WHEN I returned to my inn, I found that the Duke had sent me abundance
to eat and drink of very excellent quality. I made a hearty meal, then
mounted and rode toward Florence. There I found my sister with six
daughters, the eldest of whom was marriageable and the youngest still at
nurse. Her husband, by reason of divers circumstances in the city, had
lost employment from his trade. I had sent gems and French jewellery,
more than a year earlier, to the amount of about two thousand ducats,
and now brought with me the same wares to the value of about one
thousand crowns. I discovered that, whereas I made them an allowance of
four golden crowns a month, they always drew considerable sums from the
current sale of these articles. My brother-in-law was such an honest
fellow, that, fearing to give me cause for anger, he had pawned nearly
everything he possessed, and was devoured by interest, in his anxiety to
leave my monies untouched. It seems that my allowance, made by way of
charity, did not suffice for the needs of the family. When then I found
him so honest in his dealings, I felt inclined to raise his pension; and
it was my intention, before leaving Florence, to make some arrangement
for all of his daughters. 1
Note 1. Though this paragraph is confused, the meaning seems to be that
Cellini’s brother-in-law did not use the money which accrued from the
sale of jewellery, and got into debt, because his allowance was
inadequate, and he was out of work.]