out that he
could do no more, that it was necessary to give him a substitute, and
that he himself had said that he did not wish to be embroiled any
longer with S. Pietro. All this came to the ears of Michelagnolo, who
sent Daniello Ricciarelli of Volterra to Bishop Ferratino, one of the
superintendents, who had said to the Cardinal of Carpi that
Michelagnolo had told one of his servants that he did not wish to be
mixed up with the fabric any longer; and Daniello said that this was
by no means Michelagnolo's desire. Ferratino complained that
Michelagnolo would not make his conception known, adding that it would
be well for him to provide a substitute, and that he would have gladly
accepted Daniello; and with this Michelagnolo appeared to be content.
Thereupon Ferratino, having had the deputies informed in the name of
Michelagnolo that they now had a substitute, presented not Daniello,
but in his place Nanni di Baccio Bigio, who came in and was accepted
by the superintendents. Before very long he gave orders to make a
scaffolding of wood from the side of the Pope's stables, where the
hill is, to rise above the great recess that is turned towards that
side, and caused some stout beams of fir to be cut, saying that too
many ropes were consumed in drawing up the materials, and that it was
better to raise them by his method. Which having heard, Michelagnolo
went straight to the Pope, who was on the Piazza di Campidoglio, and
made so much noise that his Holiness made him go at once into a room,
where he said: "Holy Father, there has been appointed as my substitute
by the deputies a man of whom I know nothing; but if they are
convinced, and also your Holiness, that I am no longer the proper man,
I will return to rest in Florence, where I will enjoy the favours of
that great Duke who has so long desired me, and will finish my life in
my own house; I therefore beg your gracious leave." The Pope was vexed
at this, and, consoling him with kind words, ordained that he should
come to speak with him on the following day at the Araceli. There,
having caused the deputies of the fabric to be assembled together, he
desired to be informed of the reasons of what had happened: whereupon
their answer was that the fabric was going to ruin, and that errors
were being made in it. Which having heard not to be the truth, the
Pope commanded Signor Gabrio Scerbellone that he should go to see the
fabric for himself, and that Nanni, who was making the