greatly celebrated manners, and
gave his attention to scarcely any other thing for a period of two whole
years; by reason of which he so changed his method, transforming his bad
manner into a good one, that notice was taken of him by the craftsmen.
And, what was more, he so went to work with humility and every kind of
loving service, that he became the friend of Raffaello da Urbino, who,
being very courteous and not ungrateful, taught Benvenuto many things,
and always assisted and favoured him.

If Benvenuto had pursued his studies in Rome, without a doubt he would
have done things worthy of his beautiful genius; but he was constrained,
I know not by what cause, to return to his own country. In taking leave
of Raffaello, he promised that he would, as that master advised him,
return to Rome, where Raffaello assured him that he would give him more
than enough in the way of work, and that in honourable undertakings.
Having then arrived in Ferrara, Benvenuto settled the affairs and
despatched the business that had caused him to return; and he was
preparing himself to make his way back to Rome, when the Lord Duke
Alfonso of Ferrara set him to decorate a little chapel in the Castle, in
company with other Ferrarese painters. That work finished, his departure
was again delayed by the great courtesy of M. Antonio Costabili, a
Ferrarese gentleman of much authority, who gave him an altar-piece to
paint in oils for the high-altar of the Church of S. Andrea; which
finished, he was forced to execute another for S. Bartolo, a convent of
Cistercian Monks, wherein he painted the Adoration of the Magi, which
was beautiful and much extolled. He then painted another for the Duomo,
full of figures many and various, and two others that were placed in the
Church of S. Spirito, in one of which is the Virgin in the air with the
Child in her arms, and some other figures below, and in the other the
Nativity of Jesus Christ.

[Illustration: THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS

(_After the painting by =Benvenuto Garofalo=. Ferrara: Pinacoteca,
1519_)

_Alinari_]

In executing those works, remembering at times how he had turned his
back on Rome, he felt the bitterest regret; and he had resolved at all
costs to return thither, when, his father Piero's death taking place,
all his plans were broken off; for, finding himself burdened with a
sister ready for a husband and a brother fourteen years of age, and his
affairs in disorder, he was forced to comp