The Cathedral Builders Part 27

59. 1369 M. Johannes Stephani A descendant of Stefano Jorda.n.u.s (No. 3). He worked at S. John Lateran for Pope Urban V. in 1369. Elected C.M. at Orvieto, March 11, 1375.

60. 1377 M. Giacomo di Buonfredi Sculptured the facade of the (detto Corbella) Duomo of Siena, opposite the hospital.

61. " M. Francesco del Tonghio Sculptured the choir stalls (called Francesco del Coro) in Siena cathedral in 1377, also the choir in the Duomo of Florence.

62. 1379 M. Giacomo del Tonghio His son and a.s.sistant. He sculptured the tabernacle of S. Pietro in the Duomo of Siena.

63. 1384 Magister Giacomo di Contracted on Feb. 24, Castello 1384-85, to make three coloured gla.s.s windows for the Duomo; he made also those in S. Francesco at Pisa in 1391.

64. 1386 M. Giovanni Peruzzi Did some stone building in the tower at Siena cathedral.

65. 1388 M. Mariano d'Agnolo Carved several figures in the Romanelli choir of Siena cathedral.

66. 1390 M. Luca di Giovanni C.M. at Orvieto for the second time; the first was in 1387. He was in the Florentine Lodge in 1386.

67. 1423 M. Bastiano di Corso (of Engaged to make 59 _braccia_ Florence) of inlaid frieze in the pavement of the steps of the high altar.

At first sight it would not appear that the Italian-Gothic cathedrals at Siena and Orvieto could have much to do with the ancient Comacine church of S. Michele at Pavia, but they are undoubtedly its hereditary descendants, and in great part the work of Comacine architects.

Doc.u.ments prove that a Lombard Guild, with _schola_, _laborerium_, and _Opera_, existed in Siena long before A.D. 1400. Legend, or rather tradition, says that this lodge began in Longobardic days, when the first Sienese Duomo was built by a certain Ava, descendant of Iselfred, a Longobardic prince. This Ava had, before going to Siena, caused a church (Aula Santa) to be erected "on an island near Borgonuovo by the lake" (Insula prope Borgonuovo juxta lacus). This must be the Comacine island on the lake near Como-nuovo, which was also called Borgonuovo.[212] It is also said that in 1180 Pope Alexander III. went to Siena, of which city he was a native, to consecrate the new Basilica.[213]

Here we have the first link of the Comacine Guild with Siena, and I think it offers an explanation of the early existence of the Sienese school of painting.

The Longobardic Masonic lodge seems to have been the only one of the kind then in Siena, and it held on for almost a century after the secession of the painters in A.D. 1355.

By that time so many native architects and sculptors had been trained that there were two distinct parties in the guild, and the Sienese clique began to feel the need of independent power. In 1441 a schism was made, the Sienese sculptors forming a branch of their own, called _L' arte dei maestri di pietra, Senese_, which had its laws and regulations in due form. The same schism had taken place in Venice in 1307, when the _Arte de taglia pietre_ was formed, and a similar one took place later in Florence. The Sienese split was not very satisfactory, for on December 5, 1473, we find they called a meeting of the two guilds, to further the means of working in better accord with each other. The following compact was made--

(1) That all Masters, Lombard or Sienese, should pay ten soldi for right of entry on employment.

(2) That all, equally, should pay five soldi a year for the _festa_ of the _Santi Quattro_; and that a Lombard _camarlengo_ should be chosen to work together with the Sienese one, to collect these and other moneys; that the _camarlengo_ should hold no more in hand than twenty-five soldi; all money above that to be immediately invested.

(3) That the Lombard _camarlengo_ shall be subject to the same laws and rules and fines as the Sienese one.

(4) That the _garzoni_ (novices or pupils) shall have no claims to receive pay, but manual labourers shall be paid three soldi a year each by the Masters employing them, as says the statute.

(5) That when it is necessary to "make a collection," the Lombard Masters shall be obliged to attend, equally with the citizens, and under the same penalties, as by the statute. Here follow the names of the contracting parties, as inscribed in the original report of the meeting.[214]

ET PRIMO, NOMINA MAGISTRORUM SENENSIUM.

