Vol.  II.  L  In


1^.6  Florence,'

1497.        In  1497,   the  pope  and  Venetians  conceived  a
new   project  for  feparating  the  Florentines  from
the  French,  the  unhappy   ftate  of  their  city,  in
which   there  were  fuch  great  divifions  among  the
citizens,  owing  to  the  form  of  their  government,
giving  encouragement  to  any  power  that  wifhed  to
moleft  them  :  for,  fays  Guicchiardin,   in   the  firit
inflitution  of  the  popular  authority  in  Florence,
there  had  not  been  introduced  a  mixture  of  thofe
temperaments,  which,  together  with  fecuring,  by
fuitable  methods,  the  common  liberty,  might  pre-
vent the  republic  from  being  thrown  into  confu-
fion  by  the  ignorance  and  licentioufnefs  of   the
multitude.     For  this  reafon,  the  citizens  of  better
rank,   meeting  with  lefs  refpecl  than  their  condi-
tion  feemed  to  require,  and  the  people   on   the
other  hand  jealous  of  their  ambition,  multitudes
of  mean  capacities  frequently  arTifting  at  impor-
tant debates,    and    the  fupreme    magiftracy,    to
whom  was  referred  the  decifion  of  the  mod  diffi-
cult  affairs,    being  changed  every  two    months-
much  confufion  was  occafioned  in  the  government
of  the  republic.    To  this  muft  be  added,  the  great
authority  of    Savanarola,    whole  followers   were
more   numerous   than   thofe  of  the  contrary  opi-
nion,   and   appeared   to   have  much   the   greater
mare  in  the  distribution  of  places  in   the   magif-
tracy,  and  of  public   honours;   by   which  means
the  city  becoming  manifestly  divided,  one  party  still
clalhed  with  the  other  in  all  the  public  delibera-
tions, as  it  always  happens  in  divided  cities,  when
men  care  not  how  much  they  obftrutl  the  common  goodr
for  the  Jake  of  lowering  the  reputation  of  the  adverfe
party.     Thefe  diforders  were  the  more  dangerous,
becaufe,    bdides    the  long   vexations  and   great
burthens  borne  by  that  city,  there  was  that  year

a  verv


G  ui  cchiar dirt.
