eaning, as before, that this came to the height of the third
range--to correspond to the other arch, where, as has been told, four
portraits had been placed, in that part, also, were four other similar
portraits of his illustrious brothers, accommodated in a similar
manner; those, namely, of the two very reverend Cardinals, Giovanni of
revered memory and the most gracious Ferdinando, and those of the
handsome Signor Don Garzia and the amiable Signor Don Pietro. Then, to
go on to the fourth face, since the corner of the houses that are there,
not giving room for the hollow of any recess, did not permit of the
usual niche being made there, in its stead was seen accommodated with
beautiful artifice, corresponding to the niches, a very large
inscription that said:
HI, QUOS SACRA VIDES REDIMITOS TEMPORA MITRA
PONTIFICES TRIPLICI, ROMAM TOTUMQUE PIORUM
CONCILIUM REXERE PII; SED QUI PROPE FULGENT
ILLUSTRI E GENTE INSIGNES SAGULISVE TOGISVE
HEROES, CLARAM PATRIAM POPULUMQUE POTENTEM
IMPERIIS AUXERE SUIS CERTAQUE SALUTE.
NAM SEMEL ITALIAM DONARUNT AUREA SAECLA,
CONJUGIO AUGUSTO DECORANT NUNC ET MAGE FIRMANT.
Above it, in place of scene and picture, there were painted in two ovals
the two devices, one of the fortunate Duke, the Capricorn with the seven
Stars and with the motto, FIDUCIA FATI; and the other of the excellent
Prince, the Weasel, with the motto, AMAT VICTORIA CURAM. Then in the
three niches that came in the three following facades were the statues
of the three Supreme Pontiffs who have come from that family; all
rejoicing, likewise, to lend their honourable presence to so great a
festival, as if every favour human and divine, every excellence in arms,
letters, wisdom, and religion, and every kind of sovereignty, were
assembled together to vie in rendering those splendid nuptials august
and happy. Of those Pontiffs one was Pius IV, departed a short time
before to a better life, over whose head, in his picture, was seen
painted how, after the intricate disputes were ended at Trent and the
sacrosanct Council was finished, the two Cardinal Legates presented to
him its inviolable decrees; even as in that of Leo X was seen the
conference held by him with Francis I, King of France, whereby with
prudent counsel he bridled the vehemence of that bellicose and
victorious Prince, so that he did not turn all Italy upside down, as he
might perchance have done, and as he was certainly
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