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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) OF THE NATURE OF THE FRENCH. - The Historical, Political, and Diplomatic Writings, vol. 4 (Diplomatic Missions 1506-1527)
OF THE NATURE OF THE FRENCH. - Niccolo Machiavelli, The Historical, Political, and Diplomatic Writings, vol. 4 (Diplomatic Missions 1506-1527) [1506]Edition used:The Historical, Political, and Diplomatic Writings of Niccolo Machiavelli, tr. from the Italian, by Christian E. Detmold (Boston, J. R. Osgood and company, 1882). Vol. 4.
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- Missions. (continued.)
- Missions to Various Parts of the Florentine Dominion. *
- I.: From the Magistracy of the Ten to Niccolo Machiavelli, Secretary, In Mugello. 3 January, 1506.
- II.
- III.: To Niccolo Machiavelli.
- IV.
- V.: To Niccolo Machiavelli. 5 March, 1506.
- VI.
- VII.: To Niccolo Machiavelli, At Poppi. 7 March, 1506.
- Second Mission to the Court of Rome.
- Instructions Given to Niccolo Machiavelli, Sent to Rome.
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Letter V.
- Letter VI.
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Letter XII.
- Letter XIII.
- Letter XIV.
- Letter XV.
- Letter XVI.
- Letter XVII.
- Letter XVIII.
- Letter XIX.
- Letter XX.
- Letter XXI.
- Letter XXII.
- Letter XXIII.
- Letter XXIV.
- Letter XXV.
- Letter XXVI.
- Letter XXVII.
- Letter XXVIII.
- Letter XXIX.
- Letter XXX.
- Letter XXXI.
- Letter XXXII.
- Letter XXXIII.
- Letter XXXIV.
- Letter XXXV.
- Letter XXXVI.
- Letter XXXVII.
- Letter XXXVIII.
- Letter XXXIX.
- Letter Xl.
- Third Mission to Sienna. *
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Mission to the Emperor of Germany. *
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III. *
- Letter IV.
- Letter V.
- Letter VI.
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Letter XII.
- Letter XIII.
- Letter XIV.
- Second Mission Into the Interior of the State. *
- Letters Patent.
- Third Commission to the Army Before Pisa. *
- Letter I. to Niccolo Capponi, Commissary-general, Etc.
- Letter II.
- Commission to Niccolo Machiavelli, Resolved Upon By the Magistracy of the Ten On the 10 Th of March, 1509. *
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Letter V.
- Letter VI.
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Letter XII.
- Letter XIII.
- Letter XIV.
- Letter XV.
- Letter XVI.
- Letter XVII.
- Letter XVIII.
- Letter XIX.
- Letter XX.
- Letter XXI.
- Letter XXII.
- Letter XXIII.
- Letter XXIV.
- Mission to Mantua On Business With the Emperor of Germany. *
- Commission Given to Niccolo Machiavelli to Proceed to Mantua and Its Vicinity,
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Letter V.
- Letter VI.
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Letter XII.
- Letter XIII.
- Third Mission to the Court of France. *
- Instructions From Piero Soderini, Gonfaloniere, to Niccolo Machiavelli,
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Letter V.
- Letter VI. *
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Letter XII.
- Letter XIII.
- Letter XIV.
- Letter XV.
- Letter XVI.
- Letter XVII.
- Letter XVIII.
- Commission to the Interior of the State.
- Patent. We, the Ten of Liberty and Balia of the Florentine Republic,
- Commission to Sienna.
- Patent and Passport. We, the Ten of Liberty and Balia of the Florentine Republic,
- Mission to the Lord of Monaco.
- Patent and Passport. We, the Ten of Liberty and Balia of the Florentine Republic,
- The Purpose of the Convention to Be Concluded With Luciano Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco, Is As Follows: —
- Fourth Mission to the Court of France.
- Letters Patent.
- Instructions Given to Niccolo Machiavelli, Sent By the Illustrious Ten to Lombardy and France.
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Commission to Pisa At the Time of the Council. *
- I.: The Ten to the Cardinals That Were At Pisa. 2 November, 1511.
- II.: The Ten to the Seigneur De Lautrec. 2 November, 1511.
