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Rasponi, Cesare

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Rasponi, Felice

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an Italian cardinal, was born at Ravenna, July 15, 1615, of noble family, and lived at Rome in his youth. He studied under the Jesuits with such success that they made him speak in public at fourteen years of age. Urban VIII gave him, among other presents, an abbey with a rental of 300 crowns. A poem entitled Princeps Hiero-politicus, dedicated to the pope, testified to the gratitude of the young beneficiary. He studied Greek; wrote some poetry, both serious and comic, in Italian; and, by the advice of cardinal Barberini, he abandoned his studies of antiquity for canonical law. Admitted to the degree of Doctor, he took possession, in 1636, of a prebendaryship of the Collegiate Church of St. John Lateran. The office of keeper of the records of that chapter gave him the opportunity to collect materials for the history of that church, which he published in 1656. He showed so much zeal and prudence in fulfilling the important duties with which he was intrusted that Innocent X, enemy of the Barberinis, loaded himm with additional favors. During a voyage which he made to France, he reconciled cardinal Barberini with the pope, and was so happy as to put an end to the division which had existed so long between these two families, arresting the marriage of the niece of Innocent X with Maffeo Barberini. There is a curious manuscript of this voyage in existence, commencing Nov. 5 1648, and ending March 19,1650. Being appointed health officer by Alexander VII, he saved the pontifical domain from the pestilence and famine which ravaged the neighboring countries. In the great quarrel which happened betweein the Corsican guards and the duke de Crequi, ambassador of the king of France, armed with full power by the pope, he showed such a spirit of conciliation that, after the treaty of Pisa, concluded in 1664, the pope accorded to him the cardinal's hat (1666), and called him to the government of the duchy of Urbino, which he kept in spite of great bodily suffering. He died at Rome, Nov. 21, 1675. His tomb is in the Church of St. John Lateran. He left a large part of his wealth to the hospital of the catechumens. We have of his works Historia Basilica S. Joannis Laterani; he also left, in manuscript, Memoires stur sa Vie: — Recueil des Statuts, etc. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.