... H.M. the King and the Duke of Calabria[341] declare that neither through the King of Castile, or through Milan or Florence, have they ever given a promise to pay tribute to the Pope. Here this declaration is laughed to scorn as being made by cunning evildoers, cum sit that Milan and Florence made the promise and the agreement was signed with the Pope, so H.M. will have to pay the tribute. However like wise men the Signori of Florence have resolved to ignore the arrogant message of the King and the Duke, and to drink this bitter cup....—Florence, November 7, 1487.[342]
... To-day at 22 of the clock Messer Ascanio with fourteen horsemen passed through here in disguise, riding hard by post to Milan. It appears he has been summoned by the Milanese nobles because the death of Messer Lodovico is expected. The Magnificent Lorenzo and the Milanese ambassador saw His Excellency, but no one else as it was kept secret and he did not enter the city.... Should Messer Lodovico die the Magnificent Lorenzo will aid Messer Ascanio in every way to become Lord of Milan. Some time ago he was of a different mind, but now he will do everything to turn matters in the Pope’s favour and against H.M. the King.... From a friend I learn that the Duke of Lorraine has just been here in disguise and has seen the Magnificent Lorenzo at night, who at once sent him on to the Pope.—Florence, November 18, 1487.[343]
Lorenzo de’ Medici to Innocent VIII.
Sanctissime, ac Beattissime Pater post Pedum oscula Beatorum Vestorum,—From our ambassador I hear that Your Holiness has seen fit to suspend the affair of Nantes, and to defer granting the request to the King of France. Although I must acquiesce in every decision of Your Holiness, yet the reasons Your Holiness gives for delay cause me to write again; for if the Most Christian King obtains his desire he will be even more beholden to Your Sanctity, while my condition and reputation will be enhanced. I am sure if Your Holiness knew the help and the utility this would be to me, this business would not be deferred, particularly as the King has in general no need of my services, and such an occasion as the present comes but seldom. If the love Your Holiness bears me is not shown in great matters, it will be ill seen in small. With all humility therefore I beseech Your Holiness to deign to grant me one of the greatest boons I could receive, and to do a pleasure to H.M. the King. A pleasure which will be much esteemed by H.M., and be most honourable and useful to me. There will be no difficulty in it, and it cannot be unbecoming in Your Holiness to satisfy the desire of so great a King, who is so well-deserving de Ecclesia Dei, and at the same time to content me, Your humble and devoted servant, who humbly commends himself at Your Holy Feet.—Florence, December 8, 1487. Humilis servitor,
Laurentius de’ Medicis.[344]
Messer Aldrovandini, Ambassador from Ferrara to the Florentine Republic, to Duke Ercole d’Este
... The Pope has been much cheered by the assurances of the Venetian envoys, who openly say that their Signoria only hastened to make peace with the Germans, in order to come to the aid of His Sanctity and the honour of the Holy See ... and to force His Majesty the King to keep the promises made to His Sanctity.... Milan has written here that she considers the King ought to be informed that should he fail to arrange matters with the Pope, and the Pope declares war, he is not to expect help from either Florence or Milan.... As yet these Signori have not come to any decision, but I think they will join Milan in this.... As to the Venetians I do not believe they would bother themselves with such an enterprise, unless they saw a chance of gaining something in addition to the hatred they bear the King....—Florence, December 18, 1487.[345]
... The Magnificent Lorenzo is of opinion that the Pope should rather be held back than pushed forward, and that the King should not be irritated, thus His Magnificence thinks we might have peace and quiet, if the contrary is done he fears that disaster will ensue.... The Magnificent Lorenzo is extremely discontented with the Pope’s behaviour, and thinks he shows greater folly every day and every hour, particularly if he insists in launching interdicts against the King.... As to the letters written from Milan, which I mentioned in mine of the 18th, the answer was that as allies they could only applaud the idea of letting the King know that they desired to stand well with the Pope, &c. The reply was airy: they did not desire to be explicit.
From a friend I learn that the Magnificent Lorenzo spoke in different terms to the Milanese ambassador, saying, that as Messer Lodovico’s condition prevents him from attending to business, it seems to him unwise to irritate the King, particularly as H.M. has everything ready and is prepared for war, while the Pope is without troops and with small brains, has bad advisers, and all the Roman Barons against him. The worst of all being that neither the Pope, nor Milan, nor Florence, have any commander if they wished to go to war, &c....—Florence, December 28, 1487.[346]
... The Magnificent Lorenzo is of opinion that the acts of the Pope will be worse than his words. The ambassadors of the League have arranged with His Sanctity that Imola and Forlì should go to the Count’s sons,[347] but the Magnificent Lorenzo believes that from what he hears the children have been poisoned. In this case the Pope has every claim on that State as being Church property and the Lords invested by the Church being dead ... His Magnificence would far rather see Forlì and Imola in private hands than in those of a powerful prince. But if they are to belong to a potentate he had rather it should be Milan than the Church; for Milan has several Baronies, and might bestow the State on some lord, as did Duke Galeazzo, but the Church would never do so, as for some time she has been a sworn enemy to the Barons and the Lords, and whatever she seizes she holds. Also the rule of the Church is so admirable that it does harm to its neighbours! And although I argued with him to see whether these were his real convictions he remained staunch, saying that the time would come when the Church would be more dangerous than the Signoria of Venice, and that this belief more than anything else induced him to favour H.M. the King [of Naples]....—Florence, April 25, 1488.[348]