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. VII.

Of new Principalities acquired by accident, and the supplies of other People.

THey who from private condition ascend to be Princes, and meerly by the indulgence of fortune, arrive without much trouble at their dignity, though it costs them dear to maintain it, meet but little difficulty in their passage, being hurried as it were with wings, yet when they come to settle and establish, then begins their misery. These kind of Persons are such as attain their dignity by Bribes, or concession of some other great Prince, as it hapned to several in Greece in the Cities of Ionia, and upon the Hellespont; where they were invested with that power by Darius for his greater security and Glory, and to those Emperours who arrived at the Empire by the corruption of the Souldiers. These persons I say, subsist wholly upon the pleasure and fortune of those who advanced them, which being two things very valuable and uncertain; they have neither knowledg nor power to continue long in that degree; know not, because unless he be a Man of extraordinary quali∣ties and virtue, it is not reasonable to think he can know how to command other people, who before lived always in a private condition himself; cannot, because they have no for∣ces upon whose friendship, and fidelity they can rely. Moreover States which are suddenly conquered (as all things else in nature whose rise and increase is so speedy) can have no root or

foundation, but what will be shaken and supplanted by the first gust of adversity, unless they who have been so suddenly exalted, be so wise as to prepare prudently in time for the conservation of what fortune threw so luckily into their lap, and establish afterwards such fun∣damentals for their duration, as others (which I mentioned before) have done in the like cases. About the arrival at this Authority either by virtue, or good fortune I shall in∣stance in two examples that are fresh in our memory, one is Francis Sforza, the other Cae∣sar Borgio; Sforza by just means, and extraordinary virtue made himself Duke of Milan, and enjoyed it in great peace, though gained with much trouble. Borgia on the other side (called commonly Duke of Valentine) got several fair territories by the fortune of his Father Pope Alexander, and lost them all after his death, though he used all his industry, and em∣ployed all the Arts which a wise and brave Prince ought to do to fix himself in the sphear, where the Arms, and fortune of other people had placed him: For he (as I said before) who laid not his foundation in time, may yet raise his superstructure, but with great trouble to the Architect, and great danger to the building. If therefore the whole progress of the said Duke be considered, it will be found what solid foundations he had laid for his future dominion, of which progress I think it not superfluous to discourse, because I know not what better precepts to display before a new Prince, than the example of his actions, and though his own orders and methods did him no good, it was not so much his fault, as the malignity of his fortune.

Pope Alexander the sixth had a desire to make his Son Duke Valentine great, but he saw ma∣ny blocks and impediments in the way both for the present, and future. First he could not see any way to advance him to any territory that depended not upon the Church, and to those in his gift, he was sure the Duke of Milan, and the Venetians would never consent, for Faenza and Riminum had already put themselves under the Venetian protection. He was likewise sensible that the forces of Italy, especially those who were capable of assisting him, were in the hands of those who ought to apprehend the greatness of the Pope, as the Ursini, Colonnesi, and their followers, and therefore could not repose any great confidence in them: besides, the Laws and alliances of all the States in Italy must of necessity be distur∣bed, before he could make himself Master of any part, which was no hard matter to do, finding the Venetians upon some private interest of their own, inviting the French to another expedition into Italy, which his Holiness was so far from opposing, that he promoted it by dissolution of King Lewis his former marriage. Lewis therefore passed the Alps by the assistance of the Venetians, and Alexanders consent, and was no sooner in Milan, but he sent forces to assist the Pope in his enterprize against Romagna, which was immediatly surrendred upon the Kings reputation. Romagna being in this manner reduc'd by the Duke, and the Colonnesi defeated, being ambitious not only to keep what he had got, but to ad∣vance in his Conquests, two things obstructed; one was the infidelity of his own Army; the other, the aversion of the French: for he was jealous of the forces of the Ursini who were in his service; suspected by would fail him in his need, and either hinder his con∣quest, or take it from him when he had done; and the same fears he had of the French; and his jealousie of the Ursini was much increased, when after the expugnation of Faenza, assaul∣ting Bologna, he found them very cold and backward in the attack: and the King's incli∣nation he discover'd, when having possess'd himself of the Dutchy of Urbin, he invaded Tuscany, and was by him requir'd to desist. Whereupon the Duke resolved to depend no longer upon fortune, and foraign assistance, and the first course he took, was to weaken the party of the Ursini, and Colonni in Rome, which he effected very neatly by debauch∣ing such of their adherants as were Gentlemen, taking them into his own service, and gi∣ving them honorable pensions, and Governments, and Commands, according to their respective qualities, so that in a few months, their passion for that faction evaporated, and they turn'd all for the Duke. After this he attended an opportunity of supplanting the Ur∣sini, as he had done the Family of the Colonni before; which happened very luckily, and was as luckily improved: for the Ursini considering too late, that the greatness of the Duke and the Church tended to their ruine, held a Council at a place called Magione in Perugia, which occasioned the rebellion of Urbin, the tumults in Romagna, and a thousand dangers to the Duke besides; but though he overcame them all by the assistance of the French, and recovered his reputation, yet he grew weary of his foreign allies, as having nothing fur∣ther to oblige them, and betook himself to his artifice, which he managed so dexterously, that the Ursini reconciled themselves to him, by the mediation of Seignor Paulo, with whom for his security he comported so handsomly by presenting with mony, rich stuffs, and Horses, that being convinced of his integrity, he conducted them to Sinigaglia, and deliver'd them into the Dukes hands. Having by this means exterminated the chief of his adversaries, and reduc'd their friends, the Duke had laid a fair foundation for his great∣ness,

