[77] _Cosmi Vita_, op. cit. ii. 243. [78] _Lucrezia Tornabuoni, Donna di Piero di Cosimo de’ Medici_, G. Levantini-Pieroni, p. 37. Firenze, 1888. [79] A piece torn out of the letter. [80] For an account of the Consuls of the Sea, see _Pisa_, “Mediæval Towns.” Dent, London, 1909. [81] A piece torn out of the letter. [82] _Arch. Med. ante Prin._, Filza ii. No. 546. [83] _Cosmi Vita_, op. cit. ii. 246. [84] A monastery built by Cosimo not far from Cafaggiuolo, in the forest. [85] _Cosmi Vita_, &c., _op. cit._ ii. 251. [86] _Epistole Marsilii Ficini Florentini._ XV Decembris MCCCCXXXXIIII. Florentiæ. PIERO DI COSIMO DE’ MEDICI (1416-1469) Pietro, or, as he was commonly called, Piero de’ Medici, was forty-eight when his father died in 1464, and had neither the moral nor the physical strength necessary for his position. He was a martyr to gout, from whence his surname _il Gottoso_. Kindly and indolent by nature, he could be stern, terse, and eloquent when roused, and his political insight was keen. The commencement of his reign, if one may use the word, was unfortunate. Cosimo on his deathbed had recommended his son to consult Diotisalvi Neroni, and to follow his advice. The shrewd old man had been singularly deceived in his estimate of the character of the man he bade Piero take as his right hand. Machiavelli’s account of the conspiracy which so nearly wrecked the power of the house of Medici is as follows: “Messer Diotisalvi, moved more by his own ambition than by affection for Piero or gratitude for the benefits he had received from Cosimo, thought it would be easy to ruin Piero’s credit, and to deprive him of the authority inherited from his father. He therefore gave him advice which appeared most honest and reasonable, but in reality was meant to lead to his ruin. Showing him the disorder in his affairs, and how much money was absolutely necessary to save his own credit and that of the State, he declared that the most honourable way to remedy his difficulties would be to call in the debts due to his father by both foreigners and citizens. For Cosimo, in order to gain partisans in Florence and friends abroad, had been most generous in the use of his riches, and the moneys owing to him amounted to a very considerable sum. Such counsel seemed good and honest to Piero, who wished to remedy his affairs with his own means. But as soon as he demanded repayment of these loans the citizens, as though he wanted to take what was theirs and not what was his own, complained loudly, and showed small respect in speaking ill of him, and accusing him of ingratitude and avarice. When Messer Diotisalvi saw the universal disfavour his advice had brought on Piero he joined Messer Luca Pitti, Messer Agnolo Acciaiuoli, and Niccolò Soderini, and they conspired to deprive Piero of his credit and his authority. They were influenced by various motives. Messer Luca aspired to fill the position held by Cosimo,