The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. XXVI.

An Exhortation to deliver Italy from the Barbarians.

HAving weighed therefore all that is said before, and considered seriously with my self whether in this juncture of affairs in Italy, the times were disposed for the advance∣ment of a new Prince, and whether there was competent matter that could give occasion to a virtuous and wise person to introduce such a form as would bring reputation to him, and benefit to all his Subjects; it seems to me that at this present so many things concur to the exaltation of a new Prince, that I do not know any time that has been more proper than this: and if (as I said before) for the Manifestation of the courage of Moses, it was neces∣sary that the Israelites should be Captives in Egypt; for discovery of the Magnanimity of Cyrus, that the Persians should be oppressed by the Medes; and for the illustration of the excellence of Theseus, that the Athenians should be banished and dispersed; so to evince and demonstrate the courage of an Italian spirit, it was necessary that Italy should be reduced to its present condition; That it should be in greater bondage than the Iews; in greater servitude than the Persians, and in greater dispersion than the Athenians, without Head, without order, harras'd, spoyl'd, overcome, over-run, and over-flown with all kind of Calamity: and though formerly some sparks of virtue have appeared in some persons, that might give it hopes that God had ordained them for its redemption; yet it was found after∣wards that in the very height and career of their exploits, they were check'd, and forsaken by Fortune, and poor Italy left half dead, expecting who would be her Samaritan to bind up her wounds, put an end to the Sackings and devastations in Lombardy, the Taxes and Expilations in the Kingdom of Naples, and Tuscany, and cure her sores, which length of time had fester'd and imposthumated. 'Tis manifest how she prays to God daily to send some person who may redeem her from the cruelty, and insolence of the Barbarians. 'Tis mani∣fest how prone and ready she is to follow the Banner that any man will take up; nor is it at present to be discerned where she can repose her hopes with more probability, than in your illustrious Family, which by its own courage and interest, and the favour of God and the Church (of which it is now chief) may be induced to make it self Head in her redemption: which will be no hard matter to be effected, if you lay before you the lives and actions of the persons above named; who though they were rare, and wonderful, were yet but men, and not accommodated with so fair circumstances as you. Their Enterprize was not more just, nor easie, nor God Almighty more their friend than yours. You have Justice on your side; for that War is just which is necessary, and 'tis piety to fight, were no hope is left in any thing else. The people are universally disposed, and where the disposition is so great, the opposition can be but small, especially you taking your rules from those persons which I have proposed to you for a Model. Besides, many things that they did were super-natural, and by Gods immediate Conduct, the Sea opened, a cloud directed, a rock afforded water,

