should have ben estemed, if the same for the ende therof, had
of him ben exercised. Fortune having therfore deprived us from the use
of so great a frende, me thinketh there can bee founde no other remedie,
then as muche as is possible, to seke to enjoye the memorie of the same,
and to repeate suche thynges as hath been of him either wittely saied,
or wisely disputed. And for as much as there is nothyng of him more
freshe, then the reasonyng, the whiche in his last daies Signior
Fabricio Collonna, in his orchard had with him, where largely of the
same gentilman were disputed matters of warre, bothe wittely and
prudently, for the moste parte of Cosimo demaunded, I thought good, for
that I was present there with certain other of our frendes, to bring it
to memorie, so that reading the same, the frendes of Cosimo, whiche
thether came, might renewe in their mindes, the remembraunce of his
vertue: and the other part beyng sorie for their absence, might partly
learne hereby many thynges profitable, not onely to the life of
Souldiours, but also to civil mennes lives, which gravely of a moste
wise man was disputed. Therfore I saie, that Fabricio Collonna
retournyng out of Lombardie, where longe time greatly to his glorie, he
had served in the warres the catholike kyng, he determined, passyng by
Florence, to rest himself certain daies in the same citee, to visite the
Dukes excellencie, and to see certaine gentilmen, whiche in times paste
he had been acquainted withal. For whiche cause, unto Cosimo it was
thought beste to bid him into his orchard, not so muche to use his
liberalitee, as to have occasion to talke with him at leasure, and of
him to understande and to learne divers thinges, accordyng as of suche a
man maie bee hoped for, semyng to have accasion to spende a daie in
reasonyng of suche matters, which to his minde should best satisfie him.
Then Fabricio came, accordyng to his desire, and was received of Cosimo
together, with certain of his trustie frendes, emongest whome wer Zanoby
Buondelmonti, Baptiste Palla, and Luigi Allamanni, all young men loved
of him and of the very same studies moste ardente, whose good qualities,
for as muche as every daie, and at every houre thei dooe praise
themselves, we will omit. Fabricio was then accordyng to the time and
place honoured, of all those honours, that thei could possible devise:
But the bankettyng pleasures beyng passed, and the tabel taken up, and
al preparacion of feastinges