h.
Alexander de Medices, fauoured by the Church of Rome, (and armed
with the Papall standard) was hee that first with great actiuity
and Wisedome inueyed the Seniory of Florence, immediatly
vsurping the name, title, and prerogatiue of Duke. The same
albeit vpon the prime face he was odious to the people of
Florence, wroth for losing of their ancient liberty, and
displeasant to the Senatours and potentates, to see them selues
depriued of the soueraignty of Iustice, and of the authority
they had to commaund ouer all the Citizens, yet for all that was
he indued wyth so good qualities, and gouerned so wel his
principality, as that which at the beginning was termed Tyranny,
was receyued as iust domination, and that which was supposed to
be abused by force, seemed to be done as it were by lawfull
succession. And they counted themselues happy (when they saw
their lucke to bee sutch as their common wealth must needs obey
the aduice and pleasure of one Prince alone) to haue a soueraygn
lord, so wise, so vertuous and so ful of curtesie: and albeit in
all other things he shewed himselfe prayse worthy, noble, and of
gentle kinde, yet in this he vanquished himselfe in himselfe, by
that indifferent iustice, which made him wonderful, denying the
same to none, and in no one iote shewed himselfe parcial to any,
which thought by hym to bee supported in their follies: And that
which is more to bee wondred in him, and doth augment the prayse
of his integrity in iudgement, was, that he punished in another
the thynge, which hee ought to haue pardoned and remitted, hee
hymselfe beinge attaynted wyth that dysease. But thys good Duke
applyed to Reason, to tyme, and to the Grauity of the fact and
quality of the offended persones: For where the greatnesse of a
deede surpasseth all occasion of pardon and mercye, there the
Prynce, Iudge, or Magistrate ought to dispoyle and put of his
sweetest affections, to apparell himselfe with rigor, whych
reacheth the knyfe into the hand of the Ruler, of purpose that
pryuate familiaritie, do not in ende rayse in the subiect's
hearte a contempte of superiours, and unbrydled licence,
lawlesse to liue at their pleasure. Now the thing which I meane
to tell, consisteth in the proofe of a rare and exquisite
Prynce, which seldome or neuer harboureth in yong age, the
heates whereof can not but with greate difficultie, feele the
coldnesse and correction of reason: And likewise the causes from
whence wisdome's force p