NRA-L-000037 / 1783
Latin letter from Vienna to Abbot Mauritius Elbel, 1783-12-24
Latin ecclesiastical and court correspondence from Vienna to Mauritius Elbel, Abbot of Osek, dated 24 December 1783. The letter discusses a court billet, an 80,000-florin charitable fund, papal correspondence and measures affecting bishoprics and religious orders.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000037
Transcript and English translation
working scholarly aid
Address Panel
Original transcript
Reverendissimo, ac Amplissimo Domino
Domino Mauritio Elbel, Sacri Ordinis
Cisterciensis, inclytique Regni Bohemiae
Praelato, nec non celeberrimi Monasterii
Ossecensis Abbati dignissimo p. p.
Domino Domino Praesuli, ac Patrono suo
gratiosissimo
(Toeplitz.) Klosterstift Osseck
im Königreich Böhmen.
Address Panel
English translation
To the Most Reverend and Most Amplified Lord
Mauritius Elbel, Prelate of the Sacred Cistercian Order
and of the renowned Kingdom of Bohemia,
and most worthy Abbot of the celebrated Monastery of Osek,
to the Lord Prelate and his most gracious Patron
(Teplice) Monastic foundation Osek
in the Kingdom of Bohemia
Letter Text - Page 1
Original transcript
Reverendissime ac Amplissime Domine
Abbas.
Domine Domine Praesul, ac Patrone gra-
tiosissime!
Communico humillime Reverendissimae Amplitudini vestrae, pro
particulari sua notitia grande Billetum Aulicum illud,
quod sigillatum Augustissimus mox post discessum suum
singulis Aulae suae Dicasteriis immanuari fecit. Ex 8 phyleris
solidis illud in praesentem unam congessi, ne postam perin-
de gravarem, quod ut commodius a Vestra Amplitudine
legi, et quoad suos paragraphos expendi possit, operae pre-
tium esse judicavi, ut Domi ad majorem characterem ac
formam redigatur, ac si placet etiam pro Successorum
notitia ad Archivum reponatur.
Diebus lapsis mandato Augustissimi Tit[ulo] Dominy
Cardinalis Miggazzy 80000 fl illa ad Cassam instituti paupe-
rum Domino Comiti Bouquoi numerare instantanee debu-
it, una cum suo interusurio, quae pro elargienda paupe-
ribus Eleemosina defunctus Cardinalis Kolonitsch suis
Viennae in sede Archi-Episcopali Successoribus, eorumque
Dispositioni liberae per testamentum reliquit.
Letter Text - Page 1
English translation
Most Reverend and Most Amplified Lord Abbot. Lord Lord Prelate, and most gracious Patron! I most humbly communicate to your Most Reverend Amplitude, for your particular notice, that large Court Billet, which the Most August [Emperor], sealed, soon after his departure caused to be handed over to the individual Dicasteries of his Court. From 8 solid leaves I have condensed it into this present one, lest I burden the post accordingly; which, so that it may be more conveniently read by Your Amplitude, and weighed according to its paragraphs, I judged it to be worthwhile that it be reduced at Home into a larger character and format, and if it pleases, also be deposited in the Archive for the notice of Successors. In past days, by the mandate of the Most August, the Titular Lord Cardinal Miggazzy had to instantaneously count out [pay] those 80,000 florins to the Cashbox of the institute of the poor to the Lord Count Bouquoi, together with its interest, which the deceased Cardinal Kolonitsch left by testament to his Successors in the Archiepiscopal see of Vienna, and to their free Disposition, for distributing Alms to the poor.
Letter Text - Page 2
Original transcript
Diebus aliquot ante discessum Augustissimi imma-
nuavit hujas Dominus Nuntius suæ Maãtti litteras Summi
Pontificis, in quibus preces, monita, et cohortationes variæ
continebantur, quibus ulteriores divisiones Episcopatuum
Sequestrationes bonorum temporalium, Cassationes leligio-
sorum Ordinum us; impedire nittebatur. Has in Spiri-
tu prævidens Augustissimus, non statim litteras aperuit,
sed pro die sequente Dominum Nuntium ad se constituit,
Die statuta præsenti hæc formalia reposuit Sua Mttãs:
Aliquis Romæ præsumsit immanuatam mihi heri
epistolam sub- et obreptitie nomine Summi Pontificis
mihi inscribere. Hic eandem extrado originaliter
immediate ad manus Suæ Sanctitatis remittendam,
ut in auctorem inquirere valeat, non enim mihi
persvadeo, quod stante mutua et tam arcta nostra
amicitia hanc mihi epistolam Summus Pontifex
scribere potuerit. Commendo me porro sublimibus
Amplissimis gratiis, qui in respectu ac osculo sacræ
manus Præsularis cæteroquin morior
Reverendissimæ Amplitudinis Vestræ.
P. S. In communicatione Billeti caute obsecro Reverendissima
Amplitudo vestra procedere dignetur, cum vix privatorum aliquis
illud habeat.
Viennæ die 24 Decemb Subditissimus famulus
1783
Notes
Abbreviations, ligatures and non-standard Latin forms are retained as written.
Letter Text - Page 2
English translation
A few days before the departure of the Most August, the Lord Nuncio of this place handed over to his Majesty the letters of the Supreme Pontiff, in which various prayers, warnings, and exhortations were contained, by which he strove to completely impede further divisions of Bishoprics, Sequestrations of temporal goods, [and] Cassations of religious Orders. Foreseeing these in Spirit, the Most August did not immediately open the letters, but appointed the Lord Nuncio to himself for the following day. On the appointed day, His Majesty replied to him present with these formal words: "Someone in Rome presumed to inscribe to me, subreptitiously and obreptitiously under the name of the Supreme Pontiff, the letter handed to me yesterday. Here I hand the same over in the original to be remitted immediately to the hands of His Holiness, so that he may be able to inquire into the author, for I do not persuade myself that, given our mutual and so close friendship, the Supreme Pontiff could have written this letter to me." I commend myself further to your sublime Most Amplified graces, who in respect and with a kiss of the sacred Prelatial hand otherwise die Your Most Reverend Amplitude's P. S. In the communication of the Billet, I beseech that your Most Reverend Amplitude deign to proceed cautiously, since scarcely anyone of private persons has it. Vienna, day 24 of December Most subject servant 1783
Notes
Several court and ecclesiastical titles are translated closely to preserve the document's formal register.
Discovery Terms
- Historical correspondence
- Latin correspondence
- Cistercian Order
- Joseph II
- Papal correspondence
- Ecclesiastical reform
- Religious orders
- Charitable funds
- Vienna
- Osek
- Latin language