DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32874#0353
CH. x] LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI 295
morning talked and spoken very kindly of me, and
amongst other things had much praised me in the matter
of setting jewels; and for this reason when the Duchess
saw me, she had me summoned (to her) by Misser Sforza d
and when I approached Her Most Illustrious Excellency
she begged me to set a small pointed diamond (zfz'tzwzzzzz'zzzc
z'73 into a ring. And she told me that she wanted
to wear it always upon her finger, and she gave me the
measure and the diamond, which was worth about one
hundred yzzzzfz, and begged me to make it quickly. The
Duke immediately began to discuss the question with
the Duchess, and said to her: " It is certain that in this
art Benvenuto was without equal: but now that he has
given it up, I believe that to make a little ring such as
you want, will be too great a labour for him. Therefore
I beg that you will not weary him in this trifling matter,
which would be a great one for him since he has let it
fall into disuse." At these words I thanked the Duke,
and then I begged that he would allow me to perform
this small service for the Lady Duchess. And having
set my hand to it immediately, in a few days I had com-
pleted it. The ring was for the little finger of the hand:
r i Sforza Almeni of Perugia, a Knight of San Stefano and
Chamberlain to Duke Cosimo, who subsequently slew him with his
own hands in his own apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio on the
night of May 22nd 1566, and directed the corpse to be buried
privately the same night in the neighbouring church of San Piero
Scheraggio. The reason for this cruel murder of a faithful servant
of twenty-four years standing was rage against him for having
disclosed to Don Francesco, then Prince Regent, the fact that he
(Cosimo)—then a widower—had amorous relations with Eleonora
degli Albizzi, and contemplated marrying her. C/i G. A. SALTINI,
Firenze. Barbara 1898: GALLUZZI,
morning talked and spoken very kindly of me, and
amongst other things had much praised me in the matter
of setting jewels; and for this reason when the Duchess
saw me, she had me summoned (to her) by Misser Sforza d
and when I approached Her Most Illustrious Excellency
she begged me to set a small pointed diamond (zfz'tzwzzzzz'zzzc
z'73 into a ring. And she told me that she wanted
to wear it always upon her finger, and she gave me the
measure and the diamond, which was worth about one
hundred yzzzzfz, and begged me to make it quickly. The
Duke immediately began to discuss the question with
the Duchess, and said to her: " It is certain that in this
art Benvenuto was without equal: but now that he has
given it up, I believe that to make a little ring such as
you want, will be too great a labour for him. Therefore
I beg that you will not weary him in this trifling matter,
which would be a great one for him since he has let it
fall into disuse." At these words I thanked the Duke,
and then I begged that he would allow me to perform
this small service for the Lady Duchess. And having
set my hand to it immediately, in a few days I had com-
pleted it. The ring was for the little finger of the hand:
r i Sforza Almeni of Perugia, a Knight of San Stefano and
Chamberlain to Duke Cosimo, who subsequently slew him with his
own hands in his own apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio on the
night of May 22nd 1566, and directed the corpse to be buried
privately the same night in the neighbouring church of San Piero
Scheraggio. The reason for this cruel murder of a faithful servant
of twenty-four years standing was rage against him for having
disclosed to Don Francesco, then Prince Regent, the fact that he
(Cosimo)—then a widower—had amorous relations with Eleonora
degli Albizzi, and contemplated marrying her. C/i G. A. SALTINI,
Firenze. Barbara 1898: GALLUZZI,