 CHAPTERS 93-95 I went on working at my book, and when I had finished it I took it to the Pope, who was in good truth unable to refrain from commending it greatly. I begged him to send me with it to the Emperor, as he had promised. He replied that he would do what he thought fit, and that I had performed my part of the business. So he gave orders that I should be well paid. These two pieces of work, on which I had spent upwards of two months, brought me in five hundred crowns. For the diamond I was paid one hundred and fifty crowns and no more, the rest was given me for the cover of the book, which, however, was worth more than a thousand, being enriched with multitudes of figures, arabests, enamolings, and jewels. I took what I could get, and made my mind up to leave Rome without permission. The Pope, meanwhile, sent my book to the Emperor by the hand of his grandson, Senor Sporza. Upon accepting it the Emperor expressed great satisfaction, and immediately asked for me. Young Senor Sporza, who had received his instructions, said that I had been prevented by illness from coming. All this was reported to me. My preparations for the journey into France were made, and I wished to go alone, but was unable on account of a lad in my service called Ascanio. He was a very tender age and the most admirable servant in the world. When I took him he had left a former master, named Francesco, a Spaniard and a goldsmith. I did not much like to take him lest I should get into a quarrel with a Spaniard, and said to Ascanio, I do not want to have you for fear of offending your master. He contrived that his master should write me a note informing me that I was free to take him. So he had been with me some months, and since he came to us both thin and pale aface we called him the little old man. Indeed, I almost thought he was one, partly because he was so good a servant and partly because he was so clever that it seemed unlikely he should have such talent at thirteen years, which he affirmed his age to be. Now to get back to the point from which I started, he improved in person during those few months, and gaining in flesh became the handsomest youth in Rome. Being the excellent servant which I have described, and showing marvellous aptitude for our art, I felt a warm and fatherly affection for him, and kept him clothed as if he had been my own son. When the boy perceived the improvement he had made, he assumed it a good piece of luck that he had come into my hands, and he used frequently to go and thank his former master, who had been the cause of his prosperity. Now this man had a handsome young woman to wife, who said to him, Surgetto, that was what they called him when he lived with them. What have you been doing to become so handsome? Ascaneo answered, Madonna Francesca, it is my master who has made me so handsome, and far more good to boot. In her petty, spiteful way she took it very ill that Ascaneo should speak so, and having no reputation for chastity she contrived to caress the lad more perhaps than was quite seemly, which made me notice that he began to visit her more frequently than his want had been. One day Ascaneo took to beating one of our little shop boys, who, when I came home from out of doors, complained to me with tears that Ascaneo had knocked him about without any cause. Hearing this, I said to Ascaneo, with cause or without cause, see you never strike any one of my family or else I'll make you feel how I can strike myself. He bandied words with me, which made me jump on him and give him the severest rubbing with both fists and feet that he ever felt. As soon as he had escaped my clutches he ran away without cape or cap, and for two days I did not know where he was, and took no care to find him. After that time a Spanish gentleman called Don Diego came to speak to me. He was the most generous man in the world. I had made, and was making, some things for him, which had brought us well acquainted. He told me that Ascaneo had gone back to his old master and asked me if I thought it proper to send him the cape and cap which I had given him. Thereupon I said that Francesco had behaved badly and like a low bread fellow, for if he had told me, when Ascaneo first came back to him, that he was in his house, I should very willingly have given him leave. But now that he had kept him two days without informing me, I was resolved he should not have him, and let him take care that I do not set eyes upon the lad in his house. This message was reported by Don Diego, but it only made Francesco laugh. The next morning I saw Ascaneo working at some trifles in wire at his master's side. As I was passing he bowed to me, and his master almost laughed me in the face. He sent again to ask, through Don Diego whether I would not give Ascaneo back the clothes he had received from me, but if not he did not mind, and Ascaneo should not want for clothes. When I heard this I turned to Don Diego and said, Don Diego, sir, in all your dealings you are the most liberal and worthy man I ever knew, but that Francesco is quite the opposite of you. He is nothing better than a worthless and dishonored renegade. Tell him for me that if he does not bring Ascaneo here himself to my shop before the bell for vespers, I will assuredly kill him, and tell Ascaneo that if he does not quit that house at the hour appointed for his master I will treat him much in the same way. Don Diego made no answer, but went and inspired such terror in Francesco that he knew not what to do with himself. Ascaneo, meanwhile, had gone to find his father, who had come to Rome from Tagliacoso, his birthplace, and this man also, when he heard about the row, advised Francesco to bring Ascaneo back to me. Francesco said to Ascaneo, Go on your own account and your father shall go with you. Don Diego put in, Francesco, I foresee that something very serious will happen. You know better than I do what a man Benvenuto is. Take the lad back courageously and I will come with you. I had prepared myself and was pacing up and down the shop waiting for the bell to vespers. My mind was made up to do one of the bloodiest deeds which I had ever attempted in my life. Just then arrived Don Diego, Francesco, Ascaneo, and his father whom I did not know. When Ascaneo entered I gazed at the whole company with eyes of rage and Francesco pale as death began as follows. See here, I have brought back Ascaneo whom I kept with me, not thinking that I should offend you. Ascaneo added humbly, Master, pardon me, I am at your disposal here, to do whatever you shall order. Then I said, Have you come to work out the time you promised me? He answered yes, and that he meant never to leave me. Then I turned and told the shop boy he had beaten to hand him the bundle of clothes, and said to him, Here are all the clothes I gave you. Take with them your discharge and go where you like. Don Diego stood astonished at this, which was quite the contrary of what he had expected, while Ascaneo with his father besought me to pardon and take him back. On my asking who it was who spoke for him, he said it was his father, to whom after many entreaties I replied, Because you are his father, for your sake I will take him back. I had formed the resolution, as I said a short while back, to go toward France, partly because I saw that the Pope did not hold me in the same esteem as formerly, my faithful service having been besmirched by lying tongues, and also because I feared lest those who had the power might play me some worse trick. So I was determined to seek better fortune in a foreign land, and wished to leave Rome without company or license. On the eve of my projected departure I told my faithful friend Felice to make free use of all my effects during my absence, and in the case of my not returning I left him everything I possessed. Now there was a Perugian workman in my employ who had helped me on those commissions from the Pope, and after paying his wages I told him he must leave my service. He begged me in reply to let him go with me, and said that he would come at his own charges. If I stopped to work for the King of France it would certainly be better for me to have Italians by me, and in particular such persons as I knew to be capable of giving me assistance. His entreaties and arguments persuaded me to take him on the journey in the manner he proposed. Ascanio, who was present at this debate, said, half in tears, when you took me back I said I wish to remain with you my lifetime, and so I have it in my mind to do. I told him that nothing in the world would make me consent, but when I saw that the poor lad was preparing to follow on foot I engaged a horse for him too, put a small valise upon the cropper, and loaded myself with far more useless baggage than I should otherwise have taken. From home I travelled to Florence, from Florence to Bologna, from Bologna to Venice, and from Venice to Padua. There my dear friend Albertaccio Del Bene made me leave the inn for his house, and next day I went to kiss the hand of Mr. Pietro Bembo, who was not yet a cardinal. He received me with marks of the warmest affection which could be bestowed on any man. Then turning to Albertaccio he said, I want Benvenuto to stay here with all his followers, even though they be a hundred men. Make then your mind up, if you want Benvenuto also, to stay here with me, for I do not mean elsewise to let you have him. Accordingly I spent a very pleasant visit at the house of that most accomplished gentleman. He had a room prepared for me which would have been too grand for a cardinal, and always insisted upon my taking my meals beside him. Later on he began to hint in very modest terms that he should greatly like me to take his portrait. I, who desired nothing in the world more, prepared some snow-white plaster in a little box, and set to work at once. The first day I spent two hours on end at my modeling, and blocked out the fine head of that eminent man with so much grace of manner that his lordship was fairly astounded. Now, though he was a man of profound erudition and without arrival and poetry, he understood nothing at all about my art. This made him think that I had finished when I had hardly begun, so that I could not make him comprehend that a long time it took to execute a thing of that sort thoroughly. At last I resolved to do it as well as I was able, and to spend the requisite time upon it, but since he wore his beard short after the Venetian fashion, I had great trouble in modeling ahead to my own satisfaction. However, I finished it, and judged it about the finest specimen I had produced in all the points pertaining to my art. Great was the astonishment of Messer Pietro, who conceived that I should have completed the wax and model in two hours and the steel in ten, when he found that I employed two hundred on the wax, and then was begging for leave to pursue my journey toward France. This threw him into much concern, and he implored me at least to design the reverse for his metal, which was to be a pegasus encircled with a wreath of myrtle. I performed my task in the space of some three hours and gave it a fine air of elegance. He was exceedingly delighted and said, This horse seems to me ten times more difficult to do than the little portrait on which you have bestowed so much pains. I cannot understand what made it such a labour. All the same he kept entreating me to execute the piece in steel, exclaiming, For Heaven's sake do it, I know that if you choose you will get it finished quickly. I told him that I was not willing to make it there, but promised without fail to take it in hand wherever I might stop to work. While this debate was being carried on I went to bargain for three horses which I wanted on my travels, and he took care that a secret watch should be kept over my proceedings, for he had vast authority in Padua. Wherefore when I proposed to pay for the horses which were to cost five hundred dukets, their owner answered, Illustrious artist, I make you a present of the three horses. I replied, It is not you who give them me, and from the generous donor I cannot accept them, seeing I have been unable to present him with any specimen of my craft. The good fellow said that if I did not take them I should get no other horses in Padua, and should have to make my journey on foot. Upon that I returned to the magnificent Messer Pietro, who affected to be ignorant of the affair, and only begged me with marks of kindness to remain in Padua. This was contrary to my intention, for I had quite resolved to set out. For I had to accept the three horses, and with them we began our journey. 