Report on subjects from the papal states enslaved in Barbary, [Rome]
Algiers
Ransom
Slaves (Christian)
Tunis
The letter begins with a list of 19 subjects from the papal states, that are slaves in Algiers. Because nobody is trying to free them, there are many subjects of the pope still in slavery in Tunis. They do not profit from the services of the orders of redemption. This could be solved easily by writing to the bishops of the four provinces of the papal states. They should ask them to elect the most capable persons to collect alms, that can contribute in the freeing of the subjects.
Additional comments
[PF]
APF SC Barbaria 1, 64r, 65r-v
no date
[Adressed to the pope]
unsigned
Italian
Report
875
Origin: [Rome]
Report on the controversy around the Trinitarians in Barbary, [Rome]
Algiers
Trinitarians
Tunis
The Trinitarian procurator states that his order always has mantained hospitals in Algiers, founded at their own expense. From the Holy See they received privileges to find churches and administer the sacraments. They had been doing this for 16 years, when Gio Levacher [Jean Le Vacher] the vicar apostolic, wanted to change the title of the Church of the Holy Trinity to S. Louis; he also wanted to change the name of S. John of Malta to S. Roch. Because the priests protested against this, Le Vacher decided to remove the cross that was painted on the main altar, and the arms of the king of Spain on the door outside. Moreover, he also wanted to take the Holy sacrament from the churches. They ask PF not to harass the Trinitarian priests, and not to change their privileges because of the following problems: a) the hospitals are in the bagnos whose doors close at midnight, and it might be that during the night one of the patients needs the viaticum; b) the slaves want to confess and receive the eucharist, before going to the houses of their masters; c) there are 10,000 slaves, and in the chapel of the vicar there is only room for 12 people; d) during the day when the vicar is not at home the viaticum might be needed; and e) there could occur an incident with the sacrament, when bringing it from the house of the vicar, to the hospital. The Trinitarian Fathers base their priviliges on a breve from Clemens VIII of 31 August 1596, of Paul V of 8 February 1608 and on a confirmation of Pope [Innocens XII] of 27 June 1693. The first two popes gave the priests faculties for ten years. From Paul V onwards however they are without an extention, and not contain the privilege for celebrating mass twice a day. The breve of the pope gives the priests some faculties, but limits them by stating that they may not be contrary to the Holy canonics, and to the decrees of the council of Trento; according to the council, they should be submitted to the jurisdiction of the vicar apostolic. Moreover, when Clemens VIII and Paul V granted the faculties, they added a clause that shows that they did not want to undermine the ordinary authority. PF secretary adds that on 9 September 1652 they decided that Gio' Leuacher [Jean Le Vacher] could submit everyone (priests or captives) to his authority, with the faculty to punish them if necessary, in order to remove the abuses from the city of Tunis. [Philippe Le Vacher] then on 28 June 1660 reported the scandals commited by many priests (both slaves and free), pretending not to be submitted to his authority. That is why the vicar in Algiers, got the same faculties as those in Tunis. This was not yet enough to settle the conflict against the Trinitarians. On 28 February 1673 it was necessary to forbid the priests for some time (in particular one of the administrators Bartolomeo Da Serrano), to use the sacraments without the license of the vicar. Eventually Bartolomeo was recalled from Algiers. On 11 September 1679 the Trinitarians complained that first of all, the vicar apostolic [Jean Le Vacher] took their coat of arms from the hospital. Secondly, he forbade them to keep the Holy sacrament and thirdly, he forced them to accept heretic patients in the hospitals. For the first it was decided that the vicar should not do this again. For the third it was decided that the heretic patients should be kept apart from the Catholics. For the second PF wanted to know why the vicar decided to forbid this. PF forbade the Trinitarians, administrators, or any other priests of this order, to stay or exercise jurisdiction in that city without the permission of the vicar apostolic. On 3 February 1688 it was written to the Trinitarian superiors and the nuncio to Spain, that whilst the vicar had suspended some priests, the Father Antonio d'Espinosa (administrator of the hospital), had given the Trinitarians permission to celebrate mass in his chapel, and administer the sacraments. One of the priests was questioned about this, and said that he was free and not dependent on anyone. He said that the priests had their own privileges and could do whatever they wanted. The new vicar apostolic, D. Lorenzo, reported the same complaints against the Trinitariansto PF. The order however kept persisting in their independency from the vicar. The vicar consequently asked for a decree, ordering that the Trinitarians would be subjected to his authority despite their privileges. On 11 May [1644?] it was decided to renew this decree. After this, the Trinitarians sent letters to PF complaining about the new decree.
Additional comments
The document says that Jean Le Vacher brought the scandals to PF on 28 June 1660. There is no such document of his to be found. There is however (on this date), a discussion of complaints by Philippe Le Vacher (Jean's brother) see: APF ACTA 29, 157r, 162v-163r, issue 8 (database item 476).
