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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