Pope Alexander VIII Autograph

Letter signed, one page, 8,5 x 12 inch, Brescia, 24.03.1664, in Italian, to Ottavio Labia* - concerning the situation of a young man who has been taken away from Brescia and made a soldier (probably a `janissary`), signed at the conclusion as Cardinal Ottoboni (in his capacity as bishop of Brescia) in black ink "Il Card.le Ottoboni" - with an added full holograph line in his hand "Aff.mo per Ser.la sempre di tutto cuore", attractively mounted (removable) for fine display with a portrait picture of Pope Alexander VIII (altogether 19,25 x 14,25 inch), with light creasing, and mild intersecting letter folds - in fine condition. The document contains to an conjoined sheet the autograph response of Ottavio Labia to Alexander VIII.

In parts:

"E stato condotto via da Brescia e fatto soldato Giacomo figliolo di ... giovane di tredeci anni ... confidando egli che medianto le mie intercession, la bonta di Vs. Ill[ustrissi]ma si compiacera di farlo ... essendo il giovane piccolo e di bassa statura ..."

Translated:

"He was taken away from Brescia and made a soldier, Giacomo son of ... a young man of thirteen ... trusting that through my intercession Your Illustrious will be pleased to ... being the young man small and low ..."

* Ottavio Labia was a patron of the arts and high official of the Doge´s republic. Count of Zara. He died few years later when the ship `Redemptor` sank in the Adriatic; Labia was on his way to meet the Grand Sultan Ottoman Mehmed IV, to sign a peace treaty for commerce after the capture of Crete by the Turks.