[PF]
APF SC Barbaria 1, 54r-58v
no date
unsigned
Italian
Latin
Report
874
Origin: [Rome]
Report from the mission of Scotland, [1668-1672]
Franciscans
Scotland
Scottish colleges
Report from the Scottish mission. Ibernese Scottish are referenced as the inhabitants of the Scottish mountains. All the natives of this area (and those adjacent), cannot be called either Catholic or Protestant. However within their minds they reject these heresies, that they are forced to listen to by the heretic priest. They are (in matters of the faith), ignorant, due to the lack of priests to instruct them. When a priest arrives on the islands, they call him 'crowned,' respecting and loving him way more than they would do with a Protestant priest. They still respect the old Catholic customs, and they baptize their children themselves when the Protestant ministers refuse to. There are no heretics among them, and they do not collaborate in the destruction of churches and altars. These island are without churches, as well as priests. To provide them with spiritual assistance, it has been proposed to give the title of prefect of the mission to the new archbishop of Armagh. The archbishop himself has shown to be in favor. He is willing to go there himself, in order to inform PF about the state of the mission in these lands. It will be important to raise the youth according to the Holy orders, therefore it will be necessary to instruct the rectors of the Scottish Colleges to admit a number of competent students from here. From the report by Winster (once the prefect of the mission), one comes to understand the following issues: a) next to the Atlantic Ocean [Mare Deucaledonio], there are the Hebrides, to the north there are the Orkney islands, and the Shetlands islands are closer to Norway. The biggest of these islands takes more than a days travel from the coast; b) the part in the North, is called the Highlands [Hijlans]. The cities are very far away from each other, and during the winter it is impossible to travel; c) the lands in the mountains are not very productive during the five or six months of winter. The sea areas however, have a great abundance of fish; d) the most northern parts have very little trade with the rest of the country. Therefore, the missionaries have to bring their own wine and bread; e) there is no way to send or receive letters except through the capital; f) their language is Gaelic [Hibernese], therefore only people from that area are able to conduct the mission; g) originally there were bishoprics in Dunblane [Dumblanen'], Dunkeld [Dunchelden'], [Rossen'?], [Catanesien'], [Argatelien'], and the Orkney island [Orcaden'] also known as island churches; h) in the country of Glengarry, under the Count MacDonal, the Catholics are safe. They are also safe in the mountain areas under Euntlei [George Gordon, marquis of Huntely]; i) the most important Catholic is the Count of MacDonald. Thanks to his zeal the Catholic faith has been able to spread in this part of the country, and the same goes for Huntely. Officially Catholicism is forbidden, but the mountains and islands are so far out the centre, that one is able to practice; j) the missionaries are two franciscan priests, one named Marco [Mark MacDonnell] and the other Francesco Magdonalli [Francis MacDonnell], one secular priest Francesco Bianchi [Francis White], and a school master in Glengarry, called Eugenio Macalastrio [Eugene Macalister]. They often visit the mountain areas and the islands; k) it is hard to convince the parents to let their children study abroad; l) the school master is able to stay in Glengarry because they are protected by Lord MacDonnald. It would be hard to find another master, and Macalister is only able to survive there because he receives support from MacDonnald. There used to be a Irish missinary Duigen [Duiguin] but he recently retired; and m) there are more missinaries needed. Francis White offered to find some with the help of his brother, the vicar apostolic of Limerick. They should be paid 20 or 25 scudi. Only the natives are able to travel between the villages in winter, therefore one should recruit the missionaries from among them. Even the Irish missionaries tend to leave, and because the ground is not very fertile, there is not a great abundance of bread. It is hard for foreigners to adjust to this lifestyle, but the natives are used to it. In the mountains it is easier to practice the Catholic faith, and one can easily flee in the face of persecution. Nonetheless, many missionaries have decided to leave the country all together. The secular missionaries work very hard to aid the Catholics, but the secular ones often stay in their houses.
The reason why it is so difficult to find youths to send to the Colleges overseas is not because there is no-one suitable, but because the missionaries have difficulties making friends among the population of the mountain areas, who do not like those from the lowlands. As the missionaries visit most places only twice every seven years, they are very unlikely to convince the parents to allow them to travel. Its suggested that the natives of the mountain areas should be won over through gentleness, and not by force.
Additional comments
The report was probably written between 1668 and 1672, as it mentions that Winster had been prefect; he was prefect before 1668 and again after 1672.
