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chalk   up   the    billets   for  his   soldiers   to   conquer   the     country。   Cf。   〃The 

History of Henry VII;〃 by Lord Bacon: 〃King Charles had conquered the 

realm of Naples; and lost it again; in a kind of a felicity of a dream。 He 

passed   the   whole   length   of   Italy   without   resistance:   so   that   it   was   true 

what   Pope   Alexander   was   wont   to   say:   That   the   Frenchmen   came   into 

Italy with chalk in their hands; to mark up their lodgings; rather than with 

swords to fight。〃 

     I   wish    to   demonstrate       further    the   infelicity    of   these   arms。     The 

mercenary captains are either capable men or they are not; if they are; you 

cannot   trust   them;   because   they   always   aspire   to   their   own   greatness; 

either by oppressing you; who are their master; or others contrary to your 

intentions; but if the captain is not skilful; you are ruined in the usual way。 

     And   if   it   be   urged   that   whoever   is   armed   will   act   in   the   same   way; 

whether mercenary or not; I reply that when arms have to be resorted to; 

either by a prince or a republic; then the prince ought to go in person and 

perform   the   duty   of   a   captain;   the   republic   has   to   send   its   citizens;   and 

when one is sent who does not turn out satisfactorily; it ought to recall him; 

and when one is worthy; to hold him by the laws so that he does not leave 

the   command。 And   experience   has   shown   princes   and   republics;   single… 

handed;      making     the   greatest    progress;     and   mercenaries       doing    nothing 

except damage; and it is more difficult to bring a republic; armed with its 

own   arms;   under   the   sway   of   one   of   its   citizens   than   it   is   to   bring   one 

armed   with   foreign   arms。   Rome   and   Sparta   stood   for   many   ages   armed 

and free。 The Switzers are completely armed and quite free。 

     Of ancient mercenaries; for example; there are the Carthaginians; who 

were   oppressed   by   their   mercenary   soldiers   after   the   first   war   with   the 

Romans;  although   the   Carthaginians   had   their own   citizens   for   captains。 



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After the death of Epaminondas; Philip of Macedon was made captain of 

their soldiers by the Thebans; and after victory he took away their liberty。 

     Duke     Filippo   being    dead;   the   Milanese    enlisted    Francesco     Sforza 

against     the    Venetians;     and    he;    having     overcome      the    enemy      at 

Caravaggio;'*' allied himself with them to crush the Milanese; his masters。 

His father; Sforza; having been engaged by Queen Johanna'+' of Naples; 

left her unprotected; so that she was forced to throw herself into the arms 

of the King of Aragon; in order to save her kingdom。 And if the Venetians 

and Florentines formerly extended their dominions by these arms; and yet 

their captains did not make themselves princes; but have defended them; I 

reply that the Florentines in this case have been favoured by chance; for of 

the able captains; of whom they might have stood in fear; some have not 

conquered;       some    have    been    opposed;     and   others    have   turned    their 

ambitions elsewhere。 One who did not conquer was Giovanni Acuto;'%' 

and since he did not conquer his fidelity cannot be proved; but every one 

will   acknowledge   that;   had   he   conquered;   the   Florentines   would         have 

stood at his discretion。 Sforza had the Bracceschi always against him; so 

they   watched   each   other。   Francesco   turned   his   ambition   to   Lombardy; 

Braccio against the Church and the kingdom of Naples。 But let us come to 

that which happened a short while ago。 The Florentines appointed as their 

captain Pagolo Vitelli; a most prudent man; who from a private position 

had risen to the greatest renown。 If this man had taken Pisa; nobody can 

deny  that   it   would   have   been proper   for the   Florentines   to keep   in   with 

him; for if he became the soldier of their enemies they had no means of 

resisting; and if they held to him they  must   obey him。 The Venetians;  if 

their achievements are considered; will be seen to have acted safely and 

gloriously so long   as they  sent to   war their  own men;  when with   armed 

gentlemen and plebians they did valiantly。 This was before they turned to 

enterprises on land; but when they began to fight on land they forsook this 

virtue   and   followed   the   custom   of   Italy。   And   in   the   beginning   of   their 