95. I chose the route through the Grissons, all other passes being unsafe on account of war. We crossed the mountains of the Alba and Berlina, it was the eighth of May, and the snow upon them lay in masses. At the utmost hazard of our lives we succeeded in surmounting those two alpine ridges, and when they had been traversed we stopped at a place which, if I remember rightly, is called Valdista. There we took up quarters, and at nightfall there arrived a Florentine courier named Busbaca. I had heard him mentioned as a man of character and able in his profession, but I did not know that he had forfeited that reputation by his rogueries. When he saw me in the hostelry he addressed me by my name, said he was going on business of important to Lyon, and entreated me to lend him money for the journey. I said I had no money to lend, but that if he liked to join me I would pay his expenses as far as Lyon. The rascal wept and weadled me with a long story saying, if a poor courier employed on affairs of national consequence has fallen short of money, it is the duty of a man like you to assist him. Then he added that he was carrying things of the utmost importance from Messer Filippo Strozzi, and showing me a leather case for a cup he had with him, whispered in my ear that it held a goblet of silver which contained jewels to the value of many thousands of dukets, together with letters of vast consequence, sent by Messer Filippo Strozzi. I told him that he ought to let me conceal the jewels about his own person, which would be much less dangerous than carrying them in the goblet. He might give that up to me, and its value being probably about ten crowns, I could supply him with twenty-five on the security. To these words the courier replied that he would go with me, since he could not do otherwise, for to give up the goblet would not be to his honour. Interestingly we struck the bargain so, and taking horse next morning came to a lake between Valdista and Vessa. It is fifteen miles long when one reaches Vessa. On beholding the boats upon the lake I took fright, because they are of pine, of no great size and no great thickness, loosely put together, and not even pitched. If I had not seen four German gentlemen with their four horses embarking in one of the same sort as ours, I should never have set my foot in it. Indeed I should far more likely have turned tail, but when I saw their hair-brained recklessness I took it into my head that those German waters would not drown folk, as ours do in Italy. However, my two young men kept saying to me, Benvenuto, it is surely dangerous to embark in this craft with four horses. I replied, you cowards, do you not observe how those four gentlemen have taken boat before us, and are going on their way with laughter? If this were wine, indeed, to his water, I should say that they were going gladly to drown themselves in it. But as it is water, I know well that they have no more pleasure than we have in drowning there. The lake was fifteen miles long and about three broad, on one side Rosa Mountain very tall and cavernous, on the other some flatland and grassy. When we had gone about four miles it began to storm upon the lake, and our oarsmen asked us to help in rowing. This we did a while. I made gestures and directed them to land us on the farther shore. They said it was not possible, because there was not depth of water for the boat, and there were shoals there which would make it go to pieces and drown us all, and still they kept on urging us to help them. The boatmen shouted one to the other, calling for assistance. When I saw them thus dismayed, my horse being an intelligent animal, I arranged the bridle on his neck and took the end of the halter with my left hand. The horse, like most of his kind, being not devoid of reason, seemed to have an instinct of my intention, for having turned his face towards the fresh grass I meant that he should swim and draw me after him. Just at that moment a great wave broke over the boat. Ascanio shrieked out, mercy, my father, save me, and wanted to throw himself upon my neck. Accordingly I laid hand to my little dagger and told them to do as I had shown them, seeing that the horses would save their lives as well, as I too hoped to escape with mine by the same means, but that if he tried to jump on me I should kill him. So we went forward several miles in this great peril of our lives. When we had reached the middle of the lake we found a little bit of level ground where we could land, and I saw that those four German gentlemen had already come to shore there, but on our wishing to disembark the boatman would hear nothing of it. Then I said to my young men, now is the time to show what stuff we are made of, so draw your swords and force these fellows to put us ashore. This we did, not, however, without difficulty, for they offered stubborn resistance. When at last we got to land we had to climb that mountain for two miles, and it was more troublesome than getting up a ladder. I was completely clothed in mail with big boots and a gun in my hand, and it was raining as though the fountains of heavens were opened. Those devils, the German gentlemen, leading their little horses by the bridle, accomplished miracles of agility, but our animals were not up to the business, and we burst with the fatigue of making them ascend that hill of difficulty. We had climbed a little way when Ascanio's horse, an excellent beast of Hungarian race, made a false step. He was going a few paces before the coarsier, Busbaca, to whom Ascanio had given his lance to carry for him. Well, the path was so bad that the horse stumbled and went on scrambling backwards without being able to regain his footing till he stuck upon the point of the lance, which that rogue of a courier had not the wit to keep out of his way. The weapon passed right through his throat, and when my other workmen went to help him, his horse also, a black-coloured animal, slipped towards the lake, and held on by some shrub which offered but slight support. This horse was carrying a pair of saddle-bads which contained all my money and other valuables. I cried out to the young man to save his own life and to let the horse go to the devil. The fall was more than a mile of precipitous descent above the waters of the lake. Just below the place our boatmen had taken up their station, so that if the horse fell, he would have come precisely on them. I was ahead of the whole company, and we waited to see the horse plunge headlong. It seemed certain that he must go to perdition. During this I said to my young men, Be under no concern, let us save our lives and give thanks to God for all that happens. I am only distressed for that poor fellow, Busbaca, who tied his goblet and his jewels to the value of several thousand of ducats on the horse's saddle-bow, thinking that the save is place. My things are but a few hundred crowns, and I am in no fear whatever if only I get God's protection. Then Busbaca cried out, I am not sorry for my own loss but for yours. Why, I said to him, are you sorry for my trifles and not for all that property of yours? He answered, I will tell you in God's name, in these circumstances and at the point of peril we have reached, truth must be spoken. I know that yours are crowns and so are in good soothe, but that case in which I said I had so many jewels and other lies is all full of caviar. On hearing this I could not hold from laughing. My young men laughed too and he began to cry. The horse extricated itself by a great effort when we had given it up for lost. So then, still laughing, we summoned our forces and bent ourselves to making the ascent. The four German gentlemen, having gained the top before us, sent down some folk who gave us aid. Thus at length we reached our lodging in the wilderness. Here, being wet to the skin, tired out and famished, we were most agreeably entertained. We dried ourselves, took rest, and satisfied our hunger, while certain wild herbs were applied to the wounded horse. They pointed out to us the plant in question, of which the hedges were full, and we were told that if the wound was kept continually plugged with its leaves the beast would not only recover, but would serve us just as if it had sustained no injury. We proceeded to do as they advised. Then having thanked those gentlemen and feeling ourselves entirely refreshed, we quitted the place, and traveled onwards, thanking God for saving us from such great perils. 97 We reached a town beyond Vessa, where we passed the night, and heard a watchman through all the hours singing very agreeably, for the houses of that city being built of pinewood, it was the watchman's only business to warn folk against fire. Busbaka's nerves had been quite shaken by the day's adventure. Accordingly, each hour when the watchman sang, he called out in his sleep, Oh, God, I am drowning! That was because of the fright he had had, and besides he had got drunk in the evening, because he would zip boozing with the Germans who were there, and sometimes he cried, I am burning, and sometimes I am drowning, and at other times he thought he was in hell, and tortured with that caviar suspended round his throat. This night was so amusing that it turned all our troubles into laughter. In the morning we rose with very fine weather, and went to dine in a smiling little place called Laka. Here we obtained excellent entertainment, and then engaged guides who were returning to a town called Surik. The guide who attended us went along the dyke bank of a lake, there was no other road, and the dyke itself was covered with water, so that the reckless fellow slipped, and fell together with his horse beneath the water. I, who was but a few steps behind him, stopped my horse, and waited to see the donkey get out of the water. Just as if nothing had happened he began to sing again, and made signs to me to follow. I broke away upon the right hand, and got through some hedges, making my young men and Busbaka take that way. The guide shouted in German that if the folk of those parts saw me they would put me to death. However, we passed forward and escaped that other storm. So we arrived at Surik, a marvellous city, bright and polished like a little gem. There we rested a whole day, then left betimes one morning, and reached another fair city called Solotorno. Thence we came to Usana, from Usana to Geneva, from Geneva to Lyon, always singing and laughing. At Lyon I rested four days, and had much pleasant intercourse with some of my friends there. I was also repaid what I had spent upon Busbaka. Afterwards I set out upon the road to Paris. This was a delightful journey, except that when we reached Pellisa a band of venturers tried to murder us, and it was only by great courage and address that we got free from them. From that point onwards we travelled to Paris without the least trouble in the world. Always singing and laughing we arrived safely at our destination. 98. After taking some repose in Paris I went to visit the painter Rousseau, who was in the king's service. I thought to find him one of the sincerest friends I had in the world, seeing that in Rome I had done him the greatest benefits which one man can confer upon another. As these may be described briefly I will not here omit their mention, in order to expose the shamelessness of such ingranitude. While he was in Rome, then being a man given to backbiting, he spoke so ill of Raffaello da Urbino's works that the pupils of the latter were quite resolved to murder him. From this peril I saved him by keeping a close watch upon him day and night. Again the evil things said by Rousseau against Sangallo. That excellent architect caused the latter to get work taken from him which he had previously procured for him from Messer Agnolo de Cessi, and after this Sangallo used his influence so strenuously against him that he must have been brought to the verge of starvation had I not pitted his condition and lent him some scores of crowns to live upon. So then, not having been repaid, and knowing that he held employment under the king, I went, as I have said, to look him up. I did not merely expect him to discharge his debt, but also to show me favour and to assist in placing me in that great monarch's service. When Rousseau set eyes on me his countenance changed suddenly, and he exclaimed, Benvenuto, you have taken this long journey at great charges to your loss, especially at this present time, when all men's thoughts are occupied with war and not with the baggattels of our profession. I replied that I had brought money enough to take me back to Rome as I had come to Paris, and that this was not the proper return for the pains I had endured for him, and that now I began to believe what Maestro Antonio de Sangallo said of him. When he tried to turn the matter into jest on this exposure of his baseness, I showed him a letter of exchange for five hundred crowns upon Ricciardo del Bene. Then the rascal was ashamed, and wanted to detain me almost by force, but I laughed at him and took my leave in the company of a painter whom I found there. This man was called Scuazella. He too was a Florentine, and I went to lodge in his house, with three horses and three servants, at so much per week. He treated me very well, and was even better paid by me in return. Afterwards I sought audience of the king through the introduction of his treasurer, Maestro Giuliano Buonacarti. I met, however, with considerable delays, owing, as I did not then know, to the strenuous exertions Rosso made against my admission to his majesty. When Maestro Giuliano became aware of this, he took me down at once to Fontano Biglio, and brought me into the presence of the king, who granted me a whole hour of very gracious audience. Since he was then on the point of setting out for Lyon, he told Maestro Giuliano to take me with him, adding that on the journey we could discuss some works of art his majesty had it in his head to execute. Accordingly I followed the court, and on the way I entered into close relations with the cardinal of Ferrara, who had not at that period obtained the hat. Every evening I used to hold long conversations with the cardinal, in the course of which his lordship advised me to remain at an abbey of his in Lyon, and there to abide at ease until the king returned from this campaign, adding that he was going on to Grenoble, and that I should enjoy every convenience in the abbey. When we reached Lyon I was already ill, and my lad Escanio had taken a quart in fever. The French and their court were both grown irksome to me, and I counted the hours till I could find myself again in Rome. On seeing my anxiety to return home, the cardinal gave me money sufficient for making him a silver basin and jut. So we took good horses, and set our faces in the direction of Rome, passing the simplon, and travelling for some while in the company of certain Frenchmen. Escanio troubled by his quarton, and I by a slow fever which I found it quite impossible to throw off. I had moreover got my stomach out of order to such an extent that for this base of four months, as I verily believe, I hardly ate one whole loaf of bread in the week, and great was my longing to reach Italy, being desirous to die there rather than in France. 