The will of Gaspare Negri, the bishop of the Poreč (1742 - 1778)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the original contents and the translation of the will of Gaspare Negri, bishop of Novigrad (1732 - 1742) and then of Poreč (1742 -1778). The A. introduces us to the will with a short biography of the bishop whose merits comprise - among other things - the reconstruction of the Poreč Cathedral, the purchase of various pieces of furniture, the establishment of a pawn-shop and the seminary. He was also a student of the history of the diocese, and his conclusions he published in his work "Memorie storiche della città e Diocesi di Parenzo". He had a rich library, but the collections of books, manuscripts and documents unfortunately didn't survive. During his office he also dedicated many churches, as is documented by stone slabs commemorating the fact in the church of St. Eufemia in Rovinj, in Sv. Petar u Šumi etc. The A. also presents the description of the bishop's funeral (from the Register of death of Poreč, 1753 - 1782, kept in the State Archive in Pazin), the transcription and translation of his tomb inscription (today in the yard of the Bishop's Palace in Poreč). She also mentions the bishop's portrait dedicated to him by the canons of the Cathedral Chapter in Poreč in 1755, and painted by Leopold Kecheisen (it is kept today in the Diocesan Museum in Poreč). The will of Gaspare Negri is kept in the State Archive in Pazin, in the collection of Poreč notaries public from the Venetian period. The A. also gives a short grammatical and orthographical review of the will's text, as well as of the contents and importance of the will itself.