expansion on land; through not having much territory; and because of their 

great reputation; they had not much to fear from their captains; but when 

they expanded; as under Carmignuola;'#' they had a taste of this mistake; 

for; having found him a   most valiant man (they  beat the Duke of   Milan 



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under his leadership); and; on the other hand; knowing how lukewarm he 

was in the war; they feared they would no longer conquer under him; and 

for this reason they were not willing; nor were they able; to let him go; and 

so; not to lose again that which they had acquired; they were compelled; in 

order to secure themselves; to murder him。 They had afterwards for their 

captains Bartolomeo da Bergamo; Roberto da San Severino; the count of 

Pitigliano;'&'   and   the   like;   under   whom   they   had   to   dread   loss   and   not 

gain; as happened afterwards at Vaila;'' where in one battle they lost that 

which   in   eight   hundred   years   they   had   acquired   with   so   much   trouble。 

Because   from   such   arms   conquests   come   but   slowly;   long   delayed   and 

inconsiderable; but the losses sudden and portentous。 

     '*' Battle of Caravaggio; 15th September 1448。 

     '+' Johanna II of Naples; the widow of Ladislao; King of Naples。 

     '%'   Giovanni   Acuto。   An   English   knight   whose   name   was   Sir   John 

Hawkwood。 He fought in the English wars in France; and was knighted by 

Edward III; afterwards he collected a body of troops and went into Italy。 

These became the famous 〃White Company。〃 He took part in many wars; 

and died in Florence in 1394。 He was born about 1320 at Sible Hedingham; 

a village in Essex。 He married Domnia; a daughter of Bernabo Visconti。 

     '#' Carmignuola。 Francesco Bussone; born at Carmagnola about 1390; 

executed at Venice; 5th May 1432。 

     '&'   Bartolomeo       Colleoni    of  Bergamo;     died   1457。    Roberto    of  San 

Severino; died fighting for Venice against Sigismund; Duke of Austria; in 

1487。 〃Primo capitano in Italia。〃Machiavelli。 Count of Pitigliano; Nicolo 

Orsini; born 1442; died 1510。 

     '' Battle of Vaila in 1509。 

     And as with these examples I have reached Italy; which has been ruled 

for many years by mercenaries; I wish to discuss them more seriously; in 

order that; having seen their rise and progress; one may be better prepared 

to   counteract   them。   You   must   understand   that   the   empire   has   recently 

come to be repudiated in Italy; that the Pope has acquired more temporal 

power; and that Italy has been divided up into more states; for the reason 

that   many   of   the   great   cities   took   up   arms   against   their   nobles;   who; 

formerly     favoured     by   the  emperor;     were   oppressing     them;    whilst   the 



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Church was favouring them so as to gain authority in temporal power: in 

many others their citizens became princes。 From this it came to pass that 

Italy   fell   partly   into   the   hands   of   the   Church   and   of   republics;   and;   the 

Church consisting of priests and the republic of citizens unaccustomed to 

arms; both commenced to enlist foreigners。 

     The first who gave renown to this soldiery was Alberigo da Conio;'*' 

the    Romagnian。       From     the  school    of   this  man     sprang;    among     others; 

Braccio and Sforza; who in their time were the arbiters of Italy。 After these 

came all the other captains who till now have directed the arms of Italy; 

and   the   end   of   all   their   valour   has   been;   that   she   has   been   overrun   by 

Charles;   robbed       by   Louis;   ravaged     by   Ferdinand;     and   insulted    by   the 

Switzers。 The principle that has guided them has been; first; to lower the 

credit   of   infantry   so   that   they   might   increase   their   own。   They   did   this 

because; subsisting on their pay and without territory; they were unable to 

support many soldiers; and 

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