wanted to learn it, but "because this art was,
and is, little profitable, there was no one who wished to go on with it
except Master Mactio di Bernacchino, who followed the art thoroughly,
and became an excellent master." That, as he thought he was fairly
prosperous, he gave up the grant (like an honest man!), but the expenses
of marrying and dowering his daughters had been so great, and added to
the losses caused by the small profits on his work, had reduced him to
such poverty that he did not see how he could go on, being 84 years of
age, or thereabouts, and having a sick wife. He therefore asked to have
a small pension settled on him for the few years he and his wife had to
live. He was granted two florins a month, but three years later all
mention of him ceases.

[Illustration: Plate 4.--_Door of the Sala del Papa, Palazzo Comunale,
Siena._

_To face page 13._]

The choir of the Chapel of the Palace had been given in 1414 to Simone
d'Antonio and Antonio Paolo Martini, but they did not satisfy the
public, so it was taken from them and given to Domenico di Nicolo,
August 26, 1415. The tarsie are 21 in number, and represent the clauses
of the apostles' creed and the symbols of the apostles. The unsuccessful
work was given to the prior of the Servites. In the Communal records
occur the following, March 31, 1428:--"Domenico di Nicolo, called
Domenico del Coro, is to have 45 florins at 4 lire the florin for his
salary and the workmanship of the door which he has made at the entrance
of the Sala del Papa in the Communal Palace, which salary was declared
by Guido of Turin and Daniello di Neri Martini, two of the three workmen
upon the contract of the said door, at 180 lire. And is to have 3152
lire for his salary and workmanship of 21 seats made in the Palace of
the Magnificent Signors, with all both '_fornamenti et facti_,' in full
according to his contract"--accepted by Guido di Torino and Daniello di
Neri Martini. He was called to Orvieto in 1416 to refix the roof of the
Cathedral; he was not to have more than 200 florins a year, but if he
came himself all expenses were to be paid. This suggests an appointment
like that of a consulting engineer.

From Siena masters were continually sent to the other great towns to
design and carry out works of architecture, sculpture, and woodwork, as
entries in Sienese documents show. In early times the various arts
connected with building were in close union, and it appears tolera