One day, through the swift and secret mouth of the Lion, an unusual
message reached the Ten, standing strangely out amid a mass of darker
matter--denunciations, sinister information, hints of intrigues; the
reason for the choice of this mysterious messenger was stated in the
preamble: "To the end that this may, without circumlocution, immediately
reach your noble body and be acted upon in your discretion--being
secretly dismissed, if this seemeth wisest in the interests of the
State." It was a brief offer on the part of Girolamo Magagnati to equip
and maintain, at his expense, in the event of war with the Holy See, a
war-galley of the largest size, as a gift to the Republic in the name of
his little grandson, the infant Giustinian.
Venice, being more munificent in expenditure than her unassisted
treasury would warrant, was at all times ready to receive and encourage
private bounties from her wealthy citizens; and the promptness and
generosity of Magagnati's gift, the first which had been offered in this
emergency, seemed in the interests of the government to demand some
adequate public recognition, modestly as it had been proffered.
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