FRANCIS, an Italian poet, a native of Postoa, and the friend of Pope Urban VIII. was born about the year 1566. Removing to Florence, he was admitted into the academy there, and devoted himself to literature. At Rome he entered into the service of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, with whom he afterwards went to France. After the death of Clement VIII. he returned to his own country, and for some years prosecuted his studies in retirement. When his patron Barberini was elected pope, under the name of Urban VIII. Bracciolini repaired to Rome, where he was well received, and made secretary to the pope's brother, Cardinal Antonio. He had also the honour conferred on him of taking a surname from the arms of the Barberini family, which were Bees; and thenceforth he was known by the name of Bracciolini dell' Api. He resided in Rome during the whole of that pontificate, frequenting the most illustrious academies, and listened to with general applause, but, at the same time, censured for his sordid avarice. He returned at length to his native city, where he died in the year 1645.

Bracciolini was a copious writer. There is scarcely any species of poetry, epic, dramatic, pastoral, lyric, or burlesque, which he did not attempt. He is principally noted for his mock-heroic poem, entitled Scherno degli Dei, which is a ridicule of the heathen mythology, and which disputes priority of date with Tassoni's Seccia Rapita. In merit, indeed, its inferiority is acknowledged, yet it obtained considerable applause. Of his serious heroic poems, the most celebrated is the Croce Racquistata, which by some is placed next to the great works of Ariosto and Tasso, but not without a large interval. He celebrated the elevation of his patron Urban VIII. in a poem of twenty-three books, which shows with what facility he could write verses. His dramatic pastoral entitled L'Amoroso Sdegno, Brachmins, is accounted one of the best productions of the age in which it was written; and some of his tragedies met with much applause, particularly his Evandro.