BERNI, BERNA, or BERNIA, Frances co, beetle, beena or ber'ne-a, Italian poet: b. Lamporecchio, Tuscany, about 1497; d. 26 July 1536. His family was noble but poor, and young Berni went to Florence and, at the age of 19, to Rome, where he lived under the care of his relation, Cardinal Bibbena. At length he entered the service of Ghiberti, bishop of Verona, datary of the papal chancery, as sec retary. In the hope of promotion, he took orders; but sought recreation in amusements which displeased the prelate. A society had been established in Rome, consisting of young ecclesiastics of a jovial temper like Berni, and of a poetical vein, who, in order to denote their love for wine and .their careless gaiety, called themselves i vignajuoli (vine-dressers). They laughed at everything and made sport in verse of the most serious, nay, the most tragic matters. Berni's verses were the most success ful and were written in so peculiar a style that his name has been given to it (maniera ber nesca or berniesca). When Rome was sacked by the troops of the Constable Bourbon, 1527, I3erni lost all that he possessed. He afterward made several journeys, with his patron Ghiberti, to Verona, Venice and Padua. At length,
wearied with serving and satisfied with a canon ship in the cathedral at Florence, he retired to that place. The favor of the great, how ever, which he was weak enough to court, brought him into difficulties. He was required to commit a crime, and his refusal is said to have cost him his life. Alessandro de' Medici, at that time Duke of Florence, lived in open enmity with the young Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici. Berni was so intimate with both that ir is doubtful which first made him the pro posal to poison the other. Certain it is that the cardinal died by poison in 1535, and it is probable that Alessandro caused Berni's death. In the burlesque style of poetry, Berni is still considered the best model. His satire is often very bitter and frequently unites the good humor of Horace with the causticity of Juvenal. The extreme licentiousness of his writings is his greatest fault. Berni also wrote Latin verses very correctly and was well acquainted with Greek. His 'Burlesque Verses' have great merit; so also has his rifacimento of Boiardo's (Orlando innamorato.'