For a more ami»le view of this important subject, see
MEDICAMENTUM
Flavel. Panstratia of Shamiei; vol. iii (Geneva, folio), vii, 1, in which the views of the Eomish Church are ably controverted. See also Brinsley (John), Chrisfs Mediation (Lond. 1657, 8 vo) ; Gill's Bocli/ of Dirinity, i, 33G; Witsii (Econ. Fad. lib. ii, c. 4; Fuller's C,i>^pd its oivn Witness, eh. iv, p. 2 ; Ilurrion's Christ ( 'nu-ij'n «/. p. 1 03, etc.; Owen, On the Person of C/u-ist; Goodwin's Works, b. iii ; M'Laughlan, Chrisfs Mediatorship (Edinb. 1853) ; Kitto, Bill. Cyclop, s. v. ; Buck, Theol. Bid. s. v. ; A mer. Presb. Rev. 1863, p. 419. See Atonement.
Medicamentum, or MedicTna corporis et MENTIS, a name occasionally found in the writings of the Church fathers as a synonyme of our term " the Lord's Supj^er." Ignatius and others not unusually speak of " the medicine of immortality," " medicine or preserva- tive of the soul." See Riddle, Christian Antiquities, p. 551.
Medici, the house of, one of the most noted fam- ilies of Italy's nobility, tigures so largely in the ecclesi- astical history of medieval times and the days of the Eenaissance that we cannot pass it without a some- what detailed account of its ditferent members.
1. The early history of the family of the Medici is obscure, although some authors have traced their gene- alogy from the age of Charlemagne. But it must be remembered that these genealogies were made after the elevation of this family to supreme power in the repub- lic of Florence — a position which they attained only by degrees, after tlie accumulation of wealth sufficient to control the affairs of the Italian nation. It appears, however, from authentic monuments, that many indi- viduals of this family had signalized themselves on va- rious important occasions even in early times. Gio- vanni de' Jledici, in the year 1251, with a body of only one hundred Florentines, forced his Avay through the IMilanese army, then besieging the fortress of Scarperia, and entered the ])lace with the loss of twenty lives. Francesco de' Jledici was at the head of the magistracy of Florence in 1348, at the time when the black plague, which had desolated so large a portion of the world, ex- tended its ravages to that city. Salvestro de' Medici acquired great reputation by his temperate but firm re- sistance to the nobles, who, in order to secure their power, accused those who opposed them of being at- tached to the party of the Ghibelines, then in great odium at Florence. The persons so accused were said to be ainmoniti (admonished), and by that act were ex- cluded from all offices of government. In the year 1379, Salvestro, being chosen chief magistrate, exerted his power to reform this abuse, which was not, however, ef- fected without a violent commotion, several of the no- bility losing their lives in the attempt. It is from this time that we date the rise of the Medici to prominence in political, and Anally also in ecclesiastical affairs.
2. The founder, liowever, of that almost regal great- ness which the Medici enjoyed for more than two cen- turies was not Salvestro, who first received great public distinctions, but Giovanni de' Medici. His immense wealth, honorably acquired by commercial dealings, which had already rendered the name of Medici cele- brated in Europe, was expended with liberality and magnificence. Of a mild temper and averse to cabals, Giovanni de' Medici did not attempt to set up a party, but contented himself with the place in the public coun- cils to which even his enemies declared him entitled in virtue of his eminence, his acquirements, and the purity of his character. He died in 1429, leaving to his sons, Cosmo and Lorenzo, a heritage of wealth and honors hitherto unparalleled in the republic.
Cosmo (born 1389, died 1404), on whom was grate- fully bestowed the honored title of " Father of his coun- try," really began the glorious epoch of the Medici. Cosmo's life, except during a short period, when the Al- bizzi and other rivals re-established a successful opposi- tion against the policy and credit of the Medici, was one uninterrupted course of prosperity ; at once a mu-
25 MEDICI
nificent patron and a successful cultivator of art and lit- erature, he did more than any other sovereign in Europe to revive the study of the ancient classics, and to foster a taste for mental culture. He assembled around him learned men of every nation, and gave liberal support to numerous Greek scholars, whom the subjection T)f Constantinople by the Tiu-ks had driven into exile ; and by his foundation of an academy for the study of the philosophy of Plato, and of a library of Greek, Latin, and Oriental MSS., he inaugurated a new ajra in mod- ern learning and art. In the lifetime of his father, Cosmo had engaged not only in the extensive business by which the family had acquired its wealth, but also in the affairs of state. Such was his authority and rep- utation that in the year 1414, when Balthasar Cossa, who had been elected pope, and had assumed the name of John XXIII, was summoned to attend the Council of Constance, he chose to be accompanied by Cosmo de' Medici, among other men of eminence, whose characters might countenance his cause. By this council, which continued nearly four years, Balthasar was deprived of his pontifical dignity, and Otto Colonna, who took the name of Martin V, was elected pope. Cosmo did not desert in adversity the man to whom he had attached himself in prosperity. At the expense of a large sum of money, he redeemed him from the hands of the duke of Bavaria, who had seized upon his person ; and after- wards gave him a hospitable shelter at Florence during the remainder of his life. The successful pontiff, in- stead of resenting the kindness shown to his rival, soon afterwards paid a public visit to Florence, where, on the formal submission of Balthasar, and at the request of the Medici, he created the ex-pope a cardinal, with the privilege of taking the first place in the sacred college. The new-made cardinal died in 1419, and it was rumored that the Medici at his death possessed themselves of immense wealth which he had acquired during his pon- tificate. This rumor was afterwards encouraged by those who well knew its falsehood. The true source of the wealth of the Medici was their superior talents and application to business, and the property of the cardinal was scarcely sufficient to discharge his debts and lega- cies. During the retirement of his latter days, his hap- piest hours were devoted to the study of letters and philosophy, and the conversation of learned men. He also endowed numerous religious houses, and built a hos- pital at Jerusalem for the relief of distressed pilgrims.