The anecdotal life of some priests in the Corsica Cap,
in the second half of the XVIème century
(first party)

One of the most important funds of archives transferred to the last autumn from the Departmental Archives of South Corsica to those of High-Corsica is without contests the one dedicated to bishoprics. It regroups the relative documents to the administration of Mariana, Nebbio and Aleria dioceses on a period going from the XVIème to the XVIIIème century.
An internal ordering to each of these bishoprics permits to consult various pieces of interests there as pastoral visits, ecclesiastical ordinations (regular and secular clergy), dispensations for inbreedings, status of confraternity, pious bequest....
We us will interest here to the "civil procedures" and the "criminal procedures". The first assemble various relative documents to litigations and, more extensively, to relations between the church and the civil world. The approached topics are especially variés(1): if a very distinct majority of pieces concerns the perception of tithes and the cutoff of pievi, one finds questions pell-mell concerning to burials and funeral uses, to works in churches, to the working of confraternities, to the different opposing communities to the clergy...
The "criminal procedures" are linked more directly to excesses of the religious personnel and his regimentation. One finds acts having feature to "crimes" of the civil world nevertheless, of which a relative big number to the cohabitation.
The whole, although extremely " mess " (2), provides a heap of information on very numerous topics. We chose not to keep here that the one concerning the reform of the secular clergy, to the solution of the Trente Council. The topic was already extensively treated and it would not know how to be question to stay late itself here on elements often developed brilliantly in so many general and local history works. We will only have ourselves interested besides near to the personality of some priests of the second half of the XVIème century, through some supplementary examples of these religious that were paradoxically at a time objects and applicators of reforms of a Council exactly finished.

Prete Andrea da Novella

It is an anecdote coming from the " Chronicle of Corsica " of Anton Pietro Filippini(3) that puts in scene for the first time this high personage in color. At the time of a series narrating the attack in 1560 of Centuri and Morsiglia villages by the renegade Mammi Float, the famous Corsican columnist reports indeed: " Mammi, the renegade of Pino (of which I spoke), after having taken to Ortinola, the tower where was Zaccagnino, can not monopolize of the other, made, in his anger, to burn about twenty houses in these places, only saving the one of a priest named Andrea of Novella, which had the enjoyment of the profit of this parish, because before running away, he had let in his house an abundantly served table, what saved it".
What situates the individual summarily. Andrea was effectively titular of profits of Morsiglia, Ersa and Centuri villages since at least this year 1560 and until the month of June 1585 where a document attests it again at fonction(4). His death be intervene between this last date and January 1588 where the new vicar of Centuri is the " Reverendo Prête Tomaso " (5). Andrea didn't go against in fact that Centuri. He resided there and rented the other cures to various religious. These long past years to the same job probably reveal the interest of the place although a very serious deal opposed him to the ecclesiastical justice in 1574.
Accusations are multiple. One reproach to him first of all to have, January 13, removed and sequestrated to the presbytery of Centuri a married woman of the Ortinola hamlet during two nights and one day. Some days later the so-called Donna Cinercha was murdered, the Prete Andrea house pillaged and this last attacked by an armed gang that pulled him several strokes of arquebus. One also accuses him of exercising usury and to trade with infidels.
The preliminary investigation is confided to the vicar of Rogliano, Priest Valentino Renuccic(6), that goes to Centuri the first February to interrogate the témoins(7). The different reports are accablants(8) but coincide to confirm accusations (of which the one of the guilty relation) with some nuances however importantes(9).

