, for it could bear comparison with the works that Masaccio had
painted. Wherefore, hearing himself so greatly praised by the voices of
all, at the age of seventeen he boldly threw off his monastic habit.

Now, chancing to be in the March of Ancona, he was disporting himself
one day with some of his friends in a little boat on the sea, when they
were all captured together by the Moorish galleys that were scouring
those parts, and taken to Barbary, where each of them was put in chains
and held as a slave; and thus he remained in great misery for eighteen
months. But one day, seeing that he was thrown much into contact with
his master, there came to him the opportunity and the whim to make a
portrait of him; whereupon, taking a piece of dead coal from the fire,
with this he portrayed him at full length on a white wall in his Moorish
costume. When this was reported by the other slaves to the master (for
it appeared a miracle to them all, since drawing and painting were not
known in these parts), it brought about his liberation from the chains
in which he had been held for so long. Truly glorious was it for this
art to have caused one to whom the power of condemnation and punishment
was granted by law, to do the very opposite--nay, in place of inflicting
pains and death, to consent to show friendliness and grant liberty!
After having wrought some works in colour for his master, he was brought
safely to Naples, where he painted for King Alfonso, then Duke of
Calabria, a panel in distemper for the Chapel of the Castle, where the
guard-room now is.

[Illustration: FRA FILIPPO LIPPI: THE ANNUNCIATION

(_London: National Gallery, 666. Panel_)]

After this there came upon him a desire to return to Florence, where he
remained for some months. There he wrought a very beautiful panel for
the high-altar of the Nuns of S. Ambrogio, which made him very dear to
Cosimo de' Medici, who became very much his friend for this reason. He
also painted a panel for the Chapter-house of S. Croce, and another that
was placed in the chapel of the house of the Medici, on which he painted
the Nativity of Christ. For the wife of the said Cosimo, likewise, he
painted a panel with the same Nativity of Christ and with S. John the
Baptist, which was to be placed in the Hermitage of Camaldoli, in one of
the hermits' cells, dedicated to S. John the Baptist, which she had
caused to be built in proof of her devotion. And he painted some little
scenes that w