The Voyage of Italy. Part I. Page 118
are embroidered a world of birds, beasts, flowers, trees, rivers, landscapes in Silk and Silver; and in such a rich manner, that I take this to be one of the fairest suits of hangings in Europe. In another chamber here, I saw a rare collection of pictures, all originals, and of the best hands in the world, Titian's, Raphael's, Michaelangelo's, Andrea del Sarto’s, and many others. The best of them is that of Raphael, and painted by his own hand. This is the best collection of pictures that ever I saw, and it belongs to Prince Leopold the Great Duke's brother and a great virtuoso. In the Great Dutchesses' Chamber I saw half a dozen of excellent pieces of Raphael and others. In another chamber (The Duke's Bedchamber) we saw his thermometers, or weather-glasses, which are most curious. In another Chamber (the doors being set open for the nonce) we looked through sixteen chambers at once, and all of them fair great room? upon one Floor. And after all the rooms of this house (as , the cool, low summer rooms, the masking room, the several Apartments of the Great Prince, Son of the Great Duke, and of cardinal John Carlo, Prince Matthias, and Prince Leopold, all three brothers of the Great Duke , and all lodging at once in this great Palace) by special favor, we got the sight of the Great Duke's fair Diamond, which he always keeps under lock and key. It's absolutely the fairet in Europe. It weigheth 138 Carats, and it’s almost an inch thick: and then our Jewellers will tell you what it’s worth, I am sure Monsieur Simonet in Lyons (a famous
Voyage to Italy. Part i.
xxxxxxxx Cortona the prime Painter now living : others exped his return again from Rome, and fcorp to be painted by any hand but his : In another Chamber we were fliown the History of Seleucus , giving to his only Son Antioch^ (languishing and pining away with the love of his Mother-In-Law) his own beloved Wife Str atonic a; shewing by this llrange and unick example, that Paternal Love is greater than Conjugal. All this is rarely painted upon theWall over the Hangings. In apnother Chamber(the Great Dales Chamber of Audience) I fa\£ a Suit of Hangings valued at a hundred, and fifty thousand Crowns : The^/w sm Ground cf them is Cloth of Gold., upon which ^ are embroidered a World of Birds, Beafts,^'* Flowers, Trees, Rivers, Landskips in Silk and Silver ^ and in fuch a rich* manner^ that I take this to be one of the fairest Suits of hangings in Europe; In another Chamber here I few a rare Coliedion of Pictures, all Originals^ and of the best’ hands in the world, Titians, Ra- phaels, Michaelangelo's, Andrea del Sarto's, and many others. The best of them is that of Ra- phael, and painted by his own hand. This is the belt Collodion of Pictures that I ever faw^and
a aiopagetolTA^Y; Paftl
it belongs to Prince Leopold the Great Dukes
Brother and a great Firtuofo. In the Great
Dutch dies Chamber I saw half a dozen of ex-
cellent pieces of Raphael. and others. In another
Chamber (the Dukes Bed chamber) we saw
his curious Therometers , or Weather-Glasses,
which are most curious. ln another Chamber
(the Doors being set open for the nonce) we
. looked through fixteen Chambers at once* and
all of them fair great Rooms upon one Floor.
And after all the Rooms of this House (as, the
Cool, low Summer Room, the Masking Room,
the several Apartments of the Great Prince
Son of the Great Duke, and of Cardinal John
Carlo , Prince Matthias, and Prince Leopold , all
three Brothers of the Great Dab, and all lodg-
ing at once in this great Palace) by fpeckl fa-
vour we got the fight of the Great Dukes fair Dta-
Ihefmcm mov'd , which he always keeps under Lock and
Diamond. Key .It’s abfolutely the fairefi: in Europe, 1 1 weigh-
eth 1 38 Carats, and it’s almofl an inch thick: and
then our Jewellers will tel] you what it’s worth.
I 'am fore Monfieur $imom in Lyons (a famous
Jeweller) to whom I shewed the weight and
thickness of it, valued it to be richly worth a
hundred thousand Crowns between Merchant
and Merchant, and a hundred and fifty thou-
fand Crowns between Prince and Prince.
7 he An- ' 8. Going from the Great Dukes Palace, we
uftins fell prefe fitly: upon the jiugufttns Church. This Church. j s a neat Chime h-defigned by Brtimlefcbi , and much beautified with bandsome Pillars. The
Tabernacle and high Altar coll a hundred thou- fand Ct ow ns, 3rd yields to few in Italy for lieatness and fUt e< Behind the High Altar in
A Voyage of Italy Part II Page121
the very end of the Church, is a rare Picture of our Saviour absolving the poor Woman catched in Adultery. The confusion that appears in the Face of this Woman, makes it appear what a rare Painter Allori was, who made this Picture.
9. Palling from hence over the Bridge (where rk vh\- four white Marble Statues representing the %a. four seasons of the year, stand, all made by Michaelangelo) we came to the Piazza of the Gran Duca, where I sawthe Equestrian Statue of Cofmus the Great in Bronze, with hisVictories and prime actions in the Pedestal of the fame Metal. At the corner of the old Palace in this Piazza , stands the brave Fountain,with a Nep ■ tune, Britons , and Nereides. Near the Gates of the Palace here, stand two* Statues of more • t.han Gygantean bulk .* that of David is the hand of Michael Angelo : and that of Her- cules killing Cacus is of the hand ©f BandinellB The other Statues here in the Portico hard by, are much cry’d up for rare Pieces, as that of Per feus in Bt afs ^ that of the rape of the Sabins in Marble • and that of Judith in Brass, holding a Sword inone*hand, and Holofernes his head in the other.
10. Looking up from this Piazza to the top of the palace, I beheld the high T omr mounted thereupon. It’s a hundred and fifty yards from the ground, and which is the wonder, it hath no other foundation than the Wall of the Palace and the top of the Houle : Hence it’s said that the Florentines have three wonderful To- ^IrabU wers . one in. the Air, to wit, this Tower: ano- f Qmr s, ther in theWuter, to wit, the Banal of Legom:
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