WHEN the day dawned, the guard woke me up and said: “Oh, unfortunate but
worthy man, you have no more time to go on sleeping, for one is waiting
here to give you evil news.” I answered: “The sooner I escape from this
earthly prison, the happier shall I be; especially as I am sure my soul
is saved, and that I am going to an undeserved death. Christ, the
glorious and divine, elects me to the company of His disciples and
friends, who, like Himself, were condemned to die unjustly. I too am
sentenced to an unjust death, and I thank God with humility for this
sign of grace. Why does not the man come forward who has to pronounce my
doom?” The guard replied: “He is too grieved for you, and sheds tears.”
Then I called him by his name of Messer Benedetto da Cagli, [1] and
cried: “Come forward, Messer Benedetto, my friend, for now, I am
resolved and in good frame of mind; far greater glory is it for me to
die unjustly than if I had deserved this fate. Come forward, I beg, and
let me have a priest, in order that I may speak a couple of words with
him. I do not indeed stand in need of this, for I have already made my
heart’s confession to my Lord God; yet I should like to observe the
ordinances of our Holy Mother Church; for though she has done me this
abominable wrong, I pardon her with all my soul. So come, friend Messer
Benedetto, and despatch my business before I lose control over my better
instincts.”
After I had uttered these words, the worthy man told the guard to lock
the door, because nothing could be done without his presence. He then
repaired to the house of Signor Pier Luigi’s wife, who happened to be in
company with the Duchess of whom I spoke above. [2] Presenting himself
before them both, he spoke as follows: “My most illustrious mistress, I
entreat you for the love of God to tell the Pope, that he must send some
one else to pronounce sentence upon Benvenuto and perform my office; I
renounce the task, and am quite decided not to carry it through.” Then,
sighing, he departed with the strongest signs of inward sorrow. The
Duchess, who was present, frowned and said: “So this is the fine justice
dealt out here in Rome by God’s Vicar! The Duke, my late husband,
particularly esteemed this man for his good qualities and eminent
abilities; he was unwilling to let him return to Rome, and would gladly
have kept him close to his own person.” Upon this she retired, muttering
words of indignation and displeasure. Signor Pier Luigi’s wife, who was
called Signora Jerolima, betook herself to the Pope, and threw herself
upon her knees before him in the presence of several cardinals. She
pleaded my cause so warmly that she woke the Pope to shame; whereupon he
said: “For your sake we will leave him quiet; yet you must know that we
had no ill-will against him.” These words he spoke because of the
cardinals who were around him, and had listened to the eloquence of that
brave-spirited lady.
Meanwhile I abode in extreme discomfort, and my heart kept thumping
against my ribs. Not less was the discomfort of the men appointed to
discharge the evil business of my execution; but when the hour for
dinner was already past, they betook themselves to their several
affairs, and my meal was also served me. This filled me with a glad
astonishment, and I exclaimed: “For once truth has been stronger than
the malice of the stars! I pray God, therefore, that, if it be His
pleasure, He will save me from this fearful peril. Then I fell to eating
with the same stout heart for my salvation as I had previously prepared
for my perdition. I dined well, and afterwards remained without seeing
or hearing any one until an hour after nightfall. At that time the
Bargello arrived with a large part of his guard, and had me replaced in
the chair which brought me on the previous evening to the prison. He
spoke very kindly to me, bidding me be under no apprehension; and bade
his constables take good care not to strike against my broken leg, but
to treat me as though I were the apple of their eye. The men obeyed, and
brought me to the castle whence I had escaped; then, when we had mounted
to the keep, they left me shut up in a dungeon opening upon a little
court there is there.
Note 1. It will be remembered that Benedetto da Cagli was one of
Cellini’s three examiners during his first imprisonment in S. Angelo.
Note 2. The wife of Pier Luigi Farnese was Jeronima, daughter of Luigi
Orsini, Count of Pitigliano.