In longitude 113 degrees, in a shield, is the coat of arms of this pope, at the right of which is the inscription, “Implebitur vaticinium,” at the left “Replebitur majestate omnis terra,” and below “Irradiatibur evangelio, studio recentis Clementiae et Successorum.” There are two or three additional shields, in one of which is an illegible inscription, and one has been left blank. Although meridians and parallels are indicated, loxodromic lines are wanting, which so generally appear on those globes constructed in the Netherlands. The nomenclature is either Latin, Italian or local. Mythological and allegorical figures are numerous, as are also representations of sea monsters and sailing ships.
A pair of Moroncelli’s globes, in excellent condition, may be found in the Accademia Etrusca of Cortona. These are reported to have come to the Academy in the year 1727 as a gift from the Abbé Onofrio Baldelli. They have each a diameter of about 80 cm., are mounted on plain bases, and are furnished with the usual meridian circles within which they may be revolved. On the terrestrial globe a legend is placed within a shieldlike cartouch surmounted with a coat of arms of the patrician family Baldelli of Cortona, and reads, “Virorum probitas, eruditio et virtus existimationem exigunt. Haec in Illmo D. Abb. Onofrio Baldelli Patritio Cortonensi mirifice effulgent. Ne dum in Humanis Artibus summopere praedito. Verum etiam in Magnanimitatem laudabili: Dum ad complementum Bibliotechae, pro Studiorum Concivium utilitate et eruditione, ab ipso erectae, globos etiam cosmographicos, licet etiam dispendio trescentorum scutorum libenter auxit. Quamobrem tantis meritis coactus D. Silr Amantius Moroncelli Fabrianens: Abb: Bened. Congr. Silvestrinorum Auctor ad perpetuam rei memoriam Monumentum hoc posuit Ann. Sal. MDCCXIV.” “The uprightness of men, their learning and virtue call for respect; these qualities marvelously shine forth in the illustrious lord Abbot Onofri Baldelli of patrician rank of Cortona; not only was he endowed beyond others in the humanities, but also he was praiseworthy for his magnanimity. To furnish the library erected by him, for the use and the instruction of his student fellow citizens, he generously contributed these cosmographic globes, although they cost 300 scudi. Wherefore, being executed by his great abilities, D. Silvester Amantius Moroncelli of Fabriano, Benedictine Abbot of the Silvestrin Congregation, has erected this monument for their perpetual remembrance of his generosity. In the year of our Salvation 1714.”
A second legend in a less decorative cartouch reads, “Orbis Terraquei, juxta presentem notitiam, cum multa adhuc invenienda remaneant, non solum in Terra Australi incognita, verum etiam in Septentrionalibus Americae Superioris ubi molta Jam occulta manent a D. Silvestro Amantio Moroncelli Fabrianensi Abb: Bened: Congr. Silvest. Cosmographo Reginae Svecorum, nec non Sapientiae Rom. Anno etatis sue, 64, Red. v͞o MDCCXV.” “In our present knowledge of the terraqueous world much yet remains to be discovered, not only in the unknown lands of the south, but also in the northern regions of North America where many things are still undiscovered. D. Silvester Amantius Moroncelli of Fabriano, Benedictine Abbot of the Silvestrin Congregation, Cosmographer of the Queen of Sweden and also of the Roman Academy (made this globe) in the 64th year of his age, and in the year of Redemption, 1715.”
The parallels and meridians are drawn at intervals of five degrees, and one compass is placed in the southern hemisphere. Both Latin and Italian have been employed for the geographical names.
The celestial globe contains the figures of the several constellations exquisitely drawn, the name of each being given in Latin, in Arabic, and in Greek. One finds on this globe but the one short legend reading “Stella praeclara et peregrina Anno D. 1572 et per annum et quatuor menses, scilicet a principio Novvemb. usque ad ultimum Martii 1573.” “A very bright and wandering star (appearing) in the year 1572 and for one year and four months, visible from the first of November to the last of March 1573.”
