Boffo da Massa: A Historical Tale from the 14th Century

By Giovanni Polini

"Boffo da Massa" by Giovanni Polini is no ordinary historical tale. It's a tribute to the Fermano region and a gift to the people of Carassai, given in a time - 1888, when few had the ability to read and access historical information.

This tale plunges readers into the 14th century, a tumultuous period for Fermano (in the Marche Region of Italy), a land rich in events and battles. The protagonist, Boffo, is a valiant but flawed warrior, a negative character who embodies the tyrants of Fermano. Through this figure, Polini aligns with the pre-unification literary movement, using his story as a vehicle to paraphrase the political ferment of his time.

"Boffo da Massa" is more than just the chronicle of a man or a region. It is a vivid portrayal of an era, a tribute to the past of a people and their land. Polini's gift to his contemporaries in Carassai was not merely a story, but a key to a rich cultural and historical heritage that might have otherwise remained hidden.

"Boffo da Massa" is a journey back in time, an adventure that will introduce you to a distant and fascinating past. Prepare for an engrossing read filled with history and intrigue. Now available on Kindle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781447501855

Book preview

BOFFO DA MASSA

A HISTORICAL TALE OF THE 14TH CENTURY

By

Giovanni Polini

Translation into English and reprint of the volume published in Montefiore Dell'Aso

by

the former Egidio Egidi Printing House in 1888, English edition and translation by

Mariano Pallottini

CONTENTS

CONTENTS      v

ABOUT THE AUTHOR      vii

CARASSAI      xiii

PREFACE      xv

DEDICATION      xix

PROLOGUE      xxi

Il.      xxvii

III.      xxxiii

CHAPTER I.      1

CHAPTER II      11

CHAPTER III.      21

CHAPTER IV.      29

CHAPTER V.      45

CHAPTER VI.      55

CHAPTER VII.      65

CHAPTER VIII.      75

CHAPTER IX.      83

CHAPTER X.      95

CHAPTER XI      103

CHAPTER XII      115

CHAPTER XIIl      129

CHAPTER XIV      137

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Gian Paolo Polini (known at home as Giovanni) was an ophthalmologist, general practitioner, novelist, historian, and archaeologist.

    Education

    Gian Paolo Polini was born on December 3, 1863, in Carassai, to Tito and Clelia Polini. Gian Paolo came from the highest local aristocracy. His family traced its roots back to the renowned Fermo military leader Alessandro Simeoni da Carnasciale. At a young age, he moved to Bologna, where an ancient branch of his family resided. He successfully completed his medical studies and, after specializing in ophthalmology in Genoa, returned to his hometown to work as a general practitioner.

    Polini already felt a strong bond with Carassai, although the atmosphere of the Emilian capital had greatly influenced his personal and professional development. The studies and the Bolognese environment instilled in the young man secular and liberal ideals that would not find an easy life in the former Papal State, of which the Marche region had been a part until the unification. Despite this, Gian Paolo Polini maintained good relations with some priests in the Fermo diocese due to shared interests in history and the consultation of ancient documents.

    Upon returning to the Marche region, he married Emma Tassoni, a noblewoman from Massignano, a village only 16 km away, and they had two children whom he named after his parents.

    The Doctor

    In testament to his activity, meticulous medical reports remain, from which true snapshots of late 19th-century Carassai emerge. It is worth noting numerous episodes of violence involving beatings and cutting weapons: for example, it is reported that a twelve-year-old child was injured in the head by a bite, possibly inflicted by a peer during a brawl.

    In 1899, Carassai was struck by a severe scarlet fever epidemic that lasted for about two months, causing deaths mainly among children. Polini decided to move his wife and one-year-old daughter to the nearby Massignano, also because penicillin had not yet been discovered, and the treatments available at the time had limited chances of being effective. In addition, there was the stubbornness of the population, which, according to the doctor, refused to keep the sick isolated. From then on, he worked tirelessly to organize a proper hospital ward in the village, and to ensure the best functioning of the small hospital, he made several trips to Genoa, where he perfected his techniques and constantly expanded his knowledge.

    The Historian

    In addition to being a skilled physician, Polini was also a meticulous historian, remembered for the important research he conducted during his years in Carassai. Inclined towards study and in-depth analysis, he collected and examined a large amount of ancient documents, on the basis of which he was able to reconstruct the history of his hometown. Unfortunately, he died before seeing his work published.

    Fortunately for us, his nephew Gian Paolo Fioretti, a professor at the University of Naples, recovered the manuscript and took care of its publication. The History of Carassai was presented to the community on November 2, 1975. During his studies, our protagonist consulted many previously unpublished documents (some of which are no longer available), in addition to the rich material preserved in the diplomatic archives of Fermo.

    It should be noted that he never drew from the documentation of the archbishop's archive, reconstructing a historical panorama devoid of elements related to religiousness and worship, in consistent respect for his secular beliefs.

    The Archaeologist

    Gian Paolo Polini lived in a historical period that was very favorable to archaeological discoveries in the Marche region. Archaeological collecting had spread at the end of the 18th century following intense excavation campaigns promoted by the Papal State on Piceno soil, followed by more or less regular research by wealthy private individuals who often acted as intermediaries for large Italian and foreign collectors.

