(Consalvi, Ercole Cardinal) (1757 – 1824)
Ercole Consalvi twice served as Papal Secretary of State during a particularly turbulent time in the history of the Catholic Church.
DS – This is a two page manuscript in a secretarial hand, signed by Father Michele Cottarelli and Francesco Antonio…deputy minister of Castel Madama (a comune – municipality) in the Province of Rome in the region of Lazio, about 19 miles east of Rome. The back panel indicates that it was sent to Cardinal Ercole Consalvi as Secretary of State. Reads: “”The population of Castel Madama nel Lazio and it’s deputies present to the cardinal that there are over one hundred families in the need of alimentation. Many residents, according to what the Cardinal had written on Feb. 25, are obliged to give 2,000 Scudi in order to meet these need in the “Agro Romano” (Roman countryside, i.e. the rural area around Rome.)
“”Among those possessors, the Lord Marquis Pallavicini, who has nobody to present him, being absent, cannot meet the obligation, neither can Lady Marquess Ricci who does not meet the legal requirements, and must refer to Lord Marquis de Vecchis, who is in another state. Thus lady Marquess de Vecchis will act of his behalf.
“”The deputies and the impovershed, with tears in their eyes, ask for a provision to be made quickly.””
(signed) Michele Cottarelli, priest
and Francesco Antonio Pieralice (?), deputy