They enjoyed their youth and wedded love through eighteen years, always
greatly desiring to be blessed with children. At the end of this time
Giovanni's wife miscarried of two boys through the unskilfulness of the
doctors. Later on she was again with child, and gave birth to a girl,
whom they called Cosa, after the mother of my father. [1] At the end of
two years she was once more with child; and inasmuch as those longings
to which pregnant women are subject, and to which they pay much
attention, were now exactly the same as those of her former pregnancy,
they made their minds up that she would give birth to a female as
before, and agreed to call the child Reparata, after the mother of my
mother. It happened that she was delivered on a night of All Saints,
following the feast-day, at half-past four precisely, in the year 1500.
[2] The midwife, who knew that they were expecting a girl, after she had
washed the baby and wrapped it in the fairest white linen, came softly
to my father Giovanni and said: "I am bringing you a fine present, such
as you did not anticipate." My father, who was a true philosopher, was
walking up and down, and answered: "What God gives me is always dear to
me;" and when he opened the swaddling clothes, he saw with his own eyes
the unexpected male child. Joining together the palms of his old hands,
he raised them with his eyes to God, and said "Lord, I thank Thee with
my whole heart; this gift is very dear to me; let him be Welcome." All
the persons who were there asked him joyfully what name the child should
bear. Giovanni would make no other answer than "Let him be
Welcome-Benvenuto;" [3] and so they resolved, and this name was given me
at Holy Baptism, and by it I still am living with the grace of God.

Note 1. Cosa is Florentine for Niccolosa.

Note 2. The hour is reckoned, according to the old Italian fashion, from