having gain'd Romagna and the Dutchy of Urbin, and insinuated with the People by giving them a gust of their future felicity. And because this part is not unworthy to be known for imitation sake, I will not pass it in silence. When the Duke had possess'd himself of Romagna, finding it had been governed by poor and inferiour Lord's, who had rather robb'd than corrected their Subjects, and given them more occasion of discord than unity, insomuch as that Province was full of robberies, riots, and all manner of insolencies; to reduce them to unanimity, and subjection to Monarchy, he thought it necessary to pro∣vide them a good Governor, and thereupon he confer'd that charge upon R••miro d' Orco, with absolute power, though he was a cruel, and a passionate Man. Orce was not long before he had settled it in peace, with no small reputation to himself. Afterwards the Duke apprehending so large a power might grow odious to the people, he erected a Court of judicature in the middle of the Province, in which every City had its advocate, and an excellent person was appointed to preside. And because he discover'd that his pass'd ••verity had created him many Enemies; to remove that ill opinion, and recover the affections of the people he had a mind to show that if any cruelty had been exercised, it proceeded not from him, but from the arrogance of his Minister; and for their further confirmation; he caused the said Governor to be apprehended, and his Head chopt off one morning in the Market place at Cesena, with a wooden dagger on one side of him, and a bloody knife on the other; the ferocity of which spectacle not only appeas'd, but amaz'd the people for a while. But reassuming our discourse, I say, the Duke finding himself powerfull enough, and secure against present danger, being himself as strong as he desired, and his neighbours in a manner reduced to an incapacity of hurting him, being willing to go on with his con∣quests, there remaining nothing but a jealousie of France, and not without cause, for he knew that King had found his errour at last, and would be sure to obstruct him. Hereupon he be∣gan to look abroad for new allies, and to haesitate and stagger towards France, as appear∣ed when the French Army advanced into the Kingdom of Naples against the Spaniards who had besieg'd Cajeta; his great design was to secure himself against the French, and he had doubtless done it, if Alexander had lived. These were his provisions against the dangers that were imminent, but those that were remote, were more doubtful and uncertain. The first thing he feared was, lest the next Pope should be his enemy, & reassume all that Alexan∣der had given him, to prevent which he proposed four several ways. The first was by de∣stroying the whole line of those Lord's whom he had dispossess'd, that his Holiness might have no occasion to restore them; The second was to cajole the Nobility in Rome, and draw them over to his party, that thereby he might put an aw, and restraint upon the Pope. The third was, if possible to make the Colledge his friends. The fourth was to make himself so strong before the Death of his Father, as to be able to stand upon his own legs, and repel the first violence that should be practised against him. Three of these four expe∣dients he had try'd••before Alexander died, and was in a fair way for the fourth, all the disseiz'd Lord's which came into his Clutches, he put to death, and left few of them re∣maining: he had insinuated with the Nobility of Rome and got a great party in the Col∣ledge of Cardinals, and as to his own corroboration, he had design'd to make himself Ma∣ster of Tuscany, had got possession of Perugia, and Piombino already, and taken Pisa into his protection: and having now farther regard of the French (who where beaten out of the Kingdom of Naples by the Spaniard, and both of them reduc'd to necessity of seeking his amity) he leapt bluntly into Pisa, after which Lucca, and Sienna submitted without much trouble, partly in hatred to the Florentines, and partly for fear, and the Florentines were grown desperate & without any hopes of relief; so that had these things happened before, as they did the same year in which Alexander died, doubtless he had gain'd so much strength and reputation, that he would have stood firm by himself, upon the basis of his own pow∣er and conduct▪ without depending upon fortune, or any foreign••supplies. But his Fa∣ther died five years after his Son had taken up Arms, and left him nothing solid, and in certainty but Romagna only, and the rest were in nubious, infested with two formidable Ar∣mies, and himself mortally sick. This Duke was a Man of that magnanimity and prudence, understood so well which way Men were to be wheedled, or destroy'd, and such were the foundations that he had laid in a short time, that had he not had those two great Armies upon his back, and a fierce distemper upon his body, he had overcome all difficulties, and brought his designs to perfection. That the foundations which he had laid were plausible, appear'd by the patience of his Subjects in Romagna who held out for him a compleat month, though they knew he was at deaths door, and unlikely ever to come out of Rome: to which place though the Baglioni, the Vitelli, and Ursini return'd, seeing there was no likelyhood of his recovery, yet they could not gain any of his party, nor debauch them to their side: 'tis possible he was not able to put who he pleas'd into the Pontifical chair,

