This document was signed, Cardinal del Monte in 1541. It was written to Cosimo DeMedici and concerns the monthly payment of a pension due to the Cardinal.

We are grateful to John Adams, Ph. D, for his generosity in the translation of this document.

The date is 1541.

Professor Adams:

There’s one capital letter and an abbreviation I just can’t work out, which is critical. But the gist of the document is clear. The Cardinal needs help in getting his pension. He turns (of course) to the Medici Bank, and to Duke Cosimo I of Florence for help. Cosimo is making the payments for Emperor Charles V (with whom he is on friendly terms). Del Monte is embarrassed to have to ask for the favor every month, and hopes that the Duke can issue an instruction to his people to pay him every first of the month without him having to go to the trouble of petitioning the Duke.

There is another matter, which Cavaliere Pellegrini knows all about, but del Monte is being discreet about it.

1 Illustrissimo et Reverendissimo Sig(nore) mio Cos()mo (Cosimo I of Florence, 1537-1569),

2 Il Sig(nore) Cavalier(e) Pellegrini m’ ha detto quanto V(ostra) S(ignore) Illustrissima et Reverendissima

3 gl’ ha promesso di far circa alla mia pension(e) di Spagna, di

4 che la ringratio sommamente, et la suplico di nuovo a non mancar

5 et per fuggir il fastidio di far’ ogni volta il mandato ella

6 potra ordinar a quelli che la pagano, che ogni principio di

7 mese la paghino al detto Cav(alier)e il qual fara loro le ricente, et

8 saranno dati benissimo. Dell’ altra cosa poi del mio guardaroba,

9 il medesimo Cavaliere sapera dir’ a punto com’ ella sta, et quan-

10 t’ e passato sin hora con il .______(?). et credo ch’ ella guidichera

11 che questo mio ser(vizia?) merita d’ esser avitato, come ne la prego

12 strettiss(imen)te et insieme le bacio con ogni reveren(cia) le mani. Di .inoli (?)

13 il di viii di febraio del 1541.

14 Di V(ostra) S(ignore) Ill(ustrissi)ma et R(everendissi)ma

15 Humiliss(im)o et Obbligatiss(i)mo

16 S(ervit)ore J(oannes) Car(dinale) d(el) Monti

1   To my Most Illustrious and Reverend Lord Cosimo,

2   Cavaliere Pellegrini has given me what your Most Illustrious and Reverend Sir

3   has promised to give with regard to my Spanish pension, for

4   which the greatest thanks. and a request anew to not forget it

5   and to avoid the necessity of having to ask each time for the requisition

6   he will be able to give to those who pay it, who every first of the

7   month pay it to the aforementioned Cavaliere and who gives them their receipt.

8   and they will be given happily.  Of the other thing from my closet,

9   the same Cavaliere will know to say exactly how it stands, and how

10  much has passed ____ ______ ___ _______, and I believe that _________ _____________

11  which this service of mine merits being  ________, which I request you for it

12  most energetically, and at the same time I kiss your hands in all reverence.  From _inoli

13  the 8th day of February of 1541.

14  Your Most Illustrious and Reverend Lordship’s

15 most humble and obligated

16 servant, Giovanni Cardinal del Monte.

The date is undoubtedly 1541. There is a number bar above the date, just as there is above the month and day. The day is in Roman numerals, and has dots above each “one”.

The date has no dots. It is in arabic numerals. The first two have to be “one” and “five”.

The last is undoubtedly “one”. The third is an open “four”, with the downstroke hurriedly short. The third number cannot be a “three”, since del Monte was a cardinal from December 22, 1536 until his election as Pope in 1550. The number might be misread as “vi” in Roman numerals, but del Monte was a cardinal from December 22, 1536 until his election as Pope in 1550.

Thus, February 8, 1536, is out of the question.

John Adams

Cardinal del Monte was elected Pope, taking the name Julius III, in 1550, and he reigned for five years.