Add MS 8437-8438

Latin. Incomplete copy, late 17th cent. Burchard's complete diary of events in Rome during the pontificate of Alexander VI, which covers 21 Dec. 1483 - 27 April 1506, was published by E. Celani, Johannis Burckardi Liber Natarum in L.A. Muratori (ed.), Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, Città di Castello edn, xxxii, pt. 1 (1906-1942). For Burchard (d. 1506), see DBI, xv, pp. 405-408. For problems relating to the text of the diary, see F. Wasner, 'Eine unbekannte Handschrift des Diarium Burckardi' in Historishes Jahrbuch, 83 (1964) pp. 300-331. Add. 8437 is listed in Palma di Cesnola, no. 1550, p. 122. Add. 26803-26807 is a copy of the complete text of the diary; Add. 21562 is a copy of the diary from 12 May 1500 to 25 Dec. 1502 and Add. 48077 is another copy from 2 Dec. 1492 to 22 Feb. 1503. Extracts from the diary in Add. 8412, 8413, 8414, 8416, 8417, 8439, 48073, 48154. '58' [meaning 580] in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown of both volumes. Purchased, together with Add. 8362 and 8363, from R. H. Evans, 8 December 1830, lot 580 (part).

Paper. Two volumes. Watermarks: star, with no similar examples in Haewood, Watermarks, and several examples of a cross, somewhat similar to Haewood 921 (A.D. 1646, Rome), but with varying capital letters above the circle. Full vellum binding over pasteboards, late 17th or early 18th cent., with red-edged textblocks.