Florence in Hetruria, or Tuscia flos urbium Italicarum.
It exceeds all the Italian Cities in beauty.
Cosmo de Medices erected here an Univesity. He caused to be sent for into Flo∣rence Argyrophilus a Grecian born, and at that time in the studies of Rhetorick and Philosophy singularly learned, to the end that the youth of Florence might by him be instructed in the Greek Tongue, and the Liberal Sciences. He entertain∣ed also in his house Marcilius Ficinus a Platonick Philosopher, him he entirely loved.
This Academy was afterward by Lawrance De Medices his sons sonne, finished and brought to a full, absolute and flourishing perfection. This Laurence was a great lover of good Letters, he held Marsilius Ficinus (whom his grandfather had caused to come to Florence) in great esteem. He nourished in his house that excellent Scholar Angelus Politianus, who in his youth did first make the Grecian Poet Homer speak in the Latine Tongue.
He entertained with liberal pensions and exhibitions, Demetrius Chalcondylas, Picus Mirandula, and sundry others, much renowned for their singular learning. Pope Paulus the third, although he daily heard in the Roman Academy, Pompo∣nius Laetus, a man excellently learned, yet was he exceedingly desirous to study in the Florentine University, because the Greek and Latine Tongues, together with the other Arts, were there professed with greatest sincerity and profound∣nesse. This Prince much augmented, and with great cost adorned the Library which his Grandfather Cosmus had erected near the Temple of St Mark: from whence of late time have been brought to light many excellent books, which long have lain obscured, and were to be found in no other place of Christendom, as Eusebius Caesariensis, Hierocles, and the works of Clemens Alexandrinus, and others.
Another Library was in this City erected at St Laurence his Church, by Pope Clement the seventh.