D. Kunsthist. Samml. d. Allerhoechsten
Kaiserhauses, Vienna, 1897, pp. 42-43) from the Bulletino di arti,
industrie e curiosita veneziane, III., 1880-81, p. 101,[38] the inventory
of the curiosities kept in the "Red Chamber" of Marino Faliero's palace in
the Parish of the SS. Apostles; we give the following abstract of it: -
Anno ab incarnacione domini nostri Jesu Christi 1351 deg. indictione sexta
mensis aprilis. Inuentarium rerum qui sunt in camera rubea domi
habitationis clarissimi domini MARINI FALETRO de confinio SS.
Apostolorum, scriptum per me Johannem, presbiterum, dicte ecclesie.
Item alia capsaleta cum ogiis auri et argenti, inter quos unum anulum
con inscriptione que dicit: Ciuble Can Marco Polo, et unum torques cum
multis animalibus Tartarorum sculptis, que res donum dedit predictus
MARCUS cuidam Faletrorum.
Item 2 capsalete de corio albo cum variis rebus auri et argenti, quas
habuit praedictus MARCUS a Barbarorum rege.
Item 1 ensem mirabilem, qui habet 3 enses simul, quem habuit in suis
itineribus praedictus MARCUS.
Item 1 tenturam de pannis indicis, quam habuit praedictus MARCUS.
Item de itineribus MARCI praedicti liber in corio albo cum multis
figuris.
Item aliud volumen quod vocatur de locis mirabilibus Tartarorum,
scriptum manu praedicti MARCI.
II. There is kept at the Louvre, in the very valuable collection of China
Ware given by M. Ernest Grandidier, a white porcelain incense-burner said
to come from Marco Polo. This incense-burner, which belonged to Baron
Davillier, who received it, as a present, from one of the keepers of the
Treasury of St. Mark's at Venice, is an octagonal ting from the Fo-kien
province, and of the time of the Sung Dynasty. By the kind permission of
M. P. Grandidier, we reproduce it from Pl. II. 6, of the Ceramique
chinoise, Paris, 1894, published by this learned amateur. - H. C.]
[1] 1. The Will is made in prospect of his voyage to Crete.
2. He had drafted his will with his own hand, sealed the draft, and
made it over to Pietro Pagano, priest of S. Felice and Notary, to draw
out a formal testament in faithful accordance therewith in case of the
Testator's death; and that which follows is the substance of the said
draft rendered from the vernacular into Latin. ("Ego Matheus Paulo ...
volens ire in Cretam, ne repentinus casus hujus vite fragilis me
subreperet intestatum, mea propria manu meum scripsi et condidi
testamentum, rogans Petrum Paganum ecclesie Scti. Felicis presbiterum
et Notarium, sana mente et integro consilio, ut, secundum ipsius
scripturam quam sibi tunc dedi meo sigillo munitam, meum scriberet
testamentum, si me de hoc seculo contigeret pertransire; cujus
scripture tenor translato vulgari in latinum per omnia talis est.")
3. Appoints as Trustees Messer Maffeo Polo his uncle, Marco Polo his
brother, Messer Nicolo Secreto (or Sagredo) his father-in-law, and
Felix Polo his cousin (consanguineum).
4. Leaves 20 soldi to each of the Monasteries from Grado to Capo
d'Argine; and 150 lire to all the congregations of Rialto, on
condition that the priests of these maintain an annual service in
behalf of the souls of his father, mother, and self.
