In the soldiers by whom the martyrs are conducted, there is the evidence of a most cruel and merciless spirit; fiercely dragging the prisoners along, they first present them before the tribunal to receive their sentence, and then lead them away to their death on the cross. As regards their vestments also, the emperors and soldiers wear cuirasses after the antique manner, with ornaments appropriate to the various conditions, but all very fanciful and beautiful; the helmets, the shields, the buskins, and every part of the habiliments and arms are all adorned with that amplitude and variety of rich ornaments whereby the artist successfully imitates, nay, surpasses the antique, and all these things were depicted with that love and care, and perfection of mastery, which results from the highest powers in Art well applied to their due ends. When this cartoon was seen therefore, it was declared by all the artists, as well as by every one acquainted with Art, that equal beauty and excellence in design had not been seen since the Cartoon made in Florence by Michelagnolo, for the Flail of the council; wherefore Perino was at once exalted to the highest summit of reputation in his calling.
While occupied with the completion of this cartoon, Perino amused himself with the preparations for a small picture which he proposed to paint for his friend the goldsmith Piloto, causing oil colours to be ground and made ready for the same, of which he executed also something more than the half. Now Perino had been for many years acquainted with a certain priest, Ser Raffaello di Sandro namely, a chaplain of San Lorenzo, who was always a great admirer and friend of the artists in design. This Ser Raffaello proposed to Perino that he should go to take up his quarters with him, seeing that the painter had no one to cook for him, none to look after his comforts or to attend to him in any way, but had gone about from one friend to another during the whole of his stay in Florence; abiding now with one and now with another: Perino accompanied the priest to his dwelling accordingly, and there he stayed several weeks. Meanwhile, the plague began to make its appearance in different parts of Florence, and Perino, fearing lest he should take the infection, resolved to depart from the city: but first he wished to remunerate Ser Raffaello for the many days during which the
