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The Peregrinations of Marco Antonio De Dominis, 1616–24

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

W. B. Patterson
W. B. Patterson*
Affiliation:
Davidson CollegeNorth Carolina
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Extract

On 6 December 1616, Marco Antonio De Dominis, the Roman catholic archbishop of Spalato, on the Dalmatian coast, arrived in England. According to Arthur Wilson, he was ‘old and corpulent, unfit for Travel, being almost at his journies end by Nature’, yet he soon began to speak out vigorously against the faith and practices of Rome. Finding himself warmly welcomed by the archbishop of Canterbury and the king, he accepted several appointments in the church of England—including those of dean of Windsor and master of the Savoy—and became a prominent anti-Roman controversialist. Then, after five and a half years in England, De Dominis, like a wandering star in the Ptolemaic system, ‘went Retrograde, placing himself again in the Roman Calendar.’ What moved De Dominis to undertake so arduous a physical and spiritual journey as that which led him to England, and why, having found an honoured place among ideological allies, did he leave it to go to the very citadel of the ecclesiastical power he had attacked?

Type
Research Article
Information
Studies in Church History , Volume 15: Religious Motivation Biographical and Sociological Problems for the Church Historian , 1978 , pp. 241 - 257
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical History Society 1978

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References

1 Wilson, Arthur, The History of Great Britain: Being the Life and Reign of King James the First, Relating to What Passed from His First Access to the Crown, Till His Death (London 1653) p 102 Google Scholar. De Dominis was 56 when he entered England (born Rab, Dalmatia, 1560).

2 Ibid.

3 Recent studies of De Dominis include [Delio] Cantimori, ‘Su M. A. De Dominis’, ARG 49 (1958) pp 245-58Google Scholar, and ‘L’Utopia ecclesiologica di M. A. De Dominis’, in [Problemi di vita religiosa in Italia nel Cinquecento] (Padua 1960) pp 103-22; Russo, [Antonio], Marc’Antonio De Dominis, [arcivescovo di Spalato e apostata (460-1624)] (Naples 1965)Google Scholar; Clark, David L., ‘Marco Antonio de Dominis and James I: The influence of a Venetian Reformer on the Church of England’, Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters 53 (1968) pp 219-30Google Scholar; and Nedeljkovié, Dušan, Marko Dominis [u nauci i utopiji na delu ] (Belgrade 1975)Google Scholar. I am indebted to Professors David L. Clark, John L. Lievsay, and Michael Petrovitch, Dr John Tedeschi, and Miss Ruzica Popovitch for their assistance during the course of my research.

4 Dominis, De [A] Manifestation [of the Motives, Whereupon the Most Reverend Father, Marcvs Antonius De Dominis, Archbishop of Spalato, (in the Territorie of Venice) Vndertooke His Departure Titence: Englished out of His Latine Copy] (London 1616) p 1 Google Scholar. De Dominis’s Consilium profectionis had originally appeared in Heidelberg in Latin and Italian in the autumn of 1616; the text was dated at Venice, 20 September 1616.

5 De Dominis, Manifestation pp 16-17. De Dominis had left the Jesuit order before becoming a bishop.

6 Ibid p 19.

7 Ibid pp 39-40. Roman catholic answers to De Dominis’s Manifestation emphasised his pride, inconstancy, and greed. See Floyd, John, A Svrvey of the Apostasy of Marcvs Antonius de Dommis, Sometyme Arch-bishop of Spalato (n.p. 1617) pp 9, 20 Google Scholar, 47, and Sweet, John, Monsig’. fate voi, or A Discovery of the Dalmatian Apostata, M. Antonivs De Dominis, and His Bookes (St Orner 1617) pp 12–15 Google Scholar,29.

