looking westward, with its entrance on the Piazza Vecchia, the brothers, whose numbers had greatly increased, and who enjoyed high repute in the city, began to think of enlarging both the church and convent. Having, accordingly, collected a very large sum of money, and finding many friends in the city who promised them every kind of aid, they commenced the building of the new church on St. Luke’s day in the year 1278. The first stone of the foundation was laid with great solemnity by Cardinal Latino degli Orsini, legate to the Florentines from Pope Nicholas III. Fra Giovanni, a Florentine, and Fra Ristoro da Campi, lay-brothers of the order, were the architects of the building. It was by these monks also that the bridge of the Carraja and that of the Trinita were restored, after their destruction by the flood of the first of October, 1269.[1] The greater part of the site on which this church and convent were erected, was given to the brotherhood by the heirs of Messer Jacopo, cavaliere di Tornaquinci. The cost, as has been said, was partly defrayed by alms, and partly by money furnished by different persons who lent a liberal hand to the work. Among these was more particularly distinguished the Frate Aldobrandini Cavalcanti, who was then bishop of Orvieto,[2] and who lies entombed over the gate of the Virgin. It is said that, in addition to other acts of service, this prelate procured, by his industry, all the labour and materials required for the church. The building was finished when Fra Jacopo Passavanti was prior of the convent ;[3] and a marble monument was erected to Fra Jacopo, in front of the principal chapel. This church was consecrated by Pope Martin V, in the year 1420, as we learn from an inscription on marble, placed on one of the pilasters of the principal chapel, and which runs as follows :—
“ a.d. 1420, die septima Septembris, Dominus Martinus divina providentia Papa V. personaliter hanc ecclesiam consecravit, et magnas indulgentias contulit visitantibus eamdem.”
Of all which, and much beside, there are accounts in a chro-
- ↑ Vasari says 1264, but the correct date of this memorable inundation is given by Villani, book vii, chap. 34.
- ↑ Vasari here wrote Arezzo for Orvieto.
- ↑ Some of the commentators will have Vasari to be in error here also ; they affirm that Jacopo Passavanti was not prior, but director of the works at the completion of the edifice.
