himself.  In reply the Grand Duke told Nanni that he could not think of doing such a thing during Michelangelo’s lifetime, but that after his death he would render what aid was in his power.  An incident happened in 1563 which enabled Nanni to give his enemy some real annoyance.  Michelangelo was now so old that he felt obliged to leave the personal superintendence of the operations at S. Peter’s to a clerk of the works.  The man employed at this time was a certain Cesare da Castel Durante, who was murdered in August under the following circumstances, communicated by Tiberio Calcagni to Lionardo Buonarroti on the 14th of that month:  “I have only further to speak about the death of Cesare, clerk of the works, who was found by the cook of the Bishop of Forli with his wife.  The man gave Cesare thirteen stabs with his poignard, and four to his wife.  The old man (i.e., Michelangelo) is in much distress, seeing that he wished to give the post to that Pier Luigi, and has been unable to do so owing to the refusal of the deputies.”  This Pier Luigi, surnamed Gaeta, had been working since November 1561 as subordinate to Cesare; and we have a letter from Michelangelo to the deputies recommending him very warmly in that capacity.  He was also the house-servant and personal attendant of the old master, running errands for him and transacting ordinary business, like Pietro Urbano and Stefano in former years.  The deputies would not consent to nominate Pier Luigi as clerk of the works.  They judged him to be too young, and were, moreover, persuaded that Michelangelo’s men injured the work at S. Peter’s.  Accordingly they appointed Nanni di Baccio Bigio, and sent in a report, inspired by him, which severely blamed Buonarroti.  Pius IV., after the receipt of this report, had an interview with Michelangelo, which ended in his sending his own relative, Gabrio Serbelloni, to inspect the works at S. Peter’s.  It was decided that Nanni had been calumniating the great old man.  Accordingly he was dismissed with indignity.  Immediately after the death of Michelangelo, however, Nanni renewed his applications to the Grand Duke.  He claimed nothing less than the post of architect-in-chief.  His petition was sent to Florence under cover of a despatch from the Duke’s envoy, Averardo Serristori.  The ambassador related the events of Michelangelo’s death, and supported Nanni as “a worthy man, your vassal and true servant.”

IX

Down to the last days of his life, Michelangelo was thus worried with the jealousies excited by his superintendence of the building at S. Peter’s; and when he passed to the majority, he had not secured his heart’s desire, to wit, that the fabric should be forced to retain the form he had designed for it.  This was his own fault.  Popes might issue briefs to the effect that his plans should be followed; but when it was discovered that, during his lifetime, he kept the builders in ignorance of his intentions, and that