use
of Pier Francesco, his wife, who was in the house, poured on Giovan
Battista the greatest abuse that was ever spoken to any man. "So you
make bold, Giovan Battista," said she, "you vile slop-dealer, you
little twopenny pedlar, to strip the ornaments from the chambers of
noblemen and despoil our city of her richest and most honoured
treasures, as you have done and are always doing, in order to
embellish with them the countries of foreigners, our enemies! At you I
do not marvel, you, a base plebeian and the enemy of your country, but
at the magistrates of this city, who aid and abet you in these
shameful rascalities. This bed, which you would seize for your own
private interest and for greed of gain, although you keep your evil
purpose cloaked with a veil of righteousness, this is the bed of my
nuptials, in honour of which my husband's father, Salvi, made all
these magnificent and regal decorations, which I revere in memory of
him and from love for my husband, and mean to defend with my very
blood and with life itself. Out of this house with these your
cut-throats, Giovan Battista, and go to those who sent you with orders
that these things should be removed from their places, for I am not
the woman to suffer a single thing to be moved from here. If they who
believe in you, a vile creature of no account, wish to make presents
to King Francis of France, let them go and strip their own houses, and
take the ornaments and beds from their own chambers, and send them to
him. And you, if you are ever again so bold as to come to this house
on such an errand, I will make you smart sorely for it, and teach you
what respect should be paid by such as you to the houses of noblemen."
Thus spoke Madonna Margherita, the wife of Pier Francesco Borgherini,
and the daughter of Ruberto Acciaiuoli, a most noble and wise citizen;
and she, a truly courageous woman and a worthy daughter of such a
father, with her noble ardour and spirit, was the reason that those
gems are still preserved in that house.

Giovan Maria Benintendi, about this same time, had adorned an
antechamber in his house with many pictures by the hands of various
able men; and after the work executed for Borgherini, incited by
hearing Jacopo da Pontormo very highly praised, he caused a picture to
be painted by him with the Adoration of the Magi, who went to
Bethlehem to see Christ; which work, since Jacopo devoted to it much
study and diligence, proved to be well varied and