ounsel or knowledge, it must be continued
and concluded without their help. The ambassadors affirmed the
engagement to be binding on the Florentines, and themselves to be
answerable for the event of the war; and then in great anger left the
city.

Thus with regard to external affairs, the Florentines continued
tranquil during this war; but the case was otherwise with their domestic
concerns, as will be particularly shown in the following book.

BOOK VII

CHAPTER I

Connection of the other Italian governments with the history of
Florence--Republics always disunited--Some differences are injurious;
others not so--The kind of dissensions prevailing at Florence--Cosmo de'
Medici and Neri Capponi become powerful by dissimilar means--Reform
in the election of magistrates favorable to Cosmo--Complaints of
the principal citizens against the reform in elections--Luca Pitti,
Gonfalonier of Justice, restrains the imborsations by force--Tyranny and
pride of Luca Pitti and his party--Palace of the Pitti--Death of
Cosmo de' Medici--His liberality and magnificence--His modesty--His
prudence--Sayings of Cosmo.

It will perhaps appear to the readers of the preceding book that,
professing only to write of the affairs of Florence, I have dilated too
much in speaking of those which occurred in Lombardy and Naples. But
as I have not already avoided, so it is not my intention in future to
forbear, similar digressions. For although we have not engaged to
give an account of the affairs of Italy, still it would be improper
to neglect noticing the most remarkable of them. If they were wholly
omitted, our history would not be so well understood, neither would it
be so instructive or agreeable; since from the proceedings of the other
princes and states of Italy, have most commonly arisen those wars in
which the Florentines were compelled to take part. Thus, from the
war between John of Anjou and King Ferrando, originated those serious
enmities and hatreds which ensued between Ferrando and the Florentines,
particularly the house of Medici. The king complained of a want of
assistance during the war, and of the aid afforded to his enemy; and
from his anger originated the greatest evils, as will be hereafter seen.
Having, in speaking of external affairs, come down to the year 1463, it
will be necessary in order to make our narrative of the contemporaneous
domestic transactions clearly understood, to revert to a period several
years ba