Medici and
Puccio Pucci were greatly instrumental in the establishment of his
power; the former by his boldness, the latter by unusual prudence and
sagacity, contributed to his aggrandizement. Indeed the advice of
wisdom of Puccio were so highly esteemed, that Cosmo's party was rather
distinguished by the name of Puccio than by his own.

By this divided city the enterprise against Lucca was undertaken; and
the bitterness of party spirit, instead of being abated, increased.
Although the friends of Cosmo had been in favor of it, many of the
adverse faction were sent to assist in the management, as being men of
greater influence in the state. Averardo de' Medici and the rest being
unable to prevent this, endeavored with all their might to calumniate
them; and when any unfavorable circumstance occurred (and there were
many), fortune and the exertions of the enemy were never supposed to
be the causes, but solely the want of capacity in the commissary. This
disposition aggravated the offenses of Astorre Gianni; this excited the
indignation of Rinaldo degli Albizzi, and made him resign his commission
without leave; this, too, compelled the captain of the people to require
the appearance of Giovanni Guicciardini, and from this arose all
the other charges which were made against the magistrates and the
commissaries. Real evils were magnified, unreal ones feigned, and the
true and the false were equally believed by the people, who were almost
universally their foes.

All these events and extraordinary modes of proceeding were perfectly
known to Niccolo da Uzzano and the other leaders of the party; and they
had often consulted together for the purpose of finding a remedy, but
without effect; though they were aware of the danger of allowing them
to increase, and the great difficulty that would attend any attempt
to remove or abate them. Niccolo da Uzzano was the earliest to take
offense; and while the war was proceeding without, and these troubles
within, Niccolo Barbadoro desirous of inducing him to consent to the
ruin of Cosmo, waited upon him at his house; and finding him alone in
his study, and very pensive, endeavored, with the best reasons he could
advance, to persuade him to agree with Rinaldo on Cosmo's expulsion.
Niccolo da Uzzano replied as follows: "It would be better for thee and
thy house, as well as for our republic, if thou and those who follow
thee in this opinion had beards of silver instead of gold, as is said o