We extracted some pieces of these testimonies:
- Giovan Francésco of Camera: saw Cinercha to his return of the rectory. This last confided him: " Prete Andrea put me the hand to the neck and took me (by strength) at home" (" Prete Andrea mi mise le mane in gola e mi porto in casa sua "). he accuses the priest to be responsible of his death.
- donna Firidonia of Camera: " this priest could not have gotten favors of Cinercha if this is not by vice or by magic " (detto Prete non posse avere dita Cinercha salvo per falorio o sia erre macicha ").
- Francesco Fichone: " the priest has relations with Cinercha since three years " (" delta Cinercha delta Prete l'abia tenuta gia ani tre").
- Michelorso of Camera: " one saw him several times, during the night, to the door of Cinercha with which he had, a long relation since more than two years ".
- donna Altarice of Ortinola: goes to Camera and asked was where Cinercha; parents of this last, who, searched it since some days, answered him: " we think that Prete Andria fled with her because us know that they have a relation since three years ". (" li giorni passati li parenti di dita Cinercha la circhavano ed essa testimonia ando a la chamara a dimanda uve fussi dira Cinercha e li sui parenti e parente diseno noi pensemo chi Prete Andria sia fogito cou esa per chi noi sapemo la tenuta gia ani tre").
- donna Biancafiora of Camera: confide that Prete Andrea asked him his honor during a confession, as well as to other women of the village.
-Antan Marco of Orche: knows that he dishonored a girl of the Orche hamlet
- Santio of Orche: declare not to know that pulled strokes of arquebus on the priest but one says in the village that it is parents of Cinercha. He confesses that Prete Andria dishonored his proper daughter ("dice non saper chi a tirato l'erchibogiate a detto Prete Andria salvo per guanto si parla vogliano dire che siano stati li parenti di delta Cinercha (..). Detto Prete ne tolze l 'onore di la sua figlia magiore ").
- Pierantonio of Camera: heard to tell Giurmino of Morsiglia village and Grigolo of Camera village that Prete Andrea lent money to interest.
- Salvadore of Merlacce: knows that Prete Andrea negotiated regularly with infidels when their boats arrived ("sa chi detto Prete Andria di molle volte negoziava cou infideli cioe guando si capitava juste ).
- Simone of Casevecchie: doesn't know indeed if acquisitions of slaves achieved by Prete Andrea have been done for the good of prisoners or for the same interests of the religious (" dello riscattare li schiavi non sa se lo facessi per beneficio di guelli che riscattava o del suo ").


One of the last informers was the vicar of Rogliano in person, Prete Valentino Renucci, that confirms accusations while insisting on the numerous guilty relations maintained by the accused with the feminine sex, assorted relations of illegitimate children.

- Imprisoned in the citadel to the mi-February, Prete Andrea was submitted to a long cross-examination March 15. We give a English translation of it below :

 

