Add MS 8347

POLITICAL TREATISES relating to Rome, France and Tuscany; circa 1662-1664. Italian. Copies. Most of the present treatises (arts. 1-4) relate to the dispute between France and the Papacy that arose after the attack on the French Ambassador at Rome, Charles de Blanchefort, Duc de Créqui, by the papal Corsican Guards on 20 Aug. 1662. The quarrel almost led to war between France and the Papacy and ended only with the acceptance by Alexander VII of the Treaty of Pisa, signed on 12 Feb. 1664. Art. 5, is the criticism addressed to Grand Duke Ferdinand II of Tuscany by Traiano Maffei in relation to the agreement of neutrality signed by the Grand Duke with Louis XIV in 1646. Table of contents (f. 1), added later. Old shelfmark '544' in fourth spine compartment, and signature in pencil 'Tom. C' in upper right corner of f. i: identifiable with Mattei MS. 544 (vol. 100 of 'Materie diverse') in Guilford's catalogue Add. 8220, f. 24. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '106' in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8317-8332, and 8346, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 106 (part).

Contents as follows:

1. ff. 2-63v. 'La pace necessaria, Discorso politico del signor Francesco Medoca', political treatise by Francesco Medoca at the time of Louis XIV of France and Pope Alexander VII (1655-1667); n.d. Italian. Copy. Inc. (f. 3) 'La pace necessaria / Amore, zelo, e osservanza'.

2. ff. 64-98. 'La verità svelata nelli correnti disturbi col Signor Duca di Crequy'; n.d. Italian. Copy. Inc. (f. 65) 'E è possibile che Roma habbia ancora a desiderare'. Another copy in Add. 8754, art. 11, ff. 185v-202v.

3. ff. 99-124. 'Le difficoltà dell'aggiustamento con la Francia / Discorso d'incerto'; n.d. Italian. Copy. Inc. (f. 100) 'Dopo la magnanima esibitione fatta non senza grandissimo applauso'. Another copy in Add. 8754, art. 11, ff. 169-185.

4. ff. 125-144v. 'Riflessi cattolici e politici sopra l'affari correnti dell'anno 1663'; 1663. Italian. Copy. Inc. (f. 126) 'Se li successi passati sono maestri infallibili'. Another copy in Add. 8754, art. 11, ff. 140-149v.

5. ff. 145-159v. 'Discorso politico al Gran Duca di Fiorenza sopra la sua neutralità con le due corone di Francia e Spagna ne i correnti mottivi di guerra'; [1648]. Italian. Copy. Inc. (f. 146) 'Non è principio dovuto a penna volgare'. Other copies in Add. 8322 (art. 15, ff. 324-338), 8329 (art. 3, ff. 66-79), and 8331 (art. 7, ff. 254-267v).

Paper; ff. 159+iii, plus one unfoliated blank after f. 98, and two after ff. 124, 144. Old foliation in ink '1-162' (ff. 2-159), omitting f. 126, omitting nos. 135, 144-147. 250 x 186mm. Horizontal catchwords on each leaf. Several Italian hands. Late 17th-cent. Italian binding of full vellum.