Conjurer

One of Gio Francesco Bonamico’s manuscripts deals about ‘Observations on the Astonishing Maltese Drinker’. The seventeenth century Maltese author, who wrote mostly in Latin and Italian travelled widely in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and Greece and wrote several accounts of his travels between 1657 and 1676. An English free-translation by Prof. John J. Cremona, of one of these accounts by Bonamico, had appeared in The Malta Chronicle and Imperial Services Gazette of the 13th November 1939. This is a synopsis from what is described as ‘a newly-discovered manuscript’:

‘Once, on returning from Germany to Paris, Gio Francesco Bonamico, was lucky enough to meet in the French capital a person with whom he had long wished to be acquainted, a famous Maltese magician, about whom he read some observations in a book by a Danish Physician’.

‘Bonamico met this magician, who asserted that he was truly Maltese, his name being Biagio Manfrè, but he had been away from the Island for thirty-five years. Manfrè said that he was born in Birgu, before the new city was built, and under the Grandmastership of Wignacourt, had also dwelt in Valletta, close to Fort St Elmo.

The magician mentioned that he was a soldier, having taken part in the enterprise of Castel Turnese and served in the Maltese infantry. He had also undertaken several voyages on board the galleys in Barbary, in the East and in the West.

Bonamico recounts that the magic could accrue from his ‘magic’ virtue, and he used to drink sixty glasses of ordinary water, rinsing frequently, the glasses and frequently opening his mouth to show off bona fide proceedings. Then  he would give out again all the water through his mouth to the glasses, with as much violence as a fountain, and in so doing, fill the glasses with different wines of different colour and quality, beer and other spirits. Sometimes he would half fill the glasses with different liquors, and then continue to occupy the remaining capacity of the glasses in the same order and with the same liquor in each.

He could also send forth from his mouth three separate spouts of oil, wine and milk or other liquors and moreover eject sweet-meats, flowers and perfumes, attar, and also orange-flower water, with which he used to sprinkle the handkerchiefs of the onlookers.

Bonamico, who had studied medicine in about half a dozen universities in Europe, did all what was in his power towards expounding this prodigy scientifically. He asked the conjurer some questions about his magic virtue, which had brought him fame throughout all Europe.  The magician replied that he regarded his gift as a natural quality, having always possessed it since childhood.

At this time there was the Inquisition, and he was summoned by this Sacred Tribunal, and charged with witchraft. This time he was set free. Soon after he murdered a commander, but he succeeded to embark on a ship about to sail to Syracuse. From there he passed on to Naples, where he had to resort to his ‘magic’ in order to get a living. He made a splendid show of it, astounding the whole population.

But the Inquisition took hold of him again and sent him off to Rome to His Holiness. The magician, however, exculpted himself by doing magic before the Pope himself.  Some people said that he also disclosed the secrets to him, but he kept on denying this, as he asserted that there was no trick in it all, but that was all natural to him. Urban VIII was full of admiration, and asked a wise prelate of his court to express his estimation of such a man. The reply was that our man was beyond all philosophic speculation, and also that he was ‘solus sicut sol’.

Manfrè, favoured with a licence by the Pope, allowing him to exercise his virtue freely and without any suspicion of witchcraft, moved on to Florence. There he confounded all philosophers, and also Vittorio Rosi, the Grand Duke’s physician, who later on devoted him a whole chapter in one of his book about world-wonders.

He later strolled about the Italian peninsula, but was always persecuted by the Inquisition, who arrested him forty-eight times, but everytime setting him free again as he was innocent.

From Italy he crossed to France, where he engaged the admiration of all the land. Here he gained a good ammount of money, and succeeded in winning the special favour of Cardinal Richelieu, who honoured him with several presents. He travelled to Germany and the Netherlands, winning the admiration of the Emperor, and again obtained several presents. Later on he returned to Paris, where he married, and had a son and a daughter.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.