accustomed to the blood of their Princes,
there are far fewer difficulties to keep them, than in the new: for it
suffices only not to transgress the course his Ancestors took, and so
afterward to temporise with those accidents that can happen; that if
such a Prince be but of ordinary industry, he shall allwaies be able to
maintain himself in his State, unless by some extraordinary or excessive
power he be deprived thereof; and when he had lost it, upon the least
sinister chance that befalls the usurper, he recovers it again. We have
in Italy the Duke of Ferrara for example hereof, who was of ability to
resist the Venetians, in the year 84, and to withstand Pope Julius in
the tenth for no other reason, than because he had of old continued in
that rule; for the natural Prince hath fewer occasions, and less heed to
give offence, whereupon of necessity he must be more beloved; and unless
it be that some extravagant vices of his bring him into hatred, it is
agreeable to reason, that naturally he should be well beloved by his own
subjects: and in the antiquity and continuation of the Dominion, the
remembrances and occasions of innovations are quite extinguished: for
evermore one change leaves a kind of breach or dent, to fasten the
building of another.

CHAP. III

Of mixt Principalities.

But the difficulties consist in the new Principality; and first, if it
be not all new, but as a member, so that it may be termed altogether as
mixt; and the variations thereof proceed in the first place from a
natural difficulty, which we commonly finde in all new Principalities;
for men do willingly change their Lord, beleeving to better their
condition; and this beliefe causes them to take armes against him that
rules over them, whereby they deceive themselves, because they find
after by experience, they have made it worse: which depends upon another
natural and ordinary necessity, forcing him alwaies to offend those,
whose Prince he newly becomes, as well by his soldiers he is put to
entertain upon them as by many other injuries, which a new conquest
draws along with it; in such manner as thou findest all those thine
enemies, whom thou hast endammaged in the seizing of that Principality,
and afterwards canst not keep them thy friends that have seated thee in
it, for not being able to satisfie them according to their expectations,
nor put in practice strong remedies against them, being obliged to them.
For however one be very we