it rained Manna, all these things are recompenced in your Grandeur, and the rest remains to be executed by you: God will not do every thing immediately, because he will not de∣prive us of our free will, and the honour that devolves upon us. Nor is it any wonder if none of the fore-named Italians have been able to do that which may be hoped for from your illustrious Family: and if in so many revolutions in Italy, and so long continuation of War, their Military Virtue seems spent and extinguished; the reason is, their old Disci∣pline was not good, and no body was able to direct to a better. Nothing makes so much to the honour of a new Prince, as new Laws, and new Orders invented by him, which if they be well founded, and carry any thing of Grandeur along with them, do render him vene∣rable, and wonderful; and Italy is susceptible enough of any new form. Their courage is great enough in the Soldier, if it be not wanting in the Officer, witness the Duels, and Combats, in which the Italians have generally the better by their force, and dexterity, and stratagem; but come to their Battels, and they have oftner the worst, and all from the in∣experience of their Commanders; for those who pretend to have Skill, will never obey, and every one thinks he has Skill, there having been no body to this very day, raised by his virtue and fortune to that height of reputation, as to prevail with others to obey him. Hence it came, that in so long time, in the many Wars during the last twenty years, when ever an Army consisted wholly of Italians, it was certainly beaten; and this may be testified by Tarus, Alexandria, Capua, Genoa, Vaila, Bologna, and Mestri. If therefore your illustri∣ous Family be inclined to follow the examples of those excellent persons who redeemed their Countries, it is necessary as a true fundamental of all great Enterprizes, to provide your selves with Forces of your own Subjects, for you cannot have more faithful, nor better Soldiers than they. And though all of them be good, yet altogether they will be much better, when they find themselves not only commanded, but preferred, and caressed by a Prince of their own. It is necessary therefore to be furnished with these Forces, before you can be able with Italian virtue to vindicate your Country from the oppression of Strangers: And though the Swiss, and Spanish Infantry be counted terrible, they have both of them their defects: and a third sort may be composed that may not only encounter, but be con∣fident to beat them; for the Spanish Foot cannot deal with Horse, and the Swiss are not invincible when they meet with Foot as obstinate as themselves. It has been seen by expe∣rience, and would be so again, the Spaniards cannot sustain the fury of the French Cavalry, and the Swisses have been overthrown by the Infantry of Spain. And though of this last we have seen no perfect Experiment; yet we had a competent Essay at the Battel of Ra∣venna, where the Spanish Foot being engaged with the German Battalions (which observe the same Order and Discipline with the Swisses) the Spaniards by the agility of their Bodies, and the protection of their Bucklers, broke in under their Pikes, and killed them securely, while the poor Germans were uncapable to defend themselves; and had not the Spaniards been charged by the Horse, the German Foot had been certainly cut off. 'Tis possible therefore (the defect of both those Foot being known) to institute a third, which may buckle with the Horse, and be in no fear of their foot; which will be effected, not by the variation of their Arms, but by changing their Discipline. And these are some of those things which being newly reformed, give great grandeur and reputation to any new Prince. This opportunity therefore is by no means to be slip'd, that Italy, after so long expectation, may see some hopes of deliverance: Nor can it be expressed with what joy, with what impatience of revenge, with what fidelity, with what compassion, with what Tears, such a Champion would be received into all the Provinces that have suffered by those barbarous inundations. What Gates would be shut against him? What people would deny him obe∣dience? what malice would oppose him? what true Italian would refuse to follow him? There is not, there is not any body but abhors, and nauseates this barbarous domination. Let your illustrious Family, then address it self to the work, with as much Courage and Confidence as just Enterprizes are undertaken; That under their Ensigns our Country may be recovered, and under their Conduct, Petrarch's Prophesie may be fulfilled, who has promised that,

Virtu contr' al furore Prendera l' arme, and fia il combatter Corto. Che l' antico valore Ne' gl' Italici curr' non e ancor morto.

Virtue shall arm 'gainst rage, and in short sight Prove th' Roman Valour's not extinguish'd quite.

The Original of the words Guelf and Ghibilin, so much mentioned in History.

THese two Factions so famous in History, were eminent in Italy two ages before Ca∣struccio was born. Machiavel in his Treatise of the Wars of that Country, affirms that Pistoia was the first place where those names of distinction were used, but the account wherewith the publick Libraries supply me, runs thus. These two words, Guelf and Ghi∣bilin, deduce their original from a schism which molested the Church in the year 1130. by the competition of two Popes, Innocent 11. and Anaclet: the greatest part of Christendom acknowledged Innocent, who was particularly supported by the Emperors of the West. Ana∣clet the anti-Pope had persuaded into his interests, Roger Comte de Naples and Sicily, a mar∣tial Prince, and descended from the Normans, who had conquered that Country. The pretence of this double Election having kept a War on foot eight years together, which was still favourable to Roger, the Emperor Conrad the third march'd himself at the head of an Army of Germans, into Italy, leaving his Grand-son Prince Henry to come after. Roger, to oppose him with men of his own Nation, allured to the defence of his Countries Guelf Duke of Bavaria. During the course of this War which began in the year 1139. it hapned sometimes that the Emperors Army was commanded by the said Prince Herny, who was brought up in a Village in Germany called Ghibilin, whose situation being very pleasant, made the very name of it ••ear to him. One day the Armies being drawn up, and ready to engage, the Bavarians to encourage their Comrades, cryed out in their language, a Guelf, a Guelf; and the Emperors Troops (being at the same time as well disposed to their General) to comply with the kindness he had for that place, cryed out on the other side, a Ghibilin, a Ghibilin. These words seemed barbarous to the Italians that were with Roger, who came to Guelf to know what they meant: He told them the Pope's Party were intended by the word Guelf, and the Emperors by the word Ghibilin: from that time those names grew so com∣mon in both Armies, that by them they answered their Who goes there? and they were given to the Italians according to their several sides. 'Tis true, at first they were used to discri∣minate only Anaclet's Party from the Emperors, but afterwards Roger having vanquished and taken prisoner Pope Innocent; as the price of his liberty he oblig'd him to erect the Countries of Naples and Sicily into Kingdoms, by which treaty Roger being taken off from the interest of the anti-Pope, and engaging entirely with the Church, he affix'd the name of Guelf to the Pope's Party, and confirm'd the name Ghibilin to the Faction of the Em∣peror.

