Poem in three cantos dedicated to Isabella d'Este (1474-1539), Marchioness of Mantua, and intended to be performed at her court
Description:
In Italian., Script: copied by a single hand writing Humanistica Cursiva Libraria; thought to be autograph. Headings on ff. 1v and 3r in Capitalis., Giovan Francesco Suardi (d. after 1540), Amor fugitivus. Poem in Italian in three cantos dedicated to Isabella d'Este (1474-1539), Marchioness of Mantua, and intended to be performed at her court. In the first canto the poet sings of his love, in the second he encounters Venus in search of Cupido who ran away, in the third he sadly returns home. There are a few corrections on erasure. This is the dedication copy and the only manuscript containing this text., and Binding: original binding: brown leather over cardboard; both covers blind-tooled with a double frame inscribed with a lozenge containing the monogram “YHS”. The spine is gold-tooled.
Manuscript on paper of Atto recitabile da fare avanti che nella compagnia si dieno panellini benedetti composto dal Cecchi
Description:
In Italian., Script: the original text copied by a single hand, writing Humanistica Cursiva. The changes and additions are written in Humanistica Cursiva Currens under Gothic influence., and Binding: early paper binding.
Manuscript on paper (deckle edges) of 1) Chronicle of Pisa (from the founding of the city to 1342). 2) Chronicle of Pisa, covering the years from creation to 1400, with the Chronicle of Ranieri Sardo beginning at 1355; the final paragraph, dealing with 1422, was added by a later continuator after Sardo's death
Description:
In Italian., Watermarks: unidentified sun within circle, in gutter., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Vellum spine and fore-edge strip, with gold tooling on spine and dark red label: "Cronica Pisano./ 1342/ Annali di Pisa./ 1422/ MS." Marbled paper sides.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Pisa (Italy)
Subject (Topic):
Italian literature, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
Manuscript on parchment of a summary of Giovanni Villani's Croniche
Description:
In Italian., Script: copied by a single hand writing Gothico-Humanistica Libraria on the basis of Italian Hybrida. Pale red headings. Flourished initials with penwork and marginal extensions, 2-line up to f. 16r, generally 3-line from f. 16v onwards. On f. 1r 2-line white vinestem initial incorporated into a border corner piece of the same style. In the lower margin two marks of oval seals (?) and the early number or date "1264"., The manuscript contains the Chronicle of Florence up to 1333, being a summary of the Croniche of Giovanni Villani (c. 1280-1348); the most recent edition of the Croniche is by G. Porta (Parma, 1991). The Compendio presented by our manuscript corresponds to Book 1, ch. 38 up to Book 10, ch. 219 of Villani's work. The author of the summary skips the majority of the chapters of the original and summarizes the ones he retains, placing them generally under Villani's headings without much changing the latter., and Binding: Italian binding circa 16th century: brown leather over wooden boards, both covers blind-tooled with fillets making a rectangular frame inscribed with a lozenge, and decorated with rows of stamps. In the center of the lozenge a cross. Spine with four raised bands. Remnants of four brass clasps attached to the rear cover, one at the upper and lower edges and two at the outer edges; five small brass bosses on each cover. On the spine a parchment label with the handwritten 16th century inscription: "Gio: Villan:"
Manuscript on parchment of Leonardo Bruni, De bello italico adversus gothos, in the Italian version by Ludovico Petroni made in 1456. Preceded by the letter of Leonardo Bruni to Giuliano Cardinal Cesarini (1398-1444).
Description:
In Italian., Script: Written by a single scribe in fere-gothic script, above top line., Partial border in inner margin of white vine-stem ornament, f. 1r, on blue, green and pink ground with white and blue dots. In lower border terminals extending in ink hair spray with green, pink and blue flowers and gold balls frame central medallion with a crude outline drawing of a head in profile (later addition?). Two decorated initials, 4- to 3-line, gold on blue, pink and green grounds with white vine-stem ornament. On f. 1r initial joined to partial border. Heading on f. 1r in red., and Binding: 18th-19th centuries, Italy. "Alla rustica" with grey-green paper added over the spine and part of the boards. Edges yellow.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Rome
Subject (Name):
Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444. and Cesarini, Giuliano, Cardinal, 1398-1444.
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Italian literature, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
Manuscript on parchment (goatskin) of Antonio Beccadelli (Antonius Panormita, 1394-1471), De dictis et factis Alfonsi regis, Ital. translation. With Giovanni Gioviano Pontano (Iohannes Iovianus Pontanus, 1426-1503), De principe, Ital. translation
Description:
In Italian., Script: Written by one hand in a slightly shaky Southern Gothica Textualis Formata (Rotunda), the majuscules partly in Roman Capitals. Headings in clumsily executed Capitals with crossed letter I., Headings in red. 2- or 3-line plain initials alternately red and blue, with guide-letters. Larger initials with some flourishing at the beginning of each work., and Binding: Eighteenth century (?). White parchment over cardboard. On the spine the title is written "Panormit: de' Fatti d'Alfonso, e Pontano del Princip: MS." and at the bottom, partly worn off, the early shelf-mark "Cass. 1 58 an (?) x9".
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Italy
Subject (Name):
Beccadelli, Antonio, 1394-1471.
Subject (Topic):
Didactic literature, Italian literature, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Politics and government
Manuscript on paper of Benedetto Cotrugli (Benedictus de Cotrullis, c. 1410-1469), De navigatione liber (Della navigazione). After the prologue in Latin addressed to the Doge and the Senate of Venice, the author, quoting countless Biblical, ancient, medieval and Renaissance authors and drawing largely on his own experience, discusses the oceans and seas, islands, ports, the history of ship-building and navigation, weather, and astronomy. At the end, he includes portolano maps and describes the coast of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
Description:
The author, born in Ragusa (Dubrovnik), was a businessman and humanist, from 1451 onwards in favour at the Court of Naples. His Della mercatura e del mercante perfetto, written in 1458, was for a long time considered his only surviving work. Our manuscript, written during his lifetime and no doubt under his supervision or by his hand, is the only existing manuscript of Della navigazione and it is unfinished, missing most of its illustrations and the end of the text., In Italian., Script: Written by one hand in Humanistica Cursiva close to Humanistica Textualis. Headings and opening words of chapters in pale red capitals., Heightening of majuscules and paragraph marks in pale red up to f. 10r. Space for 2- or 3-line initials at the opening of all chapters, the initials not executed. Illustration largely missing; the few that have been executed are crudely drawn., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Yellowish parchment over cardboard. Marbled paste-downs.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Cotrugli, Benedetto, d. 1468.
Subject (Topic):
Astronomy, Medieval, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Italian literature, Manuscript maps, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Navigation
Manuscript fragment on parchment of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), Decamerone, 7.8, 30-50 and Decamerone, 7.9, 1-5.
Description:
In Italian., Script: Copied by one hand in Southern Gothica Semitextualis Libraria., and Binding: The leaf has been used as a cover for an archival register (?), the upper part of f. 1r being the front cover. It carries the inscriptions "A", "Gioan Giacomo Saba***".
