Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/503

Rh to the roof, and from this all his assistants, as well as his friends took what they needed, without being expected to say anything to him. He passed his old age cheerfully, and when he became too decrepit to work longer, he was taken care of by Cosimo, and others of his friends. It is said, that when Cosimo found himself at the point of death, he left Donato in charge to Piero his son, who being a most careful executor of his father’s will, bestowed on him a farm in Cafaggiuolo, the income from which was of such amount, that Donato might have lived on it most commodiously. He made great rejoicings over this gift accordingly, considering himself to be more than secured from the fear of dying of hunger by such a provision; but he had not held the property a year, when he returned to Piero, restoring the farm to him by the proper legal forms, declaring that he would not have his quiet destroyed, by thinking of household cares, and listening to the troubles and outcries of the farmers, who came pestering him every third day, now because the wind had unroofed the dove-cote, then because his cattle had been seized for taxes, and anon because of the storms which had cut up his vines and fruit-trees: with all which he was so completely worn out and wearied, that he would rather perish with hunger, than be tormented by so many cares. Piero laughed at the simplicity of Donato, and to liberate him from this grievance, he resumed possession of the farm, (for this Donato absolutely would have done), but assigned him an income of equal or larger value, secured on the bank, and to be paid in cash; of this he received the due proportion every week, while he lived, an arrangement which rejoiced him greatly. Thus, as the friend and servant of the house of Medici, Donato lived in cheerfulness and free from cares all the rest of his days: when he had attained his eiglity-third year, he