49. From the short series of documents recently alluded to,[28] we gather
all that we know of the remaining history of Marco Polo's immediate
family. We have seen in his will an indication that the two elder
daughters, Fantina and Bellela, were married before his death. In 1333 we
find the youngest, Moreta, also a married woman, and Bellela deceased. In
1336 we find that their mother Donata had died in the interval. We learn,
too, that Fantina's husband was MARCO BRAGADINO, and Moreta's, RANUZZO
DOLFINO.[29] The name of Bellela's husband does not appear.
Fantina's husband is probably the Marco Bragadino, son of Pietro, who in
1346 is mentioned to have been sent as Provveditore-Generale to act
against the Patriarch of Acquileia.[30] And in 1379 we find Donna Fantina
herself, presumably in widowhood, assessed as a resident of S. Giovanni
Grisostomo, on the Estimo or forced loan for the Genoese war, at 1300
lire, whilst Pietro Bragadino of the same parish - her son as I
imagine - is assessed at 1500 lire.[31] [See vol. ii., Calendar.]
The documents show a few other incidents which may be briefly noted. In
1326 we have the record of a charge against one Zanino Grioni for
insulting Donna Moreta in the Campo of San Vitale; a misdemeanour punished
by the Council of Forty with two months' imprisonment.
[Illustration: Mosaic Portrait of Marco Polo at Genoa]
[Illustration: The Pseudo Marco Polo at Canton]
In March, 1328, Marco Polo, called Marcolino, of St. John Chrysostom (see
p. 66), represents before the Domini Advocatores of the Republic that
certain imprestita that had belonged to the late Maffeo Polo the Elder,
had been alienated and transferred in May 1318, by the late Marco Polo of
St. John Chrysostom and since his death by his heirs, without regard to
the rights of the said Marcolino, to whom the said Messer Maffeo had
bequeathed 1000 lire by his will executed on 6th February, 1308 (i.e.
1309). The Advocatores find that the transfer was to that extent unjust
and improper, and they order that to the same extent it should be revoked
and annulled. Two months later the Lady Donata makes rather an unpleasant
figure before the Council of Forty. It would seem that on the claim of
Messer Bertuccio Quirino a mandate of sequestration had been issued by the
Court of Requests affecting certain articles in the Ca' Polo; including
two bags of money which had been tied and sealed, but left in custody of
the Lady Donata. The sum so sealed was about 80 lire of grossi (300l.
in silver value), but when opened only 45 lire and 22 grossi (about
170l.) were found therein, and the Lady was accused of abstracting the
balance non bono modo.
