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con morte d'alcuni, conquassamento del Convento de Cappuccini di Albino, aperture vor-
aginose della terra, staccamento de Monti dal luogo loro con altre rovine. Fu il terremoto
sentito non solo hoggi, ma anco in altri giorni antecedenti e susseguenti, ma l'hodierno
riusc`ıpiu degli altri spaventoso”
[1661. On a Friday [
] our Homeland was shaken by a strong earthquake that caused much
damage in our territory; the refectory of the Friars of Montecchio fell with deaths of some
of them; the Capuchin monastery in Albino shook, fissures opened in the ground, mountains
moved away from their places, and other ruins. The earthquake was felt not only today, but
also in the previous and following days, but the one of today was more frightening than the
others.]
...
It is difficult to assess whether, with the wording
“la nostra Patria”
, Calvi does refer
to the city of Bergamo - the place he mostly deals with in his topic - or the whole
area, which would include both Albino and Montecchio. While Albino is easily
located, the name of the other place, Montecchio, is a rather common one and can be
referred to many localities in the area. Stucchi et al. (1990) identified the monastery
as the one of Santa Maria delle Grazie of Montecchio near Credaro, not far from the
Lake Iseo. Founded in 1470, the monastery was transformed into a private property
in mid 18th century. Documents on the Montecchio monastery are stored in the State
Archive of Milano; they concern the management (ASMi, 1491-1579; 1504-1755),
the exemption from taxes (ASMi, 1507-1682) and the affairs related to the build-
ing and the annexed church (ASMi, 1563-1724); documents regarding the Albino
monastery are stored in the “Capuchins Friars” Provincial Archive (APCL, 17th
cent.). All these documents do not provide any record on the earthquake.
Another trace of this earthquake comes from Milano; Cremosano (1642-1691)
mentions:
“1661, 11 detto [marzo]. All'ora 19 altro terremoto”
[1661, 11 ditto [March]. On the 19th hour another earthquake].
On March 18, around midday, a nearly imperceptible earthquake is reported by
Canobio (1849) in Crema. On March 20 a complex sequence of events is reported by
Calvi (1676) in Castro, near the Iseo Lake - in a separate section with respect to the
event of March 11: a light earthquake in the morning, an eclipse and, at about h.21,
a landslide which fell into the lake causing casualties and damage on the banks:
“20 marzo. 1661. Fu questi un giorno per molti capi alla terra di Castre memorando;
picciol terremoto a mezza mattina scosse la terra. S'ecclisso alle 18. Hore il Sole, cosı
durando per quasi quattro, e su le venti una, cade da un monte mezzo miglio discosto
nel vicino lago, tanto vasto pezzo di rupe sassosa, che caus `opiu gran rumore di qual si
voglia fiero tuono, o terribil terremoto. Si posero i popoli di Castre in fuga, quelli di Lovere,
Pisogni, & altre terre alla gran furia del lago atterriti rimasero, & il rumor dell'aqua, f`uper
deciotto miglia sentito. Si sconvolsero de pescatori le barche, & molti, ne rimasero affogati
sembrando volesse il mondo tutto subissare”
[20 March. 1661. This was a day for many reasons memorable for the place of Castre; at
mid morning a very light earthquake shook the earth. The sun eclipsed at 18 hours, and it
lasted for four, and around twenty and one hours, from a mountain half a mile far from the
coast such a large portion that it caused a greater noise than the fiercest thunder, or a terrible
earthquake. Fled the people from Castre, those from Lovere, Pisogni and other places were
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