Another fine pair of Moroncelli’s manuscript globes, constructed in the year 1716, is to be found in the Biblioteca Casanatense of Rome. They have each a diameter of about 160 cm. and are mounted on plain octagonal bases. The terrestrial has a graduated meridian of brass, a horizon circle of wood, likewise graduated and having indicated on its surface the several signs of the zodiac, the names of the months, and of the principal winds. On the surface of the globe, the parallels and the meridians are drawn at intervals of five degrees, the prime meridian passing through the most western island of the Canaries. The address to the reader, like that on the globe in the Alessandrian Library, is practically a copy of the one to be found on the Greuter globe of the year 1632. A lengthy legend relating to the prime meridian reads: “Ut recta methodo ad cognitionem Geographie deveniamus, Principium desumere a po Meridiano, a quo longitudo habetur, debemus. Unde sic. Quamvis igitur Longitudinis initium arbitrarium sit, ab occasu tamen ejus auspicium facere ideo Veteribus placuit quod illic aliquis Terre limes esset inventus qui Ortum versus nullus expeditionibus deprehendi potuisset atque eam ob causam Ptolemeus cujus sedulitati ac industriae Geographie incolumitatem omnes vel inviti debent ab ultimo termino Occidentis cognito que Insule in Atlantico mari Fortunate olim dicte nunc Canariae vocantur auspicium fecit. In iisque Primum meridianum defixit quod theticum principium deinceps fere omnes ejus auctoritate moti retinuerunt. Nunnulli quidem Seculo transacto principium tenendum censuere ubi Acus Magneti junctae recta in boream spectat: Sed multum inter se dissentientes allucinantur. Nos autem Ptolomei vestigiis insistentes easdem Insulas delegimus et Lineam meridionalem in Insula De Ferro dicta que de Fortunatis ut olim et de Canariis nunc, una de Principalibus est fiximus.” “That we may come to the right method for acquiring a knowledge of geography we must make a beginning from the first meridian from which longitude is reckoned. Although the beginning of longitude is arbitrary it pleased the ancients to make this beginning from the west because there was found a limit of the earth which could not be found by voyages toward the east. For this reason Ptolemy, to whose application and industry all men owe the preservation of geography though grudgingly, made the beginning from the farthest known bounds of the west, which are the Fortunate Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, but now called the Canary Islands. In these he fixed the first meridian, and this hypothetical beginning almost all who have followed him have been led by his authority to retain. Not a few in the century just passed have thought that the beginning should be made where the magnetic needle points directly to the north. But these, as they disagree among themselves are mistaken. We follow in the footsteps of Ptolemy and have chosen the same island, and placed the meridian line in the Island of Ferro, one of the principal islands of the Fortunate group now called the Canaries.”
In addition to the one just quoted there are a few other legends relating to geographical discoveries which contain allusions, very similar to the many which may be found on certain other globes of the period, adding little or nothing that is new.
The celestial globe, mounted practically the same as the terrestrial, contains the following legend: “Ecce damus methodo Ptolemaica seu Orteliana coelestium siderum quotquot hodie extare comperimus schemata, situs et ut decet reperiuntur perfecta. Sunt enim ex descriptionibus Hipparchi, Ptolomei, Alphonsi, Copernici, per Tyconem Brahe ad trutinam examinata, nec non Joannis Bayeri, qui Uranometriam per imagines in tabulis aeneis expressit. Et nunc per me D. Silvestrum Amantium Moroncelli Fabrianen̄ Abbatem Bened. Congreg. Silv. calamo descripta coloribusque effigiata adattataque ad Ann. 1716.” “Observe that we give after the method of Ptolemy or Ortelius the settings of the stars of heaven, as far as they have, to the present, been discovered, and as far as their positions have been made known. We have employed the descriptions of Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Alfonso, and Copernicus, as tested and confirmed by Tycho Brahe, and also by the observations of Johannes Bayer, who expressed the star system (of Tycho Brahe) objectively in brass tables, now by myself D. Silvester Amantius Moroncelli of Fabriano, Benedictine Abbot of the Silvestrin Congregation. All these have been expressed in letters and represented in colors, and accommodated to the year 1716.”