99. When we had crossed the mountains of the simplon, we came to a river near a place called Indovedro. It was broad and very deep, spanned by a long narrow bridge without ramparts. That morning a thick white frost had fallen, and when I reached the bridge, riding before the rest, I recognized how dangerous it was, and bade my servants and young men dismount and lead their horses. So I got across without accident, and rode on, talking with one of the Frenchmen, whose condition was that of a gentleman. The other, who was a scrivener, lagged a little way behind, jeering the French gentleman and me because we had been so frightened by nothing at all as to give ourselves the trouble of walking. I turned around, and seeing him upon the middle of the bridge, begged him to come gently, since the place was very dangerous. The fellow, true to his French nature, cried out in French that I was a man of poor spirit, and that there was no danger whatsoever. While he spoke these words and urged his horse forward, the animal suddenly slipped over the bridge, and fell with legs and air close to a huge rock there was there. Now, God is very often merciful to madmen, so the two beasts, human and equine, plunged together into a deep wide pool, where both of them went down below the water. On seeing what had happened I set off running at full speed, scrambled with much difficulty on the rock, and dangling over from it, seized the skirt of the scrivener's gown and pulled him up, for he was still submerged beneath the surface. He had drunk his belly full of water, and was within an ace of being drowned. I then, beholding him out of danger, congratulated the man upon my having been the means of rescuing his life. The fellow to this answered me in French, that I had done nothing. The important things, to say, were his writings, worth many scores of crowns, and these words he seemed to say in anger, dripping wet and spluttering the while. Thereupon I turned round to our guides and ordered them to help the brute, adding that I would see them paid. One of them, with great address and trouble, set himself to the business, and picked up all the fellow's writings, so that he lost not one of them. The other guide refused to trouble himself by rendering any assistance. I ought here to say that we had made a purse up and that I performed the part of Paymaster. So when we reached the place I mentioned and had dined I drew some coins from the common purse and gave them to the guide who helped draw him from the water. Thereupon the fellow called out that I might pay them out of my own pocket. He had no intention of giving the man more than what had been agreed on for his services as a guide. Upon this I retorted with insulting language. Then the other guide, who had done nothing, came up and demanded to be rewarded also. I told him that the one who had borne the cross deserved the recompense. He cried out that he would presently show me a cross which would make me repent. I replied that I would lie to candle at that cross, which should, I hoped, make him be the first to weep his folly. The village we were in lay on the frontier between Venice and the Germans. So the guide ran off to bring the folk together, and came followed by a crowd with a boar spear in his hand. Mounted on my good steed I lowered the barrel of my arc boosts, and, turning to my comrades, cried, at the first shot I shall bring that fellow down. Do you likewise your duty? For these are highway robbers who have used this little incident to contrive our murder. The innkeeper at whose house we had dined called one of the leaders, and imposing old man, and begged him to put a stop to the disorder, saying, This is a most courageous young man. You may cut him to pieces, but he will certainly kill a lot of you, and perhaps will escape your hands after doing all the mischief he is able. So matters calm down, and the old man, their leader, said to me, Go in peace. You would not have much to boast of against us, even if you had a hundred men to back you. I recognized the truth of his words, and had indeed made up my mind to die among them. Therefore, when no further insults were cast at me, I shook my head and exclaimed, I should certainly have done my utmost to prove I am no statue, but a man of flesh and spirit. Then we resumed our journey, and that evening, at the first lodging we came to, settled our accounts together. There I parted forever from that beast of a Frenchman, remaining on very friendly terms with the other who was a gentleman. Afterwards I reached Ferrara, with my three horses and no other company. Having dismounted, I went to court in order to pay my reverence to the duke, and gain permission to depart next morning for Laredo. When I had waited until two hours after nightfall, his Excellency appeared. I kissed his hands, he received me with much courtesy, and ordered that water should be brought for me to wash my hands before eating. To this compliment I made a pleasant answer. Most excellent Lord, it is now more than four months that I have eaten only just enough to keep life together. Knowing therefore that I could not enjoy the delicacies of your royal table, I will stay and talk to you while your Excellency is supping. In this way we shall both have more pleasure than if I were to sup with you. Accordingly we entered into conversation, and prolonged it for the next three hours. At that time I took my leave, and when I got back to the inn, found a most excellent meal ready, for the duke had sent me the plates from his own banquet, together with some famous wine. Having now fasted two full hours beyond my usual hour for supping, I fell too with hearty appetite, and this was the first time since four months that I felt the power or will to eat. End of chapters 96 through 99. The autobiography of Benvenuto Cilini, Vol. 1, translated by John Addington Simmons, chapters 100 through 103. Leaving Ferrara in the morning, I went to Santa Maria at Loretto, and thence, having performed my devotions, pursued the journey to Rome. There I found my most faithful felice, to whom I abandoned my old shop with all its furniture and appurtenances, and opened another, much larger, and brumier, next to Sugarello, the perfumer. I thought for certain the great king Francis would not have remembered me. Therefore I accepted commissions from several noblemen, and in the meanwhile began the basin and jug, ordered by the cardinal Ferrara. I had a crowd of workmen, and many larger fares on hand in gold and silver. Now the arrangement I had made with that Perugian workman, was that he should write down all the monies which had mint dispersed on his account, chiefly for clothes and diverse other sundries, and these, together with the costs of travelling, amounted to about seventy crowns. We agreed that he should discharge the debt by monthly payments of three crowns, and that he was well able to do, since he gained more than eight through me. At the end of two months the rascal decamped from my shop, leaving me in the lurch with a mass of business on my hands, and saying that he did not mean to pay me a farthing more. I was resolved to seek regress, but allowed myself to be persuaded to do so by the way of justice. At first I thought of lopping off an arm of his, unassuredly I should have done so if my friends had not told me that it was a mistake, seeing I should lose my money, and perhaps Rome too, a second time, for as much as blows cannot be measured, and that with the agreement I held of his I could at any moment have him taken up. I listened to their advice, though I should have liked to conduct the affair more freely. As a matter of fact I sued him before the auditor of the camera, and gained by suit, in consequence of that decree for which I waited several months, I had him thrown in prison. At the same time I was overwhelmed with large commissions. Among others I had to supply all the ornaments of golden jewels for the wife of Signor Girolimo Orsino, father of Signor Paolo, who is now the summoner of our Duke Cosimo. These things I had nearly finished, yet others of greatest consequence were always coming in. I employed eight work-people, and worked day and night together with them, for the sake a like of honour and of gain. While I was engaged in prosecuting my affairs with so much vigour, there arrived a letter sent post-haste to me by the cardinal of Ferrara, which ran as follows, Benvenuto, our dear friend. During these last days the most Christian king here made mention of you, and said that he should like to have you in his service, where too I answered that you had promised me, whenever I sent for you to serve his majesty, that you would come at once. His majesty then answered, it is my will that provision for his journey, according to his merits, should be sent him, and immediately ordered his admiral to make me out an order for one thousand golden crowns upon the treasurer of the Exchequer. The cardinal de Gadi, who was present at this conversation, advanced immediately, and told his majesty that it was not necessary to make these dispositions, seeing that he had sent you money enough, and that you were already on the journey. If then, as I think probable, the facts are quite contrary to those assertions of cardinal Gadi, reply to me without delay on the receipt of this letter, for I will undertake to gather up the fallen thread, and have the promised money given to you by this magnanimous king. Now let the world take notice, and all the folks that dwell on it, what power malignant stars with adverse fortune exercise upon us human beings. I had not spoken twice in my lifetime to that little simpleton of a cardinal de Gadi, nor do I think that he meant by this bomb treasuriness of his to do me any harm, but only through light-headedness and senseless folly, to make it seem as though he also held the affairs of artists whom the king was wanting, for his own personal supervision, just as the cardinal of Ferrara did. But afterwards he was so stupid as to not tell me anything at all about the matter, else-wise it is certain that my wish to shield a silly mannequin from reproach, if only for our country's sake, would have made me find out some excuse to mend the bungling of his foolish shelf-conceit. Immediately upon the receipt of cardinal Ferrara's letter, I answered that about cardinal de Gadi I knew absolutely nothing, and that even if he had made overtures of that kind to me, I should not have left Italy without informing his most reverent lordship. I also said that I have more to do in Rome than at any previous time, but that if his most Christian majesty made sign of wanting me, one word of his communicated by so great a princess's most reverent lordship would suffice to make me set up upon the spot, leaving all other concerns to take their chance. After I had sent my letter that traitor, the Perugian workman, there is a piece of malice against me, which succeeded at once owing to the avarice of Pope Paolo de Farnese, but also far more to that of his bastard, who was then called Duke of Castro. The fellow in question informed one of Signore Pierre Luigi's secretaries that, having been with me as workman several years, he was equated with all my affairs, on the strength of which he gave his word to Signore Pierre Luigi, that I was worth more than eighty thousand ducats, and that the greater part of this property consisted in jewels, which jewels belong to the church and that I had stolen them, in Castel Sant'Angelo, during the sack of Rome, and that all they had to do was catch me on the spot with secrecy. It so happened that I had been at work one morning, more than three hours before daybreak upon the trissur of the bride I mentioned. Then, while my shop was being opened and swept out, I put my cape on to go abroad and take the air, directing my steps along the Strait of Giulia, I turned into Chiavica, and at this corner Crespino, the Bargello, with all his constables made up to me and said, You are the Pope's prisoner. I answered Crespino, you've mistaken your man. No, said Crespino, You are the artist Benvenuto, and I know you well, and I have to take you to the castle of Sant'Angelo, where lords go, and men