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 2s. a day in silver value, if these were lire ai grossi, or
1s. 4d. 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.
[17] Several of the Italian chroniclers, as Ferreto of Vicenza and
Navagiero, whom Muratori has followed in his "Annals," say the battle
was fought on the 8th September, the so-called Birthday of the
Madonna. But the inscription on the Church of St. Matthew at Genoa,
cited further on, says the 7th, and with this agree both Stella and
the Genoese poet.
