Page - 566 - in Jacopo Strada and Cultural Patronage at the Imperial Court - The Antique as Innovation, Volume 2

Chapter 11566 11.5 Strada’s Confessional Position About Strada’s position in the religious troubles of his time little is known, and though this information does not allow certain conclusions about his real opinions, it is of some interest in view of the important role of the confessional situation at Maximilian’s court. It is not for nothing that—together with the Imperial physician Johannes Crato, the librarian Hugo Blotius and the general Lazarus von Schwendi—Strada was chosen as one of four key figures in How- ard Louthan’s treatment of a complex of opinions at the Imperial court add- ing up to what he considers an irenic via media, reflecting ideals of religious compromise and moderation followed by Maximilian and, to a lesser extent, by Rudolf ii.36 Key document for Strada’s attitude is a letter of September 1576 to his old friend Jacopo Dani, secretary of Grand Duke Francesco i of Tusca- ny, in which he defends himself against accusations of heterodoxy Dani had reported back to him. Proclaiming himself an assiduous Catholic, he neverthe- less refused to boycott those of other persuasions: You should know<…>that from the day I was born I have never changed my religion, nor will I ever do so until I die. At great expense I have kept my sons in the house of the Jesuits, together with other noblemen, and these Jesuits are regular guests in my home, as are Monsignor the Nuncio and the Spanish Ambassador as well as many other lords whom it would be too much to mention all. My house is a house for all sorts of people, and if it was known for otherwise, there would not be so many gentlemen who come and visit me, and the world can judge that very well because lately when my wife died, God bless her soul, I had her buried according to our custom; and the funeral cost me over 300 Thaler, and His Impe- rial Majesty and His Majesty the King [of the Romans, Rudolf ii], sent their gentlemen of the Chamber to accompany her, and there were a host of noblemen present; and in contrast, if I would have been of the other religion, I would have sent her out of town to their church, and would have buried her for ten pounds, as they do with the gentlewomen of their religion.37 36 Louthan 1997; a summary of Strada’s position on pp. 124–125. 37 Doc. 1576-09-28: ‘Sappiate, Signor Secretario, che dal giorno che nacque non ò mai mutato religione, ne sono per mutarla, insino alla morte tampoco. In casa delli Jesuiti ò tenuto in donzina alle spese in compagnia d’altri gentilhuomini gli miei figliuoli; et essi Jesuiti praticano in casa mia domesticamente, et Mon Signor Nuncio et l’Ambassador di Spagna, et altri Signori che sarebbe troppo a volervi qui tutti nominare. La mia casa e casa per hogni sorte d’huomini, et quando fossi cognosciuto per altro, non verebbono tanti Signori