Bono Giambattista Agostino

Bono. Giambattista Agostino, an Italian theologian and jurist, was born at Verzuolo, near Saluces, in 1738. He pursued his studies at Turin, where he obtained in 1767 the chair of canonical institution, and in 1768 that of canonical law. From this time he became known by different works in which he defined the boundary between the temporal and spiritual power. In 1792 Savoy and the county of Nice having been occupied by the French army, the abbot Bono and some other professors declared themselves favorable to the revolution. The University of Turin was closed, and Bono was obliged to resign himself to a life of retirement. He took advantage of this opportunity to write the preface of the edition of a work by Leibnitz, published at Geneva in 1797. After the occupation of Piedmont by the French in 1798 he was made president of the provisory government. He died March, 1799. He wrote, De Potestate Ecclesice turn Principes seu de Jurisdictione (about 1767): — De Potestate Principis circa Matrimonia (1788): — De Criminibus Ecclesiasticis. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.