of accomplishments, your peers. Then that four of his under-offices rushed on me, and would have seized by force a dagger which I wore, and some rings I carried on my finger, that Crespino rebuked them. Not a man of usual touch him. It's quite enough if you perform your duty and see that he does not escape me. Then he came up and begged me with words of courtesy to surrender my arms. While I was engaged in doing this, it crossed my mind that exactly on that very spot I had assassinated Pompeo. They took me straight way to the castle and locked me in an upper chamber in the keep. This was the first time that I ever smelled a prison up to the age I then had, of thirty-seven years. Signore Pierre Luigi, the Pope's son, had well considered the large sum for which I stood accused, so he begged the reversion of it from his most holy father, and asked that he might have the money made out to himself. The Pope granted this willingly, adding that he would assist in its recovery. Consequently, after having kept me eight whole days in prison, they sent me up for examination in order to put an end if possible to the affair. I was summoned into one of the great halls of the Papal Castle, a place of much dignity. My examiners were, first, the Governor of Rome, called Messer Benedetto Conversini of Pistoia, who afterwards became Bishop of Jersey, secondly, the Procurator Fiscal, whose name I have forgotten, and thirdly, the Judge in Criminal Cases, Messer Benedetto De Cali. These three men began at first to question me in gentle terms, which afterwards they changed to words of considerable harshness and menace, apparently because I said to them, My lords, it is more than half an hour now since you've been pestering me with questions about fables and such things, so that one may truly say you are chattering, or prattling, by chattering I mean talking without reason, by prattling I mean talking nonsense, therefore I beg you to tell me what it really is you want of me, and to let me hear from your lips reasonable speech, and not jabberings or nonsense. In reply to these words of mine, the Governor, who was a Pistoian, could no longer disguise his furious temper and began, You talk very confidently, or rather far too arrogantly, but let me tell you that I will bring your pride down lower than a spaniel by the words of reason you shall hear from me. These will be neither jabberings nor nonsense as you have it, but shall form a chain of arguments to answer which you will be forced to tax the utmost of your wits. Then he began to speak as follows. We know for certain that you were in Rome at the time when this unhappy city was subject to the calamity of the sack. At that time you were in this castle of Sant'Angelo, and were employed as a bombardier. Now since your Adula and Goldsmith by trade, Pope Clement being previously acquainted with you, and having by him no one else of your profession, called you into his secret councils, and made you unset all the jewels of his tiaras, meters, and rings, afterwards having confidence in you, he ordered you to sew them into his clothes. While this engaged you sequestered, unknown to his holiness, a portion of them, to the value of eighty thousand crowns. This has been told us by one of your workmen, to whom you disclose the matter in your braggadocio way. Now we tell you frankly that you must find the jewels or their value in money. After that we will release you. When I heard these words I could not hold from bursting into a great roar of laughter, and having laughed a while I said, Thanks be to that God on this first occasion when it's pleased His Divine Majesty to imprison me, that I should not be imprisoned for some folly as the one is usually with young men. If what you say were the truth I run no risk of having to submit to corporal punishment, since the authority of the law was suspended during that season. Indeed I could excuse myself by saying that like a faithful servant I had kept back treasure to that amount for the sacred and holy apostolic church, waiting till I could restore it to a good pope or else to those who might require it of me, as for instance you might if this were verily the case. When I had spoken so far the furious governor would not let me conclude my argument, but exclaimed in a burst of rage, Interpret the affair as you like best, Benvenuto, it is enough for us to have found the property which we had lost. Be quick about it if you do not want us to use other measures than words. Then they began to rise and leave the chamber, but I stopped them crying out, My lords, my examination is not over, bring that to an end and go then where you choose. They resumed their seats in a very angry temper, making as though they did not mean to listen to a word I said, and at the same time half relieved, as though they had discovered all they wanted to know. I then began my speech to this effect. You are to know, My lords, that it is now some twenty years since I first came to Rome, and I have never been sent to prison here or elsewhere. On this that catch-pull of a governor called out, I'm yet you've killed men enough here. I replied, It is you that say it, and not I, but if someone came to kill you, priest as you are, you would defend yourself, and if you killed him, the sanctity of the law would hold you justified. Therefore let me continue, My defense, if you wish to report the case to the Pope, and to judge me fairly. Once more I tell you that I have been a sojourner in this marvellous city Rome for nigh on twenty years, and here I have exercised my art in matters of vast importance. Knowing that this is the seat of Christ, I entertained a reasonable belief that when some temporal prince sought to inflict on me a mortal injury, I might have recourse to this holy chair and to this vicar of Christ, in confidence that he would surely uphold my cause. Army, whither am I now to go? What prince is there who will protect me from this infamous assassination? Was it not your business, before you took me up, to find out what I had done with those eighty thousand dookettes? Was it not your duty to inspect the record of the jewels which have been carefully inscribed by this apostolic camera through the last five hundred years? If you had discovered anything missing on that record, then you ought to have seized all my books together with myself. I tell you for a certainty that the registers on which are written all the jewels of the Pope and the regalia must be perfectly in order. You will not find there missing a single article of value which belonged to Pope Clement that has not been minutely noted. The one thing of the kind which occurs to me is this. When that poor man, Pope Clement, wanted to make terms with those thieves of the Imperial Army, who had robbed Rome and insulted the church, a certain Cesare Scatinaro, if I rightly remember his name, came to negotiate with him, and having nearly concluded the agreement that Pope and his extremity to show the man some mark of favour, let fall a diamond from his finger, which was worth about four thousand crowns, and when Scatinaro stooped to pick it up, the Pope told him to keep it for his sake. I was present at these transactions, and if the diamond of which I speak be missing, I have told you where it went, but I have the firmest conviction that you will find even this noted upon the register. After this you may blush at your ledger for having done such cruel injustice to a man like me, who has performed so many honourable services for the apostolic chair. I would have you know that but for me, the morning when the Imperial troops entered the Borgio, they would without let or hindrance have forced their way into the castle. It was I who, unrewarded for this act, but took myself with vigor to the guns which had been abandoned by the canoneers and soldiers of the Ordinance. I put spirit into my comrade, Raffaello di Montelubbo, the sculptor, who had also left his post and hid himself all frightened in a corner. Without stirring foot or finger, I awoke his courage up, and he and I alone together slew so many of the enemies that the soldiers took another road. I it was who shot at discatinaro when I saw him talking to Pope Clement without the slightest mark of reverence, nay with the most revolting insolence like the Lutheran and Infidel he was. Pope Clement upon this had the castle searched to find and hang the man who did it. I it was who wounded the Prince of Orange in the head down there below, the trenches of the castle. Then, too, how many ornaments of silver, gold and jewels, how many models and coins so beautiful and so esteemed have I not made for the holy church? Is this, then, the presumptuous priestly recantents, you give a man who has served and loved you with such loyalty, with such mastery of art? O go and report the whole that I have spoken to the Pope. Go and tell him that his jewels are all in his possession, that I never received from the church anything but wounds and stonings at that epoch of the sack, and that I have never reckoned upon any gain beyond some small remuneration from Pope Paolo, which he had promised me. Now at last I know what to think of his holiness, and you his ministers. While I was delivering this speech they sat a listened in astonishment, then exchanging glances one with the other, and making signs of much surprise they left me. All three went together to report what I had spoken to the Pope. The Pope felt some shame, and gave orders that all the records of the jewels should be diligently searched. When they had ascertained that none were missing, they left me in the castle, without saying a word more about it. Signor Pia Luigi felt also that he had acted ill, and to end the affair they said about to contrive my death. CHAPTERS 104 THROUGH 107 OF THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENVENUTO SELINI, VOL. 1 During the agitations of this time, which I have just related, King Francis received news of how the Pope was keeping me in prison, and with what injustice? He had sent a certain gentleman of his, named Monsignor Dumorlac, as his ambassador to Rome. To him, therefore, he now wrote, claiming me from the Pope as the man of his majesty. The Pope was a person of extraordinary sense and ability, but in this affair of mine he behaved weakly and unintelligently, for he made answer to the king's envoy that his majesty need pay me no attention, since I was a fellow who gave much trouble by fighting. Therefore he advised his majesty to leave me alone, adding that he kept me in prison for homicides and other devil-trees which I had played. To this the king sent answer that justice in his realm was excellently maintained, for even as his majesty was want to shower rewards and favors upon men of parts and virtue, so did he ever chastise the troublesome. His holiness had let me go, not caring for the service of the said Benvenuto, and the king, when he saw him in his realm, most willingly adopted him. Therefore he now asked for him in the quality of his own man. Such a demand was certainly one of the most honorable marks of favor which any man of my sort could desire, yet it proved the source of infinite annoyance and hurt to me. The Pope was roused to such fury by the jealous fear he had, lest I should go and tell the whole world how infamously I had been treated, that he kept revolving ways in which I might be put to death without injury to his own credit. The castellan of St. Angelo was one of our Florentines, called Messer Giorgio, a knight of the Ugalini family. This worthy man showed me the greatest courtesy, and let me go free about the castle on parole. He was well aware how greatly I had been wronged, and when I wanted to give security for leave to walk about the castle, he replied that though he could not take that, seeing the Pope set too much importance upon my affair, yet he would frankly trust my word, because he was informed by everyone what a worthy man I was. So I passed my parole, and he granted me conveniences for working at my trade. I then, reflecting that the Pope's anger against me must subside, as well because of my innocence as because of the favor shown me by the King, kept my shop in Rome open, while Ascanio, my apprentice, came to the castle and brought me things to work at. I could not indeed do much, feeling myself imprisoned so unjustly, yet I made a virtue of necessity, and bore my adverse fortune with as light a heart as I was able. I had secured the attachment of all the guards and many soldiers of the castle. Now the Pope used to come at times to sub there, and on those occasions no watch was kept, but the place stood open like an ordinary palace. Consequently, while the Pope was there, the prisoners used to be shut up with great precautions. None such, however, were taken with me, who had the license to go where I liked, even at those times, about its precincts. Often then those soldiers told me that I ought to escape, and that they would aid and abet me, knowing as they did how greatly I had been wronged. I answered that I had given my parole to the castle-en, who was a worthy man, and had done me such kind offices. One very brave and clever soldier used to say to me, My benvenuto, you must know that a prisoner is not obliged and cannot be obliged to keep faith, any more than ought else which befits a free man. Do what I tell you, escape from that rascal of a Pope and that bastard his son, for both are bent on having your life by villainy. I had, however, made up my mind rather to lose my life and to break the promise I had given that good man the castle-en. So I bore the extreme discomforts of my situation, and had, for my companion of misery, a friar of the Pal of Visina House, who was a very famous preacher. 