Manuscript volume, on paper, containing two secular vernacular romances attributed in the dedication to a single unidentified author. The first, I Nobili Fatti di Alessandro Magno, is an Italian translation of the Latin version of the life of Alexander the Great by Pseudo-Callisthenes. The second text is The Romance of Troas. Troas, a descendant of Hector, is the king of Thessaly; his son Troiano journeys to Britain and joins the army of King Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, who is leading an army of Britons, Trojans and Romans against the Greeks
Description:
In Italian., Ownership inscription and drawing of arms of "Alessandro dale Carte" on rear flyleaf., Bookplate of Sir Thomas Phillipps on front pastedown; Phillipps MS number inscribed on recto of f1., Layout: single columns of variable length., Script: Italian cursive bookhand., Decoration: Rubricated (ff. 1-91 only)., and Binding: nineteenth-century half-calf, rebacked.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Troy (Extinct city)
Subject (Name):
Alexander, the Great, 356-323 B.C. and Pseudo-Callisthenes.
Subject (Topic):
Arthurian romances, Italian prose literature, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Uther Pendragon (Legendary character)
Manuscript on paper of 1) Leonardo Bruni, Vita Ciceronis ex Plutarcho traducta. 2) Pope Pius II, Versus in laudem S. Catharinae Senenis
Description:
Art. 1 is written by one hand in Gothico-Humanistica; art. 2 is copied by another hand in Humanistica Textualis; and art. 3 and the note on f. 1r are written in Gothico-Humanistica Cursiva., Decoration: None; space reserved on f. 1r for a 6-line initial., Binding: None., and In Latin.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444., Pius II, Pope, 1405-1464., Cicero, Marcus Tullius., and Catherine, of Siena, Saint, 1347-1380.
Subject (Topic):
Latin literature, Medieval and modern and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper of 1) Prologue by the translator, addressed to Henry of Lusignan, Prince of Galilee (d. 1427). 2) Plutarchus (c. 46-120), Vita Luculli, Latin translation by Leonardus Iustinianus (Leonardo Giustiniani, 1388-1446). 3) Plutarchus, Comparatio vitarum Cimonis atque Luculli, Latin translation by Leonardus Iustinianus
Description:
In Latin., Script: copied by one scribe in a broad Humanistica Textualis Formata of "typographic" character and marked by unusual features such as the occasional use of round s in medial position and long i in final position, and inconsistencies in the use of ae/ẹ, the form of final s and m, etc. Majuscules at the beginning of lines protrude into the margin. Line fillers in the shape of expunged i., Headings in pale red. Art. 1 opens with a 6-line initial in red with the pen drawing for unexecuted white vinestem decoration. The 6-line initial at the head of art. 2 is purplish red on a blue background delicately heightened with silver arabesques, extended in the margin with red and green acanthus leaves. At the bottom of the same f. 387r there was a coat of arms flanked by two fleur-de-lys and four balls in purplish red and blue and red ribbons; the coat of arms has been cut out and the page has been repaired with a piece of paper; on it a modern coat of arms accompanied by the initials W and S (Walter Sneyd) is drawn in pencil., and Binding: 19th century. Quarter brown leather (with corners) and reddish brown marbled paper over cardboard. Gold-tooled flat spine with inscription: “PLUTARCHI VITA LUCULLI LATINE M.S.”.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Cimon, d. ca. 450 B.C., Lucullus, ca. 117 B.C.-ca. 56 B.C., and Plutarch.
Subject (Topic):
Biography, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper of 1) Life of Oppian. 2) Summary of the poem in art. 1. 3) Scholia on Oppian, Halieutica, attributed to Tzetzes. 4) Paraphrasis of Oppian, Cynegetica, attributed to Tzetzes
Description:
In Greek., Watermarks: similar to Briquet Croix latine 5683 and Main 11292., Script: Written by Andreas Darmarius in Salamanca and dated 17 November 1580., Headings and simple initials in red. A few diagrams to illustrate text, mainly geometrical figures showing the elements of the cosmos (ff. 31r-32v), but also one stemmatic diagram illustrating the divisions of fishing (f. 72v)., and Binding: Nineteenth century (?). Limp vellum case; remains of tawed skin ties. Lettering in ink on spine.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Oppian, active 2nd century.
Subject (Topic):
Greek poetry, Hellenistic, Hunting, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Scholia
Manuscript on parchment of 1) John Lydgate (ca. 1370-ca. 1451), Life of Our Lady. The beginning is missing (Book I, verses 1-70 ). 2) The Privity of the Passion, an anonymous English translation, here attributed to Walter Hilton (d. 1396), of part of Ps.-Bonaventura, Meditationes vitae Christi
Description:
In Middle English with some Latin., Script: Probably copied by one scribe, writing Gothica Cursiva Libraria (Secretary). The headings in art. 2 are in a larger form of the same script, more close to Anglicana., In art. 2 the scribe left space for 2-line initials (a 3-line initial at the opening) and generally wrote guide-letters, but initials were never added and all other forms of decoration are missing., Low quality parchment, with holes and irregular edges. The upper outer corner of f. 79 is torn away with loss of text., and Binding: Twentieth century. Glossy brown leather over pasteboard, both covers framed with blind-tooled fillets; spine with four raised bands; in the second compartment the gold-tooled inscription "LYDGATE - LIFE OF OUR LADY"; at the bottom: "C. 1450". Sprinkled edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451?
