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Large letterpress two-sheet broadside (c. 810 x 550 mm); woodcut Imperial arms of Joseph II at head, 8-line woodcut initial, text in two columns; creased where folded, edges frayed, small central hole from folding not affecting legibility, some fading of text, else well preserved; verso dated in ink in a contemporary hand.Scarce edict issued by Ferdinand Karl, Archduke of Austria-Este and Governor of the Duchy of Milan, on behalf of his brother, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, describing amendments to Joseph II's Enlightened religious reforms, including the transfer of funeral expenses to the Church and a table of expenses for first-, second, and third-class funerals. The amendments, made in response to Joseph II's decree issued a few weeks earlier, are seemingly the result of Ferdinand Karl's intercession on behalf of the Lombard clergy; he points out that 'one of the worthiest objects of your Sovereign attention is providing your loving subjects with the best spiritual service regarding the good of religion, customs, and societal advantage' (trans.). Despite the limited political power granted to him by his brother, Ferdinand Karl and his wife, Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este were extremely popular in Lombardy, Joseph II less so: his 1784 decision to conduct burials outside of urban centres, and his attempt to secularise both Church and state, met with fierce opposition, and his attempt to instate 'economy coffins', featuring trapdoors to drop bodies into mass graves, was withdrawn after a mere six months. This edict, to be displayed 'in the usual locations, and where appropriate in all of Austrian Lombardy' (trans.), presents the new plan to the public, consisting largely of increased funds for lay clergy. Despite Joseph II's suppression of confraternities, the edict allows for an exception, a charitable lay confraternity designed to provide for poor parishioners and for the maintenance of churches. A table of funeral expenses follows the edict, comprising charges to be paid to the parish priest and to the church. Divided into three classes, the table lists expenses incurred for the ringing of church bells, candles at the altar, the number of priests attending, transporting the body to the cemetery, and payment of gravediggers. Further payment of a zecchino was required for first-class funeral processions accompanied by girls from Milan's female orphanage, or by orphans from the Pio Albergo Trivulzio. A second table lists expenses for funerals of children under the age of seven (first and second class), and subsidised funerals for the poor. Language: Italian.