[PF]
APF SOCG 421, 177r-184r, 185v
[1668-1672]
original
Italian
Report
911
Origin: [Rome]
Respons to a serie of doubts, [1674]
Conversion
Non-Catholic Christians
Scotland
Scottish colleges
Response to a series of doubts; a) a missionary can legally conclude a marriage when there is either a risk of persecution, or whether it is needed to evade a scandal; b) the matrimony will only be valid when they first appear before a priest and two other people, before being married by a heretic priest. The marriage concluded in front of the heretic priest is not sacramental, but is merely a civic procedure; c) the Catholic priest involved should not give the spouses a testimonial letter, as he may risk gis life by doing so. This is also not necessary for the validity of the marriage; d) in a marriage in which the spouses received apostolic dispensation, the children are consequently legal; e) heretics who convert are probably irregular, and this is also ackowledged by law for their children as well. It is necessary therefore to let the missionaries give faculties; f) The congregations should add their own opinion on the matter; g) a marriage of two Catholics concluded by a heretic priest is probably valid, as decided by the council of Trent. They do have to conclude the marriage before a Catholic priest as well, but when this is not possible, it is not obligatory; h) if there is a real imminent danger, and if they are sure that the Catholics use the right procedure and requisites, it is not sin to allow children to be baptized by heretic priests, as everyone is allowed to babtize; i) Catholic priests can, and should baptize children born from fornication or adultry. Otherwise there will be the danger that the child will die before adulthood. It will also only bring advantage to the heretics; j) the parents of children who are forced to go to the schools of the heretics, are not able to do something about this, because because that would result in the persecution of the children; k) it could be a sin for those who are (according to the Jus Patronato) allowed to select people for benefices, and elect a heretic; l) those who once kept the fabrics of the priests should replace them, in case the country becomes Catholic again; m) there have previously been questions about whether Catholics can buy goods that once belonged to the church. PF allowed this with the condition that the goods were restituted to the church; and n) the catholics do not sin by paying the tenth or other taxes, because they have no way to be exempted from them. If they would see a way to be exempted from paying these taxes, it would be the right thing to do.
Additional comments
This document consists of different parts, one of them is a series of doubts. Within this CP, there is a second copy of this list, practically identical to the first one, found on f. 233r-234v. While this one is part of a bigger document the other one has a title: "Dubij Venuti da un Regno infetto d’Heresia, che ui domina" (f. 223r). Besides differences in abbreviations and spelling, there are other varieties as well: this one says: "se sia permesso à i missionarij" (f. 195r), while the other one has "se sia p’messo a missionarij," (f. 233r). This one reads: "Se gl’Eretici, che in Scotia per l’eresia/ non sono infami," (f. 195r), the other one "Se li Heretici, che nel regno, del quale si par/ la p’ l’Heresia non sono infami," (f. 233v-234r). This one has "ne Collegij Scozzesi oltrama/rini" (f. 233v), where the other one has "ne Collegij nationali," (f. 233v). This one says "la S. Sede {non} sia con/sapeuole di questo. Si domanda," (f. 195v), where the other one says "la S. Sede Ap’ca non sia consapeuole di/ questo, onde si domanda," (f. 233v). This one says "e quando ne habbiano bisogno, si/ supplica per essa a fauore degl’Alunni del/ Collegio di Parigi, e delli sacerdoti già pro/mossi senta dispensa tale à gl’ordini sacri," (f. 196r) while it is missing in the other one. In this one there is written: "raccon/tando gl’Istorici Inglesi, che il Consilio di/ Trento fù riceuuto dalli Vescoui Catt’ci in un/ Sinodo tenuto in Edimburgo," (f. 196r), while in the other one there is: "raccon/tando gl’Historici del Regno, del quale si/ parla, che il Concilio di Trenot fù riceuuto/ dalli Vescoui Catt’ci di poi scacciati," (f. 233v). This one has "Se li Catt’ci in Scotia pecchino con permet/tere che li loro figlioli siano battezzati/ dagl’Eretici, acciò che essi non siano mo/lestati da i Predicanti," (f. 196r), while in the other one there is "Se i Cattolici nel regno sud’o infetto tutto d’/Heresia, che ui domina, pecchino con p’mettere/ che i loro figloli siano battezzati dalli Heretici/ accioche essi non siano molestati da/ Predicanti, e magistrati eretici," (f. 233v). This one reads: "Se i Catt’ci di Scotia, li quali non possono," (f. 196v), where in the other one its: "Se i Catt’ci del regno, del quale si parla, li/ quali non possono," (f. 234r). This one has "Se quelli, che hanno il jus patronato di nomi/nare à Benefitij," (f. 196v), the other one "Se quelli che hanno al antiquo in tempo de/ Catt’ci il Jus Patronato di nominare a/ Benefitij," (f. 234v).
[PF]
APF CP 23, 232r-v
[1674]
These 14 doubts have earlier been adressed in the CP in a report on the mission in Scotland, see: APF CP 23, 176r-196v (database item 809).
original; unsigned
Latin
Italian
Notes
813
Origin:[Rome]