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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE TRAVELLERS
25
with Venetian society.* Of the relations, Marco the Elder had
probably been long dead ; Maffeo the brother of our Marco
was alive, and we hear also of a cousin (consang-ujneus) Felice
Polo, and his wife Fiordelisa, without being able to fix their
precise position in the family. We know also that Nicolo, who
died before the end of the century, left behind him two illegiti-
mate sons, Stefano and Zannino. It is not unlikely that these
were born from some connection entered into during the long
* Marco Barbaro, in his account of the Polo family, tells what seems to be the same tradition in a different and more mythical version :-
" From ear to ear the story has past till it reached mine, that when the three Kinsmen arrived at their home they were dressed in the most shabby and sordid manner, insomuch that the wife of one of them gave away to a beggar that came tp the door one of those garments of his, all torn, patched, and dirty as it was. The next day he asked his wife for that mantle of his, in order to put away the jewels that were sewn up in it ; but she told him she had given it away to a poor man, whom she did not know. Now, the stratagem he employed to recover it was this. He went to the Bridge of Rialto, and stood there turning a wheel, to no apparent purpose, but as if he were a madman, and to all those who crowded round to see what prank was this, and asked him why he did it, he answered : ` He'll come if God pleases.' So after two or three days he recognised his old coat on the back of one of those who came to stare at his mad proceedings, and got it back again. Then, indeed, he was judged to be quite the reverse of a madman ! And from those jewels he built in the contrada of S. Giovanni Grisostomo a very fine palace for those days ; and the family got among the vulgar the name of the Ca' Million, because the report was that they had jewels to the value of a million of ducats ; and the palace has kept that name to the present day—viz., 1566." (Genealogies, MS. copy in 1lfuseo Civico ; quoted also by Baldelli Boni, Vita, p. xxxi.)
t The Will of the Elder Marco, to which we have several times referred, is dated at Rialto 5th August, 1280.
The testator describes himself as formerly of Constantinople, but now dwelling in the confine of S. Severo.
His brothers Nicolo and Ma/Teo, if at Venice, are to be his sole trustees and executors, but in case of their continued absence he nominates Jordano Trevisano, and his sister-in-law Fiordelisa of the confine of S. Severo.
The proper tithe to be paid. All his clothes and furniture to be sold, and from the proceeds his funeral to be defrayed, and the balance to purchase masses for his soul at the discretion of his trustees.
Particulars of money due to him from his partnership with Donato Grasso, now of Justinople (Capo d'Istria), 1200 lire in all. (Fifty-two lire due by said partnership to Angelo di Tumba of S. Severo. )
The above money bequeathed to his son Nicolo, living at Soldachia, or failing him, to his beloved brothers Nicolo and Maffeo. Failing them, to the sons of his said brothers (sic) Marco and Ma p°. Failing them, to be spent for the good of his soul at the discretion of his trustees.
To his son Nicolo he bequeaths a silver-wrought girdle of vermilion silk, two silver spoons, a silver cup without cover (or saucer ? sine cembalo), his desk, two pairs of sheets, a velvet quilt, a counterpane, a feather-bed—all on the same conditions as above, and to remain with the trustees till his son returns to Venice.
Meanwhile the trustees are to invest the money at his son's risk and benefit, but only here in Venice (investiant sect investire faciant).
VOL. T,
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