ll provided with strong armies, yet hath he
alwaies need of the favor of the inhabitants in the Countrey, to enter
thereinto. For these reasons, Lewis the twelfth, King of France,
suddenly took Milan, and as soon lost it; and the first time Lodwick his
own forces served well enough to wrest it out of his hands; for those
people that had opened him the gates, finding themselves deceived of
their opinion, and of that future good which they had promised
themselves, could not endure the distastes the new Prince gave them.
True it is, that Countreys that have rebelled again the second time,
being recovered, are harder lost; for their Lord, taking occasion from
their rebellion, is less respective of persons, but cares only to secure
himself, by punishing the delinquents, to clear all suspicions, and to
provide for himself where he thinks he is weakest: so that if to make
France lose Milan the first time, it was enough for Duke Lodwick to make
some small stir only upon the confines; yet afterwards, before they
could make him lose it the second time, they had need of the whole world
together against him, and that all his armies should be wasted and
driven out of Italy; which proceeded from the forenamed causes: however
though both the first and second time it was taken from him. The
generall causes of the first we have treated of; it remains now that we
see those of the second; and set down the remedies that he had, or any
one else can have that should chance to be in those termes he was,
whereby he might be able to maintain himself better in his conquest than
the King of France did. I say therefore, that these States which by
Conquest are annexed to the ancient states of their conqueror, are
either of the same province and the same language, or otherwise; and
when they are, it is very easy to hold them, especially when they are
not used to live free; and to enjoy them securely, it is enough to have
extinguished the Princes line who ruled over them: For in other matters,
allowing them their ancient conditions, and there being not much
difference of manners betwixt them, men ordinarily live quiet enough; as
we have seen that Burgundy did, Britany, Gascony, and Normandy, which so
long time continued with France: for however there be some difference of
language between them, yet can they easily comport one with another; and
whosoever makes the conquest of them, meaning to hold them, must have
two regards; the first, that the race of