Dear Reverend and Respectable Master,
I refute what has been reported in the letter of The Very Illustrious Lanfranco of 24 July 1610 to Your Very Illustrious Lord regarding the painter Caravaggio. As I was not informed, I immediately tried to obtain information on this subject and have discovered that the unfortunate Caravaggio had died at Porto Ercole and not at Procida as it had been said. Indeed, having arrived at Palo aboard a felucca on which he was travelling, Caravaggio had been imprisoned by the captain and he was informed when he was set free that the felucca had already left on its voyage to Naples. Caravaggio remained in prison and obtained his freedom for a large sum of money and would probably have reached Porto Ercole by land, perhaps following the coast on foot. There he fell ill and died. On their return to port, the crew of the felucca returned the rest of his belongings to the Marquise of Caravaggio who lived at Chiaia from where Caravaggio was born. I also tried to find out if the paintings were there and I discovered they were missing, except for the following three: two paintings of Saint John the Baptist and one Mary Magdalene. At my express demand they have been placed under guard so as not to be damaged or seen and even less moved because they are destined for you and must be kept for Your Very Illustrious Lord until the aforesaid heirs and creditors of Caravaggio are dealt with and given due satisfaction, which is already partly done. I will make sure that these paintings are preserved in any way and will arrange for their delivery to Your Very Illustrious Lord in front of whom I bow humbly.
Naples, 29 July 1610.
Your very humble, very devout and very obliged servant and creature,
Fra Deodato Gentile, Bishop of Caserte