yet he had power enough to keep any man out who he thought was his Enemy: But had it been his fortune to have been well when his Father Alexander died, all things had suc∣ceeded to his mind. He told me himself about the time that Iulius XI. was created, that he had considered well the accidents that might befal him upon the death of his Father, and provided against them all, only he did no imagine that at his death, he should be so near it himself. Upon serious Examination therefore of the whole Conduct of Duke Valentine, I see nothing to be reprehended, it seems rather proper to me to propose him (as I have done) as an Example for the imitation of all such as by the favour of fortune, or the supplies of other Princes, have got into the saddle; for his mind being so large, and his intentions so high, he could not do otherwise, and nothing could have opposed the greatness and wis∣dom of his designs, but his own infirmity, and the death of his Father. He therefore who thinks it necessary in the minority of his Dominion to secure himself against his Enemies; to gain himself Friends, to overcome whether by force, or by fraud; to make himself belov'd, or fear'd by his people; to be followed and reverenced by his Soldiers; to destory and exterminate such as would do him injury; to repeal and suppress old Laws, and intro∣duce new; to be severe, grateful, magnanimous, liberal, cashier and disband such of his Army as were unfaithful, and put new in their places; manage himself so in his alliances with Kings and Princes, that all of them should be either obliged to requite him, or affear'd to offend him; He, I say cannot find a fresher or better Model than the actions of this Prince. If in any thing he be to be condemned, it is in suffering the Election of Iulius XI. which was much to his prejudice; for though (as is said before) he might be unable to make the Pope as he pleased; yet it was in his power to have put any one by, and he ought never to have consented to the Election of any of the Cardinals whom he had formerly offended, or who after their promotion were like to be jealous of him; for men are as mischievous for fear, as for hatred. Those Cardinals which he had disobliged, were among others, the Cardinals of St. Peter ad Vincula, Collonno St. George, and Ascanius. The rest, if any of them were advanced, to the Papacy, might well be afraid of him, except the Spanish Cardi∣nals, and the Cardinal of Roan; The Spaniards by reason of their obligations and alliance; and the other, by reason of his interest in the Kingdom of France. Wherefore above all things, the Duke should have made a Spanish Cardinal Pope; and if that could not have been done, he should rather have consented to the Election of Roan, than St. Peter ad Vin∣cula; for 'tis weakness to believe, that among great persons, new obligations can obliterate old injuries and disgusts. So that in the Election of this Iulius XI. Duke Valentine com∣mitted and Error that was the cause of his utter destruction.