him so by the laws, that he exceed not his
commission. And by experience we see, that Princes and Republiques of
themselves alone, make very great conquests; but that mercenary armes
never do other than harme; and more hardly falls a Republick armed with
her own armes under the obedience of one of her own Citizens, than one
that is armed by forrein armes. Rome and Sparta subsisted many ages
armed and free. The Swissers are exceedingly well armed, and yet very
free. Touching mercenary armes that were of old, we have an example of
the Carthagians, who near upon were oppress'd by their own mercenary
soldiers, when the first war with the Romans was finished; however the
Carthagians had their own Citizens for their Captains. Philip of Macedon
was made by the Thebans after Epaminondas his death, General of their
Armies; and after the victory, he took from them liberty. The Milaneses
when Duke Philip was dead, entertaind Francis Sforza into their pay
against the Venetians, who having vanquisht their enemie at Caravaggio,
afterwards joyned with them, where by to usurp upon the Milaneses his
Masters. Sforza his father, being in Joan the Queen of Naples pay, left
her on a sudden disarmed; whereupon she, to save her Kingdom, was
constraind to cast her self into the King of Arrragon's bosome. And in
case the Venetians and the Florentines have formerly augmented their
State with these kind of armes, and their own Captains, and yet none of
them have ever made themselves their Princes, but rather defended them:
I answer, that the Florentines in this case have had fortune much their
friend: for of valorous Captains, which they might any way fear, some
have not been victors, some have had opposition, and others have laid
the aim of their ambitions another way. He who overcame not, was John
Aouto, of whose faith there could no proof be made, being he vanquisht
not; but every one will acknowledge, that, had he vanquisht, the
Florentines were at his discretion. Sforza had alwaies the Bracceschi
for his adversaries, so that they were as a guard one upon another.
Francis converted all his ambition against Lombardy. Braccio against the
Church, and the Kingdome of Naples. But let us come to that which
followed a while agoe. The Florentines made Paul Vitelli their General,
a throughly advis'd man, and who from a private fortune had rose to very
great reputation: had he taken Pisa, no man will deny but that the
Florentines must have held fast wit