Note 16 — EXPLANATORY LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOLUME I.
Henry Yule translation
In July 1294, a Council of Thirty decreed that galleys should be equipped by the richest families in proportion to their wealth. Among the families held to equip one galley each, or one galley among two or more, in this list, is the
Ca’ Polo
. But this was before the return of the travellers from the East, and just after the battle of Ayas. (
Romanin
, ii. 332; this author misdates Ayas, however.) When a levy was required in Venice for any expedition the heads of each
contrada
divided the male inhabitants, between the ages of twenty and sixty, into groups of twelve each, called
duodene
. The dice were thrown to decide who should go first on service. He who went received five
lire
a month from the State, and one
lira
from each of his colleagues in the
duodena
. Hence his pay was sixteen
lire
a month, about 2
s.
a day in silver value, if these were
lire ai grossi
, or 1
s.
4
d.
if
lire dei piccoli
. (See
Romanin
, ii. 393–394.)
Money on such occasions was frequently raised by what was called an Estimo or Facion, which was a force loan levied on the citizens in proportion to their estimated wealth; and for which they were entitled to interest from the State.