ofSce, but that if he were to undertake the charge, he would not suffer one of them to remain about the building. These words thus publicly spoken, were taken very ill, as may readily be supposed, and awakened so much hatred against Michelagnolo, that this, increasing daily as the whole arrangement of the work was seen to be changed both within and without, permitted Michelagnolo to have no peace, his adversaries constantly inventing new methods of tormenting him, as will hereafter be seen.
At length the Pontiff issued a Motu-proprio, by which he appointed him Superintendent of the fabric, with full authority to do or undo, decrease, extend, or change as it should seem good to him, and furthermore commanding that the whole government of those who were employed should be in his hands. Thereupon Michelagnolo, seeing the confidence which the Pope placed in him, desired to prove himself worthy thereof, and had a clause inserted in the Motu-proprio, to the effect that he performed his office for the love of God, and would accept no reward, although the Perry of the river at Parma,[1] which had formerly been given to him by the Pope, had been lost to him by the death of the Duke Pier-Luigi, and he had received only a Chancery of Rimini, which brought him in but a small revenue, in its stead. But that circumstance he did not regard; and although Pope Paul more than once sent him money as a stipend, he would never accept any, a fact to which Messer Alessandro Ruffini, then Chancellor of the Pope, and Messer Pier Giovanni Aliotti, Bishop of Forli, have borne witness.
The model of the Church made by Michelagnolo was finally approved by the Pope, and this, although it decreased the circumference of the building, yet did in fact give it greater space, to the satisfaction of all who have judgment, although some, who profess to be judges, but in reality are not, are far from being pleased therewith. It was now found that the four principal piers constructed by Bramante, and left unaltered by Antonio da Sangallo, which had to support the weight of the Tribune, were too weak. Michelagnolo therefore, partly filled them up; and near them he made two spiral staircases, with steps of ascent so easy and so slightly inclined, that the asses used for carrying the
- ↑ This must be of Piacenza, and not Parma. — Ed. Flor.. 1832-8,
