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OF 1 1.1 all the elements, fire is of the quickest and no∣blest nature: And of all creatures, those are the bra∣uest, and most warlicke, which are by nature of a swift, couragious, and fierie disposition, as the Lion, the Horse, the Eagle, the Dolphin; rather then the hugest and strongest, as the Elephant, the Camell, the Oxe, and the Whale. 2 1.2 So of the actions of men, those of Courage
and braue Resolution are the noblest; because they often preuaile, euen where counsell, wisedome, force, and all other meanes do faile.
The Florentines treate with the French king, about the con∣ditions of their peace. The Kings demaunds are held to be most vnreasonable: he will not be drawne to any other, nor stirre one iotte from what he had propounded. Peter Capponi, a gentleman of a noble house, and one of the Commissioners for the Treatie, snatcheth the paper of Articles out of the French Secretaries hands, teares them before the kings face: bids him sound his trumpets to the fight, and they would ring their Pal∣lace bell, (which was their alarme to the battell:) and so he flings out of the chamber. This braue resolution and hot courage of Capponi, thawes the icie and stiffe demaunds of the king, and re∣duceth him to a more supple and reasonable conclusion. The Articles agreed vpon, are these: A reciprocall forgetfulnesse of fore-passed wrongs. That Florence should be friend, confederate,
and in perpetuall protection of the Crowne of France. That the king should hold in his hands Pisa, Ligorne, Pietra-Santa, Serez∣zana, and Serezzanello, till his returne from the conquest of Na∣ples; and then to surrender them vp to the Florentines, without demanding charges; and in the meane time they to haue the maine profits. That the conquest should be vnderstood perfect, when the king had taken the citie of Naples, or made a peace or truce for two yeares; or were himselfe in person returned backe out of Italy. That the Commanders of those places, and the Captaines of companies in them, should presently sweare to the deliuery of them vp, at the time assigned. That the citie should contribute towards the kings warres, fiftie thousand Duckats within fifteene daies; fortie thousand more in the mo∣neth of March; and thirtie thousand in Iune, next after follow∣ing. That Medici should be freed from his proscription, and con∣fiscation of his lands and goods, but that himselfe should not come within one hundred miles of the State of Florence: nor his brethren within one hundred of the citie.
Vide Plinium Naturali historia, per totum libri octaui tractum. * 1.1.1
Plin. l. 8. Tacit. An. l. 1. Lip. Pol. l. 3.
Cunctatione opus non est, vbi perniciosior sit quies, quàm temeritas.
Consilia calida & audacia, in omni administratione damnanda, at in nouo ali∣quo aut subito discrimine, vtiliter & necessariò saepe adhibenda.
Inter ancipitia, deterrimum est media sequi. * 1.3
Plerique hîc peccant: & in rebus afflictis, nec prouident satis, nec audent.
Che spesso auuien, che ne' maggior perigli,
Sono i più audaci, gl' ottimi consigli.
Si quis Princeps, ab alio quippiam impetrare cupiat, cuius multum intersit, tunc * 1.4 saepè commodissima est ea occasio, quae, ei à quo petis, nullum deliber andi spa∣cium concedit: sed potiùs illi respondendi subitam necessitatem imponit: & prae∣sens periculum demonstrat, sinegatur id quod petitur.
Audendum est aliquid, si vis esse aliquid. Audaces fortuna iuuat. * 1.5
Non ignauiâ magna imperia continentur, sed virorum armorum{que} facien∣dum certamen.
Saepe fit vt impetu quodam & audacia, obtineatur id, quod legitimè progredi∣enti nunquam contigisset. * 1.6
Agendo, audendo{que}, res Romana creuit, non his segnibus consilijs quae timida vocantur. * 1.7
In rebus asperis, & tenui spe, fortissima quaeque consilia, tutissima sunt. * 1.8
Capienda rebus in arduis, praeceps via est.
Semper in praelio, his maximum periculum est, qui maximè timent.
Tacit. hist. l. 3 Id. Ibid. Tasso. cant. 6
Maccia. l. 3. disc.
Adag. Eras. Tacit. An. 15
Macci.
Liui. l. 22.
Liui. l. 25. Senec. Agā. Salust. lug.