"But," continued the manager, "our bankers, Messers.

He married Donna Bartolommea, the daughter of Messer Oddo degli Altoviti, by whom he had many children.

Married, in 1384, to Donna Piccarda, daughter of Messer Odoardo de' Bueri, he was the father of four sonsAntonio, Damiano, Cosimo, and Lorenzothe two former died in childhood.

Messer Giovanni developed extraordinary strength of character; he was a born ruler of men, and a passionate patriot.

Messer Giovanni proposed, in 1427, a tax which should not weigh too heavily upon anybody.

Messer Giovanni was taxed as heavily as anyone, namely, three hundred gold florinsindicative, incidentally, of his wealth and honesty.

Messer Giovanni shares with Cavaliere Salvestro the undying fame of having raised, upon the excellent foundation laid by their ancestors, the massive supporting walls of that superb edifice, of which his son, Cosimo, formed the cupola, and his great-grandson, Lorenzothe lantern"the Light of Italy.

The direct line of Cosimo, "Il Padre della Patria," the elder surviving son of Messer Giovanni di Averardo "Bicci" de' Medici, ended with Caterina, Queen of France, the only legitimate child of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, and last Capo della Repubblica of Florence; and Alessandro the Bastard, first Duke of Florence, the illegitimate son of Pope Clement VII.

Indeed Messer Tommaso's uncleSer Francescowas one of the principal opponents in the city counsels of Cosimo"il Padre della Patria.

Messer Tommaso, more prescient and prudent, threw in his lot with the Medici, and was chosen by Piero, not only as his own chief counsellor and intimate friend, but as the principal adviser of his two young sonsLorenzo and Giuliano.

Keen debate followed Messer Tommaso's speech: some wished that he would reconsider his decision, others were in favour of trying a new man and of another familyNiccolo Soderini's name was freely mentioned, but gradually the meeting came to accept the proposal.

Unanimity was the more readily reached when those who demurred perceived that Messer Tommaso would be the virtual ruler of the State in the personal direction of his two young nephews.

Inside the Chamber again Messer Tommaso Soderini was unanimously elected president, and forthwith proceeded to report the result of the deputation.

If one Messer arrived at some degree of prominence, then the best way for him to attain his end was to pit himself against another of his class nearest to him in influence.

The request which he made for the bestowal of a Cardinal's hat upon his brother, Giuliano, was refused somewhat brusquely, although, to be sure, the Pope did agree to the transfer of the custody of the finances of the Curia to the Medici bank, through the intervention of Messer Giovanni de' TornabuoniLorenzo's uncle, a resident in Rome.

Strange to say, this romantic attachment stirred the jealousy of a very prominent citizen, no less a personage than Messer Francesco de' Pazzi.

Everybody who had a grievancereal or imaginaryagainst the government of Lorenzo, sought Messer Tommaso's advice and sympathy, so that the situation became charged with difficulties and embarrassments.

When the subject of the embassy to Romethe chief diplomatic appointment of the Republicwas broached, Messer Tommaso, with the utmost sincerity, expressed his fervent wish to meet Lorenzo's views in every respect, but he expressed, quite emphatically, his disinclination to undertake such an arduous duty.

Possessed of immense wealth, much of which had come to him from his father, Messer Antonio, he rapidly dissipated it by selfish extravagance: no man surpassed him in the virtue or the vicewhich you willof self-seeking.

Messer Andrea, next after Cosimo the most influential citizen of Florence, was elected to the Priorate in 1435, and in 1439 he was called upon to entertain no less a personage than King René of France.

Another adherent was Messer Giovanni da Pisa, a notary, but "a factious and bad man.

Messer Bongiano and other knights, with whom I was conversing, were stupefied, one fled hither and another thither, loud shouts filled the building, and the hands of friends of the Pazzi and Salviati all held gleaming weapons....

Directly they saw Giuliano struck to the ground, they made all haste to the Palazzo Vecchio, and demanded an interview with Messer Cesare de' Petrucci, the Gonfaloniere di Giustizia, who had been detained by urgent matters in the Courts.

When Messer Petruccio enquired the nature of their business, the Archbishop replied: "We are come, all the family of Salviati, to pay our respects to the Gonfaloniere, as in duty bound."

Messer Cesare was at lunch, but, rising from table, he welcomed the Archbishop, who entered the apartment alone.