[51] The inscription at the Bagno alla Villa runs as follows: “Sacri de villa balnei hec precipue sunt virtutes. Confert cunctis capitis membris. Curat omnes stomachi morbos. Appetitum excitat. Digestionem procurat. Vomitum restringit. Sanat cuncta epatis vitia. Epatis et venarum opilationem aperit. Colorem optimum facit. Confert passionibus splenis. Sanat ulcera pulmonis. Mundat renes. Lapidem minuit. Arenulas prohibit. Macros impinguat. Lepram curat non confirmatam. Bibita antiquas febres expellit. Et matricis etiam anterius cristerizata. Triginta balneantur diebus. Octo vel decern bibitur purgatione premissa. A contrariis caveatur. Toto corpore ulcera sanat.”
[52] In 1160 Guelf VI. of Este, the uncle of Barbarossa, sold his rights over Lucca to the citizens, who agreed to pay by their consuls 1000 soldi yearly for ninety years, and this compact was confirmed by Barbarossa. In 1197 Lucca joined Florence against the Empire, and in the tumult which followed Lucca was subject to various tyrants, Castruccio Castracane, Visconti, and Spinola. Its liberties were restored by Charles IV. in 1369. In 1392 the Giunigi family, under the patronage of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, became despots, but after Gian Galeazzo’s death the republican form was restored, which lasted till 1795. The Council consisted of 120 councillors and 40 surrogates. The democracy seems always to have been a limited one, and the institution of a Golden Book gradually reduced the number of citizens eligible as councillors.
[53] M. de Mattecoulon.
[54] Montaigne had little belief in the medicine of his time. “De mesme, en la Medecine, j’honore bien ce glorieux nom, sa proposition, sa promesse, si utile au genre humain: mais ce qu’il designe entre nous, je ne l’honore, ny ne l’estime. En premier lieu l’experience me le fait craindre: car de ce que j’ay de cognoissance, je ne voy nulle race de gens si tost malade, et si tard guerie que celle qui est sous la jurisdiction de la Medecine. Leur santé mesme est alterée et corrompue, par la contrainte des régimes. Les Médecins ne se contentent point d’avoir la maladie en gouvernement, ils rendent la santé malade pour garder qu’on ne puisse en aucune saison eschaper leur authorité.”—Essais, ii. 37.
[55] This is in direct contradiction to the statement on p. 61.
[56] This cardinal had been sent into France during the religious wars. Pius V. made him a cardinal in 1570, and the reigning Pope had sent him as legate to Bologna, where he executed many public works. He died in 1586.
[57] A few sentences further on Montaigne seems to imply that the title of minister was only given to the Provincials of the Franciscan order.
[58] Menabbio.
[59] Essais, iii. 5: “Si elles ne nous peuvent faire du bien que par pitié: j’ayme bien mieux ne vivre point, que de vivre d’aumosne. Je voudrois avoir droit de le leur demander, au stile auquel j’ay veu questu en Italie: Fate ben per voi.”
[60] It is possible that Montaigne is here mistaken as to the significance of this heraldic device. The fish probably has reference to the name of the town. His frequent recognition of the lilies as the ensign of France instead of Florence has already been noticed.