- III.: The Ten to Niccolo Machiavelli. 3 November, 1511.
- IV. And V.
- Commission For Raising Troops.
- Letters Patent. We, Nine of the Ordinance and Florentine Militia, *
- Letter.
- Commissions to Pisa and Other Places Within and Without the Florentine Dominion.
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Letters Patent. We, the Ten of Liberty and Balia of the Florentine Republic, Etc.,
- Letter V.
- Letter VI. *
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Mission to the Chapter of the Minorite Brothers At Carpi. *
- Instructions of the Eight of Practice. Deliberated, the 11th of May, 1521.
- Other Instructions By Father Hilarion.
- To the Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Cardinale Giulio De’ Medici.
- Mission to Venice.
- Credentials. Serenissimo Principi Et Excellentissimo Domino AndreÆ Gritti, Dei Gratia Duci Venetiarum Patr. Observ.
- Brief Instruction to You, Niccolo Machiavelli, As to What You Have to Do In Your Mission to Venice, By Our Order.
- Representations.
- Mission to the Army of the League, Engaged In the Siege of Cremona. *
- Instructions Given to Michiavelli By Francesco Guicciardini, Lieutenant of the Pope At the Army of the League.
- Mission to Francesco Guicciardini.
- Instructions to Niccolo Machiavelli, Sent By the Magistracy of the Eight of Practice to Messer Francesco Guicciardini, Lieutenant of His Holiness the Pope.
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Second Mission to Francesco Guicciardini.
- Instructions to Niccolo Machiavelli, Resolved By the Eight of Practice, 3 February, 1527.
- Letter I.
- Letter II.
- Letter III.
- Letter IV.
- Letter V.
- Letter VI.
- Letter VII.
- Letter VIII.
- Letter IX.
- Letter X.
- Letter XI.
- Letter XII.
- Letter XIII.
- Letter XIV.
- Letter XV.
- Letter XVI.
- Letter XVII.
- Letter XVIII.
- Letter XIX.
- Letter XX.
- Letter XXI.
- Miscellaneous Papers.
- Description of the Manner In Which the Duke Valentino Proceeded to Kill Vitellozzo Vitelli, Oliverotto Da Fermo, and the Signor Pagolo and the Duke Gravina Orsini. *
- Report On the Affairs of Germany.
- Second Report On the Affairs of Germany. Made 17 June, 1508.
- Discourse On the Affairs of Germany and On the Emperor.
- An Account of the Affairs of France.
- Of the Nature of the French.
- Confidential Instructions
OF THE NATURE OF THE FRENCH.
They think so much of the present advantage or disadvantage, that they remember but slightly past injuries or benefits, and take little heed of the future, good or evil.
They are cavillers rather than prudent; and care little what is said or written of them. They are more eager for money than for blood, and are liberal only in fine speeches.
If a gentleman disobeys the king in a matter concerning a third person, there is nothing for him to do but to obey anyhow, if it still be in time; and if it is not in time, then he will have to stay away from the court for four months. This has cost us Pisa twice; once when Entraghes held the citadel, and the second time when the French laid siege to the town.
Whoever wishes to carry a point at court must have plenty of money, great activity, and good fortune.
If they are asked to do a favor, their first thought is, not whether they can render the favor, but what advantage they can derive from it for themselves.
The first agreements you make with them are always the best.
If they cannot be useful to you, they make you fine promises; but if they can serve you, they do it with difficulty or never.
In adversity they are abject, and in prosperity they are insolent.
They weave their bad warp well and forcibly.
He who wins victory is for the time most in favor with the king; but he who loses is rarely so. And therefore any one who is about to engage in any undertaking should consider first whether he is likely to succeed or not, and whether it is likely to please the king or not. This point, being well known to the Duke Valentino, enabled him to march with his army upon Florence.
In many instances they are not very particular about their honor, being in this respect very different from the Italian gentlemen; and therefore they attached but little importance to their having sent to Sienna to claim Montepulciano without any attention being paid to their demand.
They are fickle and light-minded, and have faith only in success. They are enemies of the language of the Romans, and of their fame.
Of the Italians none have a good time at court except those who have nothing more to lose, and nothing to hope for.
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