unity to depart
presented itself, to work on the tomb of M. Raffaello Maffei, called Il
Volterrano, at Volterra; and in that work, which was being made in
marble, he carved some things which showed that his genius was destined
some day to achieve a good result. Which labour finished, hearing that
Michelagnolo Buonarroti was setting to work at that time on the
buildings of the sacristy and library of S. Lorenzo the best carvers and
stone-cutters that could be found, he went off to Florence; where,
having been likewise set to work, among the first things that he did
were some ornaments from which Michelagnolo recognized that he was a
young man of most beautiful and resolute genius, and that, moreover, he
could do more in one day by himself alone than the oldest and best
practised masters could do in two. Wherefore he caused to be given to
him, boy as he was, the same salary as the older men were drawing.

These buildings being then suspended in the year 1527 on account of the
plague and for other reasons, Agnolo, not knowing what else to do, went
to Poggibonzi, from which place his father and grandfather had their
origin; and there he remained for a time with M. Giovanni Norchiati, his
uncle, a pious and well-lettered man, doing nothing but draw and study.
But in the end, seeing the world turned topsy-turvy, a desire came to
him to become a monk, and to give his attention in peace to the
salvation of his soul, and he went to the Hermitage of Camaldoli. There,
making trial of that life, and not being able to endure the discomforts,
fastings, and abstinences, he did not stay long; but nevertheless,
during the time that he was there, he became very dear to those Fathers,
for he was of an excellent disposition. And during that time his
diversion was to carve heads of men and of various animals, with
beautiful and fanciful inventions, on the ends of the staves, or rather,
sticks, that those holy Fathers carry when they go from Camaldoli to the
Hermitage or for recreation into the forest, at which time they have a
dispensation from silence. Having departed from the Hermitage with the
leave and good-will of the Principal, he went off to La Vernia, as one
who was drawn at all costs to become a monk, and stayed there awhile,
frequenting the choir and mixing with those Fathers; but that life,
also, did not please him, and, after having received information about
the life in many religious houses of Florence and Arezzo, he left La
V