Urban VIII, Pope (i. e. Maffeo Barberini 1568-1644). Papal bull.

€ 15,000.00

Highly interesting collection of legal documents, most importantly the Papal dispensation of consanguinity to the 4th degree addressed to Jean-François de Gondi, Archbishop of Paris, for the marriage of Achille II de Harlay with Jeanne Marie de Bellièvre, including absolution for having stipulated the marriage before obtaining dispensation. The beautiful bull from the 16th year of Urban's pontificate (1623-44) is decorated with two initials on the plica and seven initials of the first line.

All attached documents are in relation to the marriage made possible by the dispensation: 1) the homologation of the Papal bull signed by Dionysius Le Blanc, episcopal official of Paris, dated 10 May 1639 (4to, Latin manuscript on vellum, 8 pp. on 6 ff.); 2) the "dispensation of the 3rd ban" issued on 20 October 1638 by the same official together with the permission to marry in the Bellièvre family chapel (oblong 4to, Latin manuscript on vellum, 1 p.); 3) a certificate of engagement and marriage issued on 15 May 1639 by the parish priest of Notre-Dame de Stains in the diocese of Paris, co-signed by the witnesses Balthasar de Rostaing, prior of Pommiers, Jean Cousin de La Roise, gentleman ordinary of the King's chamber, and Jean Roux de Lusson, Councillor to the King (folio, French manuscript on paper, ½ p. on 2 ff.); 4) a marriage certificate for Harlay and Bellièvre signed by Pierre Colombet, parish priest of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois in Paris, dated 24 October 1638 (folio, French manuscript on paper, 1 p. on 2 ff.).

Further added are an extract of the marriage contract from 20 October 1638 (folio, 1¼ pp.) and a sheaf of notarial copies of all above-mentioned documents but the bull (folio and oblong 4to, French and Latin manuscripts on paper, altogether 10 pp. on 11 ff., sewn).

The timeline is not entirely clear, but it seems that the marriage on 28 October 1638 had to be repeated on 15 May 1639 for lack of the homologation of the bull. The absolution for the "stipulation of the marriage" granted by Urban VIII is probably not connected to the legal marriage documents at hand. Achille II de Harlay (1606-71) and his spouse Jeanne Marie de Bellièvre (1617-57) were both members of important Parisian families of magistrates. Achille's like-named father served as 1st president of the Parliament of Paris from 1582 to 1611, while Achille II was Master of Requests and Conseiller d'État. Jeanne Marie's father Nicolas Bellièvre was président à mortier of the Parliament and later Conseiller d'État.

The bull is countersigned by members of the Apostolic Chancery. All documents with contemporary summaries in French. Some browning overall. The bull shows some abrasions but otherwise is in very good condition.