which he left for his successors. That it had no foothold is not true, for the solid foundation was placed so far beneath the surface that it stood firm on the solid _macigno_ (kind of granite rock) twenty _braccia_ below. His successor was of another branch of the guild, but a Masonic _Magister_ all the same. On April 26, 1340, Andrea di Pisa was elected by vote by the Council of the _Opera_ to succeed Giotto as head architect.[253] There must have been other _Magistri_ proposed as candidates, if the Council had to resort to black and white beans for the voting. Andrea only lived a few years; he died, or retired from office, in 1348, the year of the great plague; and Francesco Talenti became _caput Magister_ in 1350. Francesco was a brother of Fra Jacopo Talenti, _Magister lapidum et edificorum_, who was joint architect with Fra Ristoro of the convent and church of Santa Maria Novella from 1339 to 1362. Francesco, like his brother, must have been in the guild; he worked at Orvieto cathedral among numbers of Como and Lombard Masters in 1329. In April 1336 we find him called to Siena as an expert.[254] There had been discovered some defect in the columns. Francesco's companion from Florence was Benci di Cione. His office as _capo maestro_ of the Duomo of Florence continued some years, though he did not reign alone, but was associated with Giovanni di Lapo Ghino, who after 1360 is called joint _capo maestro_. The principal documents of their administration prove that there were endless councils and arguments about the size, height, and placing of the columns, and discussions on Talenti's plan for the chapels at the east end. This seems to have been a crucial question.... Councils of four _Magistri_ in each were held for three consecutive days--July 15, 16, and 17, 1355; and their opinions given in writing. On August 5 the grand united council of twelve Masters and the whole lodge was held, when the proportions for the columns were decided, and Francesco's design for the chapel approved. Another Council was held on June 8, 1357, with the _Operai_ and Consuls of Arts, and their ecclesiastical colleagues, when the undermentioned Masters and monks gave their counsel on the church--a proof of the close affinity of ecclesiastics with the Masonic Guild. Frate Francischo of Carmignano " Jacopo Talenti. S. M. Novella " Franciescho Salvini. S. Croce " Tommasino. Ogni Santi " Jachopo da S. Marcho " Piero Fuci, e " Filippo sacrestano di S. Spirito " Benedetto dalle Champora Magister Neri di Fieravanti " Stefano Messi " Franciescho Salviati " Giovanni Gherardini " Giovanni di Lapo Ghini " Franciesco dal Choro " Ristori Cione " Ambrogio Lenzi, or Renzi The report was written by Sig. Mino, notary of the guild; the spelling of the names is his own.