Several of Sebastiano’s letters during the summer and autumn of 1533 refer to an edition of some madrigals by Michelangelo, which had been set to music by Bartolommeo Tromboncino, Giacomo Archadelt, and Costanzo Festa.  We have every reason to suppose that the period we have now reached was the richest in poetical compositions.  It was also in 1532 or 1533 that he formed the most passionate attachment of which we have any knowledge in his life; for he became acquainted about this time with Tommaso Cavalieri.  A few years later he was destined to meet with Vittoria Colonna.  The details of these two celebrated friendships will be discussed in another chapter.

Clement VII. journeyed from Rome in September, intending to take ship at Leghorn for Nice and afterwards Marseilles, where his young cousin, Caterina de’ Medici, was married to the Dauphin.  He had to pass through S. Miniato al Tedesco, and thither Michelangelo went to wait upon him on the 22nd.  This was the last, and not the least imposing, public act of the old Pope, who, six years after his imprisonment and outrage in the Castle of S. Angelo, was now wedding a daughter of his plebeian family to the heir of the French crown.  What passed between Michelangelo and his master on this occasion is not certain.

The years 1532-1534 form a period of considerable chronological perplexity in Michelangelo’s life.  This is in great measure due to the fact that he was now residing regularly part of the year in Rome and part in Florence.  We have good reason to believe that he went to Rome in September 1532, and stayed there through the winter.  It is probable that he then formed the friendship with Cavalieri, which played so important a part in his personal history.  A brisk correspondence carried on between him and his two friends, Bartolommeo Angelini and Sebastiano del Piombo, shows that he resided at Florence during the summer and early autumn of 1533.  From a letter addressed to Figiovanni on the 15th of October, we learn that he was then impatient to leave Florence for Rome.  But a Ricordo, bearing date October 29, 1533, renders it almost certain that he had not then started.  Angelini’s letters, which had been so frequent, stop suddenly in that month.  This renders it almost certain that Michelangelo must have soon returned to Rome.  Strangely enough there are no letters or Ricordi in his handwriting which bear the date 1534.  When we come to deal with this year, 1534, we learn from Michelangelo’s own statement to Vasari that he was in Florence during the summer, and that he reached Rome two days before the death of Clement VII., i.e., upon September 23.  Condivi observes that it was lucky for him that the Pope did not die while he was still at Florence, else he would certainly have been exposed to great peril, and probably been murdered or imprisoned by Duke Alessandro.

Nevertheless, Michelangelo was again in Florence toward the close of 1534.  An undated letter to a certain Febo (di Poggio) confirms this supposition.  It may probably be referred to the month of December.  In it he says that he means to leave Florence next day for Pisa and Rome, and that he shall never return.  Febo’s answer, addressed to Rome, is dated January 14, 1534, which, according to Florentine reckoning, means 1535.