- Since when are you to Bastia?	- Quanto tempo che è alla Bastia ?
- About one month (10).	- Circa un mese.
- Did you come which way?	- (?) loco venne (?) alla Bastia ?
- By the monastery of the Capucinses and the path of Canari(11).	- Dal monasterio di Capucini et fece la strada di Canari.
- Where were you in January?	- Del mese di gennaio dove fu ?
- I remained to Centuri except at the time of a displacement to Bastia.	- Stele sempre a Cenluri eccetto vienne alla Bastia.
- Were you to Centuri January 8?	- Se alli otto di gennaio era a Centuri ?
- I don't remember well.	- Io non me ne ricordo bene.
- And the 12 ?	- Se alli dodeci era a Centuri ?
- The 12 or the 13 I was to Centuri from what I remember	- Alli dodeci o sia tredeci era a Centuri per quello mi racordo.
- And the 13 or 14 ?	- Se alli tredeci o quatordeci era a Centuri ?
- The 13 or 14, I was to Centuri and I went to the hunt and to Ersa (12)	- Alli 13 o 14 era a Centuri e andava quando a caccia et quando ad Arsia.
- With whom?	- hi conpagnia di cui ?
- With no one.	- Con nesuno.
- Did someone be able to see you?	- Se alcuno Io videa ?
- Those that worked grapevines could have perceived	- Mi poteano vedere quelli che faciano le vigne.
- When you went to hunt, you returned to sleep home in the evening?	- Se guando andava a caccia tornava la sera a dormire in casa ?
- Yes, every evening.	- Signor si, ogni sera.
- During the month of January, have you slept once out of the house?	- Se in tutto il mese di gennaio dormi una sera fora di casa ?
- When I was in travel, I could not have slept that outside of the house.	- Quando era non dormissi fora di casa. fora di casa per viagio non potra farche
- Do you know Cinercha?	- Se connosce donna Cinercha ?
- Yes.	- Signor si.
- Consider it you for a honest woman?	- Se l 'ha per donna da bene ?
- I consider it as she is.	- Io la lasso cosi è.
- Why Cinercha of Simonpietro has she been ill?	- Perche è stata amalata guella Cinercha di Sintonpietro ?
- It is not about her (13) .	- Signor non è guella.
- Who is the one that died?	- Quale è quella che morta ?
- Cinercha wife d'Agostino.	- Cinercha moglie di Agostino
- Why does one say that she has been killed?	- Perche si dice che sia stata amazata ?
- I don't know but the husband had taken him to conclude a treaty of peace and wanted not it him maybe . (14)	- Io non Io so perche il marito l'havea presa per pace. et forse non la volea.
- Know yourselves what says commonly on the reason of his murder?	- Se sa quello si dice communemente perche sia stata amazata ?
- I am not able to the knowledge, if it is only one says that the husband killed her (for the reason above so-called).	- Io non Io posso sapere slavo si dice l'havia amazata havendola presa per pace e non la volea.
- Know yourselves that one pretends that she has been killed by your fault?	- Se sa che dica perche è stata amazata per conto suo ?
- I don't know anything of it.	- Io non ne so nulla.
- Think you that a public rumor must be taken seriously?	- Se quando una cosa è publica voce et fama se si presume che sia vero o non la cosa ?
- (Not answer)
- During how many years have had you of relations with this Cinercha? (15) ?	- Quanti anni ha tenuto questa Cinercha ?
- I didn't have any relations with this Cinercha nor during of years, nor during one day nor during one night.	- Non l'ho tenuto anni ne giorno se notte ne di.
- How many times have had you of relations carnal with her?	- Quante volte ha hauto a far seco ?
- No	- Nessuna.
- Did you have relations with other women?	- Se ha hauto a far con altre ?
- I never had any relations with women if that is not when I was young before I am a priest.	- Non ho hauto a far con persona alcuna escluso quando era giovine avanti fussi prete.
- Do you know Santio of Orche?	- Se connosce Santio dall 'Orche ?
- Yes.	- Signor si.
- Is he married?	- Se ha moglie ?
- Yes with children.	- Signor si con figlioli
- Do you know his daughters?	- Se connosce nessuno delle sue figliole ?
- I know them all.	- Le cognosco tutte.
- How are they called?	- Come si domandano ?
- One Fiorella, other Maddalena.	- Una Fiorella l'atra Maddalena.
- Which of the two is in Balagne?	- Quale è guella che è in Balagna ?
- Both	- Tutte due.
- Who they sent of it?	- Che ci l'ha mandate ?
- The father.	- Il padre.
- Where do they reside in Balagne?	- In che loco stano in Balagna ?
- One to Muro, other to Sant'Antonino.	- Una a Muro e l'atra a Santo Antolino.
- Have you had of relations with one of these two girls and say the truth?	- Se ha havute a fare cosa alcuna con dette figliole che dica la verità ?