105 This man had been arrested as a Lutheran. He was an excellent companion, but from the point of view of his religion I found him the biggest scoundrel in the world, to whom all kinds of vices were acceptable. His fine intellectual qualities won my admiration, but I hated his dirty vices, and frankly taxed him with them. This friar kept perpetually reminding me that I was in no wise bound to observe faith with the castle-en since I had become a prisoner. I replied to these arguments that he might be speaking the truth as a friar, but that as a man he spoke the contrary, for every one who called himself a man and not a monk, was bound to keep his word under all circumstances in which he chanced to be. I, therefore, being a man and not a monk, was not going to break the simple and loyal word which I had given. Seeing then that he could not sap my honour by the subtle and ingenious sophistries he so eloquently developed, the friar hid upon another way of tempting me. He allowed some days to pass, during which he read me the servants of Fra Gerolimo Savonarola, and these he expanded with such lucidity and learning that his comment was even finer than the text. I remained in ecstasies of admiration, and there was nothing in the world I would not have done for him, except, as I have said, to break my promised word. When he saw the effect his talents had produced upon my mind, he thought of yet another method. Cautiously he began to ask what means I should have taken, supposing my jailers had locked me up, in order to set the dungeon doors open and effect my flight. I then, who wanted to display the sharpness of my wits to so ingenious a man, replied that I was quite sure of being able to open the most baffling locks and bars, far more those of our prison, to do which would be the same to me as eating a bit of new cheese. In order then to gain my secret, the friar now made light of these assertions, a veering that persons who have gained some credit by their abilities are wont to talk big of things which, if they had to put their boasts in action, would speedily discredit them, and much to their dishonor. Himself had heard me speak so far from the truth that he was inclined to think I should, when pushed to proof, end in a dishonorable failure. Upon this, feeling myself stung to the quick by that devil of a friar, I responded that I always made a practice of promising in words less than I could perform in deeds. What I had said about the keys was the nearest trifle, in a few words I could make him understand that the matter was, as I had told it. Then, all too heedlessly, I demonstrated the facility with which my assertions could be carried into act. He affected to pay little attention, but all the same he learned my lesson well by heart with keen intelligence. As I have said above, the worthy castellan let me roam at pleasure over the whole fortress. Not even at night did he lock me in, as was the custom with the other prisoners. Moreover, he allowed me to employ myself as best I liked, with gold or silver, or with wax, according to my whim. So then I labored several weeks at the basin ordered by Cardinal Ferrara, but the irksomeness of my imprisonment bred in me a disgust for such employment, and I took to modeling in wax some little figures of my fancy, for mere recreation. Of the wax which I used, the friar stole a piece, and with this he proceeded to get false keys made upon the method I had heedlessly revealed to him. He had chosen for his accomplice a registrar named Luigi, a paguan, who was in the castellan's service. When the keys were ordered, the locksmith revealed their plot, and the castellan, who came at times to see me in my chamber, noticing the wax which I was using, recognized it at once and exclaimed, It is true that this poor fellow Benavinuto has suffered a most grievous wrong, it he ought not to have dealt thus with me, for I have ever strained my sense of right to show him kindness. Now I shall keep him straightly under lock and key, and shall take good care to do him no more service. Accordingly he had me shut up with disagreeable circumstances, among the worst of which were the words flung at me by some of his devoted servants, who were indeed extremely fond of me. But now, on this occasion, cast in my teeth all the kind offices the castellan had done me. They came, in fact, to calling me ungrateful, light, and disloyal. One of them in particular used these injurious terms more insolently than was decent, whereupon I, being convinced of my innocence, retorted hotly that I had never broken faith, and would maintain these words at the peril of my life, and that if he or any of his followers abused me so unjustly, I would fling the lie back in his throat. The man, intolerant of my rebuke, rushed to the castellan's room, and brought me the wax with the mull out of the keys. No sooner had I seen the wax than I told him that both he and I were in the right, but I begged him to procure for me an audience with the castellan, for I meant to explain frankly how the matter stood, which was a far more consequence than they imagined. The castellan sent for me at once, and I told him the whole course of events. This made him arrest the friar, who betrayed the registrar, and the latter ran a risk of being hanged. However, the castellan hushed the affair up, although it had reached the pope's ears. He saved his registrar from the gallows and gave me the same freedom as I had before. When I saw how rigorously this affair was prosecuted, I began to think of my own concerns and said, supposing another of these storms should rise, and the man should lose confidence in me, I should then be under no obligation to him, and might wish to use my wits a little, which would certainly work their end better than those of that rascally friar. So I began to have new sheets of a coarse fabric brought me, and did not send the dirty ones away. When my servants asked for them, I bade them hold their tongues, saying I had given the sheets to some of those poor soldiers, and if the matter came to knowledge the wretched fellows ran the risk of the galleys. This made my young men an attendance, especially Felice, to keep the secret of the sheets in all loyalty. I meanwhile set myself to emptying a straw mattress, the stuffing of which I burned, having a chimney in my prison. Out of the sheets I cut strips, the third of a cubit in breadth, and when I had made enough in my opinion to clear the great height of the central keep of San Angelo, I told my servants that I had given away what I wanted. They must now bring me others of a finer fabric, and I would always send back the dirty ones. This affair was presently forgotten. Now my work-people and serving men were obliged to close my shop at the order of the Cardinals Santiquatro and Canaro, who told me openly that the Pope would not hear of setting me at large, and that the great favors shown me by King Francis had done far more harm than good. It seems that the last word spoken from the King by Monsignor de Morloch had been to this effect, namely, that the Pope ought to hand me over to the ordinary judges of the court. If I had done wrong, he could chastise me, but otherwise it was but reason that he should set me at liberty. This message so irritated the Pope that he made up his mind to keep me a prisoner for life. At the same time the castellan most certainly did his utmost to assist me. When my enemies perceived that my shop was closed, they lost no opportunity of taunting and reviling those servants and friends of mine who came to visit me in prison. It happened on one occasion that Ascanio, who came twice a day to visit me, asked to have a jacket cut out for him from a blue silk vest of mine I never used. I had only worn it once, on the occasion when I walked in procession. I replied that these were not the times, nor was I in the place to wear such clothes. The young man took my refusal of this miserable vest so ill that he told me he wanted to go home to Tagliacoso. All in a rage I answered that he could not please me better than by taking himself off, and he swore with passion he would never show his face to me again. When these words passed between us we were walking around the keep of the castle. It happened that the castellan was also taking the air there, so just when we met his lordship Ascanio said, I am going away, farewell for ever. I added, for ever is my wish too, and thus in sooth shall it be. I shall tell the sentinels not to let you pass again. Then turning to the castellan I begged him with all my heart to order the guards to keep Ascanio out, adding, this little peasant comes here to add to my great trouble. I entreat you therefore, my lord, not to let him enter any more. The castellan was much grieved, because he knew him to be a lad of marvelous talents. He was, moreover, so fair a person that every one who once set eyes on him seemed bound to love him beyond measure. The boy went away weeping. That day he had with him a small scimitar, which it was at times his want to carry hidden beneath his clothes. Leaving the castle then, and having his face wet with tears, he chanced to meet two of my chief enemies, Geronimo the Perugian and a certain Michelle, Goldsmiths, both of them. Michelle, being Geronimo's friend and Ascanio's enemy, called out, What is Ascanio crying for? Perhaps his father is dead. I mean, that father in the castle. Ascanio answered on the instant, He is alive, but you shall die this minute. Then raising his hand he struck two blows with the scimitar, both at the fellow's head. The first felled him to the earth, the second lopped three fingers off his right hand, though it was aimed at his head. He lay there like a dead man. The matter was at once reported to the pope, who cried in great fury, since the king wants him to be tried, go and give him three days to prepare his defense. So they came and executed the commission which the pope had given them. The excellent Castellan went off upon the spot to his holiness, and informed him that I was no accomplice in the matter, and that I had sent Ascanio about his business. So ably did he plead my case that he saved my life from this impending tempest. Ascanio meanwhile escaped to Tagliacoso to his home there, since he wrote begging a thousand times my pardon and acknowledging his wrong in adding troubles to my grave disaster, but protesting that if, through God's grace, I came out from the prison, he meant never to abandon me. I let him understand that he must mind his art, and that if God set me at large again I would certainly recall him. 107 The Castellan was subjected to a certain sickness which came upon him every year and deprived him of his wits. The sign of its approach was that he kept continually talking, or rather jabbering to no purpose. These humours took a different shape each year. One time he thought he was an oil jar, another time he thought he was a frog, and hopped about as frogs do, another time he thought he was dead, and then they had to bury him. Not a year passed but he got some such hypochondriac notions into his head. At this season he imagined he was a bat, and when he went abroad to take the air he used to scream like bats in a high thin tone, and then he would flap his hands and body as though he were about to fly. The doctors, when they saw the fit coming on him and his old servants, gave him all the distractions they could think of, and since they had noticed that he derived much pleasure from my conversation they were always fetching me to keep him company. At times the poor man detained me for four or five stricken hours without ever letting me cease talking. He used to keep me at his table, eating opposite to him, and never stopped chatting and making me chat, but during those discourses I contrived to make a good meal. He poor man could neither eat nor sleep, so that at last he wore me out. I was at the end of my strength, and sometimes when I looked at him I noticed that his eyeballs were rolling in a frightful manner, one looking one way and the other in another. He took it into his head to ask me whether I had ever had a fancy to fly. I answered that it had always been my ambition to do those things which offered the greatest difficulties to men, and that I had done them, as to flying the God of Nature had gifted me with a body well suited for running and leaping, far beyond the common average, and that with the talents I possessed for manual art I felt sure I had the courage to try flying. He then inquired what methods I should use, to which I answered that, taking into consideration all flying creatures and wishing to imitate by art what they derived from nature, none was so apt to model as the bat. No sooner had the poor man heard the name bat, which recalled the humour he was suffering under, than he cried at the top of his voice, he says true, he says true, the bat's the thing, the bat's the thing. Then he turned to me and said, Benvenuto, if one gave you the