Image: HasekuraRomanCitizenship

Description: Patent of Roman citizenship granted to Hasekura Tsunenaga, 20 November 1615. 68.5cm by 88.5cm
Title: HasekuraRomanCitizenship
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(Originally uploaded to Image:HasekuraRomanCitizenship.jpg by User:PHG) Transcription QVOD•LVDOVICVS•RENTIVS•VINCENTIVS•MVTVS DE•PAPAZVRRIS•IACOBVS•VELLIVS•ALMÆ•VRBIS• CONSERVATORES DE ILLVST•(IMO?) ET EXCELL•(IMO?)PHILLIPPO FRANCISCO•FAXECVRA•ROCVYEMON•ROMANA•CI VITATE•DONANDO AD SENATVM•RETVLERE •S•P•Q•R•DE•EA•RE•ITA•FIERI•CENSVIT• QVOD IN VRBE ROMANA ANTIQVISSIMIS ETIAM HIIS REGVM TEMPORIBVS VSITATVM ET SEQVENTIBVS DEINDE ANNIS RESPVB. CONSVLVIT NE NOSTRA QVIDEM ÆTAS OMISIT, HESTEROS[1] NEMPE VIROS VIRTVTE, SEV NOBILITATE INSIGNES AD HANC ALMAM VRBEM EX ORBE VNIVERSO CONFLVENTES S.P.Q.R. NON SOLVM BENIGNITER VERVM ETIAM MVNIFICENTER AMPLEXVS, ILLOS MA GNITVDINE ROMANI NOMINIS DESVPER NATIVAM PROPRIAMQVE NOBILITATEM COHONESTANDO CIVITATE ROMAN[A] DONAVIT VT VIRI VIRTVTE NOBILITATQVE PRÆSTANTES INTER ROMANOS CIVIS ADSCITI MAGNO REIPVB. NOSTRÆ VSVI ATQVE ORNAMENTO FVISSENT VEL ESSE ALIQVANDO POSSENT. NOS IGITVR ANTIQVISSIMI MORIS NOSTRVMQVE MAIORVM EXIM[IA?] AVTHORITAT[E] PERMOTI NON OMMIT TENDVM PVTAVIMVS INTER CIVES (CAFRIN?)OSQVE ROMANOS ADSCIRE ILLVST.IMVM? ET EXCELL.IMVM? PHILIPPVM FRANCISCVM FAXECVRA R[O]CVYEMON EX CIVITATE SEV CVRIA SANDAI REGNI VOXV IN IAPPONE ORTVM: CVM IPSE EX TAM LONGINQVIS ET REMOTISSIMIS REGIONIBVS AD HANC AL MAM VRBEM VENERIT ORATOR AD SANCTISSIMVM DOMINVM NOSTRVM PAVLVM QVINTVM BVRGHESIVM ROMANVM PONTIFICEM MAXIMVM PRO SERENISSIMO IDATE MASAMVNE REGE VOXV IN IMPERIO IAPPONI CO VT ROMANVM PONTIFICEM CATHOLICÆ ET VNIVERSALIS ECCLESIÆ PASTOREM, TOTIVS ORBIS PARENTEM, ET IESV CHRISTI FILII DEI OMNIPOTENTIS VICARIVM EA QVA(?) DECET REVERENTIA VENERANDO AD ACCIPIENDAM DICTI REGIS AC REGNI [TV??]TELAM PA TERNAMQVE CVRAM HORTAR[ET]VR EAPROPTER? S.P.Q.R. VT CVM IPSO STRICTISSIMO AMORIS NEXV COLLIGETVR [EVNDEM?] ILLV STRISSIMVM ET EXCELENTISSIMVM PHILIPPVM FRANCISCVM FAXICVRA ROCVYEMON AMPLISSIMO MVN[ERE] ROMA NAE CIVITATIS DECORANDVM ET IN SENATOR. ORDINEM MERITO COOPTANDVM CENSVIT. QVAM VOLVNTATEM AC SENTENTIAM SIN GVLARI OMNIVM CONSENSV AC LAETITIA COMPROBATAM? PER SCRIBAS EIVSDEM SACRI SENATVS IN PVBLICAS L(?)I(?)TTERAS AD AETERNAM MEMORIAM REFERRE EIDEM S.P.Q.R. ITA PLACVIT VT BENEFICIVM HONOREMQVE NON MAGIS DARE QVAM ACCIPERE VIDE[RE?]TVR ANNO AB VR BE CONDITA MMCCCL[XVI] ET AB ORBE REDEMPTO M•DC•XV• X?II KAL•DECEMBRIS English Translation "Because Luigi Renzo, Vincenzo Muti-Papazurri, and Giacomo Vellio, Conservators of the Beloved City[2] referred to the Senate as follows regarding the giving of citizenship to the Most Illustrious and Excellent Phillip Francis Faxecura Rokuyemon, the Senate And People of Rome decreed that it should be made so regarding this matter. "Because in most ancient city of Rome it has been common, even in these[3] times of kings, then in the subsequent years of the Republic it [the Republic] made it policy, and not even our era has neglected it, that the Senate and People of Rome, embracing them not only kindly, but even generously, should