236 ST. MARK’S REST

And, alas, the church is not only quite other in form, but even other in place, than it was in the fifth century, having been moved like a bale of goods, and with apparently as little difficulty as scruple, in 1322, on a report of the Salt Commissioners about the crowding of shops round it. And, in sum, of particulars of authentically certified vicissitudes, the little church has gone through these following-how many more than these, one cannot say-but these at least (see Appendix III.¹):-

36. I. Founded traditionally in 432 (serious doubts whether on Friday or Saturday, involving others about the year itself). The tradition is all we need care for.²

II. Rebuilt, and adorned with Greek mosaic work by the Doge Domenico Selvo, in 1073: the Doge having married a Greek wife, and liking pretty things. Of this husband and wife you shall hear more, anon.³

III. Retouched, and made bright again, getting also its due share of the spoil of Byzantium sent home by Henry Dandolo, 1174.

IV. Dressed up again, and moved out of the buyers’ and sellers’ way, in 1322.

V. “Instaurated” into a more splendid church (dicto templo in splendidiorem ecclesiam instaurato⁴) by the elected plebanus, Natalis Regia, desirous of having the church devoted to his honour instead of St. James’s, 1531.

VI. Lifted up (and most likely therefore first much pulled down), to keep the water from coming into it, in 1601, when the double arched campanile was built, and the thing finally patched together in the present form. Doubtless soon, by farther “progresso” to become a provision, or, perhaps, a petroleum store, Venice having no more need of temples; and being, as far as I can observe, ashamed of having so many, overshadowing her buyers and sellers.

¹ [Again a reference to an intended, but unwritten, Appendix.]

² [See Romanin, Storia Doc. di Venezia, 1853, vol. i. p. 75. Inscriptions recording the later history of the church are contained in some unpublished Cicogna MSS. in the Correr Museum (No. 2022). They are set out in notes to the Italian translation of St. Mark’s Rest.]

³ [See below, § § 81 seq., pp. 271 seq.]

⁴ [See the text of the inscription in the Italian translation, p. 40 n.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]