Subject (Topic):
Devotional literature, English (Middle), English poetry, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper of Anonymous biography of Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia, 1430-1503).
Description:
In Italian., Script: Copied by one hand in rapid Humanistica Cursiva., and Binding: Eighteenth century. Half parchment over pasteboard, covered with brown and blue marbled paper. On the spine brownish red leather label with the gold-tooled title "VITA D'ALESSAND. VI. / MS." and small paper label with the number of the Phillipps collection.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Alexander VI, Pope, 1431-1503.
Subject (Topic):
Biography, Italian literature, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper of the Life of Saint John the Baptist. Manuscript also contains a formulary for addressing Latin letters to ecclesiastical authorities and dignitaries, as well as a sermon and vision about Saint John the Baptist
Description:
In Italian., Script: the formulary is copied in Gothica Semitextualis Libraria (Mercantesca); the other articles are in Gothica Semitextualis Currens (Mercantesca), sometimes of difficult legibility. There is no decoration., Manuscript on paper containing: 1) Formulary for addressing Latin letters to pope Calixtus III (1455-1458) and various other Italian ecclesiastical authorities and dignitaries, ending with emperor Frederick III (1452-1493) and Charles VII, King of France (1422-1461). 2) Life of St. John the Baptist in Italian. 3) Sermon on St. John the Baptist, attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux. 4) Vision about St. John the Baptist, incomplete and of difficult legibility., and Binding: 20th century marbled brown paper binding.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
John, the Baptist, Saint.
Subject (Topic):
Christian hagiography, Devotional literature, Italian, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of Vita S. Lamberti, by Nicolaus canonicus Leodiensis (12th cent.), Sigebertus Gemblacensis (c. 1030-1112), Godescalcus canonicus Leodiensis (8th cent.), and Godescalcus diaconus Leodiensis
Description:
In Latin., Script: copied by two hands in Gothica Hybrida Libraria: A, ff. 1r-16r (artt. 1-7); B, f. 16v (artt. 8-10), in a more rapid form of the script., Decoration: Headings and stroking of majuscules in red. A 6-line red initial on f. 1ra; and elsewhere there are various red plain initials (2-5 lines)., and Binding: 18th or 19th century brown speckled paper over pasteboard.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Lambert, Saint, Bishop of Maastricht, ca. 635-ca. 705. and Sigebert, of Gembloux, approximately 1030-1112.
In Middle English., Script: Written by a single scribe in a formal style of bastard Anglicana; delicately decorated ascenders and descenders along upper and lower edges of written space., On f. 5v a large coat of arms, Carent quartered with Toomer, in a green, orange, and gold frame, against a dark green ground, perhaps a slightly later addition; f. 6r, a small coat of arms, Carent, in the lower margin, against a gold ground, surrounded by a phylactery wrapped around the bar border. Arms supported by two seated dogs, in black pen, set in an oblong landscape, edged heavily in black., One 8-line (f. 6r), four 6-line (ff. 1r, 21r, 52r, 85v) and one 4-line (f. 106r) initials, blue and red with white highlights, filled with large four-lobed flowers and acanthus leaves, orange, green, pink, blue, and light blue, against irregular gold grounds, edged in black, with full (ff. 1r, 6r), 3/4 (ff. 52r, 85v) or single marginal (ff. 21r, 106r) borders. The full and 3/4 have gold, blue and red bands attached to initial, with curling and braided sections sprouting curling acanthus at corners; often against gold cusps, with spiraling black ink hair-spray vines with small green teardrop leaves, pink, brown, green, and blue flowers, and gold dots with small pink and blue leaves. 2-line gold initials on irregular blue and red grounds with white highlights, each with two sprigs of black hair-spray with green leaves and gold dots, as above. 1-line blue and gold initials, with red or pink penwork. Rubrics throughout., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown goatskin blind-tooled, with a gold-tooled title. Bound by Francis Bedford (London, 1800-84), who worked with C. Lewis and set up his own shop in 1841.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? and Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint.
Subject (Topic):
Devotional literature, English (Middle), Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper of the history of the final days of the Moorish kingdom of Granada
Description:
In Spanish., Watermark: resembles Briquet 11272 (Toulouse, 1570)., Script: copied by a single scribe in a Spanish version of Humanistica Cursiva Formata. The first word of each paragraph is written in Capitalis. The Latin formula at the end is in Humanistica Textualis Formata. A few marginal notes, mostly by a later hand., The text recounts the history of the final days of the Moorish kingdom of Granada through the conquest by Gonsalvo de Cordoba, the "great captain" in the service of the Catholic Kings of Spain, 1492. This is the final quire of a manuscript that contained the full history of the Moorish Kings of Granada., and Disbound. Extracted from a larger manuscript.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., Granada (Kingdom), and Spain
Subject (Topic):
Manuscripts, Medieval, Kings and rulers, and History
