Add MS 8410

GIOVANNI BATTISTA COCCINI: Commentary on conclaves; 1623. Latin. Copy. Giovanni Battista Coccini was auditor of the Sacra Romana Rota from 1600 and dean from 1612 until his death in 1641. The present text is a commentary on the rules for the election of the pope, following two related constitutions published by Gregory XV (1621-1623), respectively entitled Æterni Patris, dated 15 Nov. 1621, and Decet Romanum Pontificem, dated 12 March 1622. The commentary was dedicated to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, nephew of Gregory XV and vice-chancellor of the Holy Roman Church. Dedication letter (ff. 1-1v) 'Illustrissimo ... Ludovico Cardinali Ludovisio S.R.E. Vicecancellario Joannes Baptista Coccinus S.D. / S.D.N. diploma de electione Romani Pontificis ... Rome XVII Kal. Julii MDCXXIII', inc. (f. 2) 'Gregorius Episcopus Servus Servorum Dei Ad perpetuam Rei memoriam / In electione Summi Pontificis omnem diligentiam adhibendam esse / § Eterni Patris Filius, Magister et Legislator Christus Dominus, cuius omnis actio, nostra est instructio', expl. (f. 600v) 'et latius supra dixit. Laus Deo et Beatae Virgini et S. Petro Apostolorum Principi'. The text is divided into unnumbered chapters: their titles and leaf references copied on forty-seven leaves inserted later (ff. 11, 24, 37, 50, 63, 75, 88, 101, 114, 127, 140, 153, 166, 179, 192, 205, 218, 231, 244, 257, 270, 283, 296, 309, 322, 335, 348, 361, 374, 387, 400, 413, 426, 439, 452, 463, 476, 489, 502-503, 516, 529, 542, 555, 568-568v, 581-581v, 594). MS. from the collection of Cardinal Giuseppe Renato Imperiali according to the description by John Holmes in the catalogue of the London bookseller John Cochran, to whom the volume had been entrusted for sale in 1829, together with other Guilford MSS. from the Imperiali collection: see J. Cochran, Catalogue of Manuscripts, no. 108 (London, 1829), lot 153, vol. v, p. 51. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '88' in pencil in upper left corner of f. i. Purchased, together with Add. 8367, 8411, 8414, 8415, 8426, 8427, and 8428, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 88 (part).

Paper; ff. 600+v, plus one unfoliated blank after f. 1, and forty-eight unfoliated single blanks before the later inserted leaves with titles (two blanks before inserted ff. 63 and 516). Modern foliation in pencil '1-600', repeating no. 150 instead of no. 160. Old pagination in ink '1-553' (ff. 2-600), omitting the forty-seven leaves inserted later. 270 x 192mm. Horizontal catchwords on each leaf. One Italian hand. Guilford binding of quarter vellum with decorated paper covers over pasteboards.