20* A M M I R A T O. Mem. poorfuaded him to change his refolution of travelling, and en- fervirai'hi- gaged him to continue with him at Venice, where he had an s s ; j_upporiunity of contracting a fricndfhip with many learned Juftre*, men. But fortune, which had been hitheno very unfavour- tom. ivt a bi e t o him, would not permit him to continue Ions; in that eafe which he "rjoyed with his patron : the wife of the latter, who ufed to take great pleafure in Ammirato's converfation, having fen 1 : him a piefent as a token of her friendship, fome ill-natured perfors went to the hufband, and reprefented this civility of the lady in fuch a light, as was fufficient to excite the refentmenc of a jealous hulband. Ammirato was obliged to fly away immediately, in order to fave his life. He re- turned toLecca, and his father being then at Barri, he went thither to him, but met with a very cool reception ; the old gentleman being extremely angry to find him in no probable way of making a fortune, becaufe he had neglected the ftudy of the law, which he reproached him with very frequently. Marcellus Marcini being chofen pope in 1555, under the name of Marcellus II. Ammirato, who knew that Nicolao Majorano bifliop of Molfetta, a city near Barri, had been formerly a friend of the pope's, perfuaded him to go to Rome, and congratulate him upon his election, being in hopes that, by attending the biftiop in his journey, he might procure fome place under the nephews of that pope: but as they were preparing for this journey, the death of Marcellus put a ftop to their intended fcheme, and destroyed their hopes : upon which Ammirato retired to a country-feat of his father's, where he applied hmifelf clofdy to his ftudies. At laft he was determined tosctu.n to Naplts, in order to engage again in the ftudy of the law, and to take his degrees in it : his re- lifh for this prcfefiion was not in the leaft increafed, but he thought that the title which he might procure would be of advantage to him in I'ome refpecis. However, he had not been fix months at Naples before he grew weary of it, and entered fuccefiively into the fervice of feveral noblemen as iecretary. Upon his return to Lecca, he was appointed by this cicy to go and prefent a petition to pope Pius IV. in their favour, which office he difcbargcd with fuccefs. Upon his return to Lecra, he was invited by the city of Naples to fettle there, and write the hiftory of that kingdom : but the cold reception he met with from the governors who had Tent for him, foon dilgutted him fo highly, that he left the city with a refolution to return no more. They repented afterwards of their neglect of him, and ufed all poffible means to bring him back, but he coutiiu'.ed inflexible, He went therefore to
