Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/435

Rh all besides. The envious detractors had nevertheless caused so much terror in all Venice, that many gentlewomen who were pregnant at the time, were removed from the city in the fear of some frightful catastrophe.

No long time after this occurrence, a place of no small importance in the vicinity of Venice named Murano, having returned to the dominion of the republic, San Michele was directed to restore and fortify the works, which he did with much promptitude and diligence; and about the same time, the reputation of Michele and of his nephew Giovan Girolamo having become widely extended, the services of both were sought for, more than once, by the Emperor Charles V., and they were likewise invited to enter the service of Francis King of France. But to this neither of them would ever consent, although offered the most advantageous conditions if they would leave the service of their own natural lords for that of strangers; on the contrary, they continued to hold their office in Venice, and travelled about continually in the exercise of their duties, inspecting each place every year, and restoring, wherever it was found needful, all the cities and fortresses of the Venetian dominions.

More than to all the rest however did Michele devote his attention to his native city of Verona; this place he adorned, among other embellishments, with those beautiful gates which have not their equal in any other city; the Porta Nuova for example, which is of the Dorico-rustic order and manner, and in the massive firmness of its character harmonizes finely with the style and strength of the fortress; being constructed of tufa and flint stone, and comprising rooms for the soldiers who mount guard at the place, with other conveniences which it has not since been usual to add to such buildings. The form of the gate is quadrangular, it is open above, and with its embrasures, serving as platforms