72 
Vatican Archives 
as yet corresponded to its importance, but the works of Richard, Fraikin, and 
Bourgin afford much assistance in approaching it. 
As Monsig. Scotti was instructed in the time of Urban VIII.: “ La Nuncia- 
tura di Francia e di quella stima che ben’ogni uno sa, non per la Giurisdittione 
spirituale, che non essercita come l’altre Regie, ma per riseder il Nuntio ap- 
presso un gran Monarca V 64 Perhaps of all the nuncios, his functions were 
most purely diplomatic, because the definiteness of the French mind had most 
successfully systematized the relations of ecclesiastical and civil jurisdiction, 
and the government had reduced the former to what at the time seemed a 
minimum. The correspondence is important because of the international prob¬ 
lems with which it deals, and the great religious controversies with which 
France was rent. During the eighteenth century, moreover, Paris became one 
of the greatest news centres of Europe. The nuncio had also an uncertain 
superintendence over the missionary institutions which were so active in 
France, 65 and thus his attention was turned to Canada, from which it was not 
entirely diverted by the English conquest of that country; but most of this 
correspondence was with the secretary of the Propaganda rather than the 
secretary of state. He had also much to do with England; partly because, 
in the period before there was a resident nuncio at Brussels, 66 such matters 
were attended to at Paris; and partly because even after that date the nuncio 
in France was apt to be instructed to be watchful over such matters, being 
usually a man of greater experience and ability. Finally, during and imme¬ 
diately after the American Revolution, he played a part in the adjustment of 
relations between the Catholics of the United States and the Holy See, and 
served as a means of communication between them. Much, also, of this cor¬ 
respondence was with the Propaganda, and is preserved in their archives. 
The following volumes were examined: volumes 50 , and 52 - 56 , letters, 
ciphers, and advices from the nuncio, 1601-1616; 130 - 132 , letters from the 
nuncio, 1665-1666; 179 , 180 , 181 , letters to and from the nuncio, 1689, 1691- 
1696; 452 , minutes of letters to the nuncio, 1761-1763; 484 , ciphers to the 
nuncio, 1740-1744; 489 , ciphers from the nuncio, 1753-1754; 491 - 493 , ciphers 
from the nuncio, 1747-1755 ; 509 - 511 , letters from the nuncios, 1760-1765; 
529 , letters of the French minister, 1759-1769; 555 , 556 , ciphers from the nun¬ 
cio, 1782-1783; 562 - 570 , ciphers from the nuncio, 1775-1784; 605 , letters of 
the secretary of state to the minister of France, 1803. Of these, 50 , 52 , 55 , 
64 Corsini 491, col. 36-G-14. f. 1. 
™ Ibid., ff. 41-43. Also Bolognetti collection, 115, pp. 279-308. Apr. 1, 1634, in¬ 
structions to the Bishop of Ascoli, p. 282. “ Cominciaro dunque da quella parte ch’e piu 
propria del Ministro Ap’lico, e nella quale egli deve premer piu d’ogni altra cosa cioe 
da gli affari della Relig ne Catolica, e della piu principal parte di essi, ch’e la propaga¬ 
tion della fede.” 
66 Corsini 472, Apr. 4, 1621, ff. 10-50; “ Instruttione a Mons. Corsini archivescovo di 
Tarso per andare nuntio in Francia ”: “ Benche il nuntio di Fiandra sia piu vicino a 
quell’ isola nondimeno p che gia la sede apostolica non tenuta cola nuntio ordinario, se 
sempre usata di raccomandare le cose dell’ Inghilterra al nuntio di Francia, anche v. s 
dovra havere corrispondenza con l’archiprete dell’isola.” 
Corsini 2046, f. 261, instruction to the Archbishop of Patras, appointed nuncio to 
France, 1627: “ Ma il peniero delle cose d’Inghilterra sa da esser molta propria dello 
zelo di v. s. poiche sebene sogliono appartener al nuntio di Fiandra, tuttavia sono state 
sempre raccomandate principalmente a chi risiede in Francia, et sarce maggiormente 
questa si fara perche v. s. ha con una gran lode felicemente maneggiate nelle nuntiatura 
di Fiandra.” 
