the Holy Spirit in the midst of
a choir of angels; and on one wall of the same chapel he painted some
saints in fresco, perfectly. In the other, dedicated to Our Lady, is the
Nativity of Christ, with some women who are washing Him in a little
wooden tub, with a womanly grace marvellously well expressed. There are
also some shepherds in the distance, who are guarding their sheep,
clothed in the rustic dress of those times and very lifelike, and
listening attentively to the words of the Angel, who is telling them to
go to Nazareth. On the opposite wall is the Adoration of the Magi, with
baggage, camels, giraffes, and all the Court of those three Kings, who,
reverently offering their treasures, are adoring Christ, who is lying
upon the lap of His mother. Besides this, he painted on the vaulting,
and in the frontals of some arches outside, some very beautiful scenes
in fresco.

It is said that while Parri was executing this work, Fra Bernardino da
Siena, a friar of S. Francis and a man of holy life, was preaching in
Arezzo, and that having brought many of his brother monks into the true
religious life, and having converted many other persons, he caused Parri
to make the model for the Church of Sargiano, which he was building for
them; and that afterwards, having heard that many evil things were going
on in a wood near a fountain, a mile distant from the city, he went
there one morning, followed by the whole people of Arezzo, with a great
wooden cross in his hand, such as he was wont to carry, and after
preaching a solemn sermon he had the fountain destroyed and the wood cut
down; and a little later he caused a beginning to be made with a little
chapel which was built there in honour of Our Lady, with the title of S.
Maria delle Grazie, wherein he afterwards asked Parri to paint with his
own hand, as he did, the Virgin in Glory, who, opening her arms, is
covering under her mantle the whole people of Arezzo. This most holy
Virgin afterwards worked and still continues to work many miracles in
that place. The Commune of Arezzo has since caused a very beautiful
church to be built in this place, accommodating within it the Madonna
made by Parri, for which many ornaments of marble have been made, with
some figures, both round and above the altar, as it has been said in the
Lives of Luca della Robbia and of his nephew Andrea, and as it will be
said in due succession in the Lives of those whose works adorn that holy
place.

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