8 Ljubié, [S.], ‘Prilozi za životopis Markantuna de Dominisa [Rabljanina, spljelskoga nadbiskupa’[, Starine ]na sviet izdaje Jugoslavenska Akademija Znanosti i Umjetnosti 2] (Zagreb 1870) pp 131-3Google Scholar, and ‘O Markantunu Dominisu Rabljaninu, historčko kritičko iztraživanje navlastito po izorih mletačkoga arkiva i knjižnice arsenala parizkoga’, Rad Jugoslavenske Akademije Znanosti i Umjetnosti, 10 (Zagreb 1870) pp 44–87 Google Scholar; Russo, Marc’Antonio De Dominis pp 32-9.

9 Ljubié, L., ‘Prilog krazpravi o Markantanu Dominisu Rabljaninu’, Starine 4 (Zagreb 1872) pp 1–8 Google Scholar; De Dominis, Marc’Antonio, Scritti giurisdizionalistici inediti, ed Russo, Antonio (Naples 1965) pp 5–22 Google Scholar and passim.

10 Rome, A[rchivio] S[egreto] V[aticano], Fondo Borghese, series 1, vol 905, fols 63v, 70v, 337v-8, 378.

11 Ljubić, ‘Prilozi za životopis Markantunu de Dominisa’ pp 148-9; Russo, Marc’ Antonio De Dominis pp 39-40

12 A True Relation of the Life and Death of the Right Reverend Father in God Bedell, William, Lord Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland, ed Jones, Thomas Wharton, CSer, ns 4 (1872) pp 135-9Google Scholar. The editor believes that the author was William Bedell, the bishop’s son.

13 CalSPD 9 (1858) p 262; see also p 227.

14 The Life and Letters of Sir Henry Wotton, ed Smith, Logan Pearsall, 2 vols (Oxford 1907) 2, p 100 Google Scholar.

15 The Decretvm, dated at Rome 12 November 1616, is included in De Dommis, Manifestation of the Motives, sig I1-I1.

16 Rome, ASV, Fondo Borghese, series 1, vol 902, fol 218v. The letter to Guido Bentivoglio is dated 27 May 1617.

17 BN MSS nouvelles acquisitions latines, vol 2456, fols 99v-100; Censvra Sacrae Facvltatis Theologiae Parisiensis, in qvatvor priores libros De Republica Ecclesiastica, auctore Marco Antonio de Dominis quondam archiepiscopo Spalatemi (Cologne nd)—the decree is dated 15 December 1617; Censvra Sacrae Facvlatis Theologicae Coloniensis, in qvatvor priores libros De Repvbl. Ecclesiastica M. Antoni) de Dominis, quondam archiepiscopi Spalatensis (Cologne 1618)Google Scholar. The De Republica Ecclesiastica was also attacked by John Sweet in advance of the book’s publication (1617), Johannes Roberti (1619), Andreas Eudaemon-Joannis (1619), John Floyd (1620 and 1623), and Nicolas Coeffeteau (1623). Coeffeteau’s Pro Sacra Monarchia Ecclesiae Catholicae, Apostolicae et Romanae is an exhaustive treatment of De Dominis’s first volume, longer, in fact, than the book it answers.

18 Nedeljković, Marko Dominis, pp 7-8, 74-6, 98-9. Cantimori’s ‘L’Utopia ecclesiologica di M. A. De Dominis’, had developed this theme earlier. Nedeljković’s interpretation emphasises the social aspects of De Dominis’s thought.

19 Compare The Works of That Learned and Judicious Divine, Hooker, Mr. Richard, ed Keble, John, 3 vols (Oxford 1836) 1, pp lxxi–lxxvii Google Scholar. Hooker and De Dominis both defended episcopacy, the former against the puritans, the latter against the papacy, and both had an irenic point of view. Their works complement each other in that De Dominis’s argument is scriptural, patristic, and historical, while Hooker’s is philosophical and theological. De Dominis does not appear to have been directly influenced by Hooker.

