The blame of this contemptible display of cowardice or private spite cannot, however, be ascribed to him: for he attended the armies of the League not as general, but as counselor and chief reporter.

It was his business not to control the movements of the army so much as to act as referee in the Pope's interest, and to keep the Vatican informed of what was stirring in the camp.

In 1531 Guicciardini was advanced to the governorship of Bologna, the most important of all the Papal lord-lieutenancies.

This post he resigned in 1534 on the election of Paul III., preferring to follow the fortunes of the Medicean princes at Florence.

In this sketch of his career I must not omit to mention that Guicciardini was declared a rebel in 1527 by the popular government on account of his well-known Medicean prejudices, and that in 1530 he had been appointed by Clement VII.