marta calleri & marta luigina mangini by Gherlo de Rivoli, who in his holographic testament of 1306 wrote that he wished to be buried “nudum in cilicio tantum”.13 Filial love is instead expressed by Giovanni quondam Bandini Maschionis, who in 1284 chose his parish, “ubi mei parentes sibi carnis tumulum”,14 as his last resting place. A similar desire was expressed over two centuries later (1518) by the Milanese Paolo Balsamo, who wished to rest “in sepulchro ubi adsunt cadavera genitoris et aliorum fratrum et filiorum meorum … sine aliqua pompa funerum”.15 In this case, however, we are dealing with something more than filial love, since the funerary monument is tangible proof of Balsamo’s claim to ‘nobility’: modelled on those of the Milanese aristocracy, it consists of an aedicule and a plaque “all decorated with carvings”, bearing the family coat of arms and a redundant verse inscription celebrating his lineage. In all the documents examined, there are more or less numerous and generous bequests, piously assigned to ensure the salvation of the soul, as well as sums set aside to compensate for any unlawfully held property –mala ablata16 – in addition to those set aside to cover the costs of the funeral rites and suffrage masses. Finally, there is no shortage of legacies assigned for reasons of affection or friendship. Depending on the marital status of the notary making his will, we sometimes also find the testator returning his wife’s dowry or providing one for his daughter. The section devoted to ‘afterlife accounts’17 generally ends with records of debts to be settled and/or credits to be collected, although these are generally few, if any. Even in such a case, however, it is the deviations from standard practice that are significant. For example, in the wills of Genoese notaries one often comes across numerous credit entries that testify to their in207 13 “naked with only a cilice”, Rava 2016, No. 338, p. 476. 14 “where my parents made themselves a mound of flesh”, Rava 2016, No. 88, p. 124. 15 “in the sepulchre where the corpses of my parents and other siblings and my children lie ... without any funeral pomp”, Milan, State Archive, Notarile di Milano, Atti dei notai, Atti, b. 7981, 3 September 1518. 16 Ceccarelli 2005; Gaulin et al. 2019; Giansante 2011. 17 Chiffoleau 1980.
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