he deputies of the Academy; and
still more pleasing that it should be delivered by your own lips. Fare
you well."

Messer Bernardino Grazzini, also, wrote to the above-named deputies
that they could not have expected in the Duke any desire in that
matter more ardent than that which he had shown, and that they might
be assured of every aid and favour from his most illustrious
Excellency.

While these matters were being discussed in Florence, Leonardo
Buonarroti, Michelagnolo's nephew (who, when informed of his uncle's
illness, had made his way to Rome by post, but had not found him
alive), having heard from Daniello da Volterra, who had been the very
familiar friend of Michelagnolo, and also from others who had been
about the person of that saintly old man, that he had requested and
prayed that his body should be carried to Florence, that most noble
city of his birth, of which he was always a most tender lover;
Leonardo, I say, with prompt and therefore good resolution, removed
the body cautiously from Rome and sent it off to Florence in a bale,
as if it had been a piece of merchandise. And here I must not omit to
say that this final resolution of Michelagnolo's proved a thing
against the opinion of certain persons, but nevertheless very true,
namely, that his absence for so many years from Florence had been
caused by no other thing but the nature of the air, for the reason
that experience had taught him that the air of Florence, being sharp
and subtle, was very injurious to his constitution, while that of
Rome, softer and more temperate, had kept him in perfect health up to
his ninetieth year, with all the senses as lively and sound as they
had ever been, and with such strength, for his age, that up to the
last day he had never ceased to work at something.

Since, then, the coming of the bale was so sudden and so unexpected
that for the time being it was not possible to do what was done
afterwards, the body of Michelagnolo, on arriving in Florence, was
placed with the coffin, at the desire of the deputies, on the same day
that it arrived in the city (namely, on the 11th of March, which was a
Saturday), in the Company of the Assumption, which is under the
high-altar of S. Pietro Maggiore, beneath the steps at the back; but
it was not touched in any way whatever. The next day, which was Sunday
of the second week in Lent, all the painters, sculptors, and
architects assembled as quietly as possible round S. Pietro, whit