opportunity, should you have the heart to fly? I said if he would set me at liberty I felt quite up to flying down to Prati, after making myself a pair of wings out of waxed linen. Thereupon he replied, I too should be prepared to take flight, but since the Pope has bidden me guard you as though you were his own eyes, and I know you are a clever devil who would certainly escape, I shall now have you locked up with a hundred keys in order to prevent you slipping through my fingers. I then began to implore him, and remind him that I might have fled, but on account of the word which I had given him I would never have betrayed his trust. Therefore I begged him for the love of God, and by the kindness he had always shown me, not to add greater evils to the misery of my present situation. While I was pouring out these entreaties, he gave strict orders to have me bound and taken and locked up in prison. On seeing that it could not be helped, I told him before all his servants, lock me well up, and keep a good watch on me, for I shall certainly contrive to escape. So they took and confined me with the utmost care. End of CHAPTERS 104 THROUGH 107 CHAPTERS 108 THROUGH 111 CHAPTER 108 I then began to deliberate upon the best way of making my escape. No sooner had I been locked in than I went about exploring my prison, and when I thought I had discovered how to get out of it, I pondered the means of descending from the lofty keep, for so the great round's central tower is called. I took those new sheets of mine, which as I have said already, I had cut in strips and sewn together. Then I reckoned up the quantity, which would be sufficient for my purpose. Having made this estimate, and put all things in order, I looked out a pair of pincers, which I had abstracted from a souryard, belonging to the guard of the castle. This man superintended the casks and cisterns. He also amused himself with carpentering. Now he possessed several pairs of pincers, among which was one both big and heavy. I then, thinking it would suit my purpose, took it unheeded in my straw mattress. The time had now come for me to use it, so I began to try the nails, which kept the hinges of my door in place. The door was double, and the clenching of the nails could not be seen, so that when I attempted to draw one out, I met with the greatest trouble. In the end, however, I succeeded. When I had drawn the first nail, I besought me how to prevent its being noticed. For this purpose I mixed some rust, which I had scraped from old iron, with a little wax, obtaining exactly the same color as the heads of long nails, which I had extracted. Then I set myself to counterfeit these heads, and place them on the holdfasts. For each nail I extracted, I made a counterfeit in wax. I left the hinges attached to their door posts, at top and bottom, by means of some of some nails, that I had drawn. But I took care to cut these, and replace them lightly, so that they only just supported the irons in the hinges. All this I performed was the greatest difficulty, because the custard land kept dreaming every night that I had escaped, which made him send from time to time to inspect my prison. The man who came had the title and behavior of a catch pole. He was called Bossa, and he was always to bring with him another of the same sort, named Giovanni, and nicknamed Padignone. The latter was a soldier, and Bossa a serving man. Giovanni never entered my prison without saying something offensive to me. He came from the district of Prato, and had been an apothecary in the town there. Every evening he minutely examined the holdfasts of the hinges on the hold chamber, and I used to say, Keep a good watch over me, for I am resolved by all means to escape. These words brought a great enmity between him and me, so that I was obliged to use precautions to conceal my tools, that is to say, my pincers, and a great big poignard and other appartenances. All these I put away together in my mattress, where I also kept the straps of linen I had made. When they broke, I used immediately to sweep my room out, and though I am by nature a lover of cleanliness, at that time I kept myself unusually spik and spun. After sweeping up, I made my bed as daintily as I could, laying flowers upon it, which a servillard used to bring me nearly every morning. He had the care of the cistern and the casks, and also amused himself with carpentering. It was from him I stole the pincers, which I used in order to draw out the nails from the holdfasts of the hinges. CHAPTER 109 Well, to return to the subject of my bed. When Boza and Pedignone came, I always told them to give it a wide berth, so as not to dirty and spoil it for me. Now and then, just to irritate me, they would touch it lightly, upon which I cried, Ah, dirty cowards, I lay my hand on one of your swords there, and will do you a mischief that will make you wonder. Do you think you are fit to touch the bed of a man like me? When I chastise you I shall not heed my own life, for I am certain to take yours. Let me alone, then, with my troubles and my tribulations, and don't give me more annoyance than I have already. If not, I shall make you see what a desperate man is able to do. These words they reported to the castellan, who gave them express orders never to go near my bed, and when they came to me, to come without swords, but for the rest to keep a watchful guard upon me. Having thus secured my bed from meddlers, I felt as though the main point was gained. For there lay all things needful to my venture. It happened on the evening of a certain feast day, that the castellan was seriously indisposed. His humours grew extravagant. He kept repeating that he was a bad, and if they heard that Benvenuto had flown away, they must let him go to catch me up, since he could fly by night, most certainly as well, or better than myself. For it was thus he argued. Benvenuto is a counterfeit bad, but I am a real one, and since he is committed to my care, leave me to act, I shall be sure to catch him. He had passed several nights in this frenzy, and had worn out all his servants, whereof I received full information through the worse channels, but especially from the sour-yard, who was my friend at heart. On the evening of the feast day, then, I made my mind to escape. On what might, and first I prayed most devoutly to God, imploring his divine majesty, to protect and succour me in that so perilous adventure. Afterwards I set to work at all the things I needed, and laboured the whole of the night. It was two hours before daybreak, when at last I removed those hinges with the greatest toil. But the wooden panel itself, and the bolt too, offered such resistance, that I could not open the door. So I had to cut into the wood. Yet in the end I got it open, and shouldering the strips of linen, which I had rolled up like bundles of flax upon two sticks. I went forth, and directed my steps towards the latrines of the keep. Spying from within two tiles upon the roof, I was able at once to clamp her up with ease. I wore a white doubled with a pair of white hose, and a pair of half boots, into which I had stuck the poneyard I have mentioned. After scaling to the roof, I took one end of my linen roll, and attached it to a piece of antique tile, which was built into the fortress wall. It happened to jot out scarcely four fingers. In order to fix the bend, I gave it the form of a stirrup. When I had attached it to that piece of tile, I turned to God and said, Lord God, give aid to my good cause. You know that it is good. You see that I am aiding myself. Then I let myself go gently by decrees, supporting myself with the soonies of my arms, until I touched the ground. There was no moonshine, but the light of a fair open heaven. When I stood upon my feet on solid earth, I looked up at the vast height which I had descended with such spirit, and went gladly away, thinking I was free. But this was not the case, for the castellan on that side of the fortress had built two lofty walls, the space between which used for stable and henyard. The place was barred with thick iron bolts outside. I was terribly disgusted to find there was no exit from this trap. But while I paced up and down debating what to do, I stumbled on a long pole which was covered up with straw. Not without great trouble, I succeeded in placing it against the wall, and then swarmed up it by the force of my arms, until I reached the top. But since the wall ended in the sharp ridge, I had not strength enough to drag the pole up after me. Accordingly, I made my mind up to use a portion of the second roll of linen which I had there. The other was left hanging from the keep of the castell. So I cut a piece off, tied it to the pole, and clambered down the wall, enduring the utmost toil and fatigue. I was quite exhausted, and had more over played the inside of my hands, which bled freely. This compelled me to rest a while, and I based my hands in my own urine. When I thought that my strength was recovered, I advanced quickly towards the last rampart, which faces toward Prati. There I put my bundle of linen lines down upon the ground, meaning to fasten them round a betelment, and descend the lesser as I had the greater height. But no sooner had I placed the linen that I became aware behind me of a sentinel who was going the rounds. Seeing my designs interrupted and my life in peril, I resolved to face the guard. This fellow, when he noticed my bold front, and that I was marching on him with weapon in hand, quickened his pace and gave me a wide berth. I had left my lines some little way behind, so I turned with hasty steps to regain them. And though I came within sight of another sentinel, he seemed as though he did not choose to take notice of me. Having found my lines and attached them to the betelment, I let myself go. On the descent whether it was that I thought I had really come to earth and relaxed my grasp to jump, or whether my hands were so tired that they could not keep their hold, at any rate I fell, like my head in falling, and lay stunned for more than an hour and a half so far as I could judge. It was just upon daybreak when the fresh breeze, which blows an hour before the sun, revived me. Yet I did not immediately recover my senses, for I thought my head had been cut off and fancied that I was in purgatory. With time, little by little, my faculties returned, and I perceived that I was outside the castle, and in a flash remembered all my adventures. I was aware of the wound in my head before I knew my leg was broken, for I put my hands up and withdrew them covered with blood. Then I searched the spot well, and judged and ascertained that I had sustained no injury of consequence there. But when I wanted to stand up, I discovered that my right leg was broken three inches above the heel. Not even this dismayed me. I drew forth my poneyard with its scabbard. The latter had a metal point ending in a large ball, which had caused the fracture of my leg. For the bone, coming into violent contact with the ball, and not being able to bend, had snapped at that point. I threw the sheath away, and with the poneyard cut a piece of the linen which I had left. Then I bound my leg up as well as I could, uncrawled on all force with the poneyard in my hand towards the city gate. When I reached it I found it shut, but I noticed a stone just beneath the door which did not appear to be very firmly fixed. This I attempted to dislodge, after setting my hands to it, and feeling it move it easily gave away, and I drew it out. Through the cap, thus, made, I crept into the town. CHAPTER 110 I had crawled more than five hundred paces from the place where I fell to the gate by which I entered. Now sooner had I got inside than some mustive dogs set upon me and bit me badly. When they returned to the attack and worried me, I drew my poneyard and wounded one of them, so sharply, that he held aloud, and all the dogs, according to their nature, ran after him. I meanwhile made the best way I could, on all force, toward the church of the Trespontina. On arriving at the opening of the street, which leads to Saint Agnolo, I turned off into direction of Saint Piero, and now the dawn had risen over me, and I felt myself in danger. And therefore I chanced to meet a water carrier, driving his donkey, laden with full buckets. I called the fellow, and begged him to carry me upon his back to the terrace by the steps of Saint Piero, adding, I am an unfortunate young man, who, while escaping from a window in a love-adventure, have fallen and broken my leg. The place from which I made my exit is one of great importance, and if I am discovered, I run risk of being cut to pieces. So for heaven's sake, lift me quickly, and I will give you a crown of gold. Saying this, I clapped my hand to my purse, where I had a good quantity. He took me up at once, hitched me on his back, and carried me to the right terrace by the steps of Saint Piero. There I bade him leave me, saying he must run back to his donkey. I resumed my march, crawling always on all fours, and making for the Palace of the Duchess, wife of Duke Ottavio, and daughter of the Emperor. She was his natural child, and had been married to Duke Alessandro. I chose her house for the refuge, because I was quite certain that many of my friends, who had come with that great princess from Florence, were tarrying