AT that period the Duke of Ferrara came to terms with Pope Paul about
some old matters in dispute between them relating to Modena and certain
other cities. The Church having a strong claim to them, the Duke was
forced to purchase peace by paying down an enormous sum of money; I
think that it exceeded three hundred thousand ducats of the Camera.
There was an old treasurer in the service of the Duke, who had been
brought up by his father, Duke Alfonso, and was called Messer Girolamo
Giliolo. He could not endure to see so much money going to the Pope, and
went about the streets crying: “Duke Alfonso, his father, would sooner
have attacked and taken Rome with this money than have shown it to the
Pope.” Nothing would induce him to disburse it; at last, however, the
Duke compelled him to make the payments, which caused the old man such
anguish that he sickened of a dangerous colic and was brought to death’s
door. During this man’s illness the Duke sent for me, and bade me take
his portrait; this I did upon a circular piece of black stone about the
size of a little trencher. The Duke took so much pleasure in my work and
conversation, that he not unfrequently posed through four or five hours
at a stretch for his own portrait, and sometimes invited me to supper.
It took me eight days to complete his likeness; then he ordered me to
design the reverse. On it I modelled Peace, giving her the form of a
woman with a torch in her hand, setting fire to a trophy of arms; I
portrayed her in an attitude of gladness, with very thin drapery, and
below her feet lay Fury in despair, downcast and sad, and loaded with
chains. I devoted much study and attention to this work, and it won me
the greatest honour. The Duke was never tired of expressing his
satisfaction, and gave me inscriptions for both sides of the medal. That
on the reverse ran as follows: 'Pretiosa in conspectu Domini;' it meant
that his peace with the Pope had been dearly bought.