Franciscus de Pavonibus from Ljubljana as Organist in Dubrovnik in 1463

Abstract

Franciscus de Pavonibus is mentioned as the writer of the testament for Stanula Mekatović, the wife of Nikola Mekatović. This testament was registered in 1464 in the notarial book which is housed in the State Archives in Dubrovnik. Franciscus de Pavonibus came to Dubrovnik to begin his duties as organist and notary of the archbishop. Franciscus sealed the testament with his own seal which is very unusual as the notaries in Dubrovnik and Italy used only a special notarial sign for the verification of documents. On May 20th 1463 the interrogation of the witnesses and of the writer of the testament took place in the court of Justice in Dubrovnik. From the record of this interrogation we learn that Franciscus de Pavonibus was an organist and that he had been educated in Venice. He was a Slovene by birth (quod est natione sclauus) and from Ljubljana. Before coming to Dubrovnik he was employed as an official in Zadar. Though the data are very fragmentary the picture of Franciscus de Pavonibus, the organist in Dubrovnik, is clear enough and interesting as Franciscus de Pavonibus is the first musician of Slovene origin in the 15th century. On the grounds of the data available the author of the article also deals with general musical activity in Dubrovnik at the time when Franciscus de Pavonibus was active there. The author also makes a special reference to the development of organ-construction in Dubrovnik in that period.