, called by some writers Berna or Bernia, was one of the most celebrated
, called by some writers Berna or Bernia, was
one of the most celebrated Italian poets of
the sixteenth century. He was born about the conclusion
of the fifteenth, at Lamporecchio, in that part of Tuscany
called Val-di-Nievole, of a noble but impoverished family
of Florence. In his nineteenth year he went to Koine, to
his relation cardinal Bibiena, who according to his own account, did him neither good nor harm. He was then obliged
to take the office of secretary to Giberti, bishop of Verona,
who was datary to pope Leo X. On this he assumed the
ecclesiastical habit, in hopes of sharing some of that prelate’s patronage, but the mean and dull employment of his
office of secretary, and for which he was ill paid, was very
unsuitable to his disposition. There was at Rome what he
liked better, a society or academy of young ecclesiastics as
gay as himself, and lovers of wit and poetry like himself,
who, no doubt in order to point out their taste for wine,
and their thoughtless habits, were called Vignajuoli, vinedressers. To this belonged Mauro, Casa, Firenzuola, Capilupij and many others. In their meetings they laughed
at every thing, and made verses and witticisms on the most
grave and solemn subjects. The compositions Berni contributed on these occasions, were so superior to the others,
that verses composed in the same style began to be called
“La poesia Bernesca.
”