Page:The Voyage of Italy (1686).djvu/172

 ==A Voyage of Italy. Part II. Page 126== both the Testaments. They were the work of brave Laurentius Cion, who spent fifty years in making them : a longtime, I confess ; but, this is it which Apelles called aeternitati pingere, to work things that will out-last brass, and be famous for ever. Within this Baptistery I saw a statue of Mary Magdalen of the hand of Donatello; and it's a rare piece, if you consider Magdalen in her pennance. Here’s also a neat Tomb of Baltassar Cossa, once called John the XXIV, but deposed in the Council of Constance for the peace of the church. The Tomb of this Baltassar looking something like a cradle, may be called the cradle of the greatness of the Medicean Family. For some writers say, that Cosmus Medices, sirnamed aftewards Pater Patriae, being heir of this Baltassar Cossa (who died at Florence, in the house of John Medices) with the money that he found belonging to him after his death, did such good deeds to the people, that he won to himself the name of Pater Patriae; and to his Family that credit, which got it afterwards the fiipream command. I cannot omit here to take notice of a little round Pillar in the Piazza, near this Baptistery, with the figure of a Tree in iron nailed to and old words engraven upon it, importing, that in this very place flood anciently an Elm tree, which being touched casually by the hearse of St Zenobius as they carried here procession, the tree presently hereupon budded forth with green Leaves of sweet odor, though in the Month of January. In memory an Elm-