Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/179

Rh him employment and availing himself of his services, would thus come to his aid. Then the latter, not remembering, or rather not chosing to recall, with what affection he had been brought up by Niccolò, even as though he had been a son of his own, presented him with the pitiful misery of a small sum of money, and got rid of him as quickly as he possibly could. The poor Niccolò returned to Arezzo therefore, grievously malcontent, perceiving that, whereas he had hoped with cost and pains, to be rearing himself a son for his old age, he had done little short of making himself an enemy.

To obtain the means of existence therefore, he continued labouring, and executed such works as fell into his hands, as he had been doing for many years previously. Among the many things thus produced w~as a picture painted on cloth for the Commune of Monte Sansavino, whereon he depicted that place with the Madonna in the air above it, and two Saints beside her; this was destined to be fixed on an altar in the church of the Madonna at Yertigli, which belongs to the order of the Camaldoline Monks, and is at no great distance from the Monte, where it has pleased and still pleases the Lord, daily to perform numerous miracles and to confer many favours, on those who there recommend themselves to the Queen of heaven.

Julius III. being then created high Pontiff, Niccolò Soggi, who had been much in the service of the house of Monte, repaired to Rome, being then in his eightieth year, and having kissed the foot of his Holiness, begged the Pope to accept his services for the buildings which were to be erected, as was the report at the Monte, which had been given to the Pontiff as a fief by the Signor Duke of Florence. Julius III. therefore, receiving him very amicably, commanded that he should be furnished with the means of living in Rome, without fatiguing himself by occupation of any kind, and in this manner Niccolò employed his time for several months in that city accordingly, drawing many of the antiquities of the same for his amusement.

Meanwhile the Pope, desiring to promote the welfare of his native place, the Monte Sansavino, resolved to construct an aqueduct there, among other improvements, the place suffering greatly for the want of water. Giorgio Vasari therefore, who had orders from the Pope to cause those