---

3 translated pages

---

Chapter 1 Page 1

THE TRIUMPH OF FORTUNE
by Sigismondo Fanti
from Ferrara.

[Frontispiece woodcut based on
a drawing which is attributed to
the Sienese painter Baldassare
Petruzzi (1481-1536) and which
shows various figures connected
with astrology.]

---

Chapter 1 Page 2

CLEMENT VII
                        To all and sundry who shall examine the present letters our greeting and
                        Apostolic blessing. Since our beloved son SIGISMONDO FANTI of
                        Ferrara, wishing in some way to publish the works of his intellect, has
                        humbly arranged to petition that we might restrain everyone so that
                        no one should be able to print the said works without his permission
                        during a DECADE; and since we consider it just that there should be
                        ownership and control over what belongs to one: lest anyone should
                        carry over to his own advantage the fruit of another's labour, of one
who is thus inclined to petitions; We admonish all and sundry of those who are truly our subjects,
on pain of excommunication everywhere, as well as a fine of five hundred ducats to be paid
to the said Sigismondo or to whomever he himself may appoint, each time that the offence
takes place, that for the next ten years, reckoning from the present date, nobody else may,
without a concession from Sigismondo himself, dare or presume to print the said works of
his, or sell them or offer them for sale if they have been printed elsewhere; Ordering all the
local ordinaries and their vicars in spiritual matters: that they are to observe and execute
these present letters of ours, and ensure that the latter are fully executed and observed by
others. We will and decree that copies of these [presents] which shall have been signed
by the hand of a public notary and furnished with the seal of a person who occupies an
ecclesiastical dignity shall be held good in all respects both inside and outside the courts
of law. Dated in Rome at St Peter's, under the seal of the Fisherman's Ring.
3rd day of      July      1525            the third year of our Pontificate.
                                                                        Be. Cl. Ravenn.

With favour and privilege
19th day of November, 1526. It has been decided in the Senate that no printer or
engraver may during ten years bring out these books without the author's consent,
whereby we impose on all who should happen to violate this the penalty of forfeiting
all the books forthwith and one piece of gold in proportion to the work, and we
enjoin all the magistrates and officials before whom a denunciation may happen to
be made that they immediately undertake the execution of this penalty without the
need for a plaint to be submitted.

[...]

---

Chapter 1 Page 3

[Astrological tables]

Printed in the glorious City of Venice by Agostino da Portese.
In the year of the Virgin Birth 1526, in the month of
January, on behalf of Giacomo Giunta, merchant
bookseller in Florence. With the privilege of
POPE CLEMENT VII & the Venetian
Senate, at the AUTHOR's request,
as indicated in their
registers.

With favour and privilege.

Register.

[...]


Translation by: Luis Sundkvist