- No (16) .	- Signor no.
- How much do you have children and who are they?	- Quanti figlioli che ha di chi è nato ?
- I have neither boys nor girls.	- non ho figliolo ne figliola.
- Say the truth because it is too well known, otherwise you will be put to the torture!	- Che dichi la verità perche questo è troppo notorio altramente Sara messo alla tortura !
- I don't have knowledge to have children anywhere (17) .	- Signor non so Che habbia figliolo in loco.
- Do you know Agostino of Ortinola?	- Se conosce Agostino d'Ortlnola ?
- Yes.	- Signor si.
- Did you have some friendly relations with him?	- Se havea domestichanze seco ?
- Rather bad because one day, going to the marine, him asks a favor while asking me to let him one land to the " Rinagio ", what I refused him and for that he was angry at me.	- Anzi piutosto contraria che altrimente perche un giorno andando a la marina disse Prete vogllo mi facci un favore sapere che havea uno pezzo di vlgna allo rinagio e voglio me la lassate (...) et cosi li risposi non la posso fare e pero mi ne ha voluto male.
- Did you have some friendly relations with his wife?	- Se havea domestichanze ton sua moglie ?
- No.	- Signor no.
- Are you entered in the house of Agostino when his woman was there?	- Si è stato mai in casa de Agostino mentre vi era la moglie ?
- It is possible but I don't remember some.	- Potrà essere ma non me ne racordo.
- Did the woman of Agostino come at home?	- Se la moglie de Agostino è stata mai in casa sua ?
- No	- Signor no.
- If one tells you in the face that one seen it at home, that will you say?	- Se li fara dire nel vlso che la vista in casa sua Che dlrà ?
- Make it me to say in the face and I will see.	- Signor fateme Io dlca in Io viso se vedera.
- Say the truth because the thing is more that lucid; your confession will drag mercy otherwise you will be submitted to the torture!	- Che dica la verità perche la cosa è più che chiara, se li uscira mlsericordia se confessa altrlmente se procedera ton tortura !
- I don't have knowledge that she came at home.	- Signor non so che sia stata mai in casa mia.
- Do you have enemies in this village?	- Se ha inimici in guello paese ?
- As priest I forgave them and I their	- Signor io come prete le ho perdonato e perdono ; me
forgive; my enemies were those that pulled me the strokes of arquebus and that robbed my house.	sono stati lnimici quelli che hano dato le archibugiate e spogliato la mia casa.
- Say names of those that you think to be your enemies!	- Che dlca li nomi di quelli presume siano sui inimici !
- Anibale and all his friends and parents that is to say Anibale, Agostino and their parents and friends	- Anibale e tutti li sui seguaci e parenti cioè Anibale, Agostino e tutti li parenti loro e seguaci.
.
- For what reason do they have this enmity against you?	- Perche hanno questa inimicitia contra di lui ?
- Because they offended me and robbed my house.	- Perche mi hano offeso e svalisciati la mia casa.
- Why did they offend you?	- Perche l'hanno offeso ?
- Because it made them pleasure. (18).	- Perche li è piacuto
- Think you that someone without reason can pull of arquebus strokes?	-.Se si presume che uno senza causa tiri archibugiate ?
- it was some thus for those that made him against me	.- A me haro fatto senza causa.
- Think you and answer to the question!	- De novo se si presume e che rispondi alla interrogatio !
- With or without reason, it can occur	- Con causa e senza causa se ne face.
- Did you already exercise the trade?	- Se ha mai fatto mercantia alcuna ?
- It arrived me from time to time especially for the wheat that I sold.	Il nome ne havea et qualche volta haveva dello grano e ne vendea.
- Do you exercise usury?	- Se si facia usura ?
- No.	- Signor no.
- Did you lend money to interest?
- No. I loaned some but not to interest.
- Have you traded or had any relations with infidels?	- Se ha mai fatto negotio o altre cose con infideli ?
- I purchased them a lot of slaves.	- Ho recattato tnolti de mano de turchi.
- Did you make other traffics with infidels?	- Se ha fatto altri trafichi con infideli ?
- I don't remember. (19).	- Io non me ne ricordo.
- Did you already wear some "Turkish" clothes ?	- Se ha mai portato veste da turchi ?
- Gasparo of Orche gave it to me once and I have worn them in undergarments.	- Me ne fu dato una una volta da Gasparo dall'Orche e la portava sotto.
- Were you in Barbarish country?	- Se è stato in Barbaria ?
- Yes.	- Signor si.
- Were you a priest?	- Se era prete ?
- No. I was a soldier and I don't remember if I was then priest.	- No. Era soldato e non mi ricordo se era prete.

