sented to this, being unable to bear
so great an expense themselves, and unwilling to allow others to do so,
lest they should lose the rights of ownership and the distinction of the
arms handed down to them by their ancestors. Giovanni, then, being
desirous that Domenico should make him his memorial there, set to work
in this matter, trying various ways; and finally he promised the Ricci
to bear the whole expense himself, to give them some sort of recompense,
and to have their arms placed in the most conspicuous and honourable
place in that chapel. And so they came to an agreement, making a
contract in the form of a very precise instrument according to the terms
described above. Giovanni allotted this work to Domenico, with the same
subjects as were painted there before; and they agreed that the price
should be 1,200 gold ducats of full weight, with 200 more in the event
of the work giving satisfaction to Giovanni. Thereupon Domenico put his
hand to the work and laboured without ceasing for four years until he
had finished it--which was in 1485--to the very great satisfaction and
contentment of Giovanni, who, while admitting that he had been well
served, and confessing ingenuously that Domenico had earned the
additional 200 ducats, said that he would be pleased if he would be
satisfied with the original price. And Domenico, who esteemed glory and
honour much more than riches, immediately let him off all the rest,
declaring that he set much greater store on having given him
satisfaction than on the matter of complete payment.

Giovanni afterwards caused two large coats of arms to be made of
stone--one for the Tornaquinci and the other for the Tornabuoni--and
placed on the pilasters without the chapel, and in the arch he placed
other arms belonging to that family, which is divided into various names
and various arms--namely, in addition to the two already mentioned,
those of the Ghiachinotti, Popoleschi, Marabottini, and Cardinali. And
afterwards, when Domenico painted the altar-panel, he caused to be
placed in the gilt ornament, under an arch, as a finishing touch to that
panel, a very beautiful Tabernacle of the Sacrament, on the frontal of
which he made a little shield a quarter of a braccio in length,
containing the arms of the said owners--that is, the Ricci. And a fine
jest it was at the opening of the chapel, for these Ricci looked for
their arms with much ado, and finally, not being able to find them, went
off to