It happened that Urbano fell ill at Carrara, toward the end of August.

Michelangelo, on hearing the news, left Florence and travelled by post to Carrara.

Thence he had his friend transported on the backs of men to Serravezza, and after his recovery sent him to pick up strength in his native city of Pistoja.

In one of the _Ricordi_ he reckons the cost of all this at 33-1/2 ducats.
While Michelangelo was residing at Pietra Santa in 1518, his old friend and fellow-worker, Pietro Rosselli, wrote to him from Rome, asking his advice about a tabernacle of marble which Pietro Soderini had ordered.

It was to contain the head of S.John the Baptist, and to be placed in the Church of the Convent of S.Silvestro.On the 7th of June Soderini wrote upon the same topic, requesting a design.