It is recorded that in the middle of the seventeenth century the Franciscans rebuilt and repaired the so-called chapel of Braccioforte at S. Francesco, which till then had been joined by a portico to the tomb of Dante.  In 1658 this portico among other alterations was removed, and the exterior of the tomb itself was reconstructed with an entrance into the Piazza, as we see it.  The interior of the tomb was, however, left in some confusion so that the papal legate determined himself to repair it.  In this he met with much opposition from the friars who claimed, as of old, jurisdiction over the sepulchre.  Nevertheless he completed the work, and in 1692 placed the following upon the tomb: 

  Exulem a Florentia Dantem Liberalissime
  Excepit Ravenna. 
  Vivo fruens Mortuum colens
  Magnis cineribus licet in parvo magnifici parentarunt
  Polentani Principes erigendo
  Bembus Praetor Luculentissime extruendo
  Praetiosum Musis et Apollini Mausoleum
  Quod injuria temporum pene squallens
  E. mo Dominico Maria Cursio Legato
  Joanne Salviato Prolegato
  Magni civis cineres Patriae reconciliare
  Cultus perpetuitate curantibus
  S. P. Q. R.
  Jure Ac Aere suo
  Tanquam Thesaurum suum munivit
  Instauravit ornavit
  A.D.  MDCXCII.

Outside the tomb he placed his coat-of-arms, and on either side that of the legate of the province and that of the Franciscan Order.  In 1760 the third restoration was undertaken and the tomb assumed the form we now see and was given yet another inscription: 

Danti Aleghiero Poetae sui temporis primo Restitutori Politioris humanitatis Guido et Hostasius Polentiani clienti et hospiti peregre defuncto monumentum fecerunt Bernardus Bembus Praetor Venet.  Ravenn.  Pro meritis eius ornatu excoluit.  Aloysius Valentius Gonzaga Card.  Leg. prov.  Aemil.  Superiorum Temporum negligentia corruptum Operibus ampliatis Munificentia sua restituendum curavit Anno M DCC LXXX.

At the same time the tomb was opened again and was found to be empty.  In spite of this fact in 1864 the municipal authorities in Florence wrote to Ravenna again demanding the body of the poet, only to be again refused.  This, however, was the sixth centenary of Dante’s birth and the sarcophagus was again to be opened to “verify the remains.”  The workmen were indeed at work upon some necessary repairs and draining, when it was found that a part of the wall of the Braccioforte chapel would have to be removed.  In setting to work upon this—­little more than the removal of a few stones—­the pickaxe of one of the workmen struck against wood, and presently a wooden box appeared which partly fell to pieces, revealing a human skeleton.  Within the box was found this inscription: 

  Dantis ossa
  Denuper revisa die 3 Junu
  1677