Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/81

Rh Christ, appearing to Mary Magdalene in the Garden; this work, which is a mezzo-rilievo, was afterwards vitrified by Giovanni della Hobbia, and was placed within a frame of macigno on an altar in the Church of the above-mentioned Nuns. For Giacomo Salviati the elder, who was an intimate friend of II Hustici, that master executed a large medallion in marble, to be placed in the chapel of his palace, which is situate above the bridge at the Badia. He also produced numerous medallions filled with figures of terra cotta in full relief, to say nothing of many other beautiful decorations, which were, for the most part, nay rather, almost all, destroyed by the soldiery in the year of the siege, when, the palace was set on fire by those who were adverse to the party of the Medici.

Giovan-Francesco had a great love for that place, and would sometimes stroll out of Florence in his long gown until he would get even to the Palace; having cleared the city, he would throw the gown over his shoulder, and, thus accoutred would pass slowly forward lost in thought, until lie reached his favourite spot. One day among others, he was going along that road, when, feeling himself too warm, he concealed that long robe of his in a sloe-bush, and never thought of it again until he had been at the Palace two days. He then sent one of his servants to seek the gown, and seeing the man return after having found it, he exclaimed: “Ah!theworldhasgottobetoogood!itmustbecoming to its end, and can’t last much longer!”

Giovan-Francesco was a man of exceeding kindness, and very charitable to the poor, insomuch that he would suffer none to depart unconsoled. His money was kept in a sort of basket, whether he had little or much, and from this he would give, according to his ability, to all who asked of him. Wherefore it chanced one day that a poor man, who very often went to beg assistance from II Rustici, and saw him constantly going to that basket for the alms which he bestowed, said, whispering to himself and without expecting to be heard,—“Ah! my God I if I had but what that basket contains, I should soon be out of my difficulties.” Giovan-