32 a. Marquisate Archives - Governors' Correspondence - Marquises' letters and letters of other writers (1710-1796 - envelope)

Paper, various dimensions, leaves [826], loose leaves

Notes
Contains: letters of Gaetano Boncompagni Ludovisi to Giulio de’ Nobili (1753-1763); letters of Gaetano Boncompagni Ludovisi to Ercole Faella (1765-1767), to Giovanni Battista Rocchi (vice-governor) and Domenico Benedetti (1767), to Giuseppe Valenti (1775-1776); letters of other writers to the governors (1710-1796); copies of letters and documents regarding the blacksmith Giovanni Battista Ferrari of San Dalmazio (1715-1716); documents regarding the creation of a notary public archive at Vignola (1723); “Ricorso di rustici di Savignano sul pavaglione” (1774-1782); correspondence of governor Tommaso Fernando Bavelli with the Year’s Produce Office(1794).
They deal with instructions of the marquises, or their officials, concerning the economic and judicial administration of the marquisate, in which among other issues discussed are military affairs, appointments and the work of the podestà, the granting and renewal of leaseholds, some border disputes, the relations with the administration of the Duchy of Este, relations with the communities, the regulation of hunting and the management of excise and duties. The years 1754-1755, 1757-1759 and 1768-1774 are completely missing. The letters of other writers deal with judicial and administrative issues and include numerous circular letters sent by officials of the Duchy of Este. As far as the folder “Ricorso di rustici di Savignano sul pavaglione” is concerned, it is the governor’s correspondence regarding the claim for the sale of silkworms at Savignano by some peasants of Savignano to the Merchants’ College in Modena and by the latter to the Economic Council. It includes a governor’s report (July 8 1782, Vignola); worthy of particular note the documents regarding the creation of a public notary archive at Vignola.
Worthy of particular note the marquises’ letters in which the following subjects are dealt with: abolition of duties at Monfestino on goods transiting along via Vandelli (December 4 and 29 1753); a series of letters regarding the dispute with the Marquises Rangoni concerning the Brodano mill (November 20 1753 – December 4 and 15 1753); a series of letters regarding two famine cases, the second of which affecting the mountain villages (January-July 1760; January-June 1764); epizzotic cattle disease (June 14 and July 5 1760); a series of letters regarding the renewal of duties at Monfestino (June 1760 – March 1761); a series of letters regarding the embankment on the River Panaro carried out in the Basse zone (January 1760 – September 1765); a series of letters regarding the dispute of the Fathers of Saint Peter at Modena with the Community of Vignola concerning the waters (August 1760 – June 1766); a series of letters regarding the issue and the application of the 1763 edict concerning criminal deeds which was considered prejudicial to feudal rights (January 1764 – July 1767); approval by the marquise of the list received by the governor including the names of possible syndics and councillors of the Community of Vignola (February 8 1766); a series of letters regarding acts of the Duchy concerning the Year’s Produce and the abolition of the market at Vignola (December 1766 – May 1767); a series of letters regarding the sales negotiations of a building at San Venanzio belonging to the marquise so as to erect a tavern along via Giardini (April-July 1775); border dispute with Montebonello and Benedello, feud of the marquise Ippolito Bagnesi (August 12 1775, September 2 and 9 1775).

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33. Marquisate Archives - Book of petitions (1586-1593 - reg.)

Paper, 300x220, leaves [201]

