Bonaventura Pistofilo

Born in Pontremoli, in a first faze was a notary for the Este family, then he became secretario, that is to say chancellor, for Duke Alfonso I d’Este. On 23 April 1518 Bonaventura Pistofilo signed the decree that included the ‘dottissimo’ or most learned Ludovico Ariosto in the ‘pay book’ of the Duke’s salaried staff with a monthly wage of 7 gold scudi  and the maintenance of three persons and two horses. In all probability Pistofilo favoured the entry of the poet to the ducal court, even though Ludovico’s personal prestige would have consented him to personally obtain a post off the Duke. Bonaventura was the husband of Margherita Strozzi and was thus a relative of Alessandra Benucci, the widow of Tito Strozzi. He had a relationship of close friendship and esteem with Ludovico Ariosto. In 1523 it was  Bonaventura to propose the poet for the highly honorific post of ambassador at the court of the new Pope Clement VII, for a year or two. Ariosto actually refused the job as he wanted to stay in Ferrara as he says in Satire VII, in a passage dedicated to the Duke’s chancellor. "Pistofilo, tu scrivi che, se appresso / papa Clemente imbasciator del Duca / per uno anno e per dui voglio esser messo, / ch’io te ne avisi, acciò che tu conduca / la pratica" (SatireVII, 1-5). To the Duke’s chancellor Ariosto wrote some letters when he was ducal commissioner for Garfagnana [1522-1525]. Bonaventura Pistofilo also appears in the Orlando Furioso, XLVI, 18, 1-4: "Ecco il dotto, il fedele, il diligente / secretario Pistofilo, ch’insieme / con gli Acciaiuoli e con l’Angiar mio sente / piacer, che più del mar per me non teme".