no doubt early in the 14th century, for in 1324, we find that he had
two married daughters besides one unmarried. His wife’s Christian name
was _Donata_, but of her family we have as yet found no assurance. I
suspect, however, that her name may have been Loredano (_vide infra_,
p. _77_).
Under 1311 we find a document which is of considerable interest,
because it is the only one yet discovered which exhibits Marco under
the aspect of a practical trader. It is the judgment of the Court of
Requests upon a suit brought by the NOBLE MARCO POLO of the parish of
S. Giovanni Grisostomo against one Paulo Girardo of S. Apollinare. It
appears that Marco had entrusted to the latter as a commission agent
for sale, on an agreement for half profits, a pound and a half of
musk, priced at six _lire of grossi_ (about 22_l._ 10_s._ in value of
silver) the pound. Girardo had sold half-a-pound at that rate, and the
remaining pound which he brought back was deficient of a _saggio_, or,
one-sixth of an ounce, but he had accounted for neither the sale nor
the deficiency. Hence Marco sues him for three _lire of Grossi_, the
price of the half-pound sold, and for twenty _grossi_ as the value of
the saggio. And the Judges cast the defendant in the amount with costs,
and the penalty of imprisonment in the common gaol of Venice if the
amounts were not paid within a suitable term.[11]
Again in May, 1323, probably within a year of his death, Ser Marco
appears (perhaps only by attorney), before the Doge and his judicial
examiners, to obtain a decision respecting a question touching the
rights to certain stairs and porticoes in contact with his own house
property, and that obtained from his wife, in S. Giovanni Grisostomo.
To this allusion has been already made (_supra_, p. _31_).
[Illustration: MARCO POLO’S LAST WILL
(_Dimensions of Original, 26·4 inches by 9·4 inches_)
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH SPECIALLY TAKEN IN ST. MARK’S LIBRARY BY SIGNOR
BERTANI.]
[Sidenote: Marco Polo’s Last Will and Death.]