But the statue was in progress, and the question arose to whom it should be given.

The choice of the Signory fell on Florimond Robertet, secretary of finance, whose favour would be useful to the Florentines in their pecuniary transactions with the King.

A long letter from the envoy, Francesco Pandolfini, in September 1505, shows that Robertet's mind had been sounded on the subject; and we gather from a minute of the Signory, dated November 6, 1508, that at last the bronze David, weighing about 800 pounds, had been "packed in the name of God" and sent to Signa on its way to Leghorn.

Robertet received it in due course, and placed it in the courtyard of his chateau of Bury, near Blois.

Here it remained for more than a century, when it was removed to the chateau of Villeroy.