Camillus de Alessi de Banceriis - [11 Fogli di Pergamena] - Atto Notarile - 1651

RISCOPERTO IL RARO MANOSCRITTO IN PERGAMENA DI CAMILLO DE ALESSI: IL SIGILLO DEL TEMPO
Important Roman manuscript on parchment from the mid-17th century, consisting of a fascicle of 18 pages (9 parchment sheets) bound in a single volume. The text, written in a dense and regular chancery script by the notary Camillus de Alessi, stands out for its formal solemnity and the extent of the content. The nature of the medium — a high-quality, very thin parchment — and the document’s bulk indicate an act of primary importance, such as the foundation of an institution, drafted under the pontificate of Innocenzo X, the pope of Baroque Rome and the Pamphilj palaces.
The document is not merely an loose sheet, but a true notarial “booklet,” a document type reserved for transactions intended to endure for centuries.
MARKET VALUE
The valuation for a notarial fascicle of this size (18 parchment pages) ranges between €750 and €950. The value is supported by the rarity of the “booklet” format (much less common than single acts or fragments) and the integrity of the medium. Documents as extensive and complete as these, which include the entire apparatus of legal formulas and signatures, are highly sought after in the archival-collecting market because they offer a density of historical and genealogical data above average.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Fascicle on ultra-thin parchment, composed of 18 manuscript pages (9 recto/verso sheets), with a final blank. Dimensions: 254 mm x 186 mm (quarto format). Bound with the original period stitching still intact. Condition: Excellent, small loss to the first page. The parchment retains excellent elasticity and the characteristic natural ivory color. The iron gall ink, in a deep brown hue, is well-set and fully legible, indicating preservation in a dry and protected environment (probably a noble or ecclesiastical archive).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Liber Instrumentorum et Actorum Notarialium. Camillus de Alessi, Notarius Apostolicus et Imperialis. Dated: 1651 - 1654.

TEXT & TRANSLATION
Latin Text (Extract from the incipit and signature): “In Christi Nomine Amen. Anno ab Nativitate Millesimo Sexcentesimo Quinquagesimo primo, Indictione quarta, die vero quinta mensis Maii... Regnante Sanctissimo in Christo Patre et Domino Nostro Domino Innocentio Divina Providentia Papa X... Et Quoniam ego Camillus de Alessi de Banceriis civis publicus apostolica imperiali auctoritate notarius... in eorum omnium et singulorum fidem et testimonium hic me cum meo solito signo subscripsi.”

Italian Translation: “In the Name of Christ, Amen. In the year of the Nativity 1651, fourth indiction, on the fifth day of the month of May... Under the pontificate of the most holy Father in Christ and Our Lord, Lord Innocenzo X, by Divine Providence Pope... And since I, Camillus de Alessi of Banceriis, citizen and public notary by apostolic and imperial authority... to the faith and testimony of all and each of these things, here I have subscribed with my usual notarial sign.”

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
The notary Camillo de Alessi was a prominent professional of public faith active in the mid-Seicento. The prestigious title of Apostolic and Imperial Notary gave him a “universal jurisdiction,” allowing him to draft acts legally valid in both ecclesiastical and civil courts throughout the Christian world. His Signum Tabellionis — the extraordinary calligraphic crest visible in the act — functioned as a fingerprint: it was a unique symbol, deposited and registered with the notarial college, ensuring the document’s authenticity against any counterfeiting attempt.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
This booklet represents a legal photograph of Baroque society in the 17th century. The use of parchment for 24 pages highlights the exceptional nature of the transaction: it probably related to acts tied to noble patrimonies, large dowries, or legacies in favor of religious institutions. In an era when paper was the common medium, parchment was chosen only for what was meant to be eternal. The document reflects the complex network of powers of 1650, where religious faith and landholding were inseparably linked.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Original unique manuscript (unicum), created for legal purposes and not intended for public printing. The booklet format suggests that it was the official copy ("in mundum") delivered to the family or beneficiary entity to be kept jealously in a safe or prestigious domestic archive, far from prying eyes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
G. Nicolaj, Lezioni di diplomatica canonica, Vatican City;
A. Petrucci, Breve storia della scrittura latina, Rome;
T. Frenz, The Papal Documents in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period;
Comparisons with notarial protocols of the 17th century at the State Archives.