izen and bishop of Florence, for, in addition to the marble
ornamentation both within and without, the facade shows that the
Tuscan architects were making efforts to imitate the good ancient
order in the doors, windows, columns, arches and cornices, so far as
they were able, having as a model the very ancient church of S.
Giovanni in their city. At the same period, pictorial art, which had
all but disappeared, seems to have made some progress, as is shown by
a mosaic in the principal chapel of the same church of S. Miniato.

From such beginnings design and a general improvement in the arts
began to make headway in Tuscany, as in the year 1016 when the Pisans
began to erect their Duomo. For in that time it was a considerable
undertaking to build such a church, with its five aisles and almost
entirely constructed of marble both inside and out. This church,
built from the plans and under the direction of Buschetto, a clever
Greek architect from Dulichium, was erected and adorned by the Pisans
when at the zenith of their power with an endless quantity of spoils
brought by sea from various distant parts, as the columns, bases,
capitals, cornices and other stones there of every description, amply
demonstrate. Now since all these things were of all sizes, great,
medium, and small, Buschetto displayed great judgment in adapting
them to their places, so that the whole building is excellently
devised in every part, both within and without. Amongst other things
he devised the facade, which is made up of a series of stages,
gradually diminishing toward the top and consisting of a great number
of columns, adorning it with other columns and antique statues. He
carried out the principal doors of that facade in the same style,
beside one of which, that of the Carroccio, he afterwards received
honourable burial, with three epitaphs, one being in Latin verse, not
unlike other things of the time:

_Quod vix mille boum possent juga juncta movere
Et quod vix potuit per mare ferre ratis
Buschetti nisu, quod erat Mirabile visu
Dena puellarum turba levavit onus._

As I have mentioned the church of S. Apostolo at Florence above, I
will here give an inscription which may be read on a marble slab on
one of the sides of the high altar, which runs:

VIII. v. Die vi. Aprilis in resurrectione Domini Karolus Francorum
Rex Roma revertens, ingressus Florentiam cum magno gaudio et
tripudio succeptus, civium copi