Magister Laurentius Petri M. Urba.n.u.s Petri M. Franciscus Ducci M. Dominicus Andreae M. Petrus Zantebuoni M. Joannes M. Vitus Marci M. Maria.n.u.s Sani M. Tullius magistri Marci M. Mannus Antonii M. Galga.n.u.s Ioannis M. Iulia.n.u.s Iacobi M. Iacobus Ioannis M. Antonius Ghini M. Dominicus Cambii M. Aloysius Ruggieri M. Franciscus Andreae M. Petrus Antonii

SEQUNTUR NOMINA MAGISTRORUM LOMBARDORUM.

Magister Guglielmus Joannis de Sanvito M. Franciscus Christophori de c.u.mo (Como) M. Joannes Guglielmi de Sanvito (son of No. 1) M. Stepha.n.u.s Fidelis de Voltolina (Valtellina) M. Adamus Ioannis de Thori M. Ioannes Iacobi de Sanvito M. Alexus Ioannis de Sanvito (his son) M. Martinus Martii de Sanvito M. Ioannes Talentine de Sanvito M. Iacobus Dominici de Lamone M. Ioannes Iacobi de Lamone (his son) M. Guglielmus Antonii de Sanvito M. Paulus Thomae de Charazza M. Antonius Ioannis de Ponte M. Iacobus Petri de Condupino M. Antonius magistri Alberti de Lamone M. Ioannes Francisci de Lamone M. Ioannes de Ponte M. Guglielmus Andreae de Sanvito

Acta fuerunt, etc.

But even this did not succeed. On January 6, 1512, we find the Sienese Lodge making a pet.i.tion to the Signoria to the effect that whereas in ancient times the brethren of the Masonic Guild were always accustomed to hold their meetings and unite for worship in their own chapel of the _Santi Quattro_ in the cathedral, the "foreign" builders being now separated from that chapter (lodge), all the money which used to be collected to endow that chapel, is now collected among themselves, and sent to Lombardy, without consulting the said chapter (_capitudine_), "to the grave injury and shame of our city, and of the said chapel,"

"thus we pray of your Signoria that you will command that the said lodge shall meet according to the ancient rules of the order, under pain of penalties named in the ancient Breve ... the which shall be useful and honourable to our city and to the said chapel."[215] By this we realize that the Lombard Masters were not only the earliest guild of architects at Siena, but also the most powerful, as the Sienese branch could not even keep up the chapel of their patron saint without their aid.

It may be interesting to glance over the headings of the statutes of the Sienese Masonic Guild, which no doubt were similar to, if not identical with the original one; at any rate they will throw light on the organization.

Cap. I. On he who curses G.o.d or the Saints (a fine of twenty-five lire).

Cap. II. On he who opposes the Signoria of the city (a fine of twenty-five lire).

Cap. III. On the election of _rettore_ and _camarlengo_. (In the Florentine Lodge which kept up the older Latin, these are called _caput magister_ and _provveditore_.)

Cap. IV. On the forming of councils and their duration.

Cap. V. How to treat underlings (_sottoposti_).

Cap. VI. On those who disobey the rector or _camarlengo_.

Cap. VII. On he who refuses a citation (fine of twenty soldi).

Cap. VIII. Of one who swears by the blood or body of G.o.d.

Cap. IX. Of he who takes work on a risk.

Cap. X. All names of _sottoposti_ to be written in the Breve.

Cap. XI. That no one may take work away from another Master.

Cap. XII. Contracts with pupils must be made before the _camarlengo_.

Cap. XIII. How the feast of the Four Holy Martyrs is to be kept.[216]

Cap. XIV. On the entry of a foreign Master into the guild.

Cap. XV. _Di chi vieta.s.se il pegno al messo._ (I can get no clear translation of this; I think it means a pledge on receiving a commission.)

Cap. XVI. The _camarlengo_ shall hand over all receipts to the Grand Master.

Cap. XVII. On the salaries of officials of the guild.

Cap. XVIII. How _fetes_ must be kept (fines of five soldi to all who work on _feste_. Forty-nine _fete_ days are named).

Cap. XIX. One who is sworn to another guild cannot be either the Grand Master or _camarlengo_.

Cap. XX. That the _camarlengo_ keeps for the guild all moneys received from _sottoposti_ (brethren of lower rank).

Cap. XXI. On good faith in receiving a commission.

Cap. XXII. How members are to be buried.

Cap. XXIII. How to insure against risks.

Cap. XXIV. No arguments or business discussions to be held in the public streets.

Cap. XXV. How the _fete_ of the guild is to be kept, the rectors to have full power to command.

Cap. XXVI. How wax candles shall be sent to the monks of the Mantellini for the _festa_.

Cap. XXVII. How t.i.thes are to be paid.