brought upon the Volterrans. Overcome by every disaster of war and conquered by siege engines and admirable, huge wooden machines, they eventually paid the penalties for their rashness and cruelty. Thus, Laurentius earned double praise, both for military industry and civil clemency, because he had received the rebelling city with the greatest dignity and appeared to have granted life, liberty, and a large part of their goods to enemies who were nonetheless bloodthirsty and most defiant. But the unexpected force of fate, more powerful than human virtue, enveloped and overwhelmed them while they were flourishing with every praise. To Paulus Secundus had succeeded Xystus IV, a Pontiff instructed in good and bad arts beyond his knowledge of sacred letters. He desired to increase the pontifical dignity, to extend his empire with arms, and to honor Hieronymus, especially his sister’s son, with the principality of cities and the most ample fortunes, since he had already decorated the other relatives, Petrus and Raphael, who were enriched with distinguished priesthoods, with the honor of the cardinal’s hat. Laurentius’s genius and outstanding authority interfered most with these designs so that they might not be carried to their conclusion, since the wealth of the Florentine Republic lay in his hand and counsel, and he held sentiments entirely alien to the thoughts of the Pontiff. For Xystus had previously mocked Laurentius for a long time and much, as he contended with all his might and industry on behalf of his brother Iulianus for the petition of the cardinalate, and by delaying and finally refusing, he had vehemently offended his mind and reputation. Wherefore Laurentius, who in his pursuit of tranquility and leisure wanted the power of princes in Italy to be balanced and did not allow the Pontiff’s forces to grow too much, always showed himself an adversary to his lust and immoderate designs. He had aided with money and all assistance the Vitelli, whom Xystus pursued with war so that he might expel them from their homeland of Tifernum, and he had placed an impediment through friendly bankers, creating difficulties in monetary affairs, so that the Pontiff would not purchase Imola, a city of Flaminia (which the lord was offering for sale, driven by poverty and sloth). Thus, open hostility seemed to exist between Laurentius and the Pontiff. At that time in the city was Franciscus Pazzi, a noble banker whose family in Florence was distinguished by age, men, and wealth, and on that account very hostile to the Medici. He, with a sharp and cruel nature, easily committed the Medici brothers, whom he could not bear as masters of affairs, to the Pontiff, malignantly and most bitterly criticizing their glory, and boldly promised his own help to kill them if the Pontiff would favor, both with his own illustrious authority, in which he had much power, and with present wealth, those Florentines who had been educated in liberty and were about to bravely shake off the heavy yoke of servitude.