as he thought
how an animal had played a trick on him who was the greatest trickster
in the world. However, after they had talked and laughed their fill over
this strange incident, the Bishop persuaded Buonamico to resume the work
for the third time, and he finished it. And the ape, as punishment and
penance for the crime committed, was shut up in a great wooden cage and
kept where Buonamico was working, until this work was entirely finished;
and no one could imagine the contortions which that creature kept making
in this cage with his face, his body, and his hands, seeing others
working and himself unable to take part.

The work in this chapel finished, the Bishop, either in jest or for some
other reason known only to himself, commanded that Buffalmacco should
paint him, on one wall of his palace, an eagle on the back of a lion
which it had killed. The crafty painter, having promised to do all that
the Bishop wished, had a good scaffolding made of planks, saying that he
refused to be seen painting such a thing. This made, shutting himself up
alone inside it, he painted, contrary to what the Bishop wished, a lion
that was tearing to pieces an eagle; and, the work finished, he sought
leave from the Bishop to go to Florence in order to get some colours
that he was wanting. And so, locking the scaffolding with a key, he went
off to Florence, in mind to return no more to the Bishop, who, seeing
the business dragging on and the painter not returning, had the
scaffolding opened, and discovered that Buonamico had been too much for
him. Wherefore, moved by very great displeasure, he had him banished on
pain of death, and Buonamico, hearing this, sent to tell him to do his
worst; whereupon the Bishop threatened him to a fearful tune. But
finally, remembering that he had begun the playing of tricks and that it
served him right to be tricked himself, he pardoned Buonamico for his
insult and rewarded him liberally for his labours. Nay, what is more,
summoning him again no long time after to Arezzo, he caused him to make
many works in the Duomo Vecchio, which are now destroyed, treating him
ever as his familiar friend and very faithful servant. The same man
painted the niche of the principal chapel in the Church of S. Giustino,
also in Arezzo.

Some writers tell that Buonamico being in Florence and often frequenting
the shop of Maso del Saggio with his friends and companions, he was
there, with many others, arranging the festival