Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/44

 Readings in European History 231a. Florence and the Medici. The MedicL a league from Asti, belonging to the duchy of Milan, at which place the king's council resorted to him daily. . . . Something must now be said of the Florentines, who sent two embassies to the king of France before his setting out upon this expedition ; but their design was only to dissemble with him. . . . Our demands were only that they should grant us passage for our troops, and furnish us an hundred men at arms, to be paid by them after the Italian rate (which is but ten thousand ducats a year). The ambassadors replied according to the instructions that were given them by Piero de' Medici, a young man of no extraordinary parts, son of Lorenzo de' Medici, lately deceased, who had been one of the wisest men of his time, had governed the city almost as a prince, and left it to his son. Their house had already existed two generations, dur- ing the lives of Piero, the father of this Lorenzo, and of Cosimo, who founded it, a man worthy to be reckoned among the chief of that age. Indeed, in their profession, which was merchandising, I think this family was the great- est that ever was in the world ; for their agents had so much reputation on account of this name of Medici that the effect of it in England and Flanders, as I have myself seen, is scarce credible. I saw one of their agents, Gerard Canisiani, who kept King Edward IV upon his throne, almost upon his own credit, during the time of the great civil wars in that kingdom ; for he furnished the king at different times with more than six- score thousand crowns, — little to his master's advantage, though in the end he got his money back again. I knew also another, named Thomas Portinari, who was security between King Edward and Charles, duke of Burgundy, for fifty thou- sand crowns, and at another time for eighty thousand. I cannot commend merchants for acting thus ; but it is highly commendable in a prince to be punctual with them, and keep his promise exactly ; for he knows not how soon he may want their assistance, and certainly a little money some- times does great service.