They clearly thought that he was hazarding both profit and honour if he stayed away.

But Michelangelo, whether the constitutional timidity of which I have spoken, or other reasons damped his courage, felt that he could not trust to the Pope's mercies.

What effect San Gallo may have had upon him, supposing this architect arrived in Florence at the middle of May, can only be conjectured.

The fact remains that he continued stubborn for a time.

In the lengthy autobiographical letter written to some prelate in 1542, Michelangelo relates what followed: "Later on, while I was at Florence, Julius sent three briefs to the Signory.