A baptism record from Ascoli, Puglia, ItalyThis example shows the record of a baptism which took place in the city of Ascoli Satriano in southern Italy early in the 18th century. The text is in Italian with a number of common abbreviations. Six people are recorded as taking part in the event: the priest who conducted the ceremony, the father of the child, the mother of the child, the child herself, the godfather and godmother. As well as the names of the parents and godparents, the entry gives their places of origin and the names of their own fathers and mothers. The place of baptism is shown (the cathedral), the rank of the priest (archpriest), the date and hour of birth. Both of the parents are immigrants from another town in the region, as is the godfather. The entry was written according to a formula which had been specified by higher administration. Books of such formulae have survived and indicate how priests and notaries made these documents. Unfortunately the degree to which individual writers conformed to such recipes varies considerably. Some entries may be quite brief and badly written. Some administrations, for instance the Church of England before the reforms of 1754, provided very little information at all.
1st January 1747 I Francesco Antonio Buccini archpriest of this cathedral chuch of Ascoli in Puglia have baptised a female child, born 30th of December last at the 22nd hour to the married couple Antonio Savini of Palo, diocese of Matera, the son of a certain Niccolo and Grazia Bassolla, and Vit'Antonia Nardi of Palo, the daughter of a certain Vito and Porzia Jacobelli, to who is given the name Maria Giuseppa Teresa. The godfather was Vito Caputo of Loreto, diocese of Trani, the son of a certain Onofrio and Angiola Nasti, and the godmother was Giovanna d'Anello of Ascoli, the daughter of the late Francesco and Antonia Cammarosani.
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