found in Florence. And in this specimen they merit to be commended, among other things, for the management of the fore wheels, which are so constructed, that in turning sharp corners they permit the vehicle to be moved with as little shaking as possible, which is important, but principally on account of those who stand fastened to the summit of the carriage.
The same master constructed a kind of edifice for the cleansing and restoration of the Mosaic in the Tribune of San Giovanni; this scaffolding could be turned, raised, or lowered at pleasure, and taken to any part of the work, and that with so much ease, that two persons could manage it. By this contrivance Cecca obtained very great reputation.[1]
When the Florentines were invading Piancaldoli, this master was with the army, and managed to undermine the place, so that the soldiers got into the city without striking a blow. But afterwards, having accompanied the same army to another fortress, as evil destiny would have it, he was killed while attempting to measure certain heights from a difficult point: for Cecca, having put his head over the wall for the purpose of dropping a plumb-line, was seen by a certain priest, who was with the enemy, and who dreaded the genius of that master more than all the power of the army,— this man, therefore, discharging a cross-bow at the engineer, fixed the shaft in his head in such sort, that the poor Cecca died immediately.[2] His death and the loss of his services caused much grief to the army and to all his fellow citizens. But as there was no remedy, they sent his remains to Florence, where he received honourable interment from the sisters of San Piero Scheraggio, who buried him in the church of that saint; his likeness in marble was afterwards erected in the same building, and beneath it is the following epitaph:[3]—
Fabrum magister Cicca, natus oppidis vel obsidendis vel tuendis, hic jacet. Vixit an. xxxxi. mens iv. dies xiv. Obiii pro patria telo ictus. Piae sorores monumentum fecerunt mccccxciv.
- ↑ This scaffolding was erected in 1482, when Cecca was made capomaestro of the works, by way of reward for that service. See Life of Alesso Baldovinetti, vol. i. p. 67.
- ↑ This happened in 1488.—See Machiavelli, Storie Fiorentine, lib. viii, —-Ed. Flor., 1849,
- ↑ The bust and inscription were lost in 1561, when part of the church of San Pietro Scheraggio was demolished to make a site for the new wing of the Uffizj, erected by order of Cosimo I. —Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
