, a celebrated citizen of Florence, born in that city iii 1389,
, a celebrated citizen of Florence,
born in that city iii 1389, was the eldest son of John de
Metlici, the founder of his illustrious family. 4i The
maxims,“says Mr. Roscoe,
” which, m iformly pursued,
raised the house of Medici to the splendour which it afterwards enjoyed, are to be found in the charge given by this
venerable old man on his death-bed to his two sons “I
feel,
” said John de Medici, “that I have lived the time
prescribed me. I die content; leaving you, my sons, in
affluence and in health, and in such a station, that while
you follow my example, you may live in your native place
honoured and respected. Nothing affords me more pleasure
than the reflection that my conduct has not given offence
to any one; but that, on the contrary, I have endeavoured
to serve all persons to the best of my abilities. I advise
you to do the same. With respect to the honours of the
state, if you would live with security, accept only such as
are bestowed on you by the laws, and the favour of your
fellow-citizens; for it is the exercise of that power which is
obtained by violence, and not of that which is voluntarily
conferred, that occasions hatred and violence.
” At the
death of this venerable man, in 1428, Cosmo had already
obtained distinction both in the political and commercial
world. In 1414, when the pope, John XXIII., was
summoned to attend the council of Constance, he chose
to be accompanied by Cosmo de Medici, among other men
of eminence, whose high characters might countenance his
cause. On the death of his father, Cosmo succeeded to
the influence possessed by him as head of that powerful
family, which rendered him the first citizen of the state,
though without any superiority of rank or title, and his
conduct being marked by urbanity and generosity to all
ranks, he acquired numerous and zealous partizans. Such
was the influence of his family, that while the citizens of
Florence fancied they lived under a pure republic, the Medici generally assumed to themselves the first offices of the
state, or nominated such persons as they esteemed fit for
those employments. Cosmo exerted this influence with
great prudence and moderation; yet, owing to the discontent of the Florentines, with the bad success of the war
against Lucca, a party arose, led on by Rinaldo de' Albizi,
which, in 1433, after filling the magistracies with their
own adherents, seized the person of Cosmo, and committed
him to prison, and he was afterwards banished to Padua
for ten years, and several other members and friends of
the Medici family underwent a similar punishment. He
was received with marked respect by the Venetian government, and took up his abode in the city of Venice. Within
a year of his retreat, Rinaldo was himself obliged to quit
Florence; and Cosmo being recalled, he returned amidst
the acclamations of his fellow-subjects. Some victims
were offered to his future security, and the gonfaloniere
who had pronounced his sentence, with a few others of
that party, were put to death. Measures were now taken
to restrict the choice of magistrates to the partizans of the
Medici, and alliances were formed with the neighbouring
powers for the avowed purpose of supporting and perpetuating the system by which Florence was from that time to
be governed. The manner in which Cosmo employed his
authority, has conferred upon his memory the greatest
honour. From this time his life was an almost uninterrupted series of prosperity. The tranquillity enjoyed by
the republic, and the satisfaction and peace of mind which
he experienced in the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens, enabled him to indulge his natural propensity
to the promotion of science, and the patronage and encouragement of learned men. The richest private citizen
in Europe, he surpassed almost all sovereign princes in the
munificence with which he patronized literature and the
fine arts. He assembled around him some of the most
learned men of the age, who had begun to cultivate the
Grecian language and philosophy. He established, at
Florence, an academy expressly for the elucidation of the
Platonic philosophy, at the head of which he placed the
celebrated Marsilius Ficinus. He collected from all parts
by means of foreign correspondences, manuscripts of the
Greek, Latin, and Oriental languages, which formed the
foundation of the Laurentian library nor was he less liberal in the encouragement of the fine arts. During the retirement of his latter days, his happiest hours were devoted to the study of letters and philosophy, and the conversation of learned men. He also endowed numerous
religious houses, and built an hospital at Jerusalem for the
relief of distressed pilgrims. While the spirit of his government was moderate, he avoided every appearance of
state which might excite the jealousy or discontent of the
Florentines; and therefore, byway of increasing his interest among them, restricted the marriages of his children
to Florentine families: By such wise measures, and the
general urbanity of his behaviour to all orders of men, he
attained the title of “Father of his country,
” which was
inscribed on his tomb. He died Aug. 1, 14-64, aged seventyfive years, deeply lamented by the citizens of Florence.