10 MED 
more immediate duties and engagements: “Having,” 
fays he, “ now obtained the objeft of my cares, I trutt I 
may be allowed to enjoy the fweets of leifure, to lhare the 
reputation of my fellow-citizens, and to exult in the glory 
of my native place.” This profpeft of relaxation and han- 
pinefs he was not dellined to realize. Early in the year 
14.92, the complaint under which he laboured attacked 
him with additional violence; and, while the attention of 
his phyficians was employed in adminiftering relief, he 
contracted a flow fever, which efcaped their notice, until 
it was too late effectually to oppofe its progrefs. He funk, 
almoft before his attendants fufpefted danger, into fuch a 
tlate of debility as totally precluded all hopes of recovery. 
Having performed the offices of the church, and adjufted 
with decorum his fpiritual concerns, he fent for his elded 
fon Piero, with whom he held a long and interefting con¬ 
vention on the ftate of the republic, the fituation of his 
family, and the conduct which it would be expedient for 
him to purfue. When Lorenzo had relieved his mind 
from the weight of its important concerns, he became 
more fenfibly alive to the emotions of friendfliip. At this 
moment Politiano entered his chamber: Lorenzo heard 
his voice, and, raifing his languid arms, clafped the hands 
of his friend in his own, and at the fame time fleadfaftly 
regarded him with a placid and even a cheerful countenance. 
Deeply affefted at this filent but unequivocal proof of his 
efteem, Politiano could not fupprefs his feelings, but, 
turning his head afide, attempted, as much as poflible, to 
conceal his fobs and his tears. Perceiving his agitation, 
Lorenzo ltill continued to grafp his hand, as if intending 
tc fpeak to him when his grief had fubflded; hut, finding 
him unable to refill its impulfe, he relaxed his hold, and 
Politiano, flattening into an inner apartment, flung him- 
felf on a bed, and gave way to his grief. Having at length 
compofed himfelf, he returned to the chamber, when Lo¬ 
renzo enquired with great kindnefs why Pico of Miran- 
dola had not once paid him a vifit during his ficknels. 
Politiano apologized for his friend, by a (Turing Lorenzo 
that he had only been deterred by the apprehenfion that 
his prefence might be troublefome. “ On the contrary,” 
replied Lorenzo, “ if his journey from the city be not trou- 
blefome to him, I (hall rejoice to fee him before I take 
my final leave of you.” Pico came, prepared with a me¬ 
lancholy pleafure, to (hare, for the laft time, the filtered of 
his converfation. Lorenzo exprefled his elteem for him 
in the moll affectionate terms, profefling that he fliould 
meet death with more cheerfulnefs after this lad interview. 
He then changed the fubjeft to more familiar and lively 
topics ; and it was on this occafion that he exprefled, with 
fome degree of jocularity, his withes that he could have ob¬ 
tained a reprieve, until he could have completed the li¬ 
brary dellined to the ufe of his auditors. His vivacity as 
well as his refignation were perceptible almolt to the lalt 
moment. Being a(ked, on taking a morfel of food, how 
he relithed it, “ As a dying man always does,” was his 
reply. Having affectionately embraced his furrounding 
friends, and, fubmitted to the laft ceremonies of the church, 
he became ablorbed in meditation, occafiotially repeating 
portions of fcripture, and accompanying his ejaculations 
with elevated eyes and folemn geftures of his hands, till 
the energies of life gradually declining, and prefling to his 
lips a magnificent crucifix, he calmly expired, in the forty- 
fourth year of his age. Few perfons of his condition have 
filled fo contracted a fpace of life with To much glory and 
profperity. 
In fumming up his character, Mr. Rofcoe fays, he is 
“ a man who may be feieCted from all the characters of 
ancient and modern hiftory, as exhibiting the mod re¬ 
markable inltance of depth of penetration, versatility of 
talent, and comprehenfion of mind. Of the various oc¬ 
cupations in which Lorenzo engaged, there is not one in 
which he was not eminently fuccelsful ; but he was more 
particularly diltingufibed in thofe which juftly hold the 
fir(l rank in human effimation. The facility with which 
toe turned from fubjeCts of the liiglielt importance, to thofe 
I C I. 
of amufement and levity, fuggefled fo his countrymen the 
idea that he had two diffincl fouls combined in one body. 
