MANY days had elapsed during which I had not shown my face in the
palace, when the fancy took me to go there one morning just as the Duke
was finishing his dinner. From what I heard, his Excellency had been
talking of me that morning, commending me highly, and in particular
praising my skill in setting jewels. Therefore, when the Duchess saw me,
she called for me by Messer Sforza; [1] and on my presenting myself to
her most illustrious Excellency, she asked me to set a little
point-diamond in a ring, saying she wished always to wear it; at the
same time she gave me the measure and the stone, which was worth about a
hundred crowns, begging me to be quick about the work. Upon this the
Duke began speaking to the Duchess, and said: “There is no doubt that
Benvenuto was formerly without his peer in this art; but now that he has
abandoned it, I believe it will be too much trouble for him to make a
little ring of the sort you want. I pray you, therefore, not to
importune him about this trifle, which would be no trifle to him owing
to his want of practice.” I thanked the Duke for his kind words, but
begged him to let me render this trifling service to the Duchess. Then I
took the ring in hand, and finished it within a few days. It was meant
for the little finger; accordingly I fashioned four tiny children in the
round and four masks, which figures composed the hoop. I also found room
for some enamelled fruits and connecting links, so that the stone and
setting went uncommonly well together. Then I took it to the Duchess,
who told me graciously that I had produced a very fine piece, and that
she would remember me. She afterwards sent the ring as a present to King
Philip, and from that time forward kept charging me with commissions, so
kindly, however, that I did my best to serve her, although I saw but
very little of her money. God knows I had great need of that, for I was
eager to finish my Perseus, and had engaged some journeymen, whom I paid
out of my own purse. I now began to show myself more often than I had
recently been doing.
Note 1. Sforza Almeni, a Perugian gentleman, the Duke’s chamberlain.
Cosimo killed this man with his own hand in the year 1566.