Add MS 49456

WILL OF CARDINAL PIETRO CORSINI of Florence (d. 1405), made in the Church of the Augustinian Friars Hermits, the Cathedral, at Avignon; 19 Oct. 1403. Latin. Contemporary copy of the original, now A.A. Arm. D 114 in the Vatican Archive. Apparently unpublished, apart from clause (f), though its contents were known to Corsini's biographers. Belonged to André de Coppet; Sotheby's sale-cat., 1 Apr. 1957, lot 2179. Purchased with the aid of a donation from Mr. A. Gimson through the Friends of the National Libraries.

Vellum roll, composed of 'Quinque pergameni pellibus gluto juntis' (l. 3 from the bottom), each approximately 545 mm. in length, each join being authenticated by a notarial sign. Approximately 2335 x 430mm. 1403. Written in French litera cursiva textualis. Subscribed (last six lines) in litera bastarda by the Florentine clerk and notary public Martino di Giovanni Guiducci, who states he was present when the testament was made and took note of it at the request of Corsini; owing to presure of work he had the present copy written and engrossed by another hand and, having collated it with the original, subscribed it and confirmed it with his accustomed sign. Endorsed in a cursive hand 'testamento di messer piero di corsinis Reverendisimo Cardinale di firenze', 15th cent., and in later hands 'AC' and 'priorum'.

Principal contents:–

1. A declaration concerning the Great Schism in which Corsini played an important part as one of the three Italian cardinals to support the Avignonese Pope, Clement VII. He urges the calling of a general council representing both parties in equal numbers in order to preserve the unity of the Church and justifies the part played by himself and the two other Italian cardinals in this election, the subject of a work by himself which he wished to be published after his death and copies sent to the Universities of Paris, Bologna, Oxford and Salamanca. MSS. of this work are Cod. 40 D. 4 in the Bibl. Corsiniana at Rome and Cod. 264, NB 3, T. 11, p. 96 at Ferrara. See Pastor, Hist. of the Popes, 1891, i, p. 119 n. 1.

2. Instructions for his burial in Avignon until his body could be transferred to Florence.

3. Bequests to religious institutions, including the endowment of a chapel in the Duomo of Florence, with instructions concerning the recitation of masses for his soul and the distribution of alms to the poor. See

E. Gamurrini, 1st Geneal. delle Fam. Nob. Tosc. et Umbre, Florence, 1673, iii, pp. 152-4.

4. An inventory of his books with instructions for their disposal. Another inventory of his books, part of the inventory of his possessions made after his death according to the terms of this will (ll. 98-97 from the bottom), is printed in Mélanges d'Archéologie et d'Histoire, an. LIII, 1936, pp. 348-73, by L. C. Barré. Though fuller than that in the present will, it is substantially the same, being based on Corsini's own inventory.

5. Legacies to confraternities, his familiars, relatives, etc.

6. Instructions for the division of his estate between his brother Filippo and his heirs and the Convent of SS Caterina and Ghay [Gaggio] at Monte near Florence, founded by his father Tommaso Corsini and closely associated with their family. See E. Repetti, Dizionario . . . della Toscana, Florence, 1835, ii, pp. 369-70. Quoted, presumably from the original, with misreadings and an incorrect date by Gamurrini, op. cit., iii, pp. 155-6.