The Italians would fain have the credit of the Etymology themselves, and by a certain gingling of words, (and that mightily strain'd) would have Guelf deriv'd from Guardatori di fe, because (forsooth) 'tis they who defend the Faith of the Church: and that by cor∣ruption the word Ghibilin was form'd from Guida belli, that is Guidatori di Bataglia, a great Title, and sutable to the Majesty of the Empire.

Be it which way it will, these two Factions were in the height of their emulation two hundred years after, that is to say, about the year 1320. which was very near the time that Castruccio was in his prosperity. And in Europe the face of affairs stood thus.

The Popes (driven from Rome by the violence of the Emperors of the West) had trans∣ferred the Holy Chair to Avignon in France. In the year 1320. it was possessed by Iohn XXII. a Prince of himself firm and entire, but one who by the precipitate counsels of other people had excommunicated the Emperor Lewis of the house of Bavaria, and been too busie with his fulminations against five more Princes of Italy, who (being treated by him like Tyrants) confederated against him; their names were Castruccio Sovereign of Lucca, Scaliger, Lord of Verona, the Marquess d' Esti Lord of Ferrara, and Visconti, and Gonzague the first Sovereign of Milan, and the other of Mantoua: which created troubles to Italy.

The Empire of the East was at that time torn, and distracted by the ambition of the Pali∣ologi and others, whilst in the mean time the Sultan Orchan son of Ottoman, swept away Lycaonia, Phrygia, and all the Coast of the Hellespont from the Greeks.

The Empire of the West was then in dispute betwixt Frederick of Austria, and Lewis of Bavaria, (whom Machiavel, by mistake or inadvertency, has called Frederick, Lewis af∣ter long and bloody Wars overcome his Competitor, and made several Voyages into Italy to invigorate and reinforce Castruccio and the Ghibilins.

France was governed by Philip le Long, who at the solicitation of Pope Iohn passed an Army into Italy to the relief of the Guelfs, which Army was commanded by Philip de Va∣lois afterwards King, but his Expedition did not answer expectation; for either the cun∣ning or bribes of the Ghibilins had dispelled the storm which our preparations threatned upon Lombardy; or our Forces were recalled upon some secret apprehension of a fourth War with the English, or by the vast projects of a fifth Expedition to the Holy Land.

Spain was divided into five Kingdoms, each of which had its peculiar King; four of them were Christians, and one a Mahumetan.

Navar had the same King with France. Philip the Long found a way to extend the Sa∣lick Law into that Country, and defeat his Niece Iane of France, Daughter of Lewis Hutin, of both Kingdoms at once.

Alphonso XI. as Mariana calls him, (the XII. as Garibay) had at that time the Scepter of Castile, but his minority transferr'd the Conduct of Affairs into the hands of the two Infanti, Don Pedro, and Don Iohn, insomuch as by the jealousie and division betwixt the two Regents, that Kingdom was exposed to such disorders as are inseparable from the mi∣nority of a Prince. At length the two Infanti were slain in the year 1320. in a Fight which their rashness caused them to lose to the Mores under the walls of Granada.

