_Via de’ Vecchietti. No. 2._
Although partly rebuilt and modernized traces of ancient splendour
can still be seen in the pretty courtyard of this palace. Piero de’
Monaldi, in his manuscript history, tells us “the Vecchietti came
originally from Arezzo, they were a powerful family within the first
circuit of the walls of Florence and owned towers, streets and a
piazza, whereon they built the church of S. Donato. Two Gonfaloniers of
Justice and twenty-four Priors did they give to the city. Vecchietto,
Consul of Florence in 1128, was of their race, as was also Marsilio,
knight of the Golden Spur, who was then Captain of Arezzo in 1288.
Dante makes honourable mention of them in his _Paradiso_.”
The corner of the Palazzo Vecchietti is called the Canto de’ Diavoli
from the tradition that when St. Peter Martyr preached here one of his
violent sermons against the heretics, a great black horse suddenly
appeared and the crowd fled in dismay before his kicking and rearing,
some even declared that fire came from his nostrils. People were
convinced that it was the devil and hence the name of the street
corner. On the angle of the old palace was the satyr (now in the
Bargello) made by Gian Bologna for Bernardo de’ Vecchietti, who was his
patron and friend. The house now belongs to the family of Del Corona,
and a copy of Donatello’s satyr has been placed where the original once
was.