CHAPTER XI.
I After the death of Clement VII., Michelangelo never returned to reside for any length of time at Florence.

The rest of his life was spent in Rome, and he fell almost immediately under the kind but somewhat arbitrary patronage of Alessandro Farnese, who succeeded to the Papal chair in October 1534, with the title of Paul III.
One of the last acts of Clement's life had been to superintend the second contract with the heirs of Julius, by which Michelangelo undertook to finish the tomb upon a reduced scale within the space of three years.

He was allowed to come to Rome and work there during four months annually.

Paul, however, asserted his authority by upsetting these arrangements and virtually cancelling the contract.
"In the meanwhile," writes Condivi, "Pope Clement died, and Paul III.
sent for him, and requested him to enter his service.

Michelangelo saw at once that he would be interrupted in his work upon the Tomb of Julius.