them endow with Roman citizenship foreign men of particular virtue or nobility who come flocking together from throughout the entire world to this beloved city, decorating them with the greatness of the Roman name in adition to their own, native nobility; as men of particular virtue and nobility, having been admitted among the citizens of Rome, may have been or might someday be useful or glorious to our great Republic. We, therefore, being moved by the excellent authority of this ancient custom of our ancestors, thought that it should not be neglected among the citizens and cafrini[4] of Rome, to admit the most illustrious and excellent man Philip Francis Faxecura Rokuyemon, who originated in the city-state or capital city of Sandai in the kingdom of Wōshū: whereas he came from such distant and far-away lands to this Beloved City as the speaker to our Most Holy Lord Paul the Fifth, Borghese The Supreme Pontiff of Rome, on behalf of the most serene Idate Masamune, the King of Woshu in the Japanese Empire, in order to entreat the Pontiff of Rome and the Shepherd of the Universal Catholic Church, the Parent of All The World, and the Vicar of Jesus Christ son of All-Mighty God, venerating him with all due reverence, to take up the safety[5] and fatherly care of the aforementioned king and kingdom, for which reason the Senate And People of Rome has decided that, in order to be joined to him with the closest bond of love, this most illustrious and excellent Philip Francis Faxicura Rocuyemon should be decorated with the most ample gift of Roman Citizenship, and deservedly[6] be elected to the senatorial order. The senate decided with the unanimous consent of all, to refer this wish and sentiment to public leters,[7] by means of the same Holy Senate's scribes, for eternal memory, so that it might be seen that it is giving no greater a favor or honor than it has received. In the year 2366 from the founding of the City,[8] and the year 1615 from the redemption of the world, on day 12 before the kalends of December.[9]" Notes ↑ HESTEROS: a misspelling of exteros, based on Italian pronunciation. ↑ *Conservator Almae Urbis seems to have been a common, important title in this era. Alma Urbs seems to usually be rendered "Beloved City" in English, but alma actually means something more like "nourishing," "bountiful" or "endowed with the qualities of a good parent."[1] I can find no information on these particular Conservators, but multiple members of their families seem to have held the title, in all three cases. ↑ The use of the word "these" is confusing: it is clear that the words "times of kings" refer to the original Roman Kingdom, despite the demonstrative. Could HIIS be a misspelling for ex? ↑ Meaning unknown. ↑ Possibly meaning "salvation." Or maybe just "security, sacrosanctiy"? ↑ I.e. "honorarily"? ↑ I.e. to an inscription, or perhaps this manuscript. ↑ Based on the usual calculation, this would be AD 1613, which does not match the year given. The year AD 1615 is confirmed by other sources, e.g. Luis Sotelo's De Ecclesiae Iaponicae Statu Relatio. ↑ I.e. November 20 [2]
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