20 Dominis, De, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica [Libri X] (London 1617) pp 1–2 Google Scholar, 10-11, 25-6, 166, 194, 231-2, 472, 511-16. In spite of its title the first volume contained only books 1-4. The second contained books 5-6; the third, 7 and 9. Books 8 and 10 were not included in the published editions of the work. The first volume was published in Heidelberg as well as London.

21 De Dominis, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica pp 32-4, 525-7, 676-82, 725-6. For a commentary on this part of De Dominis’s work, see Turmel, Joseph, Histoire de la théologie positive du concile de Trente au concile du Vatican (Paris 1906) pp 165 Google Scholar, 212-15, 384-91. Abbé Turmel called De Dominis’s work ‘a formidable indictment’ of the usual interpretation of the Petrine texts (p 165); on the subject of the convocation of councils he said that De Dominis’s treatment ‘was to be nearly the last word on a theory dear to the Protestants and, in general, to all the enemies of the papacy’ (p 390).

22 De Dommis, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica, ‘To the Whole Order of Divine Bishops of the Holy Catholic Church’, sig a1-b3v.

23 Dominis, De, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica, pars secvnda (London 1620) pp 877–1009 Google Scholar. The second volume was published in Frankfort as well as London.

24 De Dominis, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica, pars secvnda pp 637-9; see also pp 578-81.

25 Dominis, De, De Pace Religioms: [Epistola ad venerabilem virum losephum Hallum; archipresbyterum Vigorniensem] (Besançon 1666), pp 10–11 Google Scholar. Book 9, dealing with tithes, appointments, benefices, collations, and simony, is a separately paginated section of Dommis, De, Repvblica Ecclesiastica, pars tertia (Frankfort 1658) pp 1–153 Google Scholar.

26 Dominis, De, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica, pars tertia (Hanau 1622)Google Scholar. The references which follow are to the 1658 edition, cited above.

27 De Dominis, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica, pars tertia pp 5-68, 105-16, 126-32, 146-55, 319-22. Book 7, which deals with the problem of reunion within the context of a doctrine of the rule of faith, is analysed in detail by Russo, Marc’Antonio De Dominis, pp 97-131.

28 Dominis, De, De Repvblica Ecclesiastica, pats secvnda, Dedication to James 1, p 3 Google Scholar. De Dominis’s doctrine of the church, as developed in book 7, has much in common with the views expounded by the king. See Peters, Robert, ‘The Notion of the Church in the Writings Attributed to King James VI & I’, SCH 3 (1966) pp 223-31Google Scholar.

29 Praestantium ac eruditorum virorum epistolae ecclesiasticae el theologicae , ed Hartsoeker, Christiaan, (3 ed Amsterdam 1704) pp 485-90Google Scholar.

30 PRO, S[tate] P[apers] 14/128/103, enclosure 16; Bibliographie hellénique, ou description raisonnée des ouvrages publiés par des Grecs au Dix-Septième siècle , ed Legrand, Emile, 5 vols (Paris 1894-1903) 4, pp 329-40Google Scholar. Compare Newland, Henry, The Life and Contemporaneous Church History of Antonio de Dominis, Archbishop of Spalatro (Oxford 1859) p 215 Google Scholar.

31 Dominis, De, A Sermon Preached in Italian, by the Most Reuerend Father, Marc’Antony De Dominis, Archb. of Spalato, the First Sunday in Aduent, Anno 1617, in the Mercers Chappel in London (London 1617)—there were also editions in Italian (London 1617)Google Scholar, Latin (Leeuwarden 1618), German (Frankfort? 1618), and French (Charenton 1619). Romanus, Papatvs: liber de origine, progressu, atque extinctione ipsius (London 1617)Google Scholar; The Rockes of Christian Shipwracke, Discouered by the Holy Church of Christ to Her Beloued Children, That They May Keepe Aloofe from Them; Written in Italian (London 1618)— there were also editions in Italian (London 1618), German (Frankfort 1618) and French (La Rochelle 1618).