Arragon was in obedience to Don Iacques the second of that name; He was Brother to Fredrick, who reigned in Sicily to the prejudice of Robert, a Prince of the House of Anjou. This Robert was King of Naples, sided with the Guelfs, and leagued himself sun∣dry times with the Florentines against Castruccio. Iames, King of Aragon, designing to establish himself in Italy, and judging that the Conquests which he mediated upon the Isles of Corsica and Sardinia, depended much upon the Concord of his Subjects at home; He caused a General Assembly of his Estates to be held in the year 1320. in which was concluded the Union of the Kingdoms of Aragon and Valentia, with the Principality of Catolonia.

Don Denis reigned in Portugal, a person eminent among his Subjects for magnificent Building, and in great veneration for his Piety and Justice. But the felicity of his Reign was disturbed by domestick broils which he had with his Son, the Infant Don Alphonso, who succeeded him in the Crown. Don Denis instituted the Order of Christ in the year 1320.

The More, Ismael, first of that name, had the Monarchy of Granada; the Battel which he gained 1320. against the two Infanti of Castile, reviv'd the affairs of that Nation, which were in their declension before, and gave new alarms to all Spain.

The King and Kingdom of England were both governed by favourites at that time. Edward 2. gave his authority and confidence, one while to Gaveston, and then to the two Spencers; and this weakness and imprudence of his created so many discontents, and ren∣dred him so odious to the people, that after much trouble to quit himself of an Impostor who pretended to the Crown, he was forced to go thorow a cruel War against the Nobi∣lity, and another no less dangerous against Robert Bruce King of Scotland. These great stirs and commotions could not but give some jealousies to France, which seeing the Provin∣ces that the English had on that side the Sea perpetually in Arms, was obliged to keep upon so strong a Guard, as was little different from an open War.

It is not then to be admired, the affairs of Europe being in this confusion, if Italy was left in prey to the Guelfs and the Ghibilins, and gave opportunity to the laying the founda∣tion of so many Principalities, that the most part of them are still in existence. But it is certain, that neither Paulus Iovius, Girolamo Briani, il Biondo, nor the rest of the Historians, who have written of the Wars and Concussions of these two Factions, have left any thing comparable to the adventures of Castruccio, they have lent me indeed some circumstances for the illustration and ornament of this History, and I have been forced to paraphrase upon five or six of the sayings of Castruccio to give them their true Grace, and make them in∣telligible, I know not whether I have followed the just temperament that is to be observed in a translation. 'Tis vitious to assume such liberty as the History will not bear, but on the other, to tye ones self up to the same, and same quantity of words, is as disingenuous and servile. 'Tis true, the same comma's and stops were by no means to be neglected, were all treatises that are translated, like the fallacious answer of a Divine to Braccio Montone So∣vereign of Perusia, which Braccio being a Ghibilin as well as Castruccio, departed for the Siege of Aquila a Town in the Kingdom of Naples, and being impatient to know his suc∣cess,

upon application to an Astrologer, he received this answer, Ibis redibis non morieris in bello: which if punctuated thus, Ibis, redibis non, morieris in bello, threatned the said Braccio with the unfortunateness of his Expedition; whereas altering it thus, Ibis, redibis, non morieris in bello, portended quite contrary. An ambiguity like this was sent also to Manfred King of Sicily, not long before he was defeated by Charles of Anjou. NO CARLO SARA VITORIOSO DEL RE MANFREDO, and ought to be interpreted with great exactness and acuracy, the mistake of a comma being as much as a mans life is worth. There is another kind of Tyranny likewise, and that is when the Text of the Author is to regulate in a point of Religion: but here we are not under any such necessities, and he who in a quarrelsom capriccio, to defame my translati∣on, would compare every line, and put the English words all along under the Italian, would make a new and pleasant kind of Dictionary, and the beauties which are peculiar to each language, would be excellently presented.