Concurrently, the lawyer of Prete Andrea, the bastiais Paolo Geronimo Costa, asserting irregularities concerning the procedure and the fragility of the folder, requires since March 10 his customer's liberation. His demand having remained dead letter, it pleads April 9 and basis his arguing on the following points

- Prete Andrea is right manners and well-known how such.
- the bishop of Mariana in person, at the time of a pastoral visit done to Centuri two years earlier, had asked the population to denounce possible defaults of their priest. No complaint was put down following this solicitation but on the contrary one can register various testimonies of satisfaction.
- declarations of people having denounced and having accused his customer must not be keep because they emanate individuals having counts to adjust and suspected of bad faith. And to give a list of these last making appear about ten people (20) that the lawyer accuses to have participated directly in the tense ambush to Prete Andrea.
- this last always sold cereals and wines coming from entrances of his profit to the current price, or even less dear.

As for his supposed relations with "turchi", they didn't have for only object to free poor slaves.

Various witnesses, original from Saint Florent, Patrimonio and Farinole, appear April 29, confirmingeither points approached. Two months passed before an order of conditional liberation of the prisoner is given out, assorted of the remittance of a sum of 500 ecus and the engagement of two guaranties.

A parallel deal comes to worry the restless priest again since the month of August. It concerns the collective escape of prisons of the citadel of about ten prisoners that was able to, during the month of May, to extract one of grids in iron of the jail and, by means of a rope, to escape their jailer. The testimony of one of fugitives, Pier Giovanni dallo Serale di Moriani, innocent Prete Andrea while denying an any implication of his part in the escape, because prisoners didn't make him confidence and kept it aside from their project (" perche non fidavano da lui non havendo a far niente con esso ").

The judicial authorities continue to believe nevertheless that the vicar of Centuri lent them hand-strong while providing them a rod of iron, a burin and a rope (" uno pezzo di ferro come un scarpello et un canapo ").

No document comes to specify pursuits given to these accusations.

We recover Prete Andrea again confronted to the authority ecclesiastical some years later, more precisely December 10, 1584. Order is transmitted him then to regain his parish of Morsiglia whereas it resides to Pietralba. Two recalls to the month of January and February were necessary before he doesn't decide to conform itself to the order (cf illustration N°1).

Old soldier, armed of arquebus and practicing hunt, greatly suspected to have had number of relations with women assorted of the child birth sometimes, practicing the loan to interest, knowing the Barbarism and trader with "infidels " (21), few minded to reside in his parish, Prete Andrea appears to have been one of these criminal priests directly aimed by the committed reform by the Council of Trente.

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1 -some pieces have no link besides with the church, nor closely, nor from afar.

2 -thus one can find documents concerning one same deal in the civil and criminal sheaves .

3 - Anton Pietro Filippini. " chronicle of Corsica ", 1560-1594, introduction, translation, notes and indexes. of Antoine-Marie Graziani, Edition Alain Piazzola, Ajaccio, 1996, page 52,. also to see the alphabetic index page 448 where the author signals a part of facts developed here briefly.

4 - 3G 5/19

5 - Sippione of Ortinola. notary to Centuri, 3 E 289, f° 67 verso. act of January 12.

6 - native of Erbalonga.

7-Other declarations are recorded the following day "al giardino di Santo Colombano " to Rogliano.

8 - on all this deal cf 3 G 5/6 and 3 G 5/101. Documents in very bad state.

9 - note to the passage that if Prete Andrea is described by all witnesses as being matt of skin ("di color negro").

some say it small, others estimate him big (" di piccola (big) statura ").

10 - one deducts that Prete Andréa was prisoner since one month before the cross-examination.

11 - the borrowed path Made it references to the convent of Luri then in a path of mountain passing on heights of Canary?-

-12 it seems that Ready Andrea decides to give precisions to confirm that he was well in his parish. The practice of hunt implies to carry arms.

-13 to note the vice of the cross-examination. One asks him if he knows a Cinercha then one interrogates him on

an another one (that must exist) to see about which he thought spontaneously.

-14 there is a new example of this practice of which we already spoke; cf. " Of Sisco to Canary, the marriage

to the service of the peace ", A Cronica N° 13, page 54.

-15 note the suddenness and the brutality of the question.

-16 note the very long preliminary and precisions brought on these girls to arrive some to the main question.

-17 the threat of the torture doesn't have visibly cracked "Prete Andrea".

-18 answers rather evasive and of bad faith.

- 19 an inventory of objects robbed in the priest's house to Centuri, prepared of his own hand, made appear 36 ecus of gold " mauresque " and an arquebus preserved " by fear of Turkish " ("schudi trenta sei de oro moro, uno archibuxio a rota di valuta di schudi sei qual mi tengo in casa per sospetto di turchi ").

-20 enemies jurors of Prete Andrea are the brothers Giovan Francesco and Marcantone q Biasino that had a different with him for an altar cloth belonging to the confraternity of Centuri.

-21 it could explain why the renegade Mammi Corso would have saved the priest's house at the time of the terrifying attack of Centuri and Morsiglia villages; the table well garnished could not be whereas one of these myths that the man liked to always hawk around these personages become from then on legendary.