Add MS 8439

DIARY OF THE PONTIFICATE OF JULIUS II; 1503-1512. Latin. Copy, late 17th or early 18th cent. Diary of events in Rome during the reign of Pope Julius II from his election on to 4 April 1512. The diary is divided into three sections. The first section (ff. 1-43), covering events from the death of Pius III to 22 April 1506, is an excerpt from the diary of Johannes Burchard, liturgist and Papal Master of Ceremonies (d. 1506). The second and third sections (ff. 43v-145, 145v-219v), events from April 1506 to 4 April 1512, are extracts from the diary of Paris de Grassis (d. 1528), the successor of Burchard as Master of Ceremonies. Anther copy of the extract from Burchard's diary relating to Julius II in Add. 48154 (art. 4, ff. 117-205). Shorter extracts of Burchard's diary relating only to the conclave for the election of Julius II in Add. 8412 (ff. 107-114), and 48073 (art. 10, ff. 389-418v); in Italian translation in Add. 8414 (ff. 67-76), 8416 (ff. 89-109), 8417 (ff. 305-322v), published in Conclavi de' Pontefici Romani (Amsterdam, 1668), pp. 117-132, B.L. copy 858.a.2; a different Italian version in Add. 8413 (ff. 87-93). For copies of the whole Burchard's diary see Add. 8437, 8438, 21562, 26803-26807, 48077 (Yelverton MS. 84). The diary was published by E. Celani, Johannis Burckardi Liber Natarum in L. A. Muratori (ed.), Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, Città di Castello ed., xxxii, pt. 1, vol. 2 (1913), pp. 393-511. A complete copy of Paris de Grassis's diary in Add. 8440-8444, and in particular Add. 8441 and 8442, ff. 1-170v, for the period covered in the present MS. (1506-1512). The part of Grassis's diary relating to the two military expeditions of Julius II (Aug. 1506 - 23 March 1507; Sept. 1510 - June 1512) was published by L. Frati in 'Le due spedizioni militari di Giulio II tratte dal diario di Paride Grassi bolognese ...', Documenti e studi pubblicati per cura della Regia Deputazione di storia patria per le provincie di Romagna, v. i (1886), pp. i-xxiv, 1-363, with brief biography. For his edition Frati used five MSS. from his list of 13 surviving MSS. in Bologna, Rome, the Vatican, and Paris (no B.L. MS. is mentioned). The present manuscript is listed in Palma di Cesnola, no. 1551, p. 122. Title (f. 1) 'Diarium Julii Secundi', inc. (f. 1) 'Die Martis xvij Octobris Papa in mane fuit communicatus', expl. (f. 43) 'alii redierunt ad loca sua', followed by a note on Burchard's death; title (f. 43v) 'Continuatio Diarii Iulii Pape Secundi', inc. 'Sanctissimus Dominus Nostrus Julius Papa 2^s Johanni Bentivoli viri fortissimi', expl. (f. 219v) 'de praecedentia inter eos nondum decisa fol. 222'. The excerpts from Grassis's diary give the folio reference to their MS. source. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. Front pastedown has '30' in brown ink in lower left corner and '342' in pencil in upper left corner. Purchased, together with Add. 8440-8446, from R. H. Evans, 8 December 1830, lot 342 (part).

Paper; ff. 220+xxii. Modern foliation in pencil '1-219' (followed here), omitting one leaf after f. 213. 260 x 180mm. Horizontal catchwords on each leaf. Left and right margins ruled with hard point (ff. 1-44) and with folds (ff. 45-219). These two sections are copied in different hands. Watermarks of bird and star, but not similar to any examples in Haewood, Watermarks. Full vellum binding over pasteboards, late 17th or early 18th cent.