Florence, trates, destined. to 
y=" nance and increase of the Guelph party. 
FLO 87 
provide for the constant mainte-. 
portant add ee ‘ 
riod, also, an im ition was to the 
rentine constitution of four new councils, without the 
ion of which, the signory, could. not. deter- 
mine on any point of im ce. The tirst in order 
was. the “ Council of People,” isting. of an 
hundred citizens. Next, but on the same day, the 
council “ De Credenza” was consulted ; this consisted 
of 80 members, and in it the heads of. the seven prin- 
cipal trades had a right to a seat. From. both these 
councils, the watchful jealousy of the le excluded 
all nobles and Ghibellines. On the following day, the 
business was considered by the council of the Podesta 
and the general council, the former composed of 90 
members, indiscriminately chosen from the nobles and 
plebeians, besides the heads of the trades, and the lat- 
ter of 300 citizens of all. denominations. . The esta- 
blishment of these tended greatly to increase the influ- 
ence of the people. The number of citizens compo- 
sing them, and their continuing in office only one year; 
prevented them from having any peculiar interests.in- 
d ent of their constituents ; while the check they 
- on the magistracy was immediate and power- 
_ In the year 1279, by the zealous and _actiye inter- 
position of the Cardinal. Latino, legate and nephew 
to Pope Nicolas III. a was concluded between 
the Guelphs and Ghibellines ; to the latter were resto- 
red their fortunes and. estates, andthe right of partici- 
pation in the public offices. At the same, time, the 
pious endeavours of the Cardinal were successful in 
putting an end to a family feud between the Adimari 
and Donati, in which a considerable portion of the 
In 1282, the Florentines anew system of go- 
yernment, which continued until the downfal of the re- 
wablic.. This was a new signory, isting of six mem- 
who were styled priors of the arts and. of liberty, 
one being chosen from each of the incorporated pro- 
fessions, except that of the judges and notaries, These 
continued in office only two months; and, during that 
time, resided in the ic palace, which they were not 
allowed to quit. council of election consisted of 
Se senor going out of office, with the heads and 
s of the principal. professions, and certain others 
chosen by them from the different quarters of the city. 
No person could be re-elected in less than two years, 
men, although nominally members of the tion, 
from being ever elected priors. This, and the other 
laws, tending to the power of the nobles, were 
duced by Giano della Bella, who, though a noble, had 
more regard for the general liberties of his country; 
with various success, until the Neri, assisted by Charles 
of Valois, succeeded in expelling the Bianchi whe were 
ap forced to join with the Ghibellines, their:brethren 
ion of the emperor H i 
a taly in 1310, revived the: drooping pitt of 
6 FLO 
the imperial faction, while, from the distinguished 
Florence held among his opponents, it 
public a much hi place in the of the Italian 
states than it had hitherto held... In fact; after this 
riod, the history of Florence is so much involved in 
that of the revolutions of Italy, ‘that it’ becomes i 
sible even to narrate the. york in Sa Ad 
without entering largely into the general history of 
times ; and we must therefore close this article by again 
referring our readers to the articles Irary, Tuscany, 
Mepici, &e.  (.3-) 
FLORIDA,.a province in North:America; is bound- 
ed on the north by Georgia; on the east, by the At- 
lantie ; on the south, by the gulf of Mexico; and on 
the west, by the Mississippi, It extends between 500 
and 600 miles, from east to west; and. little more than 
100 from north to south, except at its easternypeninsula, 
where the breadth is nearly 400 miles. It 1s situated 
between 25° and 31° of North Latitude; and between 
80° and 92° of West Longitude. This country was first 
visited in 1497, by Sebastian Cabot, a Venetian ma- 
riner in 
was more ag 7 A ay vered. time? Ponce de 
Leon, a native in, in 1512. is navigator gi 
ing credit to an old tradition, that a fountain Sideloh 
the American continent, which had she eens of 
bestowing perpetual youth, fitted out a x pes Cte 
and bent his course tow the quarter where these 
ua de Flores; or, according to Herrera, from the ap- 
ce of the country, which was covered with 
owers, and the most beautiful blossoms., He landed on 
the coast ; and, taki ession of the soil in name 
of his Catholic Majesty, he erected a stene with an 
by Ferdinand de oe eas “officers: in 
ish service ; it cost the Spaniards ‘a lo 
and  Ccaahchetuetithepeeataaies tanmmoae 
ndered z Captain Davisy'at the head of of 
eers. In Senpaputliian tartans 
amin. 
the service of Henry VII: of England ; but History. 