32 Paolo Sarpi, Historia del Concilio Tridentino: nella quale si scoprono tutti gl’artificii della corte di Roma, per impedire che né la verità di dogmi si palesasse, né la riforma del Papato, & della Chiesa si trattasse, di Pietro Soave Polano (London 1619) sig a3,-a4. It was thought until fairly recently that De Dominis had brought the manuscript of this work out of Italy to be published in England—a view this preface does much to encourage. The more likely explanation, that Nathaniel Brent was sent to Venice to transmit the work back to England, was indicated in documents published by Larking, Lambert B., ‘Notes of Sir Roger Twysden on the History of the Council of Trent ’, Notes and Queries, second series, 4 (London, July-December 1857) pp 121-4Google Scholar, and elaborated in Frances Yates, A., ‘Paolo Sarpi’s “History of the Council of Trent” ’, Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 7 (London 1944) pp 123-43Google Scholar, and Cozzi, Gaetano, ‘Fra Paolo Sarpi, l’Anglicanesimo e la “Historia del Concilio Tridentino”’, RStI 68 (1956) pp 559–619 Google Scholar. See also Paolo Sarpi, Opere, ed , G. and Cozzi, L. (Milan-Naples 1969) pp 725-40Google Scholar, and Lievsay, John L., Venetian Phoenix: Paolo Sarpi and Some of His English Friends (1606-1700) (Lawrence, Kansas 1973) pp 22–73 Google Scholar.

33 For Peiresc see Gravit, F. W., Tlie Peiresc Papers (Arm Arbor 1950)Google Scholar, Gassendi, P., Viri illustris N. C. Fabricii de Peiresc .... vita , 2pts (Paris 1641)Google Scholar, and see Smith’s, T. Life of Camden, 2pts (London 1691)Google Scholar.

34 De Dominis, [Trie] Second Manifesto [of Marcvs Antonius De Dominis, Archbishop of Spalatro: Wherein for His Better Satisfaction, and the Satisfaction of Others, He Publikely Repenteth, and Recanteth His Former Errors, and Setteth downe the Cause of His Leaning England, and All Protestant Countries, to Returne vnto the Catholicke Romane Church; Written by Himselfe in Latin, and Translated into English by M. G. K.] (Liege 1623) sig C2. De Dominis’s Sui reditus ex Anglia consilium exponit (Rome 1623) was also translated into English by Coffin, E. as De Dommis, Antonius M., Archbishop of Spalato, Declares the Cause of His Returne out of England (St Omer 1623)Google Scholar.

35 De Dominis, Second Manifesto sig C3; see also sig A2 v.

36 Ibid sig A2 v-C1 Among the errors he acknowledged were his assertions that the pope was not the head of the visible church, that the mass was not a true sacrifice, that transubstantiation did not occur, and that auricular confession with absolution was not a true sacrament.

37 Joseph Hall, ‘Reverendissimo viro, [D°. Marco Antonio De Dominis, archiepiscopo Spalatensi,] epistola [discessus sui ad Romani dissuasoria]’, in The Works of the Right Reverend Joseph Hall, D.D., Bishop of Exeter and Afterwards of Norwich, ed Wynter, Philip, 10 vols (Oxford 1863) 10, pp 208-9Google Scholar. The letter, which is not dated, was received by De Dominis in London on 20 February 1622. See De Dominis, De Pace Religionis PP 49-55.

38 Hall, ‘Reverendissimo viro epistola’ pp 210-11.

39 Ibid p 213.

40 Ibid pp 212, 214.

41 De Dominis, De Pace Religionis p 2. According to the printer, the manuscript had been obtained from an erudite Englishman who had passed through Besançon from Geneva (page opposite title page). De Dominis’s letter is dated 1 March 1622 at the Savoy (p 62).

