Item 109: Bookplate, Libri Di Carlo Rossetti, no date

Item — Box: 20, Folder: 109

Staff Only

Bookplate, Libri Di Carlo Rossetti, no date

Dates

Created: no date

Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities

Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Bookplate

Measurements:

4 ½ in. x 3 in.

Condition Note:

Good, no issues, the image is a little faded though.

Title:

Libri Di Carlo Rossetti

Description:

A bookplate featuring a man looking at Earth. Bookplate collector and Cardinal Carlo Rossetti was born in 1614 in Italy. He was a Cardinal and was part of the Rossetti Family in Fererra. When he first became a Cardinal, he went to London undercover as a nuncio for Pope Urban VII. When he was in London, he went by Lord Charles Rossetti and Prince Rossetti, using his title as Italian nobility for his cover rather than as a representative of the Roman Catholic Church to avoid persecution. He was baptized in the Cathedral of S. Giorgio Martire on March 26, 1914. He was named Canon of the Cathedral of Fererra and was granted a papal dispensation because he was below the minimum age.” He traveled to Rome when he was younger and participated in a public dispute (i.e. took his Baccalaureate) studying philosophy and theology, being watched over by Cardinal Francesco Barbeini who was the nephew of Pope Urban VIII. He earned a law degree from the University of Bologna. Pope Urban VIII had heard good things about Rossetti, leading to his confirmation as a “prelate and referendary of the Two Signatures (Grace and Justice). This allowed Rosetti to start his law career before the Roman courts. He worked for Pope Urban VIII and the Barberini family, mainly with the nephews Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini. He died on November 23, 1681. Barberini liked his resilience, intelligence and had him go to Germany and England as nuncio. While he was in England, he was there to be the next nuncio after “papal Agent George Con, who became really sick. He also gave money to the Irish Catholics who were in a battle with the English Parliament after he came to England in August 1639. Historian John Bargrave quoted in Pope Alexander and the Seventh College of Cardinals “There arrived, at London to reside at the court as a gentleman traveler, sent by Cardinal Barberini, but effectively, he was the pope’s nuncio, by name Charles Rossetti, an earl by birth who had taken it upon him, the church habit of a prelate; who was of great spirit, active and prudent, able to undertake business of the greatest difficulty. He was valorous of heart, had learned a tongue, was quick in parts; in brief, he was such and one that his fellow could not be found in all the Court of Rome.” Rossetti was taking a huge risk because of the fight that the church and England were in at the time. Most Italian authors at the time didn’t reveal who he really was because they believed his life was at risk. He managed to do well while he was in England, and even got a few members of the English Court to kick some Roman Catholic Priests out of England instead of killing them. “When contemporary detractors suggested King Charles I of England and his Archbishop William Laud were papists, Rossetti bravely took the opportunity to suggest that the King convert to Catholicism, seeing as though he was being accused of as much anyway.” Queen Henrietta Maria wanted to take advantage of Rossetti being on the court, after developing a friendship with him, and wanted the uncle of the Barberini family, Pope Urban VII wanting 100,000 pounds to fix the coffers in England. The pope replied by saying he was “very ready to supply the king as soon as he ever should to declare himself a catholic. When the bill of attainder was passed and Archbishop William Laud was sentenced to death, some suggested that he would have been better off had he converted to Catholicism and escaped to Rome (as Rossetti urged) rather than staying to fight for Rome for which he was executed. At the outbreak of the first Bishops War, Rossetti’s life was threatened.” Queen Henrietta Maria offered him refuge at St. James” Palace. He was ordered to appear at the House of Commons in England, but chose to run away instead in June 1641. On July 13, 1643 Pope Urban VIII made him a cardinal. In September 1643, he was made “Legatus a latere and went to Cologne to be an ambassador, but he gave up the position the next year because the Pope was very sick. He left Germany the next year, but couldn’t make it back in time to say goodbye to the Pope. The Pope died on July 29, 1644. Rossetti died on November 23, 1681.