Notes
Register with leaves numbered only on recto, in which are reported – not always in chronological order – copies of the petitions and appeals presented by individuals and communities directly to Marquis Giacomo Boncompagni or to the governors, with the relevant replies, as well as copies of privileges, exemptions, safe-conducts, warrants and licences (July 4 1586 – June 24 1593); they are mainly requests regarding the sale or exchange of land, arms or gaming permits, commissions as officers and officials of the marquisate administration. According to the original numbering leaf 172 is duplicated.
Worthy of particular note: warrant as podestà of Vignola and ordinary appeals judge of the marquisate granted to Floriano Spisani, a Bolognese graduate (August 31 1586, Vignola, 15r.); warrant for appointment as sheriff of the podesteria of Monfestino issued to Emilio son of Salvatore Padovano (March 31 1587, Vignola, 27v.); tax on salaries of the sheriff and his constables (no date [1587], 36r.); warrant for appointment as "Mastro generale delle Campagne" (gamekeeper) of the marquisate issued to Giovanni Martino Bernardi of Montecorone (July 10 1587, Vignola, 43r.); warrant for appointment to Supervisor and Assistant for the excavation of the Savignano mill-race issued to Giovanni Martino Bernardi (April 20 1588, Vignola, 82r.); application by the community of Vignola for the construction of a prison under the podestà's residence, with the reply of the marquis (October 13 1588, Milan, 100r.); warrant for appointment as podestà of Vignola and, in the absence of the governor, to magistrate and lieutenant, issued to Virgilio Florentio (February 1 1589, Vignola, 110v.); warrant for appointment to "Mastro generale della Campagna" (gamekeeper) of the marquisate issued to Ludovico Ferrarini of Vignola (March 1 1589, Vignola, 110v); petition of the men of the council and the municipality of San Venanzio to obtain the leasehold of the castle moat then leased to Giovanni Manni and the restitution of the tower belonging to the municipality which the said Giovanni had appropriated, with the marquis' reply (Sepember 21 1589, Vignola, 140r.); warrant for appointment as sheriff of the podesteria of Monfestino issued to Christofaro son of Iacapo Battaglia da Sestola (January 3 1590, Vignola, 144v.); tax on wages, salaries and other payments of the syndic and fiscals of the most illustrious Chamber in the podesteria of Monfestino, confirmed by his grace the Duke of Sora and Arce, and Marquis of Vignola... (January 11 1590, Vignola, 144v.); warrant for appointment to "Mastro generale delle Campagne e Pesche" of the marquisate issued to Giuseppe Bernardi of Montecorone (December 27 1589, Vignola, 147v.); warrant for appointment as sheriff for the podesteria of Vignola issued to Battista Ricij [?] of Montecuccolo (March 12 1590, Vignola, 148r.); warrant for appointment as fiscal of the Chamber of Savignano issued to Giovanni Battista Musoni [?] (August 2 1590, Castellarquato, 159v.); licence granted by the marquis for sowing rice in some parts of the marquisate to tackle the famine (December 10 1591, Rome, leaf 185v.); warrant of appointment to custodian (saltaro)and master of hunting for the estates and lands of Gorzano issued to Francesco Monit of San Venanzio (January 16, Vignola, 187v.); warrant of appointment to sheriff of the lands of Vignola and the podesteria of Savignano issued to Giovanni called Zano of Sestola (April 16 1592, Vignola, 143v.).

Title on front cover: Registro

Previous markings: 107 (in red pencil)

Cfr. Inventario delle scritture e processi tanto civili quanto criminali… ((Inventory of civil and criminal proceedings) (March 8 1644): "n° 107 A ledger of petitions marked 107")

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34. Marquisate Archives - Book of petitions (1619-1625 - reg.)

Paper, 310x220, leaves [XVIII, 190]

Notes
Cowhide ledger of which remains only the board structure with a strip of leather of the spine and the holes for the strings. On the upper part of the leaves there are traces of decorative flourishes and coats of arms; the leaves of the ledger are numbered only on recto and the list of petitioners at the beginning is organized as an index classified by name in alphabetical order (I-XVIII), in which are recorded – not always in chronological order – copies of the petitions and appeals presented by individuals and the community directly to Marquis Gregorio Boncompagni or to governors, with the relevant replies, as well as copies of privileges, exemptions, safe-conducts, warrants and licences; they are mainly requests regarding the sale or exchange of land, arms or gaming permits, commissions as officers and officials of the marquisate administration. (June 6 1619 – March 18 1625). According to the original numbering leaves 41, 50, 92, 97 and 172 are duplicated, the first leaf, the last two and those of the list are not numbered.
Worthy of particular note: petitions of the men of the podesteria of Monfestino to have the right again to dye cloth without having to use the services of the Vignola dyer and to revoke that dyer's exclusive rights on Pazzano market, with the marquis's reply (June 25 1619, Isola del Liri, 2v.); patente di familiarità to Gioanni, son of Captain Giovanni Andrea Maestri of Ago di Medola [sic] for services rendered (July 16 1619, Isola del Liri, 4r.); warrant of appointment to supervisory Officer of the waters of the River Scoltenna issued to Captain Nicolò Thebaldi (August 20 1619, Isola del Liri, 7r.); patente di familiarità granted to Gioanni son of the late Dr. Innocencio Moreni (July 16, Isola del Liri, 11v.); items requested by the community of Monteorsello, including in particular the reduction of the community's government and council, with the marquis's replies (no date [1619?], 12r.); items requested by the community of Montecorone, including in particular the reduction of the community's government and council, the inclusion of ecclesiastical property and lands in the valuation, permission to demolish part of the castle walls which were falling into ruin and use of the resulting material for building a chapel, with the marquis's replies (no date [1619?], 12v.]; items requested by the community of Monteombraro, including in particular the revoking of a ban on the salt-works, the reduction of the government of the community, the reduction of visits by the governors, once every four or five years and which recently had become annual, the drawing up of a new valuation, with the marquis's replies (no date [1619?], 13r.); warrant of appointment as "Saltaro", or custodian of the estates and possessions of Vignola and Savignano, issued to Gioanni Gloria (24 October 1619, Isola del Liri, 14v.); items requested by the community of Monfestino, including particularly the reduction of governor's visits, permission to examine officers without the presence of the governor, abolition of the monopoly exercised by the Jews of Vignola of supplying merchandise on credit in the marquisate, reduction of interest practised by the Vignola Jews in usury loans; reintroduction of the old laws on imprisonment and tax on imprisonment making the fiscal once again responsible for this to avoid abuse by the podestà and the sheriff, the complete exemption of excise and duties for Pazzano market, with the marquis's replies (November 12 1619, Isola del Liri, 21v.); patente di familiarità and appointment to chief fiscal of Scipione Claro of the terrritory of Avico (January 5 1620, Isola del Liri, 26r.); warrant for appointment as sheriff of Vignola issued to Pietro Belluzzi, (June 28 1620, Isola del Liri, 31r.); petition of the community of Montecorone that persons with a criminal record, who had been investigated by the inquisition or tramps coming from Bologna or other towns, established in the territory for at least ten years who did not give proof of good conduct should be expelled, with the marquis’s replies (February 18 1621, Isola del Liri, 62r.); petition of the community of Monfestino in order not to pay magistrates’ fees and expenses for lawsuits discussed in Vignola, with the governor’s reply (October 28 1620, Monfestino, 69r); warrant for the appointment of Lodovico Carrano[?] of Vignola as general Land Agent of the marquisate (August 12 1620, Isola del Liri, 83r.); petition of the community of Vignola to reduce the number of community councillors from 30 to 21 or 24, with the marquis’s reply (August 27 1621, Isola del Liri, 88r.); petition of the community of Monfestino that after the review made by Anteo Claudi one may proceed with the publication of the translated and emended Statutes, with the marquis’s reply (July 31 1622, Isola del Liri, 121r.); items requested by the communities of Montecorone, Monteombraro and Monteorsello, with the marquis’s replies (March 21 1623, Isola del Liri, 140v.); items requested by the community of Monfestino, with the marquis’s replies (March 12 1623, 142r.).