there. So because she had taken me into favour through something which the Castellan had said in my behalf, wishing to be of service to me, he told the Pope that I had saved the city more than a thousand crowns of damage, caused by heavy rain on the occasion when the Duchess made her entrance into Rome. He related how he was in despair, and how I put heart into him, and went on to describe how I had pointed several large pieces of artillery in the direction where the clouds were sickest, and whence a deluge of water was already pouring. Then when I began to fire, the rain stopped, and at the force discharge the sun shone out, and so I was the sole cause of the festival succeeding, to the joy of everybody. On hearing this narration the Duchess said, That Benvenuto is one of the artists of merit, who enjoyed the goodwill of my late husband, Duke Alessandro, and I shall always hold them in mind if an opportunity comes of doing such men service. She also talked of me to Duke Ottavio. For these reasons I meant to go straight to the house of her Excellency, which was a very fine palace, situated in Borgio Vecchio. I should have been quite safe from recapture by the Pope if I could have stayed there, but my exploits up to this point had been too marvelous for a human being, and God was unwilling to encourage my wane glory. Accordingly, for my own good he chastised me a second time, worse even than the first. The cause of this was that while I was crawling on all force up those steps, a servant of Cardinal Cornaro recognized me. His master was then lodging in the palace, so the servant ran up to his room and woke him crying. Most reverend Monsignor, your friend Benvenuto, is down there. He has escaped from the castle, and is crawling on all force, streaming with blood. To all appearances he has broken a leg, and we don't know whether he is going. Cardinal exclaimed at once, run and carry him upon your back into my room here. When I arrived he told me to be under no apprehension, and send for the first physicians of Rome to take my case in hand. Among them was Maestro Giacomo of Perugia, a most excellent unable surgeon. He set the bone with dexterity, then bound the limp up, and bled me with his own hand. It happened that my veins were swollen far beyond their usual size, and he too wished to make a pretty wide incision. Accordingly the blood sprang forth so copiously, and spurted with such force into his face, that he had to abandon the operation. He regarded this a very bad omen, and could hardly be prevailed upon to undertake my cure. Indeed he often expressed a wish to leave me, remembering that he ran no little risk of punishment for having treated my case, or rather for having proceeded to end with it. The Cardinal had me placed in a secret chamber, and went off immediately to beg me from the Pope. CHAPTER 111 During this while all Rome was in an uproar, for they had observed his bands of linen fastened to the great keep of the castle, and folk were running in crowds, to behold so extraordinary a sing. The castellan had gone off into one of his worst fits of frenzy. In spite of all his servants, he insisted upon taking his flight also from the tower, saying that no one could recapture me, except himself, if he were to fly after me. MESSER ROBERTO PUCCHI, the father of Messer Pandolfo, having heard of the great event, went in person to inspect the place. Afterwards he came to the palace, where he met with Cardinal Cornaro, who told him exactly what had happened, and how I was lodged in one of his own chambers, and already in the doctor's hands. These two worthy men went together, and threw themselves upon their knees before the Pope. But he, before they could get word out, cried aloud, I know all what they want of me. Messer Roberto Pucci then began, Most blessed father, we beg you for heaven's grace, to give us up that unfortunate man. Surely his great talents entitled him to exceptional treatment. Moreover he has displayed such audacity, blend with so much ingenuity, that his exploit might seem superhuman. And know not for what crimes your holiness has kept him so long in prison. However, if those crimes are too exorbitant, your holiness is wise and holy, and may your will be done unquestioned. Still if they are such as can be condoned, we entreat you to pardon him for our sake. The Pope, when he heard this, felt shame and answered, I have kept him in prison at the request of some of my people, since he is a little too violent in his behavior. But recognizing his talents, and wishing to keep him near our person, we had intended to treat him so well, that he should have no reason to return to France. I am very sorry to hear of this bad accident, tell him to mind his health, and when he is recovered, we will make it up to him for all his troubles. Those two excellent men returned and told me the good news they were bringing from the Pope. Meanwhile the nobility of Rome, young, old and all sorts, came to visit me. The castellan, out of his mind as he was, had himself carried to the Pope, and when he was in the presence of his holiness, began to cry out, and to say that if he did not send me back to prison, he would do him a great wrong. He escaped under peril which he gave me, woe is me that he has flown away when he promised not to fly. The Pope said, laughing, go, go, for I will give him back to you without fail. The castellan then added, speaking to the Pope, send the governor to him, to find out who helped him to escape, for if it is one of my men, I will hang him from the battlement, once Benvenuto leaped. On his departure the Pope called the governor and said, smiling, that is a brave fellow, and his exploit is something marvelous, all the same when I was a young man, I also descended from the fortress at that very spot. In so saying the Pope spoke the truth, for he had been imprisoned in the castle for forging a brief at the time when he was abbreviated Di Parco Majoris. Pope Alexander kept him confined for some length of time, and afterwards his offense being of too ugly a nature, had resolved on cutting off his head. He postponed the execution, however, till after Corpus Domini, and Farnese, getting wind of the Pope's will, summoned Pietro Cievaluzzi, with a lot of horses, and managed to corrupt some of the castle guards with money. Finally upon the day of Corpus Domini, while the Pope was going in procession, Farnese had got into a basket, and was led down by a rope to the ground. At that time the outer walls had not been built around the castle, only the great central tower existed, so that he had not the same enormous difficulty that I met with in escaping. However he had been imprisoned justly, and I against all equity. What he wanted was to brag before the governor, of having in his youth been spirited and brave, and it did not occur to him that he was calling attention to his own huge erogaries. He said then, go and tell him to reveal his accomplice without apprehension to you, be the man whom he may be, since I have pardoned him, and this you may assure him without reservation. End of CHAPTERS 108 THROUGH 111 CHAPTERS 112 THROUGH 116 OF THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BINVENUTO CELINI This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BINVENUTO CELINI VOLUME 1 TRANSLATED BY JOHN ADDINGTON SIMONS CHAPTER 112 THROUGH 116 CHAPTER 112 So the governor came to see me. Two days before he had been made bishop of Jesse, and when he entered he said, Friend Benvenuto, although my office is one to frighten men, I come to set your mind at rest, and to do this I have full authority from his holiness own lips, who told me how he also escaped from St. Angelo. But had many aides and much company, else he would not have been able to accomplish it. I swear by the sacraments which I carry on my person, for I was consecrated bishop two days since, that the pope has set you free and pardoned you, and is very sorry for your extent. Attend to your health, and take all things for the best. For your imprisonment, which you certainly underwent without the shadow of a guilt, will have been, or for your perpetual welfare. Henceforward you will tread down poverty, and will have to go back to friends, wearing out your life in this place and in that. Tell me then frankly how the matter went, and who rendered you assistance. Afterwards take comfort, repose, and recover. I began at the beginning, and related the whole story exactly as it had happened, giving him the most minute counter-science down to the water carrier who bore me on his back. When the governor had heard the whole, he said, Of a surety these are two great exploits for one man alone. No one but you could have performed them. So he made me reach my hand forth, and said, Be of good courage, and comfort your heart, for by this hand which I am holding, you are free, and if you live shall live in happiness. While thus conversing with me, he had kept a whole heap of great lords and noblemen waiting, who were come to visit me, saying one to the other, let us go to see this man who works miracles. So when he deported, they stayed by me, and one made me offers of kindness, and another made me presence. While I was being entertained this way, the governor returned to the pope, and reported all that I had said, as chance would have it, Senior Pierre Luigi, the Pope's son, happened to be present, and all the company gave signs of great astonishment. His holiness remarked, Of a truth this is a marvelous exploit. Then Pierre Luigi began to speak as fellows. Most blessed father, if you set that man free, he will do something still more marvelous, because he has by far too bold a spirit. I will tell you another story about him, which you do not know. That Benvenuto of yours, before he was imprisoned, came towards with the gentleman of Cardinal Sante Fiora, about some trifle, which the latter had said to him. Now Benvenuto's retort was so swaggeringly insolent, that it amounted to throwing down a cartel. The gentleman referred the matter to the cardinal, who said, But if he once laid hands on Benvenuto, he would soon clear his head of such folly. When the fellow heard this, he got a little fouling piece of his ready, with which he is accustomed to hit a penny in the middle. Accordingly, one day, when the cardinal was looking out of a window, Benvenuto's shop being under the place of the cardinal, he took his gun and pointed it upon the cardinal. The cardinal, however, had been warned, and presently was true. Benvenuto, in order that his intention might escape notice, aimed at a pigeon, which was brooding high up in a hall of the palace, and hit it exactly in the head, a feet one would have salt incredible. Now let your holiness do what you think best about him. I have discharged my duty by saying what I have. It might even come into his head, imagining that he had been wrongly imprisoned, to fire upon your holiness. Indeed, he is too truselent, by far too confident in his own powers. When he killed Pompeo, he gave him two stabs with a pony-art in the throat, and the midst of ten men who were guarding him. Then he escaped to their great shame, and yet there were no inconsiderable persons. CHAPTER 113 While these words were being spoken, the gentleman of Santa Fiora, with whom I had that quarrel, was present, and confirmed to the pope what had been spoken by his son. The pope swelled with rage, but said nothing. I shall now proceed to give my own version of the affair, truly and honestly. The gentleman came to me one day, and showed me a little gold ring, which had been discoloured by Quicksilver, saying at the same time, Polish up this ring for me, and be quick about it. I was engaged at the moment upon jewel-work of gold and gems of great importance. Besides, I did not care to be ordered about, so hotly, by a man I had never seen or spoken to. So I replied that I did not happen to have by me the proper tool for cleaning up this ring, and that he had better go to another gold smith. Without further provocation he retorted that I was a donkey, whereupon I said that he was not speaking the truth, that I was a better man than he in every respect, but that if he kept on irritating me, I would give him harder kicks than any donkey could. He related the matter to the cardinal, and painted me as black as the devil in hell. Days afterward I shot a wild pigeon in a cleft high up behind the palace. The bird was brooding in that cleft, and I had often seen a gold smith, named Jovan Francesco de La Taca, from Milan, fire at it, but he never hit it. On the day when I shot it, the pigeon scarcely showed its head, being suspicious, because it had been so often fired at. Now this Jovan Francesco and I were rivals in shooting wildfowl, and some gentlemen of my acquaintance, who happened to be at my shop, called my attention, saying, Up there is Jovan Francesco de La Taca's pigeon, at which he has so often fired. Look now, the poor creature is so frightened, that it hardly ventures to put its head out. I raised my eyes and said, that morsel of its head is quite enough for me to shoot it by, if it only stays till I can point my gun. The gentleman protested, that even the man who invented firearms could not hit it. I replied, I bet a bottle of that excellent Greek vine Palombo, the host keeps, that if it keeps quiet long enough for me to point my good-bar cardo, so