there we can see a very beautiful marble statue by his
hand, two braccia and a half in height, representing Faith (in company
with one of Hope and one of Charity made by Donatello, of the same
size), which does not suffer by comparison with the others. Moreover,
above the door of the sacristy and the Office of Works, opposite to S.
Giovanni, Michelozzo made a little S. John in full-relief, wrought with
diligence, which was much extolled.

Michelozzo was so intimate with Cosimo de' Medici that the latter,
recognizing his genius, caused him to make the model for the house and
palace at the corner of the Via Larga, beside S. Giovannino; for he
thought that the one made by Filippo di Ser Brunellesco, as it has been
said, was too sumptuous and magnificent, and more likely to stir up envy
among his fellow-citizens than to confer grandeur or adornment on the
city, or bring comfort to himself. Wherefore, being pleased with the
model that Michelozzo had made, he had the building brought to
completion under his direction in the manner that we see at the present
day, with all the beautiful and useful arrangements and graceful
adornments that are seen therein, which have majesty and grandeur in
their simplicity; and Michelozzo deserves all the greater praise in that
this was the first palace which was built in that city on modern lines,
and which was divided up into rooms both useful and most beautiful. The
cellars are excavated to more than half their depth underground, namely,
four braccia below, with three above for the sake of light; and there
are also wine-cellars and store-rooms. On the ground-floor there are two
courtyards with magnificent loggie, on which open saloons, chambers,
antechambers, studies, closets, stove-rooms, kitchens, wells, and
staircases both secret and public, all most convenient. On each floor
there are apartments with accommodation for a whole family, with all the
conveniences that are proper not only to a private citizen, such as
Cosimo then was, but even to the most splendid and most honourable of
Kings; wherefore in our own times Kings, Emperors, Popes, and all the
most illustrious Princes of Europe have been comfortably lodged there,
to the infinite credit both of the magnificence of Cosimo and of the
excellent ability of Michelozzo in architecture.

In the year 1433, when Cosimo was driven into exile, Michelozzo, who
loved him very greatly and was most faithful to him, accompanied him of
his own fr