Italian cardinal (1687-1758). Document signed ("C. Argenvilliers Aud."). Rome. Folio (ca. 183 x 320 mm). 1 p. With papered seal.
$ 235 / 220 €
(87216/BN57667)
Curial communiqué, signed and sealed by legal advisor to Pope Benedict XII, Cardinal Clemente Argenvilliers. - Argenvilliers was born in Rome as the son of a modest family with French heritage. Despite his humble beginnings, he trained in law and after having earned his name in the Roman courts, he was named a consistorial lawyer (advocatus concistorialis, avvocato concistoriale) under Pope Clement XII (cf. Cardella IX, 49). Argenvilliers was later promoted to the post of ecclesiastical auditor (uditore), becoming a legal representative of Pope Benedict XII.
He was later made cardinal during Benedict's papacy (cf. Ritzler/Sefrin VI, s.n.). - The document begins with an authoritative announcement of Argenvilliers' position: "Clemens Argenvilliers Sanctissimi domini nostri Papae auditor, ab eodem sanctissimo specialiter electus et deputatus", ("Clemente Argenvilliers, auditor of our most holy master, the Pope, specially chosen and appointed by the same most holy one"). After this resounding statement of the capacity in which he writes, Argenvilliers switches to the legal theme of the document and its admonishing tone: "Universi et singuli hoc prius publicum decreti instrumentum visuri, lecturi, legique pariter audituri noverint, qualiter unus ex Cursoribus retulit in scriptis se die secunda Augusti 1746" ("Each and every person about to see, read, or equally be read or hear in advance this public document of the decree should know about it, just as one of the Cursors recorded about himself in writing on the 2nd August 1746"). The document goes on to name poet Giovanni Battista Forlini, active in Rome in the first half of the 18th century. - Co-signed by a notary Paparozzi. A papered seal is affixed to the foot of the page with wax. The paper and seal exhibit moderate browning. One tear (top right-hand edge) and four minor holes, not affecting legibility, reveal the folded form of the document as it was sent. One later, pencil addition repeats the year of the letter..