consequently went in person to the work-shop and there chanced to find the master busily occupied with various works for certain poor people from whom he had received a part of the payment as earnest money. When Lorenzo therefore requested him to prepare the objects desired, the utmost that he could obtain from Caparra was the remark that he could promise nothing, until he had first satisfied the persons above mentioned. They had come first to his shop, he said, and must be first served, their money being quite as acceptable to him as that of Lorenzo.
Some young men of the city one day brought a drawing to this artificer, begging him to make them an iron instrument after that design, the object required being one wherewith other instruments or fastenings of iron might be forced or sprung by means of a screw; but Caparra would have nothing to do with the matter; on the contrary, he reproved those gentlemen roundly, declaring that the thing they demanded was fit for nothing but to be the tool of thieves, or to aid them in the abduction or disgrace of maidens. “I tell you,” quoth Niccolo Grosso, that works of this kind are not fit for me to construct, or for you, who seem to be honest men, to use.” Finding that they could make nothing of Caparra, the young men desired him to tell them who there was in Florence that would be likely to prepare them what they wanted, but the smith fell into a violent rage at this request, and drove them out of his workshop with violent abuse.
Niccolo Grosso would never work for Jews, declaring that their money was dirty and had an evil odour; he was an upright and religious man, but very whimsical and obstinate; he could never be prevailed on to leave Florence, though very great offers were made to him; so there he lived and died. I have thought it well to make this memorial of Caparra, because he was certainly quite unique in his calling; he never has had, nor do I think that he ever will have an equal: many proofs of his skill may still be seen in Florence, but more particularly in the iron works of the Strozzi Palace, above all in the lanterns, which are most beautiful.[1]
This building was completed with great ability by Cronaca,
- ↑ The lanterns here mentioned, with certain large hells, and the branches, with their sockets for holding torches, are still remaining.—Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
