e work and this baboon; on Sunday morning, although
he had a great log of wood attached to his legs, which the bishop
made him carry so that he should not leap everywhere, notwithstanding
this heavy weight, leapt on to the scaffolding where Buonamico used
to stand to work, and there took up the phials and emptied them one
by one, made the mixtures, broke as many eggs as were there, and
began to daub all the figures with the brush, never resting until he
had repainted everything himself. That done he made a fresh mixture
of all the colours which were left over, although they happened to be
few, and then descended from the scaffolding and departed. When
Buonamico came back to his work on Monday morning and saw his figures
spoiled, his phials emptied and everything upside down, he was filled
with amazement and confusion. After turning the matter over in his
mind for some time he concluded that some Aretine had done this from
envy or for some other reason. Accordingly he went to the bishop and
told him what had happened and what he suspected, at which the bishop
was much troubled, yet he encouraged Buonamico to go on with the
work, and to repaint the part which had been spoiled. He further
pledged himself to give the artist six armed men of his infantry, who
should stand with falchions to watch, when he was not working, and to
cut to pieces without mercy anyone who should come. Accordingly the
figures were repainted a second time, and one day while the soldiers
were on the watch they heard a curious rolling noise in the church,
and soon after the baboon appeared, jumped upon the seat, made the
mixtures in an instant, and set to work upon the saints of Buonamico.
The guard then called the master, and showed him the criminal, and
when they saw him standing with them and watching the animal work,
they burst into laughter, and Buonamico himself, though grieved at
the damage, could not help laughing in the midst of his sorrow. At
length he dismissed the soldiers who had been on guard with their
falchions, and went to the bishop and said to him: "My lord, you like
my manner of painting, but your baboon prefers another." He then
related the matter, adding: "It was not necessary for you to send
away for painters since you had a master in the house, although
perhaps he did not know how to mix his colours properly. Now that he
knows, let him work by himself, for I am of no further use here, and
as his worth is now recognised, I shall