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Book FirstPart LXXV
Part LXXV
Messer Latino Juvinale came to call on me, and gave me orders to strike
the coins of the Pope. This roused up all my enemies, who began to look about
how they should hinder me; but the Pope, perceiving their drift, scolded them,
and insisted that I should go on working. I took the dies in hand, designing a
S. Paul, surrounded with this inscription: Vas electionis. This piece of money
gave far more satisfaction than the models of my competitors; so that the Pope
forbade any one else to speak to him of coins, since he wished me only to have
to do with them. This encouraged me to apply myself with untroubled spirit to
the task; and Messer Latino Juvinale, who had received such orders from the
Pope, used to introduce me to his Holiness. I had it much at heart to recover
the post of stamper to the Mint; but on this point the Pope took advice, and
then told me I must first obtain pardon for the homicide, and this I should
get at the holy Maries` day in August through the Caporioni of Rome. ^1 I may
say that it is usual every year on this solemn festival to grant the freedom
of twelve outlaws to these officers. Meanwhile he promised to give me another
safe-conduct, which should keep me in security until that time.
[Footnote 1: Le sante Marie. So the Feast of the Assumption is called at
Florence, because devotion is paid on that day to the various images of the
Virgin scattered through the town. The Caporioni of Rome were, like aldermen,
wardens of the districts into which the city was divided.]
When my enemies perceived that they were quite unable to devise the means
of keeping me out of the Mint, they resorted to another expedient. The
deceased Pompeo had left three thousand ducats as dowry to an illegitimate
daughter of his; and they contrived that a certain favourite of Signor Pier
Luigi, the Pope`s son, should ask her hand in marriage through the medium of
his master. ^2 Accordingly the match came off; but this fellow was an
insignificant country lad, who had been brought up by his lordship; and, as
folk said, he got but little of the money, since his lordship laid his hands
on it and had the mind to use it. Now the husband of the girl, to please his
wife, begged the prince to have me taken up; and he promised to do so when the
first flush of my favour with the Pope had passed away. Things stood so about
two months, the servant always suing for his wife`s dower, the master putting
him off with pretexts, but assuring the woman that he would certainly revenge
her father`s murder. I obtained an inkling of these designs; yet I did not
omit to present myself pretty frequently to his lordship, who made show of
treating me with great distinction. He had, however, decided to do one or
other of two things - either to have me assassinated, or to have me taken up
by the Bargello. Accordingly he commissioned a certain little devil of a
Corsican soldier in his service to do the trick as cleverly as he could; ^3
and my other enemies, with Messer Traiano at the head of them, promised the
fellow a reward of one hundred crowns. He assured them that the job would be
as easy as sucking a fresh egg. Seeing into their plot, I went about with my
eyes open and with good attendance, wearing an under-coat and armlets of mail,
for which I had obtained permission.
[Footnote 2: Pier Luigi Farnese, Paul III`s bastard, was successively created
Gonfaloniere of the Church, Duke of Castro, Marquis of Novara, and finally
Duke of Parma and Piacenza in 1545. He was murdered at Parma by his own
courtiers in 1547. He was a man of infamous habits, quite unfit for the high
dignities conferred on him.]
[Footnote 3: Che la facessi piu netta che poteva.]
The Corsican, influenced by avarice, hoped to gain the whole sum of money
without risk, and imagined himself capable of carrying the matter through
alone. Consequently, one day after dinner, he had me sent for in the name of
Signor Pier Luigi. I went off at once, because his lordship had spoken of
wanting to order several big silver vases. Leaving my home in a hurry, armed,
however, as usual, I walked rapidly through Strada Giulia toward the Palazzo
Farnese, not expecting to meet anybody at that hour of day. I had reached the
end of the street and was making toward the palace, when, my habit being
always to turn the corners wide, I observed the Corsican get up and take his
station in the middle of the road. Being prepared, I was not in the least
disconcerted; but kept upon my guard, and slackening pace a little, drew
nearer toward the wall, in order to give the fellow a wide berth. He on his
side came closer to the wall, and when we were now within a short distance of
each other, I perceived by his gestures that he had it in his mind to do me
mischief, and seeing me alone thus, thought he should succeed. Accordingly, I
began to speak and said: "Brave soldier, if it had been night, you might have
said you had mistaken me, but since it is full day, you know well enough who I
am. I never had anything to do with you, and never injured you, but should be
well disposed to do you service." He replied in a high-spirited way, without,
however, making room for me to pass, that he did not know what I was saying.
Then I answered. "I know very well indeed what you want and what you are
saying; but the job which you have taken in hand is more dangerous and
difficult than you imagine, and may peradventure turn out the wrong way for
you. Remember that you have to do with a man who would defend himself against
a hundred; and the adventure you are on is not esteemed by men of courage like
yourself." Meanwhile I also was looking black as thunder, and each of us had
changed colour. Folk too gathered round us, for it had become clear that our
words meant swords and daggers. He then, not having the spirit to lay hands on
me, cried out: "We shall meet another time." I answered: "I am always glad to
meet honest men and those who show themselves as such."
When we parted, I went to his lordship`s palace, and found he had not
sent for me. When I returned to my shop, the Corsican informed me, through an
intimate friend of his and mine, that I need not be on my guard against him,
since he wished to be my good brother; but that I ought to be much upon my
guard against others, seeing I was in the greatest peril, for folk of much
consequence had sworn to have my life. I sent to thank him, and kept the best
look-out I could. Not many days after, a friend of mine informed me that
Signor Pier Luigi had given strict orders that I should be taken that very
evening. They told me this at twenty; whereupon I spoke with some of my
friends, who advised me to be off at once. The order had been given for one
hour after sunset; accordingly at twenty-three I left in the post for
Florence. It seems that when the Corsican showed that he had not pluck enough
to do the business as he promised, Signor Pier Luigi on his own authority gave
orders to have me taken, merely to stop the mouth of Pompeo`s daughter, who
was always clamouring to know where her dower had gone to. When he was unable
to gratify her in this matter of revenge on either of the two plans he had
formed, he bethought him of another, which shall be related in its proper
place.
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