42 Ibid pp 3-6.

43 Ibid pp 13-15.

44 Ibid pp 7-8, 10, 15.

45 Ibid pp 16-17.

46 Ibid pp 56-7, 62.

47 Neile, [Richard], M. Ant. De Dñis [Arch-Bishop of Spalato, His Shifting! in Religion: A Man for Many Masters] (London 1624)Google Scholar sig A2. De Dominis’s interrogations were at intervals between 21 January and 30 March 1622, when he was commanded to leave the realm within twenty days. A record of these procedures is preserved in PRO, SP 14/128/103.

48 Neile, M. Ant. De Dñis pp 44-5.

49 Ibid p 47.

50 Ibid p 48.

51 Ibid p 89.

52 Roe, Thomas, The Negotiations of Sir Thomas Roe in His Embassy to the Ottoman Porte, from the Yeare 1621 to 1628 Inclusive (London 1740) pp 102-3Google Scholar.

51 Ibid p 102. Gondomar’s brief comments to his government on De Dominis concern the archbishop’s literary activities. See de Acuña, Diego Sarmiento, Conde de Gondomar, Correspondencia Oficial , ed Ballesteros, Antonio y Beretta, , 4 vols (Madrid 1936-45) 1, p 118 Google Scholar; 2, p 277.

54 The Works of Thomas Middleton, ed Bullen, A. H., 8 vols (New York 1964—reprint of 1885 edition) 7, pp 1—135 Google Scholar. On 12 August 1624, the Spanish ambassador protested against ‘a scandalous comedy, in which his Majesty the King of Spain, Count Gondomar, and the Archbp. of Spalato are personified’, a description which fits Middleton’s play. See CalSPD 11 (1859) p 325.

55 Fuller, Thomas, The Church History of Britain, from the Birth of Jesus Christ untili the Year M.DC.XLVIII (London 1655) bk 10, pp 71, 93–100 Google Scholar; Hacket, [John], Scrinia Reserata: [A Memorial Offer’d to the Great Deservings of John Williams, D.D.] (London 1693) pt 1, pp 98–103 Google Scholar.

56 Translated into Latin as Ecebolius, Alter, M. Ant. De Dominis arch. Spalatensis, pluribus dominis inseruire doctus (London 1624)Google Scholar.

57 Paris, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, MS 4111 pp 13-25. De Dominis’s deposition at the house of the nuncio, Guido di Bagno, is dated 17 May 1622.

58 Pastor, Ludwig, The History of the Popes from the Close of the Middle Ages, transi Ernest Graf, vol 27 (St Louis 1955) pp 106-7Google Scholar; Husso, Marc’Antonio De Dominis pp 51-3. De Dominis’s journey to Rome and his reception there were reported in England by Newes, H. T., from Rome, Spalato’s Doome. . . . (London 1624) pp 24–34 Google Scholar.

59 BN MSS nouvelles acquisitions françaises vol 5130, fol 56. For Hotman’s irenic efforts, see Vivanti, Corrado, Lotta politica e pace religiosa in Francia fra Cinque e Seicento (Turin 1963) pp 189–245 Google Scholar.

60 Paris, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, MS 4111 pp 63-73; a detailed but hardly unbiased account was published in England as A Relation Sent from Rome, of the Processe, Sentence, and Execution, Done upon the Body, Picture, and Bookes of Marcvs Antonius De Dominis, Archbishop of Spalato, after His Death (London 1624).

61 Paris, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, MS 4111 pp 77-8.

62 Ibid p 78.

63 Ibid p 83.

64 Hacket, , Scrinia Reserata pt 1, pp 104-5Google Scholar.

65 Note, however, the favourable comments on De Dominis by Cosin, John, The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God John Cosin, Lord Bishop of Durham, 5 vols (Oxford 1844-55) 4, pp 160-2Google Scholar, and Brewer, J. S., in his edition of Thomas Fuller, The Church History of Britain, 6 vols (Oxford 1845) 5, pp 510-12Google Scholar, 520-30.