g, of Doric architecture, and then, rising higher, there was
formed the third range, wherein was seen above the niches, in each
space, a compartment with most beautiful ornaments in painting. Now it
is but proper to remark that although it has been said that the doors
below were rectangular and Tuscan, nevertheless the two by which the
principal road entered and issued forth, and by which the procession was
to pass, were made in the semblance of arches, and projected for no
small distance in the manner of vestibules, one towards the entrance and
the other towards the exit, both the one and the other having been made
as rich and ornate on the outer facade as was required for the sake of
proportion.

Having thus described the general form of the whole edifice, let us come
down to the details, beginning with the front part, which presented
itself first to the eyes of passers-by and was after the manner of a
triumphal arch, as has been told, in the Corinthian Order. That arch was
seen bordered on one side and on the other by two most warlike statues
in armour, each of which, resting upon a graceful little door, was seen
likewise coming forth from the middle of a niche placed between two
well-proportioned columns. Of these statues, that which was to be seen
on the right hand represented Duke Alessandro, the son-in-law of the
most illustrious Charles V, a Prince spirited and bold, and of most
gracious manners, holding in one hand his sword, and in the other the
Ducal baton, with a motto placed at his feet, which said, on account of
his untimely death: SI FATA ASPERA RUMPAS, ALEXANDER ERIS. On the left
hand was seen, portrayed like all the others from life, the most
valorous Signor Giovanni, with the butt of a broken lance in the hand,
and likewise with his motto at his feet: ITALUM FORTISS. DUCTOR. And
since over the architraves of those four columns already described there
were placed very spacious friezes in due proportion, in the width
covered by the niches there was seen above each of the statues a
compartment between two pilasters; in that above Duke Alessandro was
seen in painting the device of a rhinoceros, used by him, with the
motto: NON BUELVO SIN VENCER; and above the statue of Signor Giovanni,
in the same fashion, his flaming thunderbolt. Above the arch in the
centre, which, being more than seven braccia in width and more than two
squares in height, gave ample room for the procession to pass, and above
the cornice