Giovanni Vespa

D.Or.M. IOANNI VESPA VENETO CIVI QUI PRIMA IUVENTUTE EUROPA TERRA MARIQ[UE] PERAGRATA REGUM AUDITIS SÆR[ENISSIMA]ME REIPUBBLICÆ LEGATOS SECUTUS PRÆCIPUE FRANC[ISCUM] CONTARENU[M] EQ[ITEM] AC D[IVI] MARCI PROC[URATOR] POSTEA PRINCIP. AD TURCARUM IMPERATOREM ET AD PONTIF. MAX. GREGORIUM BARBARICUM AD RÆETOS HELVETICOS ET BRITANIÆ REGEM MICHÆLEM FUSCARENUM INQUISITOREM IN REIPUBBLICÆ CASTRIS BELLO FOROJULIENSI IN PATRIAM REVERSUS VARIA PUBLICA MUNERA SUMMA DILIGENTIA PROVIDENTIA INTEGRITATE AC FIDE OBIVIT PRIMARIOS URBIS STUDIOSE COLUIT AMICOS VERE AMICE HABUIT OMNIBUS ÆQUE CARUS SUMMIS ET IMIS OB EIUS MODESTIA[M] SINGULAREM AC MORUM SUAVITATEM ET ELEGANTIAM IN IPSO ÆTATIS FLORE CURRICULO TA[M] BENE INSTITUTÆ VITÆ IMMATURA MORTE INTERRUPTO DOMINICUS MOLINUS SENATOR FRI. CUSTOMERS ET FAMILIARI OPTIME MERITO P. OBIIT ANNO MDCXXI IIX KAL. IUN. ÆTATIS SUÆ ANNO XXXV

Giuseppe Tassini in his notes on the Venetian Citizens recalls several members of this family including a Bernardino Vespa, Guardian Grande of the School of San Giovanni Evangelista in 1633; and a Fra' Pietro Vespa, Carmelite, Bishop of Paffo,who died in Venice in 1653. Giovanni Vespa was the son of Pietro and Paolina Locatelli and, as we read on the tombstone, he was secretary of several ambassadors of the Serenissima Republic whom he accompanied on various diplomatic missions. In particular, he accompanied Francesco Contarini,to Constantinople where he was bailo from 1602 to 1604 and on a mission from the Pope; Gregorio Barbarigo in Zurich (1613) and in England (in 1615); the Inquisitor Michele Foscarini during his mission in Friuli (1617). Back in his homeland he had time to hold various public offices before dying in 1621 when he was employed by Senator Domenico Molin who at his own expense procured him this tomb and had the plaque made that is still preserved in the Grand Prioral Palace.