on met with unanimous
disapprobation, and fell to the ground.

Outside, in the Piazza, was a shouting, struggling crowd of citizens,
something unusual was going on, and the cries of the people penetrated
the windows of the Council Chamber--"_Evviva il figlio di Giovanni delle
Bande Nere!_" "_Evviva il Cosimonino!_" "_Evviva Cosimo il Duca di
Firenze!_"

The Council rose at once, without coming to a decision, but each member
of it understood the import of that cry, and each was quite ready to
accept the popular verdict. As they regained the street they saw a
youthful cavalier, with a small mounted retinue, surrounded by an
enthusiastic crowd of citizens. They had ridden fast from the Mugello
and were covered with dust.

"Signor Cosimo," wrote Benedetto Varchi, "arrived in Florence with but a
few followers. As the son of Signor Giovanni, of fair aspect and having
always displayed a kindly disposition and a good understanding, he was
liked greatly by the populace, and they hailed him as heir to Duke
Alessandro, with marked affection. Affecting neither grief nor joy, he
rode on with an air of serene importance, showing rather his merit for
the throne than his wish for it. Dismounting at the palace, he visited
Cardinal Cibo, and expressing his regret at the Duke's sanguinary death,
went on to say that like a good son of Florence he had come to place not
only his fortunes but his life at the service of his country."

Cosimo was named Head of the State, not Duke, on four conditions:--

1. To render justice indifferently to rich and poor.

2. Never to disagree with the policy of the Emperor.

3. To avenge the death of Duke Alessandro.

4. To treat his three illegitimate children with kindness.

Those who come to the front through their own genius or their destiny,
upon the first step of the throne accept the conditions of their
appointment, but, upon the last step, they commonly impose their own
upon their makers. Consequently, although but a youth of nineteen years
of age at the time of his opportune arrival in Florence, Cosimo at once
showed his intention of assuming personally and untrammelled the
government of the State. Cardinal Cibo and Francesco de' Guicciardini,
who had been the first to recognise not only his claim but his fitness
to rule, were very tactfully set aside, and others, who might be
expected to assert powers of direction and supervision, were quietly
assigned to positions where they could not inte