Flyleaf inscription in Sacri Minimorum Ordinis S. Francisci de Paula

[EdinFla]

Good day. I bought this book

Some years ago. What is interesting is an inscription on the flyleaf. I was hoping that I might get an idea as to what was written these many years ago. Any help is appreciated. It occurs to me that the sence of this message might not have been apparent to any person for a hundred years or more. Sobering.

 

[Pacifica]

Basically, it's saying that, starting from the 20th June 1605, a certain monastery of the Holy Trinity must be managed and inhabited only by French brothers, for as long as such suitable candidates can be found. For the details, there are a few words that I can't make out. I'll give my transcription below and see if anyone can fill in the gaps — or maybe I'll be able to do so later myself.

De die 20 junii 1605 sub ? conventus sanctissimae trinitatis debet regi et inhabitari per solos fratres gallos quandiu invenientur qui inibi residere et cultui divino insistere voluerint, ita ut de caetero quandiu fratres dicti ? praedictae nationis gallicanae idonei reperientur, ut praemissum est, nullus alius quam eiusdem nationis gallicae in ? eligi seu admitti aut electus ? quoquo modo possit seu praesumatur

 

[EdinFla]

Thank you. Most interesting. I wonder what Monastery they are referring to?

 

[Pacifica]

I think it is the monastery of SS. Trinitá dei Monti that's being discussed here.

 

[EdinFla]

Thank you all for your help.

 

[EdinFla]

Good day. I came back to this little problem using a translation engine with the following results:

De die 20 junii 1605 sub ? conventus sanctissimae trinitatis debet regi et inhabitari per solos fratres gallos quandiu invenientur qui inibi residere et cultui divino insistere voluerint, ita ut de caetero quandiu fratres dicti ? praedictae nationis gallicanae idonei reperientur, ut praemissum est, nullus alius quam eiusdem nationis gallicae in ? eligi seu admitti aut electus ? quoquo modo possit seu praesumatur

ENGLISH

On June 20, 1605, the convent of the Most Holy Trinity must be ruled and inhabited by French brothers alone as long as those who wish to reside there and attend to divine worship are found, so that, for the rest, as long as the said brothers of the aforementioned French nation are found suitable, as has been stated above, no one other than of the same French nation can be elected or admitted or elected in any way or be presumed to be so.

I also examined the date a bit more closely and it seems to me that it is 1515. An imperfections appears to have closed off the the first 5 makig it look like a 6.

 

[Clemens]

Basically, it's saying that, starting from the 20th June 1605, a certain monastery of the Holy Trinity must be managed and inhabited only by French brothers, for as long as such suitable candidates can be found. For the details, there are a few words that I can't make out. I'll give my transcription below and see if anyone can fill in the gaps — or maybe I'll be able to do so later myself.

De die 20 junii 1605 sub ? conventus sanctissimae trinitatis debet regi et inhabitari per solos fratres gallos quandiu invenientur qui inibi residere et cultui divino insistere voluerint, ita ut de caetero quandiu fratres dicti ? praedictae nationis gallicanae idonei reperientur, ut praemissum est, nullus alius quam eiusdem nationis gallicae in ? eligi seu admitti aut electus ? quoquo modo possit seu praesumatur

I'm impressed that you could make out that much of it.

 

[Inak]

I guess the last three ?s are "ordinis", "correctorem" and "confirmari".

 

[Pacifica]

So:

conventus sanctissimae trinitatis debet regi et inhabitari per solos fratres gallos quandiu invenientur qui inibi residere et cultui divino insistere voluerint, ita ut de caetero quandiu fratres dicti ordinis praedictae nationis gallicanae idonei reperientur, ut praemissum est, nullus alius quam eiusdem nationis gallicae in correctorem eligi seu admitti aut electus confirmari quoquo modo possit seu praesumatur

"The monstery of the Most Holy Trinity must be managed and inhabited only by French brothers for as long as such brothers can be found wishing to reside and attend to divine worship there, so that henceforward, as long as suitable brothers from the said order of the aforesaid French nation can be found, as has been stated, no one else than someone from the same French nation should in any way be allowed to be elected or admitted as a corrector* or be confirmed after election."

*Some kind of (co-?)abbot or director of the monastery? Or is it just the name for any brother of this community?

As for the date, it still looks a bit more like 1605 to me but it could be 1505 if there's an imperfection as you say, EdinFla. In any case, it isn't 1515.

 

[Pacifica]

sub ?

I got it. It's sub Paulo 5. That also solves the question of the date. 1605 it is.

 

[Inak]

*Some kind of (co-?)abbot or director of the monastery? Or is it just the name for any brother of this community?

Corrector - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In the regular order of the Minims it was the style of Superiors at the convent level, and the higher level, all elected; at the central level, the title is Corrector General, and at the level of the province, Corrector Provincial.

 

[Clemens]

Since that church wasn't completed until the early 17th century, the dating makes sense. Its seems odd to think of different countries owning land in Rome and building churches that they would then staff with their own nationals. I wonder if that still goes on.

 

[Pacifica]

I don't know about Rome, but I was surprised to learn a few months ago that France still owns a bit of Jerusalem.

 

[Clemens]

I just had a look; apparently it's a few churches that have been recognized as French going back to Ottoman times.

 

[EdinFla]

Excellent!! Thank you.

420 years later he speaks to us.