    During the period in which Polini lived, collecting had many supporters among the notables, the wealthy bourgeoisie, and the large landowners locally, becoming a symbol of prosperity and social distinction. Gian Paolo Polini developed a passion for archaeology and documentary research. He identified all the points of archaeological interest in the territory of Carassai. His insights are still invaluable today for delineating the situation, even where irreparably compromised.

    The genealogical trees created by the Carassai physician also extended to other non-noble families in his hometown. The cultural legacy of Gian Paolo Polini has inspired generations of researchers and fueled a vibrant cultural life that still characterizes Carassai.

    The Novelist

    Gian Paolo Polini, perhaps inspired, if not outright encouraged, by the noble contemporary authors from his region who wrote historical novels about the prominent figures of 14th-century Fermo, dedicated himself to the writing of a novel that he dedicated to his hometown in the preface: TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARASSAI, THESE FEW PAGES CONCERNING ITS HISTORY.

    The character whose story was fictionalized by Polini is Boffo da Massa, connected to the characters of Mercenario da Monteverde by Marchese Cesare Trevisani of Fermo, published in 1850, and Gentile da Mogliano by Giovanni Battista Ripamonti of Mogliano, published in 1876.

    Boffo de Tebaldeschi, known as Boffo da Massa, is a historical figure present in all three novels. Taking inspiration from Polini's novel, Niccola Pansoni, a poet from Cossignano, dedicated a verse work in the Cossignano dialect to the same historical character in 1925, titled XXIV SONETTI IN DIALETTO COSSIGNANESE CON NOTE STORICHE 'LA PRESA DI COSSIGNANO' A. D. 1370 (24 Sonnets in the Cossignano Dialect with Historical Notes 'The Capture of Cossignano' A.D. 1370).

    The style of the novel can be inferred from the dedication written by Gian Paolo Polini in the first pages: I did not intend to write a novel; I simply wanted to give a pleasant and enjoyable form to some historical notes in order to make them popular and facilitate their reading.

    Death

    Gian Paolo Polini died in 1908 at the age of 45 while assisting a patient undergoing cataract surgery. It was likely a heart attack that ended the life of this bright figure from Carassai.

    Works

Boffo da Massa. Racconto istorico del Secolo XIV, Egidi editore, Montefiore dell'Aso, 1888. (Italian Version Available on amazon)

Storia di Carassai, Liguori editore, Napoli 1975 (posthumous). (Italian Reprint Available on amazon)

CARASSAI

    Nestled in the verdant hills of the Marche region in Italy, Carassai is a treasure trove of history and charm that will enchant every reader of Boffo da Massa: A Historical Tale from the 14th Century.

    As you meander through the cobblestone streets of this ancient village, you will be transported back to a time of knights and battles, of intrigue and valor. Each corner of Carassai tells a story, from the stone arches that whisper tales of the Middle Ages, to the breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside that has remained unchanged through the centuries.

    A jewel of the Fermano area, Carassai is a place where time seems to stand still. The village is home to lovingly preserved buildings, a testament to its rich past and the resilience of its people. As you stroll along its narrow lanes, you can almost hear the echoes of historical events that unfolded here, events that are masterfully brought to life in Boffo da Massa.

    For lovers of history and charm, Carassai is an unmissable destination. It’s not just a backdrop for our tale, but a character in its own right, captivating with its tranquil beauty and proud heritage. With every page of      Boffo da Massa, you will be drawn deeper into the spirit of this magical place, coming to understand why it inspired such a compelling tale.

    Experience the allure of Carassai and embark on a journey through time with Boffo da Massa: A Historical Tale from the 14th Century.

PREFACE

We leave the preface to NICCOLA PANSONI, who in 1925 published:

XXIV SONETTI IN DIALETTO COSSIGNANESE CON NOTE STORICHE LA PRESA DI COSSIGNANO A. D. 1370¹

In 1888, the esteemed Dr. Giovanni Polini from Carassai - taken too early from his loved ones and the fields of medicine and history, (which he cultivated with passion and acumen) - released, with the Egidi types of Montefiore dell’Aso, a small volume in 32° titled: Boffo da Massa. Historical Tale of the XIV Century.

Like all novelists and short story writers, despite grounding his narrative in historical sources, he created episodes that did not unfold exactly in the chronological order that I could adhere to having been able to draw upon information, of which I will mention, documents and acts that came to light after Polini's youthful publication!

Polini has the revolt of Cossignano take place in the last year of Boffo's life (1387) while Cossignano and Carassai (unlike Castignano which drove away the tyrant) were never rebels against Boffo.

The fact is this:

In 1370, Boffo, after having sacked and burnt Cossignano and subjugated it to Fermo - from which the famous mercenary captain depended - under the name of a "commended land²," he dominated it until his death on September 4, 1387, or more precisely on July 31 of that year, despite the Duke of Atri, Antonio, of the still existing Acquaviva family, having repeatedly disputed his possession and even taking his beloved son Guarniero³ prisoner, threatening to keep him locked up in S. Vittoria until Boffo had