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35. Marquisate Archives - Registers of petitions, privileges and warrants (1570-1651 - envelope)

Paper, various dimensions, quinternions and loose leaves

Notes
Folder containing numerous quinternions in which are recorded – not always in chronological order – copies of petitions presented by individuals or communities directly to the marquises or governors, with the relevant replies, as well as copies of privileges, exemptions, safe-conducts, warrants and licences; they are mainly requests regarding the sale or exchange of land, the granting or confirmation of leaseholds, the extension or reminder of the payment of debts, disputes and petitions regarding inheritances, leaseholds, chattels and real estate, taxes and dowries, hunting licences, arms permits and licences for the extraction of mineral oil, permits to travel outside the marquisate or reside there, concessions for the use for irrigation purposes of the water of the mill-races and for wood cutting, warrants for commissions as civilian and military officers of the marquisate administration, safe-conducts issued to Jews, appeals against the sentences of marquisate courts, petitions for pardons and dismissing lawsuits, ratification of sentences made by podestà. Such quinternions may presumably be identified with what remains of the numerous “registers of civil and criminal law” listed in the marquisate inventories found in the Vatican’s Secret Archives: the register Gratie di diversi is present in the inventories of 1642, 1651 and 1644, in the latter with the marking n. 25 which appears in red pencil on the cover (“n° 25 A file entitled Gratie di diversi of 1577 marked n° 25”), while the Registro delle suppliche civili spedite da Sua Eccellenza – Register of civil petitions sent to His Excellency – (1635-1638) and the Registro di patente familiarità, licenze d’arme, salvicondotti spedite da Sua Eccellenza – Register of patente di familiarità, arms permits, safe-conducts sent by His Excellency – (1633-1641) are listed in the 1644 inventory at n. 237 (“n° 237 A register of criminal and civil proceedings and book of warrants of officials of 1636 to 1637 marked with the n° 237”). Of particular interest is the register of privileges granted to Jews by the Counts Contrari, and reconfirmed in later periods.

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36. Marquisate Archives - Civil and criminal cases (1587-1801 - envelope)

Paper, various dimensions, quinternions and loose leaves

Notes
This folder is all that remains of the extremely rich documentation of civil and criminal trials that were part of Archives of the marquisate of Vignola. It includes some printed pamphlets (1764-1778) and numerous bundles and quinternions mainly of criminal trials (1587-1801), almost all took place in the presence of the governor the competent judge for the Vignola jurisdiction or associated to the podestà. In one of the marquisate inventories found in the Vatican’s Secret Archives, namely the one of 1644, the Liber querelarum… (1636-1637) is listed at n. 206 (“n° 206 A register of criminal cases of Sogari of 1636 marked n° 206”).

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