There is given a second legend of some importance reading, “Tabula continens quantum quovis proposito anno vel addendum vel demendum sit longitudini affixarum. Stellae enim spatio septuaginta Annorum et quinque mensium unicum gradum secondum Asterismorum ordinem super Polum Zodiaci progrediuntur ab Occasu ad Orientem. Ex hujusmodi Regula invenitur Sidera migrasse a Mundi creatione usque ad hunc annum 6915, Gr. 98, M. 47, S. 20. Et ab adventu D. N. J. C. usque ad hunc annum 1716, Gr. 24, M. 30, S. 25.” “Table noting how much must be added to or subtracted from the longitude of the fixed stars in any given year. The stars move from west to east one degree in the space of seventy years and five months according to the order of the constellations of the zodiac. From this rule it is found that the stars have moved from the creation of the world a period of 6915 years to the present 98 degrees, 47 minutes and 20 seconds, and from the advent of Our Lord Jesus Christ to this year 1716, 24 degrees, 30 minutes, and 25 seconds.”
In addition to the above-mentioned examples of Moroncelli’s work, there may be cited a number of allusions to others which cannot now be located. Fiorini notes first a fine cosmographic sphere designed to represent both the terrestrial and the celestial, having a circumference of 2.62 palms, and probably constructed for the patrician family Trevisiani.[77] It appears that it later passed into the hands of Prince Lucio Odescalchi of Milan, and in the year 1849 was taken to Rome, after which it appears that all trace of it was lost. It is said to have been a very artistic piece, brilliantly colored with numerous pictures executed in miniature, and to have been dated 1690. The anonymous biographer of Moroncelli, whose account exists only in manuscript and is frequently cited by Fiorini, notes that Moroncelli constructed a manuscript globe for Queen Christina of Sweden.[78] This has been thought by Porti to be the globe just referred to, but the identity is doubtful. Again Fiorini makes allusion to the probable existence at one time of a pair of Moroncelli’s globes in the Monasterio Biblioteca of S. Benedetto of Fabriano, and of still another pair in the Collegio De Vecchi of the same city, but of these nothing at present is known.[79] The anonymous biography likewise alludes to one of his celestial globes which he constructed and dedicated to Cardinal Alessandro Albani of Urbino. In this the author undertook, like certain others of his day, to substitute for the Greek mythological characters or figures representing the several constellations, pictures of biblical objects and characters, or of individuals selected from Christian martyrology.[80] While this particular globe cannot now be located, there is a small one of similar character which belongs to the Accademia Etrusca of Cortona, having a diameter of about 27 cm., its map being partly in manuscript and partly printed. There is the following author and date legend: “Sacrometria omnium asterismorum coelestium figuris Aecclesiasticis reformatorum a Rev. Abb. D. Sil. Amantio Moroncelli Fabrianen. Silvestrino Ann. 1710.” “Sacred measurements of all the heavenly stars expressed in ecclesiastical notation by the Rev. D. Silvester Amantius Moroncelli of Fabriano, a Silvestrian, in the year 1710.” A brief descriptive legend reads, “In hac coelesti sphaera Stellae affixae majori quam hactenus numero et accuratiori industria delineantur novis asterismis in Philomateorū gratiam de integro additis: quae omnia secondum Astronomorum Principis Thyconis Brahe et aliorum observationem verae suae Longitudini ac Latitudini ad annum Christi 1636 restituta sunt.” “In this celestial sphere the fixed stars are depicted in greater number than previously and with more accurate care, the new stars being added for the use of the student; all of which, according to the observations of that Prince of astronomers Tycho Brahe, and of others, are given with their true latitude and longitude, and accommodated to the year of Christ 1636.” This library of Cortona possesses a manuscript of Moroncelli titled “Sacrometria omnium asterismorum continens schemata figuris ecclesiasticis expressa Silvestri Amantii Moroncelli Fabrianensis ecc. anno 1707.” “Sacred measurement of all the stars being a scheme expressing in ecclesiastical notation by Silvester Amantius Moroncelli of Fabriano in the year 1707.” The constellations he divides into three groups: the boreal from 1-19, the zodiacal from 20-31, the southern from 32-58, giving to each a new name. Hercules, for example, he changed to Samson; Lyra to David; Cassiopeia to Eve; Virgo to Virgo Maria Assumpta in Coelum. One can scarcely affirm that Moroncelli exerted a wide-reaching influence, nevertheless he has, for his day, a place of considerable prominence among globe makers.