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196 prince promised Bianca to avenge him, but neglected to do it.

She was now the avowed mistress of Francesco. All Florence was shocked at his conduct, and the most severe satires were circulated on the occasion, which, however, instead of bringing him back to the path, of virtue, produced the contrary effect Whoever h;id a petition to the prince, must apply to her; and, whoever had the promise of her support, might be assured of success: whereas, on the other hand, oppression was the lot of him, who happened to incur her displeasure. This made her an object of abhorrence and execration with the people.

Bianca foresaw, that, notwithstanding the partiality of the prince, the discontent of the public might prove highly dangerous to her. To steer clear of this rock, she resolved to court the friendship of those individuals of the family of the Medici, who had some influence both on the prince and the people, particularly of his brother, the cardinal Ferdinando, who had but a small share in the confidence of his brother, but enjoyed the affections of the people; and perhaps was the only individual of the family generally beloved by the Florentines. She managed to lay him under obligations, by obtaining an augmentation of his revenue, which he had in vain solicited from his brother. She shewed him the most uncommon deference on every occasion, and secured the good will of the cardinal, notwithstanding she was the rival of his brother's consort.

By this politic conduct she soon obtained a perfect sway over the most prominent characters in the family of the Medici; and her influence at court rested on a basis the more solid, as Francesco gave her daily new proofs of