An important undertaking belongs to the year 1628. Miguel Cano had been employed to erect a new high altar for the church at Lebrija, a small town situated forty-five miles from Seville on the way to Jeréz. The altar was already designed, but the actual carving was not started, when Miguel Cano died. It fell to his son to complete the work. Four pieces of sculpture were executed; a Crucifixion to be placed above the altar, colossal statues of St. Paul and St. Peter for its second storey, and a small and exquisite image of the Virgin enshrined within a curtained niche above the slab of the altar. This last is perhaps the most pleasing sculpture of this early period; it is one of those really beautiful pieces which cause us to forgive much of Cano’s commonplace work. It was soon after this that Cano left Seville. He could not bear any superior in his art except his master to be near him, and he challenged a fellow-painter, Sebastian de Llano y Valdés, whose success had enraged him. He stabbed and wounded him, and, to escape the action of the ecclesiastical authorities, he fled to Madrid. Here he renewed his friendship with Velazquez, and through his influence gained an appointment to work in the royal palaces, besides having the honour of being professor to Prince Baltasar Carlos. During this period, and in the years that followed, Cano did more painting than modelling, and we have many pictures from his hand, some of which may be seen in the Prado Museum. In 1643 we find Cano at Toledo soliciting work in the cathedral. He did not obtain it, and returned to Madrid, where, soon afterwards, he was accused of murdering his wife. This was the beginning of a period of turmoil and wandering. Cano fled to the city of Valencia and afterwards took refuge in the Cartuja of Portacali. But later on, returning to Madrid, he fell under the tribunal of the Inquisition. After suffering the torture, he was adjudged innocent of the crime with which he was charged, and appointed Majordomo of the Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. This was a source of fresh trouble, and Cano was fined a sum of a hundred ducats for refusing to assist in the procession in Holy Week beside the _alguazils_ of the court--a characteristic incident, for Cano was a man who never crossed his own wishes. Cano again left Madrid, and we find him in Toledo, employed by the chapter to inspect the works in the octagon chapel. Afterwards he must have gone to Valencia and Malaga, then he appears again at Madrid. But he seems to have sought an opportunity to leave the royal city, and a canonry being vacant in the Cathedral of Granada, he petitioned the post from Philip IV., which was granted by a royal decree, dated September 11, 1651, under conditions that he should take orders within a year. But the year passed and Cano was not ordained, and his prebendaryship was declared vacant. Whereupon Cano, who was still governed by self-will, took his grievance to the courts. A