So
unabashed in such a presence, he would be tenacious of his purpose and
hold to his vow with unflinching knightliness.
Venice and his lady were included in his sworn allegiance, and to seek
to make them rivals would be a danger for the Republic.
Never before had appeal been made to this decree; it was not fresh in
the minds of the Savii and the six most venerated Councillors without
whose acquiescence the mandate of the Doge was powerless, and they had
listened to the bold declaration with a surprise not unmingled with
resentment, that so young a man should make, in their presence, an
assertion touching matters of State which they could neither affirm nor
deny! At a sign from one of the chancellors, one of the three
counsellors at law of the Avvogadori di Commun, who had the keeping of
the Golden Book, had been immediately summoned from adjoining chambers
in the Palace and had confirmed the statement. Such a marriage had
indeed taken place in the latter half of the fourteenth century; the
number of the decree authorizing the full nobility of the children had
been noted in the Golden Book, the original decree could therefore be
found, within the archives, upon demand of the Savii.
Pages:
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178