Even his moral character feems to have partaken, in fomo 
degree, of the fame diverfity ; and his devotional poem* 
are as ardent as his lighter pieces are licentious. On all 
fides he touched the extremes of human characters, and 
the powers of his mind were only bounded by that impe¬ 
netrable circle, which prel'cribes the limits of human 
nature.” 
After all that we have faid of this great man, and his 
grandfather Cofmo, thole who would rightly Appreciate 
their talents and various virtues, will confuit the Life of 
Lorenzo De Medici by Mr. Rofcoe, of which the firft 
chapter is chiefly devoted to Cofmo ; the remainder of 
the three volumes to Lorenzo and the fortunes of his 
lio ufe. 
MED'ICI (John de), on account of his bravery and 
knowledge in military affairs, was furnamed the Invincible. 
He was the fon of John, otherwife called Jourdain, de 
Medicis. He firft carried arms under Laurence de Medicis 
againft the duke of Urbino, afterwards under pope Leo X. 
Upon the death of Leo, he entered into the fervice of 
Francis I. which he quitted to follow the fortune of 
Francis Sforza duke of Milan. When Francis I. formed 
an alliance with the pope and the Venetians againft the 
emperor, he returned to his fervice. He was wounded in 
the knee at Governola, a fmall town in the Mantuan ter¬ 
ritory, by a mulket-ball; and being carried to Mantua, he 
died the 29th of November, 1526, aged twenty-eight. 
Brantome relates, that when his leg was to he cut off, and 
when he was informed that he needed fome perfon to fupport 
him, “ Proceed without fear (faid he), I need nobody 1” 
and he held the candle himlelf during the operation. 
John de Medici was above the middle (tature, Itrong, and 
nervous. His foldiers, to exprefs their affeCtions for him 
and their concern for his lofs, affumed a mourning drefs 
and ftandards, which gave the name of the black band to 
tile Tufcan troops whom he commanded. 
MED'ICI (Alexander de), firft duke of Florence, in 
1530, was natural fon of Laurence de Medici furnamed 
the Younger, and nephew of pope Clement VII. He 
owed his elevation to the intrigues of his uncle, and to 
the arms of Charles V. This prince, having made him- 
felf matter of Florence after an obftinate fiege, put down 
the republican government, and conferred the fovereigntjr 
of the city on Alexander, and afterwards gave him in 
marriage Margaret of Auftria, his natural daughter. Ac¬ 
cording to the terms of capitulation granted to the Flo¬ 
rentines, the new duke was to be only hereditary doge, 
and his authority was tempered by councils ; which left 
them at lead a (hadow of their ancient liberty. But Alex¬ 
ander, who felt himfelf fupported by the emperor and the 
pope, was no fooner in poffsftion of his new dignity, than 
lie began to govern like a tyrant; being guided by no 
law but his own caprice, indulging the molt brutal paf- 
fions, and making light of diftionouring families, and of 
violating even the afylum of the cloifters to gratify his lull. 
Among the confidants of his debauchery was a relation 
of his own, Laurence de Medici. This young man, who 
was only twenty-two years of age, at the mitigation of 
Philip Strozzi, a zealous republican, conceived the defign 
of affaflinating Alexander, and thereby of delivering his 
country from oppreflion. From the moment when he firft 
became atached to him, he tried to gain his confidence, 
for no other reafon but that lie might the better have it in 
liis power to take away his life. A confiderable time 
elapfed before he found fucli an opportunity as he defired. 
A t length, under pretence of procuring the duke a tete a tele 
with a lady of whom he was‘enamoured, he brought him 
alone and unattended into his chamber, and put him un¬ 
der his bed. He went cut, under pretence of introducing 
the objeCt of his p'aflion ; and returned with an affaflin by 
profeflion, to whom he had entrufted his defign, only to 
It a b him. This cruel fcene happened on the night be¬ 
tween the 5th and 6th of January, 1537. Alexander was 
3 only 
