ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



the inner courtyard. A fragment of one of these 

 frescoes the charming little painting popularly known 

 as " Gian Galeazzo reading Cicero " was rescued 

 from destruction when the house was pulled down in 

 1864, and was sold by a French dealer to Sir Richard 

 Wallace. It is now among the treasures of the 

 Wallace Collection at Hertford House. 



Unfortunately Luigi da Tersago became implicated 

 in the conspiracy against the regent, Lodovico, that 

 was set on foot by the Castellan, Filippo da 

 Eustachio, in September 1489. The unhappy captain's 

 guilt was proved, and he was condemned to end his 

 days miserably in the dungeons of Pavia. His 

 splendid house was confiscated with all the priceless 

 tapestries, furniture, plate, and jewels which it con- 

 tained. On hearing of Tersago's disgrace, Lorenzo 

 de' Medici, who, in Guicciardini's graphic phrase, had 

 parted from the Bank " with bitter tears in his eyes," 

 and had never ceased to regret its loss, begged Lodo- 

 vico to let him buy it back for 4000 ducats, the 

 original price which he had received for his house. 

 But Lodovico refused to take less than double this 

 sum, saying that Tersago's improvements had greatly 

 increased the value of the palace, and told the Duke 

 of Ferrara's ambassador privately that he intended it 

 for his own daughter's use. Doubtless " Messer 

 Galeaz," whose fine taste in art was well known, 



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