I use to call my gun. I will hit it in that portion of its head, which it is showing. So I aimed my gun, elevating my arms, and using no other rest, and did what I promised, without thinking of the cardinal or any other person. On the contrary, I held the cardinal for my very good patron. Let the world then take notice, when fortune has the will to ruin a man, how many diverse ways she takes. The pope, swelling with rage and grumbling, remained revolving, but his son had told him. CHAPTER 114 Two days afterwards the cardinal Coronaro went to beg a bishopric from the pope for a gentleman of his, called Messer Andrea Santano. The pope in truth had promised him a bishopric, and this being now vacant, the cardinal reminded him of his word. The pope acknowledged his obligation, but said, that he too wanted a favor from his most reverent lordship, which was that he would give up Benvenuto to him. On this the cardinal replied, Oh, if your holiness has pardoned him and set him free at my disposal, what will the world say of you and me? The pope answered, I want Benvenuto, you want the bishopric. Let the world say what it chooses. The good cardinal entreated his holiness to give him the bishopric, and for the rest to think the matter over, and then to act according as his holiness decided. The pope, feeling a certain amount of shame at so wickedly breaking his word, took what seemed a middle course. I will send for Benvenuto, and in order to gratify the whim I have, will put him in those rooms which open on my private garden. There he can attend to his recovery, and I will not prevent any of his friends from coming to visit him. Moreover, I will defray his expenses until his capris of mine has left me. The cardinal came home, and sent the candidate for his this bishopric on the spot, to inform me, that the pope was resolved to have me back, but that he meant to keep me in a ground floor room, in his private garden, where I could receive the visits of my friends, as I had done in his own house. I implored this master Andrea to ask the cardinal not to give me up to the pope, but to let me act on my own account. I would have myself wrapped up in a mattress, and carried to a safe place outside Rome. For if he gave me up to the pope, he would certainly be sending me to death. It is believed, that when the cardinal heard my petition, he was not ill disposed to grant it. But master Andrea, wanting to secure the bishopric, denounced me to the pope, who sent it once, and had me lodged in the ground floor chamber of his private garden. The cardinal sent me word, not to eat the food provided for me by the pope. He would supply me with provisions. And while I was to keep my spirits up, for he would work in my cause till I was set free. Matters being thus arranged, I received daily visits and generous offers from many great lords and gentlemen. Food came from the pope, which I refused to touch, only eating that which came from cardinal Cornaro, and thus I remained awhile. I had among my friends a young Greek of the age of 25 years. He was extremely active in all physical exercises, and the best swordsman in Rome, rather poor-spirited, however, but loyal to the backbone, honest and ready to believe what people told him. He had heard it said to that the pope made known his intention, of compensating me for all I had gone through. It is true that the pope began by saying so, but he ended by saying quite the opposite. I then determined to confine in the young Greek and said to him, Dearest brother, they are plotting my ruin, so now the time has come to help me. Do they imagine, when they heap those extraordinary favours on me, that I am not aware they are done to betray me? The worthy young man answered, My benvenuto, they say in Rome, that the pope has bestowed a new unoffice with an income of five hundred crowns. I beseech you therefore not to let those suspicions deprive you of so great a windfall. All the same I begged him with clasped hands to aid me in escaping from that place, saying I knew well that the pope of the sword, though he could do me much good if he choose, was really studying secretly and to save appearances how he might best destroy me. Therefore we must be quick and try to save me from his clutches. If my friend would get me out of that place by the means I meant to tell him, I should always regard him as the saviour of my life, and when occasion came would lay it down for him with gladness. The poor young man shed tears and cried, Oh my dear brother, though you are bringing destruction on your head, I cannot but fulfill your wishes. So explain your plan, and I will do whatever you may order. I'll pay much against my will. Accordingly we came to an agreement, and I disclosed to him the details of my scheme, which was certain to have succeeded without difficulty. And I hoped that he was coming to execute it. He came and told me that for my own good he meant to disobey me. Being convinced of the truth of what he had heard from men close to the pope's person, who understood the real state of my affairs. Having nothing else to reply upon, I remained in despair and misery. This passed on the day of Corpus Domini 1539, Chapter 115. After my conversation with the Greek the whole day wore away, and at night there came abundant provisions from the kitchen of the pope. The cardinal Coronaro also sent good store of lions from his kitchen, and some friends of mine being present when they arrived, I made them stay to supper, and enjoyed their society, keeping my leg in splints beneath the bedclothes. An hour after nightfall they left me, and two of my servants, having made me comfortable for the night, went to sleep in the antechamber. I had a dog, black as a mulberry, one of those hairy ones, who followed me admirably when I went out shooting, and never left my side. During the night he lay beneath my bed, and I had to call out at least three times to my servant to turn him out, because he hold so fearfully. When the servants entered the dog flew at them and trying to bite them. They were frightened, and thought he must be mad, because he went on howling. In this way we passed the first four hours of the night. At the stroke of four the Bargello came into my room with a band of constables. Then the dogs sprang forth and flew at them with such fury, tearing their capes and hoes, that in their fright they fancied he was mad. But the Bargello, like an experienced person, told them, It is the nature of good dogs to divine and foretell the mischants coming on their monsters. Two of you take sticks and beat the dog off, while the others strap Benvenuto on this chair. Then carry him to the place you walked off. It was, as I have said, the night after Corpus Domini, and about four o'clock. The officers carried me well shot up and covered, and four of them went in front, making the few passengers, who were still abroad, get out of the way. So they bore me to Torradinona, such is the name of the place, and put me in the condemned cell. I was left upon a wretched mattress, under the care of a guard, who kept all night mourning over my bad luck, and saying to me, Allas, poor Benvenuto, what have you done to those great folk? I could now form a very good opinion of what was going to happen to me, partly by the place in which I found myself, and also by what the man had told me. During a portion of that night I kept tracking my brains, what the cause could be, why God sought fit to try me so, and not being able to discover it, I was violently agitated in my soul. The guard did the best he could to comfort me, but I begged him for the love of God to stop talking, seeing I should be better able to compose myself alone in quiet. He promised to do as I asked, and then I turned my whole heart to God, devotely in treating him to dain to make me into his kingdom. I had it as true, murmured against my lot, because it seemed to me that, so far as human laws go, my departure from the world in this way would be too unjust. It is true also that I had committed homicides, but his vicar had called me from my native city, and pardoned me by the authority he had from him and from the laws, and what I had done had all been done in defense of the body which his majesty had lent me. So I could not admit that I deserved death according to the dispensation under which man dwells here. But it seemed that what was happening to me was the same as what happens to unlucky people in the street, when a stone falls from some great height upon their head and kills them. This we see clearly to be the influence of the stars, not indeed that the stars conspire to do as good or evil, but the effect results from their conjunctions to which we are subordinated. At the same time I know that I am possessed of free will, and if I could exert the face of a saint, I am sure that the angels of heaven would bear me from this dungeon and relieve me of all my afflictions, yet inasmuch as God has not deemed me worthy of such miracles, I conclude that those celestial influences must be wreaking their malignity upon me. In this long struggle of the soul I spent some time. Then I found comfort and fell presently asleep. CHAPTER 116 When the day dawned, the guard woke me up and said, O unfortunate but worthy man, you have no more time to go on sleeping, for one is waiting here to give you evil news. I answered, The sooner I escape from this earthly prison, the happier shall I be, especially as I am sure my soul is saved, and that I am going to an undeserved death. Christ, the glorious and divine, elects me to the company of his disciples and friends, who like himself were condemned to die unjustly. I too am sentenced to an unjust death, and I thank God with humility for the sign of grace. Why does not the man come forward who has to pronounce my doom? The guard replied, He is too grieved up for you and shed tears. Then I called him by his name of Messer Benedetto da Cagli, and cried, Come forward, Messer Benedetto, my friend, for now I am resolved and in good frame of mind. Our greater glory is it for me to die unjustly, than if I had deserved this fate. Come forward I beg, and let me have a priest, in order that I may speak a couple of words with him. I do not indeed stand in need of this, for I have already made my heart's confession to my Lord God, yet I should like to observe the ordinances of our holy mother-church. For though she has done me this abominable wrong, I pardon her with all my soul. So come, friend Messer Benedetto, and dispatch my business, before I lose control over my better instincts. After I had uttered these words, the worthy man told the guard to lock the door, because nothing could be done without his presence. He then repaired to the house of senior Pierre Luigi's wife, who happened to be in company with the Duchess, of whom I spoke above. Presenting himself before them both, he spoke as follows, My most illustrious mistress, I entreat you for the love of God, to tell the Pope, that he must send someone else, to pronounce sentence upon Benvenuto, and perform my office. I renounce the task, and am quite decided not to carry it through. Then sighing, he departed with the strongest signs of inward sorrow. The Duchess, who was present, frowned and sad. So this is the fine justice, dealt out here in Rome by God's vicar. The Duke, my late husband, particularly esteemed this man for his good qualities and eminent abilities. He was unwilling to let him return to Rome, and would gladly have kept him close to his own person. Upon this she retired, muttering words of indignation and displeasure. Senior Pierre Luigi's wife, who was called Signora Girolima, but took herself to the Pope, and threw herself upon her knees, before him, in the presence of several cardinals. She pleaded my cause so warmly, that she voked the Pope to shame, whereupon he said, For your sake we will leave him quiet, yet you must know that we had no ill will against him. These words he spoke because of the cardinals who were around him, and had listened to the eloquence of that brave spirited lady. Meanwhile I abode in extreme discomfort, and my heart kept thumping against my ribs. Not less was the discomfort of the men appointed to discharge the evil business of my execution. But when the hour for dinner was already passed, they betook themselves to their several affairs, and my meal was also served me. This filled me with a glad astonishment, and I exclaimed, For once, juice has been stronger than the malice of the stars. I pray God, therefore, that if it be his pleasure, he will save me from this fearful peril. Then I fell to eating, with the same stout heart for my salvation, as I had previously prepared for my perdition. I dined well, and afterwards remained without seeing or hearing anyone, until an hour after nightfall. At that time the Bargello arrived with a large part of his guard, and had me replaced in the chair which brought me on the previous evening to the prison. He spoke very kindly to me, bidding me be under no apprehension, and bade his constipals take good care not to strike against my broken leg, but to treat me as though I were the apple of their eye. The men obeyed, and brought me to the castle, once I had escaped. Then when we had mounted to the keep, they left me shut up in a dungeon, opening upon a little court there is air. End of chapters 112 through 116.