Add MS 8390

ACCOUNT of the captivity of Pius VI and Pius VII; circa 1809. Italian. Copy. The account was written by an eye witness, who accompanied Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) on his journey from Rome to Fontainebleau and Savona as a prisoner of Napoleon I (1804-1814). The witness may have been Louis Louis Cereghelli, secretary of the Papal Household in Rome, for whom see Add. 8389. The text describes the French captivity of Pius VI (1775-1799) in 1798-1799, which caused his death at Valence, and continues with Pius VII's election, removal and deportation from Fontainebleau to Savona in 1809. Preface (ff. 2-2v) 'Due Romani Pontefici l'uno immediatamente dopo l'altro', inc. (f. 3) 'Fine del regno di Pio VI, Principio della sua cattività / Comprata che fu dal Papa la pace', expl. (f. 51v) 'e fra le più festose acclamazioni'. The text is divided into three parts, respectively entitled 'Prigionia di Pio VI' (ff. 2-18v), 'Traslazione di Pio VII nel Castello di Fontainebleu' (ff. 19-35), 'Traslazione di Pio VII in Savona e del Cardinal Pacca nel Forte di Fenestrelle' (ff. 36-51v). Contemporary table of contents (f. 1). Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '96' in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8339, 8384, 8385, 8387, 8388, and possibly 8389, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 96 (part).

Paper; ff. 51+iii, plus one unfoliated blank after ff. 3, 35. 307 x 213mm. One Italian hand: same hand as in Add. 8339 (ff. 1-326), 8384, 8387 (ff. 2-31), 8388, and 8389 (ff. 2-20, 51-60, 64-67v): possibly Louis Cereghelli (see Add. 8389). Early 19th-cent. Italian binding of full vellum.