Page:The Voyage of Italy (1686).djvu/167

 as this, as it’s likely he had, a Man might almost, for his look's sake, believe all that he wrote: for, never did I see (said he) any man have more the looks of good man than this.

12. Going from hence we were presently at the Domo. This, I believe, was the finest church when it was built. It was anciently called St Reparata's church; but since called Santa Maria Florida, a fit name for the Cathedral of Florence.The foundations and architecture of were contrived by Arrolfo di Lapo, a Dutchman, and a la maniera rustica, saith Vasari of it, in his Lives of the Painters. It’s one of the neatest churches without that ever beheld; being clad in white, red, and black marble, but it’s only white plastered within, with pillars of dark coloured freestone. What if the architect of this church were somewhat of Diogenes his mind? And as Diogenes thought the world would be turned upside down one day; so this architect thought that the world would be turned inside out one day, and that then his church would be the fairest the world, and all lined with marble: as it is, it looks a little hypocritically; though the structure within be of notable contrivance. On the top of it stands mounted fair cupola (or tholus) made by Brunelleschi a Florentine. This was the first cupola in Europe; and therefore the more admirable for having no idea after which framed; and for being the idea of that of S. Peters in Rome, after which fo many young Cupolas in Rome, and elsewhere, have been made hence.

xxxxxxxxx

Hence it is said, that Michaelangelo coming now and then to Florence (his Native Country) whiles' he was making theCV- pola in Rome of S. Peters Church, and viewing attentively this Cupola of Florence, used to say fo it ; Come te non voglio * tneglio di te non pojfo.

It’s said also, that Brunelleschi making this Cupola, caused Taverns, Cook-lhops and Lodgings to be fet in it, that the Workmen might find all things necefiary there, and not spend time in going up and dowri : and he had reason for this Cupola from the ground below, to the top of all the Lantern, is two hundred and two Brae - cie or yards high. The straight Paffage from the top of the Cupola to the round Brazen Ball, is thirty fix yards high. The Ball is four yards wide, and capable of four and twenty Men : and the Cross at the top of this Ball eight

a Sopap ts I T A L t. Pirt I,

yards long, The Hraight Paflage upon the Ball is neatly contrived like around Chimney of white Marble, with holes on both fidcs, and. brazen Heps cross those holes to climb up ea- fily by hand and foot, the paffitge being clean and fmooth. From the top of, tms Cupola^ tar , king a perfed view of Florence under us, and of the whole Country about it, with the fight of two thousand Viliams or G antry Houses, feat- tered here and there, rqund about the Town, we came down again to view the in fide of this Church. It is about three hundred Foot long, ■ from the great Door to the choir, and from thence to the end almoft two hundred more. The choir is round and perpendicularly under the Cupola, being of the fame bigness and, up- on folemn days, when the wax Candles are light- ed round about it, it looks gloriously : other- wife in winter time it feems too dark. The High Altar, which stands in this choir, is plain like those of ancient Cathedrals, and adorned with a rare Statue of a dead Jesus in white Marble, made by the hand of Bandinelli. Looking up from the Quire to the Cupola,you see it painted on the inlide with a representation Qf Heaven, Hell and Purgatory. The Painters were Georgio Vafari, and Thaddeo Zxccbari. be- hind the Higher Altar are the rare Statues of Adam and Eve, by the hand of Bandtnelli. Near the Door of the Sacristy you may read an in- feription, importing how that in this Town of Florence had been held a General Council, where the Re-union of the Latin and Greek Church had been made. The Golden Diploma of this union written both in Latin and Greeks andfubferib’d

Part i. Voyage to 125 -7

unto by the hands of the Pope and Cardinals on the one side, and by the Emperor, of Constantinople, with the Patriarch of Constantinople, and Leandrg the. Ak Bishops on the other side • to which ^re pit the Leaden Seal of the Pope, and the lt e ^ : Golden Seal of the said Emperor ^ It is kept in the Archives, or Regdl.rs of Bologna. In this'7^ Com* Council both the Pope of Rome, Eugenim \V. and Paleolugiv the Emperor of Constantinople, rence ’ were pr efent, with the Cream of Bishops, both of the Eailern and W^ftern Churches ^ and in this Council not only the Procession of the Ho- ly Ghoft :rom the Father and the Son was fa- vourably vindicated, but also that there was anEIiay that Purgatory should be proved so the Greeks, out of their own Fathers as well as from the Latins ^ and divers other points of Cere- mony and Practice were asserted and great en- deavours made that they should be established.

Unto all which it is pretended that the laid Emperor and Patria rch,andthe othtvGreck. Bi- fliops (except pnl ; Marcm Ephefinw) fubferi- bed ^as did also the Ar mcnians, Ethiopians, G eor- ' gians, and Jacobites ho all hereupon were ad- mitted to Communion by the Roman Church.

In fine, in, this Church you see the Statues of diverse Saints, who have been Archbishops of this Town and the Tombs of diverse Famous Men as of Marfilins Ficinus the Platonic Christian Philofopher of Dante the Florentine Poet , whose true Picture is yet to be feen here in a red Gown : of Joannes Acmirn an fyglijh Knight, and sometimes General of th ePifnni, as the old Gothick Letters fet high upon the Wall under his Picture on Hoi feback, told me. Yet