A CENSURE UPON MACHIAVEL'S

FLORENTINE HISTORY.

BY FRANCIS DAVISON.a

(Imperfect.)

COMMANDED to write it by Clemens 7, before he was Pope, and written "con tutta la diligenza, & arte, che mi è stata dalla natura & dalla esperienza prestata," saith he, Epist. Ded.

Without flattery to the House of Medici, testified by himself, Ep. D. and declared in the work, especially in the speeches and orations and discourses, fitting always the speakers without reservation, &c.

The subject meaner than Guicciardini's, much greater actions succeeding after the death of Lorenzo M. and worthy a higher both style and spirit to describe them. Ep. D.

Written with intention (salva la veritá) to please and satisfy all parties; which yet he scarce hoped for; "perche io giudico, (saith he, Ep. D.) che sia una cosa impossibile, senza offendere molti, descrivere le cose de' tempi suoi."

* Harl. MSS. 290, f. 263, in his own hand.

The four first books are bare, as containing either the state of Italy barely, or else only the civil dissensions of Florence. The other four are fuller, as mingling with the private matters of Florence all the great and worthy actions, both of peace and war, of all the other States and Potentates of Italy. Vide Proemio.

For the leaders of armies, the Captains, and the whole Militia of those times, what opinion he had himself may be seen in divers places of that History. 1st. Having generally described the state of Italy, and reckoned up all the chief commanders, he says, "they had reduced war into an art; temporizing in such sort, 'che il più delle Volte di quelli che faceriano la guerra, l'una parte e l'altera perdeva;' and after both of the Princes and Captains- Di questi otiosi Principi e di queste vilissime Armi sarà ripiena la mia Historia.' At the end of the 1st B. and in the beginning of the 5th B. they had neither wars nor peace; the Princes invading one another, and the wars being no wars but may-games: Nelle quali gli uomini non s'amazzarano, le Città non si vantaggiarano, I Principati non si distruggirano;' finally such che cominciarano senza paura, trattavansi senza pericolo & finivansi senza danno;' such as in the end was the cause of drawing in strangers, and so consequently the hazarding the servitude of all Italy, and the subjection of the best parts to strangers. Their Capt: such as plainly

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CENSURE UPON MACHIAVEL.

declare the misery of these States and Princes, that depend upon mercenaries (as by many Ex. is declared, especially of Q. Jone of Naples, and the Milanesi ; the one betrayed by the father, the other conquered by the son, Fr. Sforze,) where the Princes, Nè per la guerra acquistarano gloria, nè per la pace quiete.'' For excuse he bringeth this, 1. 5. p. 1286. le cose fatte dà." c

"Se

c Indorsed, in Francis Davison's hand, "Censure of Macchiavel's Story of Florence. F. D. Imp'fect." The last word and the initials appear to have been added afterwards.

ANSWER

TO MRS. MARY CORNWALLIS PRETENDED COUNTESS

OF BATH'S LIBEL AGAINST THE COUNTESS

OF CUMBERLAND;

BEING A DEFENCE OF THE MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM

BOURCHIER, THIRD EARL OF BATH,

WITH ELIZABETH RUSSELL, DAUGHTER OF FRANCIS EARL OF BEDFORD.

BY FRANCIS DAVISON.

1

THE following article came under the Editor's observation by mere accident. Having a few weeks since again perused, with that gratification which its pages cannot fail to impart, the History and Antiquities of Hengrave, his curiosity was excited by the account there given by Sir Thomas Kytson of the circumstances attending the pretended marriage of William Bourchier, Earl of Bath, with Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Cornwallis, Knt., and he was induced to refer to some papers on the subject among the Harleian Manuscripts. His surprise was considerable on discovering that the principal of them was in the handwriting of FRANCIS DAVISON, and was indorsed as having been written by him in the year 1600. As it was the object to render these volumes a perfect collection of every production of that writer's pen which is positively known to be extant, this curious document was of course transcribed for insertion; nor, it is confidently presumed, will it be deemed void of interest when it is observed, on the hypothesis of a literary friend, that our immortal bard appears to allude to the transaction related by Francis Davison in the Merry Wives of Windsor.* Independently of this consideration, the illustrations which it presents in one or two points, of the manners of the times, as well as the singularity of the transaction itself, render it deserving of attention.

That the subject may be fully understood, a short account of the parties involved in the affair seems to be necessary; and for the particulars here offered, the writer is wholly indebted either to the History of Hengrave, or to its accomplished author's personal communications.

Sir Thomas Kytson, the proprietor of Hengrave in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was the son of Sir Thomas Kytson, who built that magnificent mansion, by his second wife, Margaret, only child of John Donnington, of Stoke Newington, in Mid

Act I. Scene I.

The speeches uttered by Slender, when he

is asked if he will marry Mrs. Ann Page.